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FIVE COMMUNITY LEADERS JOIN 90.7 WMFE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

FIVE COMMUNITY LEADERS JOIN 90.7 WMFE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

New appointees are Isaac Lidsky, Chris McDirmit, CPA, Reginald B. Riley, Ph.D., S. Michael Scheeringa and Mike Thompson; 2017 chair and vice chair are Peter C. Barr, Jr., and Robert B. White, Jr.

ORLANDO — The 90.7 WMFE Board of Trustees welcomed five new members on Jan. 1: Isaac Lidsky, author and entrepreneur; Chris McDirmit, CPA, partner, Berman Hopkins Wright & LaHam CPAs and Associates, LLP; Reginald B. Riley, Ph.D., community relations manager, Orlando Health; S. Michael Scheeringa, managing director, SAR Trilogy Management, LLC; Mike Thompson, senior vice president, Adventist Health System.

“We feared that we would experience a brain drain with the number of trustees rolling off the board in 2016,” said LaFontaine E. Oliver, president and general manager of 90.7 WMFE, “but we were fortunate to get an unusually large incoming class who not only fill our strategic needs but have diverse skills and backgrounds to continue to shape our organization and move us forward.”

Isaac Lidsky, author of "Eyes Wide Open," “may possess the most eclectic resume in business,” Inc. reported. Series regular “Weasel” on Saved by the Bell: The New Class, he graduated from Harvard College at 19 (cum laude) and from Harvard Law School (magna cum laude); served as a Supreme Court law Clerk (to two justices); was a Justice Department litigator (undefeated); founded a tech startup (sold for $230 million); turned a failing construction subcontractor into a highly profitable construction services company (10 times larger); and founded Hope for Vision, a nonprofit that funds the development of treatments and cures for blinding diseases.

Chris McDirmit, CPA, serves as partner in charge of the Orlando office of Berman Hopkins Wright & LaHam CPAs and Associates, LLP. Chris is an Orlando native who is actively involved in the community serving on the Downtown Orlando Partnership and the Commercial Finance Association boards. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and an MBA from the University of Central Florida and is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Orlando. Chris lives in downtown Orlando with his fiancé, Adrianna.

Reginald B. Riley, Ph.D., joined Orlando Health in 2011 after relocating from his hometown of Atlanta. Reginald’s health care career began in 1998 and includes work as a licensed clinical social worker, psychiatric and emergency room social worker, clinical care coordinator, leadership roles in social services administration, university professor and work as a private practice psychotherapist specializing in relationships and mental health/substance abuse counseling. Reginald holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling (PhD), a Master of Science in Clinical Social Work (MSW), a Master of Science in Human Services (MS) and a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation (BS).

Michael Scheeringa is a founding member of SAR Trilogy Management LLC (SAR-T), and H&S Capital Group, LLC (H&S). SAR-T is an aviation focused investment company. H&S is a technology focused investment company. Until May 2015, Michael was the President and Chief Executive Officer of BBA Aviation’s Flight Support division. Michael’s background includes commercial and general aviation. He earned a degree in transportation and logistics management from Arizona State University. He serves as the governor of Florida’s appointee to the Central Florida Expressway Authority.

Mike Thompson has served as senior vice president and administrator of Florida Hospital East Orlando, part of the Adventist Health System, since March 2011. He is responsible for all aspects of assets in the East Orlando market from south of Oviedo to Lake Nona including operations of the 295-bed community hospital seeing 122,000 emergency room patients every year. “He is specifically focused on caring for the Health of the East Orlando community with Excellence in a way that will help our communities be more whole."

The new trustees were elected at the Nov. 30 Board meeting and their initial one-year terms began Jan. 1. Their first Board meeting is March 1 at WMFE.

“As chair of the Board of Trustees, I am thrilled to welcome this group of five new trustees. Each bring strong skills and a passion for our community that will strengthen the board and outstanding staff," said Peter C. Barr, Jr., 2017 Board Chair and president and CEO of &Barr.

Reelected to their leadership roles for a second year are Board Chair Barr, Vice Chair Robert B. White, Jr., president of White & Luczak, P.A., and Immediate Past Chair Julia L. Frey, shareholder/partner at Lowndes Drosdick Doster Kantor & Reed, PA.

Visit wmfe.org/about/officers-board for a complete list of the 2017 Board of Trustees.

ABOUT 90.7 WMFE: 90.7 WMFE is a non-profit, member-supported, community-based public broadcasting company that operates 90.7 WMFE-FM, metro Orlando’s primary provider of NPR programming; and 90.7-2 Classical. Part of the community since 1980, WMFE focuses on providing quality national and local news and programming. Visit wmfe.org to learn more.

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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Jenny Babcock at 407-273-2300 ext. 112 or email at jbabcock@wmfe.org.