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| Jeff Kottkamp | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 2, 2007 |
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| Governor | Charlie Crist |
| Preceded by | Toni Jennings |
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| Born | November 12, 1960 Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Cyndie Kottkamp |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Christian [1] |
Jeffrey "Jeff" Kottkamp (born November 12, 1960) is an American politician from Florida, and currently serves as the state's lieutenant governor.
Kottkamp, a Republican, served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2006. In September 2006 he was selected as the running mate for Republican candidate for Governor Charlie Crist. Crist and Kottkamp were elected in November 2006 and Kottkamp was subsequently sworn in as the 17th Lieutenant Governor of Florida.
As Lieutenant Governor, Kottkamp serves as Chairman of the Space Florida Board of Directors, Chairman of Florida's Children's and Youth Cabinet, and oversees the Governor's Office of Adoption, Florida's Film Initiatives as well as the Governor's Office of Drug Control. In addition, Kottkamp oversees the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and serves as Chairman of the Florida Sports Foundation. In 2008, Governor Charlie Crist appointed Kottkamp to serve as the Chairman of the Governor's Homeownership Promotes the Economy "HOPE" Task Force.
Space Florida
Kottkamp was appointed as Chairman of the Space Florida Board of Directors in 2007. Space Florida is a public-private partnership created by the Florida Legislature in 2006 to strengthen Florida's position as the global leader in aerospace research, investment, exploration and commerce. The Space Florida Act consolidated three existing space entities (Florida Space Authority, Florida Space Research Institute, and Florida Aerospace Finance Corporation) into a single organization formed to be the single point of contact for Florida aerospace-related activities with federal agencies, the military, state agencies, universities and the private sector.
Florida Sports Foundation
In 2008 Kottkamp was elected Chairman of the Florida Sports Foundation. The Foundation is the official sports promotion and development organization for the State of Florida. The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation operating under contract with Florida's Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. The Board of Directors includes Alan Cohen of the Florida Panthers, Williams Davidson of the Tampa Bay Lighting, Rich DeVos of the Orlando Magic, Malcolm Glazer of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Wayne Huizenga of the Miami Dolphins, Lesa France Kennedy of International Speedway Corporation, Jeffrey Loria of the Florida Marlins, Stuart Sternberg of the Tampa Bay Rays, and J. Wayne Weaver of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Trade and Economic Development
As part of the Crist-Kottkamp Administration’s ongoing efforts to grow and expand Florida’s economy Kottkamp inaugurated the Florida Pavilion at the Medica World Forum for Medicine in Dusseldorf, Germany in November 2007. He was joined by John Koenig, Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Embassy in Berlin and U.S. Counsul General Matthew Boyse. MEDICA is the leading global exhibition for the medical sector and the world's largest life science trade show. Over 125,000 people attended the event to obtain insight on all current and future trends in medical treatment. Kottkamp met with all 40 of the companies from Florida during his tour of the Forum. Florida's medical device sector ranks second nationally in a global market of $200 billion.
While in Germany, Kottkamp also toured the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science facility in Munich. Founded in 1948, the Society performs cutting edge medical research. Kottkamp’s tour included a meeting with Society President Peter Gruss to discuss the location of a Max Planck facility in Florida. Several months later the Society established its first overseas Institute in the United States on the Jupiter Campus of Florida Atlantic University. The Institute, which will conduct bio-imaging research, is located near the Scripps Research Institute and strengthens Florida’s emerging Bio-tech/Life Sciences industry.
Kottkamp led the Florida delegation at the 32nd Annual Joint Meeting of the Southeast United States/Japan Association ("SEUS") in October 2008. Kottkamp joined Governors and representatives from Alabama, Missippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia at the meeting which took place in Raleigh, North Carolina. Japan's Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki also attended. Japan is Florida's second-largest trading partner with more than $7 billion in trade annually.
During the course of his term in office as Lieutenant Governor, Kottkamp has also met with the Bavarian Minister of International Affairs, Ms. Emilia Mueller; Ambassador Hamdi Saleh, the Special Advisor to the Egyptian Foreign Minister; Consul General of the Dominican Republic Luis Almanzar Manzanillo, and more than 35 additional world leaders to discuss trade and economic development.
Personal life
Kottkamp was born in Martinsville, Indiana in 1960. He moved to Florida in 1977 and graduated from North Fort Myers High School in 1979. He is the first person from his family to attend college. In 1982, he received his Associate of Arts degree from Edison Community College in Fort Myers. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University, majoring in Political Science in 1984. While at Florida State he was active in Student Government and was a member of the Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society. In 2007, the Florida State University Alumni Association named Kottkamp to the prestigious "Circle of Gold". In 1987 he received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law. Kottkamp is an honorary member of "Florida Blue Key".
Kottkamp is married to Cyndie, who is a fourth generation Floridian born and raised in Fort Myers, Florida. They have one son, Jeffrey Jackson Kottkamp [2].
