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Waves

About Me

Hello,

I am Fred J. Bennett

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I am many things, but it wasn’t until late in life that I realized that I am a teacher.

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In a visit to Cambridge England in 2008 I came across a quote carved in a small metal ruler

which now hangs on my work desk.  It inspired me to keep searching for my career identity, teacher.

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

George Eliot (pen name for Marian Cross)

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On my 60th birthday I signed my first full-time teaching contract for middle school.  

I never again had to work because, even though it was the hardest job I had ever had, I loved it.   

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Below are pieces of my resume, or CV as they call it in academia.  

I have had many wonderful experiences in a wide variety of different organizations.

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I had the privilege of working for some great men and women, such as Howell, Penny, Bill. A, and Burt, to name a few.

But the best was Dr. Bill Heller, God rest his soul.  

The College of Education building on the USF St. Pete campus now bears his name.  

His CV was over a dozen pages,

About his days as a paratrooper, serving and working in government, and many years in higher education.

But no amount of paper can capture the man I had the great honor of knowing,

and how he affected my life, and the lives of so many.

Bill dedicated his life to helping others, especially those with special needs.  

How do you capture in a few words the excitement and courage he had jumping from an airplane in the

service of his country, or the impact his educational programs had on thousands of lives.  

 

How do you put a life on paper?  

 

I find it funny how I have tried to summarize my life in a few short pages.  

It falls so short of capturing the many different people I encountered,

during almost 70 years and more than 2 billion seconds of life.  

Think of your own life, and of those who were important to you on your journey.  

​

It is so important to remember that when you change one life, you change the world,

because the world happens to only one person at a time.  

Also, when you encounter another, no matter how successful or happy they appear to you,

everyone you meet has a resume, a CV and a life rich with experience, both good and bad.  

Everyone, every single person, has challenges and hardships, joys and aspirations,

and an inner life which cannot be expressed in words nor ever fully grasped by another.

Sunset

Education

I love learning. 

 The ability to grow in knowledge and wisdom as a community is central to the human experience. 

 Through knowledge we learn about the world around us.

 With wisdom, we understand the limits of our knowledge,

and that many things we learn in life cannot be put into words.

jjj

Formal Degrees

MA     Ethics and Philosophy. University of South Florida. Tampa, FL.                                                             2011
               Thesis: The Virtuoso Human: A Virtue Ethics Model Based on Care.

MBA   Finance and Management. Shippensburg University. Shippensburg, PA.                                             1979

                Thesis: Future of Solar Energy: Investment Opportunities in the Photovoltaic Solar Industry.

                     Held Finance Department Teaching Assistant Position.

BSBA  Finance and Accounting. Shippensburg University. Shippensburg, PA.                                                1978

                 Graduated cum laude.  Awarded Graduate Teaching Assistant Position.

AS       Accounting and Business Law, Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, PA.                        1976

​​​

I have continued my education over the years in a variety of ways. I earned an Online Teaching Certification  

as well as a Florida Professional Teacher Certification in Social Science and Business Education and a 

Catechist Teacher Certification from the Diocese of St. Petersburg. I also studied for many years in the Graduate Leadership Program in the College of Education at the University of South Florida.                          
 

Sunset

Teaching

I came into fulltime teaching employment late in life. 

I taught as a volunteer while in my 30s,

started teaching as an adjunct at some of the colleges in the region while in my 40s,

and started full time teaching when I was in my 60s.

 

When introducing myself to my students,

I always asked some questions which challenged them to think creatively. 

For example, I would tell them that I was from a large family

and that my father never worked a day in his life. 

Then I would ask them if they could figure out how he supported us.

Of course, the answer, which is true, is that he loved what he did. 

My father worked very hard over his lifetime in two careers, and he loved each of them.

​

Teaching is my retirement career, that job I love. 

I am a teacher.    

​

From 2016 to 2022 I was a full time Middle School Social Studies and Religion Teacher and also briefly taught 

Business and Computer technology in Middle School. 

From 2005 to 2024 I was an Adjunct teacher of Leadership, Applied Ethics, Professional and Business ethics and International Business. I finished my teaching career as an Elementary and Middle school Substitute Teacher. 

University Employment Experience

I had the great privilege of working at University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, in conjunction with the Pinellas County FL school system on programs to help teachers and improve the local school system, with a focus on high-need elementary schools in the impoverished communities of St. Petersburg. 

