Charlie Gerdes
Charlie Gerdes is a former member of the St. Petersburg City Council in Florida, representing District 1. He was elected to the council in 2011.[1] Charlie Gerdes won the general election on November 3, 2015.
Biography
Gerdes graduated from St. Petersburg Catholic High School, going on to earn a B.S. in marketing from Florida State University in 1978. He also received a J.D. from St. Thomas University School of Law in 1999.[2]
Gerdes' professional experience includes working as an attorney in private practice, including the following:
- 2004-Present: Partner, Keane, Reese, Vesely & Gerdes
- 2003: Associate, Keane, Reese & Vesely, P.A.
- 2000-2003: Associate, Holland & Knight LLP
- 1978-1997: E-Systems, Inc./Raytheon[2]
Elections
2019
Charlie Gerdes was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.
2015
The city of St. Petersburg, Florida, held elections for city council on November 3, 2015. Because only two candidates filed to run, the primary election scheduled for August 25, 2015, was called off. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was June 22, 2015. Four of the eight city council seats were up for election. In the District 1 race, incumbent Charlie Gerdes defeated challenger Monica Mary Abbott in the general election.[3]
| St. Petersburg City Council District 1, General election, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Charlie Gerdes Incumbent |
64.2% | 16,572 |
| Monica Mary Abbott | 35.8% | 9,231 |
| Write-in votes | 0% | 0 |
| Total Votes | 25,803 | |
| Source: Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, "MUNICIPAL GENERAL NOVEMBER 3, 2015"", accessed November 3, 2015 | ||
Campaign themes
2015
Gerdes' website highlighted the following campaign themes:[4]
Public safety
- Excerpt: "I support law enforcement strategies to identify criminal activity, and then apply early intervention tactics to decrease the escalation of harm. We must deter potential wrongdoers before they act by establishing that we will not tolerate those who disrupt our safety and security by choosing to violate the law."
Fiscal responsibility and innovation
- Excerpt: "As a current small business owner, I also have the experience of making difficult choices. Responsible and experienced decision-making is critical to achieving a bright future."
Environmental sustainability
- Excerpt: "I am committed to being a good steward for St. Petersburg. We must ensure the continued availability and provision of clean water, safe treatment and recycling of wastewater, and the movement and dispersal of storm water. … I support and will encourage St. Petersburg's investment and participation in the implementation of innovative technologies to operate efficient regional mass transportation whether it be bus, light rail, and/or water ferries, to service the greater Tampa Bay region."
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Gerdes and his wife, Louanne, have four sons.
A parishioner of St. Jude Cathedral Parish since 1964, Gerdes has served on the Chairman Capital Campaign Committee and the Parish Council. He was also the council chairman in 2009 and 2010. Other community involvement includes the following:
- 2009-Present: Executive committee, St. Petersburg Bar Association
- 2003-Present: Director and president, A Brighter Day of Pinellas County, Inc.
- 1989-1997, 2000-2010: Coach, manager, director, vice-president and president, Northwest Youth Baseball, Inc.
- 2009: Tropicana renovation committee, A Baseball Community[2]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for "Charlie + Gerdes + St. + Petersburg"
- All stories may not be relevant due to the nature of the search engine.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ City of St. Petersburg, "District 1," accessed December 22, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Official campaign website of Charlie Gerdes, "About," accessed August 24, 2015
- ↑ St. Petersburg City Elections, "2015 Elections," accessed February 12, 2015
- ↑ Official campaign website of Charlie Gerdes, "Issues," accessed August 19, 2015
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
St. Petersburg City Council, District 1 2012-2020 |
Succeeded by Robert Blackmon |
 |
State of Florida Tallahassee (capital) |
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