Bright Holidays - A Jacksonville, Florida Charity for Underprivileged Students and Families

Board of Directors

Bright Holidays' Board of Directors came together in July, 2006 and is comprised of the area business leaders and educators identified below. Bright Holidays plans to expand its Board in the coming months.

David Garrard

Jacksonville Jaguars’ starting quarterback, David Garrard, is the 2007, 2008, and 2009 Co-Chairman of Bright Holidays’ fundraising (learn more about David's Bright Holidays involvement at Jacksonville.com). Over the past six years, Garrard has shown his commitment to the children and families of our community in many ways. During the 2006 off-season, he visited youth camps across the country for kids suffering with Crohn's Disease, making stops in Rutledge, GA, Los Angeles, CA and Detroit, MI within a 10-day period. In 2005, he partnered with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America to help raise awareness for the disease. Having lost his mother to breast cancer when he was 14 years old, Garrard has served as local co-chair of the Race for the Cure to help raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research, and worked with Baptist Cancer Institute to promote breast cancer education. In 2002, Garrard served as the Jaguars' spokesman for American Lung Association of Florida’s Unpuffables anti-tobacco program geared toward fifth-graders. In addition, Garrard makes frequent visits to the local children’s hospital and elementary schools, as well as supporting his team mates’ charitable interests. Before signing with the Jaguars, Garrard was graduated from East Carolina University and attended Southern Durham High, where he was a Prep Stars All-America choice and rated best quarterback in North Carolina. He now lives in Jacksonville with his wife, Mary, and their young son.

Ross Carrier

Ross Carrier is Senior Director of Leasing for Flagler Development Group, a commercial real estate development company with office and industrial properties throughout the State of Florida. He has been with Flagler for 6 years. He has been in the commercial real estate business for over 20 years. Previously Ross worked with Trammell Crow Company and The Hogan Group. A native from Coral Gables, Florida he moved to Jacksonville in 2000. Ross is a graduate of the University of Florida (1981) with a major in economics. He has served on Providence School Development Board, Westminster Christian School Development Board (Miami, FL), and on the Board of World Sports.

John Forrester

John Forrester, founder of Bright Holidays, is a Jacksonville-based business consultant focused on operational excellence, sales and marketing effectiveness, and new business development. Within the Jacksonville area, Mr. Forrester has held senior management positions with LK Industries, CSX Transportation and Buildscape, an Internet start-up focused on the home building marketplace. Other work experience includes Mars Electronics, a subsidiary of M&M/Mars Corp., KPMG Peat Marwick, Wang Laboratories and IBM. Mr. Forrester has also published several business articles and taught at the University of North Florida's Business School. He holds a BA in Mathematics/Russian Studies from the University of North Carolina and an MBA from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Business.

Mr. Forrester is a former board chair and board member of the Otis Smith Kids Foundation which served underprivileged children in the greater Jacksonville area for nearly 20 years. Earlier in his career, he campaigned for the United Way.

T.J. Fraser

T.J. Fraser has been involved in many community organizations, including acting as a Director for the Otis Smith Kids Foundation, acting a Director for the Young Lawyers Section of the Jacksonville Bar Association, being a Program Director for the Holiday in January project (which provides gifts to children entering the Jacksonville foster care system during the month of December), and being involved with the "Back to School Jamboree" project (which provides school supplies to children that are underprivileged or in the foster care system). T.J. is the managing partner and one of the founding members of Reznicsek, Fraser & Hastings, P.A.. Prior to his current position, T.J. has been a member of the management team of several companies, and was formerly an associate at Rogers Towers, P.A. T.J. earned his B.A. (in economics) and his law degree from the University of Florida, where he was a member of the Editorial Board of University of Florida Law Review.

Karl Hanson III

Karl Hanson is Flagler Development Group’s Vice President & Market Officer for North Florida. His responsibilities include asset management of Flagler’s properties in Jacksonville, development of new properties, as well as asset acquisitions and sales. Mr. Hanson previously held the position of Vice President & General Counsel for Flagler and also served as in-house counsel for The St. Joe Company. Mr. Hanson is a graduate of Washington & Lee University (B.A., 1990) and the University of Florida College of Law (J.D., 1994). Mr. Hanson serves on the boards of the local chapters of the Urban Land Institute and NAIOP and is also a member of the Real Estate Advisory Board for the University of Florida’s Center for Real Estate Studies.

Karl Hanson, Jr.

