What’s your name and what fills your time?
Kevin Hogencamp. I have the honor of serving my community as the City of Atlantic Beach’s deputy city manager and as president of the board of directors of the Florida Municipal Communicators Association. I’m 14 years into my second career – public administration – after a long, fun ride as a journalist. I arrived on the First Coast in 1988 as a Florida Times-Union reporter.
Anything special going on for this summer?
If there’s one thing I do every summer, it’s the Sing Out Loud Festival in St. Augustine. I. Can’t. Wait.
Any hobbies or interests worth telling us about?
These days, I’m obsessed with pickleball, and I’m totally cool about it, by the way. Otherwise, it’s Bama football, Braves baseball, or bust. This fall, it’ll be immersing myself in anything written by John Meacham and Michelle Alexander.
What’s one thing (funny, different, cool) that many might not know about you?
While it’s not funny and it’s not cool, it’s certainly different: During the summer I turned 4, my brother and I were kidnapped and the subjects of a summerlong FBI search. Luckily, we were found safe and sound in Seattle, 2,500 miles from home. While it’s not as histrionic as that sounds because it was our noncustodial parent – not the Manson Family – who snatched us, a gun indeed was involved. Now I’m sharing the story to make everyone’s day a little more interesting. A summer to remember (or forget), right? Nah, I don’t remember it. I have, however, read some of the FBI documents.
What’s the best part of living here on the First Coast?
While I adore everything First Coast, living and working in AB is dreamy — a perfect 11. First, there’s the kindness that I encounter on and off the job at a level that’s “more than one man can stand,” as John Prine would say. Having said that, quite frankly, people have been lovely to me everywhere I’ve lived and visited. What’s special here for me is the classic, cliché’ beach lifestyle and accompanying state-of-mind.
Perfect weekends, which I’m blessed to say are more the rule than the exception, include leaving the car in the driveway, pickling (that’s what the cool kids call pickleball, you know) with my favorite girl, dog walks on the beach, miles and miles of bike cruising, quality time with family and friends, and delicious eats. And I manage to transition into a vacation state-of-mind every time I’m at Beaches Town Center — even after a full workday. What a life!
Anything else that you would like to tell the community?
Stay tuned for news about a special musical treat at Johansen Park in Atlantic Beach. Here’s a clue: LPT. If you know, you know.
Oh, and vote.
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Mike is a native First Coaster and was a leading figure in surfing and skateboarding for most of his life. After promoting music for many years on the local music scene, Mike now brings a unique perspective to FirstCoast.Life as a contributing writer.
One Response
Thank you, Mike and FirstCoast.Life. This was so fun and a huge honor. So far, my only regret is not giving a shout-out to my favorite First Coast music venue: Blue Jay Listening Room.