PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER | 2015
WONDER
WOMEN
JUDI WHITSON • MARION SMITH • DIANE SPARKMAN • DONNA KEEL • KAREN KERR • SUSAN SULLIVAN • SANDEE SYTSMA • SHARON MOODY • WHITNEY MILLER HUMPHREY • PRISCILLA CLARK • PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE HUMPHREY
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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
WONDERWOMEN
Priscilla Clark It was an accident when then-teenager Priscilla Clark was put into an ROTC class at her California high school. “I thought, ‘This is the only thing available? Really?’” Clark says. But the structured style of the military corps appealed to Clark, who had a tumultuous family life during the early part of her childhood. She engaged herself in drill team, honor guard and Explorers. The activities were the perfect set up for a future that would take her across the United States to serve as an officer with the Plant City Police Department.
SETTING THE TONE
Clark grew up 30 minutes north of Baja, Mexico, in sunny California, but her early years were marked by clouds. Her biological father was an alcoholic. “We were dirt, dirt poor,” Clark says. “He drank all the money.” Because of his problem, Clark’s mother spent most of her time working to support the family. As the oldest of six siblings, Clark stepped in to take her mother’s place at home. There were many times Clark had to leave school on her lunch break and ride her bike 3 miles to pick up her little sister from her school. Clark would then drop her off at her grandmother’s home and return to her classes. “I was responsible for my
ABOUT PRISCILLA Who is your hero? My children are my heroes. They went through tough times when their father and I divorced, and they came out ahead and successful. Use three words to describe yourself. Giggly (I try to make light of situations), happy and appreciative. Are you an early bird or a night owl? I am not a morning person. At all. At all. My husband is a morning person. I have to force myself to sleep. If I work 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. that’s perfect. What is the weirdest food you’ve tried? Tripe. I was a kid and didn’t know any better. I was running around eating it in a burrito. It was rubbery. I had to pull it with my teeth. What message would you put in a fortune cookie? Live in the moment.
brothers and sisters,” Clark says. “I had to set the tone.” When Clark’s parents divorced and her mother remarried a farmer, things got better. “He saved us,” Clark says. “That’s where we learned to be a family.” The family dynamics were typical of Hispanic tradition.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS? • Work hard. Have a good work ethic. • Prioritize yourself, but still make time to help others. • Take care of oneself. We get so caught up with everything, not just as mothers but as women. We work hard and put ourselves last. It goes against the grain to take care of ourselves first. And that’s OK sometimes.
The boys worked outside and the girls did the housework. So when Clark got involved with ROTC when she was 15 and decided she wanted to go into law enforcement, it was hard for her new dad. “He said, ‘You have no business being a police officer,’” Clark says. But she fell in love with her high school sweetheart at 17, and her dreams of entering the force were put on hold. They married and had three kids. When her youngest was 3, the family moved across the U.S. to Florida, where her husband had gotten a job in Winter Haven. It only took three years in Florida for a familiar interest in law enforcement to come back to her. As her kids entered school, Clark went to work as an emergency dispatcher in Winter Haven. She was also sponsored to go to the academy. Her first beat as a new police officer was with the Lake Wales Police Department. From there she worked for the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. But she missed working for a small department . When a position opened up with the Plant City Police Department, she jumped at the chance.
PAYING IT FORWARD
As the community redevelopment area officer, Clark walks the streets of Historic Downtown Plant City. She stops in shops to check in with storeowners, started a bike registration program for the homeless and helps with the Friends in the Park dinner program, which feeds the homeless and needy every night at the Winter Visitor Center. “I like that I wear several different hats,” Clark says. “I reach out to kids ... I work with the
Stephanie Humphrey/Stephanie Humphrey Photography
homeless. It’s about paying it forward.” She has come to know many of the dinner program patrons by name, and she knows most of their stories. “One guy bikes from Turkey Creek Road,” Clark says. “They’re so sweet. I don’t care what they’ve done in the past. As long as they behave while they’re there.”
They know about her too. When she didn’t show up at the dinners for a couple of days earlier this month, some of the patrons inquired about her absence. They learned she was having surgery and prayed for her. “That touched my heart,” Clark says. “I tell them, ‘I’m like you. Just in uniform.’” — Amber Jurgensen
Congratulations Officer Clark! Chief Duncan, along with the men and women of Plant City Police Department, would like to acknowledge Officer Clark on her selection as a Woman Leader for 2015!
2016 POLICE UNITY TOUR WE RIDE FOR THOSE WHO DIED The primary purpose of the Police Unity Tour is to raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty. The secondary purpose is to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum. The Police Unity Tour is a 3 day 250 mile bicycle ride beginning in Portsmouth, Virginia to the Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in Washington D.C. Once again Plant City Police Department will be joining the 2016 Tour with five officers. Each officer is required to raise a minimum of $2,000.00
Donate by visting:
In partnership with the community, and while affording dignity and respect to all persons, our mission is to maintain order, improve the quality of life of our citizens, and develop our members to their greatest potential.
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PLANT CITY TIME & OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
WONDERWOMEN
Donna Keel Donna Keel isn’t a native of Plant City, but she’s pretty close to one — her family moved to Plant City from Texas when she was a toddler. Since then, Keel has become a familiar face and a friend to all in the community that she calls home. From June until March, Keel’s world is a blur of pageant dresses and meetings. The Strawberry Court coordinator has made a name for herself as a dedicated volunteer at the Florida Strawberry Festival and other organizations across Plant City. “One of my favorite things about Plant City is the smalltown atmosphere,” Keel says.
