Judy Ryan
Chair of the Board of Directors
With a B.A. International Relations from Lake Forest College Judy originally intended to embark on a career in International Relations but soon discovered limited opportunities for women in the foreign service at the time. Undaunted she sharpened her managerial and interpersonal relationship skills by on the job training: organizing golf tournaments in California, managing a business school in Chicago, doing international economics research in London, directing personnel recruitment for an international firm, consulting nationally in records management, and lastly,directing IT efforts at a Florida utility before "retiring" from business. Judy has been on the Board of Directors for 4 years, serving as Treasurer for most of that time, and is now Chair. Her passion for global understanding has never waned and she finds the Earth Charter mission to be a perfect fit for her to complete the circle and "finish strong" in this life.
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George Sherman
Vice Chair
George Sherman's body was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1947. His sense of adventure was born in Lewiston, Idaho. His mind was born in Spokane, Washington, at Gonzaga University, where he earned his BA with a major in Psychology and a minor in Philosophy and Theology. His professional life was born at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he earned a M.Ed. in Exceptional Education. George's soul was born in New Mexico at the insistence of a Pueblo Judge. After serving a year in VISTA, George worked in residential services for a wide variety of clients in many different states. He was a Behavior Specialist for Pinellas County Schools for 17 years before his retirement. George has been an adjunct at USF St. Petersburg for several years. He was on the original Commitment to Character Task Force, starting in 1995, and remains involved in the implementation of character education programs in Pinellas County Schools as a volunteer trainer. He serves on the county wide Commitment to Character Resource Team, the steering committee for the Ethics Bowl, and a Board Member of Earth Charter US. He is also Co-Director of Project COPE, a business incubator model in Zambia.
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Rita Jane Iacino
Secretary
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Charolette Starfire
Treasurer
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Jan Roberts
Founder, Chair Emeritus
After Jan Roberts, Founder of Earth Charter U.S., learned about the Earth Charter at a drafting session in Assisi, Italy in July 1999, she formed an Earth Charter steering committee in Tampa, Florida to organize simultaneous Earth Charter Community Summits in 12 cities connected by satellite to be held on September 29, 2001. Roberts was invited to the 2000 international launch of the Earth Charter campaign at The Hague Peace PalaceUnited States where the Earth Charter Community Summits were recognized as the major effort in the U.S. to forward the Earth Charter Initiative. A National Advisory Board for the Summits was formed to help guide the development of the Summits. The Tampa Steering Committee was central to the organizing effort, which was not only task oriented but also intent on making the task fun. Eventually, volunteer organizers in 12 cities organized Summits, which were connected via satellite broadcast. The live connection generated a national energy for the Earth Charter movement. Following the launch of the Earth Charter Community Summits, organizers from across the country gathered in Tampa to create the Earth Charter Community Alliance, an informal network of people working to make the Earth Charter’s vision for a caring, sustainable and peaceful world a reality in their communities.
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Lorna Taylor
Past Chair
A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary with a Master’s degree in Divinity concentrating in social ethics, Lorna Taylor Gregory attended Hebrew University on a yearlong graduate internship while completing her studies.
With over 28 years of business and non-profit experience, Taylor Gregory has built public relations and marketing strategy and has developed customized business models for managed eye care that are designed to streamline and improve services. A proponent of the continuous improvement of systems and processes, Gregory is always seeking the highest level of attention for the Premier Eye Care partner.
Today, she oversees all areas of business operations for Premier Eye Care, managing the routine vision and medical ophthalmic care for over 1,000,000 insured lives throughout Florida.
A dedicated member of the Tampa Bay area community, Taylor Gregory works on behalf of a number of non-profits including The Spring of Tampa Bay, Earth Charter U.S., Tampa Bay Business Committee for the Arts.
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Bonnie R. Saks, M.D.
Dr. Saks received undergraduate and medical degrees from Brown University. She completed an internship in medicine at Montefore Hospital in New York and did residency training in obstetrics/gynecology and then psychiatry at Yale University. She was subsequently a clinical instructor at Yale in both departments. She also completed a sex therapy fellowship at Yale sponsored by the n National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Saks is now a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of South Florida in Tampa where she teaches residents and medical students and has a busy private practice, Bonnie R. Saks, MD and Associates, LLC. She is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a Founding Fellow of the American Board of Sexology. She is Past-President of the Society for Sex Therapy. She was a Commencement Speaker for Brown University Medical School on May 28, 2005. She has published and lectured extensively. She has been an ardent supporter of the Earth Charter and began the initiative of Earth Charter Parents.
