For more than 30 years, former Senate President Don Gaetz dedicated his life to expanding Floridians’ access to quality health care services as a hospital administrator and co-founder of a successful hospice carebusiness. After tremendous success in the private sector, he devoted his talents and time to public service. As a school board member and later as superintendent, he led Okaloosa County to become the highest performing public school system in Florida, winning numerous national awards for academic excellence. President Gaetz has an undergraduate degree from Concordia College and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Troy State University.

Known for a relentless commitment to reform, and the ability to collaborate across party lines, in 2012 he was unanimously elected by his colleagues to serve a two-year term as President of the Florida Senate. President Gaetz used his time leading the Senate to champion expanding economic opportunities through education, increasing government accountability through major ethics reforms, and making Florida the most military and veteran-friendly state in the nation.