{{Short description|American politician (1935–2024)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Jim Sebesta | image = Senator Jim Sebesta.jpg | image_size = | state_senate = Florida | district = 16th | term_start = 2002 | term_end = 2006 | predecessor = Locke Burt<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=5485|title=Our Campaigns - FL State Senate 16 Race - Nov 05, 2002|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> | successor = Charlie Justice | state_senate1 = Florida | district1 = 20th | term_start1 = 1999 | term_end1 = 2003 | predecessor1 = Charlie Crist<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=7800|title=Our Campaigns - FL State Senate 20 Race - Nov 03, 1998|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> | successor1 = Anna Cowin | office2 = Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections | term_start2 = 1970 | term_end2 = 1974 | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | birth_date = {{birth date|1935|8|24}} | birth_place = Pontiac, Illinois, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|1|29|1935|8|24}} | death_place = | party = Republican | spouse = Jean | profession = Real Estate/Broker/Developer, | children = Six | alma_mater = Loyola University (BSC)<br>DePaul University (MBA) }}
'''James Alvin Sebesta''' (August 24, 1935 – January 29, 2024) was an American politician. He served as a Republican member of the Florida Senate from 1998 to 2006.<ref name="ufl">{{cite web|url=http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/Senate18452001.html|title=Florida Senators|publisher=uflib.ufl.edu|accessdate=September 21, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|website=Vote Smart}}</ref> He previously served as Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections from 1970 to 1974.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://public.lobbytools.com/index.cfm?type=legislators&id=20|title=Former Florida Senator Jim Sebesta (R) | LobbyTools|website=public.lobbytools.com}}</ref> He died on January 29, 2024, at the age of 88.<ref>[https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/james-sebesta-obituary?id=54266983 James Sebesta obituary]</ref><ref>[https://floridapolitics.com/archives/656138-former-state-sen-jim-sebesta-dies-at-88/ Former state Sen. Jim Sebesta dies at 88]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=chancellor |date=2024-02-05 |title=James A. Sebesta |url=https://www.dosp.org/james-a-sebesta/ |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=Diocese of Saint Petersburg |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Early life== Sebesta was born in Pontiac, Illinois on August 24, 1935, and studied at Loyola University Chicago and DePaul University, from where he attained a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).<ref name="tampabaytimes">{{cite web |title=Former Florida state Sen. Jim Sebesta dead at 88 |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-petersburg/2024/01/31/former-florida-state-sen-jim-sebesta-dead-88/ |website=Tampa Bay Times |access-date=February 6, 2024 |date=January 31, 2024}}</ref>
Sebesta and his wife, Jean, subsequently moved to Florida where he became general manager of a radio station in Lake Wales, and a member of the Lake Wales City Commission.<ref name="tampabaytimes" />
==Political career== He became Hillsborough County elections supervisor in 1972, succeeding Jim Fair, and ran unsuccessfully to become Secretary of State of Florida two years later. In 1976, he oversaw the Florida division of Gerald Ford's Presidential campaign.<ref name="tampabaytimes" />
Sebesta and his family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida in 1984, where he started a home building company. He returned to politics in 1998, elected to the Florida State Senate and becoming Republican majority whip and transportation committee chairman.<ref name="tampabaytimes" />
After stepping down from the Senate in 2006, Sebesta was appointed to the Florida Transportation Commission by Governor Rick Scott.<ref name="tampabaytimes" />
==Death== Sebesta died following complications from dementia on January 29, 2024, aged 88; at the time of his death he had six children, 12 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.<ref name="tampabaytimes" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Don B. Mieklejohn}} {{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Secretary of State of Florida|years=1974}} {{s-aft|after=Ander Crenshaw}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sebesta, Jim}} Category:1935 births Category:2024 deaths Category:People from Pontiac, Illinois Category:Loyola University Chicago alumni Category:DePaul University alumni Category:People from Lake Wales, Florida Category:Politicians from Tampa, Florida Category:Politicians from St. Petersburg, Florida Category:Republican Party Florida state senators Category:Deaths from dementia in Florida Category:American Catholics Category:20th-century members of the Florida Legislature Category:21st-century members of the Florida Legislature
{{Florida-FLSenate-stub}}