Phil and his wife Donna built their home in the Village of Pennecamp in 2010. Prior to The Villages, the Walkers lived in Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. They moved here from Olathe, Kansas. The lifestyle of The Villages was the reason for moving here. They thoroughly enjoy the opportunities and activities available.  Phil retired after 45 years from a Midwest grocery company, named Hy-Vee. While working for Hy-Vee, he held positions as retail store director and assistant Vice President of store set up. His duties included overseeing the setup of new food stores, drugstores, gas stations, along with remodels and store relocations.  Phil has attended The Villages Resident Academy, Sheriff Citizen Academy, and CDD Orientation programs. He is a member of the VHA board, representing District 5 and 8. He believes this is a great place to live and will strive to help other residents to enjoy the benefits of what The Villages have to offer.  

Peter was born and raised in the town of Woodland (Aroostock County) Maine.  The farm life created a passion for growing things that still very much exist today.  He attended local schools and also attended Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, Maine graduating in 1967.  Following MCI, Peter attended New England College – Henniker, NH graduating in 1971.  The very next stop was Ft. Dix, NJ for basic training. Thus spending the next six years in the NH Army National Guard.

He and his late wife, Marilyn, lived in Contoocook village which is in the town of Hopkinton, NH where they had 3 fine youngsters.  Marilyn taught school after the kids were grown and was incredibly passionate about teaching reading.

During the 47 years in the community, Peter wore many hats.  He spent 30 years actively involved in the Hopkinton Fire Department retiring as Chief on December 31, 1999.  He also served on many volunteer boards which included the Board of Selectmen for seven years; three of those years as Chairman.  He also served as secretary of the Capital Area Fire Mutual Aid Compact for too many years to count and was also a member of the Central NH Regional Planning Commission.

While all the previously mentioned activities were happening, he used some of the marketing skills acquired at NEC and created a full service company from design to maintenance of draft beer dispensing systems.  The passion developed as a child and carried into Hopkinton. Peter reclaimed an overgrown farm next door to his house in the village and created a pick your own blueberry farm which became certified organic in the mid 1990’s.

Peter and his wife have lived in The Villages for seven years of which the first three were snowbird years.  In early 2017 the process began of building a new house in the village of Pine Hills.  At that time, he and his wife sold everything in the north and moved to The Villages permanently.

It’s time to get to work!!!!

Robert “Bob” Griffin I was born and raised in Dravosburg, PA, a small town outside of Pittsburgh, which explains my loyalty to all Pittsburgh sports teams. I graduated from Penn State University in 1964, where I majored in accounting. After graduation, I began my career as an accountant for ASG Industries, a glass company in eastern Tennessee. Two years later I transitioned into IT as a programmer. During that time, I married Charlene “Charley”, a southern belle. We moved to North Carolina for me to work for PPG Industries Fiberglass Division as a programmer and then a supervisor in 1970. After 3 years in North Carolina, I transferred to Pittsburgh where I finished my career holding a variety of positions – programmer, telecommunications supervisor, data center manager, and worked with the Salvation Army Angel Tree program as PPG’s coordinator. We decided long before retirement that we would eventually settle in the south. We heard about the Villages, visited, revisited and fell in love with it. We moved here in 2006 and soon afterward joined the VHA. I’ve attended the Sheriff’s Citizen’s Academy and the Resident Academy and now serve on the VHA board representing District 6. In addition to serving on the VHA board, I am an avid supporter of the Villages Regional Hospital. I see the VHA as an opportunity to help my friends and neighbors.

Roy was born in Columbia, South Carolina but spent most of his childhood and adult life in Richmond, Virginia.  After serving 4 years in the United States Marine Corps he worked 40 years for the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Roy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies and a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University.  While living in Richmond he held Board of Director positions for several residential and social organizations including 5 years as President of The Stony Run Townhouse Association.  Over the years he was the recipient of several awards of merit for his dedication and distinguished service. Roy and his wife, Ruth, moved to The Villages in 2009 when she retired from her position as a Human Resources Manager.  Since moving to The Villages Roy has served in leadership roles for several clubs including The Marine Corps League, The Old Virginia Club and the Community Improvement Council (CIC).  In his spare time, Roy has enjoyed playing water volleyball, dancing, photography and working on genealogy.   

