Our Leadership

Linda was born and raised in Ellington, Connecticut. After earning her bachelor’s degree in education from Southern Connecticut State College in 1969, she got married and moved to Miami, where she began a 30-year career with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

She started out as a physical education teacher and coached multiple sports. She then served as Director of Student Activities at South Miami Senior High for 19 years before moving to MAST Academy on Key Biscayne. Somehow, while working full time, she also earned three graduate degrees from the University of Miami.

When she retired from the school system in 1999, she spent her days playing tennis, golf, and softball, and she happily discovered something new: lunch.

In 2001, she joined the Miami-Dadeland Pinecrest Rotary Club. She served as the Rotary liaison to three Interact Clubs in Miami schools and was active on both the scholarship and social committees.

In 2008, she moved to The Villages, where she kept busy with tennis, volleyball, golf, and pickleball. As the years made playing all day a little harder, and with the quiet of the pandemic, she realized how much she missed Rotary.

In 2021, she joined the Rotary Club of The Villages Noon and right away started the Interact Club at Wildwood Middle High School. Through her leadership, the club sponsors students each year to attend RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). She also chaired our scholarship committee for five years. Today, we’re proud to have her leading our club as President.

Bob Gersh was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and was raised in the Boston/Cape Cod area.

He attended Northeastern University, Babson College, Bentley College, and Harvard University, earning his BSBA and MBA degrees as well as a Masters in Taxation and Certification in Special Studies.

Bob is a retired Certified Public Accountant. He worked in banking, serving as a Vice President for Shawmut Bank and specializing in mortgages and reverse home loans. He is now a Reverse Mortgage Coordinator with the Senior Funding Group here in The Villages.

Bob and his wife, Susan, have two grown children and four grandchildren. Susan is a retired teacher/speech therapist.

Bob enjoys sailing and is a Vice Commodore with The Villages Sailing Club. He also enjoys educating seniors on Social Security and other benefit programs.

Andy was born in 1945 in Belgium. He grew up in Aylmer, Ontario, Canada. Andy earned his BS degree at the University of Western Ontario in 1967.

Andy worked in Oregon Steel Mills as an accountant. He and Charlie first met in 1967 in Mykonos, Greece. They were married in 1971 and raised two children. They have three grandchildren.

Andy and Charlie first got involved in Rotary when a Rotarian with the Milwaukie, Oregon Rotary Club asked them to host an exchange student. Andy joined first in 1995, followed by Charlie a year later. They were asked to join the District 5100 Youth Exchange Committee due to their travel experiences. District 5100 was the largest district youth exchange sponsor, hosting up to 50 students and sending 50 students each year. Charlie and Andy both served as youth counselors as well as hosting students during the years.

In addition, Andy served as Club President, Club Treasurer, Club Foundation Treasurer, and District Youth Exchange Officer (5 years). Andy enjoys golf and walking, and prepares free tax returns as a volunteer with AARP Tax-Aide.

Larry was born on November 7, 1946, and raised in Johnson City, New York. He earned his BS degree in Hotel Management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and an Associate’s Degree at SUNY Delhi, New York. Larry was also awarded a Life Underwriters Training Fellowship.

His wife of 35 years, Darlene, is a retired accountant.

Larry worked 14 years in hotel and restaurant management, then worked for Allstate Insurance for 28 years, first as an agent and then as an owner/agent handling personal insurance. Larry joined the Kissimmee West Rotary Club in 2000 and served as secretary, treasurer (3 years), vice president (5 years), president (2 years), and Assistant District Governor (3 years). He also has 5 years of perfect attendance.

Larry enjoys golf, working on charitable projects, reading, photography, and travel. He is a member of the US Golfing Fellowship of Rotarians.