Board of Trustees

These experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds are elected to two-year terms of office as members of the four-person InCharge Debt Solutions Board of Trustees.

Hugh Bleddyn
Owner, Dragontooth Consulting Services

Mr. Bleddyn has over twenty years of management and leadership experience in fields such as college education, workforce development, electronic design, manufacturing, venture capital and nonprofit organizations.

Mr. Bleddyn’s career includes leadership roles with Workforce Central Florida (as Vice President) and at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida (as Executive Director for Corporate Services). Currently, Mr. Bleddyn is the owner of Dragontooth Consulting Services in Orlando.

Through involvement in organizations such as Leadership Orlando and Leadership Central Florida, as well as participation in economic development initiatives, Mr. Bleddyn has gained knowledge, a network of contacts and recognition throughout the Orlando business community.

Mr. Bleddyn is a graduate of the University of Central Florida earning a M.P.P. (Master of Public Policy), a B.S. in Political Science and a Graduate Certificate for Community College Administration. He is also a member of the Manufactures Association of Central Florida; Society of Human Resource Development; National Association of Workforce Development Professionals; American Society for Training and Development; Area Chambers of Commerce; Southern Economic Development Council; and, is a Leadership Program Graduate.

Lonnie Ritzer, Esquire
Partner, Shapiro Sher & Guinot

Lonnie Ritzer is a business lawyer concentrating in tax law, partnership and corporate laws, real estate law, and financing transactions. Prior to joining Shapiro Sher & Guinot in 1987, Mr. Ritzer was a partner in the Baltimore firm of Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman, Hoffberger, & Hollander, LLC, where he specialized in tax law. He serves on committees of the Bar Association of Baltimore City (Tax and Public Education), the Maryland State Bar Association (Transactional Tax and State Study Groups), and the Tax Section of the American Bar Association.

Mr. Ritzer is a past President of the Baltimore Association of Tax Counsels, and has authored articles in various periodicals including the Journal of Taxation and the Maryland Bar Journal. From 1987 until 1992, he participated as a panelist in an annual seminar on Maryland Sales and Use Tax, and he has also guest lectured at the University of Baltimore School of Law. From 1991 to 1992, Mr. Ritzer helped draft the Maryland Limited Liability Company Act, and is co-author of a book as well as a frequent lecturer on that subject.

Mr. Ritzer earned his J.D., with honors, from the University of Maryland School of Law, where he was elected to The Order of the Coif, an honor society for U.S. law school graduates. He received his B.S., summa cum laude, from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. Mr. Ritzer is a member of the Maryland Bar and is admitted to practice before both the United States District Court of Maryland and the United States Tax Court.

Florence Watford
M&T Bank, VP Regional Human Resources Representative

Florence “Flo” Watford currently works for M&T Bank Corporation as a Vice President of Human Resources (HR). Flo provides HR expertise to all levels of employees regarding staffing, recruiting, employee relations, benefits, and compensation. She has been with M&T Bank Corporation since 2001.

Ms. Watford previously worked in Human Resource for InCharge Institute of America, Inc., based in Columbia, Maryland. She remained with the company until the headquarters was relocated to Orlando, Florida, in 2002.

Prior to joining InCharge, Ms. Watford spent several years in HR in the banking industry focusing on all areas of human resources management.

She received her B.S. in Business Education from Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Additionally, she has provided training to managers on a wide variety of human resources laws and policies. The training she provides includes human resources guidelines, managing performance and effective interviewing.

Ms. Watford is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management and The Howard County Human Resources Association. She also serves as a Secretary on the Executive Board for Randallstown Elementary School PTA.

Veronica Whitelaw
Retired Consumer Credit Executive

Vicki Whitelaw enjoyed a 37-year career in the consumer credit industry. Upon graduating from college, she joined the Credit Group of Sears, Roebuck and Co., and in 18 years with the company, progressed through numerous management assignments. These roles covered all areas of consumer credit from marketing and new account promotion to collection and recovery, culminating in her assignment as National Manager, Credit Operating and Collections at Sears headquarters in Chicago.

Ms. Whitelaw moved to Tokyo, Japan, with her husband at the beginning of 1988, and joined American Express International as Director of Quality Service, responsible for Quality Engineering, Customer Satisfaction Research, Employee Training, and Risk Management. After returning to the United States in 1993, she was recruited by AT&T Credit Corporation to head consumer financing for consumer telecommunications equipment and home security systems until AT&T exited the financing business.

In 1999, Ms. Whitelaw joined InCharge Institute of America, Inc., as Director of Creditor Relations, where she acted as liaison between operations and the credit granting community until her retirement in 2006. In addition, she has assisted the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA) in its relationships with credit grantors, and has served on a cross-industry committee of AICCCA and National Foundation for Credit Counseling member agencies and major creditors to improve cooperative programs and processes.

Ms. Whitelaw earned a B.S. in Economics from Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Kevin L. Faubel
Operations Manager, Aerial Cartographics of America

Mr. Faubel is the Director of Business Development for Aerial Cartographics of America (ACA) in Orlando, Florida, a sister company to MultiVision USA. ACA was established in Orlando, Florida, in 1973, and provides precision mapping services to the Federal, State, Local governments and engineering firms. ACA specializes in Low Altitude Mapping Photography (LAMP) which provides survey data for transportation engineers and designers. Mr. Faubel is responsible for extending ACA’s client base throughout the Southeast.

As Operations Manager of MultiVision USA, Mr. Faubel oversaw the company’s daily operations. He was responsible for all aspects of the business, from business development to flight operations and production, developing proposal responses through delivery of the final product.

Mr. Faubel previously worked for SURDEX Corporation in Chesterfield, Missouri, maintaining accounts while developing new revenue in the southeast United States for this aerial imagery, photogrammetric firm. His background also includes a thirteen-year period when he provided account management, account development, and operations leadership to Valencia Enterprises, the entrepreneurial division of Valencia Community College in Orlando.

As an independent consultant early in his career, Mr. Faubel sold systems and peripheral computer solutions to small- and medium-size businesses. He has a B.A. degree in Spanish and Political Science from John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, and is working towards an M.S. degree in Organizational Management at Troy State University in Orlando.

Known as a highly motivated, high-achieving sales professional, Mr. Faubel also has completed numerous continuing education programs in sales training and human performance improvement.

Joseph Thomas, Ph.D.
Information Management Project Manager, Orange County Sheriff

Dr. Joseph Thomas’ credentials include ten years in a managerial leadership role and seventeen years in software design, development, and implementation of database applications. Some of his achievements include managing the design, development, and implementation of four enterprise system applications for the Department of Defense; and serving as a project manager on eight projects while managing the software development team.

Currently employed with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida, Dr. Thomas is the project manager for all Information Management projects. His vast knowledge and experience in intelligence-led policing has earned him a key position with the Criminal Investigation and Special Investigation divisions, along with Information Management Services.

Dr. Thomas’ distinguished career also includes service as executive director, program manager, and professor for recognized institutions such as DeVry University, Columbia College, and Valencia Community College.

Dr. Thomas earned his Ph.D. from Barry University, his MIDS in Information Systems from DeVry University, and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science and Financial Management from Florida Southern College.