PLANTED IN PLANT CITY
After graduating from PCHS in 1985, Keel attended Florida Southern College, in Lakeland, where she earned her degree in early childhood education and elementary education. She taught for nine years at local schools. She spent seven years at Walden Lake Elementary and two years at Pinecrest Elementary before leaving to raise her two kids, Justin and Bryson. Keel’s two children have also attended PCHS. Justin, 21, has graduated and is attending the University of Florida. Bryson has just started his junior year at PCHS. As her kids have grown, so has Keel’s involvement in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World. Her volunteer efforts, which keep her busy year round, are not lost on her sons. Keel encourages her children to have servants’ hearts. They’ve seen her words in action.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS? • Set clear goals. • Don’t give up, no matter what the day brings. • Be organized.
ABOUT DONNA Who is your hero? There have been many women and men who have influenced my life, so it’s hard to pick just one. But I’m grateful for my parents who have always been very supportive of me. Use three words to describe yourself. Organized, helpful and dedicated. Are you an early bird or a night owl? I am an all-day person. I only need about three to four hours of sleep. I usually go to bed about 1:30 a.m. and get up at 6 a.m. What is the weirdest food you’ve tried? It was some type of raw sushi. It tasted like fishy kale. What message would you put in a fortune cookie? Always strive to be the best you.
FASHION FOR A CAUSE
When Keel walks into a store, she’s not going shopping; she’s going on a mission. After serving as the Florida Strawberry Festival’s Junior Royalty pageant chair for 19 years, Keel is now in her second year as the Strawberry Court coordinator. She was also a member of the Strawberry Court in 1984 and 1985. “The Queen’s Court coordinator takes up a lot of time, but I love it,” Keel says. As coordinator, Keel has no problem finding the perfect ensemble for any of the pageant girls. It’s just one of the many responsibilities that comes with the position. She serves along with co-
chair and longtime friend, Di Lott. “We work very well together,” Keel says. “I depend on Di for a lot of things. She has a lot of good ideas.” Though pageants keep Keel busy from June through March, Keel also volunteers at PCHS swim meets and purchases costumes for the vocal group Next Radical Generation. Her son, Bryson, was part of the original ensemble. Over the years, Keel grew to know the members of the group so well that she could purchase costumes they would like based off of their personalities. “I really should have been a personal shopper,” Keel says, jokingly. Although the original NRG group has retired, Keel still plans to help with the costuming for the newer ensembles. “I like that kind of thing,” she says. “Nobody wears the same thing.” As if she weren’t busy enough, Keel also serves as the co-chair for Plant City High School’s Calendar Girl. The pageant, which is held the first weekend of October, serves as the athletic booster club’s biggest fundraiser for athletic programs. Calendar Girl brought in a record-breaking $23,000 last year. Keel is responsible for putting rehearsals together and organizing judges and venues. For all of her volunteer efforts, Keel says, she is only as good as her team. “I have a great committee,” she says. “I love surrounding myself with good people.” It’s also a way for her to serve the community — something she thinks everyone should do. “You don’t have to overload yourself, but you need to help where you can,” she says. “I enjoy it. I just think it’s important for anyone to volunteer
Stephanie Humphrey/Stephanie Humphrey Photography
and give back. Most Plant City people do a lot of volunteering. That is a benefit of a small town.”
KICKING BACK WITH KEEL
Once Calendar Girl ends, Keel dives headfirst into Strawberry Court meetings during the first week of November. But when she is able to take a moment for herself, she jumps in the car and heads to Anna Ma-
ria Island with her girlfriends. “I love being a part of the girly-girl thing,” Keel says. She also enjoys spending time with her friends and family, especially over a Gators football game. But out of all her community involvement and activities, she says, one job and leadership role stands out as her favorite: being a mom. — Emily Topper
Thank You Donna Keel and the Women of Plant City for your Amazing Leadership! HOW HIRING
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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
WONDERWOMEN
Karen Kerr One of the loudest sounds in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the world is the South Florida Baptist Hospital helicopter racing to and from its pad on the top of the 60-yearold building. The hospital has grown to add such advancements with superb management and continues to under the leadership of its newest president, Karen Kerr. When Kerr was 19, she stuffed her suitcase and moved to Florida. “I moved to Sarasota because I was tired of the winters,” Kerr says. “I needed to find the sunshine.” She didn’t know that she would one day become the president of a hospital. For two years she has run the hospital’s day-to-day operations and successfully expanded the facility to add new technology and centers.
FROM NURSE TO PRESIDENT
Originally from the Buffalo, New York area, it was there that Kerr first discovered her passion for the health field and received her RN degree. She moved to the Sunshine State shortly after. “I packed up all my worldly possessions, which weren’t many at the time, and moved to Sarasota,” Kerr says. “I only knew one person there.” In 1984, Kerr received her bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of South Florida and has worked in hospitals ever since. Kerr began her career as a
TIPS FOR SUCCESS? • Have a passion for what you do. • Have a strong work ethic. • Be resilient, and don’t be afraid of failure.
