Board
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is governed by a member-approved board of directors. Board members come from diverse backgrounds in public service, private industry, education, media, finance and philanthropy. Members provide leadership, financial oversight and help set strategic plans for our organization. These dedicated volunteers are an invaluable asset to the Conservancy’s protection of our water, land, wildlife, and future.
Officers
Charles Mueller
Charles Mueller
EMPLOYMENT
President - West Florida Region, Northern Trust
EDUCATION:
- University of Illinois
- College of Commerce & Business Administration
- CTFA
- CPWA
AFFILIATIONS:
- Naples Yacht Club
- Naples Zoo Board
- Naples Historic Society Board
- Marie Selby Gardens Trustee Past Trustee
- The Nature Conservancy - Illinois Chapter
BIO:
As the President of the West Florida Region for Northern Trust, Charlie is responsible for leading the delivery of holistic advice and client service through investment, fiduciary, banking, and wealth planning professionals. He has over 37 years of experience in serving business-owning families, corporate executives, professionals, not-for-profits, and other wealth owners in a variety of wealth management and commercial banking roles.
Charlie graduated with honors from the University of Illinois College of Commerce and Business Administration in Urbana-Champaign in 1982 with a B.S. degree in Finance. He holds the certifications of Certified Trust and Financial Advisor, CTFA, and the Certified Private Wealth Advisor, CPWA.
Charlie is married to his wife, Toni, of 35 years. Toni is a Certified Naturalist. They have two children: Charlie, a Physicist, and Katherine, a Nurse. Charlie is an avid pilot and enjoys flying on weekends. He also enjoys fishing, sporting clays, kayaking, hiking, golf, reading, and travel.
James Nolte
James Nolte
EMPLOYMENT: RETIRED
EDUCATION:
- Fairleigh Dickenson University, BS
- Emory University, Goizueta Business School, MBA
AFFILIATIONS:
- Greater Naples Leadership
- Grey Oaks Country Club
BIO:
Jim’s professional accomplishments have been marked by his ability to identify opportunities and lead companies to achieve their potential. His track record includes sales and strategy positions at AT&T, BellSouth and Atlanta Gas & Light which brought him to the role of leading sales at Zayo Group - a global digital infrastructure provider, where he helped the company achieve hypergrowth and ultimately go public. Jim went on to become CEO of a private equity-backed broadband infrastructure business, based in Sunnyvale, CA. There he built a highly-functioning management team and operation while acquiring marquis customers like Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft, building over 250 miles of state-of-the-art fiber optic networks and reaching sales of nearly $100M in three years.
These days Jim, who grew up in New Jersey, is retired and lives in Naples with his wife Laura, a fourth-generation Floridian. As the couple mapped plans to give back to their community, conservation was a natural fit for Jim. He started his environmentally conscious journey at the age of 10 when he convinced his middle school to start a recycling program and has continued to be passionate about our environment, most recently creating a sellout friend-raising event to draw support for the work done by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.
Rob Moher
Rob Moher
OFFICER: PRESIDENT AND CEO
BIO:
Rob Moher, President and CEO of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, has more than 25 years of experience in local, regional, and international conservation.
Prior to his position as President and CEO, Moher held several positions at the Conservancy from 1999-2013. As Vice President of Development and Marketing, Moher led strategic philanthropic initiatives and oversaw the largest capital campaign ever in its time in Naples for $38.8 million, which funded new construction and renovation to enhance the Nature Center and grow the endowment. During Moher’s 22-year tenure at the Conservancy, more than $130 million has been raised in philanthropic support. He is currently leading additional fundraising initiatives for the Susan and William Dalton Discovery Center and John and Carol Walter Discovery Center expansion, a new Environmental Studies Dormitory, and additional endowment.
In his current role as President and CEO, Moher’s key focus is to build upon the Conservancy’s outstanding 57-year history in Southwest Florida with a keen eye on future environmental challenges. He believes in collaborative and science-based approaches in order to balance economic growth with environmental conservation. Moher continually establishes cooperative partnerships with local individuals, businesses, governmental and non-governmental institutions to further the Conservancy’s mission to protect Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife, and future.
Prior to joining the Conservancy, Moher served as Regional Director for the Bahamas National Trust, where he was responsible for the protection, management, and development of three national parks, including coastal and marine parks. Prior to that, he served as a Research Officer for the International Development Research Center in Ottawa, Canada, where he was involved in environmental policy research on an international level.
