Cecil L Pendergrass, son of Margie and C.L. Pendergrass, is a lifelong resident of Fort Myers. He and his wife, Jodi, have been married for 32 years and have had the privilege of raising their two children in Lee County.

Cecil proudly devotes his life to public service. He began serving our community in 1984 when he was sworn in as a City of Fort Myers Law Enforcement Officer. He faithfully served for 25 years, retiring with over 30 awards of distinction. Following retirement, he transitioned into the wealth management field as vice president of Private Asset Management Group, LLC, an independent financial asset firm that helps clients establish, pursue and maintain short- and long-term financial objectives.

Cecil was elected to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners District 2 seat in November 2012. In a vote of confidence from his colleagues, he was unanimously sworn in as Chairman of the board at his first meeting. He also took on the responsibility as chair of the Board of Port Commissioners during his first year.

In his role as county commissioner, he serves on multiple boards and advisories. He currently serves on the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and is the commission’s liaison to Florida Gulf Coast University, the Fire Districts, the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, Gulf Consortium and as Treasurer on the Transportation Expressway Authority Management of Florida (TEAMFL). Additionally, he serves on the Lee Health System Trauma Advisory Committee, Lee County Coalition for a Drug-Free SWFL Advisory Council, and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Foundation Board. Cecil also previously served on the Commission on Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation.

Cecil was named 2013 Elected Official of the Year by the News-Press in recognition of his exemplary work on the Lee County Commission. He earned his County Commissioner Certification (CCC) from Florida Association of Counties (FAC) followed by his Advanced County Commissioner (ACC) Certification. On August 26, 2014, Cecil was re-elected for a second term with overwhelming support.

Cecil appreciates the importance of preserving and protecting the Florida ecosystem while promoting responsible growth to stimulate the local economy. He is committed to protecting our community by safeguarding our area’s natural resources by actively advocating for water quality projects and the Conservation 20/20 Lands program, improving our roadways for safe and timely travel, controlling spending, creating a business-friendly environment to stimulate job growth, and maintaining a safe/secure public safety program.

On November 6, 2018, with overwhelming support from the voters, he was re-elected to serve another four years. He is honored and privileged to serve the citizens of Lee County.