Born in Bronxville, New York, he graduated from Phillips Academy and UNC Chapel Hill. He became the political columnist for the Atlanta Constitution and then an on-air analyst at CNN covering presidential politics. He became a writer and wrote Secret Formula, a history of Coca Cola, Atlanta Rising, a history of modern Atlanta, and A Decent, Orderly Lynching, about the founding fathers of Montana.

Linda Allen is a denizen of rural South Georgia, learned to drive on a tractor, completed high school in Miami, Florida and graduated from the University of Georgia, where she was a member of Phi Mu sorority.

After a career in fashion merchandising, she returned to school to study interior design.

Following a year-long trip around the world with husband, Rick, she settled into 25 years of buying and selling original art, returning to England and the Continent and maintaining a gallery in Atlanta, Georgia.

Linda and Rick have been married 47 years. Previous seasonal residents in Bozeman Montana, they moved to Cashiers in 2017. They have been very engaged in multiple civic organizations in each of their communities. Linda and Rick will soon be dividing their time between Cashiers and Greenville, South Carolina.

Sarah Catherine Bell is a native of the north Georgia mountains and she spent her childhood exploring the area in and around Cashiers. After graduating from the University of Georgia, she worked in education and politics in Washington, D.C. before moving to New York City where she worked in the wine industry and in public relations. Atlanta has been her home for the past 10 years; she is a mediator and serves on the Olmstead Linear Park Board in Druid Hills.

Bill Bell was born in Tallahassee, FL and began visiting the Cashiers area as a child on summer vacations. After graduating from Florida State University he moved to Atlanta to work as a portfolio manager with Atlanta Capital Management. Bill serves on the board of the Altamaha Riverkeepers and has a special interest in environmental preservation in the southeast.

Sarah Catherine and Bill enjoy cooking, hiking, fishing, and all things outdoors. They are looking forward to spending more time in Cashiers in the coming years and are eager to support Vision Cashiers in their work towards sustainable growth in the Cashiers area.

Maggie Carton received her bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., and her master of business administration (MBA) degree from Emory University in Atlanta. Before her retirement in 2005, she worked for Coca-Cola Enterprises for 18 years.
Maggie is on the Board of many community projects in Cashiers, N.C., and Atlanta. In addition to her volunteer efforts, she spends her time cooking, gardening, hiking, doing needlepoint, swimming and practicing yoga. She was born in Dallas, Texas and married Bob Carton in 1980.

Bob is a Duke University graduate in accounting and earned his MBA and doctorate in strategic management from the University of Georgia. He practiced as a certified public accountant with Deloitte and as chief financial officer of various companies for 15 years. For the past 21 years, Bob has been a college business professor and has done business and finance consulting for dozens of companies.

Tony's education includes an advanced Marketing Management Program from Harvard Business School and a B.S. in Chemistry and Business Administration from Pfeiffer University.

He has spent most of his career in the domestic and international specialty chemical, ingredient, transportation, aerospace and industrial industries, with substantial results in pharmaceutical, capital equipment, chemicals, automotive, construction, pool & spa markets. He works extensively with distribution and route-based companies.

Tony has managed many corporations throughout the US during his career including Hayward Industries, Inc., Crompton & Knowles Ingredient Technology Group, The Morgan Group and Kidd & Company, LLC, a private equity firm.

Tony continues to work in the private equity world, buying, selling and advising companies that are owned or about to be owned by private equity firms.

Tony and Deborah met in 1999 and married in 2007. Deborah holds both a bachelor’s degree in advertising design and marketing from the University of Maryland. Deborah started her career with RCA records later transitioning to Head Sportswear. She spent over 30 years of her career in the Optical Industry. Retiring in 2016 from the Vision Council where she served as vice president of trade shows and meetings.

Tony and Deborah relocated to Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. from Arlington, VA in 2014. In 2021, they completed construction of a home in Silver Run Reserve in Cashiers, where they spend their summers. They are members of Arcola Country Club in New Jersey, Sawgrass Country Club in FL and Country Club of Sapphire Valley. They have two grown children and four grandchildren.

Walter Clark and his wife Joy Brown Clark live in Birmingham, Ala., and in the Country Club of Sapphire Valley community of Cashiers. He had a diversified career in business, medicine and politics. Walter was awarded the Bronze and Silver Star for gallantry in action in Vietnam. He graduated from Auburn University and Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine, practicing podiatry with his father for 37 years.

He has served in multiple non-profit leadership positions and is the chairman of the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation.

Joy graduated from Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia in 1972 and earned her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Alabama and University of Alabama at Birmingham. She thoroughly enjoyed her 37 years in education, teaching in grades 5-9 in various school districts in Alabama during the first 19 of those years. One high point was the establishment of the Alabama Scholastic Challenge, a statewide academic competition for middle and high school student teams. She also developed a television series of the same name that was broadcast on Alabama Public Television. Joy especially enjoyed her last 12 years as principal of Bumpus Middle School in Hoover, Ala., and led the Alabama Middle Level Principals Association as president.

After retiring, Joy held leadership positions as president of the Vestavia Hills Country Club LGA for two years, treasurer and Board member of the Lady Legacy Golf Foundation and the Junior Girls Golf program of Birmingham, Ala. She is a member of Independent Presbyterian Church in Birmingham and worked with the church’s inner-city tutoring program. Joy has been a member of the Board of Directors at The Country Club of Sapphire Valley, secretary of the Board for two years and a member of the Executive Committee for two years. She recently was elected a director of the Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau in Cashiers.

Joy and Walter have three children and nine grandchildren.

Skip recently retired Vice-Chairman of Amwins Group, a specialty insurance company. Grew up in Gulf Breeze, Florida and graduated in Finance from University of Alabama; member of KA fraternity and other campus organizations. Enjoys Golf, hunting, fishing, traveling and time with 3 grandsons. Currently participates on several business and charity Boards
Tanya grew up in McKinney, Texas until 11th grade and moved to Mountain Brook, Alabama. Graduated from the University of Alabama; Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority among other campus organizations, activities. Involved in multiple charities and civic organizations in Mountain Brook, Alabama. Mother of 4 and doting grandmother of 3.Relatively new, but avid golfer; loves travel and entertainment of family and friends

Hal Cottingham has had a career in Commercial real estate specializing in property operations. He retired in 2007 to enjoy shooting sports and croquet.

Russell Holliday is Vice President of Holliday Associates. She worked in New York City for Hearst Magazines in Marketing and Advertising sales for Redbook Magazine and Town & Country Magazine. She serves on the boards of Spoleto USA, The Citadel Foundation and Hollings Cancer Center. She is a past Board of Trustees Member of Brookgreen Gardens and The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina. She enjoys golf, croquet and hunting.

