Mel Park, President
Mel was born in Southern California but was raised from age 12 in Honolulu. He and his bride (for the next 48 years) graduated from Stanford in 1966 and they spent the next 2 years in Senegal as Peace Corps volunteers. Mel received his PhD in neurophysiology from SUNY Buffalo. He began his career as a research scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt followed by a short stint at the University of Vienna. Mel has served on the faculties of Michigan State University and the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis. Midway in his time in Memphis his career transitioned from research to medical education. Thousands of impressionable young doctors-in-training have passed through his hands. His two children have settled in Memphis and the Chicago area. He has four grandchildren. Mel has lived full time in Naples since 2019.
Marc Skaletsky, Vice President
Marc was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in the near-by suburbs. He attended the University of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (Highest Honors) from its College of Commerce and Business Administration (currently the Geis School of Business, collectively “College of Business”). He was recognized for his sustained continuous academic achievement by being inscribed in the University’s Bronze Tablet which is prominently displayed in the University’s library (the largest public university library in the U.S.) Also, in recognition of his outstanding performance on the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) Uniform Examination he was awarded one of a handful of Elijah Watt Sells Awards.
Marc has been a practicing CPA in the U.S. and United Kingdom for almost fifty years focusing on the taxation of international businesses. He was based in the Chicago and Short Hills, New Jersey offices of KPMG LLP (KPMG) for more than forty years, over thirty years as a partner in the firm. As a senior partner in KPMG, he held a number of national and global leadership roles and traveled extensively to six of the seven continents working with some of the world’s largest companies. Following his retirement from KPMG he became a Managing Director with Grant Thornton (GT) where he continued his noteworthy career in the international area. Having since retired from GT, Marc is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Erarel, Inc., Harmony Living Group and CrownStone Acquisitions.
During his professional career Marc served on the 1) Department of Accountancy Professional Advisory Board of the College of Business and 2) Outside Advisory Board to the College of Business. He was also an active member of the American Institute of CPAs and its subcommittees, the Illinois Society of CPAs where he served in a number of leadership roles on its subcommittees and the New Jersey Society of CPAs. He has also served on the Board of Directors and as the Treasurer of the Scholarship and Guidance Association a not-for-profit organization that assists younger adults in dealing with a variety of challenges. Marc and his wife Karin have resided full time in Naples since 2016 and enjoy traveling, reading, sports, dining and all of the various activities the area has to offer. They have been married for almost 37 years, have a son and a daughter who live in St. Louis and Orlando respectively as well as three grandchildren, all boys.
Lloyd K. Ford, Treasurer
Keith was born and raised in Southwest Pennsylvania and received a BSChe (Bachelor Science Chemical Engineer) degree from West Virginia University and a MSChe (Master) from Penn State. He and his wife (Lila) lived most of their lives in Rochester, NY where he worked for Eastman Kodak. His career covered all aspects of color films including research labs, development activities, and manufacturing. Keith’s particular expertise was Kodachrome Reversal Slide Film which was the most popular color film during the 1960’s, 1970’s, and 1980’s.
In 2000 he retired as a senior engineer in emulsion technology and then joined his wife in her full service travel agency that she started in 1984. In 2010 they sold the agency and retired to Naples. They love living here and enjoy tennis, dining, music, traveling, and all the social activities that are available.
Keith’s wife was born in Greece, and they have been married for almost 60 years. They have two children and five grandchildren.
Marc Skaletsky, Social Activities Director
Marc was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in the near-by suburbs. He attended the University of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (Highest Honors) from its College of Commerce and Business Administration (currently the Geis School of Business, collectively “College of Business”). He was recognized for his sustained continuous academic achievement by being inscribed in the University’s Bronze Tablet which is prominently displayed in the University’s library (the largest public university library in the U.S.) Also, in recognition of his outstanding performance on the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) Uniform Examination he was awarded one of a handful of Elijah Watt Sells Awards.
