John Thrasher
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| 15th President of Florida State University | |
| In office November 10, 2014 – August 15, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Eric J. Barron |
| Succeeded by | Richard McCullough |
| Member of the Florida Senate from the 6th district | |
| In office November 2012 – November 7, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Montford |
| Succeeded by | Travis Hutson |
| Member of the Florida Senate from the 8th district | |
| In office October 7, 2009 – November 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Jim King |
| Succeeded by | Dorothy Hukill |
| Chair of the Republican Party of Florida | |
| In office February 2010 – January 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Greer |
| Succeeded by | David Bitner |
| 90th Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives | |
| In office November 17, 1998 – November 21, 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Daniel Webster |
| Succeeded by | Tom Feeney |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 19th district | |
| In office 1992–2000 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph "Joe" Arnall |
| Succeeded by | Dick Kravitz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1943-12-18) December 18, 1943 (age 80) Columbia, South Carolina |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Jean Thrasher |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Florida State University (BS, JD) |
| Profession | University President Politician Attorney Lobbyist |
| Awards | Bronze Star (2) Army Commendation Medal National Defense Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal [1] |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1966–1970 (Active) |
| Rank |  Captain |
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John E. Thrasher (born December 18, 1943) is a former state legislator, businessman, lawyer and lobbyist who served as the 15th President of Florida State University.[2] He was approved by the Florida Board of Governors on November 6, 2014 and took office on November 10, 2014.[3] On September 11, 2020, Thrasher and the university board of trustees announced his retirement in a joint statement. In May 2021, Richard McCullough was chosen by Florida State University’s Board of Trustees to succeed Thrasher.[4][5][6][7]
John Thrasher grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and earned his bachelor's degree in business from Florida State University in 1965. As an undergraduate, he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. After college, he joined the United States Army, serving first in Germany, where he received the Army Commendation Medal, and later in Vietnam, where he was awarded two Bronze Stars. Thrasher attained the rank of captain before his honorable discharge in 1970. He returned to Tallahassee and earned a law degree with honors from the Florida State University College of Law in 1972.[2]
Thrasher began his political career in 1986 with his election to the Clay County School Board.[8] He served as vice chairman, then chairman of the board before running for the Florida House of Representatives. He was elected in 1992 and was re-elected without opposition in 1994, 1996 and 1998.[9][10] In 2009, he was elected to the Florida Senate in a special election to represent the 8th District, which included parts of Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. Johns and Volusia Counties. After redistricting in 2012, he represented the 6th District which included all of St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam Counties, as well as parts of Volusia County.
On November 17, 1998, Thrasher was unanimously elected as Speaker of the House for the 1999 through 2000 term, which passed legislation including "Three Strikes, You're Out", "10-20-Life", "A+ Education Plan", and the largest tax cut in Florida history. Thrasher was cited on two separate occasions for violating Florida state ethics laws during and following his terms as a state representative. He was fined for both violations.[11]
On September 15, 2009, Thrasher won the special Republican Primary election to succeed the late Senator Jim King.[12][13] Thrasher defeated Ponte Vedra political activist Dan Quiggle, Jacksonville City Councilman Art Graham and former House Member Stan Jordan by garnering 39% or 13,247 votes in a four-way race.[14] Thrasher later claimed official victory after the General Election on October 6, 2009.
In 2010, Thrasher defeated Charles Perniciaro, M.D. in the Republican Primary by a vote of 61.8% to 38.2% and later Democrat Deborah Gianoulis, a retired television anchor, by a vote of 60.01% to 39.93% in the General Election on November 2, 2010.[15]
While in the Florida Senate, Thrasher served as the Chairman of the Rules Committee and the Vice-Chair of the Budget Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations. Additionally, he served on the Budget, Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations, Community Affairs, Judiciary, Reapportionment, Regulated Industries, and Rules Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections.[16]
Within weeks of the resignation of disgraced chairman Jim Greer, Thrasher was recruited to be the next chair. With the backing of his longtime ally, former Governor Jeb Bush, he won easily his election to become the next Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida and promised to improve transparency, communications and relationships with party activists, and to raise $1 million in six weeks. However he was criticized for signing a secret severance agreement for Jim Greer, who subsequently went to prison.[17]
Under Thrasher's leadership, the party raised $54.7 million, easily topping the $50.8 million raised during the three Greer years and helped deliver a slew of victories at the ballot box.
Under his tenure, the party swept the Florida Cabinet races, picked up four U.S. House seats, won a U.S. Senate race and delivered a two-thirds majority in the Legislature. It also survived a nasty gubernatorial primary and won a tight victory in the general election.[18]
On April 2, 2014, Eric J. Barron assumed the presidency of Pennsylvania State University after serving as FSU's President for four years. He was succeeded by the university's provost, Garnett S. Stokes. In September 2014, Thrasher was appointed by the board of trustees of Florida State University by a vote of 11–2 to become the institution's 15th President. The appointment was approved by the Florida Board of Governors on November 6, 2014.[3] On March 17, 2015, he was formally confirmed to the position at an investiture ceremony held at the school. Thrasher is an alumnus of Florida State University.[19]
| Florida House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joseph "Joe" Arnall |
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 19th district 1992–2000 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives 1998–2000 |
Succeeded by |
| Florida Senate | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the Florida Senate from the 8th district 2009–2012 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the Florida Senate from the 6th district 2012–2014 |
Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chair of the Florida Republican Party 2010–2011 |
Succeeded by |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by | President of Florida State University 2014–2021 |
Succeeded by |
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# denotes interim president |
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