David and Jessie Cunningham are originally from Memphis, TN. David graduated from the University of Memphis with an undergraduate degree in finance and graduate degree in marketing. Jessie graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in fashion merchandising. David started working at FedEx during college, spending the nights loading airplanes and days attending classes. After graduating, he was able to continue his journey with the company as a financial analyst, which led to a 36-year career spanning the world and holding numerous positions in multiple regions. They have been married for over 30 years with the first five years spent working and enjoying the islands of Hawaii. They lived in Asia over 20 years, taking advantage of visiting many places with their two children, David III and Megen. Since retiring, David and Jessie continue their travels and enjoy spending time in their NC and FL homes. David enjoys golf and boating while Jessie enjoys pickleball and tennis. Both are thrilled at having found such a wonderful area to call home.

Lisa was raised in Savannah, Georgia, graduated from Converse College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in interior design and has lived in Charlotte for 36 years. Lisa and her siblings started visiting their parents, Mandy and Gus Bell, in their home away from home in Cashiers in 1990 and now Lisa and Perrin split their time equally between Cashiers and Charlotte.

Lisa has held several non-profit board positions in Charlotte and elsewhere including Converse College, Charlotte Ballet, Levine Museum of the New South, The Lee Institute/Duke Mansion, Women of Vision, Children’s Theater (now ImaginOn), among others. She has also chaired numerous fundraisers and served in leadership positions for many organizations including Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, PBS Charlotte, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Charlotte Country Day School, and Episcopal High School. A favorite was co-chairing the Cashiers Dog Park Opening and Donors Appreciation event featuring a dog show (very casual) well represented by Cashier’s beloved and talented pups.

Lisa currently serves on the boards of the Mint Museum of Art Contemporary Collections, Church of the Good Shepherd’s Endowment, and Wade Hampton Property Owners Association.

In addition to traveling, Lisa enjoys reading, entertaining, thinking about gardening one day, and is also an avid art enthusiast and dog lover. Golf is a newly found interest and is enjoyed on some days.

Above all else, she loves nothing better than spending time with her beloved family, friends, and pups. Between them, Lisa and Perrin are extremely blessed with five children, two grandchildren, and two dogs. They cherish their time in Cashiers and Charlotte with their growing family, friends and pups and are especially fond of their Church of the Good Shepherd family.

Perrin practices law with the international firm of K&L Gates LLP in the area of project development with an emphasis on environmental- and construction-related work. He has published and spoken widely on legal developments in his practice area. Among other things he has served as the Chair of the Environmental and Natural Resources Section of the South Carolina Bar Association and Committee Vice Chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Pisgah Legal Services, a poverty law organization providing pro bono legal representation to the underserved people of Western North Carolina. He is a Trustee for Sewanee: The University of the South. Perrin and his wife Lisa split their time between Charlotte and Cashiers, North Carolina.

Steve and Lee Ann DeCarlo divide their time between Charlotte, N.C., and Cashiers. They recently renovated a home at 261 Horse Barn Road in Big Sheepcliff where they plan to live most of the year. They also maintain a family home in Mountaintop, N.C.

Steve is a graduate of East Tennessee State University (ETSU) where he is on the Board of Trustees, is a member of the ETSU Foundation and is affiliated with the Distinguished President’s Trust. He retired as chief executive officer of Amwins Group, Inc., in 2017 and now serves as the executive chairman.

Lee Ann graduated from Georgia State University with an Insurance degree and worked as a property broker in the reinsurance business until retiring in 1991. She is a collector of the unique and the unusual.

Steve and Lee Ann are parents to three grown children as well as American parents to many exchange students over the years. They enjoy walking their dogs, playing golf, tennis, hiking, gardening and travel.

Louis and Judy Freeman live in Chattooga, N.C., and New Orleans. They have four children and nine grandchildren and have been Cashiers residents since 2015.

Louis is a recipient of The Loving Cup, a New Orleans award that recognizes a lifetime of good deeds. He has held leadership positions on 38 Boards, foundations and institutions, including Tulane University, The National World War II Museum, the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Bureau of Governmental Research. He is a past chairman of the Cashiers Community Fund.

Judy was born in Jacksonville, Fla., and grew up the daughter of a career naval aviator, moving frequently as a child. Her family settled in New Orleans where she attended high school. She attended Newcomb College of Tulane University, where she met Louis. They have four grown children and nine grandchildren.

Judy has served as a volunteer and officer of the Junior League of New Orleans, the Garden Club of America, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, the Louisiana Nature and Science Center, New Orleans Town Gardeners and the Robert E. Lee Memorial Association. After 25 years of research, Judy wrote and published in 2020 her family genealogy, “The Ancestors and Descendants of Lawrence Albert Waite and Hilda Marie Slaiger of North Attleborough, Massachusetts,” through the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston where she is an honorary Board member.

Judy spends her free time with family, gardening, playing bridge, hunting and fishing, traveling, researching genealogy and playing croquet.

David Green was the founder, president and chief executive officer of the StoneHill Group, which he sold in 2021. David has more than 30 years of senior management and executive experience in the real estate and mortgage banking industry. Since 1996, he has led the StoneHill Group’s team of mortgage professionals in offering a wide array of outsourcing solutions to the real estate financing community.

David began his real estate and mortgage banking career at Cameron Brown and held leadership roles at First Union, Resolution Trust Corporation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation before forming the StoneHill Group in 1996.

David attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Tampa where he holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He has spoken at mortgage industry conferences, has written articles for leading industry publications and is considered an industry expert on quality control, mortgage outsourcing and risk management. David is a speaker at many MBA and state and local functions in the areas of quality control and vendor management.

Helen and Chris Harmon are residents of Birmingham, AL and they return to Cashiers as often as time in life allows. They have a daughter in Boston, MA and a son in St. Louis, MO.

Helen graduated from Hollins College and serves on the Board of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (where she volunteers with the Native Plant Propagation Group). She holds the position of Horticulture Chair in her GCA club. A love of summer camp drew her back to this special area. On the plateau, she is a Board Member of the Cashiers Historical Society, Preservation/Conservation Committee. She also enjoys spending time on the Greenspace Committee in Lonesome Valley.

Chris is a graduate of University of Alabama (B.S. & J.D.). He currently serves as General Counsel for Altec, Inc., headquartered in Birmingham. He is a Board Member of the Country Club of Birmingham, and the Brookwood Baptist Health System. He is also active in the United Way of Central Alabama.

They both love travel, but find no place is prettier than Cashiers. Let’s Keep Cashiers, Cashiers!

