TERI LYNN OSTROVIAK
President
In 2018, Teri moved to Venice from Fairfax Virginia outside of Washington DC. Originally from Kansas, Teri spent time collecting college degrees, traveling, living in different states and outside the US borders. She admits to having a love for history and interesting places. While at a business meeting, a man mentioned that Venice Florida might be of interest as it was an arty town with an interesting history. Teri and her husband, Jeff, came down while on their way to look at Naples and were smitten by how fun and interesting Venice was. So Naples lost out to Venice as their Florida home. Currently, Teri actively volunteers at Venice Museum, Venice Theater (where her dog, Picasso, is an actor), Spanish Point, and Marie Selby. If Teri had Ruby slippers, she would not click them to return to Kansas, but wear them proudly on the streets of Venice!
JEAN TRAMMELL
Vice President
Jean has been a Venice resident since 1967 and has been involved in a number of community organizations. She is also a founding member of Venice Heritage, as well as a past President. Jean’s local affiliations include; Vice President: The Venice Company, Secretary: DKE Inc., President: Ehrhart Family Foundation, Blogger, Venice Magazine, 35 years of volunteer experience with Venice Theatre, Venice MainStreet, Venice Art Center, Triangle Inn Association, Venice Area Historical Society, Venice Area Beautification Inc., Friends of the Venice Library, Arts Council of Sarasota County, TEDB, EDC, City of Venice Advisory Boards for Historic Preservation and Public Art.
DOROTHY KORWEK
Treasurer
A resident of Venice since 1983, Korwek is a former member of the Venice City Council and former Director of Historical Resources for the City of Venice. She is the author and editor of several books on Venice area history.
GARY YOUNGBERG
Secretary
Gary is a Venice native and a 1972 graduate of Venice High School. He attended the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago studying radio engineering. In 1981, he spent four months in West Africa on a technology related project. In 1978, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and joined a small business as a chimney sweep. In 1982, he established his own business, Associated Chimney Sweeps, that he operated until the fall of 2017 when he retired and moved back to Venice.
His interests include aviation, radio communications (amateur radio), audio/video engineering, and local history research and preservation. Gary is a volunteer on the Lord-Higel House restoration project and assists with the maintenance of “Old Betsy,” Venice’s original 1926 American LaFrance fire engine. He also assists the Venice Area Historical Society with its archival collection and serves on the planning committee for the Old Timer’s Picnic. Gary is a grandson of George E. Youngberg, Sr., who worked as a civil engineer for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers during their 1925-28 development of Venice.
HARRY KLINKHAMER
Ex-Officio
Harry Klinkhamer is the Historical Resources Manager for the City of Venice, supervising its Division of Historical Resources. In that role, he manages the Venice Museum, Julia Cousins Laning and Dale Laning Archives & Research Center, and the forthcoming Lord-Higel House and Old Betsy Museum. He is also the city’s historic preservation officer and oversees the city’s public art.
Prior to coming to Venice in 2017, Klinkhamer worked for the Forest Preserve District of Will County in the Chicago suburbs operating the Isle a la Cache Museum. He also was a program officer for the American Association for State and Local History. