Former Tampa Mayor to Receive Good Government Award

The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners will present its 2013 Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award to former Tampa Mayor and Supervisor of Elections Pam Iorio. The presentation will be Wednesday, April 3, during a 9 a.m. ceremony in the second-floor County Commission Boardroom, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa.

As mayor of Tampa, the nation’s 54th-largest city, Iorio’s tenure was marked by a revitalized downtown; a massive investment in infrastructure; economic redevelopment through Community Redevelopment Areas; a renewed commitment to the arts; an emphasis on neighborhood improvements; an unprecedented reduction in crime; and fiscal soundness, with financial reserves tripling even during a recession. She left office in 2011 with an 87 percent approval rating.

In August 2012, community leaders asked her to become the interim CEO of the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County after the agency went through significant leadership challenges. Today, the agency is on a positive course after the implementation of key organizational and fiscal improvements.

County commissioners created the Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award in 1996 to annually honor an individual or group who has played a significant role in improving government through leadership and vision.

Simmons was a respected government and civic leader who served seven years on the School Board and 21 years on the County Commission. His involvement in such initiatives as the creation of the University of South Florida, Tampa International Airport and University Community Hospital helped transform Hillsborough County from a rural county into a major urban center.