.
The Great Floridian designation is presented annually in recognition of the outstanding achievements of men and women who have made significant contributions to the progress and welfare of this state.
Under Florida Statute 267.0731, an ad hoc committee, comprised of representatives of the Governor, each member of the Florida Cabinet, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Florida Secretary of State, meets to nominate citizens for designation as a Great Floridian. Following that, the Secretary of State selects no fewer than two nominees to be officially named a Great Floridian. Since the program began, 36 persons have been designated Great Floridians.
Unlike the Great Floridian 2000 program, which was completed in 2000, the current Great Floridian program may designate either living or deceased individuals.
The following is a list of all the Great Floridians who have been designated to date.
| Name | Year | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Talbot "Sandy" D'Alemberte | 2010 | President Emeritus of The Florida State University (FSU), dean of the FSU College of Law. State Representative, and former President of the American Bar Association. |
| Paula Hawkins | 2010 | Florida's first female U.S. Senator, consumer rights advocate and champion of children and families. |
| Archbishop Joseph Patrick Hurley | 2010 | Preserver of The East Florida Papers, and civic leader of post -World War II St. Augustine. |
| Tony Jannus | 2010 | Pilot of the world's first scheduled commercial flight. |
| Dr. Sarah McKay | 2010 | Business, cultural and civic leader, and philanthropist. |
| Captain David McCampbell | 2010 | The U.S. Navy's all-time leading ace, and Medal of Honor recipient. |
| Eddie Rickenbacker | 2010 | America's leading World War I ace, Medal of Honor recipient, and pioneer of commercial aviation. |
| Pedro Menendez de Aviles | 2009 | Spanish admiral who founded St. Augustine and first Governor of Spanish Florida |
| Governor Bob Martinez | 2009 | Fortieth Governor of Florida (1987-1991) |
| Dr. Mae McMillan | 2009 | Educator and founder of Pine Crest School |
| Eugene Patterson | 2009 | Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, editor and CEO of the St. Petersburg Times |
| Charles W. Pierce | 2009 | 19th century Southeast Florida settler and one of the legendary "Barefoot Mailmen" |
| Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings | 2009 | Pulitzer Prize-winning author |
| May Mann Jennings | 2008 | Florida First Lady 1901-1905 Conservationist and Activist |
| Congressman E. Clay Shaw, Jr. | 2008 | U.S. Congressman – 1981-2007 |
| Harry T. Moore | 2007 | Civil rights activist |
| Senator Connie Mack | 2007 | U.S. Senator |
| Richard Keith Call | 2006 | Third and Fifth Territorial Governor |
| Julia DeForest Sturtevant Tuttle | 2006 | "Mother of Miami" |
| William Pope DuVal | 2005 | Florida's First Territorial Governor 1822-1834 |
| Al Hoffman | 2005 | Philanthropist Cultural and Arts Sponsor Civic Leader |
| Governor Spessard Holland | 2004 | Florida's 28th Governor 1941-1945 |
| Governor Fuller Warren | 2004 | Florida's 30th Governor 1949-1953 |
| Mary Call Darby Collins | 2003 | Lifelong Preservationist |
| Henry Morrison Flagler | 2003 | Industrialist and Developer |
| Zora Neale Hurston | 2003 | Writer and Folklorist |
| Henry Plant | 2003 | Industrialist and Developer |
| General James Alward Van Fleet | 2002 | Combat Commander, Military Leader, Four-Star General |
| Mary McLeod Bethune | 2002 | Educator and Activist |
| Dr. John Gorrie | 2002 | Physician, Scientist and Inventor |
| William Henry Getty (Bill) France | 2002 | NASCAR Founder and Motor Sports Promoter |
| Richard (Dick) Pope | 2002 | Cypress Gardens Founder Florida Tourism Promoter and Publicist |
| Senator Mallory E. Horne | 2002 | Florida House Speaker and Senate President |
| Horacio Aguirre | 2001 | Publisher and International Journalist Founding Editor, Diario Las Americas |
| Lawton M. Chiles | 2001 | Florida's 41st Governor, 1991-1998 U.S. Senator, 1971 - 1989 |
| Reubin O'D. Askew | 1998 | Florida's 37th Governor 1971-1979 |
| William Patrick Foster | 1998 | Bandleader, Florida A&M "Marching 100" |
| Chesterfield Smith | 1997 | Advocate for Justice Florida's First American Bar Association President |
| E.T. York | 1997 | Florida University System Chancellor University of Florida Interim President IFAS Program Founder |
| Cecil Farris Bryant | 1994 | Florida's 34th Governor 1961-1965 |
| George A. Smathers | 1994 | U.S. Senator 1951-1969 |
| Stephen C. O'Connell | 1993 | Florida Supreme Court Justice, 1966-1967 President, University of Florida, 1967 -1973 |
| B.K. Roberts | 1990 | Three Time Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court |
| Chester Howell Ferguson | 1988 | Attorney, Business and Civic Leader |
| Claude Denson Pepper | 1988 | U.S. Senator, 1936-1951 Congressional Representative, 1963-1989 Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1989 |
| Ben Hill Griffin, Jr. | 1987 | Civic Leader and Citrus Baron |
| Marjory Stoneman Douglas | 1987 | Writer and Environmental Activist |
| Alonzo "Jake" Gaither | 1984 | Legendary Head Football Coach, Florida A&M University |
| Thomas LeRoy Collins | 1981 | Florida's 33rd Governor 1955-1961 |
Help Us Improve Our Website!