William "Bill" Cheek | Development Council Chair
Bill Cheek is the Director of Security for Swisher International, Inc., and is responsible for the security of facilities and personnel at the five plant operations including a new plant in Santiago, Dominican Republic. He is responsible for the installation and maintenance of security technology and the oversight of a Security Officer force of 35 assigned at the Jacksonville Plant, which is the world's largest cigar factory. His duties include the personal safety and security of the 350-member sales force, which is distributed throughout the United States and of their Swisher issued property.
He retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation after 30 years of service as a Special Agent in June 2001. During his tenure with the FBI, he held a variety of positions, including Acting Assistant Unit Chief, National Press Office, FBI Headquarters; Acting Supervisor Violent Crimes and Major Offenders Squad; Principal Relief Supervisor; Chief, Division Public Affairs Coordinator; Division Crisis Management Team Leader; Hostage Negotiations Teams Leader; Criminal Psychological Profile Coordinator; and Drug Demand Reduction Coordinator. Bill was selected for deployment on special assignment several times to supervise news media relations operations including at the World Economic Summit, the Los Angeles Olympics, and the Atlanta Olympics. He was also deployed as the primary negotiator and/or consultant for hostage crisis situations with federal, state and local response teams, including working with the Nuclear Emergency Search Team and the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team.
Bill held a faculty appointment at University of Louisville Medical School as a Clinical Instructor. He taught in the Medical School and was on several occasions a guest lecturer at Grand Rounds at the Department of Psychiatry. He was Co-Principal Investigator on the first empirical research into the area of hostage negotiations. Funded by a four-year National Institute of Justice Grant, he conducted research and interviewed Airplane Hijackers. He coauthored articles on aircraft hijacking, crisis management, and hostage negotiations, which were published in the American Journal of Preventive Psychology and Neurology. He was also an adjunct faculty member in School of Criminal Justice at Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Kentucky.
Additionally, he has held investigative and supervisory positions at the national headquarters of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and the Naval Investigative Service. He began his law enforcement career in 1964 as a Reserve Police Officer in Daytona Beach Florida while attending Daytona Beach Junior College. In 1965 he was hired as a Police Officer for The Florida State University Campus Police Department and in 1967 he joined the Tallahassee Police Department. He was a commissioned officer in the United States Navy Reserve.
Bill earned his B.S. in Criminology from Florida State University and his M.S. in Community Development from the University of Louisville. He is a Life Member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Kentucky Police Chiefs Association (KPCA) He currently serves in the IACP as the Chairman of the Public Information Officers Section and as the Vice Chairman of the Crime Prevention Committee. Bill is a Life Member of the FSU Alumni Association and a member of the FSU Alumni Club of Jacksonville, and a charter member of the Kentucky Seminole Club.
He was selected as a "Grad Made Good " by FSU in 2001. He has received several awards including the Law Enforcement Commendation Metal for "Outstanding Achievement " from the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and the "Law Enforcement Officer of the Year " from the Optimist Club. The FBI awarded him the rank of Master Police Instructor in recognition of his many teaching accomplishments and he is listed in Marquis Who's Who in the South and Southwest.
He has lectured at the FBI Academy, the University of Louisville School of Medicine, the American Psychological Association Annual Conference, The International Association of Chiefs of Police, The National Sheriff's Association, the National Crime Prevention Institute, the Southern Police Institute, and numerous state and local police training academies.
Active in community affairs, he was a co-founder of First Coast Crime Stoppers, Inc. and has served as its first Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and two terms as the Chairman of the Board. In Louisville Kentucky he served as the Chairman of the Law Enforcement Committee and on the Board of Directors of Area Wide Alcohol/Drug Rehabilitation, Education and Enforcement Coalition (A.W.A.R.E.), He was a founding member of the Kentucky Crime Prevention Association and served as President for ten years. He served on the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Peace Officers Association (KPOA) and the (KPCA).
Bill is married to an FSU graduate. They have two married grown daughters, three grandsons and a granddaughter.
Drew Levine | Development Council Vice Chair
Drew Levine manages the North American Secure Solutions businesses for G4S, the world's largest security company. Those businesses include G4S Secure Solutions (USA), the company's largest single manned security business with a footprint that has grown completely organically; G4S Secure Solutions (Canada), which includes teams working to protect one of the world's largest oil sands deposits; G4S Youth Services, which provides safe, secure, and effective treatment to at-risk juveniles; and finally, G4S Regulated Security Solutions, which provides specialized security personnel and expertise to 10 operating nuclear facilities and three decommissioned independent spent fuel storage installations throughout the United States.
