The room fell silent before the winner of the Outstanding Citizen of the Year was announced Wednesday. The secret was finally revealed at the annual luncheon when previous winner Joe Sedita announced the recipient: Michael Cameron.
“I wasn’t expecting this,” Cameron said.
Cameron was joined by his wife, Terrie, son, Nicholas, parents, Gary and Sandra, sister, Susan, father-in-law, Jack Edwards, and friends Lisa and Jeremy Rhodes.
“We’re just tremendously proud of him,” Terrie Cameron said. “He’s done so much for this community.”
“He takes after his daddy and grandaddy,” Sandra Cameron said.
Cameron is a fifth-generation Plant City resident who has a long history of civic involvement and volunteerism. After graduating from Florida Southern College with a degree in agriculture, he worked at Farm Credit, then Shore Fertilizer, which Purcell Industries bought. He was transferred to Alabama as a production manager.
In 2000, Cameron came back to Plant City and started his own business, Cameron Financial Management, in 2009. Since his return to his hometown, he has participated in many organizations and boards including his extensive involvement with the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, for which he serves on the Plant City Pig Jam Committee, Ambassador Group, Planes, Trains and Automobiles Committee, Antiques Street Fair and is an alum of Leadership Plant City.
Cameron is also involved with the Plant City Lion’s Club. He is an active board member, has served four chair positions before becoming president, was Lion of the Year in 2012-2013 and received the Melvin Jone Fellow Award.
Civic clubs around the area select the Citizen of the Year. Kiwanis organizes the nomination process and event. Each club submits a nominee and then votes on whom they would like to see be named the winner. This year’s clubs include the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, Plant City Civitan, GFWC Woman’s Club of Plant City, Plant City Lion’s Club, Plant City Optimist Club, Plant City Daybreak Rotary, Plant City Noon Rotary and American Business Woman’s Association.
The luncheon banquet was held at the Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds at the HCC Trinkle Center. The venue is new this year. The event used to be held at the Red Rose Inn & Suites until it closed.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.