Meet Michael Zinszer

Michael Zinszer was born in the greater Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania, where, after graduating from Wm Penn High School in 1981, he joined the United States Navy. During his Navy career, he rose to the rank of Chief Boatswain's Mate as a Navy Saturation Diver. Over his 20 years of service, he was stationed on various sea commands and at the Navy Experimental Diving Unit in Panama City, Florida. While in the Navy, Michael’s duties included but were not limited to Deep Submergence Officer, Saturation Diver, Duties as Surface Warfare Officer (SWO), and participant in numerous Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) priorities as task leader, researcher in life support systems, biomedical and environmental physiology studies. Michael completed his associate degree at Gulf Coast Community College, then a bachelor’s degree in education at Florida State University.

After retiring from the Navy in 2002, Michael was offered and accepted employment as the Diving Safety Office at Florida State University (FSU) for the development of an in-water investigations program through tasking from the Department of Homeland Security. Shortly after, Michael’s roles included Director for Advanced Science Diving. While working at FSU, Michael completed a Master of Science Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and a Specialist Degree in Education. After completing his graduate degrees, he was appointed as Professor, Teaching Faculty III. Michael was instrumental in the development of FSU’s Underwater Crime Scene Investigation Program (UCSI), which helped set industry standards for in-water forensic investigations. As a member of the UCSI team, Michael worked with the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, and many other Federal, State, and local agencies. Over Michael’s military and civilian careers, he participated in many high-profile in-water investigations including the Recovery of TWA Flight 800, the salvage of oil tanker Exxon Houston, and missing Alabama high school student Natalee Holloway.

In 2017, while advising a student on the best path to attend Law School, Michael took notice and looked at “a legal field of study” as possibly the best way to use his life skills to assist others, moreover, to assist military veterans. Soon thereafter, he applied to and was accepted at the Charleston School of Law, graduating in 2019 with a Juris Doctor degree with a Certificate in Maritime Studies. Wanting to be closer to his family, Michael moved back to Panama City, calling on his friend of many years, Larry Perry to advise him in the practice of law in the Great State of Florida. Michael has been a part Perry & Young team since.

Michael has lived in Bay County since 1989, enjoying the opportunities the Florida Emerald Coast has to offer, which includes raising his children Cody, Elizabeth, Caroline, and Isabelle, and notes that the best career choice he ever made was being a father. Michael stays active as a volunteer in his church, Panama City Rescue Mission, and within the community.