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Herb Goetschius
Herbert Goetschius is the Vice Chairman of McNichols Company, North America’s leading supplier of metal products with holes. McNichols Company, headquartered in Tampa Fl, has 17 metal service centers nationwide. In his role, Herb oversees the customer centric strategic planning initiatives, public and community relations and national affairs for the 300-plus-employee company. Mr. Goetschius began his career with McNichols Company as its first Chief Financial Officer and was promoted to General Manager, Executive Vice President and President and COO.
Prior to his 30 year career with McNichols Company Mr. Goetschius served in various financial management positions for The Toledo Edison Company. Herb attended Bowling Green State University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He has completed post graduate advance management training programs at Wharton and Ohio State and holds a Florida Real Estate License.
Mr. Goetschius serves on the Board of Directors for McNichols Company, The Arizona State University Center for Services Leadership, Academic Excellence Foundation, Earth Charter US , is Chairman of the Board for the Phoenix Houses of Florida, and is a member of the US Chamber of Commerce Corporate Leadership Advisory Council, CEO Council of Tampa, Metals Service Center Institute, the American Management Association, Tampa Chamber of Commerce membership committee, and the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation. Herb is an Elder at the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Goetschius has received numerous community service awards for leadership service with Prevent Blindness Florida, Academic Excellence Foundation, American Heart Association , Pony League baseball and Hyde Park Presbyterian Church.
Herb Geotschius joined Earth Charter US in 2010 after his company, McNichols,
won the Sustainable Business Award in the large company category. Elected to the board of Directors in 2010 and co chaired
the Sustainable Business Awards in partnership with the University of Tampa
Center for Business Ethics in 2011. Herb is passionate about leaving the Earth
a better place for our descendants.
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Benjamin B. Keyes, PhD, Ed.D
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Guy King
Guy is the President of M.E. Wilson Company, Inc., Tampa’s oldest privately-held insurance agency founded by his maternal grandfather in 1920. Guy works with Earth Charter U.S., the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, and heads up the Prosperity Campaign for Hillsborough County this year. Guy was chosen as the 2003 “Outstanding Business Leader of the Year” by the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. M.E. Wilson Company won the “Small Business of the Year ” in 2000 and has been named one of the “Top 30 Insurance Agencies” in the country. Guy is an active community leader and problem solver. The National Coalition for Community and Justice (NCCJ) named Guy as a recipient of the Silver Medallion Humanitarian of the Year award in April of 2003 for his work with area not-for-profits. He served as Vice Chair of the board of the Allegany Franciscan Ministries in Clearwater for five years. Guy is a past Chairman and one of the founders of The CEO Council of Tampa Bay, the premier organization for entrepreneurial CEO’s in the Tampa Bay area. He currently serves on the Tampa Bay History Center board and is the past chairman of Mental Health Care, Inc. Foundation. Guy was nominated for the 2000 Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” award and the SBA’s 2000 “Small Business Leader of the Year”. In 2000 the Independent Agents of Greater Tampa voted Guy, “Agent of the Year.” He was in charge of Transportation and Risk Management for SuperBowl XXXV, held in Tampa in January of 2001. The Federal Bureau of Investigation/Tampa chose Guy for their inaugural Citizens Leadership Academy in the spring of 2002.
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Andrew L. McIntosh, Esq.
Andrew McIntosh is a shareholder with the law firm of Fowler White Boggs P.A. in Tampa, Florida. Mr. McIntosh is a member of the firm's Green Law Industry Team, providing advice on issues concerning sustainability, green building matters, and "greenwashing." He also provides guidance on incentive programs designed to support the development of green initiatives. During the past 20 years he has advised individuals and business entities in a wide range of areas, including business organizations, mergers and acquisitions, securities, franchising and distribution, debt financing, joint ventures, commercial contracts, and consumer credit matters. As a member of the bars of both Ontario and Florida, Mr. McIntosh provides representation to clients involved in cross-border business. He is a member of the firm's international practice group. Mr. McIntosh serves as Honorary Consul of Canada for Florida, pursuant to the Government of Canada's "Enhanced Representation Initiative." His role is to facilitate trade and investment activities through the Canadian Consulate General at Miami, assisting Canadian businesses with interests in Florida, and U.S. firms desiring to do business in Canada. He also supports academic and cultural exchange through his office. Mr. McIntosh is active in the Tampa Bay area business community, serving on various boards and task forces in support of economic development, trade and investment, and environmental conservation.
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