Northeast Florida Regional Council’s Northeast Florida Regional Leadership Award Winner

Northeast Florida Regional Council

December 3, 2015 7:16 a.m.

Dr. John L. Ruis

In response to the high level of Regional Excellence in a variety of critical arenas, in 2003 the Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC) launched a Regional Leadership Awards Program. The presentation event will take place this year on December 3rd. The event will mark the 13th year the Awards Ceremony has been held in conjunction with a reception honoring elected officials throughout the Region.  Dr. John Ruis has been awarded the 2015 award in the category of education.

Dr. Ruis has served the Nassau County school system for 40 years as teacher, coach, and administrator. He served the last 17 years as Superintendent. He has had leadership roles in a variety of community organizations including the YMCA, Communities in Schools, Boys' and Girls' Club, Upward Basketball, and American Cancer Society. He has transformed the Nassau County School District to an “A” rated school district – 4th among the 67 counties in the state. Dr. Ruis has also partnered with Florida State College at Jacksonville to build a joint-use career and technology center, with the Boys' and Girls' Club to build a facility on a school campus, and with Terra Pointe, LLC to build an elementary school in a residential/commercial development that will come on-line in 2017.