Veteran lobbyist Jim Krog gravely ill

Jim Krog, a long-time Tallahassee lobbyist who served as Gov. Lawton Chiles' chief of staff, is reported to be in serious condition after suffering a heart attack Wednesday in Tallahassee. Krog's wife, Louella, son and other family members and close friends are at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where Krog is in the intensive care unit. He has also been battling cancer over the past year and undergone chemotherapy treatment.

The gregarious and witty Krog, 60, is a government and legislative consultant with the law firm of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey. He has been a fixture in the capital political culture for the past three decades and helped found the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists (FAPL). A 1970 University of South Florida graduate, Krog has long been active in advising USF political scientists who want to pursue careers in government. He formerly worked for the law firm of Steel, Hector & Davis as a lobbyist.   

Comments

[Peter Wallace]

Sorry to hear this sad news about a great person and his wonderful family.

God Bless, Krog. He and his family are in my prayers. He's a good man and I pray his huge and caring heart will pull him through.

Yes - God bless you Krog - hang in there and know that we're all here praying for you.

God bless Jim and his family. Krog is one of the last good ones left. The new, young breed of lobbyists lack the respect, integrity and character of this generation.

Our prayers are with Jim and his family.

Good luck Jim!

[ginger]

How sad. I hope he makes it, I always enjoyed his personality and plethora of knowledge.

[Donald Lance]

Yes, I'll say it. Heart attacks are sad unless it happens to a lobbyist!

Donald Lance:

Get off the blog. You are a jerk. A little sympathy would do here.

Krog may be a lobbyist, but he is a human being (and a fine one at that), and he does have a family.

[AJS]

Donald,

You should apologize for what, I hope, was a tasteless joke. I have had the honor of knowing Jim Krog and he is a honorable man if there ever was one. He, and his family, are in our prayers.

wow Donald... classless. You're an absolute fool! What a despicable comment.

[Donald Lance]

Oh, are there family blogging on here! If it's any condolence to you all, I hope he pulls thru and quits being a lobbyist. Otherwise...

Donald, do you know anything about the organization he helped create?

[Donald Lance]

the title "Lobbyist" is all I need to know!

Donald, I'd love to know what you do? Perhaps there are people out there who can't stand your profession, regardless of what it is.

Get off your high horse about lobbyists and realize it's a man who had a family who care about him and his well-being. It's not about being a lobbyist it's about being a human being.

Grow up and wise up.

Pathetic.

[Donald Lance]

No, everybody needs what I do. H2O! The reason he is on the Buzz is because he is a lobbyist, so it goes deeper than family and being a human - if you can use those 2 words in a sentence together. Nice try though!

My thoughts and prayers are with you Krog.. God bless.

Donald - how would one get in touch with you?

[Paul D. Harvill]

Jim,

Get well quick.

This is election season!

Paul

God Bless Jim.

He is a great guy with a great sense of Humor.

[Donald Lance]

7:10, leave your name and phone number. I'll call you!

perhaps if we all ignored the ignorance of certain bloggers they wouldn't get the attention they obviously seem to seek. Good luck Jim!

Wherever Jim's soul ventures tonight and the future we all smile for a his gift of good humor, character, unique individualism and loyal friendship. God bless Jim and his family and my he win the most this most important campaign. My vote goes to Jim.
Ken Detzner

James B. Krog
Mailing Address:
SHD Global LLC 215 S Monroe St Ste 601
Tallahassee, FL 32301

Phone Number:
850/222-2300

Principals:

Associations, Inc
5401 N Central Expy #300 Dallas, TX 75205

Industry Code: 531311
Effective: 01/17/2008

Battelle
505 King Ave Columbus, OH 43201 (Withdrawal Date: 03/12/2008)

Industry Code: 541710
Effective: 01/17/2008

Coca-Cola Company, The
PO Box 1734 Atlanta, GA 30301

Industry Code: 312111
Effective: 01/17/2008

Dosal Tobacco Corporation
4775 NW 132nd St Miami, FL 33054

Industry Code: 312000
Effective: 01/17/2008

FCCI Insurance Group
6300 University Parkway Sarasota, FL 34240-8424

Industry Code: 551112
Effective: 01/17/2008

FLO-SUN, Inc
One N Clematis St Ste 200 West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Industry Code: 551112
Effective: 01/17/2008

Florida Securities Dealers Association, Inc
PO Box 12092 Tallahassee, FL 32317-2092

Industry Code: 813910
Effective: 01/17/2008

General Electric Company
4200 Wildwood Pky Atlanta, GA 30339

Industry Code: 339999
Effective: 01/17/2008

Genworth Financial, Inc
700 12th St NW Ste 710 Washington, DC 20005

Industry Code: 339999
Effective: 01/17/2008

Gulfstream Air Charter, Inc
3201 Griffin Rd 4th Floor Ft Lauderdale, FL 33312

Industry Code: 561510
Effective: 04/21/2008

LandMark Systems
3059 Highland Oaks Terrace Tallahassee, FL 32301

Industry Code: 115310
Effective: 01/17/2008

Property Casualty Insurers Association Of America
2600 S River Rd Des Plaines, IL 60018

Industry Code: 813910
Effective: 01/17/2008

[Dave W]

I met him last year at a BIG (Bulls in Government) meeting up in Tally. He is a very nice guy and extremely loyal to USF. I wish him the best and a quick recovery.

