Mayor Masters - Biography
Mayor Thomas A. Masters represents the entire city as a non-voting member of the Riviera Beach City Council, and came to office in April 2007. He was re-elected in April 2009 on the strength of his hard work on behalf of city residents. Indeed, he is affectionately known as "The People's Mayor."
Mayor Masters came to his city role following more than 20 years of activism in the city, battling crime and violence, pushing juvenile justice issues, working to feed the poor, helping young people and ex-felons find jobs. He has led community clean-ups, and met with the Pope.
This activism is long-lived, and started with his religious faith. Formerly known as the "Wonder Boy Preacher," the Rev. Thomas Masters began preaching at age four, was a licensed minister at age 9 and was ordained at age 12.
He was born and raised in Pasadena, Calif., and attended California State University, Moody Bible Institute and Kansas City Baptist College. He came to Riviera Beach in 1987 to serve as senior pastor of New Macedonia Baptist Church, a post he still holds. He became bishop of his church in 2000.
In 2007, Thomas Masters he was elected mayor, a role that has increased his commitment and activism. As he likes to say, he has been able to "turn advocacy into policy."
To that end, he led the successful effort to create a teen curfew in the city, which has resulted in no young person under age 18 being killed since it was instituted. He won overwhelming passage of a referendum to outlaw the wearing of saggy pants in the city. And he organized the collection of 28,000 pounds of food for the poor in Haiti.
He has empowered residents to fight crime in their neighborhoods, especially in Sonoma Bay and Villa Rosa, and has sponsored several community cleanups. He continues to hold weekly job fairs at City Hall, inspiring community organizations, unions and employers to join to help residents get jobs or learn work-ready skills. His annual job fair for youth aged 16 to 24 attracts hundreds of young people from across the county, and dozens of employers.
The Mayor has also laid the foundation for a free health clinic in the city. And, just for fun, he recently took dozens of seniors on a cruise in a joint getaway with the mayor of Lake Park.
Among his many awards, he was chosen International Man of the Year by the Riviera Beach Youth Athletic Association; was given The Sergeant Shriver Award by Palm Beach County employees; the Distinguished Citizen of the Year award from the City of Riviera Beach; and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., award from the Urban League of Palm Beach County.
He is a member of the Riviera Beach Education Advisory Board, and an alternate member of the North Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce and of the Riviera Beach Business Council. He is also a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
He also created the Mayor's Advisory Team, whose members advise the mayor on a host of issues facing the city.
Mayor Masters is married and has three children. .
.Contact Information: .
600 W. Blue Heron Boulevard, Riviera Beach, FL 33404
Email: mayormasters@rivierabch.com
Office: 561-845-4145
Fax: 561-863-3236
Senior Staff Assistant: April Baker, 561-845-4064
Legislative Aide: Marian Dozier, 561-845-4032
Executive Secretary: Maryann Guarascio, 561-845-3681.
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