ABOUT KAREN Who is your hero? My Dad. He was genuine, patient and the hardest working man I knew. Use three words to describe yourself. Independent, optimistic and determined/disciplined. Are you an early bird or a night owl? I’m a night person, but I get up very early every day. At 4 a.m. I wake up and go to the gym, and I go to sleep at about 11:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. What is the weirdest food you’ve tried? Moose. What message would you put in a fortune cookie? Winners expect to win in advance. Life is a selffulfilling prophecy.
bedside nurse in the intensive care unit at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. She worked her way up while receiving a master’s degree in business administration from Nova Southeastern University. Because of her hard work and perseverance, when she came to Plant City in 1990, she received a job that was equivalent to a vice president of nursing. She also served as director of Patient Care Services at South Florida Baptist. “I quickly enjoyed being a part of management,” Kerr says. When the position for president came open after the former president, Steve Nierman, left, Kerr saw her chance. She served as interim president for months before
her trial period was up. In 2014, Kerr was named president. “The hospital has been part of the community for 60 years, and people in the community are involved in the hospital,” Kerr says.
EXPANSION
Considering Kerr runs the only hospital in Plant City, one can imagine that she has her hands full. Despite her busy schedule, she has big plans for the future. “(Our goal) is to allow people to not have to leave Plant City for their medical needs,” Kerr says. Since Kerr was appointed president, the hospital has undergone many renovations and additions. The waiting room was moved and expanded in 2014. It was a project that allowed for more patients to be seen quicker and more comfortably. In 2015 two new operating rooms were added, as well as an intensive care unit. They improved the overall functionality of the hospital. The hospital added a 3D mammography machine, something that women in Plant City previously had to go elsewhere for. Kerr also aims to add OBGYN specialists. Notably, the hospital bought a $2 million da Vinci Robot, a technology that improves patient experience during invasive operations. Robotic surgery is safer than traditionally done surgeries. In all, the hospital’s surgical volume growth has upped 12% and the expansion totals 6,300 square feet.
HER COMMUNITY
Kerr’s passion goes farther than her career. She is active in
Stephanie Humphrey/Stephanie Humphrey Photography
the community she lives in as well. Kerr was president of the Tampa Bay Organization of Nurse Executives, chair of the Plant City Family YMCA, president and a Paul Harris Fellow of the Plant City Daybreak Rotary Club and even performed in the 2015 dinner mystery theater production in Plant City. Her daughter is one of her
biggest joys and the reason why Kerr directs a gymnastics competition in Orlando every year. In correlation with her healthcare background, Kerr exercises nearly every morning and maintains that her health is a passion. “I say every day, ‘I love what I do,’” Kerr says.” I don’t look at what I do as work.” — Abby Baker
KAREN KERR
to and all of the Women Leaders in Plant City, 2015! Karen has been a member since 1992 and served as president in 2008-2009.
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Daybreak Rotary meets on Mondays at 7:00 AM at South Florida Baptist Hospital
PLANT CITY TIME & OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
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WONDERWOMEN
Whitney Miller Humphrey Plant City residents might see Whitney Miller Humphrey in the grocery store and think nothing of it. The 28-year-old blends in with the small-town atmosphere, having been raised in an even smaller one. But checking out the cookbook section of the store and seeing her face on some of thecovers would have people doing double-takes. Miller Humphrey, an internationally-known chef, was the first person to win Fox’s MasterChef television show at age 22. She’s got one cookbook, “Modern Hospitality,” under her belt and is in the process of editing a new one, “New Southern Table.” The Poplarville, Mississippi native’s cooking has taken her across the globe, preparing meals for celebrities and charities. “It’s really neat, thinking of where I came from, and I’ve gotten to travel to four different countries the year after I won MasterChef,” Miller Humphrey says. Her life has taken her from a town with one red light to the biggest cities in the world, but she’s now enjoying a new chapter in a town with just a few more red lights.
HOSPITALITY
Poplarville is so small that it “makes Plant City look like Orlando.” The town’s population hovered around 2,800 in 2013. Even so, that one red light has gotten plenty of use. “That was our claim to fame
ABOUT WHITNEY Who is your hero? My great-grandmother. Her name was Mary Strahan. My mom was named after her, and she got a lot of her great qualities. I hope that, one day, people can say I had a lot of those qualities as well. Use three words to describe yourself. Risk-taker, creative and adventurous. Are you an early bird or a night owl? I used to be a night person, and now my husband has us going to bed a lot earlier. I now consider myself a morning person. I go to bed at about 10 p.m. and wake up at 7:30 or 8 a.m. What is the weirdest food you’ve tried? Duck tongue in China. I think I put a mental block about the whole experience. And durian, a fruit, in Malaysia. It tasted like it smelled, and it smelled like a dirty sock. What message would you put in a fortune cookie? Use whatever gift you’ve been given to serve others. — 1 Peter 4:10
after Hurricane Katrina,” Miller Humphrey says. “We had so many people moving in from Louisiana that we had to even-
TIPS FOR SUCCESS? • You have to take risks. You never know if you’re going to achieve something or fail, and you have to know that, sometimes, you are going to fail. • I feel like it helps to be creative. • Be comfortable in front of people. Taking a speaking class or just getting up in front of people and getting over that fear.
tually have a red light, just to contain the traffic.” She learned to cook from her mother and great-grandmother, Mary Strahan, who is her biggest influence. “She taught me about hospitality, and she made me want to be in the kitchen and cook for people,” Miller Humphrey says. “She made them happy, and she just always had something to offer people ... I want to make people that happy through food.” Miller Humphrey originally wanted to be a pastry chef. Her parents gave her kitchen tools for Christmas, including a blowtorch for creme bruleé. She earned a tennis scholarship to play at Pearl River Community College, and graduated with an emphasis in nutrition from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her time at USM, however, took a little longer than expected.
