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   Larry Byrnes is a self-made man, a committed public servant, an internationally known leader in teacher education, and a devoted husband, father and grandfather. In 44 years as an educator, he has prepared thousands of teachers for the classroom, developed numerous business-education partnerships, and lectured around the world about education for sustainable development. He is currently a professor at Florida Gulf Coast University and served as the FGCU’s first Dean of the College of Education.

   Larry has demonstrated his commitment to serving our community, focusing on excellence in teaching and international understanding. He is past secretary of the Rotary Club of Estero and is currently the chair of the club’s International Service Committee. He also serves on the club’s Program Committee and is the Rotaract chair for District 6960. He is also a board member of the Uncommon Friends Foundation and has served on the Golden Apple Teacher Selection committees in both Lee and Collier counties.

   Larry was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada in 1940, the eldest son of a factory worker/school custodian and a homemaker. The first in his family to graduate from high school, he moved to the United States in the late 1950s. He attended Port Huron Junior College, where he received an A.A. degree and played varsity hockey. He later transferred to Michigan State University, where he earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D., all while working to help support his parents and younger sisters. He became a United States citizen in 1968.

   Larry and his wife Margaret, his wife of 42 years, have lived in Fort Myers for nearly a decade. They have two children, Andrew and Mary, and one grandchild, Reese.

   Mary, their son-in-law Seth, and Reese join Larry and Margaret in the photo above. The photo to the right shows Larry and Margaret with Andrew and their daughter-in-law Isabel on a recent trip to Japan.