FODC Governing Structure

The Friends of the Delaware Canal operate within the structure of a legal 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We are governed by an appointed Board of Directors, that selects an Executive Director responsible for the everyday operations of the group. An appointed Advisory Board provides counsel.

Board of Directors
The Board is responsible for making all structural and administrative decisions for the organization, as well as setting the activity agenda and making sure operations are governed according to the official bylaws of our 501 c3 non-profit status.

Jack Donohue, President
Jack Donohue and his wife Claire have lived "above the Canal" in Lumberville for two years.  After retiring early as a Sunoco VP of Information Systems, Jack tackled a variety of consulting projects in a variety of places and has now settled down in the village of Lumberville for what he hopes is his last old house rehabilitation project.

His memories of bringing his daughters to the Canal to walk and bike ride on the towpath 30 years ago and his current affinity for biking led him to the Friends. "After looking at the various organizations in the area, the Friends seems to be the one facing the greatest and most diverse challenges, and I'd like to help in any way I can."

Veronica Morton, Vice-President
Veronica Morton is a Director of Information Systems and has been in that field for the past 25 years. She is a member of the Cosmopolitan Club of Philadelphia and serves as a member of its Technical Committee. A resident of Furlong for the last eight years, Veronica enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling with Wolf and sharing their experiences with others. She hopes to share her enthusiasm for the Friends through her active participation on the Board of Directors.

Phil Orchowski, Secretary

More than one veteran of the Friends' annual Canal Walk has found his or her way onto the Board of Directors, and Phil Orchowski is the latest of that special sneaker-worn crew. A resident of New Hope, Phil is a man of many talents and experiences that will be of benefit to our organization. When he is not pursuing his career as a free-lance cabinet maker/designer, he often can be found riding his bike on the towpath. "Since I moved here from Philadelphia, I haven't seen the Canal fully watered or the towpath completely walkable. I believe there needs to be more awareness of this unique resource, and we all need to see that it is repaired and conserved."

Peter Sperry, Treasurer
Peter Sperry is retired Senior Research Fellow with the Rohm and Haas Company. A member of the Doylestown Township Telecommunications Advisory Board, Pete previously held a number of District and Council level positions with the Bucks County Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He is also a volunteer for the US Geological Survey National Map Corps. A past President, Pete currently serves as the Friends’ Treasurer and is the point person for our Milestone installation project. Pete and wife Barbara have resided in Doylestown Township since 1968.

Virginia DiLeo
A Friends' member since 2003, Virginia DiLeo and her husband Ron live in a cottage nestled between the Delaware Canal and River in Smithtown. She is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Hearthside in Doylestown. Lucky enough to have the Canal in her backyard, Virginia has a true appreciation for the importance of the Friends' improvement, restoration, and preservation efforts. She remembers the Canal in all its glory when it was watered and fully functional and decided last year to join the Faces and Places planning committee to raise money for the Friends' efforts.

"The Canal is a gateway to my sense of self. Long walks along the towpath enable me to sort through personal and professional challenges, restore my energy level, uplift my spirit, and sustain my bond with nature."

Willis Rivinus
Willis M. Rivinus is an author and publisher of books about Bucks County. To date, he has produced Guide to the Delaware Canal, William Penn and the Lenape Indians, Old Stonework in Bucks County, for histories of Delaware River villages, and the Complete Guide to the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. In addition to serving on the FODC Board of Directors, Will regularly leads tours of the Canal, and received the 2006 Achievement Award from the Solebury Township Historical Society. He maintains his office in a restored historic barn in Solebury Township.

George Schweickhardt
Jurgen (George) Schweickhardt owned and operated the New Hope Mule Barge Company from 1977 to 1997. A founding member of the Friends of the Delaware Canal, he has been a board member ever since. He was a member of the committee that worked to have the Delaware Canal declared a National Historic Landmark.George helped the State Park repair and maintain the Delaware Canal from New Hope (Lock 11) north to Virginia Forrest State Park. For about 18 years, he pumped water at his own expenses into the canal to maintain its water level. George proposed and first sponsored the annual barge parties benefiting the Friends of the Delaware Canal.

Steven Spatz

Steven Spatz lives outside of Newtown with his wife Michelle and daughters Emma and Sara. He is a Vice-President of Marketing for AVL Inc., the world's largest CD and DVD manufacturer catering to independent musicians and filmmakers, as well as the largest aggregator of indie-produced music for iTunes, Rhapsody, and all other online music services.

A native of southern Oregon, Steven and his family moved to the East Coast in 1998, eventually settling in Bucks County in 2005. Two years ago, his family discovered the joys of biking and hiking on the Delaware Canal towpath, and Steven joined up with the Friends in support of his new favorite pursuit. His talents and generosity were much in evidence last year as he jumped right into helping to produce Faces and Places.

Brett Webber

Brett Webber , AIA, LEED AP, is Principal of Brett Webber Architects, PC, an award-winning architecture and design firm specializing in high performance, sustainable design. His firm is located in Philadelphia, and plans are in the works to open a new office in Bucks Count to serve clients throughout the River Valley. Brett is active in a number of local organizations, and his firm is a Business Member of the Friends. A longtime champion of industrial and architectural heritage preservation and environmental conservation, Brett is pleased to join the Board and add his professsional design and construction expertise to current and future projects.

Brett and his family have relocated from Philadelphia to a historic farmhouse in Tinicum Township just about the Canal in Erwinna and look forward to continued participation in Friends' events, including the annual clean-up. A

 

Executive Director: Susan Taylor

Advisory Board

Randy Apgar	David Heckler
Allen Black, Esq.	Betty Orlemann (founder)
William Farkas	Judge David Strawbridge
William Getchell
Judge Mitchell Goldberg
James Greenwood