A Rockledge resident, Tom Goodson was born in Marianna, Florida in 1951. He moved with his family to Brevard in 1958, and has lived here ever since.

Tom has been married for 35 years to Evelyn Watson Goodson, a career long elementary school teacher who teaches at Tropical Elementary. Tom and Evelyn have two adult children, Travis and Lindsey, and two grandchildren.

Tom is a legendarily hard worker, a trait that he first developed as a young man putting himself through college. After graduating from Brevard Community College and Florida State University, and marrying, Tom and Evelyn, also an FSU graduate, returned to Brevard County to build their lives and family together. In 1988, Tom took a giant step forward creating his own business, Goodson Paving. Today, Goodson Paving, and its associated companies, are successful entities, contributing to the creation of jobs in the community, and also, a generous contributor to many worthwhile causes and projects in the community. Not content to spend his time doing office work, Tom still spends time in the field, doing hands on work on his company's projects.

Tom currently serves on the Canaveral Port Authority. He was first elected to the authority's board in 2002, defeating an eight year incumbent. Tom's peers on the board immediately recognized his capable leadership ability, entrusting him leadership positions during his entire tenure. Tom is currently serving his third term as Chairman of the Canaveral Port Authority.

Tom's experience on the Canaveral Port Authority has left him well prepared to tackle the most vexing issues facing our community and state, particularly those related to the fallout from the space shuttle's retirement next year. Without any reliance on property taxes (notwithstanding its power to levy them), the authority manages an enterprise that injects literally billions of dollars into Florida's economy every year and supports tens of thousands of jobs. Port Canaveral serves simultaneously as one the world's most popular cruise hubs, a cargo center, and a world class visitor destination. In part because of Tom's leadership, the port has continued to thrive in these tough economic times.

Tom's work on the port authority's board, has given him broad and deep exposure to a vast array of subjects, including business development, the economics of the tourism and leisure industries, international trade, energy, homeland security/law enforcement partnerships, and environmental protection. This sophisticated and relevant experience, together with is experience as a business owner and job creator, will make Tom a valuable and effective legislator for the needs of our community and the state in the Florida House of Representatives.