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Mayor Tyler Payne, City of Treasure Island
Tyler is a fourth generation Treasure Island resident, having grown up on Paradise Island. His family has called Treasure Island home since 1970, when his grandparents, John and Jeanne Payne, bought their home on Paradise Island. Tyler’s great grandparents lived in The Paradise Towers for many years as well. Tyler’s parents now live in his father’s childhood home and Tyler lives just down the street on Paradise Island.
Tyler graduated from St. Petersburg High School in 2008. From there, he went to the University of Florida in Gainesville and received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Religion. While at UF, Tyler was very involved with several student organizations and various aspects of Student Government. His outstanding leadership earned him induction into Florida Blue Key, the oldest and most prestigious leadership honorary in the State of Florida.
Tyler also earned his Juris Doctor and Masters in Business Administration from Stetson University. Tyler passed the July 2015 administration of the Florida Bar exam and became a licensed attorney in the State of Florida.
He continued with strong leadership in law school as an officer with several student organizations, Student Government Budget Chairman, and Stetson Ambassador. Tyler received the William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award and a Leadership Development Certificate upon graduation from Stetson.
Tyler has always closely followed Treasure Island politics and the City Commission. He was also appointed by Mayor Bob Minning to serve on the City’s Charter Review Committee in 2016. Upon returning to Treasure Island after law school, Tyler purchased a home on Isle of Palms and shortly thereafter ran for an open seat on the City Commission in 2018. He was subsequently reelected in 2020 without opposition. In March 2021, Tyler was elected to be Mayor for a 3-year term.
Outside his role with the City of Treasure Island, Tyler is an attorney and family businessman. After graduation from law school, Tyler began his career as Corporate Counsel for his family business, IcareLabs. IcareLabs was started by Tyler’s grandfather in 1968. IcareLabs manufactures approximately 2,000 pairs of eyeglass lenses every day right here in Pinellas County and employs over 100 people. Tyler has also been involved in the family’s retail division, serving as Director of Administration for Optimart from 2016 to 2019. He currently serves as the Executive Vice President for IcareLabs, mainly focusing on human resources, contracts, and compliance.
Tyler is very active in the community. He is a member the St. Petersburg Bar Association, the Gulf Beaches Rotary, and the Sons of the American Legion, Post 158. While serving as a Commissioner, he was appointed by his fellow Commissioners as the City of Treasure Island’s liaison to the Suncoast League of Cities. He is now the 1st Vice President of the Suncoast League. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Drug Free America Foundation. He is also the Vice Chair of the Emerging Optical Leaders, a group of emerging executives in the optical industry recognized by The Vision Council. Most recently, Tyler was appointed to the Florida League of Cities Board of Directors (representing our region) and also the Young Elected Municipal Officials Advisory Council. Tyler is also currently participating in the Connect Program of Leadership Florida for the state’s top young leaders.
Outside the office, Tyler enjoys traveling, spending time with his family out on the boat taking in the beautiful surroundings of Treasure Island, cheering on the Florida Gators in any sport, and taking walks with his black lab, Rocky.
As Mayor, Tyler strives to bring a fresh perspective to City Hall! He hopes to bring common sense and good business practices to our city government. We have many big decisions to make in the near future and enormous potential for our great city. Your feedback is crucial in order for Tyler to represent you. If you ever have an issue with the City or something you’d like him to address, please never hesitate to reach out.