February 28, 2020 – The Sanibel Historical Village held its annual meeting of members this week at which two new board members were elected. After, in an executive session, the board elected officers. A third board member was elected at the February 27 regular board meeting due to a resignation.

New to the board are Virginia (Ginny) Darby and Tracey Tenney, both volunteers at the village. The third new member is Annette Hendrick, elected to fill the position of resigning board member Steve Greenstein.

Ginny Darby was a high school English teacher who also taught speech, media production, and theater. In 1989 she earned a master’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Iowa. Calling herself a “retired workaholic,” she loves interacting with visitors to the historical village and giving tours. Her organizational, creative, and communication skills will serve the historical village well. “I am charmed by the buildings of our historical village and even more compelled by the narratives of the spirited settlers who founded our tropical community,” she said.

Tracey Tenney spent much of her career working for General Electric and Sprint Telecommunications after earning a Bachelor of Science in Math and Computer Science from Penn State University. She progressed to Senior Systems Manager responsible for managing a group of 30 software developers. Tenney bought a home on Sanibel in 2013 and now spends half the year there. She said, “I have enjoyed volunteering as a docent at the Historical Museum & Village for the past three years, sharing the history of Sanibel with visitors.” She also chaired this year’s Volunteer Gathering. Also a volunteer at CROW, Tenney works in the education center and as a team leader for Taste of the Islands.

Annette Hendrick was born and raised in Minnesota, where she earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She earned a BA in Mathematics from the College of St. Benedict and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. Hendrick spent her 25-year professional career at Northwestern Bell and Qwest responsible for network planning and engineering across a five-state area. She was responsible for a staff of 1,500 people and was the first woman to be a technical Assistant Vice President at Bell Communications Research. Hendrick has been a volunteer at the historical village since 2017 and is a year-round resident of Sanibel.

This brings the number of directors to 15.

The board said goodbye to James Clivie Goodwin, who joined the board in 2014 and has reached the end of his term limit. A docent at the museum since 2013, Goodwin has also chaired the Archive and Display Committee. “Clivie has been an invaluable member of our board, making great strides as chair of the Display Committee,” said Board President Bill Bachman. “He also has been a joy to work with, and we will miss him.” Goodwin now serves as a member of the city’s Historical Preservation Committee and will be a member of the historical village’s Advisory Committee.

Bachman added that Steve Greenstein also was an invaluable member of the board and served as Chairman of the Finance Committee. “Steve helped us a great deal with his expertise and experience. He has graciously agreed to continue to serve not just on the Finance Committee but also as a member of the village’s Advisory Committee,” Bachman said.

Bill Bachman has been elected to a second-year term as president of the board of directors. He has been a member of the board for eight of the last nine years and has been a volunteer at the village for 13 years. Before becoming president, he served as treasurer of the board and has chaired a number of board committees. Bill and his wife Gail bought on Sanibel in 1998 and have been residents of Sanibel since 2004. He maintains a summer home in Maine, has three children, eight grandchildren, and one great grandson.

Bill Rahe was re-elected to serve as board vice-president. A docent at the village for two years, Rahe worked in management at a major U.S. corporation and after retiring worked as a management consultant. He has served in volunteer capacities at the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club, the Sanibel Chamber of Commerce, the Recreation Center, and Saint Michael and All Angels Church. He served in the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of Captain. He and his wife of 54 years, Stephanie, have two children and five grandchildren.

Pete Halliday was re-elected to serve as treasurer. Halliday was in the investment business for 30 and was president and major shareholder of a NYSE firm in Columbus, Ohio. The company was sold, and he and his wife Janet retired to Florida. He has served on numerous boards and enjoys the experience afforded him to part of the Historical Village board. His wife, Janet, is a past board member and has served as a docent for more than 24 years.

Gail Garlinghouse was re-elected to serve as secretary. Garlinghouse is a member and docent of the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village since the museum was housed only in the Rutland House. She is also a member of the Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ and the Captiva Island Yacht Club. Garlinghouse has served on many fundraising events for the village, from luncheons and style shows to the village’s Gala dinners.

 

The Sanibel Historical Village is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Full guided tours take place at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at no additional charge, depending on docent availability. The Sanibel Historical Village is located at 950 Dunlop Road (next to BIG ARTS) and there is handicap access to all buildings. Admission is $10 for adults (18 and over). Members and children are free. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.sanibelmuseum.org or call (239) 472-4648.