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The Manatee County Rural Health
Services Foundation is proud to
annually honor those inspiring
individuals who have contributed to the
health and welfare of our community.
This year’s honoree was Judge Thomas
“Tom” Gallen, Jr. He was born in Tampa
in 1932. Gallen attended the University
of Tampa, leaving during the Korean War
to enlist in the Armed Special Forces. He
was a member of the inaugural group of
Green Berets formed in 1952 and was
deployed to Bad Tolz, Germany in 1953,
serving until 1955. After leaving the army
he returned to school, receiving a BS
in Business Administration from Florida
State University and a Juris Doctor
degree from the University of Florida.
Gallen was a law partner at the rm of
Miller, Gallen, Kaklis, and Venable from
1960 to 1985. During this period he also
held public ofce, serving as a member
of the Florida legislature for 12 years, rst
in the Florida House of Representatives,
where he served from 1965-1972, before
being elected to the Florida Senate.
During his time in the Senate, he became
chairman of the Senate Rules and
Calendar Committee.
He served in the Florida Senate from
1972-1978 before leaving ofce, opting
to return to practicing law rather than
seeking re-election. In 1985, he was
elected to the 12th Judicial Circuit Court
as a Circuit Judge, where he was elected
as Chief Judge in 1998, and served until
he retired in 2002. In 2005, Judge Gallen
received the Manatee County Bar’s
Lifetime Achievement Award.
He most recently served as a Senior
Circuit Judge for the 12th Judicial Circuit
Court, and Associate Judge on the 2nd
District Court of Appeals. In 2013, he was
named to the MCR Health Services Board
of Directors.
Past honorees include Former Sen.
Edgar H. Price, Jr.; Former Manatee
County Commissioner Pat Glass; Mr. &
Mrs. Hal & Johncyna McRae; Dr. George
Thomas, MD, FACC; Florida’s former First
Lady Rhea Chiles; Dr. Angus Woodward
Graham, Jr.; Humanitarian Edward Dick;
Dr. Mona & Dr. Anila Jain; Coach Eddie
Shannon and Walter L. “Mickey” Presha.
Who does the Manatee
County Rural Health Services
The Manatee County Rural Health
Services Foundation is committed to
supporting MCR Health Services and
the community at large in its mission
to provide all patients, including the
underserved and uninsured, access
to quality primary care and preventive
health education regardless of race, sex,
disability, or economic status. Last year
the Foundation supported Reach Out
and Read, Manatee Children’s Services,
and Hope Family Services & Family
Resources.