Arts Council Welcomes New Board Members

The Monroe Council of the Arts has welcomed three community leaders to its board of directors and two to its advisory board:

Currently host of Countyline, a biweekly county issues television talk show on AT&T Channel 19, June Girard, who holds a master's degree in international relations, graduated cum laude from Mundelein College (now Loyola), Chicago. Girard earned a B.A. in community studies and attended John Marshall Law School in Chicago. After "retiring" in Monroe County, Girard served as executive director/consultant to the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce. She was a columnist for the Key West Observer and the Island Navigator. Girard was president of the Monroe County League of Women Voters and secretary for the state board of the League of Women Voters of Florida. She was president of the Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center Founders Society and of the Red Barn Theatre Band of Angels. She currently serves on the governing board of the Red Barn, as chair of the Lower Florida Keys Hospital district board, and on the board of directors of the Lower Keys Medical Center.

Hugh Key moved to Key West in 1977 after retiring from his legal career in Washington, D.C. A pioneer guesthouse owner, he purchased and commercially developed the Cosgrove House, which today serves as the principal building of the Banyan Resort. Key is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Oklahoma University School of Law. During his legal career he served as counsel to a U.S. Senate committee and later was appointed general counsel and assistant to the president of the Inter-American Foundation, which funded social development programs in Latin America. Today Key is the owner of a petroleum investment company. As a Monroe Council of the Arts board member he hopes to cultivate interest in the local arts and culture.

David Zirilli [holding license plate in photo], a Keys resident since 1996, holds bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting. After achieving his CPA designation at age twenty-three, he entered public practice in auditing as well as corporate and individual taxation. He gained experience as a senior auditor and has taught as an adjunct professor of accounting. Since opening a Key Largo branch of the family CPA firm, he has served as treasurer of Citizens for Island Government, Key Largo Community Council, and the regional American Youth Soccer Organization. Zirilli is a Rotarian and sits on the board of directors of Keys Academy of Marine Science. He is an alumnus of Leadership Monroe County.

New to the Arts Council advisory board are Kay Carpenter, health-care professional and music consultant, and Piper Smith, vice president of marketing and advertising for Historic Tours of America.

For more information, call Hal Howland at 305-294-4406.