of our top priorities. The unprecedented hurricane season of 2004, and the two hurricanes that have hit Florida this year, show that current insurers are either leaving the state in record numbers or raising premiums upwards of 50 percent. This increase will make the already skyrocketing cost of affordable housing even more unreachable. Growth has been Florida’s largest industry over the last 30 years. We must take steps to spread the risk and stop the sticker shock of rising property insurance premiums.” Ritter plans to continue her efforts to broaden Florida’s economy. “We cannot rely on tourism alone. Most corporate recruiters point to a mediocre Florida higher-education system as the biggest reason that corporations don’t locate here. We must invest in superior public and private colleges and universities to allow a more competent and diversified group of graduates.” Although born in Washington, D.C., Ritter considers herself a Floridian, having spent more than 30 years here. After receiving her bachelor of arts degree in history from Rollins, she graduated from Nova University College of Law (now Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center). “My children were born and raised in Broward County and my parents still live in the same house they purchased 30 years ago,” Ritter said. “My life is here.” She says her proudest achievement is the raising of her two children, Matt (17), a senior in high school, and Stephanie (14), a high school freshman. “I believe I have instilled in them the understanding that when you are as fortunate we are, we must give back to our community.” Professionally, it is her service in the State House of Representatives that has meant the most to her. “I am most proud of the fact that I don’t back down in the face of a fight—that I continued to advocate for the residents of my district despite being
24 ROLLINS ALUMNI RECORD
outnumbered in the Florida legislature. I don’t believe in sitting silently by while bad things happen; I have been and always will be an outspoken critic of certain policies with which I disagree. By the same token, I will be an equally strident and vocal ally for a cause in which I believe.” —Ann Marie Varga ’82
the multitasker Sam Stark ’91 has always been a builder—not using bricks and mortar, but rather using ideas, resources, and people power to get things done. A campus leader from the start, Stark served as president of student government and played varsity tennis and soccer. He also managed to find the time to found the Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity. Stark’s ability to manage multiple projects has contributed to his rapid professional rise. He began his career while he was still at Rollins, working as a Florida Citrus Sports intern. Upon graduation, he served Florida Citrus Sports full time as an event coordinator before rapidly advancing to director of events and operations. In 1996, Stark moved to Chicago, where he worked with True Value Hardware, Service Merchandise, and CompUSA as an account supervisor for Sports Partners. He also worked as business development director of IEG, Inc., an agency specializing in sponsorship valuation, consulting, and research. In 1999, he made his way back south to Orlando, where he teamed up with longtime friend and colleague Chris Cantwell to form SC Marketing & Events. The agency specialized in marketing, event management, sponsorship, and promotions, and represented such clients as the Butkus Award, the National Police Athletic League, the Rollins College Department of Physical Education and Athletics, and Proctor & Gamble (Iams).
Stark was named president/CEO of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce in 2002 and, as such, leads the fourth-largest Chamber in Central Florida, with more than 1,800 members. Under his leadership, the organization has rebranded itself with a new Web site and membership collateral, and events and sponsorships have become more progressive and profitable. “We try to be an informational resource to business owners and residents by hosting community forums, luncheons, and programs that update and educate the voting public,” Stark explained. “We take groups to Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., each year to introduce them to our legislative delegation and key legislators. Additionally, we have the broader focus: business development and education, quality of life, economic development, and more.” Stark volunteers on several community boards, including the Rollins College Tar Booster Executive Committee, the Rollins Sports Hall of Fame, and the Foundation for Winter Park Tech. In addition, he serves on the Board of the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals. Most recently, Stark was named by the Orlando Business Journal as one of the 40 top Central Florida business executives under 40 years of age. He is a Rotarian and a Paul Harris Fellow. Despite all this business success, Stark says his proudest achievement is “a work in progress”—being a dad to 1-year-old son Ben. “My wife, Heather, and I knew that parenting would be fun, rewarding, and special. But we had no idea it would be this fantastic!”—Ann Marie Varga ’82 ■