Moher earned a Master of Arts in International Affairs from Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. In addition, Moher completed his certification as Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and earned his Certificate in Fundraising Management (CFRM) from Indiana University Fundraising School. In 2012, Moher was named Fundraising Executive of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Everglades Chapter.
John R. Walter
John R. Walter
OFFICER: VICE CHAIR AND TREASURER
EMPLOYER
CEO, Ashlin Management Company
BIO
John R. Walter is Chairman of Ashlin Management Company, a private investment and management services firm. He is the retired President and COO of AT&T Corporation, a position he held from 1996 to 1997, and retired Chairman and CEO of R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, a position he held from 1989 through 1996. Mr. Walter joined R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company in 1969 and held various positions during his career.
Mr. Walter has served as a Director of Manpower Inc. since 1998 and served as Non-Executive Chairman of the company from 1999 to 2001. Mr. Walter also serves as Director of ecoAmerica. He previously served on the boards of other companies, including Echo Global Logistics, VASCO Data Securities, Media Bank, LLC, Groupon, Deere & Company, Abbott Laboratories, Inc., AT&T Corporation, Target Corporation, and Jones Lang LaSalle. Mr. Walter was the founding Chairman of InnerWorkings, Inc. Mr. Walter also served as Chairman of SNP Corp. of Singapore and an Advisory Member of the Singapore Economic Development Board.
Mr. Walter is on the Board of Trustees for Steppenwolf Theater, Northwestern University, and was previously a Director of NorthShore University Health System and Chairman Emeritus of the North Shore University Health System Foundation Board.
Mr. Walter was a Director of the African Wildlife Foundation, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management, and holds an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.
Kimberly Leach Johnson
Kimberly Leach Johnson
EMPLOYMENT:
Firm Chair of Quarles & Brady
EDUCATION:
- University of Miami (LL.M., 1982)
- University of Florida Levin College of Law (J.D., 1981)
- Anderson University (B.S., 1977)
AFFILIATIONS:
- Best Lawyers® Advisory Board
- Anderson University (Indiana) Board of Trustees
- Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation (Board of Directors)
- Collier County Bar Association (Member)
- American Bar Association (Member, Taxation Section)
- The Florida Bar (Chair, Tax Section Committee; 1995 Vice Chair, Grievance Committee for 20th Judicial Circuit)
- Quarles & Brady Diversity Committee (Representative)
- Boggy Creek Camp for Seriously Ill Children (Board of Directors)
- University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Law Center Association (Emeritus Trustee)
- Former: Heart Ball (Chair), Community School of Naples (Long Range Planning Committee), Moorings Park (Trustee), Naples Youth Soccer (Board of Directors), University of Florida (Representative, Class of 1981), Naples Art Association (Board of Directors)
BIO:
Kim is firm chair of Quarles & Brady and presides over the Executive Committee. As a trusts & estates attorney, she has been practicing for more than 30 years, delivering comprehensive estate planning to individuals and institutions. Kim is a five-time FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction Wealth Manager, a Top 50 Women Florida Super Lawyer®, and recipient of an FCSW Florida Achievement.
She is also a member of the Best Lawyers Advisory Board. In addition to her professional affiliations, Kim also serves on the boards of Anderson University (Indiana), Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation and Boggy Creek Camp for Seriously Ill Children.
Board Members
Nancy Anthony
Nancy Anthony
EMPLOYER:
Chair of Fernwood Council LLC
EDUCATION:
Northwestern University, B.A. in Economics
DePaul University, Masters in Accounting
University of Illinois, CPA
AFFILIATIONS:
- Pioneer Institute, Trustee
- Hathaway Brown School, Trustee
- Boston Children’s Hospital Trust Finance Committee
- National Council of McLean Hospital
- Head’s Council of the Roxbury Latin School, Trustee
- The Massachusetts Historical Society, Overseer
- Epiphany School of Dorchester, Overseer
BIO:
Nancy is Chair of Fernwood Council LLC, a family office, and serves as an independent trustee for another family. She has been in the investment management business
for 38 years. Nancy has been active with numerous educational, medical, and civic institutions in the Greater Boston area and other communities of importance to
her. Currently, she serves as a Trustee of Pioneer Institute and the Hathaway Brown School.
