June, 2004

Ben Wilcox Bio

Ben Wilcox began his career as a reporter for the Florida Public Radio Network, providing reports on state government and the Florida legislature to public radio stations throughout the state. In 1978 he became the news director for the network and in 1994 he also became the news director for WFSU-FM, the public radio station in Tallahassee. As a journalist, he covered 23 sessions of the Florida legislature and won awards from the Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists. He also hosted a statewide call-in program called Florida on the Line featuring the state’s political leaders, including the Governor and members of the state cabinet.

On September 1, 1999, Ben Wilcox was named the executive director of Common Cause Florida. Common Cause is an advocate for government reform and is known as the citizens’ lobby organization. Its members seek to reduce the influence of wealthy special interests on public policy and make government more open and accountable to the average citizen. As executive director, Ben Wilcox is responsible for representing the position of Common Cause before the Florida legislature on a variety of issues including election reform, campaign finance reform, open government, reapportionment and ethics reform.