Bio

Steve Stewart was born in Fort Pierce, Florida in 1962. His father worked at Piper Aircraft in Vero Beach, and his mother worked various jobs during the school year and took summers off to be with her two children. Steve graduated from John Carroll Catholic High School in 1980.

After graduating from Clemson University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1985, he was employed by Martin Marietta Corporation in Orlando, Florida. After 4 years working in the defense industry, Steve began contemplating a career change.

It was then that Steve, on advice from a friend, decided to apply for an internship with the Florida House of Representatives. He was accepted and enrolled as a graduate student at FSU and began work with the House Committee on Science and Technology.

After receiving his Masters degree in Public Policy, he began work with the Office of Public Counsel – the office responsible for representing consumers before the Florida Public Service Commission.

While at the Office of Public Counsel he participated in major electric rate cases and provided testimony on behalf of the consumers of Florida before the Florida Public Service Commission. He also represented consumer’s interests by accompanying Public Service Commissioners on various regulated utility site visits.

After leaving the Office of Public Counsel in 1994, and after a one year stint as a consultant for the Florida Telephone Association, Steve began working in the private sector. In 1999, he started his own business, a real estate marketing company, and in 2006, he bought a company focused on commercial marketing and printing. Today he runs those two businesses.

In conjunction with his private sector activities, Steve has continued to pursue his passion for consumer advocacy as a consultant for the Office of Public Counsel and AARP. He has filed testimony and appeared before the FPSC as a witness on a number of occasions over the last 14 years.

Steve is married to Kathy Verlander. They live in Tallahassee with their six children, Austin, Hunter, Robbie, Jessa, Kate, and Bella.