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 John C. Watkins, a Republican, began serving in the Virginia
State Senate in
1998. Senator Watkins was elected to complete
the unexpired four-year term of Senator Joe Benedetti and was
then reelected for the 2000 and 2004
terms to serve the citizens
of the 10th District. Currently and as a result of
redistricting, Senator Watkins now represents Amelia and
Powhatan Counties, part of Chesterfield, Cumberland, Goochland
and Henrico Counties, and
part of the City of Richmond. Prior
to his Senate election, he represented Chesterfield and Powhatan
Counties for
sixteen years as a member of the Virginia House of
Delegates.
Senator Watkins is a respected leader in transportation and
agricultural and natural resource issues. He serves on the
following committees in the Senate: Agriculture, Conservation
and Natural Resources; Commerce and Labor; Finance; and
Transportation. As a member of the Legislative Transition Task
Force, he has taken a primary role in the critical issue
of
electric deregulation in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Senator
Watkins also serves as Chairman of the Commission on
Unemployment Compensation, the Virginia-North Carolina
High-Speed Rail Compact Commission and the Virginia Geographic
Information Network Advisory Board. His service also includes
the Jamestown/Yorktown Foundation and the Joint Commission on
Technology and Science.
As the President of Watkins Nurseries, Senator Watkins has been
a prominent and involved business and community leader. While
in his capacity as President, he has received the Distinguished
Friend of Agriculture award by the Virginia Agribusiness
Council, the Virginia Farm Bureau’s Distinguished Service to
Agriculture award and the Virginia Nurseryman's Association -
Nurseryman of the Year (1987). He sits on the Board of Directors
of CJW Medical Center and serves as Chairman of the Board of
Directors for the Bank of Powhatan. He is also involved in many
civic organizations including the Midlothian Rotary Club,
American Legion Post 186, the Chesterfield Business Council,
and the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board.
Numerous honors have been awarded to Senator Watkins from a
variety of community and professional organizations. Some of
the most recent awards include the 2007 Legislator of the Year Award
from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the 2004 Achievement Award by the
VAJCI Senate and Friends of the Jaycees, the Bernard L. Savage
Community Service Award by the Chesterfield Business Council,
the W. Thomas Rice Rail Renaissance Award, the Northern Virginia
Technology Council Tech Ten Award and an Honorary Membership in
the Virginia Society of American Institute of Architects.
He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in
Agriculture/Horticulture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
State University. After graduation, he served in the United
States Army from 1969 to 1971. Senator Watkins is a member of
Christ the King Lutheran Church, has three sons and three
grandchildren, and he and his wife, Kathy, currently reside in
Midlothian.
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