John and Lida moved from Houston, TX to Cashiers in early 2023. They bought their retirement home in Cedar Hill in 2017. Lida learned about Cashiers ~20 years ago from her father when she came leaf peeping with him for several years after her mother passed away.
John was born in Corpus Christi, TX and lived in Curacao, Chicago, Memphis, and Birmingham before going through the Navy ROTC program at Vanderbilt University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering. John served four years in the Navy as a Nuclear Power Officer on fast attack submarines. After the Navy, he received a Masters in Environmental Engineering and Water Resources from the University of Houston. John has worked for over thirty-five years in both engineering and business development providing water and wastewater solutions to the municipal, refining, petrochemical and offshore industries. John is now operating his own consulting firm in the same industry.
Lida grew up in Birmingham, AL and graduated from Vanderbilt with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Math. Following graduation, Lida moved to Houston to work for Shell Oil Company where she provided IT services and solutions to Shell’s businesses for over 35 years and was on Shell’s global IT leadership team for her last 15 years before retiring in 2018.
After retiring and before moving to Cashiers, Lida volunteered at Amazing Place in Houston helping adult dementia participants use cognitive skills while enjoying the daily program. Lida also served as New Ladies Golfer Chairman for the Lakeside Country Club’s Women’s Golf Association for 2 years. In Cashiers, Lida has been a member of the Cedar Hill POA Board for the past 3 years, serving as Secretary all 3 years and as the Landscape and Architectural Review Committee Coordinator for the past 2 years.
John and Lida are members of Church of the Good Shepherd and the Country Club of Sapphire Valley. They have three children and five grandchildren. Lida and John both enjoy golf, fishing, hiking, family time and traveling with friends.

Bette has dedicated her time and talent to numerous organizations following her retirement from the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce in the early 1970s. She served on the Vestry of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and was President of the Peachtree Garden Club. She was an active volunteer in the early stages of the Atlanta Botanical Garden and CHARLEE, an organization now called CHRIS 180, dedicated to providing critical services to foster care and at-risk youth. Most recently, she served on the Executive Committee of the Cashiers Historical Society where she and her friend, Teed Poe, are responsible for establishing and maintaining the heirloom vegetable garden.

Bette was born in Savannah and moved to Atlanta after Mary Baldwin College in 1969. In 1970, she married Edwin Hines of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee and they were married for 40 years until his death in 2010. Edwin and Bette have two daughters, Hilton, who lives in Atlanta, and Anne, who lives in Richmond, VA. Bette has spent summers in Cashiers for the past 25 years. Her interests are hiking the many trails around Cashiers, gardening with native plants, playing golf, and spending time with her six grandchildren.

Charles was born in Charleston, S. C. and grew up in Charlotte, N. C. where he attended high school at Myers Park. He went to college and law school at UNC at Chapel Hill. After law school he moved to Washington, D. C. where he worked in the Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service. In 1971 Charles moved to Atlanta where he began private the practice of law from which he retired after 45 years. He also taught law for 15 years as an Adjunct Professor at the Emory University Law School.

Charles was married to the former Mary Jackson for 40 years when she died in 2017. Charles and Mary had two children. Elizabeth who lives in Nashville, Tennessee and Charles who lives in Atlanta.

Charles was a founding trustee and president of the Georgia Federal Tax Conference, founding trustee of the UNC Tax Institute, president of the Atlanta Tax Forum, member of the Steering Committee of the Southern Pension Conference, and member of the Board of Advisors for the Low Income Tax Clinic of Georgia State University Law School.

Charles lives in Atlanta and spends much of his time at his Cashiers home in Stillmont.

Jay Hurt lives in Houston and has had a second home in Cashiers at Wade Hampton Golf Club for almost 15 years. He is a 1988 graduate of Davidson College with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Jay is the developer of Silver Run Reserve in Cashiers and is committed not only to responsible residential development, but also to helping better our community for its residents, now and in the future.

Jay is the former president and chief executive officer of The Hurt Company, Inc., one of the nation’s largest privately held oil marketing and distribution companies. In 2010, Jay was instrumental in the strategy creation and formation of RelaDyne, LLC, a company initially founded through the simultaneous acquisition of The Hurt Company and three other industry leading companies. He served as RelaDyne’s executive vice president before retiring in 2015 after successfully selling RelaDyne in one of the largest private equity-backed transactions in industry history.

In 2018, Jay established the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, also known as The Hurt Hub, at Davidson College. Jay chairs The Hurt Hub’s Advisory Council and is involved in the creation, mentoring and investing associated with the student and alumni entrepreneurial startups that are spawned through The Hurt Hub. Jay also serves as a member of the Board of Visitors at Davidson. He is active in his community and serves on the Board of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, the Hermann Park Conservancy, Preservation Houston, Boulevard Oaks Civic Association and other charitable and community organizations.

Jay is an avid golfer, life-long tennis player, outdoorsman, architecture buff, wine lover, art collector and traveler.

Ron Keller is an Indianapolis native and a 1965 graduate of Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. After graduation, he signed a professional baseball contract with the Minnesota Twins. With only 90 days of minor league experience, he joined the Twins roster in July 1966.

He started a second career in 1969 in the financial services sector as an employee of Merrill Lynch. In 1978, Ron joined Unified Management as part owner and head of investment management for the mutual funds the firm offered. Unified was sold in 1986 to the Mutual of New York Insurance company. In 1991, he moved to Kiawah Island, S.C., and formed Keller Investment Management as an independent Registered Investment Advisory firm.

Ron has been a volunteer in numerous Cashiers nonprofits, including the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic, Cashiers Valley Rotary and Vecinos. He is president of the Cedar Ridge Estates Property Owners Association (POA). Ron enjoys all types of outdoors activity, especially golf and gardening. His son Jason is an accomplished screenwriter in Hollywood and the father of three daughters.

Kaye Keller grew up in central Georgia. She graduated from Emory University in Atlanta with a degree in nursing and biology. Three years later she earned a degree in accounting from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Kaye’s first job was in nursing and she ran the Department of Emergency Services in a Fort Worth, Texas hospital. After earning her accounting degree and certified public accounting certification, she worked as the chief financial officer of a financial services firm in Indianapolis until her retirement in 1990.

Kaye has been on the Boards of many non-profit organizations, including Girl Scouts of America, Habitat for Humanity and My Sister’s House (a shelter for abused women and children). She has served as president of the Cedar Ridge POA and president of the Athletic Board of the College of Charleston. She is on the Board of the Village Green, the Blue Ridge School Education Foundation and the Country Club of Sapphire Valley. Kaye also volunteers for the Free Dental Clinic and the Joy Garden Tour.

Ron and Kaye met and married in Indianapolis in 1982 and have lived in Cashiers for 15 years. They divide their time between Cashiers and Charleston, S.C. The Kellers have two adult children and three granddaughters.

In 1993, John Lehotsky was looking for a better quality of life and the New Jersey native found it here in Cashiers NC, where he and his wife Lisa live as full-time residents.

Born and raised in Hackettstown, NJ, John attended Rutgers University and then served in the Army and Army Reserves for four years. John spent thirteen years with Schmitt Building Contractors in Highlands. In 2005, he and His wife Lisa founded Lehotsky & Sons Builders, specializing in custom built homes. In 2022, they started Cashiers Construction Company, their sister excavating company operated by their son, Ben.