She practiced in tax before joining Fernwood in 1983, and prior to that, worked for Cutler Hammer (now Eaton Corp).
Nicolas "Nick" Batos
Nicolas "Nick" Batos
Nick Batos was selected as the first mayor of the Village of Estero at the very first meeting of the then newly elected Village Council on March 17, 2015.
He went on to serve two terms as District 6 Council member acting as liaison to the Lee School District and Lee Health, with areas of strategic concern being the SUN Trails, CSX railroad, Bike/Pedestrian Pathways and Zip Codes.
Batos had served as the Chairman of the Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL) from 2012 through 2014 and led the successful effort to get the incorporation of Estero on the November 2014 ballot, which passed by a resounding 86 percent.
He joined the ECCL in 2005 to help address some of the issues facing Estero at that time which included mining in south Lee County and protecting the Density Reduction Groundwater Resource (DR/GR) area where the majority of Lee County’s drinking water supply comes from. In 2010, the ECCL honored him with the Village Visionary Award for his many contributions to protecting and enhancing Estero’s quality of life.
In 2007, Batos founded the Brooks Concerned Citizens to address issues specific to The Brooks, such as the proposed I-75/Coconut Road interchange, large culverts under I-75 draining into Halfway Creek, the Agripartners’ ditch and the proposed site of Edison Farms for the Boston Red Sox stadium.
Batos also served on the south Lee County Hospital Committee, Chairman of the Estero Community Improvement Foundation and Chairman of the South Lee County Committee for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.
He became a full time resident of Shadow Wood at The Brooks in 2002 where he served on the Shadow Wood Country Club member’s board and on the Shadow Wood Home Owners Association Representatives group.
Batos worked in the hospitality industry in New York City for 38 years and spent the majority of his career as (1) Vice President of Food and Beverage operations for the 6 Helmsley Spear Hotels in Manhattan, (2) General Manager COO of 2 private country clubs in the New York City area, and (3) Instructor of Food and Beverage Courses for career development for Michigan University (Kellogg Institute).
He also served on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Museum in New York City.
Stefan Bothe
Stefan Bothe
EMPLOYER:
Founder, Chairman and CEO of Flexi Software
EDUCATION:
California State University - Northridge, Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Finance
Columbia University, MBA
AFFILIATIONS:
- Naples Botanical Garden
- Naples Yacht Club
- The Port Royal Club
- Port Royal Association
- No Barriers USA
- Connecticut Junior Republic
- Connecticut Business and Industry Association
BIO:
Stefan founded Flexi Software in 1992, where he continues to serve as its Chairman and CEO. Before that he worked for Colgate-Palmolive, Hertz, CIT Financial Services, and Computer Associates. He is a director of the Connecticut Junior Republic, which serves at-risk youth in Connecticut. He is also Director Emeritus of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association.
Mr. Bothe is originally from Germany and has resided with his wife Jennie Cheng, a former Board Member of the Conservancy, in Naples since 2000. He is past president of the Port Royal Association and former director and secretary of the Naples Yacht Club.
Mr. Bothe and his wife are avid supporters of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and the Naples Botanical Garden.
William Byrnes
William Byrnes
BUSINESS EXPERIENCE:
- Board of Trustees – Elme Communities
- Chairman of the Board – CapitalSource
- Board of Directors – LoopNet
- CEO - MUTUALdecision
- Board of Directors – La Quinta
- Chairman and Founding Member – BuzzMetrics
- Board of Directors – Security Capital
- Distinguished Professor of Finance – Georgetown
- Managing Director – Alex Brown & Sons
EDUCATION:
- JD – Georgetown University
- MBA – University of Michigan
- BSBA in Finance – Georgetown University
AFFILIATIONS:
- Washington, D.C. Bar
- CFA Society of Naples
PUBLICATIONS:
- Evasive Species (2022) Fiction/Mystery Thriller
- The Banker Spy (2012) Fiction/Mystery Thriller
Barry Frank
Barry Frank
EMPLOYER:
Retired, President of Arrow Pool Service Co.
