Board of Directors
The UWF Foundation Board of Directors is a dedicated group of alumni and University friends.
The UWF Foundation Board of Directors serve as advocates for the University, encourage philanthropic support, and manage the investments and business affairs of the Foundation. These volunteers and community leaders give of their time to encourage, maintain and administer private gifts for scientific, educational and service purposes of the University of West Florida.
For more information on the Foundation Board of Directors, please see the Board Member Position Description and Board of Directors Term of Office, Foundation Conflict of Interest Policy and Fundraising Code of Ethics.
UWF Foundation operates on a fiscal year basis starting July 1 and ending June 30. Please see below for the fiscal year 2024-25 Foundation Board of Directors and committees.
Board Officers & Committee Chairs
Bruce Vredenburg - Board Chair & Executive Committee Chair
President, Northwest Florida Market, Hancock Whitney Bank
Megan Fry – Board Vice Chair & Investment Committee Chair
Shareholder & Commercial Litigation Department Chair, Clark, Partington, Hart, Larry, Bond & Stackhouse
Hong Potomski '07, MBA, FACHE – Treasurer & Audit/Budget Committee Chair
Market Leader, Florida Blue
James Hosman '99, '01 - Nominating Committee Chair
Immediate Past Board Chair, UWF Foundation Board of Directors
Prospecta Growth Partners, Managing Partner
Chris Roney '98 - Grant Committee Chair
Owner, Ace Unlocks
Amber Griffith '03, '05 – Secretary
Solutions Architect, OpenGov
Board Members
Presidential Elected
Gerald Adcox '77
Owner, Adcox Import
Connie Bookman
Founder & CEO, Pathways for Change
DeeDee Davis
CEO, NAI Pensacola
Nikki Nash '10
COO, Presidio Development
William Rone '73, '78
DoD Senior Executive Service (Ret.), Eglin Federal Credit Union
Rodney Sutton '91
Partner/Broker, SNS Realty Inc.
Cyndi Warren, CPA
Office Managing Member, Pensacola & Foley
Warren Averett, CPA & Advisors
Stephen Wright '81
Retired, CHRISTUS Health, Senior Vice President, Group Operations at CHRISTUS Health Louisiana and Texas
Vacant Presidential Elected Board Positions (2)
Vacancies as of August 2024
Board Elected
Alex Bell
Partner, Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate & SVP of Investments
Megan Fry - Board Vice Chair & Investment Committee Chair
Shareholder & Commercial Litigation Department Chair, Clark, Partington, Hart, Larry, Bond & Stackhouse
Charles Gheen '86
Retired, Department of Defense, Chief Security Officer (CSO)
Victoria Baynes Mullet '98
Retired Educator & Community Volunteer
John T. Porter
Retired, Baptist Health Care, VP Corporate Construction Services
Hong Potomski '07, MBA, FACHE- Treasurer & Audit/Budget Committee Chair
Market Leader, Florida Blue
Chris Roney '98 - Grant Committee Chair
Owner, Ace Unlocks
Kathy Sandstrom '96
Advisor, Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate
Independent Board Member, PEAK, EGP
Bruce Vredenburg - Board Chair & Executive Committee Chair
President, Northwest Florida Market, Hancock Whitney Bank
Jeff Weeks '97
Managing Director - Investment Officer, Quenneville/Weeks Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors
Alumni Association Elected
Amber Griffith '03, '05- Secretary
Solutions Architect, OpenGov
Denis A. McKinnon III '18
Executive Director, Capital Trust Agency
Foundation Bylaws - Section 2.02 Elected Directors
Ten of the Elected Directors shall be elected upon nomination of the President of the University of West Florida (“University”). Two of the Elected Directors shall be elected upon nomination by the Alumni Association from its membership. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the remaining ten of the Elected Directors shall be elected by the Elected Directors at the last quarterly noticed meeting of the fiscal year of the Board of Directors. All Elected Directors must then be approved by the University of West Florida Board of Trustees.