John has been an active member of the Cashiers community, having served as a member of the Summit Charter School Foundation Board and the Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley.

John and Lisa have three boys and one grandson. They are members of the Country Club of Sapphire Valley and enjoy attending Community Bible Church. In their free time you will most likely find John somewhere on a golf course and Lisa will be found hiking or reading a good book.

Sue Lewis have been year-round residents of Cashiers for the last three years after giving up residence in Miami, Fla., but has been part-time residents since the early 1990s. She was married for 17 years to her late husband, Bill Lewis, where she had six children and seven grandchildren between them.

Sue Lewis lived in the Florida Keys and Miami for many years, had her own real estate brokerage and still holds a Florida broker’s license. She also ran a catering business, which handled mainly corporate accounts, including Florida Power and Light. The business did events for up to 3,000 people. Sue most enjoyed her role as a radio talk show host in the Florida Keys. She is a past president of The Country Club of Sapphire Valley and is chair emeritus of The Village Green.

Budd Litowitz was born in Miami Beach, Fla., and graduated from the Cornell University College of Engineering in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in operations research. He has been a licensed general contractor and real estate broker since 1981.

Bud is president of South Florida Realty & Hospitality Management, Inc., and Budd Builders, Inc., and is president and director of the Litowitz Foundation. He is active in Miami commercial real estate development and management, and has built, owned and managed hotel, theater, office and medical buildings, and multiple free-standing single tenant properties.

Deana Litowitz was born in Mt. Vernon, N.Y., and raised in Miami, Fla. Following a career in the South Florida broadcasting industry, she earned she earned her graduate degree from Nova Southeastern University. She is in private practice as a licensed marriage and family therapist.

Budd and Deana have five wonderful daughters and six beautiful grandchildren. They enjoy creating memories with their family, hiking and staying fit, travel and golf, in addition to many worthy and meaningful endeavors. When they are not enjoying their home in Lonesome Valley and their time as members of Country Club of Sapphire Valley they live and work in south Florida.

Jochen and Adrienne Lucke have called the Plateau home since 2007.

Jochen, a real estate professional with more than 30 years of experience, has established himself as a successful broker, developer and custom home builder in southeast Florida and the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau of western North Carolina.

As the founder of Silver Creek, he has championed the company's mission of "Building Relationships, Delivering Dreams" and achieved the highest number of transactions and sales volume in 2022 in the area.

Jochen is a member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization and a philanthropic leader, having served on the Board of Highlands Performing Arts Center and as past chairman of Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation, The Village Green, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital, Fidelia Eckerd Living Center and the Cashiers Community Fund.

Jochen and Adrienne Lucke are members of The Chattooga Club and Country Club of Sapphire Valley. Jochen enjoys playing golf and both enjoy a competitive game of croquet.

Sam Lupas has lived in Cashiers for 24 years with his wife Wendy Lupas and their three children.

He has been involved in the Cashiers real estate industry, specializing in investment and development properties for more than 25 years as an investor, developer and broker, and as the founding partner of Landmark Realty Group.

Sam is an active member of the community, having served on the Board of Trustees at The Summit Charter School, The Cashiers Community Foundation, The Village Conservancy, The Village Council, the Highlands/Cashiers Hospital Board and the Dogwood Health Trust.

He is a graduate of The Hill School and The University of Vermont. The family enjoys spending time on Lake Glenville, snow skiing, playing golf and enjoying the outdoor lifestyle of the Plateau.

Bob grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He received a Bachelor's Degree from Michigan State University and an MBA from Northwestern University Kellogg School. Before his retirement in 2001, he worked in investment management for 26 years and as a founder of Heartland Capital Management in Indianapolis. Jean grew up in the "Thumb" area of Michigan and has a degree from Michigan State University.

Bob and Jean have been involved in many community service projects in the places where they have lived. He is currently serving on the board of Vision Cashiers and is also the treasurer. His interests include: golf, hockey, soccer, theater, financial markets and 20th century American history. Jean enjoys reading, walking, quilting and life in Cashiers.

Bob and Jean alternated as part time residents of Cashiers and St. Petersburg, FL until 2018 when they became full time residents of Cashiers. They are actively involved at First Presbyterian Church of Highlands with Jean serving on the governing board and Bob serving on the finance, investment and endowment committees.They have two married Sons-Bob and Jeff. They are also proud grandparents of Will, Addi and Jake.

Senator Mel Martinez practiced law until 1998, when he was elected as the Mayor of Orange County, Florida. He served until 2001 when he was confirmed as the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in the George W. Bush Administration. In 2004, at the request of President Bush, he returned to Florida to run for an open seat in the United States Senate.

In 2005, Martinez was confirmed as the first Cuban American to be elected to the United States Senate where he served on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Foreign Relations Committee and the Banking, Commerce & Urban Affairs Committee among others.

In 2010, he joined JPMorgan Chase & Co., as the Chairman of the Southeast US and Latin America until retiring in March 2023.

Senator Martinez also serves as a Director for NVR, Inc., Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp., and the National Endowment for Democracy.

In 2008, he published his biography, A Sense of Belonging: From Castro’s Cuba to the U.S. Senate, One Man’s Pursuit of the American Dream.

Senator Martinez and his wife, Kitty, have three children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. They live in Winter Park, Florida and attend St. James Cathedral in Orlando.

Jimmy Maurin is one of the founders of Stirling Properties, a commercial real estate development firm headquartered in New Orleans. He served as its chairman from 1991 through 2012.

Jimmy has a degree in aerospace engineering from Louisiana State University (LSU) and a master of business administration degree from Tulane University. He began his career as a certified public accountant and has been active in commercial real estate development and the shopping center industry for more than 40 years. Jimmy serves on numerous boards of directors.

Lillian Maurin has a degree from LSU and started out with Ethyl Corporation in Baton Rouge, then joined Merrill Lynch in New Orleans, retiring upon the birth of the couple’s first child. She worked as a development director for her children’s Catholic High School but more recently has been an activist with many not-for-profit Boards and foundations, and has held volunteer leadership roles.

The couple has been married for 52 years and have three daughters and seven grandchildren, all who live in Atlanta. Jimmy and Lillian live in New Orleans and have a summer home in Cashiers. They love to travel and to be available for their grandchildren’s school and sporting events.

Jimmy is interested in philanthropy, wine, baseball, LSU football, golf and hunting. Lillian enjoys reading, playing bridge, playing golf and LSU football.

Ellyn was born and raised in New Jersey and spent most of her adult life in New York and Boston. She now lives in Sarasota, Florida and Cashiers, NC. Ellyn graduated from Montclair State University in NJ and Harvard Business School.

Ellyn had a long career in the financial services industry. She was President of Fidelity Investments in Boston and President and Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Stanley’s Global Wealth Management Business before she retired in 2009. Ellyn also served on the Board of Directors of Nasdaq.

