Florida Trade Group's Veteran Executive VP Felled by Heart Attack

John Milstead, a longtime fixture of the Florida banking scene and an executive vice president of the Florida Bankers Association, died of a heart attack Sunday. He was 62.

During his 32-year tenure at the Florida Bankers Association, Mr. Milstead was involved in numerous legislative and administrative activities affecting the state's banking industry. Recently, Mr. Milstead helped lead an effort to limit the growth of credit unions in Florida.

Before joining the Florida Bankers Association, Mr. Milstead worked for Barnett Bank of Jacksonville for 11 years. He also spent one year as an admissions officer at Jacksonville University.

He began work at the Florida Bankers Association in 1965 as an administrative officer. He became secretary-treasurer in 1969, administrative vice president in 1971, and executive vice president in 1973.

"John was a good friend, always a gentleman, and a valued counselor in banking issues to the members of the Florida delegation," said Sen. Connie Mack, R-Fla. "He was an outstanding advocate for the Florida Bankers Association. He will be sorely missed."

In addition to his work for the state bankers group, Mr. Milstead was active in the American Bankers Association, serving as chairman of the state association division from 1988 to 1989. He was also a former chairman of the board of trustees of the School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. And he was a past president of the Southern Conference of State Bankers Associations.

Mr. Milstead earned an undergraduate degree from Jacksonville University in 1960 and an honorary doctorate of business from Webber College in 1989. He completed the program for senior managers in government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University in 1988.

Mr. Milstead is survived by his wife, Chris, five children, and six grandchildren.

A memorial service was held Wednesday at the Thomasville Road Baptist Church in Tallahassee.

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