View This Issue - Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce

A few minutes with
Kim Bodine
and family are the
most important things
to me,” says Kim Bodine,
Director of the
Gulf Coast Workforce
“Faith
Board for 16 years.
This passionate woman considers herself
very lucky to have her extended family living
nearby. “My entire family gets together
after church on Sundays,” she explains.
“My family, my brother and two sisters and
their families. There’s usually about 15 of
us. We’ve done that my whole life. We all
go to different churches, then have lunch
together at my mom’s, who cooks really
good meals. It’s our time to catch up and
“I feel I was put on this Earth
to help people in
whatever way I can.”
it’s how we stay in touch with each other.
I just don’t know life without this. I really
cherish this.”
Kim Bodine moved to Bay County when
she was five, from Mobile, Alabama. Her
parents both worked at Brookley Air Force
Base there, and transferred to Tyndall AFB
when that base closed. She has fond memories
of coming to the beach as a child.
“I think everyone in Alabama loves the
beach,” she says. “My parents would take
us to the beach regularly. I grew up going
to the jetties in St. Andrews State Park and I
take our kids there still, put a mask on them,
and they are entertained for hours!”
Interview by Marta Rose
Kim grew up in Callaway and graduated
from Rutherford High School. She received
her Bachelor of Science degree at FSU in
Tallahassee. After college she moved away
and went to work at Parisian, a family-owned
department store which is large in the south.
Kim opened the Dothan store, then moved to
Birmingham and became a buyer for women’s
accessories. After a couple of years she
wanted to be closer to family and moved back
to Panama City, where she began working at
Sunshine Junior Food Stores. “There were
352 stores in five states,” she remembers. “I
traveled the five states and learned a lot working
there – about responsibility, corporate
sales and about management.”
Above left: Kim Bodine, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board, photographed on April 2, 2012 with Governor Rick Scott and Gary Ross, Chairman
of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board. The Governor was in town signing a bill and touring Entera Inc., a local sign manufacturing company across from Jinks
Middle School. Above right: : Kim spearheaded the Port St. Joe Summer Camp; Kim is pictured in the middle. Right page: Kim hugs a young camper from
the Port St. Joe Summer Camp.
36 THE CIRCUIT September/October 2012