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Martinez, Bob

CANDIDATE DETAILS

Affiliation


<-	1992-01-01

Name

Bob Martinez

Address

Tampa, Florida , United States

None

Website

None

Born

December 25, 1934 (89 years)

Contributor

Not in Public Domain

Last Modifed

Mr. Matt
Dec 25, 2020 08:40am

Tags

Hispanic -

Info

Robert "Bob" Martinez

Born in Tampa on Christmas Day 1934, Bob Martinez started his Hillsborough County public school education at Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary School in 1941 and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1953. He received his Bachelor of Science degree with a major in education from the University of Tampa in 1957 and a Master's of Arts degree in labor and industrial relations in 1964 from the University of Illinois.

Upon graduation from the University of Tampa, Martinez taught social studies at Oak Grove Junior High and Chamberlain High School. In 1966, he became the executive director of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association where he represented the interests of teachers and education until 1975.

In 1975, Florida Governor Reubin Askew appointed him to the Southwest Florida Water Management District governing board. He went on to become the vice-chairman and served until sworn in as mayor of Tampa on Oct. 1, 1979. In 1983, he switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican and was re-elected mayor.

In July 1986, Martinez resigned his office to run for governor of Florida. He was elected in November 1986 and served from 1987 to 1991. During his tenure as governor, he supported increased education funding, pre-paid tuition legislation and the 10th state university located in southwest Florida. He was best known for his environmental agenda. The Preservation 2000 Environmental Land Acquisition Program was the largest land-purchasing program in the nation. He supported new initiatives for surface water improvement, solid waste management, Everglades restoration, manatee protection, beach-erosion mitigation and growth management. He legislated major expansions in transportation and criminal justice programs for the citizens of Florida.

In 1991, President George H. Bush appointed Martinez as the United States' second drug czar. The Cabinet-rank office was responsible for developing the nation's drug-control policy to reduce the use and sale of illegal drugs and to expand drug education and rehabilitation programs throughout the country.

In 1993, Martinez returned to Tampa and became a consultant. In 1999 he became the managing director of Carlton Fields Government Consulting Services.

Martinez married his high school sweetheart, Mary Jane Marino, in 1954. Their daughter, Sharon Marie, is the mother of identical twins, Emily Ida and Lydia Marie, and their son, Robert Alan, is the father of Robert Alejandro and Christine Ysabel.

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