[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 182 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1533-E1534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               JAN PLATT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 8, 2017

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 
life of Jan Platt and to honor her legacy for the Tampa Bay community. 
She will always be remembered as an environmental pioneer, champion for 
``ethics in government'' and inspiration for her selfless service.
  Born in St. Petersburg, Jan lived in Tampa for most of her life and 
grew up with a love for Tampa Bay and its natural environment. She 
graduated from Hillsborough High School in 1954 and earned a degree in 
political science from Florida State University, where she graduated 
Phi Beta Kappa, in 1958. During college, she was President of the 
Student Senate, Student Body Vice President, and even recognized 
amongst her peers as the ``Most Outstanding Senior Woman'' in her 
graduating class. After graduating she began her career as a 
schoolteacher and taught at both Hillsborough and Plant High Schools 
before finally being elected to serve on the City of Tampa's City 
Council in 1974. Four years later, she was elected to Hillsborough 
County's Board of County Commission, where she proudly served for 24 
years.
  Jan served her community in countless ways. She established the 
Agency on Bay Management, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the 
Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program. She led as the 
President of the Suncoast Girl Scout Council and the Hillsborough 
County Head Start Community Foundation INC. Jan endowed a scholarship 
in honor of her sister, Bobbie Lou, at the

[[Page E1534]]

Florida State University College of Music. She was also an active 
member of the Friends of the Library. Because of her support for 
libraries, in her honor, the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library 
named one of their branches, the ``Jan Kaminis Platt Regional 
Library''.
  Additionally, Jan was the recipient of the University of South 
Florida's Women in Leadership and Philanthropy Lifetime Achievement 
Award, recipient of the Hillsborough County Bar Association's Liberty 
Bell Award, and she was inducted into the Hillsborough County's Women's 
Hall of Fame in 2012.
  I was honored to serve alongside Jan during my time on Hillsborough 
County's Board of County Commission. She was an inspiration to me and 
many others throughout her career in elected office. A passionate 
leader, Jan's love of the environment led her to devote herself to 
protect and preserve our community's natural resources.
  Jan Platt inspired me to be a better public servant. She was honest, 
ethical and loved our Tampa community--from the waters of Tampa Bay to 
the pristine, wooded areas she worked to protect. Throughout her career 
serving our community, even in times of great change in local governing 
bodies, Jan was steadfast in her leadership and it was a great honor to 
learn from her and know her. I hope her commitment to ethics in 
government will inspire another generation of passionate leaders to 
serve.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of our Tampa Bay community, I 
am proud to honor the life of Jan Platt and pay tribute to her 
outstanding contributions to the Tampa community. Jan is survived by 
her husband Bill, son Kevin, his wife Michele and granddaughter Emma. 
She leaves an indelible legacy for future generations to enjoy our bay 
and its waters the same way she did.

                          ____________________