Legislative career
While serving in the Florida House of Representatives Kottkamp held numerous leadership positions. He served as Chairman of the Judiciary Appropriations Committee (2006), Chairman of Government Operations Committee (2005), Chairman of Judiciary Committee (2002-2004), Vice-Chairman of the Rules and Calendar Council (2004-2006) and Vice-Chairman of Judiciary (2000-2002). He also served as Deputy Majority Whip.[3]
Kottkamp sponsored the Marvin Davies Civil Rights Act of 2003. The bill provided the Attorney General's office with the authority to take legal action against those gulity of a pattern or practice of discrimination.[1] He also sponsored numerous pieces of legislation to eliminate or reduce taxes, including the repeal of the Intangibles Tax. In addition, he filed legislation in 2003 to double the Homestead Exemption for Florida homeowner's and make Homestead Property Tax savings portable. After becoming Lieutenant Governor he campaigned with Governor Charlie Crist in support of the passage of Amendment One which changed the State Constitution to double the Homestead Exemption and make property tax saving portable. During his service in the legislature, Kottkamp served as Co-Chair of the Taxpayer Protection Caucus while in the Legislature.[4]
National Lieutenant Governors Association
Kottkamp is a member of the National Lietenant Governors Association ("NLGA"). He was elected to the Executive Committee in 2007 and has served on the Policy Resolutions Committee. The NLGA is a professional organization formed in 1962 for the elected officials who are first in line of succession to the governors in 50 states and five territorial jurisdictions. A study completed by the NLGA in 2006 found that one in four of all state governors in the United States between the years of 1980-2006 first served as their state's Lieutenant Governor.
Acting Governor
On June 18, 2008 Kottkamp became Acting Governor of the State of Florida while Governor Charlie Crist had knee surgery. Crist filed a Proclamation with the Secretary of State transferring power to Kottkamp pursuant to Article IV Section 3(b) of the Florida Constitution.
Florida Election Canvassing Commission
Throughout 2007 and 2008 Lt. Governor Kottkamp was appointed to serve on the Florida's Election Canvassing Commission. In November 2008 he served on the Commission along with Governor Charlie Crist and Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson. The Commission certified the final results of the 2008 General Election.
Legal career
Prior to becoming Lt.Governor Kottkamp was an AV rated attorney licensed to practice in State and Federal Courts in Florida, as well as the United States Supreme Court. He began his legal career at the Kimbrell & Hamann firm which was one of the largest and oldest firms in Miami at the time. Kottkamp primarily practiced in the Products Liability and Commercial Litigation area.
Kottkamp then served as a Law Clerk to United States District Court Judge Joe Eaton. He later served as a Law Clerk to United States District Court Judge Sidney Aronovitz.
After completing his second federal judicial clerkship, Kottkamp returned to Southwest Florida where he joined the Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt firm. Henderson Franklin was first established in 1924 and is the largest law firm between Tampa and Miami. Kottkamp became a Partner at the firm in 1998 concentrating his practice in the Tort and Insurance Practice Section. In 2003 he took over the firm's Appellate Practice Section.
In 2005, Kottkamp joined the Morgan & Morgan firm where he practiced until being elected Lieutenant Governor in November 2006.
Throughout his legal career Kottkamp was an active member of the bar. He served as Chairman of the Florida Bar Journal Editorial Board in 2000 as well as President-Elect of the Florida Council of Bar Association Presidents. In 1998 he served as President of the Lee County Bar Association and was Vice-President of the Southwest Florida Federal Bar Association in 1996. He was also a member of the Calusa Inns of Court.
Edison Festival of Light Parade
In 2009 Kottkamp was selected to be the Grand Parade Marshal for the 71st Annual Edison Festival of Light Parade. The event is considered one of North America's Top 100 Events and One of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast and is attended by thousands of people from all over the world. The event is named after inventor Thomas Alva Edison who had a winter home in Ft. Myers, Florida. The idea of a celebration to commemorate Edison's life of achievement evolved into the Edison Pageant of Light in 1938, with a Coronation Ball, a parade, a band concert and a memorial service, which began following Edison's death. The successful three-day event needed to accommodate a growing series of events, which later increased to a week-long festival, then ten days, and finally to two full weeks.
Kottkamp joins a long line of civic leaders, actors, and sports stars who have served as Grand Marshal. Most recently NFL running back Earnest Graham and actor James Denton served as the Grand Marshal.
Travel
The Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel reported that state planes flew Kottkamp to and from Fort Myers to Tallahassee numerous times in 2007 and 2008. Fort Myers is where Lt. Governor Kottkamp maintains a state office as well as a residence. [2]
Electoral History
Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2000) (Republican Primary) Jeff Kottkamp-7,158 (44.1 %) Marilyn Stout-6,129 (37.8%) Steve Personette-2,927 (18.1)
Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2000) (Republican Runoff)Jeff Kottkamp-7,748 (52.1) Marilyn Stout-7,128 (47.9)
Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2000) (General Election) Jeff Kottkamp (R)-49,936 (99.9%) Bill Bracken-(WRI)-25 (0.1%)
Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2002) (Republican Primary)
Jeff Kottkamp-9,046 (55.9%) Arnold Gibss-6,563 (40.5%) Chris Mancare-587 (3.6)
Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2002) (General Election)Jeff Kottkamp (R)-36,876 (68.6%) Linda Parnell (D)-15,016 (27.9%) Tom Clark (LIB)-1,852 (3.4%)
Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2004) Jeff Kottkamp (R)-Elected Unopposed
Florida Gubernatorial Election (2006)Charlie Crist/Jeff Kottkamp (R)-2,519,845 (52.2%) Jim Davis/Darryl Jones (D)-2,178,289 (45.1%)
References
- ^ The Florida Bar News June 15, 2003
- ^ http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/legislature/sfl-flkottpay0214sbfeb14,0,5626101.story
External links
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Toni Jennings |
Lieutenant Governor of Florida 2007- |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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