And while people may have ethical issues have issues with lobbying (that's the entire point of lobbying, actually- to convince politicians to do something unpopular), it is simply morally reprehensible to wish ill on any human being.

Adam, please remove this donald lance individual from posting on the buzz. Absolutely classless.

I loved that man! He is gone now but we all who knew him personally loved him and learned from him. He was a father as far as teaching many lobbyists the art of politics. What a man.

Krog's gone. Do him justice, Lucy. What's left are a bunch of pathetic parasites.

[Ike Turner]

Donald Lance --- go f@#k yourself.

I happen to know Jim very well. He would get a kick out of Donald Lance. In fact, Mr Lance, he's laughing right now. He's in a great place.

Jim could pull up a chair and have a beer with anyone on Earth and engage them in great conversation. Not a mean bone in his body. Jim represents a time we should all yearn to return to: one of mutual respect,collegiality, integrity and friendship - not nastiness. New entrants into the process could learn a thing or two by acting like Jim Krog.

Jim, we will always respect you and the legacy of integrity you left behind. You left a lasting impact - from your work with Governor Askew, Chiles, and your advocacy for your clients, and buying the rest of us drinks at Clydes and the Govs Club.

You will be missed big guy and I, for one am a better person because I knew you.

[Ron Sachs]

Jim Krog was a Florida original. Unique.
Smart and brilliant in his strategic approach to political battles. But his sense of humor and warmth are the key qualities that set him apart from others.

In the modern history of Florida government and politics, Jim Krog earned his own chapter. He fought good fights. Stood by principles. His public service years under two great governors -- Askew and Chiles -- are textbook examples of classy political guru shaping excellent public policy.

WE will never again see one from the special brand that was Jim Krog......

This is a sad night --------but Jim will eternally enjoy Respect...Appreciation....and Affection of those whose lives he touched.\

God Bless Jim and his family.

Life is short. Make a difference, as Jim surely did.

[Susan Glickman]

Jim was in a class by himself. I've known Jim for more than 20 years and yes, he was a lobbyist, but he was so much more than that.

He was a man of ideas, a problem-solver, who strove to leave the world a little better than when he found it.

He was never happier than having a BIG conversation about a BIG idea to solve a BIG problem.

Jim was a serious player who never took himself too seriously. He was a class act.

Even if you disagreed with Jim, he was always ready to put differences aside and appreciate people as the individuals they are.

Cheers to you, my friend. I miss you already.

Susan Glickman

[Glen Holley]

Krog is gone now. My heart goes out to Louella and their son. Florida has lost a man who had power, influence, and prestige; but who never let that be more important than talking to people who did not. He was one who actually gave a damn about where the government of Florida was going. When I first moved back home to Florida to work on Lawton Chiles campaign for Governor, one evening I ended up across a restaurant table from him with a group of campaign workers. Krog was the first person in this town who bought me a drink, and did so at a time when he had no clue who I was or why I was around. As a lobbyist, he looked after his clients; but as a man he also looked after campaigns and issues that would genuinely benefit this state, whether he was in government or not. If all lobbyists were like him, that job title would not bear the distaste it has for many. Only few of his caliber will we see again. As for Mr. Lance on this site, come up to Tallahassee and listen to some of us who knew the man. Either you'll understand the praise we give him, or you are one who will neither listen nor hear. If you are of the latter sort, I'll gladly take you fishing, although Krog would not approve. Yet you will catch large fish, have a great time, and then ... I'll pray for forgiveness.

Thank you all for your kind comments and love.

Jim's sister-in-law in Ohio

[Allen Krog]

Donald, Any time you would like to meet me out back I would like to show what a real man is made of. You should know what your talking about before you open a box of stupid.

Allen (Butch) Krog - Jim's Brother in Ohio

[Terry Beckett]

Jim and Louella Krog are two of the finest people I have ever met, and I hope everyone who reads these messages gets a sense of the incredibly wonderful person Jim was.

I will never forget how excited Jim and Louella were when Christopher came into their lives. Jim's family meant everything to him, and I always loved to hear him talk about them. This big ol' back-slappin' hilarious guy would melt like butter just thinking about them.

Jim was such a smart guy, and he never met anyone who he didn't try to make his friend, and the irony in all of this is that Jim's biggest asset was his heart - it was so big and he shared it so freely with everyone.

I have worked with many wonderful people in politics, and Jim stood out as truly one of the best. I loved him dearly and will miss him so much.

I didn't agree with all of his clients, but I can say that if all lobbyists were like Jim, this world would be a much better place. He was a caring man who exercised civility and humor and common decency with everyone he met.

Florida has lost one of its great citizens, and we have all lost a dear and great friend.