William Jonas "Bill" Montford III
Bio
Bill Montford was born August 22, 1947 in Marianna and raised in Blountstown. He is an alumnus of Chipola (Class of 1967) and received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Florida State University.
In 1969, Montford began teaching math in Tallahassee and went on to serve as a school administrator for 26 years. Montford was elected Superintendent of Leon County Schools in 1996, a post he held until 2006. He served two terms as a Leon County Commissioner from 1982 to 1988.
In 2010, Montford was elected to the Florida Senate from the 6th District and was the Senate Minority Whip from 2010-2012. His district was renumbered the 3rd during redistricting in 2012. He was reelected in 2016 and served as the Minority Leader Pro Tempore from 2018-2020.
Senator Montford has received numerous awards, honors, and recognitions for his work to advance educational opportunities for students in Northwest Florida and has served his community through organizations such as the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, Urban Superintendents Association of America, Healthy Florida Foundation, and Florida Endowment Foundation for Florida’s Graduates.
Montford currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, a position he has held since 2006.