FSU Foundation welcomes new board members

The Florida State University Foundation Board of Trustees has welcomed seven new members.

"We are pleased to welcome this new group of trustees to the Foundation Board," said Foundation President Charles Rasberry. "They bring not only their individual skills and resources, but also fresh ideas and new perspectives essential to maintaining excellence at Florida State."

The 2008 new trustees are Warren J. Coville, Thomas "Tom" M. Culligan, Ralph R. Gonzalez, Carla Gopher, Joyce B. Miles, Gerald "Bruce" Redditt and James "J.T." Thomas.

After serving in the U.S. Army as an aerial photographer during World War II, Coville spent the next four decades in the photography industry, retiring in 1985 as CEO of Guardian Photos. He currently serves as the chair of the Student Scholarship Program at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training in Sarasota and as president and treasurer of the Coville Photographic Art Foundation. He lives in Sarasota.

An FSU alumnus, Culligan is the CEO of Raytheon International, Inc. and serves as the executive vice president of business development for Raytheon Company. Before joining Raytheon, he held similar executive positions with Honeywell, Allied Signal and McDonnell Douglas. Permanent president of the FSU Class of 1973, Culligan is a member of the College of Engineering's Industry and Research Advisory Council, is active in the Seminole Club of Greater Washington, D.C., and has served as the president of the FSU Alumni Chapter in Washington, D.C.

Gonzalez was recently named general counsel of Citigroup Global Mergers & Acquisitions. Previously, he was vice president, managing director and general counsel of Citigroup Latin America. Prior to joining Citigroup, he spent 10 years at General Electric in various assignments and practiced law with the firm of Baker & McKenzie in the firm's Madrid, Miami and New York offices. Gonzalez, an FSU alumnus, serves on the International Council of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the Appleseed Foundation Board of Directors. He lives in New Canaan, Conn.

Gopher received a bachelor of science degree in management from the FSU College of Business in 1996, becoming the first female member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida to graduate from Florida State. She is the assistant to the general manager of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Formerly, she was the internal gaming auditor for the Seminole Bingo & Casino in Tampa. Gopher currently works at the Seminole Casino Brighton on the Brighton Indian Reservation in Okeechobee, Fla. She is actively involved with the Seminole Tribe of Florida both as an employee and as a tribal member.

Miles, an FSU alumna, worked for Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville for more than 31 years, retiring in 1997. She is president of her own consulting and training company, Joyce B. Miles & Associates, A Leadership Development Group. Miles currently serves on the Accreditation Council and the Development Committee of the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences, chairing the Centennial Fundraising Campaign. She was a key contributor on the Woman and Philanthropy Task Force sponsored by the FSU Foundation in 2005. She currently resides in Maggie Valley, N.C.

Redditt is an executive vice president of Omnicom Corporation in New York City. He has more than 25 years of experience in marketing and communications and has held executive management positions with the Contel Corporation, Sony Pictures Entertainment and GTE Corporation. A 1975 graduate of the College of Business, Redditt is a member of the college's Advisory Council and a mentor with the Golden Opportunities Mentorship Program. In addition, he has participated in the college's Distinguished Speaker Series, offering students an overview of the advertising and media industries. Redditt currently lives in Alpharetta, Ga., and commutes to New York City.

An All-American defensive back, FSU alumnus Thomas was a first-round draft pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1973. He played nine years in the NFL before retiring in 1982 with several Super Bowl wins. Thomas subsequently moved into the restaurant business, investing in the Applebee's restaurant chain and is currently focusing his energy on his new franchise restaurant, "Red, Hot & Blue." A member of the African-American Alumni Association, he addressed graduates at FSU's spring commencement ceremonies in 2006. He spends time teaching life skills to "at risk" youth through non-profit organizations and churches. Thomas currently resides in Monroeville, Pa.