MASTER CHEF
As a senior at USM, Miller Humphrey decided to try out for MasterChef. She got a part and, thanks to her advanced knowledge of desserts, won the competition. Her fame took her to countries such as China, where she cooked for Kenny Loggins. It has also enabled her to work chefs Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri. “(Emeril’s) wife’s from Mississippi, and he has several cooking schools there,” Miller Humphrey says. “I’ve worked with him ... and he was gracious enough to write a quote for my second cookbook.” The fame has also enabled her to do plenty of charity work. With former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow’s foundation, Miller Humphrey auctions her cooking services. She also cooked
Stephanie Humphrey/Stephanie Humphrey Photography
for the United Food Bank’s fundraiser dinner, where she met her husband, Ryan Humphrey. Miller Humphrey works with the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America to help raise money for research and provides healthy cooking recipes for those who have the disease, such as her father.
ON TOUR
These days, Miller Humphrey is putting the finishing
touches on her latest book. It is rooted in Southern cooking, but Miller Humphrey’s trips to Asia have had an effect on her style. She has targeted a release date of Oct. 27. Miller Humphrey will be on tour this winter. She will make a stop in Plant City Saturday, Nov. 7, at Fringe Boutique. There she will have a book signing and food tasting from 5 to 7 p.m. — Justin Kline
Congratulations q
Whitney Miller q PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER | 2015
WONDER
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WOMEN
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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
WONDERWOMEN
Sharon Moody If someone in need has ever gotten help from an event in Plant City, there’s a good chance they know Sharon Moody. That’s because Moody, a Plant City native, has spent the past 35 years giving back to the community that first gave her life. From youth sports to the Kiwanis Club, the only way to find out what she’s done — and get a quick answer — is to ask which local groups and causes she hasn’t gotten involved in. “Anywhere that someone asked me to help, I would help,” Moody says. “That’s just how I started out. I’d never turn them down or say no. It just grew from that.”
TREATING OTHERS FAIRLY
Moody was raised in Plant City. Growing up, she dealt with segregation, but she remained positive whenever she could. “I treated people the way I wanted to be treated,” Moody says. “You might have some hard times, back in the day, but things have come a long way.” From 1979 to 1981, Moody worked with Hillsborough County schools as a teacher aide. After that, she went on to work for SunTrust and what is now CenterState Bank. In 1994, she began to work for the state of Florida as a revenue specialist. She later became the director of Boys & Girls Club of Plant City, from 2004 until 2009. Moody has always loved working with children. It influenced her decision to work in schools and the Boys & Girls Club.
ABOUT SHARON Who is your hero? I’d have to say my mother. We were very close before she died, and I miss her. We used to cook things together, do all the holidays. She did a lot of the baking. We’d travel together. She taught me how to be a mother, how to raise your children in the right way.” Use three words to describe yourself. Honest, trustworthy and friendly. Are you an early bird or a night owl? I’m not a morning person. I can get up early if I have to, but I’d rather not. If I’m working, I usually go to bed between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. I wake up around 8 or 9 a.m. What is the weirdest food you’ve tried? I really dislike veal. What message would you put in a fortune cookie? Love, cherish and treat everybody the same.
FOR THE CHILDREN
Thirty-five years ago, Moody took on her first gig as a volunteer: cheerleading coordinator for the Plant City Colts youth football and cheer program. Her children were also a part of the Colts program, and Moody remained with the team until they aged out. Since then, she’s built quite
TIPS FOR SUCCESS? • You’ve got to be persistent. • You’ve got to be committed. Whatever I do, I have to be committed. You can’t stop and do something else. • You have to be focused.
a resumé with youth-centered organizations. She’s been a member of the Kiwanis Club, holding the roles of treasurer, vice president, president, lieutenant governor and, currently, leadership chair. Moody has also served on the Plant City YMCA’s board of directors, and she was a founder and president of the Plant City Junior League Woman’s Club. Closest to her heart is the work she’s doing with the Plant City Black Heritage Celebration group, of which she is also a founder and president. The group’s summer reading program for children is special to her. “I really enjoy that,” Moody says. “We’ve done it for the past five summers. It deals with atrisk youth. We work with them and feed them three times a day. Those might be the only meals they get each day.” The program not only provides meals, it and keeps participants out of trouble and gets them on the right path for when school starts. “We teach them to read, take them on educational field trips and bring in motivational speakers to help them go the right way,” Moody says. “That’s been my heart the past five summers. When they go back to school, they won’t be behind.” For older children, the group also helps out with scholarship money. Moody does whatever she can to help the youths go to college. “These children go on to do big things,” Moody says. “That makes you feel good, that you can help with something like that.”
A SPECIAL GIFT
Moody doesn’t devote all of her time to youths alone.
Stephanie Humphrey/Stephanie Humphrey Photography
She’s on the Christmas Parade, Code Enforcement and Unity in the Community boards. Moody is also a member of the Plant City Greater Chamber of Commerce and the Plant City Coalition of Concerned Citizens. She is currently looking forward to getting the Angel Program running to serve meals to families at Samuel Cooper Park
during the holidays. Somehow, throughout all of her commitments, Moody does find time to eat and sleep. “I just enjoy organizing things and events,” she says. “It’s a gift from God, that I can put things together and make it work. Not everybody can do that — you have to have a gift, and the Lord gave me that gift.” — Justin Kline
THANK YOU SHARON for your wonderful leadership!
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PLANT CITY TIME & OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
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WONDERWOMEN
Marion Smith These days, Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce President Marion Smith is trying to help the local business scene. She aims to bring businesses to the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World and, once they’re rooted, help them grow. The idea of keeping business thriving in a small town in Florida may seem difficult to some. But Smith has had other challenges in her career to prepare her for where she’s at now. She got her start in the male-dominated automotive sales industry and found success.
