| Don Gaetz was elected to the Florida Senate in 2024, having previously served from 2006 to 2016. During his tenure, he held the position of Senate President from 2012 to 2014.
His public service includes serving as the elected Superintendent of the Okaloosa School Board from 2000 to 2006. He was also a member of the Okaloosa County School Board from 1994 to 2000, serving as Chairman from 1995 to 1996. Additionally, he was the Town Chairman of Seaside, Florida, from 1990 to 1991.
Gaetz has received numerous honors and awards, including recognition from the National Council of State Legislatures and Americans for the Arts as the Preeminent U.S. Legislator in Public Leadership in the Arts. He was awarded the Gold Medal from the International Television and Film Festival of New York and was recognized by the National Association of Workforce Boards as the Nation's Legislative Leader in Career-Technical Education. The American Medical Association named him Most Outstanding Senator, and he received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Association of Physician Specialists. He has been honored with professorships, honorary degrees, and awards from institutions such as Duke University, Flagler College, and Concordia College.
His legislative contributions earned him awards from various organizations, including the National Hospice Organization, the Florida National Guard, the Florida Guardian ad Litem Association, the Florida Dental Association, and the Florida Medical Association. He has been recognized by the National Rifle Association, the Florida Council on Aging, the Florida Special Olympics, and multiple child advocacy and law enforcement organizations.
Gaetz is affiliated with organizations such as the National Press Club in Washington, DC, the Capitol Hill Club, the Churchill Center, and the Theodore Roosevelt Association.
A co-founder and retired Vice Chairman of VITAS Healthcare Corporation in Miami, Florida, Gaetz also served as President and Chairman of Caregivers, Inc. in Pensacola, Florida.
He is married to Victoria Quertermous of Fort Walton Beach, and they have two children, Matt Gaetz and Erin Victoria Gaetz. He was born on January 22 in Rugby, North Dakota, and moved to Florida in 1978. He is the father of State Representative Matt Gaetz.
Gaetz is a Lutheran and enjoys hunting, American and British political history, and collecting antiques. |