Polk State College District Board of Trustees

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Polk State College, like Florida’s other state colleges, is governed by a locally autonomous District Board of Trustees that serves without compensation. The Trustees are vested with decision-making power in all matters of College policy, programs, building, budget, and personnel.

The Governor of Florida appoints this group of seven outstanding local citizens. The Trustees meet once a month and contribute their time and talent to guide PSC in its mission of being a “quality-driven educational institution, providing access to affordable associate and baccalaureate degrees, career certificates, and workforce development programs, delivered by diverse, qualified faculty and staff who are committed to student learning and achievement through the consistent practice of collaboration and focus on excellence.”

	Teresa Martinez, Chair,  is the owner of the Institute of Spanish Communication Inc., and a PSC alumna. She also produces and hosts “Communidad Viva” a daily Spanish talk show on PGTV, and she hosts and produces a Spanish radio talk show. Mrs. Martinez, a native of Cuba, is also a columnist for Vision Latina. Her family fled Cuba when she was 15 years old and relocated to Polk County. After graduating from PSC in 1975, she attended the University of Central Florida, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish. Mrs. Martinez spent 11 years teaching Spanish at Lakeland High School. She is on the board of directors of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce and Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center. She is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners, which has given her its Woman of Distinction Award. Mrs. Martinez was selected as the International Individual of the Year in 1997 by the Central Florida Development Council. She received the Governor’s Point of Light Award, and in 2006 the Polk County Board of County Commissioners proclaimed a Teresa Martinez Day in recognition of her contributions during the 2004 hurricane season.
	Mark G. Turner, Vice Chair, is an attorney practicing in the areas of Real Estate, Estate Planning, Probate and Guardianship, Business Law, and Civil Litigation. He is a native of Winter Haven and is a past president of the Polk State College Foundation and the Greater Winter Haven Area Chamber of Commerce and has served in leadership roles for the Community Foundation of Greater Winter Haven, Girls, Inc., Main Street Winter Haven, American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity. He is a graduate of Leadership Winter Haven and Leadership Polk and was a Florida Blue Key Leadership Honorary member at the University of Florida. He holds a B.A. in political science (University of Florida) and a J.D. (Stetson University College of Law).
	Dan Dorrell is a C.P.A. and a partner at Cross, Fernandez & Riley, LLP, specializes in a variety of industries including, agriculture, medical, manufacturing, legal and other professional services. He was a member of Polk State’s first graduating class, and his extensive community involvements include service on the Sebring Utilities Commission, the Sebring Chamber of Commerce, the Highlands County Family YMCA (which he helped to found), and the Florida State University and Polk State College Alumni Associations. He also serves on the board of SunTrust Bank and helped to found the Highlands County Leadership Program. He is a veteran of the Florida National Guard and holds a B.S. in finance (Florida State University), as well as an A.A. from Polk State.
	Ricardo Garcia is the owner and operator of Gulf Coast Avionics Corp. of Lakeland, Pacific Coast Avionics of Portland, Oregon, and Central Florida Avionics & Instruments of Leesburg, Florida. He also is the owner and operator of several other Lakeland businesses:  Sunstate Realty Investments Corp., and Polk Home Development Corp. He currently is an officer on the following boards: Treasurer of the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In and Vice President of Florida Aviation Safety Foundation, Chairman of the Aerospace Resource Center, Treasurer of the Polk Vision Executive Committee, Advisory Board for West Area Adult School, and is a member of the Lakeland Association of Realtors.
	Gregory Littleton is president and chief executive officer of Citizens Bank & Trust. He graduated from PSC in 1987. He went on to attend Freed-Hardeman University in Tennessee and graduated in 1989 cum laude. He has been at Citizens Bank & Trust since 1997 and has been president since 2001. He serves on the board of the Lake Wales Arts Council, Florida School of Preaching, Florida Bank Pac, Government Relations Council for the Florida Bankers Association, PSC’s Workforce Education Council, the executive board of the Polk Vision Steering Committee, and is Chair of the Economic Development Foundation. He is the Past President of the following: Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce, East Polk Committee of 100, and Central Florida Development Committee. He and his wife, Julie, and their two daughters, Currie Ann and Anna Beth, live in Winter Haven.
	Linda Pilkington is the director of physician, community and government relations at Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center. She is a registered nurse (retired) and also has extensive experience in marketing and community relations and has held positions in higher education, healthcare, and manufacturing. She currently chairs the board of the Polk State College Foundation. Her community involvement includes membership on boards and committees with Polk Vision, Polk Health Care Alliance, Lake Wales Arts Council, Haines City Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Winter Haven, Ridge Career Center and many other organizations. She is a graduate of Leadership Polk and holds a B.S. in Nursing (University of the Philippines) and M.A. (New York University).
	E. S. "Ernie" Pinner is Chairman/President/CEO of CenterState Banks of Florida, Inc. He is a former member of the PSC Foundation Board and past Chair of the Heart of Florida Medical Center Board. He is on the boards of Polk Museum of Art, Heart of Florida Education Foundation, and Polk County Industrial Revenue Authority. He is a past member of the Polk Museum of Art Board of Trustees, Imperial Symphony Orchestra Board, Polk Education Foundation Board, and the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation Board.