Sarasota Military Academy Foundation

Sarasota Military Academy Governing Board

As the Chairman of The Sarasota Military Academy Board, I am very proud to share the biographies of the incredible board members assisting SMA. They are people of unsurpassed quality and commitment. I hope you enjoy the time you spend examining these brief glimpses into their lives. We welcome your interest in SMA. Our every effort is devoted to making this an experience that will prepare each cadet for a lifetime of success!

Previous Next

Lt. General Howard Crowell (Ret.)

Chairman
Retired three-star General, U.S. Army, 34 years military service

Chief of Staff, U.S. Forces, Europe 1988

Graduate, U.S. Army War College, Washington, DC

M.S. George Washington University, Washington, DC

B.A. in Economics from St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY

Worldwide experience in leadership and international affairs

Past District Governor of Rotary International, District 6960

Past President Rotary Club of Sarasota Bay

Past President of Retired Officers’ Club of Sarasota

Past Chairman of the Board, Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence

Active member in many organizations in the Sarasota Community Awards: the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, eighteen Air Medals, and the Purple Heart, among others.
Mr. Fred Derr

Board Member
Chairman and CEO, Frederick Derr & Company, Inc., Sarasota, FL

M.S. in Civil Engineering from Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

B.S., Civil Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY

Graduate U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD

Mr. Derr served ten years active duty in the U.S. Navy and retired from the Naval Reserve with the rank of Captain. During this service period, he gained valuable experience in the design and construction of public works facilities. In the State of Florida, Mr. Derr is a Registered Professional Engineer, a licensed Certified General Contractor and a licensed Underground Utility and Excavation Contractor. He is also a Registered Professional Engineer in New York and Louisiana.

Mr. Derr’s career with Frederick Derr & Company actually began when he joined the Wendel Kent & Company in 1967, as an estimator. As his career progressed, he became the Company President in1984. Then in 1986, Mr. Derr acquired majority ownership of the Company and subsequently changed its name to Frederick Derr & Company in 1991.

Throughout his career, Mr. Derr has worked in all phases of highway construction, including the building of major interstate projects, city and county roads, subdivisions, golf courses, industrial parks, utility systems and coastal protection structures.

The Myakka Chapter of the Florida Engineering Society has honored Mr. Derr through the years. In 1989, they named him Engineer of the Year. In February 1999, the Chapter presented him with their Outstanding Technical Achievement Award for design and construction of a coastal protection structure. Their latest tribute was naming him Distinguished Senior Engineer in February 2003.

A concerned and active member of his community, Mr. Derr has served as Vice Chairman of the Sarasota County Code of Building Appeals. He is Past President of the Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida, and Past Chairman, Transportation Advisory Board, City of Sarasota. He is currently a member of The Argus Foundation and the Sarasota Rotary Club. He recently completed a three year term as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mote Marine Laboratory, and currently remains on the Board as Chairman Emeritus. Also, Mr. Derr serves on the Board of Directors of La Musica, an international chamber music festival as well as on the Sarasota Military Academy Board in the capacity of Treasurer.
Mr. Steven Herb

Board Member
JD, (Law Degree) University of Cincinnati

BS, Business Pre-Law and Economics, Bowling Green University

Attorney, Senior Partner, Nelson Hesse LLP

A member of the Board of Directors of the American Boat and Yacht Council and is a joint author of Recreational Boating Law and Benedict on Admiralty (Vol. 8). He is an active member of the Recreational Boat Law Committee of the Maritime Law Association of the United States. He formerly served as a member of the Government Relations Committee of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, receiving a Recognition Award from the National Marine Manufacturers' Association for his effective lobbying efforts on behalf of the boating industry.

Past President and Member of the Board of Directors; Tyndall Federal Credit Union from 1975 through 1978. He was Chairman of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee of the Florida Bar; served on the Fee Arbitration Committee of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit of the Florida Bar and was awarded the Meritorious Public Service Award by the Florida Bar. Steve has been certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a County and Circuit Court mediator, and is also a fully qualified arbitrator. He is a member of the Defense Research Institute and the Business Law Section of the Florida Bar.

Mr. Herb was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Siesta Key Utilities Authority, Inc., a Past-Commodore and Director of The Field Club, and has served as a director of the Brock Wilson Foundation and the Cotillion Club of Sarasota. Additionally, Mr. Herb served as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) during his service in the United States Air Force. Steve and his wife, Jean, have resided in Sarasota, Florida, for 32 years, are active in community affairs, have two daughters and five grandchildren.
Mr. Herb Jones

Board Member
Attended the University of Kentucky and the University of Cincinnati

Majors in transportation and transportation management

Helped start a Merchandising and Marine Transportation Company that became the 20th largest private company in St. Louis

Traveled extensively in Japan

Member of many boards including five national boards of trade organizations

Started grocery stores in Palmetto, Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice, Port Charlotte, and Arcadia (Save A Lot Food Stores)

Current owner of NStyle Furniture & Design

Charter President of The Rotary Club of Sarasota Southside, Sarasota Yacht Club, and TPC Prestancia
Col. Benjamin Knisely (Ret.)

Board Member
MA, Systems Management, University of Southern California

BA, Mathematics and Sociology, University of South Florida

1993 to present: Corporate Consultant and Management positions; MacAulay-Brown, Inc., Dayton, OH; Seventrees Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI; Lockheed Martin Professional Services, Alexandria, VA; INS., Inc., Ivyland, PA.

1966 – 1993; Army Service, retiring as a Colonel; Deputy Command Surgeon (Senior Medical Service Corps Officer on General Schwarzkopf’s Special Staff).
D
Honors and military awards: Defense Superior Service Medal; Bronze Star; Legion of Merit; The Purple Heart, Air Medal, W II/OLC, Meritorious Service Medal w/4 OLC; US Army Commendation Medal w/3 OLCs; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Awarded Master Army Aviator; Awarded US Army Order of Military Medical Merit; Awarded Lucas/Sikorsky Life-saving Award; The Japan Self Defense Forces Life Saving Award; Florida State Teaching Certification and Certified Flight Instructor and Helicopter Aviator.
Mr. Woody Wolverton

Board Member
B.S. in Geological Engineering, University of Oklahoma

Currently, Vice-President, Stifel Nicholas, Inc.

Senior Vice President, Robert W. Baird & Company, Inc. Sarasota-Growing assets to 500 million dollars 1996 to 2003.

First Vice President/Assistant Manager, Prudential Securities, Sarasota 1992—1996

Financial Advisor, Legg Mason, Sarasota 1991-1992

Captain, U.S. Army
Ms. Alexandra Quarles

Board Member
Alex is an alum of Indiana University-Purdue University Center on Philanthropy’s Executive Leadership Institute (ELI), the University of Tampa and Leadership Tampa

A member of the philanthropic community since 1981, beginning her career at Mote Marine Laboratory Foundation, Alex has held senior development positions in not-for-profit organizations such as: The University of South Florida Health Sciences Center, The University of Tampa, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute Foundation, and - since 1994 – at Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, Inc

President of both the Suncoast Chapter in Tampa and the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)

Served on the Executive Committee of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees., Past President of the Sarasota Woman’s Alliance and is currently the President of Little Gull Condominium Association on Longboat Key.

Alex was appointed to the U. S. Army Quartermaster Foundation Board of Advisors in Ft. Lee, Virginia and was the first civilian and only second woman serving in the history of the organization