Bill and Silvia Dodson have been shaping history in Plant City for more than five decades. Tuesday night, they continued to make history when they were jointly awarded the Plant City Family YMCA’s 2017 Strong Leader Award, an honor usually given to individuals.
The Dodsons, however, are known throughout the city and the YMCA for their unceasing teamwork and devotion to both each other and the YMCA.
Silvia Azorin Dodson has been in Plant City since the early ‘60s when her family fled Fidel Castro’s communist regime in Cuba. In 1968, she became the Florida Strawberry Festival Queen and has since been a member of the Plant City YMCA, Plant City Lions Auxiliary and United Food Bank of Plant City Board, among other civic engagements. She is also the customer service manager for Florida Brick & Clay Company, Inc, a company her family built and has maintained in Plant City since 1963.
Bill Dodson serves as Florida Brick and Clay’s senior vice president and is currently in his fourth term as vice-mayor of Plant City. Bill Dodson came to Plant City as the assistant city manager in the early ‘70s. He and Silvia were married in 1976.
After leaving the public sector for work in the private field with Florida Brick and Clay, Bill Dodson remained committed to Plant City. He has served on the city’s planning board for more than 20 years and city commissioner for the last 15 years, including one as mayor. He has also been active in the Lions Club, YMCA, Chamber of Commerce, St. Clement Catholic Church, Diocese of St. Petersburg Shelter Ministry, Main Street Plant City and the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center. He has also received numerous awards for his service.