Vetting: Wayne Messam
“Vetting” is a series of essays that will provide in-depth analysis of the records of the more overlooked 2020 Democratic candidates.
I spent about half my childhood living in a (very) small town just east of the Florida panhandle. And my parents recently returned to the area. Still I had never heard of the city of Miramar, Florida until March of this year. That’s when the city’s first black mayor, Wayne Messam, announced that he would join a crowded Democratic field of 2020 hopefuls and officially launched his presidential campaign.
That being said, who is Wayne Messam?
Wayne Messam was born in Florida to Jamaican immigrants on June 7, 1974. After earning full athletic and academic scholarships to Florida State University, Messam began attending in 1992. While matriculating, Messam played football under Bobby Bowden, a legendary college football coach. He was also elected student body vice-president. He graduated in 1997 with a BS degree in Management Information Systems.
Messam was drafted by (but never actually played for) the Cincinnati Bengals before he founded Messam Construction (also known as Asset Builders, LLC). Messam Construction worked on the modernization of Galaxy Elementary School in Miramar, the first school in Florida to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification. Gove Elementary School, another Messam Construction project, earned a LEED Silver certification in 2016. In fact, according to the company’s website, Messam has a commitment to sustainable building with “over 95% of [their] project certified or registered as LEED projects.” Messam’s commitment to the environment doesn’t stop with erecting green buildings. He is currently leading opposition to proposed oil well drilling in the Everglades.
Messam was elected to the City Commission of Miramar in 2011. As Miramar Commissioner, Messam represented the city in the National League of Cities Congress of Cities in 2013. This year, he sponsored the Miramar Health Fair & Family Fun Day, an event that provided, among other screenings, bone density tests, mammograms, blood pressure checks, and vision and hearing tests for children. In 2014, the commissioner sponsored “Open For Business,” an event designed to woo companies interested in doing business with the city.