Ellyn was an active member of the non-profit community for many years. She served as a trustee of Babson College in Wellesley, MA and the Macaulay Honors College of CUNY. She also served on the boards of several music and arts organizations in Boston and New York and has been a long term supporter of the American Cancer Society.

Ellyn is a recent convert to the joys of mountain life in Cashiers. She bought a home here in 2020 and is an active member of Country Club of Sapphire Valley where she is a competitive croquet player.

Heather was born in Wichita Falls, Texas and lived in San Antonio, Texas until she married. She raised two children and worked in private investing. Now Heather painting and enjoying her new cottage in Cashiers, North Carolina while also living in Charleston, South Carolina.

John was Assistant Commissioner of Examination, International, and Exempt organizations of IRS and then spent 18 years as managing director with price water house cooper's.

Bev's last assignment was the IRS Commissioner's liaison for all internal and external associations and Federal and State organizations.

Both left Washington almost 30 years ago to retire in Destin, Fl.

They have owned a condo and home in Cashier's for 11 years

Mark was born and raised in Burlington, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned his B.S. Degree in Industrial Relations in 1983. Laura was born in Tulsa, OK and moved to Charlotte, NC with her family when she was six years old. She remained in Charlotte through high school and attended college at the University of North Carolina, where she earned her B.S. Degree in Industrial Relations in 1985. Mark and Laura met in college and were married in the summer of 1986 in Charlotte, NC.

After college, Mark initially went to work for Procter & Gamble in Lexington, KY selling paper products. He was recruited by the E& J Gallo Winery in 1985 and moved to Dallas, TX the following year. Mark and Laura were married in the summer of 1986 and lived in Dallas for 2 years while Mark worked for Gallo and Laura was an Account Executive for an advertising agency. They moved to Denver in 1988 and then moved back to Dallas in 1990 when Mark joined a wine & spirits distributor (The Julius Schepps Company) as Laura continued her career in advertising. While in Dallas, their two children, Olivia (1992) and Ian (1993) were born. In 2000, they moved to Houston as the wine & spirits distributor expanded and became Republic Beverage Company. While in Houston, Laura attended the University of Houston and pursued her Master’s Degree in Graphic Design. In 2007, the family moved to Phoenix, AZ where Mark became the President of Republic Beverage Company responsible for their sales and operations across the state of Arizona. Both Olivia and Ian graduated from High School in the Phoenix area and went on to college to earn their degrees in Communications. Olivia graduated from Gonzaga University (2014) and Ian graduated from TCU (2016).

In 2014, Mark and Laura moved to Atlanta, GA where Mark eventually became the East Region President for Republic National Distributing Company…the second largest wine & spirits wholesaler in the U.S ($12.5B in sales annually)…managing their business from Florida to NY. While in Atlanta, Laura shifted her focus from Graphic Design to painting abstract art, and spent most of her time painting and collaborating with other artists and instructors in the region. In 2018, Mark and Laura bought property in Lonesome Valley and purchased a cottage in Cashiers to start enjoying the area as they planned to build their new home. In 2021, they decided to make Cashiers their permanent home and are excited about being part of Cashiers Valley.

Laura is a local artist and has a studio near the crossroads in Cashiers. She is actively involved with the Cashiers Art Walk Project and a member of DCR (Develop Cashiers Responsibly). Mark is a real estate broker with Cashier Valley Real Estate and is a member of the 2024 Class of Leadership Cashiers. They are both supporters of the local Boys & Girls Club and look forward to being involved with Vision Cashiers.

Growing up in Atlanta, John recently retired from 30+ years in commercial real estate in Savannah, Georgia. He was a founding partner of Colliers International-Savannah, specializing in industrial and downtown properties. Previously John worked in economic development and downtown revitalization in Savannah and Milledgeville, Georgia.
Long active in civic affairs, John held leadership positions with Leadership Savannah, Savannah Development and Renewal Authority, StepUp Savannah (poverty reduction), the Historic District Architectural Review Board, and most recently, the Chatham County Housing Coalition. With Rotary District 6920 in Southeast Georgia, John served as Global Grants Chair and as District Governor (2015-16).
John graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and received an MPA from the University of Georgia. After college, he served 2 years in the US Peace Corps in Brazil. He enjoys pickleball, tennis, hiking, boating and his five grandchildren.

Carolyn was born in Atlanta and was an “Army brat”, living in Japan, France, California and Colorado. She attended UNC-Chapel Hill and received a masters from the University of Georgia. After a twenty-year career in social work, Carolyn earned an MFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Like John, Carolyn has served on several boards and committees, including the Telfair Museum of Art, National Association of Social Workers, the Downtown Savannah Garden Club, First Presbyterian Church and others. Carolyn enjoys painting, piano, hiking, pickleball, gardening, book clubs and grandchildren.
John and Carolyn have a home in Silver Slip Falls in Cashiers, and in Savannah. They are members of the Country Club of Sapphire Valley, Cashiers Historical Society, Highland-Cashiers Land Trust and Friends of Panthertown.

B and Susan Oglesby, both retired, divide their time between homes in Cashiers and Vero Beach, Fla.

They were long-time residents of Washington, D.C., where B was chairman of the Prime Policy Group, senior vice president of RJR Nabisco, deputy chief of staff for President Ronald Reagan and assistant to the president for legislative affairs.

Susan was a partner in Hogan and Hartson law firm (now Hogan Lovells) where she practiced communications regulatory law. The Oglesbys are members of the Country Club of Sapphire Valley and Riomar Country Club in Vero Beach, where both are very involved in club governance and committee work.

In Vero Beach, Susan serves on the Board of The Learning Alliance, which supports kindergarten through third-grade child literacy. She also is very involved with the Senior Resource Association, which provides meals, transportation, wellness services and day-away activities for older adults in Indian River County, Fla.

For 20 years the Oglesbys had a home in Monforte d’Alba, a small town in northwest Italy where Susan was involved in the community. They love to travel.

Brien and Sallie Peterkin have called Cashiers home for nearly 40 years, most of which having been spent in leadership roles of some of the foremost resort developments in western North Carolina.

Brien is president of Daniel Communities-High Hampton where he oversees property development and sales, the historic Inn, homeowners’ associations and club membership.

Before joining High Hampton, Brien oversaw development at the iconic Lake Toxaway Resort and Country Club and the residential community, Lonesome Valley. A leader in the community, Brien served on the Board of Trustees at Western Carolina University, the Foundation Board of Western Carolina University and Camp Merrie Woode. He played an integral role in founding Summit Charter School.

Brien enjoys spending time with Sallie, three adult children and their two granddaughters.

Sallie has lived in Cashiers most of her life and has been involved in many different businesses, charities and volunteer positions.

Jim and Linda Poche live in Chattooga Ridge and Lafayette, La. Jim is one of the developer/owners who are building out the Chattooga Ridge Condo development. He is a licensed mechanical, control and environmental engineer.

