Sunset with trees in forefront

A Brief History of the
Florida Lake Management Society

The Florida Lake Management Society (FLMS) had its beginnings during the 1987 North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) Annual Conference which was held in Orlando, Florida. A combination of fresh water specialists met during the NALMS conference and agreed to form a Charter Committee to create the FLMS.

Five goals were established by the Charter Committee. These goals were: to produce a charter and bylaws, to become a Chapter of NALMS, to find funding sources, to produce a FLMS newsletter, and to plan the first Florida Lake Management Society Annual Conference. All of the goals established by the Charter Committee were achieved within the first year after organization.

During the first year the Society established an election process and elected a Board of Directors. The Board consisted of five officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasury and Past President) and four directors. During the first year, our Society conducted several regional lake management symposia, published several issues of our newsletter, participated in several aquatic resource campaigns and held our first Florida Lake Management Society Conference in Winter Park, Florida. A list of our past conference venues can be found below the leadership table. The Society also established several awards to reward renowned Limnologists, activists and persons working in government.

During the early 1990’s, the Society continued to mature. FLMS received a grant from the FDER and EPA, which enabled the Society to sponsor eight regional lake management symposia throughout Florida. During this period membership grew to more than 300 persons and annual conferences were being attended by local lay persons as well as professionals from around the state. As membership grew, the Society established an Executive Director position and acquired one part-time staff to assist in publishing our quarterly newsletter.

By the mid 1990’s the Society began to focus on self-improvement. The Society established a Mission Statement and initiated an annual Strategic Planning Workshop. Strategic Planning helped structure the organization, improved organizational efficiency and established annual goals. It was during this period that three standing committees (Finance, Operation and Program) were created, an agenda process initiated, and the Board united in achieving its annually established Goals.

During the mid 1990’s the Society began to expand its programs. The Society published a non-technical lakes information booklet, approved the means of establishing regional chapters throughout the state, joined associations located in south and in north Florida (Environmental Coalition of South West Florida and Big Bend Environmental Forum), and expanded our awards program to reward lake minded persons working in the media and elected officials.

During all these years, the goal of every member has been to create and sustain an effective statewide lake management organization. The Society and all members are committed to lake conservation, education, and advocacy. The table below lists those individuals who have helped lead FLMS and helped it grow. Unfortunately early records of the society are spread out and were not compiled. If you can help fill in this table or correct any errors, please contact us through the contact form here.

