Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp

Jeffrey D. Kottkamp took the oath of office as Florida’s 17th Lieutenant Governor on January 2, 2007. As Lt. Governor, he serves as Chairman of the Board of Space Florida, Chairman of the Florida Sports Foundation, Chairman of Florida’s Children’s and Youth Cabinet and oversees the Governor’s Office of Adoption and Child Protection, Florida’s Film and Entertainment initiatives and the Governor’s Office of Drug Control. He also chairs the Davis Productivity Awards program.

Kottkamp is a member of the National Lieutenant Governors’ Association and was elected to the NLGA Executive Committee in 2007. In 2008, Governor Charlie Crist appointed Kottkamp to serve as the Chairman of the Governor’s Homeownership Promotes the Economy “HOPE” Task Force, as well as Chairman of the Florida Title Insurance Study Advisory Council.

Kottkamp was born on November 12, 1960, in Martinsville, Indiana. He moved to Cape Coral in Southwest Florida in 1977. Kottkamp graduated from North Fort Myers High School in 1979. Lt. Governor Kottkamp was first introduced to the state Capitol while representing his high school as a delegate to Boys’ State.

Lt. Governor Kottkamp started his college career at Edison College in Southwest Florida where he served as Editor of the student government newspaper. He received an Associate of Arts degree in 1982. He then attended Florida State University where he was also active in student government and a member of the Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society . Lt. Governor Kottkamp received his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from FSU in 1984. In 2007, the Florida State University Alumni Association named Kottkamp to their “Circle of Gold.” He attended the University of Florida College of Law and received his Juris Doctor degree in 1987. He is an Honorary Member of Florida Blue Key.

Before becoming an elected official, Lt. Governor Kottkamp served as a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Joe Eaton (who served in the Florida Senate from 1957-1959) and U.S District Court Judge Sidney Aronovitz. He then returned home to Southwest Florida to practice law. Lt. Governor Kottkamp first ran for public office in 2000, when he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. He was subsequently re-elected in 2002 and 2004.

While in the Florida Legislature, Lt. Governor Kottkamp served in numerous leadership positions including Chairman of the Judiciary Committee (2002-2004), Chairman of the Governmental Operations Committee (2005), Chairman of the Judiciary Appropriations Committee (2006) and Vice-Chairman of the Rules and Calendar Council (2004-2006) and the Select Committee to Protect Private Property Rights. He also served Deputy Majority Whip. In addition, Lt. Governor Kottkamp served on the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Task Force on Civil Justice and on the National Council of State Legislators Law & Criminal Justice Committee.

One of the most important pieces of legislation that Lt. Governor Kottkamp sponsored during his service in the legislature was the Marvin Davies Civil Rights Act of 2003. The bill provided the Attorney General’s office with the authority to take action when a “pattern or practice” of discrimination had occurred. He also sponsored numerous pieces of legislation to reduce and eliminate taxes, including the repeal of the Intangibles Tax, and served as Co-Chair of the Taxpayer Protection Caucus.

During his service as a member of the House of Representatives, Lt. Governor Kottkamp received many honors and awards including the “Legislator of the Year Award” from numerous organizations, the “Champion of Business” Award from Associated Industries, the Florida Catholic Conference “Defender of Life” award, the “Faith and Family” Award from the Christian Coalition of Florida and the Florida Academy of Trial Lawyers “Outstanding Representative Award,” the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association Leadership Award, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce “A” Honor Roll for five consecutive years.

Lt. Governor Kottkamp’s wife Cyndie is a fourth generation Floridian. Kottkamp and his wife were married in 1995. They have one son, Jeffrey Jackson Kottkamp.