Ben Albritton, born on August 17, 1968, in Lakeland, Florida, is a Republican politician and a fourth-generation farmer. He was brought up in a family of farmers, ranchers, citrus growers, and businessmen, which led him to invest his life in the rich agricultural heritage of Central Florida.
After graduating from Hardee High School in 1986, Ben earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Citrus/Business in 1990 from Florida Southern College. He then joined his family’s citrus groves and for over 30 years, he has focused on the growth of Florida’s agricultural community. Today, Albritton Companies has expanded to support citrus grove ownership, grove management, payroll management, and risk consulting.
In 1993, Ben married Missy Schrader of Wauchula and settled down in rural Hardee County to start and raise a family. Together, they have three beautiful children, Rebecca, Joshua, and Ryan, and a grandchild. Ben is a faithful Christian, along with his wife Missy and their family, who invest their daily lives in the Scripture. The Albritton family are lifetime members of First Christian Church of Wauchula, where Ben has served as an Elder since 2003.
Ben’s political career began with an appointment to the Florida Citrus Commission. He served eight years in the Florida House, and his time in both chambers is marked by a focus on agriculture, natural resources, and hurricane issues. He was first elected to the chamber in 2010. Albritton was unable to run for re-election in 2018 to the Florida House of Representatives because of term limits.
He was elected to the Florida Senate in 2018. In 2022, he was appointed by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo to serve as Majority Leader. During his time on the commission, he served in a variety of leadership roles, including Chairman from 2007 until 2010. Ben also previously served as a board member and President of the Peace River Citrus Growers Association and is a past board member and Chair of the East Charlotte County Drainage District.
