Feb 22, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Pete Winton, Lee County Administration
(239) 335-2777
BONITA BAY'S DAVID GRAHAM HONORED AS LEE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
FORT MYERS, Fla. (February 22, 2005) - The Board of Lee County Commissioners has selected David H. Graham of Bonita Springs as the winner of the Paulette Burton Citizen of the Year award for 2004.
The Board made the announcement - the highest county honor a local citizen can receive - at it's meeting today.
Graham was honored for his contributions to good local community planning and ability to bring opposing sides together to find common ground and negotiate positive solutions. His work has touched on Smart Growth, transportation, and environmental issues.
"David Graham is a role model for leadership and dedication to his community," wrote Estero activist Neal Noethlich in one of six nominations Graham received.
"His positive demeanor, his consensus building skills and his problem solving approach are ideal leadership traits in addressing the many issues faced by Lee County citizens and Government as we collectively deal with the rapid growth in Lee County and Southwest Florida."
Graham is a vice president with The Bonita Bay Group and leads its award-winning Planning and Development department.
He also is chairman and co-founder of the Southwest Florida Transportation Initiative; co-founder of the Water Enhancement and Restoration Coalition; and a board member of the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed Land and Water Trust. Graham played a prominent role in the formation and start-up of the Estero Community Planning Panel. The Estero Community Plan won the 2002 award for the best community plan in the state.
Five runners up were also acknowledged at the Board meeting. They are: John Armenia (Sanibel), Carolyn Ford (Cape Coral), John Ebling (North Fort Myers), Kate Gooderham (Fort Myers), and Theresa Ink (North Fort Myers).
The Citizen of the Year Award was created in 1991 to honor Mrs. Burton, a long time Sanibel resident and government watchdog. She spent many years serving as a voice of the people to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners as well as playing an active role in Sanibel politics. She died in a 1991 car accident.
Past winners are: Hannah Davis (1991), Israel Suarez (92), Ed and Sylvia Blue (93), P. Michael Villalobos (94), Bill Davis and Duera Mae Everett (95), Judy Jenkins (96), Dr. Lee Duffus (97), Roberta Morgan (98), Jim and Ellie Newton (99), Dodie Booher (2000), Fran Myers (2001), Sam Galloway Jr. (2002), and Steve Personette (2003).