Marc has been a practicing CPA in the U.S. and United Kingdom for almost fifty years focusing on the taxation of international businesses. He was based in the Chicago and Short Hills, New Jersey offices of KPMG LLP (KPMG) for more than forty years, over thirty years as a partner in the firm. As a senior partner in KPMG, he held a number of national and global leadership roles and traveled extensively to six of the seven continents working with some of the world’s largest companies. Following his retirement from KPMG he became a Managing Director with Grant Thornton (GT) where he continued his noteworthy career in the international area. Having since retired from GT, Marc is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Erarel, Inc., Harmony Living Group and CrownStone Acquisitions.
During his professional career Marc served on the 1) Department of Accountancy Professional Advisory Board of the College of Business and 2) Outside Advisory Board to the College of Business. He was also an active member of the American Institute of CPAs and its subcommittees, the Illinois Society of CPAs where he served in a number of leadership roles on its subcommittees and the New Jersey Society of CPAs. He has also served on the Board of Directors and as the Treasurer of the Scholarship and Guidance Association a not-for-profit organization that assists younger adults in dealing with a variety of challenges. Marc and his wife Karin have resided full time in Naples since 2016 and enjoy traveling, reading, sports, dining and all of the various activities the area has to offer. They have been married for almost 37 years, have a son and a daughter who live in St. Louis and Orlando respectively as well as three grandchildren, all boys.
Alex Zusmanovich, Luncheon Director
Alex was born and raised in Odessa, in the former Soviet Union, now Ukraine. He graduated from the Poly-technical College in Mechanical Engineering. He work in the Research and Testing Organization before leaving the USSR in 1979 with his wife, Amy and two daughters. The family settled in Des Moines then moved to Connecticut in 1982. He worked for various companies but mostly for Gerber Technology Inc. as Principal Engineer for the R & D Group. Alex retired in 2014 and moved permanently to Naples in 2018. Their two daughters and two grandchildren all reside it Connecticut.
His hobbies include travel, political issues, and reading.
Dr. Ajit Desai, Membership Director
Born and raised in India, Ajit graduated with MBBS degree from Baroda Medical School. He came to States for Post Graduate Studies and specialized in field of Oncology and Hematology. He headed a group of several oncologists and spent 40 years in practice of Oncology at a major medical center in Philadelphia, Pa.. His work included extensive clinical research in Breast Cancer and was recognized by American Society of Clinical Oncology. Teaching and mentoring young physicians and medical students as his passion throughout his years in medicine. Hobbies include traveling, golf, reading and walking. Ajit and his wife Shobhana are full time residents of Naples. They have two children and four grandchildren.
Joseph Ruggiero, Communications Director
Joseph (Joe) Ruggiero was born and raised on Long Island, N.Y. He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Joe joined Miles Laboratories in Elkhart Indiana, later acquired by Bayer AG. At Bayer Joe held leadership positions in R&D and Product Supply developing and manufacturing Clinical Diagnostics equipment. Joe traveled extensively during his 40-year career at Bayer completing assignments in Europe and Asia. After retiring from Bayer in 2011, he Joined a successful Start-up clinical diagnostic company in Wuxi China. Joe and his wife Sharon relocated to the Bonita Springs area from San Jose California in 2019. Joe has 2 daughters and 2 grandchildren.
Russell Valentine, Program Director & Committee Chair
Russell P. Valentine was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Italian and Irish immigrants. Born with a Hearing disability that limited his ability to hear vowel sounds, Russell began attending daily speech therapy at an early age-a commitment that continued for twelve years. It was during this time that he discovered a passion for numbers and problem-solving , ultimately leading him to pursue a career in mathematics with a focus on quantitative analysis.
Russell’s academic research centered on the movement of large groups of people through entertainment spaces, with a particular interest in how these dynamics affect the operational longevity of attractions and the human capacity for sustained attention with minimal stress. His findings became foundational in the development of crowd management and attraction design strategies used across major entertainment venues.
Throughout his career at The Walt Disney World Company, Russell played a pivotal role in the design and construction of numerous entertainment attraction parks around the globe. As the Asian market emerged as a key player in global entertainment, he was instrumental in introducing innovative concepts and construction methods to the region.
Inspired by cinematic classics like Up and television phenomena such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Russell brought imagination, data-driven insight, and cultural sensitivity to every project he touched, leaving an enduring legacy in themed entertainment design worldwide.