Drew's career with G4S began nearly 26 years ago with an unexpected career change in his mid-20s. After earning his Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, Drew moved from Philadelphia to Miami with plans to continue his education and pursue a career in law enforcement. While waiting to take the civil service exam, he took a supervisory position with The Wackenhut Corporation (now G4S).
This detour turned out to be a full and rewarding career. Drew is now responsible for an organization with $2 billion in revenue, 60,000 employees, and clients that include General Motors, Bank of America, and the Department of Homeland Security.
Although he never returned to complete his formal education, Drew never lost his respect and passion for education. in fact, he saw firsthand how important education and training are to the security industry. During his tenure, G4S established a corporate university for security officers and employees, and developed the Custom Protection Officer program. G4S is the only security company with training programs certified for full college credit by the American Council on Education (ACE) In addition to awards from Training magazine, Chief Learning Officer magazine, and the Association for Talent Development, G4S was awarded 4th place at HR.com's Leadership 500 Excellence Awards in 2014.
Drew is married with one daughter, Alex, and two step-daughters, Josephine and Amalie. Alex is a freshman at FSU and Josephine is a junior at the University of Miami. Amalie is a junior in high school. When not working, Drew and his wife Susanne are boating, fishing, and paddle boarding in the Florida Keys.
Noelle Rowan | Development Council Secretary
Brian Stephens | Immediate Past Council Chair
Brian Stephens serves as the Global Protective Services Executive for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, one of the largest financial institutions in the world. He is responsible for the security and safety of the Bank's 250,000+ employees, 5,500 Banking Centers, 17,000 ATMs and more than 2000 office buildings. In this capacity Brian directs the Bank's Physical Security programs globally to include global intelligence programs, security technology initiatives, a team of nearly 6000 security officers, and command centers that monitor the entire portfolio of Bank of America and serve as the Company's emergency and crisis management center.
Shortly after joining the Bank, Brian directed the Enhanced Security Program, initiated after the September 11, 2001 attacks. This initiative implemented new security standards, technology and procedures for the Bank's office building portfolio to better prepare the company for the current threat environment. Brian also created the Security Operations and Analysis Command Center (SOACC) which houses the Company's industry leading intelligence and analysis programs.
Prior to joining Bank of America Brian worked for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). He served in various parts of FDLE including Division of Criminal Justice Information Systems, the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, and the Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center.
Brian received a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Florida State University and a Masters of Public Administration degree from the University of South Florida where he is also an Executive Fellow. Brian serves on the Development Council for the Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
In his personal life Brian is an avid wine enthusiast and enjoys spending time with his wife Susan and Golden Retrievers Hank and Lexi.
Dr. Thomas G. Blomberg | Dean
Dr. Blomberg's research is focused upon identifying ways to more effectively link research knowledge to public policy. This includes examining the relationship between educational achievement among incarcerated youthful offenders and successful community reintegration. The research has shown that those youth who experience disproportionate increases in academic achievement are more likely to return to school following their release and if they remain in school, their likelihood of re-arrest drops significantly. His current research is concerned with elderly financial fraud that is centered upon a national survey of citizens aged 65 or over concerning their fraud-related victimization experiences. The survey findings will be employed to develop evidence-based prevention policies.
Dr. George B. Pesta | Faculty Liaison
Dr. Pesta is the Director of the Center for Criminology and Public Policy Research. At the Center, he manages funded research projects, supervises GRAs and collaborates with faculty on project deliverables, research reports, and presentations. He has extensive experience in conducting program evaluations and field research, including designing and administering surveys, reviewing administrative documentation, and conducting qualitative observations. Dr. Pesta has worked in the field of juvenile justice and correctional education for the past 16 years. His publications have been focused on the effectiveness and outcomes of juvenile justice programs. Dr. Pesta also serves as the Veterans' Liaison for the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice.
Lisa Brock
Lisa Brock is a public relations and marketing professional with more than 34 years of experience helping organizations discover and share their unique stories. From the day she was recruited upon graduation from Florida State University by consumer products giant Procter and Gamble, to her current role as the principal of Brock Communications, she has influenced some of the most recognizable brands and beloved special events in the world.
Since creating her own full-service public relations and marketing firm based in Tampa, Florida, Brock has been able to choose meaningful clients and use her tenacious curiosity and critical thinking skills to challenge and inspire them. Specializing in strategic communication and crisis management, Brock and her team empower clients to reach their goals and take ownership of their narratives.
