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Directors
MEET THE DIRECTORS WHO WERE INVITED TO JOIN THIS ENDEAVOR,
ALL OF WHOM WERE HAND PICKED
Fran Heiser chose as her directors those who were and are successful in their careers and who also were civic minded and have witnessed tragedy in their own lives.
Gary Sherwood
Director since 2003, served in the U.S. Army with Gary Heiser. Gary and his wife, Ingrid, met the Heisers in Germany in 1971, when Michael was 11 years old. Many great memories were created by Fran, Gary, and Michael Heiser with Gary and Ingrid Sherwood in Germany. Continuing their friendship into civilian life, Gary and Ingrid were with Fran and Gary in Alaska in 1996 when Khobar Towers was bombed. The tragedy intensified their friendship.
Gary was employed as a finance officer for national companies for over thirty years, as General manager and Executive Vice President for a local water-wastewater service company in Texas for ten years, and later as Vice President of the Mid-Atlantic Region for a national water-wastewater company. He served as a Water Board Director for sixteen years in Texas. He and his wife reside in Central Virginia, where Gary currently serves as President of the Lovingston Ruritan Club, member of the American Legion Post 17, and Board Member of the Gladstone Fire Board, Nelson County Service Authority, and Nelson County Chamber of Commerce.
Linda Keith
Director since 2004 – Born in Ohio, but a Floridian since 1985. Linda met Fran and Gary while focusing on her Estate Planning and Real Estate specialties. Linda has held many professional designations and organization memberships, including Board of Director positions. She now owns a successful Demolition business with her husband, Vernon.
Steve Barnier
Director since 2017, CPA, owns a thriving accounting firm in Palm Coast, FL. Steve has been a CPA since 2002, a CFP® since 2005, and has been in business for himself since 2003. After spending years as a CFO for a mid-sized regional corporation, Steve started Certified Financial & Tax in the Tampa Bay area in 2005. Steve has worked extensively with individuals, small businesses, estates, trusts, and non-profit entities in providing tax and assurance services. Steve moved with his family to Palm Coast, FL, after acquiring an office there in 2010. Steve is a proud father of 5 children. Steve enjoys traveling, reading, golf, cooking, watching sports, and relaxing with friends and family.
Tom Heiser
Tom served in the U.S. Army for 21 years, retiring in 1993. He and his family moved to Palm Coast after retiring to join Gary and Fran’s real estate company. With Gary and I being in the Army it was difficult, to say the lease, to have family time between brothers. After moving to Palm Coast, we all became a lot closer enjoying family dinners, golf, trips etc…, waiting for Mike to retire in a couple of years. Then, on June 25, 1996 there was a knock on my door at about 1:00AM, it was the Air Force notification team looking for Gary and Fran, which were on an Alaska Trip with Gary and Ingrid Sherwood. They would not leave until I contacted Gary and Fran, that was one of the hardest phone calls I had to make.
My wife, Michelle, and I still reside in Palm Coast. Our oldest son Shawn just completed 13 years in the Army and he and his family have moved back to Flagler County where he is now a certified dog trainer. Our youngest son Shane, lives in Tampa and is the Manager of Fiscal and Business Administration for the School of Business at the University of South Florida.
Sandra McDermott
Sandra is the President and Owner of Coast Title Insurance Agency, Inc., Sun Coast Title Insurance Agency, Inc. and Avis Title Insurance Agency, Inc. She met the Heiser family back in 1987 when she worked closely with them in business through their successful real estate company. Fran and Gary Heiser were her original business partners when Coast Title opened in May of 1995. After buying out their ownership interests a few years later, their personal friendship continued to grow tremendously over time. Sandra greatly valued their friendships and their mentorships. She credits Fran and Gary Heiser with much of her business success over the years.
Sandra is very philanthropic. She is involved in several charitable organizations. She is a long time Board Member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Flagler Beach. She also serves as the Assistant District Governor of Rotary District 6970. She has served as a board member and past President of Flagler Habitat for Humanity. She has served the organization for over 25 years. She has also been recognized in the past as the Flagler County Business Woman of the Year and the Daytona Beach News Journal’s Influential Business Woman. She is also a life director of the Flagler Homebuilder’s Association and an active business partner of the Flagler County Association of Realtors. She is a member of the Florida Land Title Association and the American Land Title Association. Her title company has also received the Circle of Excellence Award several years running through Fidelity National Title Group.
She has been married to her loving husband, Tom, for over 26 years. She has one daughter named Abby and she is also the grandmother of two grandsons that she adores. She loves spending as much time as possible with her family. In her free time, she also enjoys going to the beach, boating and camping.
Gavin Sherwood
Gavin was raised in Houston, TX and received his bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin. Shortly after, he moved to the Charlottesville area to be near his parents who had already made the move. This allowed him to get a job related to the federal government working primarily in and around Charlottesville and many other local counties. This experience provided Gavin with an extensive knowledge of the surrounding areas. It also taught Gavin how to listen to others as his job was to interview people as references for those seeking federal employment. He served in this role from 2002 to 2015.
Since 2015, Gavin has been self-employed as a real estate agent serving the central Virginia area.
Gavin volunteers year-round with Wintergreen Adaptive Sports (WAS). During the winter months, his main role is as a ski instructor while being an active member of Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA). In the off season, Gavin volunteers as a promotor of the organization at events such as Fridays After Five and the Lockn Music Festival. He has a great love of the mountain whether it be riding during the winter or hiking the 30 miles of trails available at Wintergreen. He was also appointed as a Board Member with WAS in 2020.
Gavin also enjoys the art of woodworking and the intricacies of building complex pieces. He has been learning about new techniques from a local master woodworker.
Since 2020, Gavin has been a Board Member with The Heiser Foundation (THF). The founders of THF, Fran and Gary Heiser, were Gavin’s godparents. The relationship between the Heisers and the Sherwoods began during the early 1970’s while both families were stationed in Germany with the United States Army and continues to this day through THF despite the loss of Fran and Gary.
