Habitat announces executive committee, welcomes three new members, and thanks two outgoing members
Clearwater, FL – Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside is proud to announce its Board of Directors for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The Habitat Board of Directors recently elected the slate of officers to begin their service on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. These individuals will all serve on the Executive Committee of the Board for the next twelve months:
- Chair – Chris Hackney, Chief Lending Officer, Lendesca
- Immediate Past Chair – Heather Ford, CFO, Power Design
- Chair-Elect – Scott Daigle, Regional President, North Florida at Fifth Third Bank
- Vice Chair – Frank Starkey, President, People Places LLC
- Treasurer – Ken Ginel, EVP, CFO & Treasurer, Raymond James Bank
- Secretary – Charles Rogers, Former Banking VP, Community Advocate
- At-Large Member – Ian Peterson, Founder & CEO, Dialed In Golf Solutions
- At-Large Member – Mika Rotunda, Realtor, Heart of Florida Realty
- At-Large Member – Chris Majeski, SVP, Head of Private Client Group Supervision, Raymond James
- Mike Sutton, Habitat President & CEO (non-voting)
Habitat welcomes three new board members whose terms also July 1, 2026. Their bios are included below:
- Ford Manuel – General Manager, Coastal Engineering Associates
- John Stege – Chief Relationship Officer / Chairman of the Board, Stansell Construction
- Jarrett Wolfe – CEO & Founder, Smart Choice Communications
“Habitat thanks Tamara DeBose and Carolina Conner, who are leaving the board this year,” said Mike Sutton, Habitat President & CEO. “They have both played a key part in our recent growth and success in serving more families in our community. We are grateful for the impact each has made on our organization.”
- Carolina Conner, Associate at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty – Four Years of Service
- Tamara DeBose, Office Coordinator at Amwins and Habitat Homeowner – Fifteen Years of Service
New Member Bios
Ford Manuel, General Manager, Coastal Engineering Associates, Inc.
Ford Manuel serves as General Manager of Coastal Engineering Associates, Inc. (COASTAL), a full-service engineering firm providing planning, environmental, civil engineering, construction, and surveying services throughout Hernando, Pasco, Citrus, and surrounding counties.
In this role, Ford oversees day-to-day operations and provides strategic leadership across all company divisions, ensuring projects are delivered with accuracy, operational efficiency, and full regulatory compliance. He brings more than 14 years of industry experience and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Florida — a foundation that informs his practical, performance-driven approach to both project execution and organizational leadership.
As a third-generation leader at COASTAL, Ford carries forward a legacy of quality and integrity while actively guiding the firm’s growth and evolution. His tenure reflects a deep commitment to client success, cross-functional collaboration, and community-focused infrastructure development — values that have long defined COASTAL’s reputation in the region. Ford’s operational expertise, stakeholder relationships, and long-term perspective position him as a thoughtful contributor to governance discussions at the board level.
Outside of work, Ford enjoys time with his wife and three children, and can often be found fishing, on the golf course, or exploring the outdoors with family.
John Stege, Chief Relationship Officer / Chairman of the Board, Stansell Construction
John Stege serves as Chief Relationship Officer at Stansell Construction, leading the charge in strengthening and nurturing client relationships while ensuring the company’s commitment to service remains front and center. His deep industry knowledge and personal approach to relationships have been a cornerstone of Stansell’s success, and this role allows him to focus intentionally on what he does best: connecting with people.
With a career that began in the hospitality industry, where he worked for 23 years, John has been managing and motivating people since the age of 18. At this stage of his life, he finds fulfillment in mentoring people and helping build the Stansell Construction brand. The transition from hospitality in 2007 was both interesting and challenging, but the leadership training and skills he developed proved highly transferable, particularly the mindset of focusing on the customer. Construction isn’t typically known for being customer-focused, but that’s exactly what Stansell strives for, and it’s what John brings to the table every day with the team.
As a Licensed Certified Building Contractor, John holds licenses for all states where Stansell operates that require licensure, demonstrating his commitment to maintaining professional qualifications across the company’s multi-state operations.
John’s career began in the hospitality industry, where he spent 23 years with McDonald’s Corporation from 1985 to 2007, ultimately serving as a Supervisor at McDonald’s Brickman for 19 years. This experience gave him access to McDonald’s world-class management development program, and he considers himself blessed to have gone through that program during his time with the organization. More importantly, he worked for amazing leaders who invested in him, shaping his approach to leadership and team development.