The People's Princess Charitable Foundation, Inc., which managed Dresses for Humanity, turned to Brock to lead the world tour of the royal costumes worn and owned by the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Brock also represented the Historic Royal Palaces in London, celebrating the storied history and global significance of Kensington Palace, Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kew Palace and Whitehall Palace.
Brock's storytelling experience was honed working in advertising for Young and Rubicam/Zemp earlier in her career, with clients from consumer products to financial products and services. After mastering the art of bringing a brand's voice to life, she served as public relations manager and media spokesperson for the Anheuser-Busch-owned Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
Coupling imagination with focused strategy, Brock led the marketing efforts of the $35 million expansion project at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) that included the Tampa Bay area's first IMAX Theater.
Using her competitive drive and winning attitude, Brock has made a major impact in sports marketing and media relations, working on the biggest events in the world including the 25th anniversary Super Bowl, the Olympic Games in Barcelona and Atlanta and World Cup USA ‘94.
She has also helped world-class athletes become champions in front of the camera while working as a media trainer and consultant to the Tampa Bay Rays, Major League Soccer, Mass Pro Soccer (USL), the United States Soccer Federation and the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, as well as individual athletes in the NFL, MLB and NHL.
To satisfy her need for knowledge and build her expertise across all sectors, Brock has worked as a marketer in almost every area of business including hospitality and tourism; healthcare, hospitals and physician practices; insurance; food and wine; financial; construction and development; retail and consumer products; technology and engineering; museum and traveling exhibitions; and professional and amateur sports.
Philanthropy has been a defining part of Brock's personal and professional story. She is a founding board member of Frameworks of Tampa Bay, which uses social and emotional learning to help today's youth grow into the leaders of tomorrow. Brock has also served as Chair of the Board of Directors for The Spring of Tampa Bay and is a member of the Advisory Board for the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University, from which she is a proud alumna.
Brock has also been an executive board member of Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Outside of the boardroom, she has been a catalyst for positive change in many young lives during her over 30 years of being a Big Sister. Her philanthropic work has been recognized by Guardian Ad Litem, where she was awarded The General Magistrates' Award in 2008. She also received the Head & Heart award from Frameworks, the highest honor bestowed by the organization.
Aside from her charitable work, Brock has helped to shape the next generation as an adjunct professor at the University of Tampa and the author of "Good-Bye College, Hello Life. " Her students are taught real-world skills and leave class with a heightened sense of confidence and contribution.
Henri Crockett
Henri Crockett is the co-founder and president of the Crockett Foundation, a South Florida-based non-profit organization that serves youth through educational programs with the mission to help build character, develop leaders and improve the community, one child at a time.
A native of Pompano Beach, Florida, Crockett earned an athletic scholarship to Florida State University where he joined his older brother Zack as a member of the Seminoles, (the 1993 National Champions and the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship team from 1993 to 1997). In 1997, Crockett was selected in the 4th round of the National Football League (NFL) draft. He played for seven years, five seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. He was a starting player with the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999.
Shortly after being drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, Crockett founded Team 94, a non-profit organization that assisted at-risk youth with after-school tutoring and mentoring in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Through his individual effort with Team 94, Mr. Crockett was able to help several young adults in the Atlanta area achieve their dream of attending college, which seemed out of reach for them at the time. Crockett was so inspired by the progress and achievements of the youth enrolled in Team 94 that he sought to expand his philanthropic reach.
After relocating to Minnesota when he was traded to the Vikings, Crockett co-founded the Crockett Foundation with his brother Zack. The brothers returned to their hometown of Pompano Beach, Florida during the 2002 off-season and began hosting the annual Crockett Foundation Weekend, which included a black-tie gala, a golf tournament, and a football camp for youth to raise money for educational tutoring and mentoring programs in the City of Pompano Beach.
Since its inception, the Crockett Foundation has been strongly committed to its mission of helping build character, develop leaders and improve the community, one child at a time. In 2009, Crockett created the annual Crockett Foundation Community Health Festival for the residents of Broward County. Through this initiative, the Crockett Foundation brings the community together as families prepare for the back-to-school season. The goal of the festival is to educate families on the importance of maintaining good health and to promote positive lifestyle choices.
In the community, Crockett is a member of the non-profit Executive Alliance of Broward and the Orange Bowl Committee, and serves as chair of the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance. Crockett also serves as the Orange Bowl Liaison for the NCAA Sun Belt Conference. He recently was accepted into Leadership Florida Class XXXV where he will participate in an eight-month educational program that consists of a series of sessions held in cities throughout Florida.
