| After attending Inverness Primary School and Inverness Middle School, JJ went to Citrus High School. While playing multiple sports, JJ served as Class President and Student Government President and spent his summers working for a local contractor.
Passionate about Florida's agriculture from a young age, JJ took pride in serving as the Citrus High Future Farmers of America (FFA) President and raising animals for the county fair. After his high school graduation, JJ served as the State FFA Vice President, hosting leadership training sessions at FFA chapters across the state, while also interning with then Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Connor.
His passion for agriculture led JJ to attend the College of Agriculture at the University of Florida. There, he majored in Food and Resource Economics and earned membership in the agriculture honors fraternity. JJ continued his studies at both the Wharton Business Schools' Finance for Managers program and at Northwestern's Kellogg Business and Marketing Seminar.
After working as a manager for several large ag businesses, JJ founded his first company in 2003, creating jobs and opportunities in Florida and ultimately across the United States. His career has led to additional company formations, job creations, and economic development opportunities in our state and our country. In total, JJ has 30 years of leadership in privately-held and publicly-traded companies - leadership he knows can help our community and our state in the legislature.
A University of Florida Foundation Board Member and member of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences' Food and Resource Economics Leadership Council, JJ was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus honor in 2018.
The husband of Jen and the father of Hailegh, Hannah, Hillary, and Hadley - JJ is proud of his Christian faith and his pro-life beliefs.
JJ and Jen are longtime supporters of Citrus County Blessings, Community Food Bank, Citrus County Education Foundation, Jessie's Place - Citrus County Children's Advocacy Center, YMCA, CASA, United Way, FFA, and 4H.
An avid outdoorsman and pro-Second Amendment conservative, JJ serves as Vice-Chairman of the National Wild Turkey Federation Foundation Board. |