Sarasota County Hospital Board Members

Marguerite G. Malone, Ed.D., First Vice Chair
Dr. Malone received a Bachelor’s degree from William and Mary College and Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Memphis. Her academic background includes the economics and educational fields. An assistant professor of education, Dr. Malone also was an administrator at the University of Memphis. In addition, she served as a training and development manager with Federal Express. As president of MGM Consulting Co., Dr. Malone has provided consulting services to many different types of organizations including health care, on a broad range of issues such as quality improvement, leadership/management, human resources, productivity improvement, communication, and instituting change. She also has served on numerous boards of directors in leadership roles.

Region:  At Large
Term Ends: 2012

Gerald Phillips, Second Vice Chair
An Alabama native, Gerald Phillips has lived in Florida for 27 years. Educated at Samford University in Birmingham, he received a B.S. in Business Management and a J. D. degree from the Cumberland School of Law. Mr. Phillips served as vice president for several banks and mortgage companies before moving to Florida in 1978, becoming senior vice president in charge of the mortgage loan department at First Federal of Englewood. In 1981, he founded a real estate appraisal company, which he sold in 1997. He holds MAI and SRA professional appraisal designations from the Appraisal Institute. After meeting the requirements for a second major in Enology in 2000 from Fresno State University, he worked as assistant winemaker at Chateau Elan Winery in Atlanta, Ga., before returning to Florida in 2003. He previously served on the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board from 1994 to 1998.

Region: Southern District
Term Ends: 2010

Richard C. Merritt, Treasurer
Originally from Sterling, Illinois, Richard “Dick” Merritt was a member of the Board of CGH Medical Center in Sterling for 24 years, serving as chairman for two terms and chair of the Finance Committee for three terms. He was owner and president of Sterling Ford Lincoln Mercury. Mr. Merritt received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. He was recruited from his MBA program by Ford Motor Company and held a number of sales positions before becoming owner of the Ford Lincoln Mercury dealership. Mr. Merritt was a member of the Sterling Noon Rotary Club and the Boards of the Illinois Auto Dealers Association and Midwest Ford Dealer Advertising Association. He also was president of the Notre Dame Club of Rock River Valley for many years.

Region: Northern District
Term Ends: 2010

Richard O. Donegan, Assistant Treasurer
A retired executive of the General Electric Co., Richard O. Donegan's 33-year career with company culminated in his role as senior vice president of the Major Appliance Group, overseeing design, manufacturing, finance, marketing, sales and service for the multibillion dollar international division. A resident of Sarasota since 1984, Mr. Donegan has served for nine years on the Board of Trustees of the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation Inc., most recently as secretary for the organization. Mr. Donegan also has served on the boards of the New College Foundation, Mote Marine and Spanish Point, as well as the Canadian GE Appliance Co., Vendo Co., Upright Co., United Way, Bellarmine College, Federal Reserve - Louisville Branch and the Fresno State University Advisory Board. A native of Wellesley, Massachusetts, Mr. Donegan received a bachelor's degree from Tufts University.

Region: At Large
Term Ends: 2010

Robert K. Strasser, Secretary
Mr. Strasser graduated from Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He later received an MBA from the University of Chicago. He was treasurer of Household International, a multi-national finance and banking company. Mr. Strasser served for ten years on the parent board of Lutheran General Health System which later merged with the Evangelical Health Care System to form the Advocate Health Care System, one of the premier systems in the nation. Mr. Strasser also served as Chairman of Parkside Medical Services in Chicago. Parkside was primarily involved in drug and alcohol rehabilitation and was one of the largest programs of its kind in the nation. In Chicago, he also served on the board of the Mile Square Health Plan of Illinois. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Community AIDS Network and President of the Rotary Club of Sarasota Bay Foundation.

Region: Northern District
Term Ends: 2010

Thomas Kelly, MD, Assistant Secretary
Born in Sigourney, Iowa, Dr. Kelly received his undergraduate and medical degrees at Creighton University in Omaha, where he completed his internship and residency for general surgery. He completed a fellowship in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and his residency at Emory University. Dr. Kelly has been on the medical staff at Sarasota Memorial since 1983.

Region: Central District
Term Ends: 2010

Teresa Carafelli, Member
An RN for 30 years at Sarasota Memorial, Ms. Carafelli played a key role on committees promoting the health and well-being of the hospital and the nursing profession. During her extensive career at the hospital, she took on all levels of responsibility, from staff nurse to management. Over the years, her positions included Operating Room nurse and surgery scheduling coordinator. Ms. Carafelli also served as Perioperative Services' clinical resource coordinator, helping to develop and manage the Operating Room budget as well as purchase capital equipment. Before retiring in 2007, she made a presentation to the Hospital Board in support of retiree health care benefits. Ms. Carafelli earned her RN degree from the Henry Ford Hospital School of Nursing and has received Certification for Nurse - Operating Room (CNOR) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification (ACLS). She has been active in her neighborhood association and volunteers with Meals on Wheels.

Region: Central District
Term Ends: 2012

Thomas H. Towler, Member
Thomas Towler retired to Sarasota in 1984 after serving for seven years as CEO for Top Value Enterprises, Inc, a trading stamp, incentive, general merchandise and travel company in Dayton, Ohio. Concurrently he was an officer of the Baldwin United Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio. Prior to that, he served eight years as chief executive for Peyton's, Inc. a general merchandise/health and beauty aids distributor to the Kroger company and other food and drug store retailers located in Louisville, Ky. Earlier in his career, he worked for Standard Oil Co, New Jersey (Esso) and then with Mobil Oil Co. in marketing. In Sarasota, he became a commercial appraiser with Goodnow Associates, retiring in 1997. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Dartmouth College and served on active duty for three years as Ist Lt. in the U.S. Army Infantry as a Rifle Company Commander. He has been a trustee of the New College Foundation, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, Siesta Key Utility Authority, The Field Club and other for-profit and nonprofit boards around the United States. Mr. Towler also has served as a volunteer at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Region: At Large
Term Ends: 2012