Governor Bob Martinez Nominated as Honoree of the 2010 Florida State Fair Heritage Wall of Fame

Tampa, FL – February 2, 2010 - Holland & Knight is pleased to announce that Bob Martinez, senior policy advisor in the firm's Tampa office and former Florida Governor (1987 – 1991), was nominated as an honoree of the 2010 Florida State Fair's World Village Heritage Wall of Fame. The Governor is one of three Hispanic honorees, to be awarded at the fair's opening day ceremony February 4, 2010.

The fair's Wall of Fame will recognize a total of six honorees in two categories: African-American honorees and Hispanic honorees. Five honorees in each category were selected by a group of Fair Advisory Committee members and the public voted for the top three in each category. Honorees were selected as those African-American or Hispanic who demonstrate a commitment to excellence and enhancing Tampa or Florida's heritage and culture.

Governor Martinez's practice concentrates on the areas of Florida government advocacy, public companies and securities with emphasis on public finance, venture capital and private equity. The Governor is known for his creation of effective environmental protection programs such as Preservation 2000, the largest conservation land-purchasing initiative in the nation of its time. His public service career spans more than 40 years with career highlights that include: Mayor of the City of Tampa (1979 – 1986) and Cabinet-level office as the nation's second Drug Czar under President George H.W. Bush (1991 – 1993). The Governor was also the first of Hispanic descent to be elected as Florida's governor.