Month: January 2024

Leadership St. Pete Alumni Association January Spotlight: Meet Eric Wagman, Beth Houghton, & Scott Wagman

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Leadership St. Pete (LSP) is a Family Affair – Meet Alums Beth Houghton, Scott Wagman, and their son Eric Wagman

What years did you graduate from LSP?

Beth (1986), Scott (2009) and Eric (2011)

Why is LSP so important to your family?

“Our LSP year was life changing for each one of us. I (Beth) was pondering a career change; my LSP class and the leadership experiences helped me find clarity around my next chapter–entering the nonprofit arena in leadership roles. Scott was a graduate of Leadership Sarasota; LSP helped change his trajectory in becoming very involved in leadership within the arts community in St. Petersburg and running for Mayor of St. Petersburg. Eric’s LSP matchmaking classmate, Holly Ghelfi, introduced him to his amazing wife, Dominique Heller.”

In 2015, you (Beth and Scott) were named LSP Alumni of the year. Tell us a little about your community leadership.

Beth: “I now serve as CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County. I am excited to see Juvenile Welfare Board’s work continue to improve the lives of children and families through community-wide initiatives and more than $90 million of annual funding of programs ranging from early childhood development out of school time care, school success, strengthening communities, and supporting children’s mental health. I am passionate about improving the lives of children, both because they are the innocent, who cannot control their circumstances, and because, as a society, improving children’s lives today and into the future is simply a smart investment.”

Beth had a head start in community service. Over the years she has been Chair or CEO of: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center Hospital Board, Great Explorations, the Houghton-Wagman Children’s Museum, successful head of Great Ex’s (second) Capital Campaign, Suncoasters/Festival of States, St. Petersburg Rotary Club, St. Petersburg Free Clinic (both Board Chair, then CEO), and Signature Bank (now Hancock Bank). She has served with distinction on many other boards. She has been given numerous awards for community service including Ms. Sun, St. Anthony’s Community Leadership Award, St. Petersburg Key to the City, Gulf Coast Jewish and Community Services Celebrity Award, YWCA Pearls Award, Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services (PEMHS) Shine the Light Award, and many more.

“Scott is President of the family real estate company, HW Properties, and continues to grow its portfolio. He served as Board Chair for both Great Explorations and American Stage Theater. He served as a Capital Campaign Chair for Great Explorations’ third campaign. He served on the boards of St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts, CareerSource Pinellas, Ronald McDonald House, and American Stage. He has been recognized for his community service by Leadership St. Pete, Gulf Coast Jewish and Community Services, and PEMHS.”

“Eric is Vice President of HW Properties and is leading it into new areas. Eric played a pivotal role when he served on the Great Explorations board and now volunteers at Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center.”

What do you do in your spare time?

“Well, life is full, so there’s not a lot of truly spare time. We (Beth and Scott) are co-parenting our 10- and 11-year-old grandsons, so life is full of sports practices, schoolwork, bedtime routines, etc. We love to travel, both with the kids and on our own. I (Beth) am involved with First Presbyterian Church. Scott enjoys occasional golf games and long evening talks with his friends on our back deck. Both of us read widely and share spirited discussions. We enjoy all our family – three adult children, their spouses, and four grandsons.”

Read this article as originally published at https://www.lspaa.com/blogs/meet-eric-wagman-beth-houghton-scott-wagman-lspaas-january-spotlight

Juvenile Welfare Board Receives Top Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting

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(l to r) JWB Senior Accountant Richard Godfrey, Chief Financial Officer Laura Krueger Brock, Senior Manager of Accounting Lynn De la Torre, and JWB Board Chair Judge Patrice Moore with JWB's 4th GFOA Award

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) recently awarded the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Award for their 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.

In its announcement of the award, GFOA stated that JWB’s annual comprehensive financial report “has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive ‘spirit of full disclosure’ to clearly communicate its financial story…. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.”

This is the fourth consecutive year JWB has received the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting.

“Earning the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Award is a great accomplishment,” said JWB CFO Laura Krueger Brock, who was also a 2023 Tampa Bay Business Journal CFO of the Year. “This shows a commitment to JWB and provides valuable historical and accounting knowledge to the organization,” she said.

Ms. Brock congratulated the JWB Accounting team by name—Senior Manager of Accounting Lynn De le Torre, Senior Accountant Richard Godfrey, Accountant Anne Crawford, and Fiscal Specialist Lilia Pletnev—while noting the team’s continuity and extremely low turnover: Collectively, the Accounting unit has 57 years of employment with JWB, with an average of 14 years of service.

“The GFOA award—considered the Gold Star in financial reporting—is a testament to the JWB Accounting team’s dedication to organizational transparency and accountability,” said JWB Board Chair Judge Patrice Moore, while presenting the newest award to staff at the January 18th Board meeting. “The Accounting team deserves our congratulations for this recognition of their hard work and dedication to excellence!”

Submission requirements are very detailed: The reviewer checklist is very lengthy—more than 100 pages. JWB accounting staff poured tremendous effort into this endeavor while completing the day-to-day duties associated with the organization’s annual impact budget of $93 million, which strengthened the lives of nearly 64,000 children and families.

Learn more about how JWB has been putting Pinellas County children first for more than 75 years at https://www.jwbpinellas.org/about/

Pictured above: Juvenile Welfare Board Receives Top Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting Four Years Running: (l to r) JWB Senior Accountant Richard Godfrey, Chief Financial Officer Laura Krueger Brock, Senior Manager of Accounting Lynn De la Torre, and JWB Board Chair Judge Patrice Moore.