CLERK SPOTLIGHT: GREG HARRELL

About Greg Harrell

Marion County Clerk and Comptroller Gregory C. Harrell knew he wanted to be a Clerk the moment he attended his first FCCC Summer Conference in 2013 as General Counsel to his predecessor, David Ellspermann. He was immediately attracted to the sincere enthusiasm and appreciation Clerks held for their position, and he admired the spirit of comradery and collaboration among Clerks, their respective staff, and FCCC.

After being elected in 2020, Clerk Harrell’s instinct about the role was confirmed. He truly appreciates the opportunity to lead a talented team who he admires and respects. He also enjoys the challenge of trying to put the best people in the right positions to provide the best possible service to the people of the county he’s always called home. Without hesitation, he considers it the best job he’s ever had.

His love for the job shows through in his work. Under his stewardship, the Marion County Clerk of Court’s Office is focused on finding new ways to serve its constituents. It recently launched a Property Alert Service to alert registrants to potentially fraudulent recordings against their real properties. His office will also soon go live with Value Adjustment Board petition submission and processing software designed to help residents involved in the process participate in a more efficient manner.

Clerk Harrell is very proud of the accomplishments achieved through the hard work of his staff. Marion County has received FCCC's Best Practice Certificates of Excellence in all eligible categories to date, and their Finance Department earned the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 37th straight year, and the third year in a row for Clerk Harrell. His office also resumed marriage ceremonies on behalf of the people of Marion County in July of 2021, reimagined a coordinated, formal staff training program, published quarterly internal newsletters and conducted biannual "State of the Clerk's Office" meetings with staff.

Building on this momentum, his office has many exciting priorities for 2023. These include improving constituents' ability to remotely use various services through a revamped website, publishing Marion County's first Popular Annual Financial Report, and rolling out an online scheduling system for multiple court and non-court departments.

Maybe most importantly, Clerk Harrell is passionate about giving back to his community. His team members participate each year in the March of Dimes and United Way of Marion County’s Annual Workplace Giving Campaigns, as well as Marion County's Bring the Harvest Home Food Drive and the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Donation Drive.

Outside of the office, Clerk Harrell has been married 20 years to his wife Stephanie, a pediatrician who owns and runs her own practice in Ocala. He has two children: a 14-year-old son, Walker and a 12-year-old daughter, Shealy Grace. His family owns a German Shorthaired Pointer named Moonshine, two – in his opinion – slightly less-beloved cats named Moana and Charlie, and an “old-as-dirt” pony named Little Man.