Background
Petway was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1940 and graduated from Terry Parker High School in 1958.
Petway was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1940 and graduated from Terry Parker High School in 1958.
He graduated from the Florida State University School of in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science Degree.
Tom Petway is Chairman of the Board of, Incorporated., a national insurance marketing and administrative services company. In 1988, while acquiring the franchise for Prudential Network Realty in Duval, Clay and Saint Johns counties, Linda Sherrer approached Petway for financial backing and business advice, which he provided. That business became very successful over the past twenty years, and Petway currently serves as a silent partner.
In January, 1995 he was invited by Paul West. Kahn to become a director of Safecard (renamed Ideon).
He is also chairman of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Casualty Joint Underwriting Association and Florida Residential Property. Petway was Company-Chairman of the organizing group for Super Bowl XXXIX and Company-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee, Incorporated.
From 1999 until its elimination in July, 2001, he served his second gubernatorial appointment to the Florida Board of Regents of the State University System of Florida, serving as Chairman for two years. He previously served on the board from 1989 until 1995.
He was Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Community Hospice Foundation, which supports Community Hospice of Northeast Florida.
Petway"s wife is now serving on the board. Petway served two terms as Chairman of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission (JEDC), which was formed in the summer of 1996 to attract new and expanded business on the first coast. Tom Petway is a Republican and a prominent Bush family supporter.
He has been involved in numerous campaign committees and fund raising efforts and contributed substantially in 1988, with his company, to the Florida Republican Party.
After the election, Petway was appointed to head the State Board of Regents. Petway donated more than $300,000 to Republican causes for the 2000 election and was a lunch guest at President George Bush"s ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he was given the traditional "pickup truck tour".