EDUCATION:
New York University
AFFILIATIONS:
ENVIRONMENTAL/CONSERVATION:
- EPA Advisor for Swimming Pool & Environment in S E Pennsylvania
- Interested in Wildlife Conservation
BIO:
Mr. Frank earned his BA degree at New York University. He was the owner of Home Fuel Oil Co. and Swimming Pool Service and Construction. He has been a member of the Conservancy since 2006. He is married to Susan Regenstein.
Leslie Frécon
Leslie Frécon
EMPLOYMENT:
LFE Capital – Founder, Managing Partner
EDUCATION:
MBA in Finance, UCLA
BA with Distinction, Stanford University
AFFILIATIONS:
- Director, The Forum Club of Southwest Florida
- Director, Peace Coffee, Vita Health, BedJet
- Former Director and Audit Committee Chair, The Ryland Group, NYSE
- Former Trustee, Treasurer, Greater Twin Cities United Way
- Former Trustee, MacPhail Center for Music, Breck School, and the Minnesota Opera
BIO:
Prior to founding LFE Capital, Leslie was Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance for General Mills, a global consumer foods company. Prior to joining General Mills, Leslie was a commercial loan officer with Bank of America in Los Angeles.
Leslie has been coming to Naples for over 40 years, and she and her husband, Alain, are Florida residents. She enjoys golf, boating, travel, and learning about Southwest Florida’s unique and precious environment through her work at the Conservancy. She and Alain have two children and four grandchildren who all love nature.
Linda Harvey Grijalva
Linda Harvey Grijalva
EMPLOYMENT:
Retired Vice President & Legal Counsel for
Mizuho Corporate Bank (NYC),
Associate, Dewey Ballantine (NYC)
EDUCATION:
Columbia Law School, Juris Doctor, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
University of Florida, Bachelor of Arts (Political Science), Phi Beta Kappa
AFFILIATIONS:
- Conservancy of Southwest Florida Environmental Advisory Committee Chair, Governance, and Magic Committee Member
- New York State Bar Association and Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court
- Former Naples Children & Education Foundation Trustee and Grant Committee Member
- Collier’s Reserve County Club Board of Directors Member, Secretary, and Sports & Racquets Committee Chair
- Daughters of the American Revolution (Big Cypress Chapter)
- Mother Cabrini High School, former Trustee, and Finance Committee Chair
- Patron, Central Park Conservancy and New-York Historical Society
BIO:
Linda and her husband, Victor, have been Florida residents since 2013 and spend their summers at their homes in Manhattan and Connecticut. She enjoys tennis,
genealogy, and reading, and she and Victor have taken up golf and enjoy traveling and visiting their four children and five grandchildren. With a black belt in Shotokan
karate, Linda was a USA Karate Federation Senior Women’s National Champion. She is delighted to support the Conservancy’s mission to protect Southwest Florida’s
water, land, and wildlife, and has a special interest in Everglades restoration and environmental policy.
Vanessa von Arx Gilvarg
Vanessa von Arx Gilvarg
Affiliations:
- Olde Westlake Villas Condo Association, served as President 5 years
- Cambier Tennis
- Old Naples Association
- Lilleville Ridge Country Club, North Carolina
After visiting Naples for 30 years, Vanessa and her husband Martin moved from Chicago, becoming full-time Florida residents in 2013. Long-time retired, she worked as a buyer for Brooks Brothers in New York and two regional department store chains based in Richmond, Virginia.
Vanessa is a lifelong nature lover. With a fondness for our national parks system, she has a special appreciation for the unique beauty of the Everglades. She is passionate about responsible development plans, and preserving green space in Collier County. Vanessa and Martin enjoy exploring waterways on their boat, making them keenly aware that improving water quality in our bays and gulf is a top priority. With ties to Virginia, they became initial investors in Ready Reef, a living shoreline project, which promotes clean water and oyster growth in the Chesapeake Bay area.
Vanessa and Martin have been married for 37 years, with two children and one grandchild. Recreational interests include tennis, biking, hiking, boating, reading, and travel. Vanessa and her family spend summer months in the North Carolina mountains, where her favorite activity is hiking to local peaks and waterfalls.
Both Vanessa’s parents, Dolph and Sharon von Arx, served on the Conservancy board and were lead supporters of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital expansion. Vanessa shares their love of animals. With her appointment to the board in 2023, she is committed to continuing their efforts to protect wildlife and our Southwest Florida environment.
