Subcommittee makes final selections

The selections are final.
At its Friday, Sept. 10 meeting, a subcommittee formed to review operations at Town Hall picked six Key residents out of a pool of nine interested candidates.
Brenner, the subcommittee’s chairman, said the decisions were not easy.
“We have a vast amount of talent in this town,” Brenner said.
The subcommittee hopes Key residents can hold interviews with department heads this month.
The findings will then be presented to Town Manager Bruce St. Denis, who will review the findings and any suggestions offered before taking the recommendations to the Town Commission sometime in the fall.
The subcommittee will also hold a public meeting with St. Denis after all department interviews are completed.
“The end product is a report to the commission with findings that hopefully will include items that have been implemented or are about to be implemented,” Brenner said.
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Ross Alander

Department: Planning, Zoning and Building Department
Age: 66
Family: Wife, three children and four grandsons
Longboat Key residence: Cedars West (resides there four days a week)
Other Home: Tampa
Part-time Longboat Key resident since: 2009
Former/current occupation: Current University of South Florida Sarasota/Manatee senior lecturer in management studies. Owner of Alander Consulting. Former vice president of Human Resources at Tampa General Hospital.
Former Town Hall experience: None.
What made you want to join this committee: “I wanted to get involved on Longboat Key. I’m happy to help in any way I can. I like to look at organizations and help improve them.”
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Rita Barry

Department: Police and Fire Rescue departments
Family: Husband, one son and one granddaughter
Longboat Key residence: Tangerine Bay
Full-time Longboat Key resident since: 2006 (visiting the Key since 1993)
Former/current occupation: Certified accountant and current tax preparer. Former consultant/business manager for governmental departments in the United Kingdom.
Former Town Hall experience: None
What made you want to join this committee: “I felt I had the experience and I like the idea that I can be impartial. My aim is to use my experience to provide an impartial view and hope the town can gain some benefit from the exercise.”
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Tom Freiwald

Department: Public Works Department
Age: 64
Family: Wife and two children
Longboat Key residence: Spanish Main Yacht  Club
Former Home: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Full-time Longboat Key resident since: 2005
Former/current occupation: Retired vice president of marketing for Daimler Chrysler. Former CEO and current consultant of the Association of Mercedes Benz Dealerships. Teaches masters of business administration classes at the University of Phoenix. 
Former Town Hall experience: None
What made you want to join this committee: “I volunteered because I like to do things for the town I live in. ”
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Nick Kovalakides  

Department: Longboat Key Public Tennis Center
Age: 70
Family: Four children and two grandchildren
Full-time Longboat Key residence: Islands West
Former home: Princeton, N.J.
Former/current occupation: Former director of the Intramural Sports & Recreation Department at the University of Maryland
Former Town Hall experience: None
What made you want to join this committee: “I heard about the subcommittee and wanted to get involved. ”
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Dale Strohl  

Department: Town Clerk’s Office
Age: 74
Family: One daughter and one granddaughter
Longboat Key residence: Positano
Northern home: Princeton, N.J.
Part-time Longboat Key resident since: 2001
Former/current occupation: Retired senior vice president for human resources and operations at Tiffany & Co. Strohl has also worked in human resources and operations for Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Avon Products.
Former Town Hall experience: None
What made you want to join this committee: “It’s a wonderful opportunity to use my skills to help the town I spend most of the year living in.”
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Melvin Taub  

Department: Management Information Systems Department
Age: 66
Family: Wife, two sons and four grandchildren
Longboat Key residence: Water Club
Northern home: New York City
Part-time Longboat Key resident since: 1987
Former/current occupation: Retired corporate technology officer for Citigroup Corporate. Retired senior executive vice president of Salomon Smith Barney. Current consultant for the Federal Bureau Investigation.
Former Town Hall experience: None
What made you want to join this committee: “If I can provide any help to the town, I would like to do that. I am glad I can give back to my community.”
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Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].