Mr. Anthony C. Hill, Sr.
Mr. Anthony C. “Tony” Hill, Sr. is a prostate cancer survivor who was diagnosed in 2019 and currently serves as PHEN’s Policy Coordinator. Tony Hill was born on September 9, 1957. Former Florida State Senator Tony Hill served as Field Representative for former US Congressman Al Lawson, Jr. of Florida. He previously served as Federal Policy Director for former Mayor of Jacksonville, FL Alvin Brown. He is a Life Member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Theta Phi Chapter) and holds numerous other prestigious honors, including Chair of the NAACP Florida State Conference Labor Roundtable, and Founder of the Achieve, Instill & Inspire Foundation, which provides scholarships for African American and Latino males to attend college in the field of education. Senator Hill currently holds two Honorary Doctorate of Law degrees, the first from Edward Waters College in 1995 and, more recently, from Bethune-Cookman University. He received a rare and prestigious honor and joined the ranks of a select group of men when inducted into the historic Montford Point Marine Association Hall of Fame.
Former Senator Hill was elected initially in November 2002 as a Florida State Senator. He was subsequently re-elected to a four-year term in 2004, when he chaired the Florida Minimum Wage Ballot Initiative, which provided a $1.00 per hour raise to the minimum wage and increased the index. As a direct result of this vital legislation, the working poor now receive an automatic increase to the minimum wage each time the economy grows. He was the first African American to represent Volusia County (Daytona Beach) in the State Senate. Senator Hill also served as the former Senate Democratic Floor Leader, the third-ranking member of the Democratic Party leadership in the Senate. In this role, he was responsible for gathering votes on major issues.
A graduate of Jean Ribault Senior High School in Jacksonville, FL, Tony Hill attended Lincoln University in Lincoln, Pennsylvania, and he graduated from the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Maryland, earning a B.A. degree in Labor Studies. Senator Hill delivered the final commencement address of the historic presidency of Dr. Trudy Kibbe Reed, the fifth president and second woman to serve in this capacity in more than a century of the history of Bethune-Cookman University.
A man of commitment and service, Senator Hill also inspires and leads those in the household of faith as a long-standing member of the Greater Macedonia Baptist Church, where he served as a Deacon. He also teaches Sunday school and is the Founder and Chair of the Men’s Usher Board.
Senator Hill is a humble man committed to positively influencing those around him. His legacy of service is a testament to his faith and a symbol of his desire to inspire by actively pouring into the lives of others so that they too can know the definition of leadership at every level.