Jeff M. Hardison

(Updated July 27, 2010)

My name is Jeff M. Hardison. I am available as a freelancer or as an employee. I help individuals, businesses, communities and government agencies for a fair fee. I live in Levy County, Florida. Currently, I am a freelancer. I am ready, willing and able to work.

Please do not think of me just as a writer, editor or teacher. I can serve as an office manager, clerk, a counselor or in almost any other capacity. I have worked as a public relations agent, been a hotel manager, loaded trucks, sorted mail in a large company and been a waiter.

As a freelancer, I conduct research, interview people, attend meetings, write stories, take photos, make videos and edit material. I have been writing, editing, laying out pages, and taking photographs as a media professional for many years.

My work has chronicled significant changes in Florida history for the past two-plus decades.

While in Hamilton County in the 1980s, I wrote stories which showed readers that a county commissioner had used county workers and material to improve his private, gated road. After my story was published, the state made him repay the county thousands of dollars. This type of misuse of power had been accepted for many years prior to that event.

While in Glades County, I earned awards from the Florida Press Association and Florida Press Club for my series of articles that revealed the truth about Fisheating Creek and sovereign land under it. As a result, the private landowner and the state reached an agreement that resulted in better use of the creek by members of the general public. Before these stories a giant landowner used state property as if it were his own.

I earned other FPA awards after writing stories related to the enviornment and politics.

When I was in Highlands County, I wrote a story that scored an FPA award for environmental news. The University of Florida had released a tiny bug to eat aquatic weeds in lakes there. I wrote several other stories in many parts of Florida, showing the problems from aquatic weeds. Erosion is another issue I have covered extensively, when I was at newspapers in Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee counties.

Working at two different newspapers in two different judicial circuits, I showed people the facts about the baby-swap incident where Regina Twigg’s baby, who became named Kimberly Mays, was switched at birth for the other baby girl, who died at a young age.

In Levy County, I wrote a series of stories about an investigation into voter fraud. Some voters revised their registrations as a result, to better match where they lived. One Tennessee woman had been voting in Florida, and she owned driver licenses in both states, which is contrary to regulations in both states.

In Columbia County, I uncovered and published the truth showing that Scott Reynolds, the former city manager of Lake City, falsified his academic credentials.

Beyond those, and thousands of other news stories, I have written countless business and human interest stories. Now, I am available to any person who has money and wants to share any information with any individual or group for any commercial or charitable purpose.

I have a lengthy background in professional writing. In 1984, I graduated from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism with a Bachelor of Science degree. While at U.F., I wrote for many publications in the area.

After graduating, I served at different times as a reporter, staff writer, business writer, managing editor, editor and executive editor of weeky and daily newspapers in every region of Florida.

I earned my first Florida Press Association award even before graduating college. The FPA recognized my writing, editing and layout as being worthy of awards starting in 1983.

In 2007, I earned my fifth Florida Press Association Better Newspaper Contest award. This marked my second win in the Investigative Reporting category, in the open circulation class. Other FPA awards were in the following categories: Environmental or Conservation; Community Service; Best Full Use of Color; and Front Page Layout.

The Florida Press Club gave me a plaque for Best Public Service. I was also honored by the American Legion Auxiliary of Florida for writing the best local story in Florida concerning the Bicentennial of the United States of America. A number of law enforcement agencies, civic organizations and business interests have recognized my work too.

I also have taught English and journalism in public and private schools to adults and children during a five-year stint as a teacher.

I serve clients as a freelancer now. Remember, I can research, write, edit, photograph and videotape to create material for any purpose. To reach me to discuss what I can do for you, and how much it will cost, please send me an e-mail at jeffmhardison2@yahoo.com or to hotcubed2@hotmail.com.