Junior Achievement names 23-24 Board of Directors

FORT MYERS, Fla. (August 02, 2023) – Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida (JA SWFL) is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Board of Directors for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The team of accomplished and dedicated community individuals, led by Chairman Jeff Fusco of First Citizens Bank, will work to drive the organization forward in its mission to empower the youth of Southwest Florida to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices.

“Connecting with the kids in our community through active involvement in their education will shape tomorrow’s leaders in Southwest Florida and beyond, fostering a brighter future for all,” said Jeff Fusco. “It’s an honor to begin my third term as Board Chair. I’ve enjoyed almost 20 years of volunteering and teaching lessons in financial literacy to kids in every grade level from kindergarten to 12th grade. JA is absolutely vital for the children and the sustainability of employment in our community.”

Joining Fusco on the Executive Committee are the following:

Vice Chair Jason Brewer – Southwest Florida Market President, Seacoast Bank;
Treasurer Tom Pitser – Vice President & PIM Manager, Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc.;
Secretary Suzanne Specht – Small Business Consultant, FSBDC at FGCU; and
Earnest Wilks – SVP, Market Executive, Regions Bank.

Other members of the Board of Directors include a diverse group of educators, business leaders, and community advocates:

Carlos Artime – Executive Director, Teaching & Learning, Collier County Public Schools;
Jason Duke – Senior Vice President, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management;
Nancy Korista – VP of Human Resources, Klocke of America, Inc.;
Benjamin Levene – Managing Partner, Center Pharmacy;
Ryan Mitchell – Sr. Director of Brand & Partnerships, Hertz;
Mathew L. Sheep, Ph.D. – Associate Dean and Professor of Management, Lutgert College of Business, FGCU;
Sandy Stilwell-Youngquist – Owner, Stilwell Enterprises and Restaurant Group;
Andy Buschle – Senior Vice President, Bank of America;
Gary Tasman – CEO/Principal Broker, Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Property SWFL;
Curt Todd – SVP, Wealth Advisor, Wells Fargo;
Michael Traficante – Shareholder, Gunster; and
Mona Zielke – SVP, Voya Financial.

Angela Fisher, CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, expressed her enthusiasm for the organization’s mission and the opportunities that lie ahead, “With a solid foundation and passionate team, we are poised to continue making a lasting impact on the lives of young individuals here in Southwest Florida. I believe that by empowering students with financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and workforce readiness skills, we can shape a generation of confident and capable leaders ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow.”

JA remains committed to providing young people with the necessary tools to thrive in an ever-changing world. The organization’s interactive, hands-on programs will continue to inspire students to dream big and reach their full potential.

For more information on Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, visit www.JASWFL.org, call 239-225-2590 or email info@jaswfl.org.

About Junior Achievement USA®

Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches more than 2.5 million students per year in 104 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.2 million students served by operations in 100 other countries worldwide. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. For more information, visit www.ja.org.

Locally, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida partnered with classroom business volunteers during the 2022-2023 school year to provide nearly 160,700 hours of instruction to nearly 12,260 students throughout Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties. For more information on Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, visit www.JASWFL.org, call 239-225-2590 or email info@jaswfl.org.

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