Glenda Hood

Glenda Evans Hood (born March 10, 1950)[1] is an American politician, who was Secretary of State of Florida, from 2003 to 2005, and the first woman to serve as Mayor of Orlando (1992–2003).

Glenda Evans Hood
25th Secretary of State of Florida
In office
2003–2005
GovernorJeb Bush
Preceded byKen Detzner (acting)
Succeeded byDavid E. Mann (interim)
31st Mayor of Orlando
In office
1993–2003
Preceded byBill Frederick
Succeeded byBuddy Dyer
Personal details
Born (1950-03-10) March 10, 1950
Kissimmee, Florida, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCharlie Hood
Alma materRollins College
Hood and Senator Daniel Webster with the 1838 Florida Constitution in the Senate chamber

A Republican, Hood served as a district commissioner for the City of Orlando from 1982 to 1992, when she was elected Mayor. She was re-elected to 4-year terms as mayor in 1996 and 2000. Before her election to the Orlando City Council, she had served as vice-chairman of the Municipal Planning Board and Zoning Commission, member of the Nominating Board and Chairman of the Task Force on Board and Commission Restructure. She also has served as President of the National League of Cities, the Florida League of Cities, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce.[2]

Hood's time as mayor coincided with Linda Chapin's chairmanship of the Orange County Commission, a time when feminine influence over local politics was at an all-time high. The two women, along with state senator (and future lieutenant governor) Toni Jennings and Dianna Fuller Morgan (Walt Disney World's Senior Vice President for Community and Government Relations), were recognized as the leaders of the local "old girl network." They formed close friendships despite surface political differences, and even took annual Christmas shopping trips to New York City together.[3]

In January 2003, at the start of his second term as governor, Florida Governor Jeb Bush appointed Hood to the office of Secretary of State of Florida. She was Florida's first non-elected Secretary of State, serving in the position from January 2003 until November 21, 2005.[4] In March 2003, it was reported that Bush would appoint her as the new lieutenant governor to succeed Frank Brogan, who resigned. Bush instead named her old friend Jennings as lieutenant governor.

As Secretary of State she was at the center of controversy over her management of elections,[5] including her order that voter registrations be invalidated as "incomplete" when the box for "US Citizen" was not checked, even though applicants signed the cards with a statement attesting they were citizens.[4]

Hood served on the board of the national profit Afterschool Alliance, an organization that works to support after school programs for all children.[6]

Hood endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the 2008 presidential election.[7]

Biographical details

A fourth-generation Floridian, Hood was born in Orlando and graduated from Oak Ridge High School there. She attended Rollins College, where she obtained a bachelor's degree in Spanish. She also completed a program at Harvard Kennedy School.[8]

Married to Charles Hood, she has three grown children (Monty, Ellis and Evans Hood) and several grandchildren.[8]

In 2008, Hood was awarded the Mary Harriman Community Leadership award by The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. Hood is a member of the Junior League of Greater Orlando and served as the League's president from 1982 to 1983.

See also

References
  1. Date information sourced from Library of Congress Authorities data, via corresponding WorldCat Identities linked authority file (LAF).
  2. Orlando Community Redevelopment Agency document Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, 2000.
  3. Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando, by Richard E. Foglesong, Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut, 2001. Page 116.
  4. Secretary of state quits; Glenda Hood cites the need to spend more time with her family St. Petersburg Times, November 1, 2005
  5. Seeing red in Florida Archived August 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, by Farhad Manjoo, Salon.com, October 15, 2004
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 3, 2008. Retrieved October 31, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. Governor Mitt Romney Names Former Secretary of State Glenda Hood to the Florida Statewide Steering Committee Archived August 2, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Romney campaign press release, March 28, 2007
  8. "Honorable Glenda e. Hood Biography". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved August 5, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link), Florida Coastal School of Law, circa 2002.
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