Frank Spence was elected to the Port Commission in 2017. Frank was born in Pennsylvania, raised in Michigan, and spent 50 years in Florida before moving to Astoria in 2013, following his oldest son and family.
Frank graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Public Administration. He was a city manager of six cities, the largest being Miami Beach, and county administrator of two counties, the largest being Gainesville, home of the University of Florida. During that time, he also took a break to be an advisor to the Republic of Liberia in West Africa for two years, and a hospital administrator in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for three years.
A self-described “excellent cook”, Frank likes to try out different recipes, and as a lover of music he is currently acting as President of the North Coast Chorale, where he sings bass.
There are many things that he loves about Astoria. He appreciates the history and the efforts to preserve and restore historic buildings and homes, the fantastic restaurants, and his feeling that it is a “small town that offers just about everything that a large crowded city has.”