John Leavitt, Chair
John has been a financial consultant with Thrivent Financial for 18 years. Thrivent is a diversified financial services organization, providing advice, investments, insurance, banking, and generosity programs.
Listed on the Fortune 500 with $179 billion in assets under management/advisement (as of 12/31/2023).
John works closely with Thrivent Charitable impact and investing. The foundation distributed 75 mil in grants in 2023. John has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity International in North America, Africa, and Asia.
Ruben Vargas, Treasurer
Born to the late Pedro and Oralia Vargas on July 7, 1961, in Hereford, Texas. Five sisters—Yolanda, Virginia, Grace, Teresa, and Alice—and two brothers—Pete, Jr., and Ralph. Married to
Deanna Vargas (for 28 years), the daughter of Maxine Hughes and the late Jim Hughes. Daughter Meagan Vargas (25) coaches tennis and teaches senior English at McKinney Boyd High School; son Tanner (19) is currently a student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, majoring in Architecture.
Tennis Background
Graduated from Hereford High School in 1979, where he played varsity tennis from 1977-1979. Coached by the late TTCA Hall of Famer Steve Thomas and Sheila Watley.
Played at West Texas State University from 1979-1983, under Todd Reed (’79-’81) and Gary Marable (’81-’83).
B.A. in Education (1983) from West Texas State University.
Teaching certifications in Biology, Physical Education, and Speech.
1983-1989, Head Tennis Coach at Hereford High School in Hereford, Texas
1989-2016, Head Tennis Coach at Vernon High School in Vernon, Texas
High School Team Accomplishments
Hereford: Started as 5th place team in 1983 to winning 3 straight district titles in 1986-1988, including two Regional Finalist finishes in 1987 and 1988.
Vernon: Undefeated District Champions 27 years in a row; qualified for TTCA State Championships 25 years in a row; TTCA State
Team Tennis Champions in 1993,1998, 2000, 2001, and 2003.
Individual Player Accomplishments
Qualified an entry to the UIL state tournament 28 years in a row from 1989-2016.
9 Individual State Championships, 15 State Finalists, 12 State
Semifinalists, and 17 other State Qualifiers from 1989-2016.
TTCA 4A Coach of the Year 1989
TTCA 3A Coach of the Year 1998
TTCA Ike Groce Vision Award 2013
TTCA Carey Caldwell Character Award 2015
NFHSCA Texas State, Regional and National Coach of the Year
2012
TTCA President, 2011-2012
Brian Boman, Secretary
Emeritus Professor of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, University of Florida
Dr. Boman has been a leader in the adoption and use of microirrigation in the $10 billion/year Florida citrus industry since its introduction in the 1980s. Early research focused on components (wetting patterns, friction losses in microsprinklers, emitter variation) and system operation necessary for improved profitability. Dr. Boman showed that concerns associated with limited microirrigation wetting were unfounded, and that
microirrigation could actually increase production compared to alternative systems. Studies on young trees demonstrated that microirrigation, coupled with fertigation accelerated growth, shortening the time to harvestable yields, increasing fruit numbers and fruit size, resulting in greater net returns.
Dr. Boman has authored over 300 books, book chapters, journal articles, trade, conference proceedings, and extension publications. One of Dr. Boman’s great pleasures has been the opportunity to use his education and experience to help
improve the lives of farmers in developing countries. This international experience is in a variety of countries and locations including: Mexico, Costa Rica, Guyana, Puerto Rico, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Serbia, Islands of the Bahamas, China, Tanzania, Dominican Republic, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Honduras, U.S. Virgin Islands, Senegal, South Africa, Mozambique, Tunisia, Liberia, Philippines, Timor Leste, Barbados, Columbia, and extensive work in Haiti in the last 15 years.
Advisory Board
Dr. Marcia Bedasse
Dean, School Of Education And Behavioral Studies Palm Beach Atlantic University, Associate Professor Of Education
A native of Kingston Jamaica, Dr. Bedasse has been committed to public education for over twenty-five years. She has served as classroom teacher, literacy coach, school administrator, and as a district instructional specialist. She holds teaching certificates in elementary education, specific learning disabilities, reading education, and educational leadership. Dr. Bedasse is a national board certified teacher in early and middle childhood literacy and is a champion to the cause of serving the literacy needs of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. She served as president of the Palm Beach County Reading Council and has worked to mentor and empower literacy teachers throughout the county. Her research focuses on minority student achievement, turn-around strategies for low performing schools, and instructional practices and agency for teachers serving in high minority-low performing schools. Dr. Bedasse is married to Robert and they have two adult children, Giselle and Dominick. She is an avid gardener and enjoys traveling with her family.
Christopher R Danford
Revenue Growth Director
Southeast Advisor Group
Chris is a Revenue Growth Director in the Southeast Region with Thrivent Financial in Jacksonville, Florida. As a Revenue Growth Director his focus is working with veteran financial professionals and teams with an emphasis on growing their revenue, personal and professional goal development, and growing their practices, systems, and processes.
He has been with the Thrivent Financial twenty-nine years. He started his career with Thrivent Financial in Collinsville, Illinois where he was a Financial Professional (FP) for seven years. He then spent three years as a Financial Consultant (FC) in Sarasota Florida and since has held various leadership roles with Thrivent Financial for the past nineteen years.
He is a licensed financial advisor and principle, Pareto Certified Coach, and a member of the General Agents Managers Association (GAMA). As a leader his region has been consistently ranked in the top five nationally at Thrivent. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for Lutheran Services of Florida for five years and is a member of the finance committee.
He has been married to his wife Shari for thirty-five years and they have four children, Ashley (33), Jessica (29), Haley (25) and Andrew (22) and two grandchildren Elijah (6) and Luke (2). In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren, working in his yard, gardening, traveling, cruising, attending major sports events, playing pickleball and playing golf with his daughters. His top values are Faith, Family, Hard Work, Health, Honesty, and Integrity.
He currently resides in Yulee Florida, North of Jacksonville and belongs to Southpointe Community Church in Jacksonville, Florida.