Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board, Richard Lerner
President and CEO of Annapolis Bancorp, Inc. and Bank Annapolis
Richard M. Lerner, age 47, has served as Chief Executive Officer of Annapolis Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANNB) since 1999 and became Chairman in 2001. In 1999 he was elected Chairman of Annapolis Bancorp's principal subsidiary, BankAnnapolis, and in 2002 was appointed President and CEO of BankAnnapolis.
Mr. Lerner is a resident of Annapolis. From 1984 to 1999 Mr. Lerner was President of White Flint Builders, Inc., an upscale residential development and construction company located in Bethesda, Maryland. Mr. Lerner earned a Masters in Business Administration from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University in 1983.
Mr. Lerner is a current board member of the Hospice of the Chesapeake Foundation and serves on the Hospice of the Chesapeake Foundation Finance Committee.
President, Kathleen Rattie
Director of Development, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Kathleen Loomis Rattie, a fundraising and marketing executive, currently serves as director of development for the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Kate left the hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia in the early 90s to raise her two daughters in Queen Anne’s County. Both spent their entire primary and secondary education in Queen Anne’s County schools and before embarking on their four-year college educations. Active in community affairs, Kate has been a member of the Queen Anne’s County School Improvement Team, president of the Grasonville Elementary School PTA and a member of the Centreville Rotary Club. She holds a B.A. degree from the American University and has completed graduate work at New York University and Fordham University. She and her husband Ron live in Centreville.
Vice President, Ann Thomas
Mrs.
Thomas is founder and president of Chesapeake Educational Resources, LLC
(CER), an organization providing specialized educational and administrative
solutions, short-term personnel and services to support local school systems,
universities and the Maryland State Department of Education. These services
include school improvement and compliance strategic planning, mentoring
new teachers, presentations, professional development, coaching, grant
writing, program management, evaluation, and consultation. The organization
has provided services to most of the Eastern Shore school districts, colleges
and universities.
Mrs. Thomas has 40 years of varied experiences in education, working in local school systems as a social studies teacher, a special education teacher, a special education supervisor (birth to age 21), and an assistant superintendent. She also worked as a section chief for the Division of Special Education at the Maryland State Department of Education. For the past 10 years, she has served as a grant writer and project manager for Maryland State Improvement Grants (MSIG) for the UMES Department of Education. She has served on many local, regional and state-level committees on education and inter-agency collaboration.
Vice President and Treasurer, Elaine Harrison
President, Main Street Business Solutions
Elaine
Harrison is the founding owner of Main Street Business Solutions Inc.,
a small business accounting and consulting firm in Queen Anne's County,
specializing in helping small business owners manage their financial records,
budgeting, compliance, payroll and financial statement preparation. Ms.
Harrison's varied work experience, from state government accounting to
local nonprofits and a wide variety of industries in the for-profit world,
have given her the practical experience necessary to assist small business
owners navigate the financial waters. Elaine enjoys her volunteer work
in the community and has served as an Advisory Council Member to the State
of Maryland Child Care Advisory Council, a committee member on the Queen
Anne's County Department of Emergency services Public Health Committee,
and was a founding member of the committee to build the Children's Memorial
Playground at Old Love Point Park on Kent Island. Her favorite charity
is Adopt-a-Bear, one of the funds supported by Foundation for Community
Partnerships, whose mission is to see that needy children in the mid-shore
area receive wrapped gifts for the Christmas Holiday. She and her husband,
Gregory, a county paramedic, live in Grasonville with their two sons, Ryan
and Max.
Vice President and Secretary, Mary Ruth Meredith
Retired Talbot County Teacher
Ex-Officio, Frank M. Kratovil, Jr.
United States Congress, First Congressional District of Maryland
Frank M. Kratovil, Jr. is currently serving his first term
representing Maryland's First Congressional District which includes the
entirety of the Eastern Shore as well as portions of Anne Arundel, Baltimore
and Harford Counties. He was the first Democrat elected to Congress from
the First District in 18 years, succeeding Congressman Wayne Gilchrest.