Richard R. “Dick” Baker*
Trustee, UWF Board of Trustees
Semi-retired Real Estate Developer
Dr. Martha D. Saunders*
President, University of West Florida
Dr. Jacob Shively*
Vice President, UWF Faculty Senate
Associate Professor, Reubin O'D. Askew Department of Government
Carey Griffin*
Student Body Vice President, UWF Student Government Association
James Hosman '99, '01 - Nominating Committee Chair
Immediate Past Board Chair, UWF Foundation Board of Directors
Prospecta Growth Partners, Managing Partner
Whitney Fike '07*
President, UWF Alumni Board of Directors
Regional Communications Manager, Pensacola Mill - International Paper Company
Foundation Bylaws - Section 2.03 Ex Officio Directors
Ex Officio Directors include the following: (i) one representative of the University of West Florida Board of Trustees (“BOT”), as designated by the BOT Chair; (ii) the President of the University; (iii) the Vice President of the Faculty Senate of the University; (iv) one student representative from the Student Government Association (“SGA”) of the University, as designated by the SGA President; (v) the Immediate Past Chair of the Foundation Board, and (vi) the President of the Alumni Association. Ex Officio Directors are entitled to a vote upon all matters, except the election of Elected Directors and officers of the corporation. With the exception of (i) the representative of the University of West Florida Board of Trustees and (ii) the President of the University, all Ex Officio Directors must be approved by the University of West Florida Board of Trustees.
Committees
Hong Potomski '07, MBA, FACHE – Treasurer & Audit/Budget Committee Chair
Market Leader, Florida Blue
Richard R. “Dick” Baker*
Trustee, UWF Board of Trustees
Semi-retired Real Estate Developer
Nikki Nash ‘10
COO, Presidio Development
John T. Porter
Retired, Baptist Health Care, VP Corporate Construction Services
Amber Griffith '03, '05 - Secretary
Solutions Architect, OpenGov
William Rone '73, '78
DoD Senior Executive Service (Ret.), Eglin Federal Credit Union
Rodney Sutton '91
Partner/Broker, SNS Realty Inc.
Bruce Vredenburg - Board Chair & Executive Committee Chair
President, Northwest Florida Market, Hancock Whitney Bank
Bruce Vredenburg - Board Chair & Executive Committee Chair
President, Northwest Florida Market, Hancock Whitney Bank
Megan Fry – Board Vice Chair & Investment Committee Chair Shareholder & Commercial Litigation Department Chair, Clark, Partington, Hart, Larry, Bond & Stackhouse
Amber Griffith '03, '05 - Secretary
Solutions Architect, OpenGov
Hong Potomski '07, MBA, FACHE – Treasurer & Audit/Budget Committee Chair
Market Leader, Florida Blue
James Hosman '99, '01 - Nominating Committee Chair
Immediate Past Board Chair, UWF Foundation Board of Directors
Prospecta Growth Partners, Managing Partner
Dr. Martha D. Saunders*
President, University of West Florida
Richard R. “Dick” Baker*
Trustee, UWF Board of Trustees
Semi-retired Real Estate Developer
Whitney Fike '07*
President, UWF Alumni Board of Directors
Regional Communications Manager, Pensacola Mill - International Paper Company
Chris Roney '98 - Grant Committee Chair
Owner, Ace Unlocks
Amber Griffith '03, '05 - Secretary
Solutions Architect, OpenGov
Carey Griffin*
Student Body Vice President, UWF Student Government Association
Victoria Baynes Mullet '98
Retired Educator & Community Volunteer
Dr. Jacob Shively*
Vice President, UWF Faculty Senate
Associate Professor, Reubin O’D. Askew Department of Government
Cyndi Warren, CPA
Office Managing Member, Pensacola & Foley
Warren Averett, CPA & Advisors
Megan Fry – Board Vice Chair & Investment Committee Chair Shareholder & Commercial Litigation Department Chair, Clark, Partington, Hart, Larry, Bond & Stackhouse
Alex Bell
Partner, Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate & SVP of Investments
Denis A. McKinnon III ‘18
Executive Director, Capital Trust Agency
Stephen Wright ‘81
Retired, CHRISTUS Health, Senior Vice President, Group Operations at CHRISTUS Health Louisiana and Texas
Kathy Sandstrom '96
Advisor, Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate
Independent Board Member, PEAK, EGP
Jeff Weeks '97
Managing Director - Investment Officer, Quenneville/Weeks Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors
Bruce Vredenburg - Board Chair & Executive Committee Chair
President, Northwest Florida Market, Hancock Whitney Bank
James Hosman '99, '01 - Nominating Committee Chair
Immediate Past Board Chair, UWF Foundation Board of Directors
Prospecta Growth Partners, Managing Partner
Whitney Fike '07*
President, UWF Alumni Board of Directors
Regional Communications Manager, Pensacola Mill - International Paper Company
Gerald Adcox '77
Owner, Adcox Import
Connie Bookman
Founder & CEO, Pathways for Change
DeeDee Davis
CEO, NAI Pensacola
Charles Gheen ‘86
Retired, Department of Defense, Chief Security Officer (CSO)
Bruce Vredenburg - Board Chair & Executive Committee Chair
President, Northwest Florida Market, Hancock Whitney Bank