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Hernando Today

Joni Industries Owner Seeks Elections Supervisor Post

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: June 14, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - The owner of a Brooksville company specializing in putting logos on everything from umbrellas to golf tees is making another bid for Hernando County Supervisor of Elections.

Gus Guadagnino, owner of Joni Industries, has filed to run for Hernando County Supervisor of Elections.

Guadagnino, 54, is running without party affiliation. He says he's been disheartened for years by low turnout at the polls and could use his marketing skills to get voters excited again.

"I love my country and always felt like I needed to do something for it," Guadagnino said. "It's the best place in the world to live, but we have some issues that need to be straightened out that are not going to be taken care of in Washington or at the state level, but by a whole bunch more people getting involved in the election process."

A native of New York, Guadagnino earned his associate's degree in business administration from New York City Community College.

He and his wife Annmarie moved from New York to Spring Hill in 1985, bringing the Seaboard Pencil Co. with them and setting up shop in Brooksville. They founded Joni Industries two years later, and still own Seaboard.

Guadagnino said Joni is in good hands, so he would devote his full attention to the elections office. His son Joseph is president; his daughter Nicole is office manager the office.

"I volunteer more than I work," he said.

Guadagnino is president of the Hernando County Education Foundation and chairman of the Life South Community Blood Center's Hernando advisory board. He also serves on Oak Hill Hospital advisory board and the Hernando County Sheriff's Youth Education Services board. He's been a director on the Hernando County Chamber of Commerce board for the last 12 years.

Guadagnino ran for the office in 2000, winning a crowded Republican primary and then a runoff. He lost to Annie Williams, a Democrat, in the general election.

Williams has held the office since then and is seeking reelection.

The other challenger in the race is Republican Shirley Anderson, district director for U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite.

Qualifying Period Ends Friday:

Time is running out for would-be candidates considering a run for local office.

The qualifying period begins at noon on Monday, June 16 and ends at noon on Friday, June 20. The chance to qualify by petition ended last month, so candidates jumping into the race this late will have to pay the qualifying fee. The fee is based on a percentage of the current salary for the office. County commission candidates running in a major party, for example, pay $3,573.12, or 6 percent of $59,552.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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