Daniel R. Dodge is a results-driven hospitality executive with more than four decades of leadership experience across premier resort hotels, private clubs, and hospitality-focused organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. His career is defined by transforming properties, strengthening organizational culture, and delivering sustained financial performance while preserving the traditions and character that define exceptional institutions. Throughout his career, Mr. Dodge has served as General Manager and Chief Executive Officer for some of the most respected resort and private club operations in the United States. He is recognized for his hands-on leadership style, strategic vision, and ability to guide organizations through periods of growth, repositioning, redevelopment, and crisis management. His expertise encompasses all facets of hospitality operations, including strategic planning, financial management, human resources, food and beverage, capital development, and physical plant oversight.

Mr. Dodge has a long record of civic and community leadership. He served multiple terms as Mayor, Vice Mayor, Treasurer, and Town Commissioner for the Town of Hillsboro Beach, Florida, and has held board and leadership positions with numerous civic, educational, healthcare, animal welfare, cultural, and historic preservation organizations. His service reflects a deep commitment to community engagement, governance, and stewardship. Known for his integrity, collaborative leadership style, and dedication to excellence, he continues to provide strategic guidance, consulting, and management solutions that enhance value, strengthen culture, and position organizations for long-term success.

J. R. Newbold is part of a farming family that has resided in Crescent City, Florida, since the mid-1860s.  He gained an interest in Florida history as a child collecting bottles, Native American artifacts and citrus labels.  He is a Past President of FPHS and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors.  His FPHS goals focus on preserving historic buildings and spaces in the community.

J. R. owns and operates a family farm just north of Crescent City that specializes in Decorative Cut Greenery and Muscadine Grapes (for the Florida wine industry).  He currently serves as Putnam County’s Commissioner from District 1. 

Kevin Clark Jordan is a retired Biology Professor with over 40 years of teaching experience at Daytona State College and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He holds a BA degree in Biology from Cornell University, an MS in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a PhD in Zoology from the University of Florida. He has extensive work experience in technical editing and live animal handling, and once managed a five-acre zoo in the Bahamas. He has served on a number of public and private boards and committees, and is well-versed in institutional governance. He enjoys outdoor activities, fresh seafood, live music, and rusty machines, and thinks a group of five birdwatchers is three too many. His interest in history focuses on the inverse relationship between skill and technology, and he finds artificial intelligence as disappointing as artificial sweetener.

Danny graduated from Florida State University in 1979 with a B.A. in American history and a minor in Business. After retiring from a successful career as a petroleum marketer, convenience store operator, and real estate broker, Danny continues his work in business as a real estate investor. He currently serves as President of Circle Management, Inc. and Winter Park Investments, LLC.

Danny’s love of history began when he was a child, spending time at the library of the Crescent City Woman’s Club. This lifelong avocation has led him to the current effort of helping to establish FPHS as a premier small-town historical society. Danny has served on the FPHS Executive Committee as Treasurer since 2021.

Danny is married to Karen Miles-English, a long-time educator in Crescent City. Together, they have five children, ten grandchildren, and enjoy traveling.

Cherie Register, who grew up in Crescent City and lives in her family home, is an essential member of the Fruitland Peninsula Historical Society. Cherie’s mother, Marjorie Nelson, was largely responsible for collecting the photos, books, documents, and other materials that comprise the FPHS Archives. Cherie’s efforts to preserve, organize and display those materials have benefited FPHS and the community for years, and will continue to do so in the future. 

William “B.J.” Laurie is a third generation Floridian, who has lived his entire life in South Putnam County, growing up in Lake Como and since 2012 in Crescent City. His focus since joining FPHS has been on technology, historic preservation and local government affairs.

B.J. studied public administration and communications at the University of Central Florida before returning to Crescent City to manage the Putnam County Courier Journal. The newspaper served the local community for over 100 years before ceasing operations in 2020. He also served Crescent City as a city commissioner from 2003-06, and was elected again in 2023, and currently serves as Vice Mayor. In addition to FPHS, he is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Crescent City, which was founded in 1927.