Karl Hanson, Jr. is an attorney with Fowler White Boggs P.A., a Florida law firm headquartered in Tampa. He has been a commercial real estate lawyer in Jacksonville, Florida for 37 years. Mr. Hanson is a graduate of the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (1968) and received his law degree from the University of Florida (1971). Mr. Hanson has served on numerous civic and charitable boards, including as a board chair and board member for the Otis Smith Kids Foundation.

Mr. Hanson was formerly a partner of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP and Smith & Hulsey.

Melanie Jennings Husk

Melanie Jennings Husk, vice president of marketing for Baptist Health, has 28 years of experience in developing marketing communications solutions that has included working with clients such as AT&T, CSX, Marriott, Onyx North America and Siemens. A graphic designer by training, Husk graduated with honors from the University of North Florida, where recently, the College of Arts & Sciences named her an Outstanding Alumnus. In 2005, Husk became the first woman to receive the Silver Medalist Award from the Advertising Federation of America, North Florida Chapter, in recognition of her contributions to and accomplishments in the industry and the community.

Locally, Husk was selected as a Florida Times-Union EVE Award finalist, and as a Tribute to Women (TWIN) winner. In 2002, Husk Jennings (co-founded by Melanie Jennings in 1978) was recognized as Jacksonville's number-one ranked woman-owned business. Active in her community, Husk has served on the boards of various community organizations, including 12 years with Easter Seals in Jacksonville, which recognized her as the first individual outside of the medical profession to receive its Professional Advisor of the Year Award. Currently, she serves on the University of North Florida Foundation Board and is a member of the International Women’s Forum.

Sylvia McDonald Johnson

Sylvia Johnson, now in her 36th year as an educator, is Principal of Eugene J. Butler Middle School in Jacksonville, Florida. Sylvia has served on the Executive Boards of Leadership Jacksonville and the Children's Resiliency Project for Orphans of AIDS in South Africa. In addition, Sylvia is active in her church where she teaches a young adult Sunday-School class, leads the Women’s Ministry, and sings in the Mass Choir and the Women's Choir.

Sylvia was born April 10, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, to Rev. & Mrs. Chester A. McDonald, Sr. She was educated in Alabama, Maryland, California, Germany, and Washington, D.C. She received her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from Howard University in 1971 and her Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida in 1992. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida.

Throughout her life, Sylvia has been recognized many times for her contribution and received many honors, including:

• University of North Florida Outstanding Alumnae Award (1992)
• Regional Outstanding Elementary Principal (1997)
• Member of Phi Delta Kappa Honor Society (1997)
• Florida Times-Union EVE Award Winner in Education (2000)
• True Bible Character Award from Truth for Living Ministries Seminary (2000)
• Member of Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2001
• Featured on the poster for the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women (2001)
• Mary Singleton Award for Education (2002)
• Nominated for Pi Theta Lambda Honor Society (2002)
• Living Through Giving Community Hospice Award (2006)

Frances T. King

Frances T. King, a native of Lakeland, FL, owns and operates Frances T. King Insurance Agency in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Frances is a member of Insurance Women of America, the Ponte Vedra Chamber of Commerce, and an avid supporter of Shriners Hospitals, VFW and various other charities.

Frances began involving herself in community activities in Lakeland, where she was a board member of the Imperial Symphony Orchestra and a fund raiser for the PTA, Florida Southern College, the Womens Club and Chamber of Commerce. A favorite project was Paint Your Heart Out Lakeland, where she worked with other civic leaders and 2,500 volunteers to repair and repaint 75 area homes for those unable to do so themselves, all in a single day.

Upon moving her family to the Jacksonville area in 1993, she began serving on the board for the Educational Foundation in Ponte Vedra Beach, joined Women Business Owners and Esprit de Corp. In addition to Bright Holidays, Frances remains active in the greater Jacksonville community.

Violetra C. Ward

Violetra C. Ward, currently in her sixth year as principal at Pine Estates Elementary, has served Duval County Public Schools for over twenty two years. Ms. Ward’s experience includes eight years as District Cadre with Professional Development, three of which she served as a visiting professor for the University of North Florida’s Excel Program for pre-service teachers. Ms. Ward went on to serve as a Design Coach for an America Choice School and then as Vice Principal for Pinedale Elementary. Ms. Ward also served as a Vice Principal at Chimney Lakes Elementary for two years. Throughout her career with the County Schools, Ms. Ward has implemented several innovative Safety Nets. She has also served the school and community to provide assistance for families in need through her collaboration with organizations such as the Otis Smith Kids Foundation, United Way, and now Bright Holidays.