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Hernando Today

Magrini: Sees District As Economic Engine

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By LINNEA BROWN

Published: August 14, 2008

Gene Magrini wants to bring his business experience to the school system.

In the 2008 race for the District 4 seat on the Hernando County School Board, the 43-year-old Spring Hill resident says he wants to use his experience working with large budgets to help the district become an economic engine for the community.

A self-employed human resource consultant in Tampa, Magrini has lived in Hernando County for 15 years.

Though he has never entered a race for public office, he credits 21 years of successful business management with preparing him for the board.

Magrini previously oversaw the human resource and sales departments for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was a member of the team's directors during the 2002 Super Bowl Championship season.

He used the analogy of a football game to describe the performance of the local school district, and said he wants to make sure local students are well-qualified for employment or higher education options after high school.

"You have to be in the fourth quarter to make it home, and we have to look at improving our high schools," Magrini said.

He said he'd like to see the district develop a reputation for excellence that will create a positive image, and would like to see schools create solid partnerships with local businesses.

"If we can take what we do as a district and incorporate it into local companies, we'd be helping everyone, " he said.

One of his main goals would be improving local high school graduation rates. He would use the example of Martin County — where demographics are similar, and officials recently drastically improved graduation rates — to form a task force, he said.

He is married with three children, all of whom attend Challenger K-8 School of Science and Mathematics in Spring Hill.

A supporter of magnet schools, Magrini expressed a desire to see sports and performing arts programs kept intact equally.

"We have to look to preserve those things," he said, speaking of their value in development.

On the topic of Superintendent Wayne Alexander's first year on the job, Magrini called it a "tactical error" for him to initially request a 14 percent raise.

"It was very egotistical and done the wrong way, and his personality traits led him down the wrong road," he said.

However, he mentioned a little-known fact: That school board members initially told Alexander that they would "take care of him" if he did a good job in his first year, which led to the error.

In making major decisions such as the districtwide dress code, Magrini said he would like to see schools take a vote from parents before the board decides anything.

Magrini has served on the School Advisory Council committees at both Suncoast Elementary School and Challenger K-8, of which he was chairman this year.

Gene Magrini

Age: 43.

Married, three children.

Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration, California Coast University.

Religion: Roman Catholic.

Hobbies: bike riding, hiking, motorcycle riding, tennis.

Last book read: "Your child's strengths," by Jennifer Fox.

Most Admired: His father, Gene Magrini Sr.

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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