Joseph (Ken) Bryan, District 5, Vice-Chair

District 5 News

New Appointment – In May 2009, Commissioner Bryan was appointed to the Planning and Growth Management Committee of the Northeast Florida Regional Council. Visit www.nefrc.org to learn more.

	Office 500 San Sebastian View St. Augustine, FL 32084 Phone: (904) 209-0305 Fax: (904) 209-0315 Email: bccd5@sjcfl.us
Term Expires: 2012

Career of Joseph (Ken) Bryan

Born on his grandparent’s sharecropper’s farm in Robersonville, North Carolina, Ken’s mother returned to a little town called Ridge, in St. Mary’s County where his father was working at the Patuxent Naval Air Station. 

Following graduation from catholic schools under the Jesuit priests and nuns, Ken enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1967 during the Viet Nam era and was trained as a B-52 mechanic / crew chief until being honorably discharged in 1971.

Having attended Texas Christian University while in the Air Force, Ken continued to pursue a college degree and attended St. Mary’s College of Maryland where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974 and in 1978 Ken earned a Master of Arts degree from Central Michigan University. Ken also attended and completed formal management training at the Naval Post Graduate School, The Federal Executive Institute and the George Washington University School of Business and Public Management.

Throughout his career, Ken has never been afraid to take on a challenge to move up and advance. Ken worked at the Patuxent Naval Station as a janitor and later was selected to develop and manage a youth activities program for the navy dependents. Concurrently, Ken also took on a position as a full-time public school teacher until he was selected to be the Assistant Athletic Director for military, sports and recreation programs.

In 1976 he was selected as the Supervisory Management Assistant for one of the Test Directors at the naval facility but having the desire to expand his career horizons, Ken was selected two years later to the position of Classification and Staffing Specialist in Personnel and Human Resources Department.   

With a Masters Degree and training in management, Ken was selected to be the Supervisory and Management Trainer/Instructor for the military and civilian programs at the Patuxent Naval Facility in the Employee Development Department. 

For five years Ken developed and taught over 15 different courses in supervision, management, EEO, stress management, interviewing techniques and organizational development.

Ken continued to expand his education and took courses in procurement, finance and budget. Under a competitive announcement in 1984 he was selected to be the Administrative Officer at the Sea Automated Data Systems Activity (SEAADSA) at Indian Head Naval Ordnance Station.  

Ken worked closely with the Director of SEAADSA to organize and develop programs in support of the fleet. In addition to his Administrative Officer duties, Ken was assigned concurrently as the Deputy Equal Employment Opportunity Officer. In 1987 while still at SEAADSA, Ken was reassigned as a Supervisory Computer Specialist to head a team to train Managers in Crystal City, Virginia on the functional use and operation of computers.     

In 1988 Ken went to work for the United States Justice Department as the Assistant Director to head up the Justice Payroll and Accounting Office.

In 1994, Ken was selected as the Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) but in 1996 the White House requested that he be detailed to the Executive Office of the President as the Assistant Director and Deputy Director of the Executive Office of the President. In 1997 Ken returned to the Justice Department to the position of Director, OSDBU.

During his career as the Director, OSDBU, Ken has been asked to speak at many conferences and events and has received numerous awards in recognition of his accomplishments and achievements. As an advocate for small, minority and woman-owned business, Ken found this position to be very rewarding and beneficial for job creation and economic development.

Ken has been recognized by his colleagues with the Outstanding Leadership and Man of the Year awards.

Ken is very active in the community and continues to work hard to serve and save and protect our children and our environment.            

Boards & Committees – Liaison Assignments – 2009-2010     

• City of St. Augustine

• City of St. Augustine Beach

• Health and Human Services Full Board and Executive Board as needed

• National Estuarine Reserve Research Advisory Board

• Northeast Florida Regional Council, Planning and Growth Management Committee

• St. Johns County Adult Drug Court

• St. Johns County Juvenile Justice Council

• Transportation for Disadvantaged

• Tourist Development Council (TDC)

• First Coast Workforce Consortium