Frank received his degree from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College)
in 1990. Upon graduation he was awarded the Bates Prize for the Most Outstanding
Graduating Male, the Havens Award for Outstanding Athletic and Humanitarian
Contribution to the College, and the Carroll County Sun's Scholar-Athlete
Award.
Following college and while attending the University of Baltimore School of Law, he began his career in the criminal-law field by working at the Public Defender's Office. He graduated from law school with Honors in 1994 and accepted an appointment as a judicial law clerk for the Circuit Court for Prince George's County. In 2003, at the age of 34, he was elected State's Attorney for Queen Anne's County, becoming one of the youngest State's Attorneys in Maryland.
Frank and his wife of sixteen years, Kimberly, live in Stevensville with their four sons: Frankie, Jackson, Cole and Nate. Frank continues to serve on the Board of Special Olympics Maryland and has previously served on the Board of the Mental Health Association of Maryland, and as Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Community Partnerships. In addition he enjoys coaching youth sports.
Members:
Director, Chris David
Chris
David was born in Barstow, California in May of 1982. After living a few
years in the U.S., Chris spent 15 years of his life growing up on a military
base in Japan, where he went to elementary, middle, and high school. After
high school, he moved to Atlanta where he finished his undergraduate degree
in business. Immediately after college, Chris joined Chick-fil-A and worked
his way through the company while learning core leadership principles that
would help him to become an owner/operator. Eventually that lead him and
his family to Kent Island.
Currently Chris is the owner/operator of Chick-fil-A of Kent Island. Through Chick-fil-A, Chris has been involved with supporting many different community organizations including schools, churches, kids organizations, adult organizations, and U.S. veteran organizations. Chiris is a family man who enjoys spending time with his wife, Sheila, and two sons, Joshua and Paul. During his free time he enjoys spending time with family, playing sports or exercising, and learning.
Director, Carol D'Agostino
Carol D'Agostino is the principal and founder of Purple
Cat, a boutique ("niche") public relations firm serving the visibility
needs of non-profit organizations and small businesses, i.e. "the cost
conscious." Her specialty is developing and implementing successful high
quality, cost effective communications strategies by using the most direct
methods to speak to a client's target market.
Ms. D'Agostino writes a monthly column called "Positively PR" which is published in the Chesapeake Business Ledger. She is the publicity chair for the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center's Wet 'N' Wild Auction and a member of the Chesapeake Women's Network.
Prior to establishing Purple Cat, Ms. D'Agostino spent nearly 25 years as a public relations professional in the non-profit sector, garnering expansive visibility for organizations through the creation of cost effective media relations activities, publications, website development and special events. She earned a bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Women's Studies certificate from Penn State University. Ms. D'Agostino Lives in Stevensville.
Director, Cara Gossard
Cara
Gossard's numerous volunteer commitments include serving on the Local
Management Board; Character Counts! Coach, Character Counts! Advisory
Board since its inception seven years ago; Bereavement Counselor, Hospice
of Queen Anne's County; United Way of Queen Anne's County; Kent Association
of Riding Therapy; Family First; Referral Coordinator, Stephen Ministry;
and State of Maryland Mental Health Volunteer Corps.
Ms. Gossard's prior work experience includes Administrator and Grants Writer, University of Maryland Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse; Grants Manager, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation; Community and Family Therapist, Catholic Charities; Associate in private practice for psychotherapy and currently practices as a Life Coach.
Ms. Gossard received her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland in English and her Master of Social Work degree from University of Maryland with a dual specialization in Clinical Social Work and Clinical Administration in 1993. Ms. Gossard is one of the proud founding members of the Foundation and believes that service to others is a sacred trust and the responsibility of every citizen.