Walter Martin graduated from college in Dayton, OH and then left and began an unheard of 41 year career with GMAC Insurance division General Motors.  He held many supervisory/managerial positions in claims administration, and the audit and the sales staffs.  He lived in Pittsburg and had transfers/promotions to Chicago, St. Louis, Los Angeles, New York City, Detroit (executive office) and San Antonio, TX.  He retired in 2004 and moved to The Villages. He is married to Janice Perrin Martin of Middletown, OH and they celebrated 49 years of marriage in December of 2013.   They share the same interests in just about everything and his wife is his biggest fan.  They have two daughters (one married and one single) who were born in Pittsburgh and both now reside in California. He learned of the Villages in 1991 long before he was eligible to retire.  When the time came the decision of whether to remain in TX or move to The Villages was easy (even though San Antonio was very attractive for retirement) because he was accustomed to relocating and felt it was time for another move – this time to a beautiful active senior retirement community.  He presently serves on the Board of Supervisors for CCD #5 (Vice Chairman), attends the annual Florida Association of Special Districts conference; is VHA representative for District 5, Ashland; is a past member of Vestry Board at St. George Episcopal Church and serves on the Lay Eucharistic Minister staff; is an instructor for the AARP Driver Safety Program; is a Client Facilitator for the AARP Tax Aide Program; is President of the Polo Booster Club; is a past president of the African American Club; is a past President of the 3C’s Ohio Club; a member of the Villages Croquet Club and have attended the United States Croquet Association school in West Palm Beach.   He is also a regular tap dancer in the Rhythm Boys dance group in the Way, Way, Way, Off-Broadway Players theatre group and has had speaking parts in every production.  He is a member of Villages Theatre Company and had a role in the Trip to Bountiful production and the Squabbles production.  He also plays golf and an occasional game of billiards and enjoys jazz.  He is also a member of the Jazz Lovers Club. In addition to his busy life, they enjoy vacations to unique destinations.

Sandy Mott is a native of Oklahoma.   She majored in Journalism at Oklahoma State University where she met her future husband, Paul.  She has 2 children.  A son lost to cancer at age 40 and a daughter who lives here in Florida with her husband and 3 children.  She has been a Cub Scout den mother, a Brownie leader, a church Youth Group sponsor, and a Sunday School teacher. She has had varied work experience in the savings & loan industry, in direct sales, as a church secretary and an Avon lady. She moved to The Villages in December of 1989, just as development was beginning on the west side of highway 27/441.  She is a charter member of the VHA and is the Village Representative for the Village of Del Mar. She was elected VHA Vice President in February 1992, and became President when the then-President Yyonne Knudson stepped down in August of that year. She served as President until March 1994. She served 3 terms on the VHA Board between 1994 and 2003.  Along with her husband, Paul, she wrote for and edited the VHA Voice for about 10 years ending in Feb. 2003.  She wrote a weekly column, “Sandy’s Corner,” for the Daily Sun from Feb. 1998 to May of 2003, when it evolved into a weekly opinion column on the op-ed page.  The weekly column continued until July 2010 when Paul’s illness left no time for writing. Through all the years, her commitment and devotion to the VHA has been constant.  Now, once again, she will be editing the VHA Voice, with a lot of help from the VHA Board and membership.

Dave and his wife Cyndi live in the Village of Hawkins. They moved here from Buffalo NY and also had a home in Bradenton Florida for seven years. They gave up both to be full time residents for the wonderful lifestyle of The Villages.

Dave had a varied career with 23 years of active/reserve duty as a U.S. Army Officer. After leaving active duty, Dave spent a significant time as a municipal manager in New York.  A second career developed as a performance improvement consultant after he obtained his PhD in training and performance improvement.

In addition to helping organizations achieve success, Dave served as a Senior Examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award program. This is a presidential award administered by the Department of Commerce and is the highest level of recognition for performance excellence that a U.S. organization can receive.

Dave is an online professor teaching a variety of organizational leadership and human resource management courses for master,s level students. He is also active as the co-coordinator for the Village of Hawkins AED program.

Ellie and her husband live in the Village of Hadley year-round now after being reverse snowbirds coming up from Manasota Key in the summer to escape hurricane season.  They also spent many years in the suburbs of Kansas City, on the Kansas side of the State Line.

Ms. Decker holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Kansas in addition to credits towards a Master’s degree from both Baker University in Kansas, and the University of Missouri.  She has owned a few small businesses over the years and also did contract accounting work.

