Douglas Lawson, Chairperson
Compassionate leaders who desire the best for those they serve, make our society thrive and families flourish. Councilman Douglas Lawson was elected to the District 5 seat of the City of Riviera Beach City Council in April 2019 and was recently elected by his fellow board members as Chair Pro-Tem. Prior to his election, Doug has been aggressively focused on enriching the lives of Palm Beach County residents for the past 20 years. Born into a Caribbean family in pursuit of the American dream, Doug has spent most of his life in Palm Beach County. Doug is a product of Palm Beach County’s school system finishing at Suncoast Community High School home of the Chargers. Doug obtained both his undergraduate and graduate degree from the University of Central Florida. His commitment, dedication and willingness to teach others how to gain access to essential resources they never obtained makes his presence vital to Riviera Beach, Florida.
As the owner of Lawson Solutions, Doug has specialized in providing hundreds of families access to homeownership, business development resources, financial and tax literacy programs as well as mental health and substance abuse counseling services. Additionally, through his personal business, Doug provides employment and leadership opportunities to many individuals helping to strengthen the local community in Riviera Beach. Another business of his, Infinity Taxes and Beyond, has allowed him to provide the gateway to helping families live better lives and achieve the American Dream.
Having been an entrepreneur most of his life, Doug knows what it is like to obtain wealth and lose it all. He devotes his time to helping families learn the power of being wise with money, time and resources. Doug believes that empowered families equipped with the right generational wealth tools are the key to a healthy society and legacy.
An avid volunteer and philanthropist, Doug’s financial success has helped fund many projects in Palm Beach County. With the creation of “Bridge to Infinity” a program designed for young males to teach them how to be an entrepreneur and the importance of fiscal responsibility. In addition to his wide-range involvement with local nonprofits, he not only donates money to help youth and families thrive in Palm Beach County, but he also goes out and serve families at the events he sponsors. Service is a staple in his life and he can always be seen helping supporting others while out in the community.
Doug’s first year in office can be described as “hitting the ground” running learning all facets of local government. He has placed his focus and attention to ensuring transparency, accountability, and trust in the City of Riviera Beach.
His most prized accomplishment is being a loving father to his daughter Madison Lawson.
Councilman Lawson District 5 priorities include:
- Increasing & supporting small businesses & non-profit organizations
- Conducting Disparity Study
- Creating Arts in Public Places program
- Promoting economic development that supports good paying jobs
- Attaining affordable quality housing for all city residents
- Protecting, Preserving & Sustaining Lake Worth Lagoon
- Addressing mental health in communities of color
- Educating and providing opportunities for youth
Committees:
- Palm Beach North Chambers of Commerce
- Palm Beach North Chambers of Commerce- Government Affairs Committee
- Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency
- Port of Palm Beach
- Business Development Board of Palm Beach County
Affiliations:
- Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
- National Forum for Black Public Administrators
- National League of Cities
- Florida League of Cities
- Florida Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials
- Palm Beach County Caucus of Black Public Officials