History of Florida Lake Management Society’s Leadership

YearPresidentVice-PresidentTreasurerSecretaryBoard of Directors
1987
1988
1989
1990Richard ColemanVince Williams Kay
Yeuell
Robert
Mattson
Martin Kelly
Timothy Keyser
Danon Moxley
Carla Palmer
Paul Parks
David Pearce
1991 Vince
Williams
David
Pearce
Kay
Yeuell
Robert
Mattson
Mark Lilipop
Danon Moxley
Carla Palmer
Janet Roth
Lawson Snyder
1992David Pearce
1993Carla PalmerMarty ArmstrongPatricia SmithLawson SnyderDean Barber
Dan Canfield
Carey Cordell
Judy Ludlow
Curtis Watkins
Herb Zebuth
1994Carla PalmerMarty ArmstrongPatricia SmithLawson SnyderRick Baird
Tom Cuba
Ernesto Lasso de la Vega
Pam Leasure
Don Moores
Nancy Page
Curtis Watkins
1995Marty ArmstrongCarey CordellDean BarberPatricia SmithRick Baird
Larry Battoe
Ernesto Lasso de la Vega
Gene Medley
Nancy Page
Garth Redfield
Curtis Watkins
1996Carey CordellCurtis WatkinsGene MedleyJulie Brantly (McCrystal)Rick Baird
Larry Battoe
Ernesto Lasso de la Vega
Pam Leasure
Kevin McCann
Nancy Page
Garth Redfield
Doug Robison
1997Curtis
Watkins
Gene
Medley
Nancy
Page
Julie
McCrystal
Rick Baird
Larry Battoe
Tim Egan
Ernesto Lasso de la Vega
Pam Leasure
Kevin McCann
Tyler Macmillan
Garth Redfield
Doug Robison
1998 Gene
Medley
Larry
Battoe
Nancy
Page
Pam
Leasure
Rick Baird
Roger Copp
Mike Coveney
Harvey Harper
Kevin McCann
Garth Redfield
Doug Robison
Michael Scheinkman
1999 Larry
Battoe
Harvey
Harper
Lucee
Price
Pam
Leasure
Roger Copp
Mike Coveney
Ernesto Lasso de la Vega
Robert Mattson
Kevin McCann
Garth Redfield
Doug Robison
Michael Scheinkman
Peggy Wilzbach
2000 Kevin
McCann
Pam
Leasure
Lucee
Price
Rick
Baird
Mike Britt
Chuck Hanlon
Harvey Harper
Ernesto Lasso de la Vega
Erich Marzolf
Mike Scheinkman
Cheryl Schwartz
Peggy Wilzbach
2001 Pam
Leasure
Mike
Coveney
Julie
McCrystal
Rick
Baird
Carlos Fernandes
Jim Griffin
Chuck Hanlon
Patricia Hardy
Harvey Harper
Erich Marzolf
Sean McGlynn
Lucee Price
Shailesh Patel
Jeff Reine
2002 Mike
Coveney
Rick
Baird
Julie
McCrystal
Erich
Marzolf
Carlos Fernandes
Jim Griffin
Chuck Hanlon
Patricia Hardy
Harvey Harper
Don Hicks
Sean McGlynn
Shailesh Patel
Michael Perry
Lucee Price
2003 Rick
Baird
Shailesh
Patel
Julie
McCrystal
Erich
Marzolf
Sergio Duarte
Carlos Fernandes
Clell Ford
Jim Griffin
Chuck Hanlon
Patricia Hardy
Harvey Harper
Don Hicks
Sean McGlynn
Shailesh Patel
Michael Perry
Lucee Price
Dharmen Setaram
2004 Shailesh
Patel
Chuck
Hanlon
Mike
Perry
Monica
Stevens-Diaz
John Burns
Shannon Carter-Wetzel
Clell Ford
Jim Griffin
Harvey Harper
Don Hicks
Joe King
Erich Marzolf
Sean McGlynn
Todd Olson
Dharmen Setaram
2005 Chuck
Hanlon
Jim
Griffin
Mike
Perry
Monica
Stevens-Diaz
John Burns
Mike Coveney
Shannon Carter-Wetzel
Clell Ford
David Evans
John Keifer
Kelli Levy
Joe King
Erich Marzolf
Sean McGlynn
Todd Olson
2006 Jim
Griffin
John
Burns
Mike
Perry
Michelle
Jeansonne
Mike Coveney
Shannon Carter-Wetzel
Clell Ford
David Evans
Kelli Levy
Erich Marzolf
Martin Montavo
Sean McGlynn
Todd Olson
Ann Shortelle
Steve Weinsier
2007 John
Burns
Clell
Ford
Mike
Perry
Michelle
Jeansonne
Mike Coveney
Jim Griffin
Chuck Hanlon
Kelli Levy
Erich Marzolf
Sean McGlynn
Martin Montavo
Todd Olson
Ann Shortelle
Steve Weinsier
Shannon Carter-Wetzel
2008 Clell
Ford
Shailesh
Patel
Mike
Perry
Shannon
Carter-
Wetzel
Mike Coveney
Chuck Hanlon
Kelli Levy
Dean Dobberfuhl
Sean McGlynn
Todd Olson
Dharmen Setaram
Ann Shortelle
Julie Terrell
Steve Weinsier
2009 Kelli Levy Shannon Carter Wetzel Mike Perry Todd Olson Kym Rouse-Campbell
Dean Dobberfuhl
David Evans
Jim Griffin
Lawrence Keenan
Sean McGlynn
Shailesh Patel
Jennifer Sagan
Julie Terrell
John Walkinshaw
Sherry Brandt
2010 Shannon Carter Wetzel Dean Dobberfuhl Mike Perry Todd Olson Kym Rouse-Campbell
David Evans
Jim Griffin
Lawrence Keenan
Kelli Levy
Sean McGlynn
Ron Novy
Jennifer Sagan
Julie Terrell
John Walkinshaw
Sherry Brandt
2011 Dean Dobberfuhl Sherry Brandt Mike Perry John Walkinshaw Dana Bigham
Kym Rouse Campbell
David Evans
Jim Griffin
Jeff Holland
Lawrence Keenan
Lance Lumbard
Ron Novy
Jennifer Sagan
Shannon Carter
Wetzel
2012 Sherry Brandt Jennifer Sagan Mike Perry John Walkinshaw Dean Dobberfuhl
Kym Campbell
Lawrence Keenan
Dana Bigham
Jeff Holland
Lance Lumbard
Todd Olson
Sergio Duarte
Sherry Burroughs
Danielle Marshall
2013 Jennifer Sagan Lawrence Keenan Mike Perry Sergio Duarte Sherry Brandt
Dana Bigham
Jeff Holland
Lance Lumbard
Danielle Marshall
Todd Olson
Jim Griffin
John Walkinshaw
Sam Arden
Brian Catanzaro
2014Lawrence Keenan John Walkinshaw Lance Lumbard Ron Hart Dana Bigham
Jeff Holland
Danielle Marshall
Sergio Duarfte
Todd Olson
Jim Griffin
Sam Arden
Brian Catanzaro
2015 John Walkinshaw Ron Hart Lance Lumbard Sam Arden Sergio Duarte
Jim Griffin
Todd Olson
Rick Baird
Patrick Goodwin
Marissa Williams
Shannon Wetzel
April Verpoorten
2016 Ron Hart Sergio Duarte Lance Lumbard Shannon Wetzel Rob Burnes
Niles Cyzycki
Gloria Eby
Patrick Goodwin
April Verpoorten
Marissa Williams
Stephen Montgomery
Ernesto Lasso de la Vega
2017 Sergio Duarte Rob Burnes Lance Lumbard Shannon Wetzel Niles Cyzycki
Gloria Eby
Robbin Huffines
Ernesto Lasso de la Vega
Stephen Montgomery
Dan Schmutz
Jeff Smith
Serge Thomas
April Verpoorten
Marissa Williams
2018 Rob Burnes Robbin Huffines Lance Lumbard Shannon Wetzel Eesa Ali
Gloria Eby
Ernesto Lasso de la Vega
Stephen Montgomery
Rory Roten
Dan Schmutz
Jeff Smith
Serge Thomas
April Verpoorten
Marissa Williams
2019 Robbin Huffines Serge Thomas Lance Lumbard Shannon Wetzel Eesa Ali
Gloria Eby
Tim Egan
Patrick Goodwin
Ernesto Lasso de la Vega
Stephen Montgomery
Rory Roten
Dan Schmutz
Dana Stephens
Serge Thomas
Tiffany Trent
2020Serge ThomasGloria EbyLance LumbardRob Burnes Eesa Ali
Tim Egan
Patrick Goodwin
Sean McGlynn
Rory Roten
Dan Schmutz
Dan Stephens
Tiffany Trent
Marissa Williams