Her husband is a retired M.D., who served in the Air Force.  Her father and both grandfather’s served in the Navy with other branches of the military represented throughout her family tree, including a branch back to the Revolutionary War.  Consequently, she is a member of the DAR and gives presentations on their museum.

According to Ellie: “I feel a strong calling to serve.  After being actively involved and serving in both Kansas and Florida, I began serving in The Villages.  I am an alternate member of the Architectural Review Board, and am on the Sumter County Library Board.  I have been a Den Mom, a Guardian ad Litem, a member of CERT, and on a few other Boards”.

A Village of Rio Ponderosa resident since 2003, I am a native of Staten Island, NY.  I have held a number of management positions in the financial industry including a financial newspaper, an investment banking firm, a financial information technology company and, just prior to retirement,  at a boutique accounting firm.  In addition to my full time positions, I served for ten years as editor of a 64-page square dance magazine and was an officer in various civic and community organizations.      I have served as Membership Chair and Director of the VHA since 2006.  In addition to my VHA duties, I am a supervisor of CDD #1, a Florida Master Gardener, Chair of the Bookworm Book Club, Vice President of The Villages Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, and Treasurer of the Marion County Rose Society. I have been married to my dear husband Charlie since 1973 and we are the proud parents of six children and four grandchildren.  

A native of Ohio. Bachelor’s Degree from Defiance College in Ohio and a Masters Degree in Public Address from Eastern Michigan University. Taught Speech, English and Journalism 30 years at Napoleon High School in Ohio. Coached football, girls basketball, and boys and girls tennis at Napoleon High School for a total of 75 seasons.  Has taught Speech at several colleges in Ohio and continues to teach at The College of Central Florida in Ocala.  Was a member of the Parks and Recreation Board in Napoleon, Ohio for 14 years. Member of The Defiance College Athletic Hall of Fame, The Lorain Sports Hall of Fame, The Ohio High School Speech League Hall of Fame, and the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Author of three published books. A resident of The Villages since 2004,  full-time resident since 2011.  Wife Jane (44 years) and two grown sons. 

Jan Palmer moved to The Villages in 2017 from the Detroit, Michigan area suburb of Macomb. She hails from Western New York, but has lived in Massachusetts and Michigan as GM moved her husband around. She and Mark have five children, five grandchildren, three dogs, and she considers being a lifelong volunteer and stay-at-home mom as her primary career choice.  On the side she has worked at Kodak, Clarkson University, and Oswego Hospital as a secretary, was a feature writer for The Pepperell Times Free Press in Massachusetts, Young Mother of the Year for Massachusetts, a tour escort for Alcott Tours accompanying seniors and students on bus tours, was the office and editorial assistant for Travelhost Magazine of Buffalo/Niagara Falls region, and enjoyed many years as an activities director in Buffalo and Michigan for assisted living residents. She has written for and edited several newsletters, has been the drama director/writer and women’s ministries coordinator at her churches in two states, and a choir member/soloist and Bible study teacher/facilitator for 40 years plus.  Since arriving in The Villages she has found many opportunities to do what she enjoys;  serving with The VHA and exploring the nuts and bolts of The Villages, being involved with Special Friends activities, bowling, exercising regularly at Bone Builders, participating in Senior Olympics, joining the Writers 4 Kids group and the Writer’s League of the Villages, decorating, gardening, playing cards, entertaining guests, and getting to meet new friends and neighbors.  Her goal as assistant editor for The Voice is to produce an interesting and informative product for VHA members and promote the positive work they do on behalf of all Villages residents. 

Beth was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but grew up in a small town south of St. Louis.  She graduated from William Woods University with a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising and later graduated from Webster University with a master’s degree in Management.  Being a military wife, Beth has had many wonderful work experiences over the years in retail, health care, law and education.

Beth and her husband Dave moved to The Villages in April 2018 from Southern Illinois where her husband retired after 22 years in the USAF.  They always knew they would retire to Florida, but not sure where.  After being here for a little over 3 years, they cannot imagine living anywhere else.  Beth’s desire upon moving to The Villages was to become involved in clubs and organizations that were both fun and meaningful to her.  She and her husband are also very active volunteers with American Legion Post 347, Lady Lake.

In Beth’s spare time, she enjoys dancing, playing pickleball, treasure hunting for bargains and exploring new places in Florida.
Beth and Dave have a blended family of five children and six grandchildren whom are sprinkled all across the United States.

“Team Work:  Coming together is the beginning, Keeping together is progress and Working together is success” this is what being a part of the VHA is about for me.