Joe G. Tedder, Tax Collector
For Polk County, Florida
Service As Tax Collector
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 and 2016.
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. Inc. (Florida
Tax Collector's 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., Dean, School of Education, Florida
Southern College. They are the proud parents of son, Joseph W. Tedder.
Affiliations/Awards
- American Heart Association, Advisory Board - Advisory Board
- Board Member and Past President - Florida Tax Collector Service
Corporation
- Past President - Florida Tax Collector's Inc.
- Board Member & Past Chairman - United Way of Central Florida
- Past Chair - United Way of Central Florida Campaign
- Past Chairman - Polk Vision Governmental Alliance
- Member - Leadership Lakeland Class XIII
- Chair - Leadership Lakeland Class XXXI
- Former President - Leadership Lakeland Alumni
- Member - Polk County Leadership Class I
- 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
- Chairman - Kids Tag Art
- Polk County Public School's Hall of Fame 2013
- 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