Apopka City Council Seat 3 Candidate Q&A - Week 1

Doug Bankson

Alice Nolan

Sam Ruth

In 1995 we founded what is now Victory Church, where our motto is reaching out from our neighborhoods to the nations.

Now I feel the challenge to reach out in a new way in our community and serve in a new capacity. I love our city and want to preserve its grace while encouraging its growth. Having led our church from a handful to hundreds, and establishing a daycare, school, and Bible school with over 25 employees while balancing a budget and sustaining growth, I believe I am qualified to be an advocate for Apopka.

I have personally earned my masters in theology, received an honorary doctorate, designed an built my own home, and am an instrument rated pilot and certified scuba diver.

With 20 years of bringing people together through leadership in the chamber of commerce, ministerial alliance, police department, etc, I have a desire to serve the citizens of the city I love.

I grew up in Apopka, and my grandparents often took me to city council meetings and historical society meetings. This taught me from a young age to serve my community.

I am running because I want to be a public servant to all of Apopka. For every issue that comes to vote, I take time to do deep research and find the best course of action.

I worked at a family owned business in Altamonte Springs for 8 years where I helped customers with their business and storage needs. Some of those business today have opened here in Apopka.

I now focus my energy on my family and serving the citizens of Apopka. Some of my strengths are being a great listener, finding solutions, and taking action on ideas. I want to use these strengths to help build Apopka a strong foundation in community.

I care deeply about my city and its citizens and hope to give them all a strong future.

Graduating from high school, VCC, and FS Institute, I worked at the NASA’s space complexes & Patrick Air Force bases. I began working at the fabrication shop that built the Fern plant sculpture that stands outside Apopka city hall.

I also coached Apopka Pop-Warner football, Little League, and Amateur Athletic Union winning several state national titles. I started coaching at Apopka High School from 1990 until 2013 as a Non-faculty athletic coach. I had the distinct honor of assisting with the 1997 and 2003 State Baseball runner up teams and the 2001 State Championship football team.

With my wife’s help, Annette we raised our boys in Apopka and they all graduated and attended college. The oldest Trevor has completed his master’s degree from Florida State University and now serving in the United State Army, as an Officer at Fort Bragg. Cale has a business degree from Seminole State College, Josh has BA from Seminole State College. Jacob the youngest works for the United State Army currently on his third deployment stationed at Fort Bragg.

Would appreciate your vote on March 15, 2016.