13 minute read
Local Legends
NANCY G. BRINKER
Co-Founder The Promise Fund
Brinker began her journey with a promise to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything possible to end the pain and hopelessness caused by breast cancer. In one generation, the organization that bears Susan’s name has changed the world. In 2010, Brinker released her New York Times best-selling memoir, Promise Me, an inspirational story of transformation from bereaved sister to the leader of the ongoing international movement to end breast cancer. From 2001 to 2003, Brinker served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary and served as U.S. Chief of Protocol from 2007 to 2009. In 2018, Brinker spearheaded the creation of The Promise Fund of Florida, a nonprofitorganization whose mission is to improve the outcomes and reduce deaths from breast and cervical cancers in South Florida.
HOMETOWN: Peoria, Illinois
EDUCATION: University of Illinois
ACCOLADES: For her work on breast cancer research, Time magazine named Brinker to its list of the 100
Most Influential eople in the World. Calling her, “a catalyst to ease suffering in the world,” President Barack
Obama honored Brinker with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor in 2009.
Nominating Brinker to be U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, President George W. Bush said, “Nancy Brinker is a
committed community leader whose efforts in the United States and around the world to raise breast cancer
awareness have saved countless lives.”
FAVORITE LOCAL SPOTS: Club Colette, The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, The
New World Symphony in Miami
GUILTY PLEASURE: Chocolate
MEMORABLE WORKPLACE EXPERIENCE: We were waiting for the donated mammography machine to be
delivered to our Promise Fund Screening Center and we were so excited. When it finally arried, I wanted to
jump on the truck and unload it myself! Women were smiling and crying with joy in the waiting room. We have
now screened, educated, and helped over 10,000 women in South Florida.
FAVORITE QUOTE: “I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done.” –Marie Curie
SOMETHING FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT HER: I had signifiant learning challenges—dyslexia—that
were never clearly diagnosed throughout my education.
SECRET TO HER SUCCESS: If I am considered successful, I would say the secret to that is persistence.
BILL BONE
Trial Lawyer, Managing Partner Larmoyeux & Bone
As a board-certifiedtrial lawyer, Bone has obtained jury verdicts and settlements of more than $100 million for his clients. As a native-born, lifetime Palm Beach County resident and a dedicated volunteer, he frequently holds leadership roles in local nonprofitorganizations and often shares his gift of public speaking with audiences. Bill Bone is listed in the book Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers calls him one of the best in his field,and Martindale-Hubbell gives him the highest accolades for legal ability and ethics.
EDUCATION: University of Florida
FAVORITE QUOTE: “Never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense.” –Winston
Churchill
GOOD SPORT: Although he’s competed in more than 100 triathlons and individual running,
cycling, and swimming events, he’s never won a race.
WORLD TRAVELER: He’s visited six of the seven continents and toured nearly 100 countries.
HOBBIES: He loves live theater and attends the Tony Awards every year.
FAMILY MAN: He has four college-age children who poke fun at him on Instagram, and a
Rhodesian Ridgeback named Buddha who thinks he’s terrifi.
DAVE FRISBIE
Founder, Senior Director Frisbie Group
As a Vice President of Hines Interests during the 1980s, Frisbie managed downtown revitalization projects including I. M. Pei’s JP Morgan Chase Tower (the tallest 5-sided building in the world), Cesar Pelli’s Wells Fargo Center, and Philip Johnson’s One Detroit Center (the tallest officebuilding in Michigan). He has been instrumental in the redevelopment of downtown West Palm Beach, including the 1 and 101 North Clematis mixed-use complex on the Waterfront. The Palm Beach Post included Dave in its list of the 20th Century’s 100 most influential leaders for his fi ’s revitalization of the Clematis Street Corridor.
HOMETOWN: Palm Beach
EDUCATION: University of Virginia (B), Harvard University (M)
PERSONAL MOTTO: If you’re not early, you’re late!
HOBBIES: Fishing, traveling, and spending time with family in all our favorite places
MOST IMPORTANT LESSON LEARNED (SO FAR): Always leave things in better shape than
when you found them.
SECRET TO HIS SUCCESS: Surrounding myself with loving family and pursuing a passion that
they, too, enjoy.