Director, Lain Hawkridge
Teacher, Radcliffe Creek School
Lain is Graduate of Washington College with a degree in history and he received his Masters in Elementary Education from Widener College. He’s been a teacher since 1998 and has been teaching reading at the Radcliffe Creek School in Chestertown, Maryland since 2002. The Radcliffe Creek School is a private school serving children with learning differences in grades kindergarten through eighth. Lain is the founder of the Kent Scholastic Chess afterschool program at the Library in Chestertown. Mr. Hawkridge serves on the board of the Chestertown Tea Party and is in charge of children's programming. He serves on the board of the Hedge Lawn Foundation, a private foundation that supports the arts and education on the Eastern Shore. Past volunteer activities have included Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 130 in Chestertown, and assistant coach for Kent Youth Lacrosse.
Director, Wayne Humphries
International Money Management Group
Wayne
Humphries has over 30 years experience in the investment real, as an
officer and director of International Money Management Group, as a financial
advisor and investment manager, and as a securities broker. He utilizes
his extensive knowledge and expertise to benefit the community by volunteering
to assist local organizations in applying sound financial planning and
investment principles to governmental, quasi-governmental and non-profit
organizations.
Mr. Humphries' volunteer commitments are numerous, but include: Character Counts! Advisory Council; Chamber of Commerce Business/Education Committee, C-SAFE Advisory Committee, Disproportionate Minority Representation Committee, Partnering for Youth Sustainability Committee, Queen Anne's County Public Schools/Baldridge Planning Team, and the United Way of Queen Anne's County. In 200r Mr. Humphries was selected as Queen Anne's County Volunteer of the Year and joined an elite group of citizens recognized as Maryland's Most Beautiful People. Mr. Humphries is a past President of the Local Management Board on which he served for six years. Mr. Humphries was instrumental in the formation of the Foundation and passionately believes in its mission.
Director, Jennifer Rhodes
Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, University of Maryland
Jennifer Rhodes has been a lifelong resident of Queen
Anne's County and currently is the Agriculture and Natural Resources,
Extension Educator in Queen Anne's County. Agriculture has always been
an important component of her life. Her experience with 4-H, FFA, and
LEAD Maryland has helped increase her knowledge about agriculture while
developing and improving her people and leadership skills. Jenny was
previously employed for ten years with the University of Maryland Cooperative
Extension, Queen Anne's County as the Nutrient Management Advisor. While
working as the county's Nutrient Management Advisor she completed her
education in 2002, graduating from the University of Maryland Eastern
Shore with a B.S. in Agriculture and in 2006 graduating with a M.E. in
Agriculture and Extension Education. This position includes being not
only the traditional Ag Agent, but also becoming a tenured faculty member
within the next five years. Tenure includes teaching, scholarship, and
service on a county, regional, state and national level. Her office door
will always be open, so please feel free to stop by, pick up the phone,
or email her if you need unbiased education based information. Jenny
says it is a privilege for her to serve as the County Ag Agent.
Director, Kathy Sells
Realtor, Champion Realty
Kathy Sells founded and has been Managing Partner of
Good Management Associates, a consulting firm specializing in organization
and management effectiveness. Much of her consulting work in recent years
has been focused on providing coaching, human resources and organization
development support to leaders and teams in philanthropic, arts and international
development organizations. She and her husband, Dick, are winding-down
their consulting work and are working full-time as Realtors with Champion
Realty.
Kathy has a Masters in Education. She was a teacher early in her career, and education has been a common thread throughout her business and volunteer work. Before returning to this area in 1997, she was Board President of Project Touch, serving at-risk youth in Southern California. She now serves on the QAC Chamber Business/Education Partnership Committee and on the Bay Area ASsociation of REaltors Education Committee and is active in the Kent Island Estates Community Association. Kathy has participated as a business partner on Southern Regional Education Board's High Schools that Work and Making Middle Schools Work technical assistance visits to Kent Island, Queen Anne's and Centreville Middle Schools. She has volunteered at the Judy Center Partnership.
