44 Facts About Frank Peterman

Frank Peterman was first elected to the Florida House in 2000 and served until 2008.

Frank Peterman was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to head the Department of Juvenile Justice in February 2008, where he served until February 2011.

Frank Peterman's appointment spurred a special election to serve out the remainder of his term that was won by Darryl Rouson, former St Petersburg NAACP president.

Frank Peterman's parents were both civil rights pioneers in Pinellas County.

Frank Peterman's mother, Peggy Peterman, was a Howard University law school graduate.

Frank Peterman worked for the then St Petersburg Times, for 31 years as a reporter, columnist and editorial writer.

Frank Peterman briefly attended Dallas Theological Seminary where he enrolled in the Biblical Studies program.

Frank Peterman served as a member of the Community Alliance and served on the Enoch Davis Center advisory board.

Frank Peterman was then program director for Blacks Against Dangerous Drugs and worked as a crime prevention specialist with the Pinellas County Urban League.

In 1992, Frank Peterman ran to replace Charles Shorter as councilman for District 6 of the St Petersburg City Council.

Frank Peterman ran on a change platform, saying he would work toward economic development, crime prevention, and diversity in government.

Frank Peterman had recently been appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles to the Pinellas County Housing Authority.

Frank Peterman was defeated by returning City Councilman David T Welch, who had served from 1981 to 1989.

Frank Peterman listed his priorities as economic development, crime and safe, affordable housing.

Frank Peterman won about twice as many votes as Welch in the primary in February 1997.

That year, Jet magazine reported that Frank Peterman was the youngest person to serve on the St Petersburg City Council.

Frank Peterman became the second Democrat to file to run for State House District 55 for the 2000 election, against Earnest Williams and incumbent Republican Representative Rudy Bradley.

Frank Peterman was at the time unique as the only Black Republican in the Florida Legislature, and considered resigning his house seat to run for the Florida Senate.

Frank Peterman eventually did so, leaving Peterman and Williams to contend for the House seat.

Thirty two years after his father's unsuccessful State House bid, Frank Peterman was elected to Florida House of Representatives District 55.

Frank Peterman ran for re-election opposed by Republican Vincent K Hopkins and Libertarian Party Thomas William Kilmon.

Frank Peterman's platform included economic development, better pay for teachers, small businesses financial and technical assistance, and support for an amendment to limit class sizes.

Frank Peterman would have paid for the additional teachers required by such an amendment by closing sales tax exemptions.

Frank Peterman favored single-member school board districts and protection for migrant workers from exploitation.

In June 2002, Frank Peterman was ordained as a minister and became the pastor of the Rock of Jesus Missionary Baptist Church with his mother as assistant pastor in February 2003.

Frank Peterman said felt he could not give the job the required attention because it would take time away from his family and ministry.

Frank Peterman sought to re-instate the expired Florida Agricultural Worker Safety Act.

In October 2003, Frank Peterman supported HB 35E, which authorized Governor Bush to order the re-insertion of a feeding tube under the specific set of circumstances in the Terri Schiavo case.

Frank Peterman was one of several elected officials to win re-election by default when no opponent had filed by the deadline for qualification.

Frank Peterman maintained his earlier position when the Terri Schiavo case was revisited in 2005.

Frank Peterman was endorsed in June 2006 by the Pinellas County Council of Fire Fighters.

In 2007, Frank Peterman supported renewal of the Pinellas County Local Option Sales Tax.

Frank Peterman supported a substantial payment by the State of Florida to the family of Martin Lee Anderson.

Frank Peterman became a member of Barack Obama's Florida Advisory Council in the summer of 2007.

Frank Peterman became the third Democrat to be appointed by Governor Christ to lead a state agency when he was appointed on February 8,2008 to head the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Frank Peterman replaced Walter A McNeil, who had been appointed Secretary of the Department of Corrections.

Frank Peterman said it was important to seek rehabilitation of youthful offenders and to avoid their incarceration.

Frank Peterman said he would accomplish his goals by such measures as authorizing local review boards and councils to redirect first-time offenders to community-based punishments.

Frank Peterman pledged to staff all detention centers with registered nurses and make sure public defenders were provided to children at their first hearings.

In 2009, Frank Peterman came under fire for using state tax dollars to travel to and from his home in St Petersburg and not being in his office in Tallahassee on a routine basis.

In 2009, a complaint was filed on the same matter to the Florida Commission on Ethics, alleging Frank Peterman violated the state law under the provisions of "misuse of public position".

Frank Peterman remains adamant that his commitment to his ministry and family were top priority and led to his split time between the cities as he did not wish to uproot his wife and children.

Frank Peterman is currently the founder and CEO of Frank Peterman Global, LLC, a business and political consultation company.

Frank Peterman continues to pastor at the Rock of Jesus Missionary Baptist Church and has recently re-entered politics, running for the Pinellas County Commission, District 7.