Phil Gresh
Phil Gresh
EMPLOYER:
Retired Executive Vice President, Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
EDUCATION/SERVICE:
Penn State University, BA
US Navy – 3 years Active; 8 years Active Reserve, achieving rank of Lieutenant Commander
AFFILIATIONS:
Mr. Gresh was on the Board of Directors of The Duchossois Group, Chicago, IL for 13 years, as lead director of Chamberlain; Chairman of American Profol, Cedar Rapids, IA for 10 years; and spent 5 years on the board of Rensa Air Filtration, an Edgewater company. He is a Board Member of the non-profit Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Naples, FL, and previously served on the Board for 2013-2021. He is a former Chairman of the Ocean Conservancy, Washington, DC. He also previously served as a Board Member of Keep America Beautiful, Stamford, CT, and The Edward Hospital Foundation, Naperville, IL.
BIO:
Phil Gresh retired as an Executive Vice President from Illinois Tool Works, Glenview, IL, in March 2012 and has been coming to or been a resident of Southwest Florida for over 20 years. He was responsible for 110 ITW companies worldwide in the Industrial Packaging (Signode), Foils and Thermal Films business segments of ITW with revenues of $2.0+ billion. Prior to that, he was responsible for 100 ITW businesses of the Consumer Packaging segment. During his time as EVP, his groups acquired 42 companies with revenues in excess of $600 million. Prior to joining ITW, Mr. Gresh held sales and management positions with Continental Can Company for 16 years.
Phil has been married to his wife, Susan, for 51 years. They reside in Estero, Florida, and have two children and four grandchildren.
Bruce Groves
Bruce Groves
EMPLOYMENT:
Emilcott Associates - Retired
EDUCATION:
Lafayette College, BA in Biology
University of Connecticut, MBA
AFFILIATIONS:
- NJ Environmental Business Council
- NJ Chamber of Commerce ( Morris County)
- American Red Cross (NJ)
BIO:
Mr. Groves’ professional career has been in the technical and policy areas of Environmental Affairs and Occupational Health and Safety (EHS). His wife Julie and he recently sold their EHS consulting and technology company, Emilcott Associates, and are now living full-time in Naples, Florida.
Julie and Bruce together have five children and two grandchildren living in Alaska (2), California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Dr. Judith Hushon
Dr. Judith Hushon
EMPLOYMENT:
Retired: Consultant to industry and U.S. and foreign governments for many years on environmental and toxicological problems
EDUCATION:
Graduated from Brown, Harvard and George Washington Universities
AFFILIATIONS:
- Culinary and Hospitality Education Foundation
- Opera Naples
- Trinity by the Cove
- Naples Sailing and Yacht Club
- Brown University Club of SWFL
- Naples Art Association League of Women Voters
- Advisory Council – Commissioner Penny Taylor
- Greater Naples Leadership
BIO:
Judy moved to Southwest Florida 12 years ago and has put her expertise to work to begin to define the nature of the chemical-related water problems, and hopefully, to work toward solutions to reduce them.
She has volunteered over two thousand hours at the Conservancy as a Policy Volunteer. She helps evaluate issues of potential concern and prepared an in-depth study of the risks from local pesticide use. She works as a naturalist on the Good Fortune boat tours and assists with special education events. She has also served on the committee that puts on the Magic Under the Mangroves™ event since its inception.
Dr. Hushon has recently assisted the Conservancy Policy Department in analyzing the potential human and ecological effects of pollutants associated with the Hogan gas recovery well and testified before the Collier County Board of Commissioners.
Dr. Terri Jump
Terri Jump
EDUCATION:
Indiana University- Doctorate of Education (1985)
Post-Doctorate-Administrative Leadership (1987)
BIO:
Dr. Terri Jump is a respected leadership consultant, educator, and thought leader (now retired). During her professional career, she developed and evaluated innovative STEM initiatives, led strategic planning, acquired resources for schools (over $150 million), facilitated leadership training/renewal, and advocated for girls/women in STEMM. She earned a Doctorate degree from Indiana University and has received the highest awards in her profession. As a volunteer, she serves as a boat captain/Florida Master Naturalist on the Good Fortune II for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, where she shares her passion for preserving the Everglades. In her summer Missoula home, she is a Montana Master Naturalist for the MT Natural History Center. Terri was one of 100 global women in STEMM (9 Americans from 33 countries) to be selected as part of Homeward Bound (an international fellowship program culminating in the largest scientific expedition ever to go to Antarctica/2019). For the last three years, she has collaborated with her Australian colleagues to write a children’s book on migration and ocean plastics. Dr. Jump travels the globe seeking sacred places, hikes the Camino de Santiago, and promotes loving nature more.
