Occupation: Mayor of Wildwood for 30 years; retired after 35 years from teaching at Wildwood Middle School, where also served as a coach and athletic director.

My youth: I grew up in the typical Ozzie and Harriet family, the oldest of five kids. My family moved from Ohio to Florida in 1957.

College years: Before graduating from the University of Florida with an agriculture degree, I went to Lake Sumter, where I met my wife Irish Cason. We married in December 1968 and are celebrating 53 years.

My growing community: When I came to Wildwood in 1968, we probably had less than 2,000 people, and I’ve seen Wildwood grow from a small railroad town to a small city.

What I love about Wildwood: The people.

Greatest career accomplishment: My 35 years at Wildwood Middle School, and I’m most proud of the kids I got to meet and coach in football, basketball, and couple years in track.

Words that describe me: Laid back.

My passions: Family, farming, gardening, taking care of my lawn. I love my little ranch of 212 cows with calves right here in the city of Wildwood, and my wife and I do a lot of antiquing.

I wish: We could go back in time and younger people had the world we grew up in.

Guilty pleasure: Ice cream and sweets.

My motto: Life is what you make it. Try to look at the bright side and find the good in everything.