Jim is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of the Southwest Group of Companies, specializing in architecture, engineering, general and mechanical contracting, real estate, development and property management. He serves on multiple community boards and has been a leader in his professional societies.

Born in Lafayette, La., Linda has lived and worked in Lafayette throughout her career.

She attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and worked as office manager for Jim's company, Poche, Prouet Associates, LLC until she retired. Linda still enjoys working with Jim on their real estate investments.

Linda and Jim have been happily married for 54 years and enjoy spending their summers in their home in Chattooga Ridge in Cashiers. Linda and Jim have two children who work for the company and four grandchildren. Linda enjoys hiking, cooking and golf and is active in religious organizations, especially those focused on family.

She and Jim are past King and Queen of the Krewe of Victoria in Lafayette, La.

Steve Preston is executive vice president with CBRE in Nashville, Tenn. He has been in the commercial real estate business since 1986, getting his start in Dallas and moving back to his hometown of Nashville in 1989.

Steve joined the Board of the Sheep Laurel Homeowners Association in 2021 and is head of the Roads Committee. He served as a troop leader for Troop 31, Boy Scouts of America for seven years.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western Kentucky University.

Beth Preston splits her time between Nashville and Cashiers. She is on the Board of Vision Cashiers and chair of the Marketing Committee. Beth is a 2021 graduate of Leadership Cashiers.

Beth is a former Board member of the Friends of Warner Parks in Nashville. In 2013, she retired from Thistle Farms, a ministry in Nashville that serves women recovering from lives of prostitution and addiction. She was marketing and sales director there, helping grow sales of a line of bath and body products.

Her career in marketing began after she graduated with a master of business administration degree from Vanderbilt University. She has a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Miami (Ohio) University.

The Prestons enjoy hiking, golf, skiing, travel and family.

Kenneth was born and raised in Rayne, a small town in southwest Louisiana, Cajun country. He attended Catholic grade school before entering the local Catholic seminary in Lafayette, Louisiana where he had four years of high school and two years of junior college. He attended major seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas and left after one year of philosophy then attended for one year the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now University of Louisiana at Lafayette. After three years of law school at LSU in Baton Rouge Kennety returned to practice law in Crowley, Acadia Parish beginning in 1970. He started a general law practice joined by my son, Scott J. Privat in 2008 until his election as District Judge in 2020.

Brenda was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana. She was married to John W. Nugier, Jr. who died in an automobile accident and had two children from that marriage. She then married Kenneth Privat in 1971 and they had three children together. She has been a homemaker for many years and enjoys sewing and playing golf.

Kenneth and Brenda have had a summer home in Sapphire since 2005 and moved up here permanently in 2020. They have a total of five children, eighteen grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. All the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren live on or near their farm in Crowley where they have an apartment. They enjoy their time in the mountains and are members of St. Jude Catholic Church and the Cedar Creek Club.

Sharon J. Pryse - An Atlanta native, Sharon Jones Pryse attended the University of Tennessee and has never considered leaving Knoxville. After graduating with a Finance degree, she began as a clerk in the Trust Department of Valley Fidelity Bank. While still in her twenties, she became the bank’s youngest senior vice president; then at age 35, founded The Trust Company. Today, The Trust Company manages over $4 billion in assets and employs 100 people across three cities. Sharon’s long-standing community commitment includes social service, the arts, economic development, and education. She has served as board chair for the Knoxville Chamber, Leadership Knoxville, YMCA, United Way, and has also chaired United Way’s annual fundraising campaign. Sharon supports the university that made Knoxville her home and has previously held a position on the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees and Board of Directors for the U.T. Foundation. Personally, she is an avid traveler, yet always happily heads home to her garden on the Tennessee River. She is married to her husband, Joe, and has 3 stepchildren, 5 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.

Linda and Mark Quick bought a home in Cashiers 15 years ago after visiting here for six years. They fell in love with the mountains they say show the "love of God," in contrast to many of their Houston neighbors who own homes in Colorado, where the mountains they say show the "power of God."

Both have served on public and private for-profit boards. They also have been very active in Houston's civic and charitable activities as well as those on the Plateau. Mark has served on the Bascom Board and held the office of treasurer. He was on the Board of the Highlands-Cashiers Humane Society, serves on the Board of Cedar Creek Club and held the office of treasurer. Mark is a member of the vestry of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Cashiers. He also served on the national Board of Scholarship America.

Linda has served as a member of the Board of Trustees and as vice president of the Foundation Board of Summit Charter School. She was the manager of the capital campaign that raised the money necessary to build the Summit high school and gym. Linda has served on the Cashiers Community Fund, the Wade Hampton Donor Advised Fund, the Highlands-Cashiers Health Foundation and the Church of the Good Shepherd Outreach Grants Committee. She was named Volunteer of the Year by Chattooga Club in 2017 and by Cedar Creek Club in 2021. Linda served in leadership positions in many Houston organizations, including the Gulf Coast Chapter of March of Dimes, the United Way, Communities in Schools, Hermann Memorial Children's Hospital, Child Advocates, the Houston Grand Opera and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and others. She also served as a transition manager for the mayor of Houston in 1992.

Mark is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master of business administration degree. Linda graduated from Sam Houston State University with a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism.

They have one adult daughter, a son-in-law and two grandchildren.

Al and Bridget Ritter are native Virginians who now live in Cashiers and Atlanta.

They have a son in Seattle, a daughter in Atlanta and six grandchildren. Bridget, an avid reader and gardener, enjoys hiking and time engaged with old and new friends.

Al, chairman of a Virginia-based contract research organization, enjoys long-standing and new relationships arising from work, golf, shooting sports, fishing and civic involvement. They collect 18th- and early 19th-century southern furniture, folk art, ceramics and silver. They especially value their time with family members and life-long friends.

Paul Robshaw is the founder of AIC Ventures L.P., a real estate firm that organizes investment funds to acquire single-tenant net-leased real estate properties throughout the U.S.

Born in Buffalo, N.Y., Paul owned and operated one of the largest real estate firms in western New York. He is a founder and director of the L3 organization and served as the volunteer chairman of the Board in 2009-10. Paul was an international director of the World Presidents’ Organization for seven years and was chairman of the Board in 2004. He is a founder and trustee of the L3 Leadership Legacy Life Foundation and a former Board member of the Highlands Cashiers Hospital and the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation..

He studied economics at Canisius College and Niagara University. He is a licensed real estate broker in Texas and one of the founders of Vision Cashiers.

Linda Benge is active in multiple community initiatives, leads the Cultural Enrichment task force and serves on the Housing task force. She and others organized the Cashiers Centennial Celebration commemorating the passage of the 19th amendment that gave women the right to vote. Linda and a friend organized more than 100 local women interested in issues affecting their communities. WIA (Women in Action) provides valuable resources for topics of interest and helps to develop strategies for collaboration.

