December 1, 2014
MAITLAND, Fla. —The Florida Bar Foundation is seeking applicants for six seats on its board of directors for terms starting July 2015 under the Florida Supreme Court – approved governance plan. The plan calls for 18 members of the Bar Foundation board to be selected in equal portions by the Florida Supreme Court, The Florida Bar Board of Governors and the board of directors of the Bar Foundation.
Six of the 18 at-large seats will be filled for three-year terms beginning July 1, 2015. The positions for which applicants are being sought currently are held by: Jewel White, Clearwater, and Gregory P. Brown, Tampa (Foundation appointees); Hon. Suzanne Van Wyk, Tallahassee, and Stephen R. Senn, Lakeland (Florida Bar Board of Governors appointees); and Philip N. Kabler, Gainesville, and Hon. James M. Barton, II, Tampa (Florida Supreme Court appointees) Van Wyk, Brown, Barton and Senn are eligible for an additional term.
The Foundation is also seeking applicants for four public member seats for three-year terms on the board. The four public member currently are held by J. Blair Culpepper, Winter Park, Connie Bookman, Pensacola, Thomas R. Oldt, Winter Haven and Mary Gardiner Evertz, St. Petersburg. Bookman, Oldt and Evertz are eligible for an additional term. The public member positions will be filled by a joint Florida Bar/Foundation Nominating Committee.
Since 1981, the Foundation has been the administrator of the Florida Supreme Court’s Interest on Trust Accounts (IOTA) Program. The Foundation board awards all grants, oversees the Foundation’s fundraising program, sets investment policies, Foundation policies generally, and adopts the annual operating budget.
Applications for positions to be filled by the Supreme Court, the Bar Foundation (at-large seats) and joint Bar/Foundation nominating committee public member seats may be obtained from the executive director of The Florida Bar Foundation, 875 Concourse Parkway South, Suite 195, Maitland, FL 32751 (800 541-2195); or downloaded from the Foundation’s Web site, board_application_2015 Completed applications for these seats must be received by the Foundation by Feb. 2, 2015. (The Florida Bar will give separate notice for the positions to be filled by The Florida Bar Board of Governors. Applicants for the Bar seats should contact the Bar’s executive director or visit the Bar’s Web site: www.flabar.org.)
The Florida Bar Foundation board of directors embraces the concept of diversity. A diverse membership makes the board stronger, and its work for the Foundation more relevant to the society in which we live. The Foundation strongly encourages minorities, and persons with disabilities to apply for service on the Board. To help achieve the broadest participation, The Florida Bar Foundation “Expense Reimbursement Policy” provides modest reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred during Board service for attorney members, and full reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred during Board service for public members and members of the judiciary.”
Applicants will be advised in writing by May 29, 2015, of action taken by the selecting authorities.
Expectations for board service and application form for seats to be filled by the Florida Supreme Court, The Florida Bar Foundation or the Joint Bar/Foundation nominating committee.
