Leadership
Buzz Ritchie
Team Chairs
Education: Ted Kirchharr
Environment: Dr. Enid Sisskin
Health: Dr. Debra Vinci
Poverty: Tim Evans
Sponsors
Partners
212 individuals
70 Organizations
7 Sponsors
Team Chairs |
Unite Escambia Champion: Buzz Ritchie
Buzz Ritchie is the Champion for Unite Escambia. He attended the University of Florida and received his Juris Doctor in 1972. Buzz currently serves as Chief Executive Officer for Gulf Coast Community Bank. Prior to coming to Gulf Coast Bank, he was with O’Sullivan Creel from 1999 to 2002, and served as District 3 Representative to the Florida House of Representatives from 1988 to 1998. In addition to his banking responsibilities, Buzz contributes his time to numerous local nonprofit and economic development efforts. He serves as the board chair for United Way of Escambia County, and as a board member for Sacred Heart Health System, Access Escambia, Rebuild Northwest Florida, Escambia Community Clinics, and Take Stock in Children. Buzz is a member of Five Flags Rotary, a mentor with Escambia County School District, active in the Maritime Museum Campaign, and a member of the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Committee. Additionally, Buzz is past chair of the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Pensacola Opera, United Cerebral Palsy, and the YMCA. Some of Buzz’s most recent awards are the United Way of Escambia County’s Distinguished Community Service Award, the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s Pace Award for Community Leader of the Year, the Kiwanis Civic Award, the Civitan Citizen of the Year, and PJC “Leaders & Legends” President’s Award.
Education Solutions Team: Ted A. Kirchharr
Ted Kirchharr earned his Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University in 1989. He joined Landrum Companies in the fall of 2003 as the Director of Strategic Initiatives, and currently serves as Vice President, Chief Operating Officer for Landrum Professional and Landrum Consulting. Landrum Companies has been recognized as one of the 25 Best Small Businesses to Work for in America for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 by the Society for Human Resource Management. Ted has been published in PEO Insider since 2005. On top of his various professional successes, Ted is very active in the community holding leadership positions with various organizations. Presently, he is on the Board of Directors for YMCA of Northwest Florida, Autism Society of the Panhandle, Florida’s Great Northwest, and United Way of Escambia County. Additionally, Ted is on the board of Governors for Pensacola Junior College Foundation and the Advisory Board for University of West Florida College of Business. He is also the President-Elect for Florida Sterling Council.
Environment Solutions Team: Dr. Enid Sisskin
Dr. Enid Sisskin received a BA from Queens College of the City University of NY and an MS from Southern Illinois University. Her PhD in Pathobiology was awarded under the direction of Dr I. Bernard Weinstein, Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. Upon graduation she completed a postdoc at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health, and continued with research at Everglades National Park’s South Florida Research Center. She also worked in the park in the Resource Management division. Enid sits on the board of directors of several local and regional environmental organizations, including the Gulf Coast Environmental Defense, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, and the Florida Conservation Alliance. At WUWF, Dr. Sisskin produces the daily EcoMinute. In the BSHS and MPH Programs, Dr. Sisskin teaches Public Health, Environmental Health, Environmental Toxicology, Bioterrorism, and co-teaches Epidemiology for Public Health Professionals and Disease Transmission in the Urban Environment.
Health Solutions Team: Dr. Debra Vinci