Joe Guidry

Job: Opinion Editor

Years at Tribune: 35-plus

Hometown: Tampa

Married: Lenora

Children: Tim

Hobbies: Running, hunting, fishing, backpacking, anything outdoors

Favorite Florida Books: "The Everglades: River of Grass" by Marjory Stoneman Douglas; "River of the Golden Ibis" by Glorida Jahoda; "The Man Who Invented Florida" by Randy Wayne White; "A Land Remembered" by Patrick Smith; and "A Flash of Green" by John D. MacDonald.

Where I got my start: I wrote for the Oracle at USF while I also worked as a copy person at The Tampa Times. I became a Tampa Times sports reporter while still in college and continued after graduation, moving on to other positions, including news and state editor. When the Times folded in 1982, I was transferred to The Tampa Tribune and soon became night city editor. Former Editorial Page Editor Edwin Roberts invited me to join the board in 1984, and that decision is one of the best I've ever made. Almost every day this job offers the opportunity to work on something that is important and challenging.

Areas of interest: Environment, growth management, law enforcement, education, state and local politics

Favorite part of the job: Dealing with matters of importance to my hometown

Worst part of the job: Always feeling that I should do more

My favorite editorials: Series on saving Tampa Bay, a campaign to overhaul the state's juvenile justice system, and a series of editorials defending the University of South Florida from legislative attack

Community activities: Boy Scouts of America; Trinity Cafe; Children's Cancer Research Group at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital

Something surprising about the editorial board: There are a lot of different political viewpoints among the board members.

Education: Bachelor's degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida, 1973 Master's degree in English from the University of South Florida, 1980