Katrina Lundmark-Kash
Katrina Lundmark-Kash
EMPLOYMENT: RETIRED
- Owner Canyon Road – Retail Store, New Canaan, CT
- Owner K. Lundmark Design – Interior Design
- Art Teacher Chicago Public Schools
- Motion Picture Set Decorator for Films and TV Commercials
EDUCATION:
- Southern Illinois University, BA – Art Education, Art History
- Columbia College, MFA – Advanced Film Degree
AFFILIATIONS:
- Naples Children’s Educational Foundation – Trustee
- NCEF Grant Committee Member
- Naples Yacht Club
- Naples Botanical Gardens
- Pelican Bay Tennis Club
- Pelican Marsh Tennis Club
- Bay Colony Association
- Lincoln Park Tennis Club – Chicago
BIO:
Katrina and her husband Rick spend their time in Naples and Chicago. They became full-time residents of Naples in 2015 and spend the summers in Chicago and traveling. She is an avid tennis player, bike rider, and amateur wildlife photographer.
Katrina has an extensive art background which included owning a Gallery/Boutique in New Canaan, CT, working as a Set Decorator in Film and Photography, and as an art teacher working with underprivileged and at-risk youth in Chicago. Here in Naples, Katrina is proud to be a Trustee of Naples Children’s Education Foundation and a member of the Grant Committee. Katrina was very active in the Equestrian Community in Barrington Hills, IL, and part of the Save Five Acres group that successfully defeated a National Land Developer from breaking the existing five-acre zoning.
Katrina and Rick travel the world and Katrina’s favorite place on earth to visit is Africa!
Jon Kukk
Jon Kukk
EMPLOYMENT:
Kukk Architecture & Design, P.A.
EDUCATION:
Cornell University
AFFILIATIONS:
- American Institute of Architects (AIA)
- Bonefish Tarpon Trust (BTT)
- Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) - Life Member
- CBIA - City of Naples Government Affairs Council
- Naples Gulfshore Sunset Rotary
- Naples Historical Society (NHS), Board Member
- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
BIO:
Jon is of Estonian descent, born and raised in Ohio. He attended Cornell University, where he obtained his architectural degree in 1991. He moved directly to Naples, Florida, and in 2001 founded Kukk Architecture and Design, P.A. with his sister.
He has served numerous positions in the American Institute of Architects at both the local and state level, including AIA Florida SW chapter president and state director. Jon was a founding member and chairman of the City of Naples Design Review Board, where he served two terms and helped craft the City ordinance that still governs local commercial design today. He is an active volunteering member of Rotary, the CBIA, the Naples Historical Society, and of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida through the RedSnook Fishing Tournament. He is primarily focused on water quality issues and guiding the Conservancy’s long-range planning and future campus expansions.
Jon enjoys architecture, travel, numismatics, and especially fly fishing. Julie, his wife, is a Naples native, and together, they enjoy raising their two children in this tropical paradise.
Paul Myerson
Paul Myerson
Paul is a retired finance executive having spent most of his career at GE and GE Capital. He and his wife Giselle have been in Naples since 2017 and split their time between Naples and Westport Connecticut. Paul earned a BA in biology from Princeton University and MBA in finance at Columbia University. In Connecticut, Paul was on the board of a public charter school serving inner‐city youth in Bridgeport, and volunteered for many years as a board member and treasurer of his homeowner’s association and as a governor at Cedar Point Yacht Club in Westport.
Since moving to Naples, he has volunteered his time in several local agencies including St Matthew’s House, Champions For Learning, and Habitat For Humanity. Paul is a member of Class 26 in the Greater Naples Leadership program and has taken on the role of Class Representative. He plays the French horn in the Naples and Westport concert bands. His love of the Conservancy is partly due to accompanying Ian Bartoszek and Ian Easterling on a python hunt.
Nicholas G. Penniman IV
Nicholas G. Penniman IV
EMPLOYER: RETIRED
Publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Senior Vice President of Newspaper Operations for Pulitzer Publishing Company
EDUCATION:
- Princeton University
- Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania
- Washington University St. Louis, M.A.
