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Former Official Bondi 'Served Community Well'

Tribune file photo

In this undated photo, Middleton High School principal Andrew J. Ferrell, left, architect John Ranon and school board chairman Bob Bondi review plans for rebuilding portions of Middleton which were damaged by fire. Bondi died today of a heart attack. He was 74.

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By RAY REYES

rreyes@tampatrib.com

Published: November 26, 2008

TAMPA - Bob Bondi, who served on the Hillsborough County Commission and school board for a dozen years in the 1960s and '70s, died today of a heart attack.

He was 74.

"He was quite a public figure, a family man, a good guy," said cousin Joe Bondi, a former Temple Terrace mayor.

Bob Bondi served on the Hillsborough County school board from 1966 to 1974 and the county commission from 1974 to 1978. In 1979, he was a candidate for Tampa mayor but lost to Bob Martinez, who eventually became Florida governor.

"It's been a real, real rewarding experience to know that I have so many friends in this city," Bondi told a gathering of friends after he lost the election, according to a Sept. 5, 1979, Tampa Tribune article. "I served 12 years, and I think I've done a good job for this community."

After serving as an executive for a fertilizer company, Bondi accepted a position in 1987 as an administrative manager for Hillsborough Community College's physical plant division. He gave up that post two years later to become an administrative assistant for state Sen. Malcolm Beard.

"He served the community well," said former county commissioner Jan Platt, who took Bondi's commission seat after his four-year term expired in 1978. "He'll be missed."

Tribune researcher Stephanie Pincus contributed to this report. Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920.

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