Rod Hemphill

Public Relations

Director of Public Relations
Rod Hemphill

Rod Hemphill, director of PublicRelations, is responsible for public relations programs, publications and electronic media. Prior to joining the Florida Farm Bureau Federation he was a radio news director, reporter and manager. He has worked in the Washington, D.C., Harrisburg/Lancaster/York, Pa and Orlando, Fla. markets. He helped found Florida's Radio Network.

Rod attended Colorado State University and holds a bachelor's degree in English from York College of Pennsylvania. He is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) by the North American Public Relations Council and was awarded the designation "Certified Public Relations Counselor" in 1996 by the Florida Public Relations Association.

He and his wife, Miriam, reside in Gainesville. He is the father of two grown children. His daughter, Sharon, is a community relations director in Orlando. His son, Robert, practices law in Winter Park.

Rod is a past president of the Agriculture Institute of Florida and the Gainesville Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA), which he also served as a state Vice President. You can reach him at (352) 374-1516, email rod.hemphill@ffbf.org.