The Leadership Our County Needs Right Now
About Sheriff Hunter
Mark Hunter has been married to Marilyn for 42 years. They have two children, Leslie (Jeff) Natalie (Justin) and two Grandchildren (Kayleigh & Finley.)
Mark and Marilyn attend Christ Central Ministries, and have supported many community centered organizations for years, without pause.
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Over 30 Years Military and Law Enforcement experience, 15 years experience as your Sheriff
About Sheriff Hunter
Education
Columbia High School; BA degree, organizational management, Edward Waters College; graduate, Command and General Staff College, U.S. Army; Chief Executive Seminar, Class 43; graduate, FBI National Academy, 256th Session.
Military
Citizen soldier, Florida Army National Guard, Lt. Colonel, retired after 30 years of service.
Career
Patrol deputy, school resource officer, Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office, 1994-1999; instructor coordinator, North Florida Community College, 1995; special agent, district supervisor, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Enforcement, 1999-2005; undersheriff, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, 2005-2006; elected Sheriff of Columbia County, 2008; re-elected 2012, ran unopposed 2016 and 2020
Honors and Affiliations
Elks Lodge 893, 1987-present; co-chair, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Pill Mill Strike Force, 2011; committee member, Florida Model Jail Standards, 2012-present; chairman, board of directors, Florida Sheriff’s Association 2014 – 2015; Florida Chapter FBI National Academy Association, 2014 – present; committee member, Florida Sheriff’s Risk Management Fund, 2016 – present; chairman, Florida Sheriff’s Employee Benefits Trust, 2017 – Present; president, Florida Sheriff’s Association 2018 – 2019; commissioner, Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc., 2021.