GEORGE ELMORE
Founder, President Hardrives of Delray
As South Florida grew, the roads and highways grew along with it. In 1953, Elmore founded Hardrives Paving, responsible for constructing much of I-95 and many of the area’s major thoroughfares. Along with partners, the company also developed major residential and golf course communities. For more than 60 years, Elmore has committed his time to civic, educational, and cultural organizations and has served on more than 30 boards, leading him to be honored numerous times for his leadership, community involvement, and philanthropic impact in Palm Beach County.
HOMETOWN: New Castle, Pennsylvania
INSPIRED BY: Dr. Glen Creech, the second president of FAU. He gave me confidene to be a
community leader.
FAVORITE LOCAL SPOT: The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
FURRY FRIEND: A Biewer Terrier named Cooper
SOMETHING FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT HIM: He rides motorcycles.
FAVORITE RESTAURANT: Café L’Europe in Palm Beach
WHO WOULD PLAY HIM IN A BIOPIC: Charlton Heston
MELISSA GANZI
President, Owner Grand Champions Polo Club
One of the nation’s top amateur woman polo players, Ganzi is team captain of Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. She co-founded the World Polo League, the only 26-goal polo held outside of Argentina. Ganzi was the firt woman to win the Monty Waterbury Cup at Saratoga Polo Club in 2001. She is one of only a few women in the world to compete in the C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup, and U.S. Open. She was the firt woman to win the coveted Molina Cup at the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships, the most attended polo event (14,000 fans) in the country, which she has won an unprecedented five times
HOMETOWN: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
FAVORITE QUOTE: “A polo handicap is your passport to the world.”—Sir Winston Churchill
ROYAL CONNECTIONS: She has played with several members of royalty including Prince
Harry and his Sentebale Charity.
TOUGHEST CHALLENGE FACED: Breast cancer WHO WOULD PLAY HER IN A BIOPIC: Charlize Theron
TOP OF HER BUCKET LIST: Playing Polo in Red Square
DALE HEDRICK
CEO Hedrick Brothers Construction
Hedrick is the CEO of Hedrick Brothers Construction, a privately owned company he founded in 1979. Headquartered in West Palm Beach with officesin Melbourne and Pompano Beach, it serves both the public and private sectors encompassing commercial, aerospace, municipal, hospitality, and education construction, with a dedicated division for luxury residential and equestrian estates. He is also the President of Pembroke Student Housing, and co-founder and president of Hedrick Kirco Properties, a Florida-based commercial real estate organization.
HOMETOWN: West Palm Beach
HOBBIES: Boating, fishing clay shooting, hunting, and snow skiing
SECRET TO HIS SUCCESS: Surrounding yourself with honest and talented people
GUILTY PLEASURE: Listening to political, family, and business podcasts
MOST IMPORTANT LESSON LEARNED (SO FAR): Always look for fruit; if you don’t see it,
cut your losses and move on.
PERSONAL MOTTO: Tell the truth.
PROFESSIONAL ACCOLADE: Inducted into the M.E. Rinker Sr. School of Construction
Management Construction Hall of Fame
PAUL LEONE
CEO The Breakers Palm Beach, Inc.
From a certifiedpublic accountant to a world-class hotelier, Leone has been credited with engineering the turnaround of one of the world’s most iconic resorts. By creating a unique organizational culture for the 125-year old company and its 1,900 associates, he has achieved best-in-class employee satisfaction, guest satisfaction, social impact, and financialperformance. After joining The Breakers Palm Beach, Inc. in 1985, Leone progressed through its financial division to executive leadership, becoming President in 1994 and CEO in 2016.
FIRST JOB: Certified ublic Accountant at Coopers & Lybrand in Louisville, Kentucky
PERSONAL MOTTO: Focus on faith, family, and fitnss every day!
SECRET TO HIS SUCCESS: Servant leadership—my team knows I’m here to serve, not to be
served; I walk the talk and my team recognizes that their well-being and satisfaction are my top
priorities—my primary job as a leader is to help others succeed.
ADVICE FOR SOMEONE STARTING OUT (OR STARTING OVER): You’re not looking for a
job, you’re looking for a company with a great culture and great people.
FAVORITE LOCAL SPOTS: Besides all of The Breakers restaurants, Renato’s on Worth Avenue
WHO WOULD PLAY HIM IN A BIOPIC: I have no idea; gotta have a mustache though!
