Tampa City Council Renames Downtown Central Public Library for John Germany
September 7, 1999
John F. Germany- Tampa
TAMPA, Fla.—The Tampa City Council voted unanimously on Thursday, September
2, 1999 to rename the Downtown “Central” Public Library for John Germany.
Germany is a former Circuit Judge and an attorney with Holland & Knight
LLP who was instrumental in the creation of the library through his leadership
of the Friends of the Library of Hillsborough County, an organization of which
Germany was the chairman from 1959-1964. The library will be renamed The John
Germany Public Library.
The motion was formally made by Councilwoman
Rose Ferlita, who offered her personal remarks on the distinguished career of
Germany and advised her colleagues that the renaming of the library well
founded in that it is a tribute to Germany’s efforts to render the formation
of the Tampa Public Library a reality. Councilman Buckhorn seconded the motion
spoke about Germany’s positive contributions and active commitment to the
Tampa community. Buckhorn commented that Germany’s tireless interest in the
betterment of the community was in keeping with the history of collective
support of the Tampa community which Holland & Knight has built over the
years.
In an action acknowledged by Council
Chairman Charlie Miranda to be unprecedented, Councilwoman Mary Alvarez
“thirded” the motion. Alvarez recounted to the council stories of how she
and Germany worked together on Sam Gibbons’ early campaigns in the 1960s and
how respected and civic-minded he was even back then.
Germany has been very involved in bar-related
activities. As a member of The Florida Bar, the District of Columbia Bar, the
Hillsborough County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association, he has
served in a number of leadership capacities. Specifically, he has acted as
chairman of the National Conference of Bar Examiners (1974-1976); chairman of
the Multistate Bar Examination Committee of the National Conference of Bar
Examiners (1982-1985); chairman of the Florida Board of Bar Examiners
(1970-1971); chairman of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on
Admiralty; and chairman of the Florida Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
(1983-1986). Germany has also been active in the political sphere, serving as
a legislative aide to Governor Collins and as Special Counsel to Senator
Graham.
Germany's deep commitment to the community
was recognized by the University of South Florida, which presented to him its
Medallion for Community Service, and by Stetson University, which granted him
an honorary Doctor of Jurisprudence degree. He has been a member (1979-1982)
and chairman (1982-1984) of the board of trustees of the University of Tampa,
and a member of the board of governors of the Greater Tampa Chamber of
Commerce (1978-1981). He served as president of The University Club, The Tampa
Club (1983-1985) and King of the Krewe of Gasparilla (1984-1985).
Germany earned his B.A., with honors, in 1944
from the University of Florida and his LL.B. in 1950 from Harvard Law School.
After graduating from Harvard, he practiced law in Tampa for nine years before
being appointed a Circuit Judge for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. He served
there until 1966, when he resigned to become a partner in Knight, Jones,
Whitaker and Germany (which in 1968 merged with another firm to become Holland
& Knight).
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