Linda is former owner and president and chief executive officer of Trees, Inc., a national company providing tree services to utilities and municipalities. She has been a significant supporter and worker on multiple charities and initiatives. Her interests are primarily in developing resilience in girls through education and developing resources and opportunity for underserved minority and immigrant communities.

Paul and Linda have five children between them and nine grandchildren. They are Cashiers residents, living in The Big Sheepcliff community

Thomas "Fritz" Rybert is an Atlanta native. He enjoys creating beautiful spaces for families where they can make years and years of memories. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in real estate finance and urban land development.

Fritz formed The Peachtree Group more than 40 years ago and has developed numerous residential and resort communities of varying sizes throughout Georgia, Florida and North Carolina. Important local projects include Mountaintop Golf and Lake Club and Mountain Falls Motorcoach Resort. Specializing in niche luxury markets, The Peachtree Group provides a full scope of services from acquisition, zoning and permitting of sites to overseeing development, sales, marketing and management of all phases of operations.

Fritz has lived seasonally in the Cashiers area since 1994. He has built his previous three homes in Wade Hampton and Mountaintop. Fritz had three children with whom he has created many memories in the Cashiers area.

He spends a great deal of his time on the golf course when he is not reading a book or exploring the latest trends in the real estate industry. Fritz and Marie Rybert, his wife, love the Cashiers area and take advantage of all the outdoor activities it has to offer. They just built their new home in the Pinchot community of Cashiers.

Marie is from Wisconsin where she grew up on a dairy farm and obtained her bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance. She relocated to Atlanta in 1991 to start her career in technology and business development. Marie formed a variety of businesses over the years.

Most recently, Marie has partnered with Fritz in marketing and branding of various real estate initiatives. Through this partnership she has come to know and love the Cashiers area and its outdoor beauty and activity. Marie enjoys travel, cooking, a good book and any outdoor adventure. She is newly enjoying golf and pickleball.

Fritz and Marie live in the Vinings area of Atlanta and have recently moved into their new home in Cashiers where they plan to live for the majority of their time.

Three years ago Gary and Lynne, after 45 years in Ponte Vedra, Fl., moved to Cashiers full time. They have been part time residents of Cashiers since 1992.
Gary graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

Gary was Executive Vice President and owner of Computer Power, Inc. He was CEO and owner of CNP Solutions. Both companies had data centers and provided software, processing, internet backup and outsourcing for large banks and financial services.

As a result of Lynne enduring a lengthy health issue, both Lynne and Gary became involved in Brooks Rehabilitation, Inc. Gary was Vice Chair of the Brooks Parent Company Board for 12 years and Chairman of the Board for 11 years.

Gary chaired the Brooks Health Foundation and Brooks Rehab Solutions along with several of the Committees and Boards of Brooks. Gary also served as Chairman of the Board of Specialty Hospital, Finance Committee Chair of Specialty Hospital, Director of CNP Solutions and a Director of Computer Power, Inc.,

Lynne served on the Brooks Hospital Board for 26 years. She was active in the establishment of the Brooks Hospital Chapel. She has also been a member of the Easter Seals Board, been active in the Otis Smith Foundation, chaired several committees related to TPC, and headed Fund Raising Activities featuring Tony Bennett and Natalie Cole.

Lynne’s professional expertise encompasses serving as Vice President, Knutson Mortgage Company, Minneapolis, MN, Vice President, Real Estate Servicing, Wells Fargo Mortgage, Santa Rosa, CA, Vice President, Real Estate Servicing, Wells Fargo Bank, San Francisco, CA, Senior Vice President-Computer Power, Inc., and Senior Vice President-CNP Solutions, Inc.

Lynne and Gary have been members of Country Club of Sapphire Valley for 29 years. Lynne was instrumental in the Club securing Employee Housing. Lynne has won several Ladies Club Championships. Lynne and Gary have three daughters and five grandchildren.

Charlie and Barbara Tickle live in Cashiers and Birmingham, Ala. They rebuilt the Millstone Inn into their private residence in Cashiers.

Charlie has led the Daniel Corporation since 1986, when he coordinated a senior management buyout of the Daniel real estate subsidiary from Fluor Corporation.

He organized the purchase of High Hampton Inn in Cashiers in 2017 and Daniel Corporation is developing it into a year-round resort.

Charlie supports a variety of professional and civic organizations. He has served as chairman of the Board for Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham and was a Board member for Mountaintop Golf & Lake Club. He is a member of Asbury United Methodist Church.

Nat Turner is a co-founder and managing director of Whiteside Capital Partners, L.P., a private firm specializing in seed and early-stage investments with a focus on energy, technology and healthcare companies.

Prior to founding Whiteside, Nat served in executive leadership positions with two international and domestic oil and gas exploration/production companies.

He has served on numerous corporate and charitable Boards and is an active member of the Cashiers community. He serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau. He is also a volunteer emergency medical technician and Board member with the Glenville-Cashiers Rescue Squad where he serves as the public affairs officer. Nat is active at Whiteside Summer Chapel where he serves as the junior warden. When not involved in business and charitable work, Nat enjoys hiking, fishing and spending time with his family.

Ellen Turner has served as a volunteer and Board member of many organizations dedicated to providing arts education for children. A graduate of the University of Arkansas in art history, Ellen has been an active member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumni Association, The Junior League of Houston, Class Act Productions and The Houston Calligraphy Guild. She has been involved in numerous theatrical productions as a performer and producer. In Cashiers, she has served on the Board of JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) and teaches calligraphy to local students. Ellen is a member of the Cashiers Historical Society Board and co-chair of the Cashiers Designer Showhouse 2023.

Nat and Ellen have two grown children and two grandchildren.

Glenn and Kim Ubertino live in Mountain Top and are full-time residents of Cashiers. Glenn is a merchandising and marketing specialist with more than 25 years of experience.

Owner of Zollers Hardware, Glenn spent 18 years with The Home Depot and seven years with Office Depot/Office Max. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University and received his master of business administration degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Glenn enjoys hiking with his dog, Cali, playing golf and traveling with his family. He serves in multiple community organizations, including the Cashiers Planning Council, the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce, where he was president in 2021-22, and Vision Cashiers, where is the secretary of the Board. Glenn is a founding member of Vision Cashiers.

Kim Ubertino is the proud mother of two amazing kids. Kim began her retail career in her early 2000s as a Shiseido regional cosmetic director for Nordstrom. She stopped working when her kids came along. Raising her children was her job for the next 15 years. Kim now helps run two local businesses in Cashiers, Zoller Hardware and Cashiers Kitchen Co. Kim enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with her family and friends and watching the Hallmark channel.

