Jeff Kottkamp

Infobox Lt_Governor
name=Jeff Kottkamp

---

order= 17^th
office= Lieutenant Governor of Florida
term_start=January 2, 2007
governor= Charlie Crist
predecessor= Toni Jennings
successor= Incumbent
birth_date= birth date and age |1960|11|12
birth_place= Indianapolis, Indiana
death_date=
death_place=
party= Republican
profession= Lawyer
spouse= Cyndie Kottkamp
footnotes=

Jeffrey "Jeff" Kottkamp (born November 12, 1960) is an American politician from the State of Florida. Kottkamp, a Republican, served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2006. Kottkamp is currently 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.

pace 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 an 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.

Chairman 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.

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 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.

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. [http://www.flgov.com/lt_gov_bio]

Kottkamp sponsored significant legislation in the House of Representatives including 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. ["The Florida Bar News" June 15, 2003"] He also sponsored numerous pieces of legislation to reduce taxes, including the repeal of the Intangibles Tax. Kottkamp served as Co-Chair of the Taxpayer Protection Caucus while in the Legislature. [http://www.flgov.com/lt_gov_bio]

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.

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%)

Non-Biographical

On September 20, 2006, "The Miami Herald" reported that an age discrimination lawsuit against the Florida House of Representatives led to a settlement by the State of Florida for $50,000. A former House aide claimed that she was fired because of her age. Before agreeing to pay the settlement, lawyers representing the Florida House of Representatives contended in pleadings that the aide was fired because her work was "unacceptable," and that an older woman was actually hired to replace her.

On June 13, 2007, Kottkamp spent five minutes using a state computer attempting to update his address and phone number on a website. [citation|last=Fineout|first=Gary|title=Internet mystery solved: Lt. gov. did it| newspaper =The Miami Herald|year=2007|date=Jun. 13, 2007|url=] At the time the website incorrectly listed Kottkamp as a Member of the House of Representatives and had an outdated address and phone number for Kottkamp. He removed information regarding an age discrimination suit against the House of Representatives as well as a reference to a law he and numerous legislators supported that would have preserved the display of war monuments. [citation|title=Kottcamp did it|year=2007|date =June 13, 2007|url=http://quinnell.us/sspb/?p=418] The 2001 "Florida Historical Monuments and Memorials Protection Act," of which Kottkamp was one of 30 sponsors (including several African-American House members) was filed to protect historical monuments and did not mention the Confederate flag, but after the bill was filed some legislators claimed the bill was meant to protect displays of the Confederate Flag. [ [http://news.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB4FJKY3SE.html "Crist's Running Mate Pick Revives Rebel Flag Issue"] . "The Tampa Tribune". By William March (Sep 15, 2006). Retrieved on October 18, 2007.] The bill was never heard in committee and was never subjected to a vote.

References

External links

* [http://www.flgov.com/meet_lt_gov Lt. Governor's Website]