Rep. Tommy Gregory was selected as the next President of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota on Friday, with university leadership hopeful for a July 1 start date.

Rep. Tommy Gregory was named as the State College Of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota’s next President on Friday, following a six-month national search.

Following the announcement, the university conveyed its ongoing efforts to conclude negotiations with Gregory, targeting a commencement date of July 1 for his contract. The selection process involved a six-member search committee, comprising State College of Florida faculty, staff, a trustee, and two members from the community. The committee initially conducted video conference interviews with candidates, subsequently narrowing the field to three finalists for further consideration. The remaining candidates for the final selection included Martyn Clay, who serves as the president of Hillsborough Community College’s Plant City campus, and Anthony Iacono, holding the position of president at County College of Morris in New Jersey.

In March, the university facilitated open community forums across the university’s Bradenton and Venice campuses, as well as online, to engage broader input. The forums preceded in-person interviews with the trustees, which were conducted on Friday, April 5, 2024, involving the three shortlisted candidates.

“The College has great momentum to continue its successful path forward,” said outgoing President Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld. “I look forward to working with Tommy as I transition to retirement and to helping the College community prepare to welcome the new President.”

Gregory has served in the Florida Legislature as a Republican since 2018 state’s 72nd House district after he defeated Democrat Liv Coleman, securing 61.87 percent of the vote. He was subsequently re-elected in the 2020 and 2022 elections, garnering 64.5 percent and 66.7 percent of the votes, respectively.

Throughout his tenure, Gregory has served both as a member and chair of the House Judiciary Committee, in addition to his involvement in the House Appropriations Committee. As of 2024, Gregory has sponsored upwards of 20 bills.