Background
The son of public school teachers, Daryl Jones was born in Jackson, Mississippi, the oldest of four children.
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Daryl Jones
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He attended Lanier High School where he was elected President of the Mississippi State Association of Student Councils and in 1973, graduated valedictorian.
Career
He is the first African-American graduate of a military academy from Mississippi. Lieutenant Jones became an F-4E pilot in the United States Air Force. He was transferred to the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Clark Bachelor of Arts in The Philippines, and became flight leader and mission commander in Team Spirit and Cope Thunder exercises.
In 1981, Captain
Jones arrived at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, as an F-4 Phantom ll Instructor Pilot, twice named the 31st TTS Outstanding Instructor Pilot and 6 consecutive classes of student pilots named him their Outstanding Instructor Pilot. Mr. Jones left active Air Force duty in 1984 and enrolled at the University of Miami School of Law. The University awarded Daryl its highest honor, the Iron Arrow.
He graduated cum laude in 1987 after serving as President of both the Student Bar and National Bar Associations.
Daryl worked as a federal judicial clerk for Judge Peter Fay in the 11th circuit court of appeals, then as an Assistant Dade County Attorney at Miami International Airport. He joined the Puerto Rico Air National Guard as an A-7D Corsair ll fighter pilot.
In 1989, Captain Jones transferred to the United States. Air Force Reserve at Homestead Air Force Base and became an F-16 Falcon fighter pilot. He rose to the rank of Colonel as an Air Force Reservist.
Mr.Jones was elected to The Florida House of Representatives in 1990.
After his first session, The Miami Herald named him Freshman Representative of The Year. On August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew devastated Representative Jones" House District while he was in the midst of a campaign for the State Senate. From 1992-2002, he served in the Florida Senate.
Senator Jones" immediately went to work, sponsoring the Hurricane Andrew Trust Fund Bill, which appropriated more than $650 million over four years to help rebuild the devastated area.
South Dade County largely recovered in only four years. Senator Jones also sponsored and passed the Rosewood Bill, the only legislation in American history to grant reparations to African Americans.
In 1995, Senator Jones was elected Democratic Senate President-designate. The next year, President Clinton appointed Senator Jones to the United States. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors.
In 1998 he was President Bill Clinton"s choice to be Secretary of the Air Force but was not confirmed.
In 2002, Jones was the first African-American to run for Governor of Florida. On September 14, 2006, he was chosen as a nominee for the position of Lieutenant Governor by gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis. Jones currently resides in Miami.
He has three children: Derek, Durel, and Michele.
He has spent the past several years running his own real estate investment and consulting firm, Doctorate.L. Jones & Associates and is President of The Law Offices of Daryl L. Jones, P.A., a law firm specializing in foreclosure defense and loan modifications.
Achievements
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Uniquely qualified as an Air Force Officer, Lawyer and Statesman, during the 90s, Senator Jones successfully defended the existence of Homestead Air Force Base before 2 Realignment and Closure Commission Boards.
