Pictured: David Sessions and Anand Pallegar, Photo courtesy of Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

The Board of Directors of Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) elected David Sessions as Chair and Anand Pallegar as Vice Chair for a one-year term as officers beginning July 1, 2023. The Board also welcomed three new Board members, Keith G. Johnson, Frank Martucci, and Pete Petersen, for a three-year term beginning March 1, 2023. David Sessions has served on the Gulf Coast Board since 2019. As the immediate past Chair of the Finance Committee, Sessions ensured that Gulf Coast’s budget was responsibly managed to deliver the greatest impact to the region. Sessions is CEO of Willis Smith Construction and has been with the company since 1988. “I am thrilled that David Sessions is Chair of our Board of Directors,” shared Phillip Lanham, president | CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. “David brings a wealth of experience, community knowledge, and keen expertise to our Board. He exemplifies Gulf Coast’s mission, vision, and values, and he supports the work we do together with our philanthropic partners and the community.” Vice Chair Anand Pallegar has served on the Gulf Coast Board since 2016, as Chair of the Community Leadership Committee and as an active member of the Risk and Audit Committee and CEO Search Committee. Pallegar founded ATLARGE, a thriving Experiential Branding Agency dedicated to solving intricate business challenges for market-leading, global brands. Today, Pallegar leads a portfolio of successful companies and ventures, including DreamLarge which champions innovative, catalytic philanthropy, and meaningful community impact with the goal of affecting change both locally and globally. Keith G. Johnson, CFP®, CEPA™ is a Managing Director and Senior Wealth Advisor with Truist Wealth. Acknowledged for sound decision-making and analytical abilities, Johnson has a significant record of success ensuring profitable business development and creating significant relationships with strategic partners in matrix organizations. Frank Martucci the former general partner, senior managing director, and board member of Bear Stearns & Company. Locally, Martucci also serves on the Board of Directors for Sarasota Ballet and Ringling College of Art and Design. He has served on the board of directors for William Penn University, Smithsonian Institution, and Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bryant Fellows, among other boards across the country. Pete Petersen is CEO at Dealers United and BuyerBridge, helping the automotive industry simplify social advertising using ad tech. Prior to joining Dealers United, Petersen was a member of S-One Holdings Leadership Team which is responsible for strategic planning, culture, tactical implementation, and profitability.

The members of Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Board of Directors for the foundation’s 2023-2024 fiscal year are: Anne Essner, Ping Faulhaber, Rose-Anne Frano, John Giglio, Past Chair David Green, Rod Hershberger, Tracy Knight, Past Vice Chair Lisa Krouse, Keith G. Johnson, Phillip P. Lanham, Frank Martucci, Vice Chair Anand Pallegar, Pete Petersen, Chair David Sessions, Peter Soderberg, Susan Sofia.

Pictured: David Sessions and Anand Pallegar, Photo courtesy of Gulf Coast Community Foundation.