About Michael
Michael Udine is a change agent, constantly reaching beyond the norm to embrace and recognize trends that transform communities. His long-standing career as an attorney and dedication to public service is distinct and notable for two reasons: his legacy of success and an unexpected tragedy of national proportions.
Michael was elected to serve as a Broward County Commissioner in 2016. He was named Vice Mayor in November 2020 and Mayor in November 2021.
Politics was not new to him, he formerly served, for more than a decade, as the Mayor and City Commissioner of Parkland, Florida. Under his city leadership, Parkland was named one of the Safest Cities in South Florida, the Best City for Families and an Environmentally Proud City. His legal expertise was highly publicized when he worked with the State Legislature to successfully annex 500 acres from adjacent Palm Beach County. It was one of the largest and most complicated land transfers in Florida’s history. Then history took a turn. On February 14, 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School became synonymous with one of the worst mass school shootings in the United States. Thirteen months earlier, a lone gunman stepped off a plane and shot and killed five people at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport.
As the national stage was set for widespread public debate over student safety, gun ownership, armed school personnel and a sharp uptick in teenage violence, people demanded change and they found a champion in Commissioner Udine. In Broward County, he pushed through and finalized the completion of a new state of the art 911 Emergency Communications system that had been delayed for years. Text to 911 was launched, enabling people to text an emergency to law enforcement if it’s not safe to verbally communicate. Active shooter training is now mandated for county employees serving the public and emergency alert systems are now in place to safely and systematically manage people during a crisis. A new school building is slated for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and through a collaboration with cultural institutions new parks, art displays, and memorials have been created. Charitable organizations have teamed with mental health experts to provide counseling and services to a community that is still grieving.
Broward County is the second largest county in Florida and its population is larger than 14 states and the District of Columbia. As a practicing attorney and owner of the law firm Udine and Udine, the Commissioner promotes small business ownership and is currently focusing his attention on attracting technology-based industry to Broward County to encourage future innovation and high paying, skilled jobs. He is an ardent supporter of funding for the Innovation Hub at Nova Southeastern University, he supported local companies competing in the Steve Case Rise of the Rest competition and recently received the 2019 Distinguished Leader Award from the Florida Atlantic University Research Park. Mr. Udine is currently an elected director at Legacy Bank of Florida, a small community bank assisting small businesses in Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
Michael and his wife Stacey reside in Parkland, Florida. They have three children who all attended local public schools in District 3. His son, David, is a UF graduate in the Commercial Real Estate business in South Florida. Matt is currently attending the University of Florida and is studying medicine. His daughter Lexi is attending UF where she is majoring in Education. Michael values a balanced life between his professional career, public responsibilities, and spending time with his family. Commissioner Udine is active in volunteering and attending events throughout the community. He prides himself on promoting local events in his district, working with his temple (Kol Tikvah), and supporting various charities.
