Founders Award for Civic Leadership
Former Secretary of State for the State of Florida, for enhancing the quality of life and culture across the state
Glenda Hood’s career as a distinguished public citizen and servant, both nationally and within the State of Florida, exemplifies the principles of civic leadership. As an Orlando native and fourth generation Floridian, it comes as no surprise that Hood has dedicated her career to enhancing quality of life and culture across the state, both in her former role as Mayor of Orlando and in her current position as Florida’s Secretary of State.
In her early career, Hood was president of her own public relations firm, as well as a member of the Orlando City Council. In 1992, Hood became the first female elected Mayor of the City of Orlando. During her three terms as Mayor, Hood placed an emphasis on improving the quality of life in Orlando. Hood helped transform the city from a mere tourist locale into a vital economic nexus and a model of livability, turning Orlando from the hole in the doughnut of Disney to the crown jewel of Central Florida.
During her tenure as Orlando Mayor, Hood pioneered several innovative programs and projects. Through the creation of the Business Assistance Team, Hood helped attract technology companies and higher-paying jobs to Orlando and assisted small businesses. As Mayor, she was also at the helm of plans for the redevelopment of the Orlando Naval Training Center into a mixed-use community. Hood’s commitment to community investment and development was reflected in her creation of the Mayor’s Neighborhood Matching Grants Program, in which the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce agreed to match funds of up to $5,000 raised by neighborhood based organizations for projects that improved the quality of life in Orlando’s neighborhoods. The Matching Grants Program has been a great success and continues to improve communities in Orlando today.
Beyond Hood’s work in the areas of community, economic, and arts and cultural development, she also used her position as Mayor to promote regionalism and internationalism. Through her leadership, Orlando was able to attract industry investments from Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Brazil and others and was successful at bringing five of the 1994 World Cup soccer matches to the city. She also served as Chairman of the International Task Force for the Florida League of Cities and founded the Metro Orlando International Affairs Commission, which works to enhance international investment and export opportunities for the greater Orlando region. Hood later went on to head the International Task Force for the National League of Cities, and, in 1992 served as President of the organization.
In 2003, Hood was appointed Florida’s Secretary of State by Governor Jeb Bush. One of Hood’s responsibilities in this position is to serve as Florida’s Chief Cultural Officer. During her time in office, she has emphasized the importance that culture and the arts play in Florida’s economy and communities.
Hood has been instrumental in the Florida Arts Council’s initiative “Culture Builds Florida.” With Partners help, this initiative aims to develop collaborations between the arts and cultural community, strengthen the economy through public and private organizations, promote learning and wellness, improve design and development, and expand leadership opportunities.
Hood currently serves as the Chair of the Executive Committee of Partners for Livable Communities, where she has been a member of the Board of Trustees for ten years. In addition to her work with Partners, Hood has shown her dedication to public service through her membership in the Urban Land Institute’s Mayor’s Council, the Volunteer Service Bureau, the Economic Development Commission of Mid-Florida, and her service on the Board of
numerous organizations, including the Partnership for Civic Change Board of the PEW Charitable Trust.
Glenda Hood has been a leading figure in promoting civic growth and change for America’s cities through community investment, arts and cultural collaborations, and internationalism.