 

My formal position was Community Liaison.  I was responsible for developing and managing summer enrichment programs for elementary schools, using USFSP students and Pinellas County school teachers.  The work was tied to the elementary student classroom learning outcomes, and the college student career goals.  Most of the programs were in partnership with community organizations.

 

The central program was the Bridge to Success Summer Leadership and Science Camp, a six week, all day educational summer school and camp for 4th and 5th grade students, held on the USFSP campus, and staffed with USF College of Education students and Pinellas teachers. Program included class time, experiential learning and personal growth programming for the elementary students and training for the in-service and pre-service teachers. 

 

Other USF programs developed and managed included an Elementary School Leadership Program, Enriched Field Trips, Campus Clubs Civic Engagement Programs, an African American Male Summit and a Student Green Energy Fund Sustainability Programs. 

Business Consultation

Professional Business Experience

Much of my career was spent in the business world. 

After earning an MBA in finance, I worked for one very large international corporation

and then several private companies.

 

While I did not have the same level of love as I had for teaching,

I really liked what I did. 

I worked in some great organizations.

 

In management, I got to be a part of the leadership of each organization,

and was always involved in helping organize

the collective ideas, thoughts and plans of the group.

 

We know that people are the most important part of any company.

We were great at marketing and meeting the needs of our customers.

We cared for our employees, suppliers and subcontractors.

We were a part of the communities we participated in.

We stood behind our products and services.

 

I loved the numbers, especially using statistics and probabilities to predict the future,

the need for balance in accounting,

the systems we would build to manage and track operations,

the trust required in money management,

the beauty and challenge of the legal system,

and helping people through the human resources departments.​

Over my 32-year business career, my primary role was Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with broad responsibilities

​  General Duties

  • Management, strategic planning, shareholder relations, financial administration and corporate operations.    

  • Finance, accounting, cash management, tax, budgeting.

  • Information technology, organizational governance and legal department.

  • International business, as well as a variety of startups, acquisitions, and business ventures. 

  Core Responsibilities

  • Corporate operations, strategic planning, financial management, accounting and reporting.

  • Risk management, insurance procurement and monitoring, and legal operations.

  • New business ventures, investments and acquisitions, new product analysis and business forecasting.

  • Communications; including public, investor, bank, employee, board, and shareholders relations.

  • Human resources administration; including benefits, incentive plans, and performance monitoring.

  • Office administration, data processing and facilities management.

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​In Florida I worked in a wide variety of industries between 1991 and 2012, including agriculture, insurance, manufacturing, residential and commercial land development, environmental conservation management, utility operation, water management, consulting, home building general contracting and franchising, golf club and restaurant operations.  Over the years I helped start and manage a sustainability management company, a water utility subsidiary. a mortgage brokerage joint venture and an apartment construction and management company. 

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In Pennsylvania I worked for a general contractor and real estate development corporation, where I helped start two subsidiary companies, a variety of joint venture and helped acquire two businesses. I also was a Market Research and Business Analyst, Division Controller and Pricing Manager, for a Fortune 500 electronics firm and was engaged in international & domestic research, strategic planning, product analysis, modeling, forecasting, and simulation.

My work and business experience early in life

I have worked most of my life, starting in 1965 delivering newspapers and cutting lawns.  Over the years I painted houses, worked as a Busboy, Short Order Cook, restaurant Night Shift Assistant Manager, as a general laborer for Manpower, an apartment complex, on a Turkey Farm and in a commissary and warehouse for the US Department of Defense. In addition, I have worked as a Pipe Grinder in a steel mill in a town called Steelton, as a page Boy in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and as a Graduate Assistant in the Shippensburg University College of Business.  My sports work included as a High School Golf Team Coach and a Football and Basketball Official.

Hearts

Community and Leadership Activities

I had the opportunity to join a number of teams in the different communities where I lived,

the schools and universities where I worked, and as part of the businesses where I was employed.

Education, Youth, and Sports

  • At the school where I taught, I was National Junior Honor Society Program Coordinator, Golf and Soccer Coach, Student Environmental Action Team Advisor, School Advisory Council Teacher Representative, National Geographic Geography Bee School Coordinator., Finance Park, Enterprise Village and Junior Achievement Middle School Coordinator, After School Religion Teacher.                                                                                 

  • At the colleges where I was an adjunct, I was an Assistant in a Sustainability Program, and at two different Center for Ethics Advisory Boards, I was a Member and Chairperson.

