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."

Phil Orchowski, Vice-President

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."

Virginia DiLeo, Secretary
A Friends' member since 2003, Virginia DiLeo and her husband Ron live in a cottage nestled between the Delaware Canal and River in Smithtown. 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 to raise money to support the Friends' efforts by joining the Faces and Places planning committee back in 2009 and later serving as Chairperson.

Virginia joined the Board of Directors in 2010 and has been instrumental in the Friends' fundraising efforts since then. She currently serves on the Executive Committee as Secretary and will play an active role in developing our membership base.

 

Peter Sperry, Treasurer
Peter Sperry is a retired Senior Research Fellow with Rohm and Haas Company, now part of Dow Chemical Company. He previously held District and Council level positions with the Bucks County Council of Boy Scouts of America, and recently served for a number of years on the Doylestown Township Telecommunications Advisory Board. 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.

Stephen Freeman

Stephen Freeman and his wife Sandra Wonsidler have lived in Smithtown since 1992 in a home that sits between the Canal and River. Born in Philadephia, Steve has lived most of his life in Bucks County.   Sandy is a lifelong resident whose grandmother told stories of riding canal boats to her favorite swimming holes in the early 1900s.   From his childhood through the mid-1990’s, Steve took the Canal for granted as a source of constant beauty and enjoyment.   Since then, the lengthening periods of an empty and deteriorating Canal have become a deep concern for him.   He feels that we are now in a critical period and fears that the Canal could face permanent decay or destruction unless those who live in or visit the area take decisive action to combat the effects of time, bad weather and a challenging economy.  “The Canal is an old friend that needs help.”  

Stephen is a psychologist and cofounder of Catapult Learning LLC, an educational services company that serves children with special needs across the country.  He was President and CEO of Catapult though 2010 when he became Executive Chairman of its Board of Directors.  He has experience organizing lobbying efforts in support of government-funded educational services programs and hopes some of what he has learned about advocating for education will translate to advocating for the Canal.

 

Pearl Mintzer

Pearl Mintzer and her husband Chuck are transplanted New Yorkers, who settled in New Hope to see their grandchildren more often. Creative to the quick, Pearl is a graphic artist-designer-importer-manufacturer, who owns a company that does marketing promotions for the cosmetic industry.

Pearl uses her business expertise to help non-profits by designing, manufacturing, and donating items that are used to raise funds. The Canal Flora and Fauna Cuff Bracelets and the Canal Charm Bracelets are Pearl's creations. The Canal, Bucks County and its "great people" have inspired Pearl to do more art, including oil paintings and digital art, which can be seen at her website.

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.

Miriam Seiden

Seven years ago while still working and residing in New York City, Miriam Seiden purchased an old fishing cabin situated between the Canal and the Delaware River in Upper Black Eddy. Seiden renovated the house (heat is good in the winter!) and spent weekends there. The Canal, with its breathtaking scenery throughout the four seasons, became her favorite place for daily walks with her dogs (leashed, of course). She was an active participant in the annual Upper Black Eddy canoe parade for many years. These weekends were a peaceful contrast to her hectic life as VP at The Westfield Corporation. The three ensuing floods resulted in her house being lifted, and her spirits lifted as well. She was not deterred from loving and remaining in the area.

After a long career in the shopping center development industry, Miriam decided to leave NYC for greener pastures, literally. She now resides in Lambertville where she is a jewelry designer and a published writer and photographer. The Upper Black Eddy house is in fine condition and rented these days to another happy resident glad to have the Canal in his backyard. Still her favorite place for daily walks with the dogs, she is committed to helping this great Bucks County asset remain viable for all residents and visitors to enjoy.

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.

Greg Taylor

Their move to the Yardley area in 2005 brought Greg and Liza Taylor close to the Delaware Canal, both literally and in spirit. They quickly came to love walking along it, but just as quickly learned that the Canal did not keep itself, and the State Park seemed overwhelmed with its maintenance duties. Greg and Liza soon joined the Friends as a way to both enjoy and help the Canal.

Greg brings a wealth of legal and financial expertise to the Friends' Board. A graduate of the University of Virginia and the Boston University School of Law, Greg worked in securities industry regulation at the New York Stock Exchange for five years before entering private industry. He was pleased to achieve symmetry in his career by concluding it with a final five years at New York Stock Exchange Regulation, which merged to form the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

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 professional design and construction expertise to current and future projects.

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

Judy Zipkin-Grasso

Community involvement is ingrained in Judy Zipkin-Grasso.  She has served on the Boards of several non-profit organizations devoted to women issues- A Woman’s Place, Planned Parenthood, and, most recently, Bucks County Women’s Fund and Bucks Women, an offshoot and part of the United Way.  During the 1970’s, she ran the school education program for the Bucks County Playhouse.  Her participation in the Friends organization is offering her a different perspective and builds upon her long held interest in preserving life along the Canal.

Judy is the Director of the Behavioral Health Inpatient and Outpatient Program at Aria-Bucks Hospital, and she has a strong background in marketing healthcare services.  She and her husband Michael live in Solebury, and they have a family of four children and five grandchildren.  “I’m enjoying my involvement with the Friends and look forward to helping to ensure the Canal’s improvement.” 

Executive Director: Susan Taylor

Advisory Board

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