Kendrick B. Meek

Kendrick B. Meek, former Member of Congress, currently serves as Board member of American Medial Depot (AMD). AMD is one of the largest privately-held full-line master distributors of medical surgical supplies and equipment. American Medical Depot is a long-time medical surgical prime vendor to large commercial acute care hospitals as the Department of Defense (U.S. Navy Fleet and MedSurg ECAT) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VISN 8). AMD was established in l983. The Congressman also serves on the Florida A&M Foundation Board of Directors and the Business Advisory Council for the University of Southern California Diversity Department. In 2011 Mr. Meek was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as a Special Representative to the United Nations. From 2002 to 2010, Mr. Meek represented the 17th Congressional District of Florida. During his time in Congress, Mr. Meek served on the House Ways and Means Committee, and was instrumental in sponsoring and passing innovative legislation creating new trade incentives for Haiti. As the Representative of the largest number of Americans of Haitian descent outside of Haiti, Mr. Meek has been a leader on issues facing the country, and a leading advocate for the Haiti Diaspora. He was also a co- chairman of the 30-Something Working Group, and was appointed to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. As a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, as well as the House Armed Services Committee, Mr. Meek has been deeply steeped in foreign policy and international affairs. In 2007, Mr. Meek led a congressional delegation to Chad, Ethiopia and Kenya to examine events in Darfur and U.S. political, security and economic commitments to Africa. He co-sponsored and supported legislation to pressure the government of Sudan, asked the President to take immediate steps to protect civilians in Darfur, and barred the U.S. government from contracting with companies linked to the genocide. He has traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East, engaging in direct dialogue with foreign leaders on international security and trade developments. Mr. Meek began his career as a Trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol. He later became a Captain and was assigned to the security detail traveling with Democratic Lt. Gov. Buddy MacKay. Mr. Meek served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1995 to 1998 and in the Florida Senate from 1999 to 2002. Mr. Meek graduated from Florida A&M University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.