The skills and mindset he developed in hospitality—focusing on the customer, managing teams, and delivering consistent service—would prove invaluable when he transitioned to construction in 2007. John started his construction career building modular homes in Louisiana from 2007 to 2010, gaining hands-on experience in a new industry while applying the leadership principles he had learned.
After a brief period as Managing Member of Stege Consulting from May 2010 to June 2011, John joined Stansell Construction in 2011 as a superintendent. He quickly moved into project management and became an owner in August 2014, demonstrating his ability to deliver results and build trust with partners and clients alike.
Although John does not have a college education, he has gone through many leadership development courses and has become a lifelong learner when it comes to growing as a leader. He credits his success to the investment others made in him and to the amazing partners who complement his strengths. Together, they have been able to attract and retain talented individuals who challenge and motivate him every day.
John served as President of Stansell Properties & Development from June 2011 to April 2025, guiding the company’s growth and establishing its reputation for customer-focused construction. In April 2025, he transitioned to Chief Relationship Officer, a role that leverages his greatest strengths: building relationships, mentoring people, and ensuring every client interaction reflects Stansell’s commitment to exceptional service.
Jarrett Wolfe, CEO & Founder, SmartChoice Communications
Since founding the company in New York City in 1998, SmartChoice has evolved from a fast-growing telecom provider into a full-stack managed connectivity provider supporting organizations that demand reliability at scale, from regional operations to complex, multi-site enterprises. Wolfe has driven SmartChoice’s expansion across the U.S. and Canada, building coast-to-coast teams and a 24/7/365 U.S.-based model that blends the reach of a national provider with the responsiveness of a dedicated partner. Known for his strategic clarity, industry foresight, and commitment to service, Wolfe has positioned SmartChoice as a trusted partner to some of the most distributed mission-critical organizations in North America.
Through SmartChoice’s success in the technology sector, Wolfe has expanded his commitment to philanthropy and community impact. He actively supports nonprofit organizations focused on education, healthcare access, and youth development, and he champions initiatives that strengthen underserved communities. The growth he has driven at SmartChoice has allowed him to reinvest that success into causes that reflect his values and extend the company’s impact beyond technology.
2026-27 Board of Directors
- Board Chair – Chris Hackney, Chief Lending Officer, Lendesca
- Board Chair Elect – Scott Daigle, Regional President, North Florida at Fifth Third Bank
- Past Immediate Chair – Heather Ford, CFO, Power Design
- Vice Chair – Frank Starkey, President, People Places LLC
- Treasurer – Ken Ginel, EVP, CFO & Treasurer, Raymond James Bank
- Secretary – Charles Rogers, Former Banking VP, Community Advocate
- Executive Committee – Ian Peterson, Founder & CEO, Dialed In Golf Solutions
- Executive Committee – Chris Majeski, SVP, Head of Private Client Group Supervision, Raymond James
- Executive Committee – Mika Rotunda, Realtor, Heart of Florida Realty
- Ian Anderson, Market President & Publisher, Tampa Bay Business Journal
- Davisha Earley, Registered Nurse
- Bobby Ginn, Jr., Senior Vice President, TGH / President, TGH Brooksville & TGH Spring Hill
- Iris Gonzalez, Founder & Principal, Links-G Consulting
- Ashley Hofecker, President & CEO, Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce
- Jim Kirkpatrick, Senior Vice President, Real Estate Relationship Manager‑Senior, City National Bank
- Michael Luther, Assistant VP & Chief HR Officer, Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital
- Ford Manuel, General Manager, Coastal Engineering Associates, Inc.
- Danielle Mauck, VP of Sponsored Programs & Research, BayCare Health System
- Gretchen Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Seacoast Bank
- Amber Okoye, Founder & CEO, Rubicon International LLC
- Lesley Price, Director of First Impressions & Community Liaison, HMC Hospitality Group, Inc.
- Jason Russek, Managing Senior VP, Market President, West Florida, City National Bank
- John Stege, Chief Relationship Officer / Chairman of the Board, Stansell Construction
- Bruce Terwilliger, CEO, Terwilliger Brothers Residential
- Jon Theile, Senior Manager, Business Performance Corporate Services, AMGEN, Inc.
- Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, Licensed Commercial Real Estate Broker / Owner, Commercial Asset Partners Realty
- Tracy West, Tournament Director, Valspar Championship and Co-Founder & Executive VP, Pro Links Sports
- Ken Wicker, Chief Executive Officer, HCA Florida Oak Hill Hospital
- Jarrett Wolfe, CEO & Founder, SmartChoice Communications
