Biography

Contact the Clerk & Comptroller: PO Box 229 West Palm Beach, FL 33402 (561) 355-2996 E-mail Printer Friendly Bio (PDF)

Sharon R. Bock
Clerk & Comptroller
Palm Beach County

Sharon R. Bock, Esq. was elected to the office of Clerk of the Circuit Court in November 2004. Shortly after taking office in January 2005, she changed the name of the office to Clerk & Comptroller, to more accurately reflect this constitutional office's duties, services and public purpose. As Clerk & Comptroller, she serves as the county’s Chief Financial Officer and Auditor, Clerk of the Circuit Court, County Recorder and Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners.

She joined the Clerk & Comptroller's Office in 1998 as Chief Deputy Clerk for Court Services. In 2003, she was promoted to Chief Deputy Clerk, the same year the office earned the prestigious Governor’s Sterling Award for Organizational Performance Excellence. Based on the national Baldrige Award, this is the highest award for business excellence in the state of Florida.

A broad range of business, finance and legal experience prepared Clerk Bock for the complex role of Clerk & Comptroller. Prior to being elected, she served as a financial consultant, practiced real estate law and owned a title company. She is also a licensed general aviation pilot and a certified scuba diver.

Clerk Bock earned her law degree from South Texas College of Law, where she served as Assistant Managing Editor of the Law Review. She studied International Commerce Law at the University of Hong Kong and also holds a Bachelors degree in Special Education from Slippery Rock University.

Clerk Bock has comprehensive finance and investment knowledge, having earned her series 7, 63, 65, and insurance licenses. She also holds a real estate sales license. 

The Clerk & Comptroller’s Office has been transformed and modernized through Clerk Bock’s leadership on several technology projects, including the creation of a web portal that provides access to court and official records. Today, the link known as "ClerkConnect" at www.mypalmbeachclerk.com, allows the public to easily navigate from legal records to civil and criminal records, pay a traffic ticket by credit card, research meeting minutes of the Palm Beach County Commission or download and complete court documents.

The office’s first customer feedback system was created under Clerk Bock’s direction, marking the first time the Clerk & Comptroller’s office could systematically collect and respond to customer needs. The office consistently receives satisfaction ratings of 97% or higher.

In the absence of competition, some government organizations go along to get along, without the motivation to improve, reduce costs or deliver high-quality services. Clerk Bock’s entrepreneurial mindset, however, has enabled her to establish a disciplined approach that emphasizes proactive strategies, continuous improvement and an organization-wide drive to do the best and be the best. The office’s vision, created by its employees, is “to be the recognized world-class leader in customer service, employee satisfaction and standards of excellence.

Since taking office, Clerk Bock’s primary objective has been to provide public education and awareness that promote transparency and accountability in county government. Her commitment to this is evidenced by her publication of Palm Beach County’s first-ever, annual citizens’ guide to county finances.  The guide, Checks & Balances: Your Guide to County Finances, is available online at www.mypalmbeachclerk.com.

Clerk Bock is an expert on the subject of privacy versus accessibility of public records on the Internet and the role of the Clerk & Comptroller. The November 2004 issue of The Florida Bar Journal featured an article co-authored by Clerk Bock titled, Electronic Access to Court Records — A Virtual Tightrope in the Making.
 
A member of the Florida Association of Court Clerks & Comptroller’s Clerk Bock currently serves on the Legislative, Education and Article V committees. She formerly served on their Communications, E-Filing Workgroup and Judicial Relations Committees.

Clerk Bock has served on the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission Executive Committee and the 15th Judicial Circuit’s Jury Oversight Committee. She chairs the circuit’s Subcommittee on Visual Presentations. She is also a member of the Executive Women of the Palm Beaches, the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches, the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Government Finance Officers Association, the
Florida Bar Association, the Florida Parking Association and the Palm Beach County and branch Bar Associations.

Clerk Bock has always been very active in her community. Some of her previous appointments included membership on the City of Miami Commission on the Status of Women, the Florida Bar Grievance Committee and the Planning & Zoning Board for Palm Beach Shores. Her many honors include the 2001 Florida Association of Women Lawyers Glass Ceiling Breaker Award, American Jewish Congress 2006 Civic Leader of the Year Award, Junior Achievement’s 2007 Rising Star Award, Executive Women of the Palm Beaches’ 2007 Women in Leadership Award, the Palm Beach County Voters Coalition’s 2007 Civic Leader of the Year Award and finalist for the 2006 ATHENA award. Clerk Bock also has been selected as the Honorary Co-Chair of the Heart Association of Palm Beach County’s 2007 Heart Walk.  Most recently, she was chosen by Leadership Palm Beach County as recipient of the 2008 Leadership Excellence Award.

An expert on topics such as strategic planning, effective management strategies and practices, and leadership skill development, Clerk Bock is frequently recruited for speaking engagements and to author articles for both public and private sector organizations.

Clerk Bock lives in Palm Beach Shores with her husband, Anthony Gigliotti.