Manatee County welcomes new commissioner appointed by DeSantis to fill Baugh’s seat
Ray Turner has become the newest member of the Manatee Board of County Commissioners.
With his wife by his side, Turner took the oath of office during a swearing-in ceremony at the start of Tuesday morning’s public work session meeting.
Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Turner, 59, to the board following Commissioner Vanessa Baugh’s resignation in June.
Turner, a registered Republican, is expected to serve out the rest of Baugh’s term, which expires in November 2024. He now represents District 5, which includes Lakewood Ranch and parts of East Bradenton.
“I’m honored to be appointed by Governor DeSantis. I will do the very best job I can to serve the people of Manatee County,” Turner said in a statement last week. “After orientation, I look forward to hitting the ground running to keep Manatee County free, our economy thriving, our taxes low and our quality of life ever-improving.”
According to the Governor’s Office, Turner is a real estate broker and owner of Turner Services, LLC, and Turner Real Estate Network.
Turner also serves as the secretary for the Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association, a developer group that other commissioners, including Mike Rahn and Baugh have ties to the BIA as well.
Baugh, who had served on the Manatee County Commissioner since 2012, announced her sudden resignation in an email to her fellow commissioners. She said she decided to step down in order to spend more time with her family.
“One thing I have come to realize is that one of the most important things in life is family,” Baugh, 69, wrote at the time. “This week has reinforced that it is time to take care [of] my husband, children and grandchildren and to be a bigger part of their lives.”
According to a biography on his company’s website, Turner was born in Australia and began his real estate career by selling custom homes. Turner also has experience in real estate finance, marketing and executive management, his website said.
