Meet your Board of Director Candidates 2022

My name is Carol D’Onofrio and I am running for one of the open seats (2022- 2024 term) on the Deercreek Board of Directors. 

I currently serve as President of the Association. My term as one of the Directors ends in December.   While living in the community for twenty-nine years, I have served numerous terms on the Board, as President and Vice President as well as filling in for vacant board seats when asked.  When the developer, Taylor Woodrow conveyed the property to the Owners Association I became a member of the Communications Committee eventually serving as Chairperson and have participated as a member in a variety of other standing and Ad Hoc committees and, after years on the Finance Committee, became the Chairperson.

I am a long-standing member of several neighborhood social clubs, Deercreek Country Club and I have a deep commitment to helping our community.  Whether you are new to the community or a long-term resident, my goal is to continue to make improvements based upon the desires of the community, provide for a more symbiotic relationship with the club and continue to increase the value of the community. If re-elected I would be honored to continue to serve on the Board as a Director.

Two years ago, I was invited to become a member of the Architectural Review Board and shortly afterwards accepted the position as its Chair. Those of you who have submitted applications to the ARB in the past know that it is not always easy to navigate the process. So, in October, 2020, and with the help of fellow members, the process was streamlined and I published new applications as well as a Guide.

I spent most of my career in Education, first as a math teacher, and then Chair of the Departments of Mathematics and Business. From that position I was appointed Director of the New York State Mentor Teacher Program for the Smithtown School District. This program, that trained both new teachers and tenured teachers alike, was one of the largest in the State.

After earning my doctorate from Hofstra University in 1998, I accepted a position as the Chair of the Department of Secondary Education for Dowling College. My responsibilities included not only teaching but coordinating the second largest program in the State for training teacher candidates. Other experiences and notes include:

• Receiving the nomination for The Most Outstanding Dissertation at Hofstra University, 1998
• Publishing over a dozen research articles in peer-reviewed journals
• Accepting the 2000 American Educational Research Association Distinguished Paper Award
• Consulting for the h.m. Study Skills Group, training teachers, state-wide, in the use of study skills in the classroom
• Serving on the Board of Directors for the Suffolk County Organization for the Promotion of Education (SCOPE)
• Providing parent workshops across Long Island on how parents can help their children succeed
• Currently writing a book on effective teaching strategies and involving parents in Education

My experience over the years has taught me how to be well-organized, to be a problem solver, and to deal collaboratively with others in order to reach a specific goal. We, here in Deercreek, are indeed fortunate to have such a talented and dedicated Board that protects and enhances the very character of Deercreek. With your support, I would like to be part of our Board listening to your suggestions and applying cost-effective, innovative ways, that make our great community even better. Thank you for considering my application.

By way of introduction, I am seeking to serve the residents of the Deercreek community as a member of the Board of Directors of Deercreek County Club Owners Association. Currently, I have the pleasure of volunteering on the ARB Committee and the Communications Committee for the HOA. If elected to the Board, I would use the experience and knowledge I have gained while serving on these two committees to continue the work the Board has undertaken to enhance and improve upon the foundation of our community. Keeping our community vibrant and relevant for present and future generations is a cornerstone in maintaining the lifestyle that Deercreek offers to us all.

My professional background is commercial real estate asset management and operations, with over 30 years of experience in managing portfolios of over fifty (50) privately owned commercial real estate assets in major metropolitan markets. As President and COO of this organization for the past 10 years, my focus has been on growth initiatives, strategic planning, risk management and financial profit and loss. I am routinely involved in contract negotiations, legal compliance issues and governmental affairs. Our portfolio of real estate holdings includes hotels, office parks, condominiums, vacation rentals and retail fuel distribution. On a daily basis, I address many of the same issues our HOA Board confronts regularly on behalf of the Deercreek community.

Over the course of my career, I have served on many professional boards including several travel and tourism boards, the Owners Council (IOC) of Choice Hotels International and the Florida Board for Best Western Hotels and Resorts. In addition, I have previously served as Vice President of the HOA Board for another community here in Jacksonville and several other volunteer leadership roles.

On a personal note, I am a graduate of the University of Alabama and Cornell University School of Executive Leadership. My spouse, a UNF graduate, retired after 27 years of service from the United States Navy as a Master Chief Petty Officer (E9) having served in Afghanistan and various overseas contingency operations.