ENVIRONMENTAL/CONSERVATION:
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Board Chair
- Everglades Foundation, Trustee
- Past Chair of American Rivers
- Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Chair Emeritus
- Collier County Growth Management Oversight Committee, Vice-Chair
BIO:
Nicolas G. Penniman IV retired in 1999 as publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and as senior vice president of newspaper operations for Pulitzer Publishing Company, responsible for 22 other daily newspapers from Hawaii to Vermont.
Penniman has been deeply involved in environmental advocacy. He is a former member of both the Coastal Advisory Committee and the Environmental Advisory Committee for the county.
His first book, Nature’s Steward: A History of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, was published in 2014.
Married for 50 years, he and his wife, Linda, have two children and five grandchildren. They reside in Naples.
Ric Phillips
Ric Phillips
EDUCATION:
Harvard Business School, Advanced Course in Conflict Resolution and Negotiation, 2000
Boston University, Graduate School of Management, MBA, 1983
Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Architecture, B, Arch, 1970
CAREER HISTORY:
Capital Group Companies, The American Funds 1992-2010
Senior Vice President
Responsibilities:
- Managed Strategic Relationships between the Capital Group and key broker/dealers including: UBS, Morgan Stanley, Metlife, Northwestern Mutual, etc.
- Managed legal, prospectus, marketing and financial issues
- Represented the company in testimony before NASD (now FINRA), SEC, CA AG
JMB Realty 1982-1992
Senior Vice President
Responsibilities:
- Managed, hired, trained a staff of real estate syndication professionals charged with training registered representatives in complex financial instruments
HE Witten Associates 1979-1982
President
- Asked to take over a failing engineering firm to return it to profitability and potential sale
- Developed a strategic course focused on large industrial clients with smaller engineering needs
- Achieved profitability within 12 months
- Realized the goal of sale of company
Registered Architect
10 year career as an architect for various firms in the Boston area
Responsibilities:
- Design, development, permitting and construction management of various commercial projects including schools, office buildings, retail and housing.
CIVIC AFFILIATIONS
City of Naples Planning Advisory Board
Conservancy of Southwest Florida
- Environmental Action Committee
League of Women Voters
- Government Committee
- Environment Committee
Commanderie de Bordeaux
- Caviste (Wine Cellar Master)
Naples Discussion Group
- Executive Committee
Greater Naples Leadership
- Member of Class XVII
- Nominating Committee for Distinguished Leadership Award
B’Nai B’rith Housing New England
- Developer/Manager of family and senior affordable housing
- Past Board Vice President
- Chaired Finance Committee
- Management Committee
- New Projects Committee
Nanette Rivera
Nanette Rivera
EMPLOYMENT:
Retired: Managing Partner (2008-Present)
- Merton Partners, LLC; Operations Excellence Consulting
Employed: Pharmaceutical Industry (1980-2008) - Abbott Labs; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Johnson & Johnson; Shire Pharmaceuticals: Manufacturing, Sales Operations, Research & Development
EDUCATION:
MBA - University of Chicago, Booth School of Business – Finance, 1987
BS – Georgia Institute of Technology – Industrial Engineering, 1980
AFFILIATIONS:
- Board - Big Cypress Basin: Governor DeSantis appointment
- Vice-Chair - Planning Board City of Marco Island
- Ranger - Calusa Waterkeeper
- Member - Marco Island Columbiette: Woman’s Catholic Civic Assoc.
- Certified Crew - US Coast Guard Auxiliary – Marco Island
- Chair – Lunch Events: Marco Island - US Sail & Power Squadron
BIO:
Nanette and her husband, Gene Wordehoff, live and have owned on Marco Island since 1999.
Global Pharmaceutical Industry 40-year Career:
- Engineer to Corporate VP Supply Chain Strategy – specialized in Global Supply Chain restructuring
- Head of Strategy for Oncology Division – product portfolio divestiture and investment re-alignment for new technologies
- Global head of Integration Office for Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) - led the integration of DuPont Pharma acquisition into BMS
- Managing Partner - Pharmaceutical Operations Management Consulting Practice - specialized in Restructurings, Off-shoring Operations, Consolidations and Optimizations of Plants & Divisions.