Director, Richard A. Sossi
Richard Sossi was born in New York, New York on July
23, 1943. He graduated from the University of Colorado, B.A. (Asian studies)
in 1965; served in U.S. Navy, 1965-70 (Vietnam tour, 1966-67; deputy
branch chief, National Security Agency, 1968-70). He graduated from the
Defense Language Institute (Chinese) in 1968 and the Officers' Cryptologic
Course at the National Security Agency in 1969. He was a self-employed
businessman at The Ship and Soldier Shop from 1977 to 2002.
Mr. Sossi is currently District Office Manager (Kent Island) and Community Liaison for U.S. Representative Andrew P. Harris. He was a member of the Queen Anne's County Republican Central Committee, 1990-98 (former chair) and alternate delegate to the Republican Party National Convention in 1992, 1996, and 2000.
Mr. Sossi is a member of American Legion Post 278, Elks, Moose, Vietnam Veterans of America, Maryland Coastal Conservation, Cecil County Chamber of Commerce, Queen Anne's County Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary International. He volunteers with Christmas in April (Queen Anne's County), Character Counts coaching, Kent Island Food Drive and serves as a volunteer cook at the Kent Family Center. He received the John Shaw Award, Maryland Business for Responsive Government, 2010. Mr. Sossi is married with one daughter and one grandson.
Director, Paul Stearns
W. Paul Stearns currently works for the Chesapeake Bay
Maritime Museum. Prior to joining the museum, he was the Loss Prevention
Manager at Six Flags America in Largo, Maryland. Additionally, he was
an Arizona Criminal Investigator with 22 years of service with the Pinal
County Sheriffs Department, the Payson Police Department, the State
of Arizona Office of Special Investigations and the Scottsdale Police
Department. Paul is a two-term, Past President of a for-profit (fundraising)
business owned by the Arizona Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police
called Public Safety Productions. Paul served with the U.S. Army and
was a reservist in the Arizona National Guard. He is a veteran of the
Gulf War. Paul has four grown children and currently lives in Stevensville
with his wife Marge.
Director, Lynda Striegel
Partner, Striegel and Buchheister Law Firm
Lynda Striegel is currently practicing law in North Beach, having spent
over thirty years as a corporate and securities attorney practicing in
Washington, New York and Philadelphia. With her partner Carl Buchheister,
former President of the Calvert County Bar Association, the law firm
of Striegel & Buchheister offers clients business law, wills, trusts
and estates, criminal law and civil litigation expertise. Lyn is
active in her community as President of the Bay Business Group, Chair
of the Calvert Community Fund Advisory Board, Board member of the Calvert
Marine Museum, and elected Town Council Member for the Town of North
Beach. She is also an artist with paintings on display at Seascapes
in North Beach and murals at Herrington Inn. Lyn is an author of Live
Secure: Financial Planning for Women and the Men Who Love Them. She
is proud to be the mother of one son, an actor in Chicago. Most of all,
she is thrilled to call North Beach home.
Director, Kate Tumulty
Kate Tumulty recently retired as the Clinical Program Director
for Queen Anne's County Health Department since 1983. During her tenure
she has been instrumental in several major initiatives that benefit our
community: the founding of the Hospice of Queen Anne's, the creation of
Adult Day Medical Services in Centreville and Kent Island, the operation
of the Families First Support Center in Grasonville, and the privatization
of Home Health, Child Health Clinics, and Specialty Clinics. She currently
serves on the Board of the Community Partnerships for Children, St. Christopher's
Parish Council, Adult Day Care Foundation, Hospice of Queen Anne's Capital
Campaign, NASA FEderal Credit Union Scholarship Committee and the Maryland
Medicaid Advisory Committee.
Director, Carol Williamson
Superintendent of Schools for Queen Anne's County
Dr. Williamson has been an educator for 35 years. During
that time she has been an elementary teacher, a supervisor of Reading/Language
Arts and English (K-12), a Director of Curriculum, and Associate Superintendent.
She currently is the Superintendent of Schools in Queen Anne's County.
Prior to being selected as the Superintendent she served as the Associate
Superintendent for fifteen years. She has served on numerous committees
and task forces at the state level, the most recently dealing with professional
development of teachers.