Should I have the privilege of being elected to serve on the HOA Board, I would be honored to represent the residents of our Deercreek community. I pledge my commitment to working with you to continue to foster an environment of transparency, productivity and financial responsibility. I believe that the best is yet to come for Deercreek!

Resident and Member of Deercreek Club since 2012.

Married to Susan Kaniut for 34 yrs., two graduate daughters Reagan (Auburn & Georgia State) and Katherine(FSU)

Active golfer, current IFR rated Pilot and Beechcraft Bonanza owner, shadetree mechanic.

Mechanical Engineer/Program Manager/Automotive Executive various roles.   5 awarded US Patents in three industries.   Retired in 2012 from Johnson Controls as an international  Vice President of Engineering, moved to Jacksonville to run SAFT battery operation as General Manager until second retirement.   Periodically do consulting assignments from former company associates.

Previous HOA experience on Deercreek Compliance committee and ARB committee.   Prior to moving to Deercreek ran the HOA as President for 5 years at our neighborhood in Ann Arbor Michigan.

Fellow Neighbors and Friends, after much consideration, I’ve decided to run for one of the open HOA Board positions to ensure that our safety, property values, and overall quality of life; continues to progress.

My wife (Jan) of 44 years, and I have called Deercreek home since my work relocation in 2001.  We have 3 grown children, and one granddaughter; and while they all live out of state (Queens, NY, San Antonio, TX, and LA, California), it provides us opportunities to visit different parts of our great country

During the course of my nearly 36 years of working for Johnson & Johnson, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to experience roles in HR, Manufacturing, Marketing, General Management and Process Improvement, and as a Board Member.  This diversified experience and global role exposed me to not only many different facets of the business, but equally important, work and travel in many different countries and cultures.          

Giving back to the communities that we work and live in has always been important to Jan and I. While still working, I was on the board of the Sulzbacher Center for 8 years, chaired the Charitable Contributions committee for J&J, and served on the Deercreek Access Control committee for 10 years.

Given my diversified work experience in working for a Fortune 50 Company, involvement on Boards, chairing and participating on numerous committees, and charitable organizations; I feel I like I know how to get things done in a committee environment; and well equipped to contribute to the Board of our wonderful community.

My personal philosophy is that the Board is elected to work for the overall improvement of the community as a whole.  There is no room for any personal agendas or bias. Data driven & fact-based decisions, transparent and honest communication will be my goal as a Board member.

In closing I respectfully ask for your consideration to represent each of you on Deercreek’s HOA Board.  Thank you!

Number of years lived in Deercreek:  My wife and I living since we moved here in Sep 2019 and Lived in Jacksonville around Southside blvd for 20 years.

Job and educational experience which will make me a qualified Board member: I am a certified Project Management Professional (PMP Certified from Project Management Institute) and managed 108 resources team spread across the globe with around $10 Million dollars budget for the biggest financial bank in USA. I graduated in Electronics and Communications engineering.  Upon graduation, I immediately began employment in Information Technology and was responsible for overseeing the operations of several information technology engineers and their well-being. I did own and managed few restaurants like Flavors Indian Restaurant and 5thElement Indian Restaurant for several years in Jacksonville and Tampa. I served in IRONWOOD HOA board for several years as Vice president, Treasurer and Board Director.

Quality and Culture which will help me to be a great Board member:  Prior to moving to Jacksonville, my wife and I lived in other countries like Switzerland, Singapore and Canada where we got an opportunity to experience and adopt different cultures across different nations.  We were actively involved in all the community activities where different cultures are part of the events. I would like to serve on the Deercreek Country Club Board and like to be involved as a force for change to bring improvements to the neighborhood.  While there are numerous benefits to living in Deercreek, there I still things I would like to see changed or addressed.

Most important aspects of this neighborhood for me: Priority #1: keeping property values up because investing (and living!) in Deercreek should be advantageous for any buyer/resident. Priority #2:  Neighborhood safety and security (related to property values), because without it, Deercreek cannot be the family-friendly neighborhood it was intended to be. Priority #3:  Sense of Community (residents knowing each other and their Board members, feeling informed and included, and working together for everyone’s mutual benefit). Priority #4: Bring more ethical practices and policies in the board and transparent to the homeowners on the decisions and performed activities Priority #5: Respect and value the homeowners voice from the meetings.