INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Just hours after Commissioner Gary Wheeler announced that he will not seek a fifth term, Indian River County native and long-time contractor Tim Zorc filed paperwork to run for the seat. Zorc, who has been involved in local, state and national political activities and campaigns for more than 25 years, said Tuesday evening that he felt it was finally his time to run for public office.
Wheeler’s announcement Tuesday morning opened the door for that move.
“I have great respect for Commissioner Wheeler and have had the privilege of working with him since his first campaign in the early 1980’s,” Zorc said. “I have been considering running for office for some time.”
A Pointe West resident, father of four and grandfather of one, Zorc graduated from Vero Beach High School in 1979. After earning a degree in construction technology from Brevard Community College, he went to work with his father, Richard Zorc in the family business, R. Zorc and Sons Builders, for 27 years. An owner and president of Southern Classic Homes Signature Series, Zorc currently owns Terra Southern consulting firm, which provides services to companies dealing with issues related to toxic Chinese drywall.
“Having been born in Indian river county and my family roots go back nearly 100 years when Indian River County was part if St. Lucie County,” Zorc said.
Zorc said his campaign will be focused on “jobs, economic development and quality of life for those who currently reside in Indian river county and those who are drawn here because of the the quality of life we currently have.”
“We need to run the county more as a business an not as a government entity,” he said. “We are here to serve the public but we must provide these services in the most cost-efficient manner possible.”
Zorc, who currently serves as a director on the boards of the Florida Homebuilders Association and the National Association of Homebuilders, is running as a Republican.
No other candidates have declared for District 3, but Wheeler’s announcement is expected to prompt a flurry of activity, with numerous people considering a run for this open seat.
Contested county races often span more than a year and necessitate the amassing of a war chest of $60,000 to $80,000 or more. As he embarked upon the race, Zorc said, “From myself and my family I look forwarded to a positive spirited campaign.”
Zorc is the nephew of well-known civic activist Frank Zorc, who previously ran for County Commission and came very close to unseating former Commissioner Ken Macht in 2000.
Should another Republican candidate for District 3 emerge, the primary election is scheduled for Aug. 14.
