Rick Dantzler
Rick Dantzler (born January 1956) is an American lawyer, former Florida politician, and a member of the Democratic Party. From Winter Haven, Dantzler served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1982 to 1990, and in the Florida Senate from 1990 to 1998. He was Buddy MacKay's running mate in the 1998 Florida gubernatorial election; they lost to Jeb Bush and Frank Brogan. From 2014 to 2017, Dantzler was President Obama's appointed Florida State Executive Director of the Farm Service Agency.
Rick Dantzler | |
|---|---|
Dantzler in 1992 | |
| Florida State Executive Director of the Farm Service Agency | |
| In office January 13, 2014 – January 20, 2017 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Debby Folsom |
| Member of the Florida Senate from the 13th & 17th district | |
| In office 1990 – January 6, 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Bob Crawford |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 43rd district | |
| In office 1982–1990 | |
| Preceded by | Bob Crawford |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 1956 (age 68) Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, United States |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Julie Pope (m. 1984) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | B.A. (1978) & JD (1981) University of Florida |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Salary | US$155,000 (2018) (eq. $180,635 in 2022) |
Born into a family of politicians, Dantzler is a lawyer and writer. With his wife Julie (née Pope), Dantzler has two adult daughters. A member of the Florida Bar since 1983, Dantzler was specializing in agricultural law at the Victor Smith Law Group law firm by May 2018. That July, Dantzler was hired as chief operating officer of the Lake Alfred, Florida-based Citrus Research and Development Foundation.