MICHAEL HOFFMAN
President, CEO Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County
Hoffman’s mission is to transform the Palm Beaches into one of the most vibrant Jewish communities anywhere. Since joining Jewish Palm Beach in 2015 after more than two decades in the Jewish Federation system, Hoffman has repositioned Federation’s efforts to strengthen collaborative partnerships with agencies, synagogues, and other institutions, while bolstering initiatives to inspire current and future leaders to increase community and philanthropic involvement.
FAVORITE QUOTE: “Anyone who does not believe in miracles is not a realist.” –David
Ben-Gurion, fist Prime Minister of Israel
PERSONAL MOTTO: One person can make a difference. Two people can change a world.
HIDDEN TALENT: Singer and guitar player. My former band had over 1.5 million YouTube hits.
WHO WOULD PLAY HIM IN A BIOPIC: While I would love it to be George Clooney or Hugh
Jackman, it would probably be Jerry Seinfeld.
GUILTY PLEASURES: Chocolate and peanut butter. You can also give me a good onion bagel
loaded with scallion cream cheese.
FIRST JOB: Newspaper delivery boy
SECRET TO HIS SUCCESS: My passion for building a strong and vibrant Jewish future
PENNY MURPHY
President Pioneer Linens
Murphy’s grandfather came to Florida at a time when the government was giving land away in Lake Worth in the early 1900s. Murphy’s father, George Greenberg, was born and raised in West Palm Beach. She began working with her father at Pioneer Linens in 1994. During her tenure, she has developed Pioneer’s interior designer programs and launched the fir ’s website and online store. When Greenberg died in 2007, Murphy became the third generation to run the esteemed family business.
HOMETOWN: West Palm Beach
FIRST JOB: Working in the men’s furnishing department at Jackson Byron’s Department Store
CAUSES SHE SUPPORTS: The Historical Society of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach Atlantic
University, Center for Family Services, Executive Women of the Palm Beaches, The Junior
League of the Palm Beaches
TOP OF HER BUCKET LIST: Learn to play croquet WHO WOULD PLAY HER IN A BIOPIC: Bette Midler
FUNNY WORKPLACE EXPERIENCE: We hear some very interesting stories when our
customers are describing what makes a bed comfortable for them!
DROR PALEY
CEO and Director Paley Orthopedic and Spine Institute
Paley, MD, FRCSC, is the founder and director of the Paley Institute in West Palm Beach. He is internationally recognized for his expertise in limb-lengthening and reconstruction. Paley trained under the guidance of Professor Ilizarov of Russia and Professor Debastiani of Italy. In 1986, he introduced the Ilizarov method to the United States and Canada. Since that time, he has performed more than 20,000 limb-lengthening and reconstruction-related procedures. Patients come to his Institute from all 50 states and from more than 80 countries over six continents (North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia).
HOMETOWN: Ottawa, Canada
EDUCATION: University of Toronto
PERSONAL MOTTO: Dream, dare, and do.
GUILTY PLEASURE: Gummy bears SECRET IDENTITY: Han Solo
SOMETHING FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT HIM: I used to be a competitive chess player.
INSPIRED BY: People who change the world with disruptive ideas
AMANDA SCHUMACHER
COO, President, Founder, Entrepreneur Schumacher Auto Group, Tree of Life Foundation International, Schumacher Insurance Group, Tree of Life Resource Center, Tree of Life Designer Store
Depending on the hour of the day, Schumacher is empowering her team as the COO of Schumacher Auto Group, worshiping in Bible study, helping clients protect assets at Schumacher Insurance Group, feeding our community at the Resource Center, designing dream spaces for clients at Tree of Life Designer Store, or heading home—her retreat—to spend time with her husband, Chuck, and their fivechildren. Amanda’s passion for people is the fuel that keeps her moving. She is dedicated to expanding her global philanthropy to build Tree of Life Foundation International Resource Centers throughout the world.
HOMETOWN: Palm Beach
EDUCATION: Pine Manor College
FAVORITE QUOTE: “If you judge people, you will have no time to love them.” –Mother Teresa
TOP OF HER BUCKET LIST: Parachuting out of an airplane
FIRST JOB: Interior designer
MOST IMPORTANT LESSON LEARNED (SO FAR): Forgive and let go to God.