B.J. has served on the FPHS Board since 2022 and as Vice President 2024-25. He helped design FPHS’s website and continues to help expand it. He also helps head up Historic Preservation Month activities and the “This Place Matters” project.

Lisa Kane DeVitto is a retired attorney. She holds a B.A. in history from Brown University and a J.D. from Florida State University. Lisa has served in leadership for a number of organizations and boards: Presbyterian Church boards in Sarasota and Tampa; the Florida Bar Public Interest Law Section Executive Council, Chair; Florida Council on Homelessness, Chair; State Commission on Homelessness; Florida Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation Board; Board of Directors of the Hillsborough Coalition for the Homeless, and Davis Islands Civic Association Board President, Tampa, FL.

Currently, Lisa is a member of the Crescent City Woman’s Club, the First Presbyterian Church of Crescent City, and the Crescent City Rotary Club. She is a Sustaining member, Junior League of Tampa and a member of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. She is a past member of the Crescent City Tree and Garden Board; she currently serves as a City Commissioner in Crescent City, in her second term.

Lisa and her husband Ralph reside in a 1926 home, a contributing structure to the Crescent City National Register Historic District. It is the former home of her grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. B.E. Kane, that they purchased in 2010.
Lisa became a member of FPHS in 2018, is now a Life Member, and has served on the Board since 2022. Lisa has given three programs for FPHS over the years and has been instrumental in the preservation of the New Moon Lodge and in the Miller Middle School effort, and is active in planning for annual Preservation Month, including developing historic tours.

John graduated Crescent City High School in 1959, received his AA degree from St. John’s River Junior College in 1962 and received a BS degree in Horticulture from Florida Southern College in 1964. That same year, he joined the Army Reserve and served for six  ears. In 1965, he married Jacqueline Morris and they settled in Crescent City. They have two children, JR and Steven, and helped raise two of Jacquie’s nephews, Billy and Jimmy Morris.

He expanded the Fern operation in Crescent City and beyond. In 1976, he was appointed to the Putnam County School Board and was elected two times thereafter. He served as treasurer of the first Better Place Plan effort. He was a member of the group that promoted the bond issue for six new elementary schools and now is a member of the Bond Oversight Committee.

Angel Duke has dedicated her life to the personal development and success of others She has worked with UNESCO writing and implementing Risk and Crisis Management / Water Management Programs in Africa and Haiti (as well as Duke Szilagyi Consulting Engineers, of which she was president). She is the recipient of the “American Businesswoman” of the year, (In China), and Women in the Media Award, USA. She is also the recipient of several Community Service Awards in Putnam County. 

Over the years, Angel Duke has been involved in a variety of humanitarian programs, including projects with UNESCO, the Guinean Business Center, the AIDS AID Foundation, and (XCIP) XEROX Community Involvement Program.

Ms. Duke’s contributions to Putnam County include founding and presiding over the Right of Passage Initiative Girls Mentoring Group, Crescent City; the A. Philip Randolph Gallery, Crescent City; and the Crescent City Chess Club. She is also President of the Crescent City Lions Club and organizer for the Putnam County Annual Juneteenth Celebration and Festival.

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Trish Harper moved to the Crescent City area in 2021 and joined FPHS in 2023. Her primary interest is in using her experience in cataloging and managing archives to benefit the community by providing online access and eventually physical access to FPHS’s photographs, books, and archival materials. 

In 1980, Ms. Harper earned her Master of Library Science degree from the University of Illinois. After 25 years as a reference librarian and library administrator, she retired to live aboard and travel on a sailboat, but after two years moved to Oregon and became the archivist for the Southern Oregon Historical Society.

Ms. Harper is currently cataloging FPHS’s materials, with assistance from Liz Gomez. She also works with B.J. Laurie and Rachael Cavanaugh to maintain the FPHS website and member database.