The Honorable Sam Fite, Jr.
Mayor, City of Bowling Green

Service: 18 +/- Years Municipal Elected Service

Ridge League of Cities

Dates of Service: 2012 to Present

Positions Held: Current Board Member, 2023 RLC Academic Scholarship Winner, Treasurer, Viting Delegate, Member/Chair of the Advocacy Team, Vice President, President, Vo-Tech & Academic Scholarship Committee, Past Vo-Tech Scholarship Chair, Chamber of Commerce Summit Founding Chair.

Florida League of Cities

Dates of Service: 2012-Present

Positions Held: 2022-2023 FLC Legislative Conference Presenter, 2022-2023 Vice Chair Federal Action Strike Team, 5 Time member FAST Fly-In Washington, D.C., 2022-2023 Leg Policy Municipal Administration, 2022 Candidate FLC 2nd Vice President, Multi Year FLC Legislative Conference, Qualifying Participant for 2 Time Recipient FLC Gold Certificate Program of FLC University, Past Member of the FLC Board of Directors, 2013-2016 Member Legislative Policy Committee for Growth Management and Economic Affairs, Advocacy Team, 2017-Present Member Policy Committee for Municipal Administration (Vice Chair 2022), FLC Advocacy Team Member 2015 to present, First Time Member & Member Florida League of Mayors 2017-Present, FLC University Participant, IMEO IV Graduate, Presenter/Moderator at FLC Annual Conference sessions. Actively engaged with FLC Staff to share our “Grass Roots Effort” message with local civic organizations to gain support. Multi year recipient of the “Home Rule Hero Award” Appointed to the newly formed FLC University Advisory Committee for Education & Training.

National League of Cities

Dates of Service: 2022-2024

Positions Held: Participant 2023 FAST Fly-In, Training Sessions as new participant to NLC

Statement of Qualifications: First I have to say I am honored to be a member of and faithfully served both the Ridge League and the Florida League of Cities. I try to support and promoted both organizations among my peer elected officials and community humbly with the utmost honor and respect whenever the opportunity arises. I do my best to serve my citizens as a “public servant” to the best of my ability putting the needs of the “whole” ahead of the few. I am currently serving my city completing my 18th year with the City of Bowling Green Commission, currently serving as Mayor. I have attended the Ridge League of Cities (RLC) faithfully since coming back on board in 2012. I have also attended the RLC board meetings since becoming the delegate appointed by the City of Bowling Green. I am willing to serve on any of the RLC committees that I am asked to take part with at any time if it is in the best interest of the RLC.

I am honored to have served as an officer of the RLC, including as President and Founding Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Advocacy Committee.

I have served the FLC on Legislative Policy Committees for Economic Development and Growth Management for 3 years under the leadership of David Cruze and also the Municipal Administration Committee with Casey Cook & Tara Taggert, and now Sam Wagoner where I served as the Vice Chair for the 2021-22 session. This has been a most rewarding and educational experience helping to represent the 411 cities of Florida. I am actively involved with the RLC and FLC Advocacy efforts. Emailing, calling and visiting with our representatives and their aids while at home and in session in Tallahassee. I have participated with advocacy efforts on multiple occasions with the Polk County Days Delegation. I have also participated with the FLC Legislative Conference and Legislative Action Days multiple years including the challenging Virtual Leg Days session of 2021. Advocacy is very important, no matter how big or small our municipalities are. It is all about the relationships built. This moving up to the Federal Action Strike Team as Vice Chair and actively participating with advocacy in Washington D.C. for the FAST Fly-In. And with great honor I have been a multi-year recipient of the “Home Rule Hero Award”.

I have during the year attended several other municipality meetings in the RLC trying to promote greater involvement with the RLC and FLC by their respective commissioners. I have worked to reconnect the cities of Avon Park, Sebring and Lake Placid with the RLC, haven’t 100% succeeded but not giving up. I attend and actively participate with sessions at the FLC Annual Conference, where I have also served as a voting delegate on multiple occasions. I have also been enlisted to assist with the educational presentations at the annual conference as participant or moderator.

I am actively involved with the FLC University training programs, not only by participating as a student, but also promoting the valuable free benefit of the training to our members and staff. I have completed the FLC University Inaugural IMEO Level IV training program. This year I am a qualifying participant in the inaugural Gold Certification Program.

I have also completed the Florida State Certified Public Management Program, which focused on becoming a better leader for municipal government. I am fortunate to be able to use this course of study to become a more effective leader in my community and hopefully can use it to benefit the RLC in the future.

I am a participating member of the Florida League of Mayors.

I formerly served as the Governor appointed chairman of the Hardee County Independent Indigent Healthcare Board, where I have served from January of 2001 until 2019 serving the citizens of Hardee county.

I have served the community in which I live on various civic boards in different positions of leadership for many years. I am currently an active member of the Wauchula Kiwanis Club and the Wauchula Lions Club, when I am a board member and awards chair. I serve on the Development Group panel for affordable housing initiatives. I serve as a board member to Advent Health Heartland Community Health Initiatives.

My heart is in service to others. I’m willing to serve the RLC and or the FLC in any capacity that I may of useful service. I am a child of the RLC growing up during my father’s tenure on the commission, I believe in the benefits of being an active RLC/FLC League member. The RLC/FLC serves the 411 cities so we can better serve our citizens. Today more than ever we need each other to #Let Local Voices Make Local Choices.

Other Awards & Recognitions: Numerous awards over many years of public and civic services. A multi-year recipient of the FLC Home Rule Hero Award, most recently 2024 and the Gold Municipal Achievement Award for two years.

Other Participation: City of Bowling Green Chair for Cemetery Committee, Former Liaison to the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Committee. Governor appointed Chair Hardee County Independent Indigent Healthcare Board, Membership Chair/Former Board Member/Former President, Vice President Wauchula Kiwanis Club, Board Director and Awards Chair of Wauchula Lions Club, Member Pioneer Park Days Advisory Committee, Committeeman Hardee County Republican Executive Committee, Past Charter Representative for Boy Scouts of America Troop/Pack 813, BSA Merit Badge Counselor, Former Board of Director and Current Advisor to the Board of Hardee County Habitat for Humanity, HCFR Advisory Board Member, Bowling Green CRA Board Member, TFH Blackbelt Coalition Task Force for Sustainability for Habitat for Humanity of FL.