Fall is a wonderful time of change and a foundation for renewal. As summer transitions into fall, temperatures cool, visitors wane and homeowners in Seaside return to their beloved homes, the Seaside Institute is also experiencing its own transformation. We have recently added a new executive director, three new board members and, at the behest of Seaside founder Robert Davis, the 30A Alliance Advisory Board was created. The Seaside Institute is poised for a new chapter in its history.
The Seaside Institute would like to welcome our newest governing board members: Reynolds Henderson of Walton County, John McGinty of Columbus, Ind., and Quint Studer of Pensacola.
Reynolds Henderson is a principal owner of Continental Pacific LLC (“CP”), a real estate investment and
development company with a broad geographic scope. He brings his passion for making Walton County a better place to live to the Institute with a focus on expanding economic opportunities in the central and northern parts of Walton County.
His involvement in our community is not limited to Seaside; he has co-founded the Florida Opportunity Fund, serves on the Board of Trustees for Northwest Florida State College, the Board of Directors for the Lofts West Condominium, and Savannah Condominium in Rosemary Beach, and chairs the Main Street DeFuniak Springs Board of Directors.
Henderson has previously served on the Board of Directors for the Seaside Neighborhood Schools, the Seaside REP Theatre, The University of Alabama A&S Leadership Board, The Rosemary Beach Foundation, The American Enterprise Institute Enterprise Club and Children’s Volunteer Health Network.
Henderson is an Alabama native and graduate of the University of Alabama with a B.S. in political science and a minor degree in business. He resides in South Walton County with his wife, Stacey, and two sons: Parke and Fox.
John McGinty has an extensive background in the healthcare industry as a hospital administrator. For two
decades he has served as president and CEO of two hospitals and healthcare systems receiving awards of excellence and achievement throughout his career. He is a graduate of Carthage College, and then at Foster G. McGaw Scholar at Xavier University as well as a Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives.
Today he is the founder and president of Peregrine Associates, Inc. He maintains an active schedule as he also serves on multiple hospital boards, as well as those of educational and community organizations. He brings great knowledge and insight as the Seaside Institute continues our Aging with Grace programming. McGinty is invested in our community as a local homeowner. When not here in Seaside, McGinty and his wife spend time in their home in Columbus Ohio.
Quint Studer is a visionary, entrepreneur and author, and is currently head of the Studer Community Institute; a research-based non- profit focused on improving education and economic development through three tracks: Research and advocacy in early childhood education, leadership training, and employee development for small and medium-sized businesses, and increasing civic knowledge and engagement. For more than 30 years, Studer has dedicated himself to helping businesses create a strategy for a sustainable and high-performance culture.
From education to health, entrepreneurship to employee development, Studer and his wife, Rishy, have dedicated their lives to improving the quality of life for people throughout the Pensacola community with their involvement and investment in multiple nonprofit organizations
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Studer writes a weekly employee development column that runs each Sunday in the Pensacola News Journal, and a new book, Building a Vibrant Community.
The 30A Alliance Board
The Board and staff of the Seaside Institute also wish to welcome the members of the newly formed 30A Alliance Advisory Board:
David Everett of Alys Beach, Christopher Chadwick of Draper Lake, Billy Buzzette of Grayton Beach, Dr. Mary Zahner of Rosemary Beach, Mark Wey of Seaside, Randy Carroll of WaterColor, John Lebowitz of Watersound, Cindy Stenberg of The Association, a property management firm representing 14 communities, Moe Stouse of Coastal Seniors of South Walton and Daniel Alstenzer of Florida State Parks.
The 30A Alliance Advisory Board is an apolitical group of local emissaries who will assist in an advisory capacity to the Seaside Institute Board of Governors. Board chairs, Laurance Davis and Victoria Lee received nominations of a select group of individuals who represent a large 30A constituency and the final group was invited to become advisory board members serving an initial two-year term. Their collective voices will provide input to our programming and events, assistance with developing solutions to issues that affect our communities along the 30A corridor. Their perspectives will assist in creating solutions that will work in tandem with our environment.
The inaugural meeting of the advisory board scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 11 was unfortunately postponed due to the arrival of Hurricane Michael. A new date has yet to be determined.
Each of the new 30A Advisory Board members brings a special skill set and perspective to the mission of the Institute. We are grateful for their commitment and welcome them as vital additions to our team.
As a small non-profit we depend on our members, donors, and volunteers to help us develop and execute exemplary programming that fulfills our mission and the four core pillars of our vision: Engagement, Arts, Education, and Innovation. With these pillars at our core, we work to engage those in our community who have a vested interest in our vision or in that of our local community.
Educating all who wish to learn about the New Urbanism concept and to see it practiced in the living laboratory of Seaside is a major component of our vision. Through programming and symposia, we offer insights into the New Urbanism movement. We also include programming centered around the arts and its many forms, as we believe the creative arts improve the quality of life we all enjoy here in Seaside and the 30A community at large.
Finally, the above programming allows us to bring thought leaders together; to create innovative solutions to concerns and issues that not only affect Seaside, but can translate to other areas of the globe.
The Seaside Institute is a 501 c3 non-profit. Our mission is to help people create great communities. Through education, innovation, the arts and engaging our community, we are working to improve the quality of life for families and individuals within Seaside, as well as nationally and globally, while at the same time creating an innovative design that not only enhances the beauty of our environment but, preserves it as well.
If you are interested in helping the Seaside Institute fulfill its mission contact us at: information@seasideinstitute.org, or call us at (850) 231-2421.
Become a Member
Membership Does Have Its Perks
• Early notice and registration for events hosted and produced by the Seaside Institute
• Reduced rates for select paid events
• For further information on our benefits visit our website at seasideinstitute.org
Donate: We work with our mission and the greater good in mind. We don’t sell a product you can take home, we depend on your generous support of our mission. You can make a donation directly to the Seaside Institute, sponsor or choose to attend a paid event.
Volunteer: As a small organization, we use volunteers to augment our staff, help us at events and work together in engaging the community in the mission of the Seaside Institute. All skill levels are needed and we are happy to train our new volunteers.
Advocate: Advocating for a mission is one of the easiest things one can do in support of an organization, especially when you are passionate about the mission. If you have a passion for education, a strong sense of community and want to improve the quality of life for friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances, working with the Seaside Institute is a terrific and convenient platform.