BACKGROUND AND HISTORY: Joe Arnall was born February 14, 1947 in Newnan, Georgia. He was educated at The Citadel, 1965-67 and graduated from the University of the South with a B.A. in 1969, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity. He has three daughters: Leslie, Alice and Joanne, and four grandchildren; his religious affiliation is Episcopal; and his uncle, Ellis Arnall, served as the Governor of Georgia from 1943-1947.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS: A Chartered Life Underwriter and Financial Consultant by profession, his business interests include insurance and real estate. Joe has held membership in Chartered Life Underwriters, Jacksonville Chapter; Life Member of the Million Dollar Round Table; Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce; National Trust for Historic Preservation; and the American Legislative Exchange Council; the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Chamber.
LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE: Joe served as a member of the Florida Legislature from 1988-2000. From 1998-2000, Joe served as Chairman of the Rules and Calendar Committee, generally considered second in power to the Speaker of the House. Joe also served on the General Government Appropriations Committee, the Procedural Council, and as Chairman of the Utilities and Communications Committee. Other committees he served on during his term in the Legislature include the Insurance Committee, Health Care Services Committee, Community Affairs Committee and Finance and Taxation Committee. He was appointed by the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives to serve on the Enterprise Florida Workforce Development Board and the Public Service Commission Nominating Council of Florida.
Legislative highlights of his career begin when he was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1988, serving as a Republican Whip from 1988-92 and Chaired the Republican Response Team from 1992-93. He received the Florida Retail Grocers Association “Legislator of the Year” award in 1989 and the Jacksonville Board of Realtors named him “Legislator of the Year” in 1991. Joe was awarded the “Most Effective First Term Republican” in 1990 and received the “Friends of the Family” Award in 1994. The Jacksonville Association of Life Underwriters honored him with the “Outstanding Community Service” award for 1995. The Florida Insurance Council awarded him with the first Harry G. Landrum award for “Legislator of the Year” in 1996. The Florida Association of REALTORS named Joe Legislator of the Year for 1997. Joe received the City of Jacksonville’s 1998 Protector of the Home Rule Award, the 1998 Representative of the Year Award from the Florida Association of Life Underwriters, the National Federation of Independent Business’ 1997/98 Guardian of Small Business Award, and the Florida Sheriffs’ Association’s Legislator Award for 1998 and 1999. The Miami Herald ranked Joe #4 out of 120 of the State’s Most Effective Lawmakers in 1999 and 2000. This is the 4th consecutive year he was ranked in the top 10.
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS: In 2005 Joe was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Southeastern Legal Foundation. He was President and co-founder of the First Coast Family and Housing Foundation, Inc. in 1997, focusing on community social service and safe, affordable housing. He was appointed to the Mayor’s Commission on Housing and the Military Affairs Committee from 1988 to 1990. He was appointed to the UNF-Center for Local Government Advisory Council, 1994-96, and to the Board of Trustees, Children’s Crisis Center, Inc. for 1995-96. He is a past Co-Chairman of the St. Johns River Celebration. Joe served in 1993-94 as Chairman of the Duval County Legislative Delegation and served as Chairman of the St. Johns County Legislative Delegation for1994-95 and 1998-99.