SECRET TO HER SUCCESS: Purpose propels passion. Passion propels power. With
perseverance, it prevails.
LOIS POPE
Founder Leaders in Furthering Education, The Lois Pope Foundation
One of America’s leading philanthropists, Pope works to improve the lives of the voiceless and vulnerable through the three organizations she’s founded: LIFE, The Lois Pope Life Foundation, and the Disabled Veterans’ Life Memorial Foundation. An advocate for veterans, she spearheaded the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the designation of October 5 as a day to honor American Veterans Disabled for Life. She is the driving force behind the Lois Pope LIFE Center at the University of Miami School of Medicine, where the Miami Project/Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis explores research, treatment, and services for paralysis and other neurological diseases.
BEST ADVICE SHE’S RECEIVED: Buy Tesla stock at $75
HIDDEN TALENT: Making an amazing Italian dinner…wait, I mean making reservations at an
amazing Italian restaurant.
WHO WOULD PLAY HER IN A BIOPIC: For the younger me, Amy Adams; for me at my
current age, Amy Adams.
PERSONAL MOTTO: 88 is the new 40.
SECRET TO HER SUCCESS: Friends, dogs, and laughter
JOSEPH “JAY” SHEAROUSE III
Palm Beach County Market President Seacoast Bank
Shearouse, a third-generation Floridian, became president and CEO of the First Bank of the Palm Beaches in 2010. Prior to that, he was the president of National City for Southeast Florida and the executive vice president for Fidelity Federal Bank & Trust, where he worked for more than 28 years. He serves on the board of trustees of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, the board of directors of the Florida Bankers Association, and the board of America’s Community Bankers. He and his wife, Michelle, reside in Jupiter with their two children, Joseph IV and Eric.
EDUCATION: Florida State University
HOBBIES: Hunting, fishing and scuba diving
CAUSES HE SUPPORTS: Vice-chairman on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Palm
Beach County, on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County
JOE WEBB
President Duffy’s Sports Grill
In his two years with Duffy’s, Webb has guided the company through the most challenging times in the history of restaurants, emerging stronger than ever. Duffy’s Sports Grill is Florida’s largest family-owned restaurant group with more than 30 locations. Webb oversees 1,300 employee and 396k MVPers. He focuses his expertise on quality control, brand growth, team culture, profitabiliy, and expansion. Under Webb’s guidance, Duffy’s was recently ranked #219 on the Top 500 highest-grossing restaurant chains in the nation by Restaurant Business Magazine.
HOMETOWN: Dallas, Texas
SPORTS-MINDED: He serves on the Orange Bowl Committee.
GUILTY PLEASURE: Diet Coke and Duffy’s amazing mozzarella sticks
FIRST JOB: Cleaning swimming pools at 12 years old
FAVORITE LOCAL SPOT: Downtown Clematis
SOMETHING FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT HIM: I went to high school with Vanilla Ice.
LONE STAR FAN: I’m a fan of all Dallas Teams.
TOP OF HIS BUCKET LIST: Playing golf at Pebble Beach
SUZY WHALEY
Honorary President Professional Golfers’ Association of America
PGA Honorary President and Master Professional Suzy Whaley is The Country Club at Mirasol’s Director of Instruction. In 2018, Whaley was elected the PGA of America’s firt woman President. She steered the PGA through the pandemic, establishing the Golf Emergency Relief Fund and using CDC and Back2Golf protocols. One of GOLF’s “Top 100 Teachers in America,” Whaley commentates for ESPN. The firt woman to qualify for a PGA Tour event since 1945, Whaley competed in the 2003 Greater Hartford Open.
EDUCATION: University of North Carolina
FUNNY WORKPLACE EXPERIENCE: Being asked by juniors if I actually play golf or
just teach golf
PERSONAL MOTTO: Be kind, be brave, and find jy in everyday life.
HIDDEN TALENT: I can do a one-handed cartwheel.
WHO WOULD PLAY HER IN A BIOPIC: Jamie Lee Curtis
FIRST JOB: Driving the range cart at the local driving range
INSPIRED BY: Billie Jean King for her resilience and advocacy for women in sports, and
Renee Powell, PGA, for her commitment to the game while continuing to work for equality.