  • In general education I was a High School Math Tutor and elementary and middle school religion teacher.                 

  • In sports I was a Soccer, Little League Baseball, and Golf Coach.

  • I was also a Cub Scouts Den Leader and Pack Treasurer and a "big" with a “little” in Big Brothers / Big Sisters.

Business / Environmental / Governmental

  • As part of my career, I was in a leadership position in a variety or organizations, including as a Board Member in the Audubon of Florida, Member Board of Governors of the Florida Workers Compensation Joint Underwriting Association, a member of the Florida Research Consortium, Florida Earth Foundation and a Leadership Program Member in the Chamber of Commerce Harrisburg. 

Community Social Support Programs

  • As part of my community, I was involved with two funding groups, the Beth Waters Friendship Fund, which supported a woman's shelter, education and cancer survivors and the Greater Harrisburg Foundation. I was a Board member of Faces of Courage, a cancer survivors support group, Parents Anonymous of Central PA, a child abuse prevention agency, the Tri-County Commission for Community Housing, a low-income housing agency, and the United Way.

Educational Programs, Lectures, and Publications 

Educational Programs

University of Tampa.  Sykes Center for Ethics Board                                                                                                 

  • Sustainable Business Program.  Cofounder and Organizer. 

    • Joint program between Sykes College of Business and Florida Earth Charter

      • leading to an MBA Sustainability Class and Business Awards Program.

  • Making a Code of Ethics the Corner Stone of Your Business.  Moderator and Organizer of lecture series.

​St. Petersburg College.   Ethics Center Advisory Board                                                                                          

  • Creating a Common Culture of Ethics in Your Organization.  Co-creator, Instructor

    • Joint program between the Applied Ethics Institute and SPC Corporate Training Center.

  • Character Based Student Leadership Academy.  Organizer, Instructor and Coauthor                             

    • Joint ethics education program between SPC Applied Ethics Institute and Pinellas County Schools.

​University of South Florida                                                                                                                                         

  • Sustainable Business, Agricultural & Development Operations Program.  Organizer and Facilitator.                       

    • Program Developed as a Corporate Executive. 

    • Joint program between USF College of Business MBA Sustainability Classes

      • and College of Arts and Science Graduate Environmental Science Classes

        • as part of starting the USF Global Sustainability Program​

Lectures and Professional Presentations

  • Corporate Diversity Initiatives, U.S. Law Firm Group – Diversity Committee, Panel Member.                               

  •  Turning Down the Global Thermostat: Innovation in Climate and Energy Technologies                                       

    • New College of Florida New Topics New College Series, Presentation & Panel Discussion.                                   

  • Green Business Models, Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB),                               

    • International Deans Conference.  Presentation and Panel Discussion.                 

  • Sustainability: Community Leaders Panel, University of South Florida                                                                  

    • Dedication of the School of Global Sustainability, Panel Discussion.                                          

  • People, Planet & Profit: Lessons from Sustainable Business, Presenter                                                                  

    • Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce.                                                  

  • Going Green without Going Red, Florida Tax Watch Board of Trustees Annual Meeting                                       

    • Presentation & Panel Discussion.                                                                                                                

  • Triple Bottom Line/Business Ethics & Sustainability, University of Tampa; Lecture                                                

    • Brazilian MBA Class Exchange Program.                                                   

  • Room to Breath: Open space, Public Space and Tampa Bay Regional Development                                           

    • Patel Center for Global Solutions and USF; Presentation and Panel Discussion

  • Getting and Keeping that Job, National Business Education Association.  Panelist.                                             

  • Sustainable Business Operations and Development, University of South Florida; Lecture                                   

    • Combined MBA Sustainability and Graduate Environmental Science Classes. 

  • Triple Bottom Line: Corporate Decisions on People, Planet & Profit, Presenter                                                    

    • National Association of Corporate Directors.                                                     

  • Foundations for Business Ethics, University of Tampa,                                                                                      

    • Incoming Freshman Class Orientation.  Presentation and MBA Guest Lectures.               

Publications

  • Carbon Capture and Sequestration Study of Florida Board of Trustees’ Lands.  Contributing Author.    July 2, 2009

    • University of South FL, EcoAsset Solutions, LLC and Land and Timber Services Group.​ 

  • Character Based Student Leadership Academy, Facilitators Workbook.   Coauthor.                     November 1, 2008

    • St. Petersburg College, Pinellas County School District.

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