Dr. Malik Watkins- Board Chair
Carl Vinson Institute of Government
University of Georgia
Dr. Watkins provides technical assistance and applied research for a wide variety of constituents.He manages the Public Policy Notes series, which provides independent and objective analysis in a wide range of policy arenas. Watkins’s primary focus is on planning, program/policy evaluation and analysis, program development, affordable housing, operational audits and project management. He currently serves as an academic advisor to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and chair of the Historic District Review Board (city of Savannah), along with volunteering on several other local boards and committees. Dr. Watkins earned a Ph.D. in City & Regional Planning from The Ohio State University and his M.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame. He is a graduate of the Paul Coverdell Leadership Institute.
Otis Brock – Board Vice Chair
Operations Officer
Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
Otis Brock is a native of Savannah and a graduate of the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools and Savannah State University. An active member of the Savannah community, Otis has been involved with many community organizations such as the 100 Black Men of Savannah, Boys and Girls Club of Savannah, West Broad Street YMCA, Step Up Poverty Initiative and Rotary International. As the Chief Operations Officer for Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, Otis is committed to making Savannah-Chatham County a great community to live in.
Erin Flothmeier – Secretary
Director of Human Resources
The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa
Erin has been the Director of Human Resources at the Westin since 2004. Prior to this position, she served as an Area Director of Human Resources with the Wyndam Hotels & Resorts in Washington, D.C., Cleveland, Ohio, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Carmel, California. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Business/Human Resources for Miami University. Erin has served on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity and the Experienced Workers Council. She is currently a Big Sister. She resides in Pooler with her husband Glenn and stays active with yoga, cycling, traveling and reading.
Kay Ford – Board Treasurer
President
SunTrust Bank Savannah
A 35-year SunTrust veteran, Mrs. Ford most recently served as senior vice president and Wealth Services manager for SunTrust Bank, Georgia. Prior to her current position, in 2005 she held numerous senior level positions within Retail Banking and Private Wealth Management. Mrs. Ford currently serves on the board of directors of the United Way, the Memorial Hospital Health Foundation, the Memorial University Medical Center, and the Savannah Fund for Excellence in Education and the St. Mary’s Home, in which she is also the Finance chairperson. She is a graduate of the 1990 class of Leadership Savannah, and the 1997 class of Leadership Georgia.
Tom Barton
Editorial Page Editor
Savannah Morning News
Tom Barton is the editorial page editor of the Savannah Morning News, a position he has held since 1993. He has worked at the newspaper since he graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism in 1978. He is a former editorial writer, government reporter, police reporter, and health and medical reporter. He has won numerous awards for reporting, opinion writing and column writing from various journalism organizations, including the Georgia Press Association and Georgia Associated Press. He is a native of Ohio and has two grown children. He serves on the boards of the Salvation Army and Second Harvest Food Bank.
Richard D. Eckburg
Retired UPS Executive
Dick rose through the ranks of United Parcel Service to become the vice president in charge of public affairs. Since his retirement, Dick has adopted Savannah as his home and engaged in a wide variety of charitable and philanthropic endeavors including The Salvation Army, The Savannah College of Art & Design Visitors’ Board, The Lucas Theater, The Bethesda Home for Boys, The Telfair Museum of Art, The Savannah Music Festival, and St. Paul’s CME Church and School. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Media Research Center in Alexandria, VA, and on the Board of Directors of the SunTrust Bank, Savannah. Dick and his wife, Judy are the proud parents of two daughters and four grandchildren.
Linda Tierney-Pufahl
Linda Tierney-Pufahl’s early career was in international marketing with ITT World Communications and ATT where she worked in various roles in strategic planning, international relations, and vertical industry development. She has had a long interest in working with non-profit organizations and has served as Chairperson of the Caring in Action and the AIDS Committees at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church (NYC). Most notably she served as the Board President for Northern Lights Alternative, a non-profit organization in New York City that focused on improving the lives of children, families and women affected an infected with the HIV virus. In 2001, Linda became the director of Alumni Relations at SCAD and in 2010 was appointed a Major Gift Officer to help raise funds to support student programs and the mission of the university. She retired from SCAD in May of 2011. Linda is also a Big Sister and serves on the St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Outreach Committee. In her spare time, she enjoys sailing with her husband, John Pufahl, gardening, and bike riding.
Heather Peloquin
Vice President and Client Advisor
SunTrust Bank, Private Wealth Management Group
Heather has worked with SunTrust for 20 years in various capacities, including commercial banking and commercial real estate. She has attended South University and Atlantic University and has completed several management and banking programs offered by the American Institute of Banking.
Amanda Elliott
Executive Director
The Marshes of Skidaway Island
Amanda is a graduate of Ohio University with dual Bachelor’s of Science degrees in Long Term Care Administration and Health Service Administration and a Gerontology Certificate. She is current enrolled in their Master’s of Health Administration program and will complete her degree in November 2011. Amanda has been working in the long term care industry for the last eight years and loves working with seniors. She moved to Savannah from Hilton Head, SC in August 2010 and has enjoyed the city’s culture and hospitality. Ms. Elliott is a member of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, Alzheimer’s Association, American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, and Aging Services of Georgia.
Donna K. Fisher
Associate Professor of Economics,
Graduate Programs Coordinator, Masters of Applied Economics
Georgia Southern University
Donna Fisher is an Associate Professor of Economics at Georgia Southern University. Professor Fisher joined the faculty of Georgia Southern in 2001. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 2000, her M.S. from the University of Illinois in 1997, a B.S. from the University of Oregon in 1990, and a B.S. from Michigan State University in 1982.
Kevin D. Johnson
President & CEO
Johnson Media Inc.
Kevin is the founder and CEO of Johnson Media Incorporated located in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin founded his first business while a sophomore at Morehouse University and went on to become a Rising Star Award winner for Outstanding achievement in Entrepreneurship from Morehouse in 2008. He is a winner of the Welcome Magazine’s Award of Mastering Excellence and for Commitment to the community in Atlanta in 2007. Kevin was selected as one of the Power 30 Under 30 in Atlanta in 2005. Kevin has been featured in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, USBE Technology Magazine, The Atlanta Business Chronicle and ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Kevin is a Big Brother too! Kevin lives here in Savannah with his wife , WJCL’s Educational News Reporter. They are expecting their first child in 2011.