Nanette is bilingual in English & Spanish. Her father was an executive for an American multinational, which led her to live & study in Central & South America. She graduated from High School in Atlanta after completing her junior year in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Current Environmental/Restoration Interest:
Nanette and her husband share a passion to study and understand what has led to the decline of the waterbody health in Marco Island. They focus on science and fact-based analysis using water-sample data to identify the root point-sources of excess nutrients. Nanette hopes their learnings will lead her to influence environmental policy in the State of Florida.
Penny Taylor
Penny Taylor
Penny Taylor has been a full-time resident of Naples Since 1979. She worked as a photographer for the Naples Daily News for one year and then established her photography Studio serving the public of Collier County.
In 2000, she was elected to the Naples City Council and served for 10 years on that board, including two years as Vice-Mayor. In 2014, she was elected to the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County and served eight Years as District 4 Commissioner.
During her time on the commission, Taylor served as the Collier County representative for the County Coalition for Responsible Management of Lake Okeechobee, the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Estuaries and was appointed the Collier County representative of the Florida Association of Counties Water and Environmental Sustainability Policy Committee. She was also Chair of the BCC during 2017 when the red tide outbreak in Gulf of Mexico made headlines across the world.
Taylor is a strong and active advocate of the environment, and especially the environmental impact over-development has on our community.
Tom Watkins
Tom Watkins
EDUCATION:
William & Mary, B.A. Accounting
University of Chicago Booth School of Business M.B.A.
AFFILIATIONS:
Board of Visitors, William & Mary
Board of Directors, Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Member, Royal Poinciana Golf Club
BIO:
Tom and his wife, Wendy, have been visiting Naples and Southwest Florida since the early 1990s and became Florida residents in 2016.
A former pharmaceutical and biotechnology company executive, Tom now serves on several corporate and non-profit boards. He and Wendy are strong supporters of the Conservancy’s mission.
They are particularly passionate about the challenges of ensuring clean water for all of the residents of Southwest Florida and the related issue of controlling the growth of development in our surrounding areas.
Tom and Wendy divide their time between Naples, Lake Forest, Illinois, and West Virginia.
Roger Weston
Roger Weston
Roger L. Weston was born on March 2, 1943 in Waukegan, Illinois, United States.
Roger holds a Bachelor of Science from MacMurray College (1965) and a Master of Business Administration, Washington University, St. Louis (1967).
Roger served as the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of GreatBanc, Inc. from 1986 – 2006. He currently serves as a Director of numerous public and private companies.
Career Highlights:
- Investment Adviser: Harris Trust & Savings Bank, Chicago, 1967-1969
- Senior Investment Counselor: Security Suprs., Chicago, 1969-1970
- General Partner: Sierra Capital Group, Chicago, 1970-1985
- Executive Vice President, Treasurer, Chief Finance Officer: Telemed Corporation, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, 1971-1979
- Vice Chairman: Bank Lincolnwood, Illinois, 1979-1985
- President, Chief Executive Officer: GSC Enterprises, Lincolnwood, 1979-1985
- Chairman, Board of Directors, President, Chief Executive Officer: GreatBanc, Inc., Aurora, Illinois, 1986-2006
- Roger sold GreatBanc, Inc. in 2006
Conservancy Support
- Roger and his wife Pam have supported the Conservancy though Magic Under the Mangroves in 2019 and 2020.
- Roger has participated in three separate python necropsies since being introduced to the work of the python team last year. He is very hands-on
- Roger's sister Cynthia has been involved with the Conservancy since 2015 as a donor and since 2016 as a Development Committee member. She is also on the Magic Committee.
Points of Interest
- Roger is an avid fisherman and when in Naples fishes nearly every day.
- In 2009 Roger Weston became a life trustee of the Art Institute of Chicago, collects Asian art, and has donated many pieces to the museum. The Roger L. and Pamela Weston Wing and Japanese Art Galleries, which opened at the museum in 2010, displays many of those pieces.
The Weston Foundation
The Weston Foundation is a Chicago-based private charitable trust established in 2007 by Roger L. Weston and is governed by a small trustee board that designates over 50 grants/yr ranging $500 – $10,000 in size. The Weston Foundation was created with the following mission: "to promote the greatest good, with a particular emphasis on helping children, animal welfare, and the environment."
