21 May Concrete footprints invite us to to follow lead of giving back Manatee County employees Mike Cismesia (left) and Mike Dewey (right) prepare an area to place Retired Judge Thomas Gallen's footprints outside the Manatee County Judicial Center on Friday morning. Cast in a January 2021 ceremony when he was honored with Manatee County’s Distinguished Citizen award, Judge Gallen’s footprints invite us to follow his lead of giving back. His accomplishments for our community are many, including advocating for a new judicial center – the very one which towers over his footprints today. Prior to joining the judiciary, he served in both chambers of Florida’s State Legislature: 1965-1972 in the House of Representatives and 1972-1978 in the Senate. Between 1984 and 2002, Judge Gallen served as a circuit judge – including serving as chief judge, the court’s top administrative officer. After his mandatory retirement in 2002, he returned as a senior judge until 2016 when he hung up for the final time the familiar black robe of the judiciary. Throughout the years, Judge Gallen has been active in the local bar association, local civic and veterans’ groups and has received many awards and accolades for being a positive influence on people and our community. If you are in downtown Bradenton you can find Judge Gallen’s footprints, and the footprints of past Distinguished Citizens, nestled fittingly between the historic courthouse and the new judicial center that he helped bring to the community. [ READ MORE ] Judge Thomas M. Gallen is Manatee County’s 2021 Distinguished Citizen Return to News List