Dicks is a former three-term Plant City mayor
John Dicks, a Democrat and former three-term Plant City mayor, announced Tuesday, Jan. 19, that he will be running for the District 6 Hillsborough County Commission seat.
If elected, Dicks hopes to bring a wide array of hats to the County Commission.
“There are no former mayors serving on the Commission, nor lawyers, nor farmers,” Dicks said in a statement. “I would fill all three roles, providing leadership to build consensus on the many issues our county faces.”
Dicks graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in public relations, and later earned his Juris Doctorate degree from Florida State University. There, he served on the Law Review.
His grandfather, E.W. Simmons, was also a Hillsborough County Commissioner. Today, Dick owns a blueberry farm that was once owned and farmed by his grandfather. Besides his farming endeavors, Dicks is also a lawyer, entrepreneur, and a financial lecturer who has spoken in all 50 states. He hopes to bring his leadership to Hillsborough County.
“We must recognize our county’s challenges not as obstacles, but as opportunities for honest and committed leadership,” Dicks said. “I genuinely look forward to serving, as I have done before, with energy, creativity and a vision for the kind of community I know our county can create.”
While serving for nine years as a City Commissioners, Dicks expanded the City of Plant City’s parks and public services, and examined infrastructure needs. He also has served on the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, the Hillsborough County Council of Governments, the Hillsborough County Tourist Development Council, and with both Tampa Bay & Company and the Florida League of Cities.
He was appointed in 1994 to the Board of Trustees for Hillsborough Community College by Gov. Lawton Chiles. He served for over 20 years on the Board of Trustees for South Florida Baptist Hospital. He has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouts and as a state committee member for Employer Support o the Guard and Reserve, an office of the Department of Defense. He was presented with the President of the United States’ Volunteer Service Award in 2013.
Dicks and his wife, Sharon, have two grown sons. The eldest is a Tampa-based attorney, and the youngest is serving in the United States Marine Corps.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
