Board of Directors
2026 Officers:
Benjie Bates
Chairman
Bates Hewett & Floyd Insurance
Gina Sims
Chair Elect
Armstrong Roofing Inc.
Desiree Akins
Treasurer
Ameris Bank
Laura Pavlus
President
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce
Chase Barnes
Vice Chair Economic Development
Coldwell Banker Ben Bates, Inc.
Jini Robbins
Past Chair
J-B Glass
Landon Smith
Vice Chair Government Affairs
HCA Florida Putnam Hospital
Meghan Durden
Vice Chair Leadership Putnam
United Way of St. Johns and Putnam Counties
Dr. John (Jay) Paterson
Vice Chair Education & Talent
St. Johns River State College
Wayne McClain
Vice Chair Membership
Beck Automotive Group
Chris Gent
Vice Chair Tourism
Georgia-Pacific
JR Grimes
Vice Chair Infrastructure
Putnam County Government
2026 Board of Directors:
Benjie Bates
Bates, Hewett & Floyd Insurance
Landon Smith
HCA Florida Putnam Hospital
Carol Saviak
Florida Power & Light
Wayne McClain
Beck Automotive Group
Devon Pierce
Urban Farmhouse
Taylor Douglas
Timber to Tides Reality
Desiree Akins
Ameris Bank
Meghan Durden
United Way of St. Johns and Putnam Counties
Charlie Douglas
Douglas Law Firm
Dr. Jay Paterson
St. Johns River State College
Benita Lookadoo
VyStar Credit Union
Mike Meredith
Clay Electric Cooperative
Chase Barnes
Coldwell Banker Ben Bates, Inc.
James (Jim) Bugg
1st Coast Recycling
Katie Giblin
Riverside Wealth Management
Greg Bacon
Plastic Masters International
John Browning
Angel's Diner
Jerry McClellan
Seminole Electric Cooperative
Jini Robbins
J-B Glass
Ben Lott
Barwick Banking Company
Gina Sims
Armstrong Roofing Inc.
Lori Widell
Florida Blue
Chris Gent
Georgia-Pacific
Karla Flagg-Wright
Flagg Serenity Memorial Chapel
JR Grimes
Putnam Board of County Commissioners
Ex-officio Members:
Robbie Correa, Gator Deloach, Michele Myers, Judson Sapp, Leota Wilkinson, Marcia Carty, Terry Suggs, Rick Surrency, Rick Hanes, Anthony Cuevas, Kathy Washington, Derek Martin, Matt Reynolds