2008 Board of Directors
Commodore - Ken Tafts
Vice Commodore - Carol Saler
Secretary - Anne Ekstrom
Treasurer - Max Goldstein
Membership Director - Gail Isaacs
Sailing Director - Harriet Herman
Social Director - Miriam Connell
Newsletter Director - Peter Stephenson
Boat Owners' Representative - Patricia DeMars Budd
and
Web Master - Gary Mayes
Commodore
Ken Tafts

Ken hails from Detroit where he retired from the Fire Department 15 years ago.  He took off for South Florida in a Pearson 40, navigating his way through various lakes and rivers until he reached New Jersey where he rode out a hurricane.  He single handed from Cape May to Fort Lauderdale , arriving just in time to welcome in the new year, 1993.  He joined SSSF as soon as he got here and was Commodore in 1995. 

In the beginning, he was largely self taught (you learn to let out the main after capsizing a couple of times, he says), but he’s taken Power Squadron courses since those early days and holds a 100-ton Captains license.     
Vice Commodore
Carol Saler

Carol moved from New York to Florida 25 years ago. Her first experience sailing was with the club. She loves when the engine turns off and it gets quiet, but most especially she enjoys the camaraderie and the company. She says she’ll never sail around the world, but loves sailing in S. Florida. Besides, her neck pain goes away when she sails

As Vice Commodore, she does program planning for the meetings and fills in for the Commodore when needed. Professionally, Carol works in a rehab hospital supervising outpatients. She’s proud of being a grandma.
Secretary
Anne Ekstrom

Anne grew up in Worcester, MA and spent most of her adult life in and around Washington, DC. She was a member of Singles on Sailboats in Annapolis and found SSSF on the internet after she bought a place in South Florida. A couple of months after joining the club, she had an opportunity to sail to the Bahamas. Ocean sailing is a whole new world for her. Although she initially came for the sailing, she stayed for the friends she’s made in the club and all the fun activities it provides.

In her past life, Anne was in teaching, mediation training and, most recently, sales and promotion on a cruise ship. She loves to travel and has spent several years living overseas.
Treasurer
Max Goldstein

Max Goldstein was born in Palisades Park, NJ and lived there for 12 years before moving to Boca Raton in 1971. He was a member of the Sea Explorers, and spent his teens learning about small powerboats and sailboats. He moved to Long Island and added to his knowledge of seamanship, but never on boats as large as the ones we have in the club. He has also taken Coast Guard Auxiliary courses, though he recalls that the sailing chapter was not mandatory.

With a background in technical writing and working on school publications, he took the job as newsletter editor for four of the five and a half years he’s been in the club. He’s also been learning how to sail better-- by not getting seasick so often-- and is always eager to learn more, even about knots, which are his specialty.
Sailing Director
Harriet Herman

Harriet grew up in Coral Gables , and then moved to NY to live with her husband and two sons in Merrick .  While there, she got into power boating, but she eventually started sailing a sixteen foot Hobie.  She was commodore of the Long Island Hobie Sailing Club and show manager of a Long Island boat show for a couple of years.  She was also a yacht broker in New York .  Fourteen years ago, she moved back to Florida and is now a yacht broker for a company here in Fort Lauderdale . 

Harriet not only enjoys sailing with other SSSF club members, but she also likes just getting together and socializing with all her new found friends.
Membership Director
Gail Isaacs

Originally from Indiana but a Floridian now for over 20 years, Gail fell in love with sailing 15 years ago and took sailing courses at BCC. She joined Single Sailors in June of last year in order to meet a variety of interesting people who shared the same passion she has for sailing, snorkeling and the great outdoors! She found so much more... new friends!

Professionally, she is in franchise sales and in her spare time does professional clowning. She’s also a great crew member.
Social Director
Miriam Connell

Miriam came to Florida 29 years ago on a 52 Chris Craft.  She lived aboard for 3 years in Grassey Key near Marathon .  From there, she and a friend operated a sea plane business, making trips to the Tortugas twice a day.  She has also been in the hotel business, managed a time share and worked in clothing retail.

Miriam has owned three other motor boats since the original Chris Craft, including a 42 Carver she used to travel over to the Abacos, Exumas and Eleuthera.  Now she’s enjoying sailing with SSSF and, like most people in the club, she just likes being out on the water.
Captains’ Representative
Patricia DeMars Budd

I need her BIO
Newsletter Editor
Peter Stephenson

Peter hails from Jamaica, but has been a resident of South Florida for the past eight years. He’s been going to sea for most of his life and especially enjoys racing. In 1990 he participated in the Ft Lauderdale-Montego Bay race. He just joined SSSF the summer of 2006, but his skills were quickly put to good use.

Peter owns a business in Oakland Park, Fine Print Production, which dabbles in all kinds of printing but specializes in giclees on canvas and watercolor papers.
Copyright 2008 Sailing Singles of South Florida
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