Commissioner Mel Ponder

Mel is the Founder and President of Business Empowered (BE) and was elected in November 2020 to serve as an Okaloosa County Commissioner, District 5.  He is also the Government Affairs Director for the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors.  Mel had the honor to previously serve as Mayor of the City of Destin as well as serve in the Florida House of Representatives, District 4, before seeking to come back home to keep serving the citizens of Okaloosa County as a County Commissioner.

His company, Business Empowered, is a marketplace ministry headquartered in Destin, whose mission is to equip, encourage, and empower individuals called to the marketplace.  Previously, Mel worked as the Director of Regional Marketing Programs for the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and just prior, served as Executive Director of Coastal Vision 3000/THE Beach.  Mel also has over 10 years of banking, mortgage and financial services experience.  Mel has served in leadership positions as a State Representative, having been Chair of Children, Families, and Seniors Subcommittee, Vice Chair of Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, Chair of the Legislative Prayer Caucus, as well as served as a Deputy Whip within the House Majority Office.  He now serves as Vice Chair for the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners.

A 3rd generation Floridian, Mel was born and raised in Ocala, Florida.  He attended Florida State University and received a B.S. degree in Finance.  Mel married his wife Mona, of 29 years, in 1991 and they have three children: Preston – 26, Casey – 24, and Grace – 16.