The Life and Times of Kids' Chance of Florida.
This year marks a transition for me. We all face change as we age. We all face the challenges of transition, replacement, and growth. I have been privileged through my career path to be involved in many organizations. Some required more time and effort than others. In fairness, some were more productive than others.
I have striven to keep an open mind and to try things. That periodically leads to failure. But it also leads to some successes. One of which I am most proud is Kids' Chance of Florida.
I was engaged in a conversation at the Florida Workers' Compensation Conference in 2015. Ray Neff (Former President and CEO of FCCI Insurance) and Bob Wilson (WorkCompCollege.com) were gathering thoughts and perceptions regarding the expansion of the existing Kids' Chance family into Florida.
They had been gathering data, striving to understand various perceptions of the community, and talking with many people throughout that conference. We spoke that day about many aspects of Florida, workers' compensation, and the community of interests that surrounds and permeates it.
Eventually, Bob Wilson asked me simply "is this something you could be involved in?" The thought of serving the deserving kids was a draw. I nonetheless responded with a couple of reminders of my "can't do" list: fundraising, recruiting volunteers, etc.
A couple months later, at the inaugural meeting of the Board, I was elected to that body and to the role of Secretary. As Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Treasurers have come and served their terms, I have remained Secretary.
The Bylaws provided a default process through which officers progress to being President. I have remained, nonetheless, Secretary.
That inaugural Board was:
- Geoffrey Bichler
- Stacy Hosman
- Pamela Jennings
- Dr. Kery Maher
- Ray Neff
- Jane Ann Nolte-Weiner
- Claude Revels
- William Rogner
- Linda Vendette
- Bob Wilson
That inaugural Board from 2015 remained reasonably steadfast. Only two of that group were no longer on the Board in 2023 as we came to the realization that we had done a poor job of planning for Board transition and succession. And, in the meantime, we had been joined by
- Tammy Boyd
- William Donnell
- Kimberly Staats
- Basilios Manousogiannakis
- James McConnaughhay
- Andrew Sabolic
Nonetheless, in 2023, we were faced with a new recommendation that members should serve at most 10 consecutive years. And we had the realization that most of us had served since the beginning.
It occurred to us that if all of the founders rotated off the Board in one moment, we would leave confusion in our wake. That made us pause. We deliberated and planned, and at our 2023 Annual Board meeting, we transitioned founders Stacy Hosman (former President), Linda Vendette (former President), and Bob Wilson (former President) to Emeritus Board Status. The goal is transition, and the hope is the retention of their talents and dedication.
With that transition, we gained new Board members who are each bringing new perspectives and purpose to the Board and the non-profit:
- Liz Corona, Zenith Ins.
- Jenna Sutton, Medical Mgmt and Re-Employment
- Marissa Shearer, Commercial Risk Mgmt.
- Olivia North-Menthonennex, State of Florida
We are proud of all these, but Ms. North-Menthonnex marked a special moment. She started her relationship with Kids' Chance as one of our scholarship recipients. Her election to the Board brought us full circle and reminded us of what we had accomplished.
In 2024, we plan a similar transition for Jeff Bichler, Ray Neff (former President), William Rogner (former President), and me. With these efforts, the founders leave behind a Board poised for the future. And the 2024 transition will bring another list of new Board members, new ideas, and new enthusiasm. It is a new day for Kids' Chance, as it enters adolescence and continues to mature.
It is an apropos moment to reflect on the service of those Emeritus Board members. Kids' Chance of Florida has existed for a decade. As we accomplish our goal of transitioning the Board, and perhaps assisting with future transitions through this effort to stagger service, I reflect on what these people have accomplished:
- Created Kids' Chance of Florida
- Developed partnerships that provide scholarships and applicants
- Launched and perpetuated an annual golf tournament at WCI
- Awarded 85 scholarships
- Allocated or paid $375,000
- Built a community presence that includes our Board, 16 Ambassadors, and many volunteers and partners.
I am proud of the achievements of these people. I am particularly proud of those who have led this corporation, denoted with "(former President)" above. Their dedication and service to these youths are both admirable and inspiring. They have devoted time and effort to their community and the result is a parade of 85 young college students, graduates, post-graduates, and even one doctor. There is room for pride at this pause, And yet there is ample room for further achievement.
That said, I have seen enough of these students to tell you, unequivocally, that they would each have made it with or without help. To a person, they are an amazing array of hopes, dreams, majors, minors, goals, aspirations, and motivations. They are inspiring in their stories, their presence, and their success. I count myself privileged to have gotten to meet them, hear their stories, and watch them grow.
It is Kids' Chance Awareness Week. Now you know much about where Kids' Chance of Florida came from and where it is headed. Are you aware of a Florida student whose parent or guardian suffered a serious or catastrophic workers' compensation injury? If you know such a student, encourage her or him to apply. Or, just make an anonymous referral on the website.