FORESEEING THE FUTURE
Smith was born in Italy, but lived there for only six months. Her father, Mac, was in the United States Navy at the time, and the family then relocated to Plant City. They ended up staying. “My folks are still in the same house that I grew up in,” Smith says. Her father and grandfather started an American Motors dealership in town, off of what is now James L. Redman Parkway. “You can just see all the changes that have happened,” Smith says. “When my grandfather and my dad picked the property where they built the American Motors franchise, it’s where RaceTrac is now. There was nothing between Alsobrook Street and that piece of property. But I guess they saw that the growth was gonna go that way.” Smith attended the University of Florida to get a degree in
TIPS FOR SUCCESS? • Treat people fairly and equally. • Listen to what people are saying. • Surround yourself with good people.
ABOUT MARION Who is your hero? My parents, Mac and Cookie Smith. Use three words to describe yourself. Friendly, reliable and dependable. Are you an early bird or a night owl? I get a second wind at night. Obviously, I have to be a morning person with the chamber. You could say I’m both. I try to go to bed by 11 p.m., at the latest, and I usually get up at 5 a.m. What is the weirdest food you’ve tried? The thought of eating liver makes me nauseous. What message would you put in a fortune cookie? Be the best that you can be.
criminal justice. But her father doubted she would stick with it. He encouraged her to enroll in business classes. It was then that she first broke into the automotive sales industry, where she remained until 2001.
IN A MAN’S WORLD
After switching majors at UF, Smith started working for an American Motors dealer in Gainesville. She later attended the National Auto Dealers Academy. While there, she realized just how rare women in the industry were. “There were two other ladies in the class, and we’ve remained friends all these years,” she says. When she graduated, in 1982, Smith returned to Plant City to work with her family. She was tasked with starting
finance and insurance departments. Eventually, she moved up to sales. “It was challenging,” Smith says. “You would have the guys coming on the lot, wanting you to explain what an engine was. Well, heck, I didn’t know what it was either. But my dad made the comment to me. He goes, ‘Marion, you don’t need to know all that stuff. The people just want a good deal on a car. You give them the numbers, and that’s all they really want.’ And that was true.” She put the lessons learned to the test and, over time, excelled at her job. The lot became a Chrysler/Plymouth/ Dodge/Jeep dealer when Chrysler bought up several manufacturers, and Smith had a Dodge franchise in her name by 1990. “At that time, you didn’t have many women in the car business,” Smith says. “It was very rare.” She sold the dealership in March of 2001 to transition into her current role.
STILL HERE
Smith first got involved with the chamber in 1989, by volunteering whenever she had time. She scaled back in 1990, to launch her Dodge dealership, but knew that she wanted to return to volunteering. Selling the dealership allowed her to jump in, perhaps in a bigger role than she thought. “The president of the hired staff left the chamber,” Smith says. “Fred Johnson was in charge of the search committee at the time, and he approached me, if I would just fill in until they found a president. I’m still here.” She’s headed the chamber for the last 14 years, currently working with a staff of six employees. Of all the accomplish-
Stephanie Humphrey/Stephanie Humphrey Photography
ments she’s seen in that span, the jump in community involvement is at the top of her list. “When I joined in ’01, there wasn’t a whole lot of volunteer involvement,” she says. “What really made the difference was the board of directors.” She’s currently looking forward to partnering with the Plant City Economic Development Corp., to help businesses
thrive. Smith will stick by the principles she learned from her family and used in the auto sales industry. “Treat everybody as an equal,” she says. “Everybody puts on their pants the same way. It kind of goes back to John 3:16, how would you want to be treated? I’ve found that to be true in the car business, and any business.” — Justin Kline
Congratula s, Marion! tion The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors & Staff proudly recognize you as one of the Plant City Women in Leadership!
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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE WONDER WOMEN 2015!
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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
WONDERWOMEN
Diane Sparkman Diane Sparkman is celebrating some major milestones this year. Sparkman, who graduated from Plant City High School in 1965, just attended her 50year class reunion last month. Her husband, City of Plant City Commissioner Mike Sparkman, was by her side. The two met in high school and, this December, they will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. “Respect is key,” Sparkman says of her marriage. “There’s a lot of forgiveness on both sides.” But the most important key to a successful marriage, says Sparkman, is love. And in the Sparkman family, love is never too far away nor too hard to find.
FAMILY FIRST
Sparkman was born and raised in Plant City, and so were her three children: Tom, 46; Chris, 43; and Aimee, 40. “It’s not just another city,” says Sparkman. “You just about know everyone. It’s a nice place to raise kids. Plant City’s got the best people.” All eight of her grandchildren have grown up in Plant City. The entire Sparkman family lives within five miles of each other in Walden Lake. At holiday dinners, which are hosted at Sparkman’s home, a group of 40 is not uncommon. “We don’t like anyone to be by themselves on the holidays,” Sparkman says. “It’s just the love that’s there. We’re fortunate to have them all here.” Sparkman sees her grand-
TIPS FOR SUCCESS? • Hard work. • Hard work (again). • Believe in yourself.
ABOUT DIANE Who is your hero? It’s respect more than a hero. My mother lived to be 93 and taught me a love of family and to keep family close. Family is very important to me, my top priority. Also, my husband — I admire his dedication for the city and love for the city. Are you an early bird or a night owl? We go to bed around 11 p.m., and we’re up by 6 a.m. I’m definitely a morning person. What three words would you use to describe yourself? Kind, understanding and loving. What is the weirdest food you’ve tried? I dislike liver, and I’m not big on caviar. What message would you put in a fortune cookie? Love one another. Tomorrow’s never guaranteed.
kids regularly. “I just don’t want to miss anything about them,” she says. Even with a large family to care for, Sparkman still finds time to serve in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.
