Six DI residents nominated for DICA board openings
Who will be the latest residents to serve on the Daniel Island Community Association Board? A total of six nominations were received for the two DICA board openings, according to a recent newsletter from the Daniel Island Property Owners Association. The board currently consists of five members – three appointed by the Daniel Island Company and two residents elected by DICA members.
The candidates seeking to serve are Sheryll H. Birk, Gerald Brooks, S. Colby Hollifield, Bob Sauer, Greg Turner (incumbent), and Glenn Williman. Outgoing resident board member Shawn Pinkston is not seeking re-election.
Online voting, which is open to DICA members only, will begin on Jan. 15 at 6 a.m. and will close on Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. For the election to be validated, 10 percent of the property owners within DICA must participate, the newsletter states.
Read more about the six candidates below!
SHERYLL H. BIRK
Family: Husband, Peter; son, Christian; daughter, Madeline.
Profession: Worked as a registered nurse. Currently attending College of Charleston.
Hobbies: Spending time with family, fitness, drawing, volunteering, going to the beach, and spending time outdoors.
When the Birk family was looking for a place to move in 2009, Daniel Island’s small-town feel, close beaches and great schools made choosing an easy decision.
Since relocating, Sheryll has found her home on the island, she explained. She worked for Daniel Island Dermatology for Dr. Eleanor Sahn for many years, is actively involved with St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, became a recent volunteer for the Red Cross and will soon begin working for Wellmore of Daniel Island.
With her medical and business background, Sheryll is confident that she will be a good representative for island residents as an elected resident DICA board member.
“I would like to become a DICA board member so that I can bring a fresh perspective,” she said. “My medical background allows me to be a good listener. I previously owned a business so I feel that I will be a voice for fellow neighbors and a valuable asset to the board.”
GERALD BROOKS
Family: Single. No kids. Currently puppy shopping.
Profession: Engineering Duty Officer (Active Duty US NAVY O-3 (LT)); Project Manager at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic.
Hobbies: Crossfit, running, swimming, biking, obstacle course races, hiking, camping, reading, shopping, boating with friends, hanging out with friends and volunteering.
Due to a military move from Monterey, California, Gerald relocated to Daniel Island in March of 2016. Because he has only been a resident for a little over a year, he explained that, if elected, he hopes to provide a fresh point of view.
“I think the best thing for any organization is a viewpoint from a new set of eyes,” said Gerald. “If we continue to move forward with a ‘that’s the way it’s always been done’ attitude, we miss out on new and initiative ideas.”
Even though he has only been a resident for a short time, Gerald is actively involved in many facets of the community.
“I am currently the Chairman of the Landscaping Committee for the Barfield Park HOA,” he said. “I am a volunteer with the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Program. I am a mentor for students at Hanahan Middle School, My Brother’s Keeper Program, and the Mentor Program.”
Also, having previously served in multiple leadership positions during active duty and currently serving as the leader of his United States Naval Academy class of 2008, Gerald stated that he has gained valuable skills that will be beneficial if chosen to serve on the DICA board.
“I have been in several leadership positions allowing me to know how to filter out ‘needs’ versus ‘wants.’ I am the vice president of my United States Naval Academy class and chaired our five-year reunion committee and am working on the 10-year reunion. During my active duty time, I lead multiple divisions onboard a Los Angeles Class Submarine, working with fellow Junior Officers and Department Heads to ensure all missions were completed successfully.”
S. COLBY HOLLIFIELD
Family: Wife, Heather; sons, Cody, Jack and William; cat, Jingles; and dog, Beau.
Profession: Land management and finance.
Hobbies: Golf, travel, snorkeling, hiking, and coaching youth sports.
Colby, who grew up in Summerville, S.C. and graduated from College of Charleston, knew Daniel Island before I-526 was built, he explained. So, when he and his wife, Heather, were trying to make a decision on where to move to from California in 2006, Daniel Island was the “perfect fit.”
Although he has no direct experience working with organizations on the island, Colby emphasized that the skills he has gained from managing a conservation-based land development company for over 10 years, serving as a board member on two local area boards, combined with his expertise in financial statement analysis, make him a good fit for the DICA board.