In 2015, Crockett was honored at the Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce Annual Shining Star Awards Luncheon for he Crockett Foundation's impact on our community. In October of this year, he will be inducted into the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame for positively affecting Broward County through sports and athletic involvement.
Also a successful businessman and entrepreneur, Crockett is the president and CEO of South Florida Development & Investment Company, president and CEO of Guaranteed Enterprise Trucking Services and owner and operator of Vanity Salon. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in criminology from Florida State University and is an active alumni member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
Kim Dalferes
Kim has been involved in public policy and systems reform, especially in the juvenile and criminal justice fields, for over twenty-five years. She is currently a Partner with Dalferes Enterprises, Inc., a project management and public policy consulting firm. Kim's work includes experience in juvenile and criminal justice planning and administration, systems reform, crime prevention, government relations, grant writing and management, coalition building and community mobilization. She has worked at the National Crime Prevention Council (home of McGruff the Crime Dog), the US Department of Justice, and the Florida Departments of Juvenile Justice and Corrections. Her publications are diverse and have focused on topics including girls in the juvenile justice system, disproportionate minority confinement, community safety and mobilization, and high visibility traffic enforcement. She also served as the Editor of the Rural Meth Debrief, the monthly publication of the Rural Law Enforcement Methamphetamine Initiative. She is a graduate of Florida State University (FSU) with a Master's degree in Criminology and currently serves as a board member for the FSU College of Criminology. Her first book, I Was in Love With a Short Man Once, was published in 2011 and her humor column, "Dock Tale Hour, " is published by Laker Magazine.
Dr. Price Foster
Dr. Foster has been a Professor of Justice Administration at the University of Louisville since September 1, 1981. He retired from his post on July 1, 2014. In addition to this appointment, he served as Dean and Director of the School of Justice Administration (1981-1984), Dean of the College of Urban and Public Affairs (1983-1991) and University Liaison for the Urban Mission (1992-2000).
Prior to coming to the University of Louisville, Dr. Foster was with the U.S. Dept of Justice as Director of the Office of Criminal Justice Education and Training, Director of the National Institute for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and Deputy Director of the Office of juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
While with the U.S. Department of Justice, Dr. Foster received several outstanding performance awards and Attorney General citations for outstanding service to the Department. In 1982, Dr. Foster received the Outstanding Service Award, Nelson Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy , School of Criminal Justice, State University of New York at Albany.
Dr. Foster was a charter member and served ten years on the National Advisory Committee for State and Local Training of the Law Enforcement Training Center, U.S. Department of Treasury. He has served on several other national boards, including ten years on the Board of Directors of the National Criminal Justice Association. Dr. Foster also served as a board member and chair of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation from 2001 to 2009..
Locally, Dr. Foster is a 1984 graduate of Leadership Louisville, and he served on this board until 1996. He has also served on the Board of Directors for Metro United Way. He served as chair of the Board of Directors for the Presbyterian Community Center and is a member of the Board of Directors for Goodwill Industries of Kentucky.
He also chaired the Public Safety Transition Committee for Mayor Jerry Abramson in 1989 and chaired the Mayor's Transition Committee for Corrections in 2002.
Dr. Foster enjoys a good relationship with his students. He has been nominated frequently for the University's Trustees award (1996-2000, 2003-2008), and he received the award for Outstanding Faculty for Adult Learners (2000,2007). He was honored to be selected one of the University's top ten faculty favorites as determined by a vote of the students in 2005 and was nominated again for this recognition in 2006 through 2012..
Dr. Foster served as a consultant to evaluate the International Law Enforcement Academy in Bangkok, Thailand and completed an evaluation of jails in Kentucky.
He has traveled to Monrovia,Liberia to consult with the University of Liberia regarding the development of degree programs in criminal justice and has been working with the University of Belize for several years toward a similar objective .
Dr. Foster completed the PhD in Criminology at Florida State University in1974.
Dr. Foster is a member of the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice Hall of Fame at Florida State University (2012) and a recipient of the University of Louisville award for Community Engagement (2012).
Dr. Foster regularly teaches courses in white collar crime, ethics in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and cross cultural perspectives in criminal justice.
Jerry Glass
Jerry A. Glass is a graduate of Marianna High School, Chipola Jr. College, and Florida State University. He married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Smith, and they have two daughters. One of his daughters received her B.S. and Masters from the School of Education at FSU. His granddaughter began classes at Florida State in August 2014.
