Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Jan Platt and to honor her legacy for the Tampa Bay community. She will always be remembered as an environmental pioneer, champion for “ethics in government” and inspiration for her selfless service.

Born in St. Petersburg, Jan lived in Tampa for most of her life and grew up with a love for Tampa Bay and its natural environment. She graduated from Hillsborough High School in 1954 and earned a degree in political science from Florida State University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa, in 1958. During college, she was President of the Student Senate, Student Body Vice President, and even recognized amongst her peers as the “Most Outstanding Senior Woman” in her graduating class. After graduating she began her career as a schoolteacher and taught at both Hillsborough and Plant High Schools before finally being elected to serve on the City of Tampa’s City Council in 1974. Four years later, she was elected to Hillsborough County’s Board of County Commission, where she proudly served for 24 years.

Jan served her community in countless ways. She established the Agency on Bay Management, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program. She led as the President of the Suncoast Girl Scout Council and the Hillsborough County Head Start Community Foundation INC. Jan endowed a scholarship in honor of her sister, Bobbie Lou, at the Florida State University College of Music. She was also an active member of the Friends of the Library. Because of her support for libraries, in her honor, the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library named one of their branches, the “Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library”.

Additionally, Jan was the recipient of the University of South Florida's Women in Leadership and Philanthropy Lifetime Achievement Award, recipient of the Hillsborough County Bar Association's Liberty Bell Award, and she was inducted into the Hillsborough County’s Women’s Hall of Fame in 2012.

I was honored to serve alongside Jan during my time on Hillsborough County’s Board of County Commission. She was an inspiration to me and many others throughout her career in elected office. A passionate leader, Jan’s love of the environment led her to devote herself to protect and preserve our community’s natural resources.

Jan Platt inspired me to be a better public servant. She was honest, ethical and loved our Tampa community – from the waters of Tampa Bay to the pristine, wooded areas she worked to protect. Throughout her career serving our community, even in times of great change in local governing bodies, Jan was steadfast in her leadership and it was a great honor to learn from her and know her. I hope her commitment to ethics in government will inspire another generation of passionate leaders to serve.  

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of our Tampa Bay community, I am proud to honor the life of Jan Platt and pay tribute to her outstanding contributions to the Tampa community. Jan is survived by her husband Bill, son Kevin, his wife Michele and granddaughter Emma. She leaves an indelible legacy for future generations to enjoy our bay and its waters the same way she did.