DeSantis ally Temple will take over at Lake-Sumter State College
By Jim Saunders - News Service of Florida
August 29, 2025 at 8:40 AM EDT
John Temple, 49, is a a former teacher, principal and administrator in the Sumter County schools. He represents House District 52, which is made up of Sumter County and part of Hernando County.
State Rep. John Temple, a veteran educator and political ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis, was selected Thursday to become president of Lake-Sumter State College.
The Lake-Sumter Board of Trustees unanimously backed Temple, a Wildwood Republican who will join a list of former GOP lawmakers heading state colleges and universities.
“As the fastest growing state college in Florida, we are looking forward to Rep. Temple’s leadership of Lake-Sumter State College to continue enhancing the quality of the education we provide to Lake and Sumter counties,” trustees Chairman Bret Jones said in a prepared statement. “He understands the crucial role that the college plays in developing and enhancing the workforce of our area, and we know that he will bring his expertise and experience to this role.”
Temple was selected over Elmore D. Lowery, academic dean for the Center for Public Safety at Seminole State College of Florida, according to an announcement posted on the Lake-Sumter website. A third finalist, James W. Ross, former president of Pamlico Community College in North Carolina, withdrew his candidacy before Thursday’s trustees meeting.
Temple, 49, a former teacher, principal and administrator in the Sumter County schools, was elected to the House in 2022 and works as vice president of workforce programs at Lake-Sumter. He represents House District 52, which is made up of Sumter County and part of Hernando County.
Thursday’s announcement said Temple’s starting date as president will be negotiated as part of a compensation package that will come back to the board for approval.
Laura Byrd, Lake-Sumter’s senior vice president of institutional advancement, was named interim president last year after former President Heather Bigard resigned.
Lake-Sumter is one of numerous Florida colleges and universities that have had changes in their presidencies in recent years — with former lawmakers and other politically connected people hired for many of the jobs.
In the state college system, former Rep. Mel Ponder was chosen to become president of Northwest Florida State College; former Rep. Tommy Gregory was chosen to become president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota; and former Rep. Fred Hawkins, was chosen to become president of South Florida State College. Also, former Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Eric Hall was chosen to become president of Pasco-Hernando State College and Torey Alston, a former Broward County School Board member and former Broward County commissioner, was chosen to become president of Broward College.
In the university system, former lawmaker and Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. was chosen to become interim president of the University of West Florida; former lawmaker and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez was chosen to become president of Florida International University; former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner was chosen to become president of Florida Atlantic University; and former House Speaker and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran was chosen to become president of New College of Florida.
Temple was one of a small group of Republican lawmakers who early this year was allied with DeSantis as the governor battled with House and Senate leaders over immigration-enforcement legislation. When DeSantis ultimately signed immigration bills in February after three special sessions, Temple was one of six lawmakers who attended an event in his office, according to photos posted on Facebook and X.
Meanwhile, North Florida College trustees will meet Friday to consider candidates to replace President John Grosskopf, who announced he will leave the job in December.
The five finalists at the Madison-based college are Michael Prendergast, a former Citrus County sheriff, executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs and chief of staff to then-Gov. Rick Scott; Jennifer Page, vice president of academic and student affairs at North Florida College; Aaron Collins, chief executive officer of Metro Technology Centers; Gilbert Evans, general counsel for the Volusia County school district; and Jerri Haynes, a dean at North Park University.
The Lake-Sumter Board of Trustees unanimously backed Temple, a Wildwood Republican who will join a list of former GOP lawmakers heading state colleges and universities.
“As the fastest growing state college in Florida, we are looking forward to Rep. Temple’s leadership of Lake-Sumter State College to continue enhancing the quality of the education we provide to Lake and Sumter counties,” trustees Chairman Bret Jones said in a prepared statement. “He understands the crucial role that the college plays in developing and enhancing the workforce of our area, and we know that he will bring his expertise and experience to this role.”
Temple was selected over Elmore D. Lowery, academic dean for the Center for Public Safety at Seminole State College of Florida, according to an announcement posted on the Lake-Sumter website. A third finalist, James W. Ross, former president of Pamlico Community College in North Carolina, withdrew his candidacy before Thursday’s trustees meeting.
Temple, 49, a former teacher, principal and administrator in the Sumter County schools, was elected to the House in 2022 and works as vice president of workforce programs at Lake-Sumter. He represents House District 52, which is made up of Sumter County and part of Hernando County.
Thursday’s announcement said Temple’s starting date as president will be negotiated as part of a compensation package that will come back to the board for approval.
Laura Byrd, Lake-Sumter’s senior vice president of institutional advancement, was named interim president last year after former President Heather Bigard resigned.
Lake-Sumter is one of numerous Florida colleges and universities that have had changes in their presidencies in recent years — with former lawmakers and other politically connected people hired for many of the jobs.
In the state college system, former Rep. Mel Ponder was chosen to become president of Northwest Florida State College; former Rep. Tommy Gregory was chosen to become president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota; and former Rep. Fred Hawkins, was chosen to become president of South Florida State College. Also, former Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Eric Hall was chosen to become president of Pasco-Hernando State College and Torey Alston, a former Broward County School Board member and former Broward County commissioner, was chosen to become president of Broward College.
In the university system, former lawmaker and Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. was chosen to become interim president of the University of West Florida; former lawmaker and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez was chosen to become president of Florida International University; former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner was chosen to become president of Florida Atlantic University; and former House Speaker and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran was chosen to become president of New College of Florida.
Temple was one of a small group of Republican lawmakers who early this year was allied with DeSantis as the governor battled with House and Senate leaders over immigration-enforcement legislation. When DeSantis ultimately signed immigration bills in February after three special sessions, Temple was one of six lawmakers who attended an event in his office, according to photos posted on Facebook and X.
Meanwhile, North Florida College trustees will meet Friday to consider candidates to replace President John Grosskopf, who announced he will leave the job in December.
The five finalists at the Madison-based college are Michael Prendergast, a former Citrus County sheriff, executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs and chief of staff to then-Gov. Rick Scott; Jennifer Page, vice president of academic and student affairs at North Florida College; Aaron Collins, chief executive officer of Metro Technology Centers; Gilbert Evans, general counsel for the Volusia County school district; and Jerri Haynes, a dean at North Park University.