“I never dreamed I would one day serve in the Florida Legislature or become president of my alma mater, but Sigma Phi Epsilon opened my eyes to the kind of man I could be and allowed me to see possibilities I had never considered”
The Balanced Man Program has been installed into SigEp chapters across the country in recent years. It’s ideals include five main pillars of:
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Equal rights and responsibilities – Full membership upon joining
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Continuous development – Growing throughout life
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Accountability – Committing to SigEp’s high standards
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Living the Ritual – Incorporating SigEp’s values into everyday life
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Mentoring – Maximizing growth through guidance and support
These core mantras describe to a tee the life and career of Brother President John Thrasher, from his upbringing, to his time as Florida State’s 15th President. As recognition for leading by example to SigEp’s across the country, Thrasher was awarded a Sigma Phi Epsilon Citation in Houston, Texas in 2019. It is an award which only 251 alumni have received, and one for those who have brought extraordinary success and stature in their careers and professional ventures, and by doing so, have brought honor to themselves and to their fraternity.
Initially born in Columbia, South Carolina, Brother Thrasher lived in Jacksonville, Florida during his early years. Not only was he the first member of his family to attend college, but he was the first person in his family to ever receive a high school diploma. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business in 1965, Thrasher had a patriotic service in the military. He received his Army Commendation Medal in Germany, and two bronze stars for his time in Vietnam, before being honorably discharged as a captain in 1970. Two years later he returned to Florida State and earned a law degree with honors.
Several years into working law within Daytona Beach and Tallahassee, Thrasher went back to his hometown of Jacksonville where he served as general counsel of the Florida Medical Association for the next 20 years. Throughout the next few decades many of his other notable roles include:
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❖ Served as counsel to the Jacksonville law firm of Smith, Hulsey & Busey from 1996 to 2008
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❖ A partner of The Southern Group, a Tallahassee-based governmental relations firm, from 2001 to 2009
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❖ Political career began in 1986 when he was elected to the Clay County School Board, where he served as Vice Chairman, then Chairman
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❖ Became a state representative in 1992, and was re-elected without opposition in 1994, 1996, and 1998
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❖ Unanimously elected as the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives in 1998; here he supported legislation such as the “A+ Education Plan” and the largest tax cut in Florida history
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❖ Elected to the Florida Senate in 2009 and subsequently re-elected
- ❖ Served as chairman for the Republican Party of Florida in 2010, where as a Senator he: served as the chair of the Rules Committee, was involved in the Appropriations, Community Affairs, Ethics and Elections, Gaming, Judiciary, Regulated Industries, and Joint Legislative Budget Commission committees, and also served on the Appropriations Subcommittees on Education as well as Health and Human Services.
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Brother Thrasher’s service to his alma mater picked up heavily again in 2001, when he was the first chair of Florida State University’s Board of Trustees until 2005. As a result of his advocacy for legislation to fund and develop FSU’s College of Medicine, a building was thus named in his honor.
If a list of FSU’s 15th President’s resume before he was elected seems overwhelming, his accomplishments during his time in office seem borderline impossible to accumulate in only five and a half short years. His main areas of leadership throughout his tenure include academic programs, faculty/student success, fundraising, diversity, and research:
- ❖ Focused efforts on growing FSU’s reputation as a prestigious research institution
- ❖ Lead a $1 billion fundraising campaign, advanced the university’s academic and research mission, and pioneered on-campus diversity and inclusion
Thrasher has also received numerous awards in recognition of his leadership and service. He was inducted into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame in 2017 and the FSU College of Business Hall of Fame in 2016. He also is the recipient of the NASPA Region III President’s Award and the Tallahassee Urban League Legend Award and was named the Tallahassee Democrat’s Person of the Year in 2015. These distinguished career and university achievements are just one of the many reasons brothers and alumni of Florida Epsilon from every decade and pledge class are honored to share fraternal values with the walking epitome of a SigEp Balanced Man.