Past Presidents

As is so often the case, movers and shakers like to be moving and shaking. It's sometimes hard to keep track of them. But we tried. Some of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce's former leaders have corporate roots sunk so deep into western soil that it's hard to think of the area without them. And most of those who worked so hard in the early years have continued to make the western communities their home, but not all. Two have died; several have left the area. But for those who are still here, their work continues.

The Early Years - Mike Abate, now deceased, was the Palms West Chamber of Commerce's initial guiding force, serving as president from 1984 through 1986. Abate was a visionary who set both the tone and the standards for what is now one of the most successful business organizations in the state. Marge Isadore, president in 1987, and Jerry Flanders, president in 1988, also worked to guide the chamber in those formative years. It was a huge responsibility, but one accepted with gusto. Unfortunately, we were not able to locate either of these hardworking pioneers for this special look back in history. 

MICHAEL PARENTI (1989) - With a successful branch of his original Omni Interiors operating in Arizona, Parenti kept busy with consulting work as well. He was in Las Vegas designing carpeting for the Bellagio Resort when reached for this story. Sadly, he died a short time later, on May 22, 2007. He will be missed. 

MARK MILES (1990) - With Miles Construction and Wellington Remodeling still operating out of Wellington Commerce Park off Pierson Road, Miles has been joined in business by his now 29-year-old son Matthew. His second son Brad is a Super Hornet pilot for the U.S. Navy, currently stationed on an aircraft carrier in the Atlantic. 

WANDA SMITH (1991) - Having sold much of Wellington's acreage in her role as a Realtor, Smith continues with the Re/Max Direct office located in the Town Square shopping plaza on Forest Hill Blvd. Her name has become almost synonymous with Re/Max in Wellington. 

DENNIS WITKOWSKI (1992) - Following the sale of Cobblestones, Witkowski worked for a bit with the financial firm Morgan Stanley, then went on to open the highly successful JJ Muggs Stadium Grille in Abacoa. He and his family continue to live in Wellington, where Witkowski continues to sponsor local events and to volunteer his expertise at the chamber's holiday parade. 

DR. JERRY SELTZER (1993) - No longer practicing as a chiropractor, Seltzer has been "on the road" from Memphis to Miami for the last 11 years as regional sales director for the cancer pharmaceutical company Cytogen. Although he is traveling "75 percent of the time," he and his family continue to live in Wellington. 

DR. BRENDA MONTGOMERY (1994) - The first principal of Royal Palm Beach High School, Montgomery is now assistant to the Palm Beach County School Superintendent. Something else changed, too - she is now Dr. Brenda Magee. 

DAVE LELAND (1995) - Together with his wife Kim, Dave continues to operate the award-winning printing and marketing company Print-It Plus in the Willows Plaza on Okeechobee Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. Firstborn daughter Katie, an honors grad of Georgia Tech, works for an IT consulting firm as project manager. Second-born daughter Kayla just graduated from Boston University with honors and is currently employed at a West Palm Beach law firm as a case manager and will apply to law school in 2008. Son Dallas, 13, is still playing football.

RICK BECKMAN (1996) - Formerly the national sales representative for the Palm Beach Post, Rick now works as hotel and hospital partnership manager for the Miami Herald. The Beckmans' daughter Ginny had a baby in the spring and son David just completed law school at the University of Florida. 

JOHN LACY (1997) - Always involved in financial services, Lacy continues to work for Merrill Lynch, although his offices these days are on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach. 

DINORAH SHOBEN (1998) - Having been with the same bank for 26 years, Shoben is now a vice president with Wachovia, where she heads up nine financial centers, all located in the western zones of Palm Beach County. 

JUDY ARENZ (1999) - Over the years, the chamber hasn't lost many members to Boca Raton, but it did lose Arenz, who now works there for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Insurance. Of course, she still calls Wellington home. 

JESS SANTAMARIA (2000) - A successful businessman and builder/developer of homes and commercial properties with an extensive background of helping the less fortunate, Santamaria took home an easy victory in the last Palm Beach County election, winning the District 6 seat. His "town meetings," held in his "original" Wellington Mall, give west-area residents a chance to speak out about county issues that concern them. Together with his wife Victoria, Jess continues to live in Royal Palm Beach. 

BOB RICHARDSON (2001) - Richardson retired from Bank of America in 2006 and is a licensed real estate agent for Exit Realty Neighbors, selling properties in Royal Palm Beach, Belle Glade, Greenacres and West Palm Beach. Real estate is a profession in which Richardson has been involved (at least on a part-time basis) for the past 14 years. He and his wife continue to live in Belle Glade.

BURT SMITH (2002) - Smith continues with his namesake company, H. Burton Smith Engineering. He maintains his chamber involvement through committee work and event support. 

HEATHER ROHAN (2003) - Formerly the CEO of Palms West Hospital, Rohan was recently inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. She is currently the CEO of Aventura Hospital in Miami-Dade County. 

MICHAEL SEXTON (2004) - Sexton is busy as ever in the west at the helm of Sexton Engineering. He is also active on the Building Committee, working to execute a 2008 groundbreaking for the new chamber facility. 

DORIAN ZIMMER (2005) - Coming to the chamber as marketing director for the Mall at Wellington Green, Zimmer's enthusiasm and can-do attitude recently won her a promotion to become the mall's new general manager. 

SILVIA C. GARCIA (2006) - As founder and president of her own small business, Insurance For You, Garcia has made quite an impact on the west, both through her community involvement and through an advertising campaign in the Palm Beach Post in which her testimonial and photo appears on billboards, at malls and in full-page ads throughout South Florida. 

JOANNA BOYNTON (2007) - Together with husband Ben, Joanna owns Boynton Financial Group and the branch of Raymond James Financial Services on South Shore Boulevard. in Wellington. As immediate Past President of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce, it wasn't much of a challenge to discover where she is now. What does the future hold for her? Only time will tell, but you can bet she'll be firmly rooted in the Palms West area.

The service-minded community volunteers who led the Palms West Chamber of Commerce through its first 25 years will most certainly be followed by an equally impressive set of leaders during the next 25 years.

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