Kent is a proud 5th‑generation Ocalan who attended the College of Central Florida and Florida State University. He began his professional career in retail banking before moving into the insurance and investment field, where he specialized in business and estate planning.
For the past 24 years, Kent has dedicated himself to public service. He served three four‑year terms as an Ocala City Councilman, followed by six consecutive two‑year terms as Mayor of Ocala. During his tenure, he led initiatives that continue to shape the city today.
In 2003, as Council President, he guided the development of Ocala’s downtown Master Plan, which remains in use today. He secured Ocala’s first enterprise zone through Governor Charlie Crist, bringing major distribution centers such as FedEx, Amazon, Chewy, and AutoZone to the area. Partnering with then Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Kent authored a local ordinance that became state law banning synthetic marijuana, removing it from store shelves statewide. He also worked with an Orange County commissioner to outlaw secondary metal thefts during the recession, reducing copper thefts by 90 percent in just 90 days across Florida.
Kent advanced anti-pan-handling and open lodging laws that were upheld in court, and he led the creation of a men’s homeless program with a 75 percent success rate, helping participants secure full‑time employment, financial independence, and permanent housing. He helped establish an amnesty program for individuals struggling with addiction, providing access to rehabilitation at no cost. He guided Ocala through a First Amendment freedom of religion case, securing victory in federal court, and during the COVID‑19 pandemic, he worked with the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru, to free 25 Americans detained by the Peruvian government.
As Mayor overseeing the Ocala Police Department, Kent helped make Ocala the fourth‑safest city in the United States by the end of his term in 2023, according to U.S. News & World Report.
He continues to serve his community as a board member of Open Arms Village, the men’s homeless project he helped establish, and Ocala Main Street. He is also a member of the Florida Public Service Commission Nominating Council.
Beyond his public service, Kent has been married to his wife Sandra for 46 years. Together, they have two sons and three grandchildren.