A native resident of the Florida Panhandle. He began his career in public service with the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division. After graduating from Gulf Coast Community College with a degree in law enforcement standards, Steve Meadows began working with the Bay County Sheriff's office. He later went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in criminology from Florida State University, and his Juris Doctorate from the Florida State University School of Law. Steve Meadows spent 20 years as a prosecuting attorney, in more than 6,000 cases.