Hillsborough County, FL. (April 24, 2024) - The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners will present the 2024 Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award to Doretha Wynn Edgecomb, former member of the Hillsborough County School Board, at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 1. The award's past winners include distinguished local leaders such as Judge E.J. Salcines, former Gov. Bob Martinez, former Sheriff David Gee, the late Jan K. Platt, and last year's winner, Clara Reynolds, president and CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
A native of Tampa, Doretha Edgecomb worked as an educator at Hillsborough County Public Schools, a career that spanned over 50 years. She served in numerous capacities, including as a teacher, district level supervisor, and principal. Ms. Edgecomb was elected to the Hillsborough County School Board in 2004, where she served with distinction until 2016, and she continues to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the Hillsborough Education Foundation. In 2020, she was inducted into Hillsborough County's Women Hall of Fame. After her retirement, Mrs. Edgecomb supported and participated in the establishment of the George Edgecomb Society in her late husband's honor, in partnership with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center.
In 2021, the Children's Board of Hillsborough County honored her by naming one of its seven family resource centers in her honor: the Doretha Wynn Edgecomb Family Resource Center. It is the only center that is named after a member in the community. Additionally, the Doretha Edgecomb Female Symposium, named in her honor, is designed to empower, inspire, and encourage young women through a day of activities and interactions with successful women in the community.
About the Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award
In 1996, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners established the Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award, presented annually to an individual or group of individuals who played a significant role in improving government through leadership and vision.
The award was established in honor of Mr. Simmons, a respected government and civic leader who served 21 years on the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. Through his leadership and guidance, new institutions and communities were created in Hillsborough County, including the University of South Florida and Sun City Center. He also helped spearhead the construction of Tampa International Airport, the founding of University Community Hospital, and the expansion of the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County.
For more information, visit the Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award web page.