Celebration of Life planned for former SPC President Dr. Carl Kuttler

A Celebration of Life is planned for April 26 for Dr. Carl Kuttler, Jr., who served as president of St. Petersburg College for 31 years and oversaw one of its most transformative periods of growth — moving the College from a two to four-year institution and adding several new sites.

It will be held at 11 a.m. at Calvary Church in Clearwater and is being planned by his family. The celebration is open to the public.

Dr. Kuttler, 85, who passed away April 2, was the fifth and longest-serving president in SPC’s history. Among his numerous achievements, he worked with lawmakers to craft a bill, which was approved by the Florida Legislature in 2001, to allow then St. Petersburg Junior College (SPJC) to become the first two-year college in the state to offer bachelor’s degree. The College simultaneously changed its name.

During this tenure as president from 1978 to 2009, Dr. Kuttler oversaw the openings of the Seminole Campus, the Downtown, Allstate, and Health Education centers as well as the Dr. Cecil Keene Learning Center in South St. Petersburg. He also partnered with Pinellas County government to purchase and share the EpiCenter, a modern, multi-story building located in Clearwater.

“Dr. Kuttler cared deeply about our College and the Pinellas County community, which is evident in all that he achieved,” said Dr. Tonjua Williams, who first joined the College in 1986 and worked her way up the ladder partly under Dr. Kuttler’s leadership. “He left an incredible footprint at SPC, and we will be forever grateful for his vision, leadership and contributions.”

Dr. Kuttler established a partnership with the University of Florida that brought a College of Pharmacy and a Dental School to SPC’s Seminole Campus. He established the Leepa-Rattner Museum for modern art on the Tarpon Springs Campus. The museum and its contents are the result of an initial donation of fine arts worth millions of dollars from Alan and Isabelle Leepa. With the acquisition of the Palladium Theater as a gift from a nonprofit organization, SPC also became the hub for the local arts community.

"All of us who love St. Petersburg College are deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Carl Kuttler, a visionary leader whose impact on the school and the entire Florida college system will be felt for generations,’’ said SPC Trustee Deveron Gibbons. “Dr. Kuttler’s unwavering commitment helped transform the college by securing legislative approval to offer four-year degrees, a milestone that reshaped higher education across our state. His remarkable ability to rally support and investment for causes that strengthened our institution stands as a lasting legacy of his extraordinary leadership. He will be greatly missed."

Kuttler began his career at SPC in 1966 as assistant to the vice president for administration and later served dean of administrative services. He took the helm of the College after the retirement of Michael Bennett in 1978.

“Carl was an incredible leader and visionary. His ability to collaborate and work together to formulate creative solutions was extraordinary,’ said Terrence “Terry” Brett, who was chair of the SPC Board of Trustees when Dr. Kuttler retired. “As college president, you have to deal with faculty, administration, students, alumni, donors, elected officials and all of the other stakeholders. Most of these groups have different priorities and concerns. That’s a very tough job. Carl did it exceedingly well. From my perspective, he was always willing to listen, compromise, if need be, and work his hardest to get to the finish line. His incredible impact on SPC will be felt for generations.”

A St. Petersburg native, he got his higher education start at the college that he would later lead. After graduating from SPJC in 1960, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and a law degree from Stetson University College of Law.

Dr. Kuttler received numerous awards for his achievements, including the Outstanding CEO (College President) by the American Association of Community College Trustees and the James L. Wattenbarger Award from the Florida Association of Community Colleges now called Association of Florida Colleges, among others.

Among Dr. Kuttler’s survivors are his wife, Violetta S. Kuttler; daughters, Erica Shannon, Cindy Mercer and stepdaughter, Anastasia Sweet. He is preceded in death by his son, Carl Kuttler III.