STRAWBERRY SERVICE
As a junior in high school, Sparkman was on the Strawberry Court at the Florida Strawberry Festival. She was also a Strawberry Court chaperone for 10 years and used to help with the Strawberry Festival Luncheon on Parade Day. Sparkman continues to plan her years around the festival. She serves alongside her hus-
band on the festival’s media committee. They help plan the festival’s annual media preview party, which yields between 600 and 800 guests. Her favorite part about the festival is how it unites Plant City. “It’s amazing to see the volunteers come together with a smile,” she says. “This is all a hometown festival … everyone is so proud of our city.” The media committee works on decorations and the party theme. It also sends the invitations. “It’s one of the largest events,” Sparkman says. “We’ve had people coming for years.” Sparkman’s volunteering doesn’t end with the festival. She began volunteering with different organizations when her children were in school. She was on the original committee for the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s Margarita Ball and was a former chair of the Diamond & Denim Gala, a fundraising event for the South Florida Baptist Hospital. Sparkman was also the East Hillsborough County coordinator for SERVE, a program that schedules speakers at schools throughout the year. She works in the nursery with her daughter at Plant City’s First Baptist Church, where she has been attending for 50 years.
BREAKING INTO BUSINESS
In the 80s, Sparkman and her family owned Sparky’s, a chain of convenience stores. In 1988, Sparky’s had 44 locations. Sparkman worked at the convenience store. During that time, she also worked as the secretary of chief engineering for a chemical company, a position she held until she had her first child. The convenience stores brought the Sparkman family many travel opportunities. Sparkman has been to Russia,
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Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and at least half a dozen other countries. Now that her children are grown and the convenience stores have been sold, Sparkman still continues to travel. This year, she will be taking a river cruise to see tulips and windmills in Amsterdam. When she’s not jet setting across the globe, she enjoys playing tennis, bass fishing and
relaxing at the family’s Clermont lake house. “It’s soothing and calming to look out at the water,” she says. “There’s no stress there.” Her favorite activity, of course, is spending time with her grandchildren. “That’s my best volunteering job,” Sparkman says. “Out of all the volunteering work, that’s the best.” — Emily Topper
Congratulations, MiMi! E
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PLANT CITY TIME & OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
15
WONDERWOMEN
Susan Sullivan When Susan Sullivan walks down the central hallway of Plant City High School during students’ lunch hour, she is quick to greet familiar faces. It’s only been a few months since Sullivan took over as principal, but she speaks to students as though she’s known them for years. For many students, she has. Sullivan was previously principal at Tomlin Middle School. Many of Tomlin’s students go on to attend PCHS. “It will be really cool to hand them their diploma,” she says. Besides graduation, there is another event Sullivan is excited for: the upcoming football game between PCHS and Durant High School, where Sullivan’s sister, Pam Bowden, is the principal. “We support each other’s school, and then we play each other,” Sullivan says. “We’ll be happy for whoever wins. My main hope is that everyone does well.” Still, she would like to win back the Redman trophy, which originated out of a senior football game between Sullivan’s son, Aaron, and Bowden’s son, Chip. The cousins are six weeks apart. Some of her other goals for PCHS are more serious. The Plant City native is working on the district’s new focus of preparing students for life. For Sullivan, the new motto isn’t just about preparing students for the day they graduate — it’s about preparing them for their future and for continued success at home in Plant City.
ABOUT SUSAN Who is your hero? My dad. He was a man of integrity and strong work ethic. He really encouraged us to do whatever we wanted to do. And my mom too. Use three words to describe yourself. People person, competitive, encourager Are you an early bird or a night owl? I wake up at 5:15 a.m. I try to go to bed by 10 p.m. What is the weirdest food you’ve tried? Probably when I was on a trip to Europe, and we had noodles in what they said was a horse meat sauce. What message would you put in a fortune cookie? Work hard, have fun and treasure your family.
ENCOURAGING GROWTH
This year, PCHS has grown to 2,400 students. Sullivan sees the increase as a blessing. “It’s a great problem to have, when you have lots of students who want to be here,” Sullivan says. The administration has seen changes too. Three out of the school’s six administrators are new, including Sullivan. To bring everyone closer together, she held a seminar before the school year began. Through the Strength Finders program, each administrator discovered their personal strengths and the
TIPS FOR SUCCESS? • Focus on your strengths. • Be willing to work hard and model behavior you want. Don’t ask people to do something you don’t want to do. • Be approachable and real.
strengths of their coworkers. “We had just met each other,” Sullivan says. “We really needed to learn a little bit about each other ... The nice thing was we found that we have a nice mix of people with different areas of strength.” One of Sullivan’s main strengths is planning. Most of her family lives in town. They see each other frequently, since many live on the “family compound.” When the family travels, it is Sullivan who makes the reservations and creates the itinerary. Her planning skills were especially helpful this summer. Before the school year began, Sullivan traveled with Tomlin’s Technology Student Association to Dallas, and with Tomlin’s FFA chapter to Orlando. Her son also got married on June 20 at Plant City’s First Baptist Church. As the school year progresses, her organization skills will be put to the test. Her calendar remains packed with activities, including football games and school performances. Even with a busy schedule and a large family, Sullivan still finds time to give back.
