The Florida Bar Foundation is seeking eight applicants for its board of directors for terms starting July 2009 under the Florida Supreme Court approved governance plan. The plan calls for 18 members of the Bar Foundation board to be selected equally by the Florida Supreme Court, The Florida Bar Board of Governors and the Bar Foundation Board of Directors. Applicants for the at-large positions who are members of The Florida Bar also must be members of the Bar Foundation at the beginning of their term in office. Bar Foundation members include annual contributors, foundation fellows, and participants in IOTA.
Six of the 18 at-large seats will be filled for three-year terms beginning July 1. The positions currently are held by: Paul J. Schwiep, Miami; L. Christian Marlin, Miami (Florida Supreme Court appointees); Michael J. Faehner, St. Petersburg; George F. Knox, Miami (Florida Bar Board of Governors appointees); Robert N. Clarke Jr., Tallahassee; Donna M. Krusbe, West Palm Beach (foundation appointees). All six are eligible for an additional term. Applicants for the at-large positions must be members of the Bar Foundation. Bar Foundation members include annual contributors, foundation fellows, and participants in IOTA.
The Foundation also is seeking public members for the board. Two of the public member seats currently are held by Maria E. Henderson, Tallahassee, and Royce B. Walden, Orlando. Both Henderson and Walden are not eligible to serve another term. A joint Bar/Foundation Nominating Committee will consider public member applications. The board must have at least two public members and may include up to four.
Since 1981, the Foundation’s board has been the administrator of the Florida Supreme Court’s IOTA Program. The Foundation board also oversees the Foundation’s formal fundraising program, sets investment policies and foundation policies generally, and adopts the annual operating budget.
Applications for positions to be filled by the Supreme Court and the foundation (at-large seats), or the joint Bar/Foundation Nominating Committee (public member seats) may be obtained from the executive director of The Florida Bar Foundation, P.O. Box 1553, Orlando 32802-1553, or downloaded from the Foundation’s Web site. Completed applications for these seats must be received by the Foundation by Feb. 10. 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, women 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 31 of action taken by the selecting authorities.
— Courtesy Florida Bar News