Born in 1939, Bruce J. Host grew up in Ashland, Kentucky. After graduating from high school in 1958, Host enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, later rising to the rank of colonel. He graduated from the National War College at Fort McNair, Virginia, and has a master’s degree in International Affairs from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. His military career spanned more than 22 years, where he served as a navigator, personnel officer, and diplomatic officer. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1981 and moved to Tallahassee.
Prior to his election to the Leon County Board of County Commissioners, Host was a member of the Tallahassee Area Chamber of Commerce task force on consolidation and the executive director of the Retirement Housing Council, a professional association of retirement communities. In 1992, Host ran for the District 4 seat with a focus on bringing “common sense” to the Commission through job growth, fiscal responsibility, private property rights, and economic development.
While serving as a Commissioner, Host advocated for the widening of Thomasville Road to meet interstate highway standards; the construction of a Publix on Bradfordville Road; a permanent Northeast Branch Library; a full-service fire station in the northeast at the intersection of Bull Headley and Bannerman roads; and the protection and preservation of the integrity of the old Bradfordville School. He was elected Board Chairman for 1995-1996.
In recognition of his efforts to build the new Northeast Branch Library, Leon County dedicated the Bruce J. Host Northeast Branch Library in his honor on November 22, 2023.
Host remains active in the community and is a strong advocate for Florida veterans. In 2011, he helped found the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame and is also the founder and president of Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame Society, Inc. On January 13, 2021, Host was appointed to serve as the Selective Service System (SSS) Florida State Director.