Board & Staff

Board of Directors

Tom Herndon

Director

In a state government career that spanned 32 years, Tom Herndon served at the highest levels of management in Florida government including key positions in the executive branch, the Legislature, and the Cabinet. A Florida native, Tom started his government career working as a child abuse counselor in his hometown of St. Petersburg. Tom ended his public service career as the Executive Director of the Florida State Board of Administration (FSBA), managing $125 billion dollars of the State's investments and pension fund assets. Mr. Herndon served as chief-of-staff to both Governor Graham and Governor Chiles. He was appointed as the Executive Director of the Department of Revenue by the Cabinet headed by Governor Martinez; and he served under a Board of Trustees for the FSBA, chaired by Governor Bush. Tom also enjoys the rare experience of having served as a senior official in all three branches of Florida's fiscal system. Tom collected the revenues as Director of the Department of Revenue, appropriated the revenues as Staff Director of the powerful Appropriations Committee for the House of Representatives, and budgeted and expended the revenues during his six years as the State's Director of Planning and Budget.

Tom is the recipient of several state and national public services awards including the prestigious Florida Distinguished Service Medal for Exceptionally Meritorious Service to the State presented in 1995. Tom is a graduate of the University of South Florida and earned a Masters degree at Florida State University. Mr. Herndon is very active in the Tallahassee community and currently serves on the boards of Capitol Health Plan, the Claude Pepper Foundation and the Lawton Chiles Foundation. Tom and his wife Cathie have lived in Tallahassee for over 30 years and have two married daughters and five grandchildren.