Charlie Ranson, the son of a Presbyterian preacher and school teacher, was raised in the small agricultural town of Apopka, where he grew up working on local farms and citrus groves. There he learned the small town values of family, hard work and self-reliance.

After graduating from Apopka Memorial High School, Charlie continued his education by earning a B.A. degree from Eckerd College (then Florida Presbyterian), a J.D. from the Florida State University School of Law, and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.

Professionally, Charlie Ranson served for six years as an Assistant Attorney General in the Florida Attorney General’s Office responsible for antitrust enforcement.

From there, Charlie served as staff director for the Florida House of Representatives Committee on Regulatory Reform conducting “sunset reviews” of regulated industries, vice chairman of a statewide economic development commission, and more than sixteen years in private legal practice.

Most recently, Charlie Ranson has worked as Executive Director of the Florida TaxWatch Center for a Competitive Florida, and as a public and private sector consultant on matters related to economic analysis, strategy, and international trade.

Among Charlie’s many professional achievements, he:

...Helped defeat a statewide sales tax on services
...Served as Special Counsel to the Florida House in the aftermath of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge disaster
...Led the Floridians for NAFTA Coalition
...Served as the Strategic advisor to the Director of the National High Magnetic Field laboratory on programs, community engagement, and corporate relations

His community and civic work includes:
...Florida International Affairs Commission -- Vice Chairman
...Florida Council of International Development
...Florida International Volunteer Corps
...Leadership Florida -- State Program Chairman/Board of Directors
...Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce
...Tallahassee Museum of History & Natural Science
...Florida Bar International Law Section

Charlie Ranson, married to his wife of 38 years, Dr. Sheryl Ranson, and the father of three wonderful children, lives in Tallahassee and is an active member of Faith Presbyterian Church.