Jose Oliva is an American-born son of Cuban Immigrants. He grew up in Hialeah where he attended public schools. Governor Oliva is an entrepreneur who started his first company, Oliva Cigar Co. in 1995 together with his family. After growing the company Governor Oliva divested in 2016 and remained as CEO until 2018. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board at Oliva Cigar Co. and owns Oliva International Foods, which imports and distributes Hispanic frozen foods in the U.S.
In 2011, Governor Oliva was elected to represent District 110 in the Florida legislature. He served in the legislature between 2011-2020 and served as Speaker of the House during the 2018-2020 legislative term. During his time in the legislature, Governor Oliva focused on healthcare and education reform, including expanding school choice, curbing runaway growth in universities and leading the effort to remove many healthcare regulations. Additionally, Governor Oliva was instrumental in the legislation that allowed for prescription drug importation and expanded the scope of authority for nurse practitioners allowing them to practice autonomously and to the full extent of their training.
In 2023, Governor Oliva was appointed to the Florida Board of Governors. His stated goals as a Governor are to help foment a culture of efficiency and careful need-based growth in the university system, as well as ensure that our universities live up to the expectation of free thought and engage in vibrant but civil discourse.
Governor Oliva and his wife Jeanne have been married for 24 years and have 3 children.