Help To Home Inc. Board of Directors
Many Help To Home Inc. board members have been long-time advocates of children’s services or have been involved in helping the homeless or those threatened with homelessness. The board is volunteer and owns Hope Village of Manatee. An executive committee of the board provides the direct oversite of the village’s on-site employees.
Meet the Team
Our board of dedicated individuals, looking to make a difference in our community.
Steve Wilson
Steve Wilson is the founder of the Hide-Away Storage network of 27 self-storage facilities based in Bradenton. He is a former president of the National Self Storage Association. Before his business career, he was a newspaper reporter and foreign correspondent for The Associated Press in New York and Tokyo. He worked for the Bradenton Herald before starting Hide-Away Storage. His civic involvement includes the Bradenton Kiwanis, a lay member of the Circuit 12b Bar Disciplinary Committee, and former chairman of the board of Turning Points.
President
Glenda Leonard
Glenda Leonard worked in hospitality sales, marketing and management at local resorts for 30 years and most recently has been on staff at The Sarasota Salvation Army of Sarasota County as Director of Development. She served for 10 years on the Board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) - Southwest Florida Chapter. A graduate of the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, she is a 40-year resident of Manatee County.
Secretary
Jerry Marlar
Jerry Marlar is a retired CPA and former board member of the Florida Institute of CPAs and president of the Gulf Coast Chapter. Mr. Marlar also was chairman and board member of the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp. He also served as a lay member of the Circuit 12b Florida Bar Disciplinary Committee, board member of the SANCA at Nathan Benderson Park and board member of the Manatee Players and Bradenton Rotary.
Retired CPA
April Childers
April Childers, was a founding board member of Help To Home Inc.. April has served as a professional children’s advocate, Guardian Ad Litem, for the 12th Judicial Circuit. She also served for 10 years as owner and publisher for Parent Pages magazine, a resource for families raising children. April is a partner in the Ortygia Restaurant in Bradenton, which has received top ranking of all Bradenton restaurants by Trip Advisor.
Vice President
Benjamin Bakker
Ben Baker is a partner & Broker-Associate with NDC Commercial Real Estate, and has been in sales, leasing and development for 13 years. A graduate of Leadership Manatee, Bakker chairs the Chamber's Downtown Re-development Committee and served on the Affordable Advisory Committee, and now Chairman of the City Planning Commission. Mr. Bakker was named one of 2014's 'People to Watch' by Biz941 Magazine, awarded a medal of honor as a 'Magnetic Man of Manatee County' for distinguished citizenship, and was named in the Tampa Bay Business Journal's '"40 Under 40" list.
NDC Commercial
Real Estate
Bill Hawthorne
Bill Hawthorne is a retired CPA and a 50-year resident of Manatee County. In his professional career, Mr. Hawthorn focused on audit and consulting, including many local non-profits and governmental entities. He also has significant experience with banks and construction companies. His civic affiliations have included president of the Manatee Symphony Association, treasurer of the West Coast Symphony, Manatee Players board member, Lions Club, and Masons. He served three years in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. and was discharged as a captain.
Treasurer
Margie Genter
Margie Genter is responsible for workforce development programs at Goodwill Industries-Manasota, Inc. She has a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Certified Vocational Evaluator. As vice president of Mission Services at Goodwill Manasota, she provides direct oversight for all mission services including case management, financial literacy, veterans’ services, and placement programs. She also serves on the board of Turning Points, a primary agency assisting the homeless
Goodwill Industries-Manasota
Matt McSwain
Matt McSwain is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Bradenton, a position he has held since 2013. He was a sales representative with the Bradenton Herald before beginning with Edward Jones. Prior to that position, Matt was the manager of a major retail hard goods store in Bradenton. He graduated from Furman University and he and his wife have two sons. He has been on the Young Life board.