THE NEED TO LEAD
Sullivan has a long history of service in the Plant City community. She is a Strawberry Court chaperone for the Florida Strawberry Festival, and this year will help with the dinner that is held on the Monday before the festival begins. She’s also involved with her church, Plant City’s First Baptist. In addition to being a regular attendee, Sullivan is in the choir and a member of the praise team. In the past, she has taught Sunday school. Her emphasis on community service is present at both Tomlin and PCHS. While at Tomlin, students brought in over 13,000
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pounds of food for canned food drives and raised money for Relay for Life. At PCHS, Sullivan plans to continue her involvement with Relay for Life. Sullivan’s mother, Ruby Jean Redman, originally brought the event to the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World. “It’s very near and dear to my heart,” Sullivan says. “A lot of staff and friends over the years have had cancer. I want to do
my part to help find a cure.” Sullivan leads by example. Through all of her volunteer efforts, she encourages her students to serve. “It’s important for kids to see me,” she says. “I want students to be successful in a lot of different arenas. I want kids to have hope that they can live in Plant City and support their family.” — Emily Topper
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CONGRATULATIONS TO SUSAN SULLIVAN AND ALL OF THE WOMEN LEADERS OF PLANT CITY!
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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
WONDERWOMEN
Sandee Sytsma The one thing Sandee Sytsma knew when she was a child was that she wasn’t going to marry a farmer when she grew up. Sytsma is part of the Parke family, known for the agriculture empire it has expanded since her parents, Roy and Helen Parke, moved to Plant City in 1957. Roy was nicknamed the “Strawberry King” of Hillsborough County until his death in 2008, and Sytsma and her siblings grew up working in the fields. Sytsma didn’t enjoy it. “Given a choice between cleaning the house and working in the field, I’d rather clean the house,” Sytsma says. A self-described “prissy” girl, Sytsma liked climate control, the latest fashions and the idea of working as an airline stewardess. The family used to joke she was adopted. “(Mom) used to say, ‘No, we weren’t going to go out and buy more kids,’” she says. Sytsma didn’t follow in her family’s footsteps. They have continued to run the fields and Parkesdale Farm Market. She keeps her hands off the operations. But she didn’t give up on strawberries entirely. She is entrenched in the Florida Strawberry Festival as vice president and a past Strawberry Court coordinator. And she was right about who she would marry. He wasn’t a farmer. He was a football coach. Hank Sytsma was new to town, while Sytsma was
TIPS FOR SUCCESS? • Be true to yourself. • Keep your priorities straight: God, family and country. • Enjoy what you’re doing. Make it fun.
Who is your hero? My mother. She’s an amazing, hardworking, thoughtful, tender-hearted, strong-willed wife, mother and friend. Use three words to describe yourself. Fulfilled, passionate and fun. Are you an early bird or a night owl? Night. I don’t like to get up before 8 a.m. It’s my quiet time. During the festival I have to be up at 4 a.m., so I can do that too. What is the weirdest food you’ve tried? Not being a foodie, probably alligator. What message would you put in a fortune cookie? Don’t take yourself too seriously. You’re not as big of a deal as you think you are. None of us are.
dreaming of leaving it. After a career day at Turkey Creek High School, she knew she wanted to be a stewardess. She picked United Airlines because of the uniforms, not the pay. For her graduation present, she asked for luggage. Her sisters wanted watches. “I couldn’t wait to see the world, to know everybody in it,” Sytsma says. While she waited to attend school she worked for Tampa Electric. It was on her drive to and from work that she noticed a new car rolling past her everyday — a Jaguar Roadster. “And Plant City did not have one of those,” Sytsma says. The driver was Hank, a football coach at Plant City High School.
“He had good legs and a great car,” Sytsma says. “We all had a crush on him.” They began to wave to each other as they drove past. One day, she attended a football practice. He spent the rest of the night paging through the phone book for her number. “When he called me, I thought it was a joke, because I liked to play jokes,” Sytsma says. But the right car pulled up on their first date. Eighteen months later, she got an engagement ring for her birthday. Sandee Systma had lived in two houses her whole life. Hank had immigrated from Holland and moved 17 times. “He said, ‘I don’t care where we live, but I don’t want to move much,’” Sytsma says. They put down their roots in Plant City.
FAMILY TRADITION
Systma has always been involved with the Strawberry Festival. “We used to put a bunch of kids in the back of Dad’s truck because he could park in the gate,” Sytsma says. She’s seen it grow from three days to 11, from wrestling as the Friday night entertainment to the biggest stars in country music. Roy Parke had a vision for festival entertainment. He pushed the board for a larger budget to attract bigger acts. Maybe Sytsma got her penchant for glitz and glamour from her father. “It went far beyond what he thought,” Sytsma says. Sytsma got involved as an associate director of the Florida Strawberry Festival 25 years ago, following the path her father had taken. She picked the committees of most interest
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to her: fashion show, strawberry ball, public relations. For 13 years, she served 65 court members at the Strawberry Court coordinator. Although she thought she would be teaching the court, she also learned a thing or two. “I thought it was just another committee,” Sytsma says. “But it was life changing.” Sytsma stepped down as coordinator last year to serve
in her role as vice president of the festival board. She will be president in 2018 and has some ideas to renovate the Arthur Boring Civic Center into an upscale event center, complete with a chandelier. She also plans to use her father’s gavel when she is president. She might be more similar to her family than they thought. — Amber Jurgensen
U L T A A T R IONS G N O C
SANDEE
PARKESDALE MARKET
We Have Doubled The Size Of Our Plant Nursery & Have Fresh Produce & Fruits Arriving Daily Open 6 days a week 9am - 6pm Closed on Monday’s Beginning Oct. 1st. we will be open 7 days a week 3702 W. Baker Street, Plant City, FL 33563 813-754-2704 Local • 888-311-1701 Toll Free
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PUTTING DOWN ROOTS
ABOUT SANDEE
PLANT CITY TIME & OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
17
WONDERWOMEN
Judi Whitson Anyone who talks to Judi Whitson for more than five minutes has a good chance of hearing her elevator pitch. “I teach third graders to legislators,” Whitson says. She greets visitors at her office with a hug or sunny smile, a technique she credits with her rise to the top. Today, she is the executive director of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Federation. The main focus of her job is educating the public about agriculture. “Most kids don’t know where their food comes from,” Whitson says. “Some legislators don’t get it either. They put in guidelines, but they don’t know how it works.” It’s her job to teach them.