Jerry began his career in law enforcement with the Division of Alcohol, Beverage and Tobacco in August 1965. After seven years as a law enforcement officer in Florida, he joined the U.S. Department of Transportation, which enforces federal laws. All cases were prosecuted in the federal court system. Jerry retired in November 1993 after serving as a special agent in charge of Florida, Nevada, and Louisiana. In 1991 Jerry was honored as the outstanding employee in Region IX, which includes California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Arizona. In November 1993 Jerry joined the Office of the Public Defender in Marianna, Florida, after his high school friend, Herman Laramore, an FSU Criminology and Law School graduate, was elected as the Public Defender for the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit. Jerry is still working at the Office of the Public Defender.
In addition to his work, Jerry is a lifetime member of the FSU Alumni Association. He has been a Seminole Booster and season ticket holder since 1968. He is a past president of the Marianna Kiwanis Club and the Panhandle Seminole Boosters. Jerry loves and supports Florida State University. He was the first graduate of the School of Criminology to endow a full scholarship. He also encouraged a long-time friend and fellow Florida State School of Law graduate to endow a scholarship.
Jesse Vance
Jesse Vance is President of North American On-Site, LLC., an Atlanta, Georgia based international company that provides contract contingent employees and workforce management services to Fortune 1000 Companies in the automotive, manufacturing, distribution, call center, recycling, and skill trade industry sectors. Jesse holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminology from Florida State University.
Jesse has been in the staffing industry more than 30 years. He launched his first staffing company in 1994 as Founder and CEO of the APS Group. Through his leadership and vision, Jesse has started and successfully sold three staffing companies.
Jesse is a member of the Seminole Boosters, Seminole Boosters Board of Directors, Golden Chief, NAOS Board of Directors, FSU Alumni Association (Lifetime Member), FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice Development Council (Immediate Past Chair), Pi Kappa Alpha FSU/Delta Lambda Legacy campaign (Past Georgia Chairman), and NATS.
Jesse and his wife, Nancy, have three sons, Josh, Jake, and Joe. Josh graduated from FSU in 2008. While at FSU, he was a member of the FSU Football Team and the Pi Kappa Alpa fraternity. In 2011 Josh received his MPA from the University of South Florida in Tampa. He is currently in law enforcement and is a member of his department's SWAT Team. Jake graduated from FSU in 2013 with a degree in Criminology. While at FSU, Jake was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Jake currently resides in New York and is working toward earning his Masters Degree in Film Production from the New York Film Academy. Joe is a senior at FSU with a double major in Accounting and Finance. He is also a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and is the current President of the 243-member active brother chapter. Joe is in the FSU Honors College with a 3.8 GPA.
Tom Wheeler
Thomas P. Wheeler, after 33 years in law enforcement, all spent in Florida, retired as the undersheriff, holding the rank of Colonel, from the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO). Prior to his undersheriff's position, Tom was the Director of Law Enforcement for the state of Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and then the Director of Law Enforcement for the Florida Attorney General's office. He also served with the Governor's Chief Inspector General office, assigned from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Tom spent 18 years with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, leaving as the Bureau Chief of the Southern Region.
After graduation from Florida State University, with a BS in Criminology, Tom started his law enforcement career as a patrol officer with the City of Plantation, Florida. He graduated from the Broward County, Florida Police Academy. He later was chosen to attend and graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Academy (FBINA) in 1988.
Tom has been very active with law enforcement professional associations. He has been a member and/or officer of:
Miami- Dade County Association of Police Chiefs, Broward County Chiefs of Police Association, Florida Police Chiefs Association, Florida Sheriffs Association, Florida chapter of the FBI National Academy Association, the Broward County 100 Club, and the Emerald Society. He has served on the Florida Criminal Justice Standard and Training Commission as a commissioner, the Florida Child Abuse Death Row Committee and on the Florida Violent Crime and Drug Control Council.
During his 33 year law enforcement career, Tom received numerous awards and commendations, including U.S. Attorney Office, Southern District "Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer of the Year ", letters of appreciation from the Office of the Governor and letters of commendation from the Chief Inspector General.
While busy, Tom has been involved in his communities, participating in service clubs such as Rotary Club. He was a youth coach for soccer, baseball and football. He is an active member of the FSU Booster community, also being a lifetime member of the FSU Alumni Association.
During his retirement, Tom continues to be active, serving on a condo board, and as a director on the board of Renaissance Charter Schools (35 schools) and Southwest Charter Foundation (6 schools).
Tom currently resides in Coral Springs, Florida with his wife of thirty-six years, a media/technology specialist with the Broward County School system. (FSU. BA ‘79, MS ‘80). Their 2 children are also FSU graduates.