Born in Atlanta, GA, Susie moved to Palm Beach, FL when she was less than a year old. As a young child she began coming to the NC mountains, beginning with overnight train trips to summer sessions at Camp Greystone. After several years of post-camp stays at High Hampton, her family built a house there in 1960. For Susie and her two brothers, the school year was spent in Palm Beach and summers in Cashiers. High Hampton was the primary source of employment in those days, so she worked as a waitress, gift/dress shop attendant and finally, as the first female front desk cashier. Susie graduated from Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, MD and returned south to attend Converse College in Spartanburg, SC. After a summer working as a cashier at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, CO, Susie and John married and moved to Warren, OH.

Her lifelong passion for volunteering had her involved with several non-profits in the community before the Weans moved to Pittsburgh. There, the addition of a son and a daughter to their family of two dogs created new opportunities for volunteering. Women’s health care and education have been Susie’s primary focus, having served on and Chaired a number of Boards. A master’s degree from the Heinz College of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh added technological proficiencies and strengthened her volunteer skills.

Playing on a platform tennis team, being active in a garden club and managing a swimming program, all for over 30 years, provided Susie with exercise, wonderful friendships and lots of fun. Currently, Susie is a Vice-President of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, whose mission is to award the Carnegie Medal to individuals in the United States and Canada who risk death or serious physical injury to an extraordinary degree saving or attempting to save the lives of others.

John was born in Warren, Ohio and attended elementary school there and in Palm Beach, FL where he met his wife, Susanne (Susie) Cole. His first visit to Cashiers was in the mid 1960’s. John graduated from Wooster School in Danbury, CT and from Babson College in Wellesley Hills, MA with a BSBA.

Shortly thereafter, he began his career working for Wean United, a worldwide company that designed, engineered and manufactured equipment for the metal producing and metal processing industries, retiring as President and CEO. In addition, John was a member of the Board of Directors of Second Bancorp in Warren, OH and of its successor company, Sky Financial Group. He was an active member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) for more than 20 years. John’s travels for international business took him to China in 1979 as well as yearly trips to Europe and South Africa.

John volunteered on several independent school boards as well as on the Board and was President of Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania. Currently, John focuses on philanthropy and is President of The Double Eagle Foundation, located in Pittsburgh, PA.

Irv and Eleanor Welling live in Cashiers and Greenville, S.C. They have been Cashiers residents for 30 years.

Irv graduated from Davidson College and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a certified public accountant and was the managing partner of Elliott Davis, a large regional accounting firm in the Southeast.

Irv has served in multiple leadership positions for non-profits. He is the vice chairman of the South Carolina Governor’s School of the Arts and Humanities, and chairman of the Episcopal Foundation of Western North Carolina.

As a member of the Church of Good Shepherd he is on the Vestry and is the senior warden and chairman of the Finance Committee and chairman of Outreach Impact. He has numerous community involvements in Greenville and Cashiers and is president of Vision Cashiers, Inc.

Eleanor Welling graduated from the University of South Carolina and taught social studies in middle and high school. She worked for the American Field Service in New York, headed several non-profits in Greenville, raised money for several political campaigns and was the at-large member of Greenville City Council for two terms.

Eleanor was a volunteer chair of several arts organizations and was on the Board of several educational entities, as well housing and transit boards. She was the first female chair of the annual United Way Campaign, as well as the United Way agency’s Board chair. She also headed a private family foundation for 25 years.

Eleanor has chaired the Cashiers Community Fund and served on the Boards of the Wade Hampton Donor Advised Fund, Hampton Preschool and Learning Center, Wade Hampton Property Owners Association and the Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau. She founded the Big Brother Big Sisters Program in Cashiers and is still a mentor in that organization.

Irv and Eleanor have three amazing children and seven delightful grandchildren. They are deeply involved in their church, the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd.

Warren was born and raised in West Virginia and after college moved to Atlanta. He began his career in accounting with Price Waterhouse and then shifted to financial services. He was President of FSC Advisory Corporation before founding his own firm which merged with what became Oakbridge Partners. Warren served as President of Oakbridge Partners until it was acquired by Homrich Berg, a large regional fee based wealth management firm in 2022. Retired now, Warren enjoys golf, croquet, and physical fitness activities.

Gail began her 50+ year career in Nephrology as a member of the patient care team that opened the first Renal ICU and Kidney Transplant Unit in Georgia. Over the years she started a national dialysis focused consulting/placement company and later worked as a senior executive for the two largest dialysis companies in the world – Fresenius Medical Care and DaVita. Areas of responsibility included clinical practice/quality care, strategic planning, and corporate marketing and communications. Additionally, during her career she gave over 600 presentations and workshops in the U.S. and internationally, as well as authored/peer reviewed numerous articles and chapters in renal-related literature.

She is a past Chairperson of the American Kidney Fund (AKF), served as President of the American Nephrology Nurses Association twice, and has served on numerous healthcare workgroups/committees and church-related committees. Because of her continued passion for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of kidney-related disease, although retired, she remains active in Kidney Care Partners (KCP) and the AKF, serving on numerous national public policy/legislative and care-related workgroups. She is currently Trustee Emeritus of the AKF and serves on the Highlands Cashiers Hospital Advisory Committee.

Warren and Gail have been members of Northwest Presbyterian Church for over 50 years. Warren served on the finance and stewardship committees for over 40 years. He has also served on the finance committees of several other organizations, including Cashiers United Methodist Church.

Ann Wrobleski has had a house at High Hampton for more than 30 years. After retiring from International Paper as vice president for global government relations, she splits her time between Cashiers and Charleston, S.C.

Prior to International Paper, Ann worked in a series of government relations roles, including managing her own firm. She specialized in helping U.S. companies operate overseas. Her government service includes senior staff roles in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. During the Reagan administration she served as project director for Nancy Reagan, as a deputy assistant secretary and assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of State. At State, she held the title of ambassador as the lead U.S. negotiator for a United Nations Convention.

She graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., and later chaired its Board of Trustees for six years. She is chair of the Board of Directors of The Bascom, a Center for the Arts in Highlands, N.C., and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Medical University of South Carolina Foundation.

Steve Zoukis graduated with honors from the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering in 1971 and Columbia University’s School of Law in 1974.

He practiced law in Atlanta for 20 years, then led the U.S. operations of a large European real estate investment company, Jamestown, as a partner for a dozen years before moving to the Charleston, S.C., area in 2006.

His company, Raven Cliff, redevelops industrial properties. He owns the new Brookings Anglers shop on Cashiers Lake and the land around it and is a part owner of that business as well as a number of restaurants and a regional craft brewery.

Steve serves on the Boards of the Coastal Conservation League and the Coldwater Conservation Foundation of Trout Unlimited. He is the former chairman of the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate, an organization whose members control $3 trillion of property worldwide. He previously served on the Boards of the Midtown (Atlanta) Business Association, Charleston Moves, the Sullivan’s Island Parks Foundation and the Coldwater Conservation Foundation of Trout Unlimited.

Steve lives on Sullivan’s Island, S.C., and near Lake Glenville, N.C., with his wife Suzan Zookis and their grandson, James.