A SEARCH FOR PASSION
Every day when Whitson was in high school, she would come home to watch “The Mike Douglas Show,” a daytime talk show that brought prominent guests on to discuss their inspirations. While the program has run its length, Whitson remembers it as her first dose of ambition. “I would sit there and watch thinking, ‘That’s what I want to do. I want to be passionate about something like those people,’” Whitson says. Born in Brooksville, but raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Whitson grew up listening to her family talk about the orange groves they owned. Little did she know she would eventually return to her earthy roots. She didn’t take the traditional
ABOUT JUDI Who is your hero? My daughter. She’s a social worker for children. She’s a pretty amazing person. Use three words to describe yourself? Passionate, loyal and funny. Are you an early bird or a night owl? It depends on what day it is. I’m definitely a morning person because I get more stuff done. I wake up at 6 a.m. and go to bed around 11 p.m. What is the weirdest food you’ve tried? Turtle soup. What message would you put in a fortune cookie? Disappointments are just God’s way of saying, “I’ve got something better.” Be patient, live life and have faith. Yes, I have it on Pinterest.
• You have to think outside of the box.
route to her agricultural career. Whitson worked in fields such as accounting, public relations, banking and real estate before she was offered the job as executive director. “I didn’t know anything about strawberries,” Whitson says. “One of the growers took me out to the field and showed me how to lay plastic.” She gained her current position 25 years ago because of the heavy accounting background and communication skills, yet she didn’t know how much she would teach the community. “I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up,” Whitson says.
• Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help.
A NEW APPROACH
TIPS FOR SUCCESS? • Focus.
A quarter of a decade ago,
before Whitson accepted the job at the Farm Bureau, many people in areas of Hillsborough County knew very little about where their food came from. Whitson recognized the slipping familiarity, and she looked for ways to teach the public beyond posters and flyers. “The old way of doing things is saying, ‘This is what I need to do and bygone it, I’ll do it,’” Whitson said. “If I need to know something or tell someone something I pick up the phone and call them.” In her office, Whitson has a thick binder slung under a chair in her office. “When I started, they gave me that book,” she says. “We didn’t have any programming, so I started calling people and making contacts.” For 30 years, the Hillsborough County school system used to only have the Ag in the Classroom platform, an academic program that taught children the importance of agriculture from behind their desks. Whitson had been a part of the program since it started, but she wanted to teach on a larger scale. The Ag in the Classroom program happened only during the state fair. She also wanted to do more interactive teaching. “It was always not how could we do it, but why can we not do it,” Whitson says. In 1994, Whitson helped grow the AgVentures program, an annual, hands-on field trip that takes third graders to stations around the county and teaches them the reality of agriculture. “When the kids pick a fake orange off our orange trees and then see the real juice, it’s like an ‘oh’ moment for them,” Whitson said. With 7,200 third graders attending the AgVentures event
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a year and about 13,000 total students, the program only reaches half of the population. She is determined to expand it further and put out as much information on agribusiness as possible. Whitson has also started the Ag-Abilities program, a program that helps special needs students participate in FFA events. “The ag industry is so giv-
ing,” Whitson says. Because of her work, she received the 2015 Salute to Ag award for Ag Educator of the Year from the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce. “Those kids are our future voters,” Whitson says. “If they don’t understand and have an appreciation of agriculture then how will we feed a nation?” — Abby Baker
CONGRATULATIONS JUDI! and a sincere “thank you”
JUDI WHITSON has been a “Wonder Woman” for Hillsborough County Farm Bureau for quite some time and we sincerely appreciate all that she has done as our Executive Director. And, that’s a lot. In addition to helping farmers and ranchers in the county, Judi has been instrumental in developing and implementing an educational outreach program that helps to reach more and more students and other residents in the county every year. Agriculture is big business in Florida and here in Hillsborough County. It has significant impact on the economy of the state and Hillsborough County, producing fruits, vegetables, greenhouse and nursery products and putting thousands to work. It’s important for Floridians, both urban and rural, to recognize the value of agriculture and never forget or overlook the abundant supply of food and fiber this industry provides to us. Judi has helped share that information, a very important part of what Farm Bureau does. You’ve no doubt seen the bumper stickers that say, “No Farmers, No Food”. That’s not just a slogan, it’s a fact. It’s also a fact that you don’t have to be a farmer or rancher to be a Farm Bureau member. We would be pleased to have you join the more than 147,000 families here in Florida that comprise Farm Bureau. Visit our website for more information on membership and the benefits that membership brings to your family. That website is www.hcfarmbureau.org.
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By the way, if you join, we’re certain you’ll have an opportunity to meet our “Wonder Woman.”