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Bill McBride | |
|---|---|
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| Personal details | |
| Born | (1945-05-10)May 10, 1945 Belleville,Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | December 22, 2012(2012-12-22) (aged 67) Mt. Airy,North Carolina, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Florida (BA,JD) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1968–1971 |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Bronze Star (withValor) |
William McBride (May 10, 1945 – December 22, 2012) was an American lawyer and politician.
A member of theDemocratic Party, he challengedJeb Bush forFlorida governor in the2002 gubernatorial election. Bush won by a 56 to 43 percent margin, making him the firstRepublican governor of Florida to serve two terms. McBride had earlier defeated formerUnited States Attorney GeneralJanet Reno in theDemocraticprimary.
McBride was born inBelleville, Illinois and grew up inLeesburg, Florida. He graduated from theUniversity of Florida in 1967. While at UF, McBride served as treasurer ofFlorida Blue Key and was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame. McBride served in theMarine Corps from 1968 to 1971. McBride was awarded aBronze Star with aValor device. Upon his return to the United States, McBride taught atOfficer Candidates School atMarine Corps Base Quantico.
Upon leaving the Marine Corps, McBride attended theUniversity of Florida Law School.
While studying law he fell under the tutelage ofChesterfield Smith, a powerful politically connected Florida attorney and then president of theAmerican Bar Association. McBride left law school for a time to serve as Smith's assistant at the ABA. After graduation, McBride joined Smith'sTampalaw firm,Holland & Knight, where he rose in the ranks until becoming managing partner in 1992. McBride's tenure at the helm of Holland & Knight has been the source of some controversy. He is credited with having expanded the firm's size and power and with having helped to make it the seventh-largest firm in the U.S. by number of lawyers employed at the time of his retirement in 2001. At the time the firm ranked 21st in terms of revenue but 98th in terms of profit-per-partner, and had "become known as a reputable, but flabby, operation, long on underproductive partners and comparatively short on workhorse associates."[1]
McBride was the father of two children with his wife,Adelaide "Alex" Sink, a former statewide president forNationsBank (nowBank of America), formerChief Financial Officer of Florida, and 2010 Democratic nominee for Governor of Florida.
Since 2003, Bill McBride was partner with the law firm of Barnett, Bolt, Kirkwood, Long & McBride in Tampa. He was also chair of the board of theinvestment banking firm Hyde Park Capital Partners, LLC, with offices in Tampa andCharlotte, North Carolina. McBride was a member of theAmerican Law Institute and was a member of the board of directors of theWarrington College of Business Administration's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Florida.
McBride was named Mr. Leesburg High while still a student. He attended Boy's State while in school and ran a successful campaign for governor at the event.
McBride died on December 22, 2012, after suffering a heart attack while vacationing with his family inMt Airy, North Carolina.[2][3]
| Party political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forGovernor of Florida 2002 | Succeeded by |
Democratic Party nominees forgovernor of Florida (1953–) | ||
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