“‘Conservation-based’ means we place a premium on open, natural spaces and have used conservation easements as a way to permanently protect the land from development while retaining property rights so development can be done responsibly,” said Colby. “That experience directly translates to Daniel Island. I have a degree in finance and I’m an expert in financial statement analysis—two areas critical to the DICA board. I have served on the College of Charleston Alumni Association board as well as the Middleton Place Foundation board, so I am familiar with the role board members play (and don’t play) in guiding organizations. I grew up in Charleston and have lived on Daniel Island for 11 years, so I understand how special the island is and how critical it is to maintain it as a special place for us all.”
BOB SAUER
Family: Wife, Ellie; daughter, Jennifer; son (deceased), Kevin; granddaughter, Zoey Osterman.
Profession: Retired, formerly in the information technology industry.
Hobbies: Landscape design and horticulture, martial arts, golf, travel and tutoring young students in reading.
After visiting Charleston over many summers, Bob and his wife, Ellie, fell in love with the “charm, history and vibrancy” of the area and its surrounding communities, so they decided to make it their home. In November of 2005, they moved to Daniel Island, an easy decision, Bob explained, because of the island’s beauty, amenities and close proximity to downtown Charleston.
In the first years of being on the island, Bob volunteered at Daniel Island School and Cainhoy Elementary and Middle Schools, tutoring young children, he continued. Since then, he has gotten involved in many other programs on the island, including the Garden Club, the Daniel Island Neighborhood Association and the Daniel Island Historical Society.
“My past involvement with the Daniel Island Neighborhood Association, the Daniel Island Garden Club and the Daniel Island Historical Society has put me in touch with many of our neighbors and has given me the opportunity to listen carefully to their opinions and perspectives,” said Bob. “This exposure has also allowed me to forge solid friendships with many folks here on Daniel Island and helped me understand the broad range of interests and priorities we have among our residents.”
As DICA moves closer to switching to resident control, Bob stated that, if elected, he would like to aid in the transition process.
“I want to be involved at the earliest stages of the growth of DICA from a developer driven organization to one driven and directed by the residents themselves,” said Bob. “That means taking an active role in understanding the needs of our residents and shaping the initiatives that can help ensure those needs are met.”
GREG TURNER
Family: Wife Marcia; sons Greg, Charles and Philip; grandchildren Dylan, Cruz, Caroline, Lucy and Griffin.
Profession: Office Manager at Island Eye Care.
Hobbies: Golf and grandkids.
Greg first moved to Daniel Island 12 years ago to help his son, Dr. Charlie Turner, open his optometry practice, Island Eye Care, on Seven Farms Drive. Since relocating to the island, Greg has become involved in many aspects of the community, serving as the past president of the Daniel Island Business Association (DIBA), past president for eight years for the 254 condo complex and, most recently, as an elected resident board member for the Daniel Island Community Association (DICA) for the past two years.
Greg, who welcomes the opportunity to serve again, explained that, if elected, he plans to continue the work he has done since joining the board.
“I had the pleasure of representing my neighbors for the past two years on the DICA Board,” he stated, in a recent Property Owners Association (POA) email. “I believe we have brought more transparency to the budget process, updated the reserve study and slowed the growth of dues increases. We established a rainy day fund to anticipate the hurricane damage we incur each year. We will have many new issues over the next two years as we head to a transition of a homeowner controlled board.”
GLENN WILLIMAN
Family: Wife, Janice; daughter, Lauren; son, Scott.
Profession: Retired, AT&T engineer.
Hobbies: Sailing and amateur radio.
When the Willimans decided it was time for a change, they felt the Charleston area was the obvious choice. Because their son moved to Charleston after graduating from Clemson University, Glenn explained, they had visited the Holy City and its surrounding communities many times. In the summer of 2013, he and his wife, Janice, sold their house and snow blower and found a home in Smythe Park on Daniel Island.
In the few years he has lived on the island, Glenn has been the president of DINA twice and is currently involved in the association’s school safety program. This experience, Glenn explained, will aid in serving as a voice for residents if he is elected to be a member of the DICA board.
“As a past president of the Daniel Island Neighborhood Association I was able to meet many of our residents, understand their concerns with many quality of life issues and work with the association to implement changes and improvements based on those concerns,” he said. “This experience allowed me to appreciate the different voices of our community and I believe I can carry that forward to help make informed board decisions.”
If elected, Glenn hopes to continue to make Daniel Island a sought after destination.
“I would like to be a DICA board member to continue to be actively involved with the community,” said Glenn. “I feel it is important to volunteer in our community and help to continue the work that is making this a great place to live, work and play.”