Meet Buddy Dyer
Buddy Dyer was born in Orlando and raised in nearby Kissimmee. Prior to being elected Mayor, he served for a decade in the Florida Senate and was elected as the Democratic Senate Leader, a position he held for three years. Mayor Dyer earned his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Brown University and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Before he chose to serve in public office, Mayor Dyer worked as an environmental engineer.
As Mayor, Buddy Dyer has worked tirelessly to advance the community’s shared vision for Orlando as America’s 21st Century City. By increasing cooperation and partnership among Central Florida’s various governments, business and civic communities and residents, Mayor Dyer has paved the way for remarkable accomplishments for greater Orlando in a very short period of time. Several of his many achievements include the expansion of transportation options, the creation of more than 1,500 affordable housing units, a 50 percent reduction in crime, the creation of thousands of new businesses and jobs, and the continuous movement toward 100 percent renewable energy citywide.
Mayor Dyer has defined Orlando as America’s new home for inclusiveness, opportunity and quality of life, with a strong focus on safety, transportation, innovation, sustainability and economic development. Under his leadership and through strategic investments, Orlando is one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities and our region is the most visited destination in the country, hosting more than 70 million visitors each year.
Over the last few years, Mayor Dyer led Orlando through the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to mitigate its harms while still promoting growth. In fact, the city came out of the crisis even stronger than before with permitting for development in 2021 actually surpassing both 2020 and 2019.
Mayor Dyer’s passion for Orlando is stronger than ever before. He’s focused on sustaining our city’s growth, while also addressing issues like affordable housing, public safety, and transportation. Mayor Dyer is proud of what we have accomplished, but knows that with continued partnership and collaboration we can make our future even brighter than our present.
