The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners selected its 2026 leadership during Tuesday’s meeting, voting to appoint District 4 Commissioner Trey Goodwin as chairman and District 5 Commissioner Drew Palmer as vice chairman.
- Goodwin, an Okaloosa native and Choctawhatchee High School graduate, has served on the commission since November 2014. He previously held the chairman’s seat in 2023. Before joining the county commission, Goodwin served on the Fort Walton Beach City Council from 2011 to 2014.
Goodwin earned his bachelor’s degree in building construction from the University of Florida in 2001 and his law degree from Florida State University in 2005. He founded Goodwin Law Group, where he practices real estate, construction, estate planning and probate law. He has also been an advocate for personal watercraft safety in the community.
He serves as the commission’s liaison to several organizations, including the First Judicial Circuit, the Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization and the Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Coalition. He also handles military relations with Eglin Air Force Base.
- Goodwin lives in Fort Walton Beach with his wife, Krystle, and their two children.
Palmer, who represents Destin, Bluewater Bay and much of Niceville, joined the Air Force at 17 and built a career spanning more than two decades in aerospace and defense. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and project management, a master’s degree in leadership and a master’s degree in operations management, along with certifications in Lean Six Sigma, finance and program management.
Originally from Texas, Palmer has lived in Okaloosa County since 2010. He and his wife, Jodi, raised their two daughters in Destin.
Palmer has said his priorities as commissioner include economic development, infrastructure improvement, maintaining low taxes and providing quality county services.
