CHARLES BAILES III

CHAIRMAN & CEO, ABC FINE WINES & SPIRITS, ORLANDO

Bailes is the grandson of the founder of the family-owned chain of 123 liquor stores and has been CEO since 1994 and chairman of the board since 1998. ABC has donated millions of dollars to United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida, the Pediatric Cancer Foundation and YMCA of Central Florida.

EDUCATION: Georgia Institute of Technology (BS)

IF I WERE GOVERNOR: Affordable housing would be my first priority. The lack of affordable housing near one’s place of work is a serious problem for residents and most Florida employers.

MENTORS: My mother and father taught me the importance of hard work, a good work ethic, humility and the importance of surrounding myself with smart and capable people.

WHAT I LEARNED: Do the right thing, even when no one is looking! The second part of this advice is if you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you last said — because the truth doesn’t change.

MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA
“Never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself.”