Venues of the Florida Lake Management Society’s Annual Conferences

1988Lakeland – Organizational Meeting with LEAD
1989 
1990Oviedo – Canterbury Episcopal Camp
1991Winter Park – Rollins College
1992 
1993DeLand
1994Orlando
1995 
1996Ocala – Hilton at I-75/SR200
1997West Palm Beach
1998Orlando
1999Safety Harbor
2000Islamorada/Duck Key – Hawks Cay
2001Tallahassee
2002Naples – Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club
2003Kissimmee
2004Tampa – Saddlebrook
2005Islamorada/Duck Key – Hawks Cay
2006St. Augustine – Casa Monica
2007Naples – Naples Grande
2008SanDestin
2009Key Largo – Key Largo Grande
2010Crystal River – Plantation Inn
2011St. Augustine – The Renaissance at World Golf Village
2012Gainesville – Paramount Plaza
2013Daytona Beach – The Shores
2014Stuart – Marriott Hutchinson Island
2015Naples – Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club
2016Daytona Beach – The Shores
2017Captiva – South Seas Island Resort
2018Fort Lauderdale – Westin Ft. Lauderdale Beach Resort
2019Duck Key – Hawks Cay Resort
2020Virtual
2021Duck Key – Hawks Cay Resort
2022Bonita Springs – Hyatt Regency Coconut Point