Polk County: October Polk County FICPA Meeting

Joe Tedder

Joe G. Tedder was first elected to the position of Tax Collector in 1996. He was originally administered the oath of office to serve as Tax Collector for Polk County, Florida on January 7th, 1997. He was subsequently reelected to the position of Tax Collector in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020.

In 1999, Joe Tedder earned and continues to maintain the "Certified Florida Collector" (CFC) designation from the Florida Department of Revenue. This designation is issued to all Tax Collectors who meet or exceed CFC program course standards.

Other Elected Offices Held
Joe's past public activities include having served as State Legislator in the Florida House of Representative from 1992 through 1996.
Click here to see his past legislative accomplishments.

Other Tax Collector Service
Joe has previously served as President of the Florida Tax Collectors Association and as the President, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Tax Collectors Service Corporation.

Past Public Service
Joe served on the 1998 Polk County Charter Commission which was established to draft and adopt a proposed governing charter for Polk County as well as determine the time at which Polk County's electors would adopt or reject the charter proposal.

He served as Vice Chair on the Florida Commission on Government Accountability to the People, also known as the GAP Commission. The GAP commission worked to make state government more accountable and responsive to the citizens of Florida.

He served as a member of the Enterprise Florida Capital Partnership, which is a non-profit group created by the Florida Development Finance Corporation Act to provide for the creation, growth, and development of programs to increase capital activity in Florida.

He served as a member of the Real Property Lease Procurement Task Force, which was charged with studying the efficiency and effectiveness of the state's leasing and procurement policies related to state office buildings.

Additionally, Joe served on the Florida Commission on Education Reform and Accountability, which was responsible for providing Florida with the means to oversee the establishment and implementation of a new system of school improvement and education accountability.

Personal Highlights
Joe was born on February 28th, 1962, in Tampa. Shortly thereafter, his family moved to Lakeland.

Joe attended public schools in Polk County and graduated from Lakeland Senior High School. He is a graduate of Florida Southern College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

After graduation, Joe spent ten years working in a local CPA firm, Tedder, Grimsley and Company. Tedder, Grimsley and Company was a family firm started by his father, Joe B. Tedder, who built the firm from four employees to twenty-five employees.

During Joe's time in public accounting, Joe prepared corporate and individual tax returns, audits of both non-profit and governmental agencies, financial statements, and engaged in small business consulting.

Joe is married to Tracey Duff Tedder, Ed.D., Acting Provost, Florida Southern College. They are the proud parents of son, Joseph W. Tedder.

Awards

• 2013 Inductee into the Polk County Public School's Hall of Fame
• Recipient of the Rotary Club of Lakeland Four Way Test Award
• Recipient of the 2015 Governor's Sterling Award to the Tax Collector's Office for Polk County
• Good Government Award presented by the Florida Junior Chamber of Commerce
• Government Business of the Year Award presented by Tampa Bay Business Journal
• Legislator of the Year presented by the Polk County Builders Association
• Crystal Arrowhead Award presented by Seminole Club of Polk County
• Service Award presented by the Florida State University Alumni Board of Directors

Affiliations

• Member -- Polk County Leadership Class I
• Member -- Lakeland Leadership Class XIII
• Chairman -- Kids Tag Art
• Board Member and Past President -- Florida Tax Collectors Service Corporation
• Past President -- Florida Tax Collectors Association
• Past Chairman and Board Member -- United Way of Central Florida
• Past Member of the Advisory Board -- American Heart Association
• Past Chairman -- United Way of Central Florida Campaign
• Past Chairman -- Polk Vision Governmental Alliance
• Past Chair -- Leadership Lakeland Class XXXI
• Former President -- Leadership Lakeland Alumni
• Past Chair -- American Heart Association "Heart Walk" Campaign
• Former Board Member -- National FSU Alumni Association
• Former Chairman and Board Member -- FSU Band Alumni
• Former President -- Lakes Education Action Drive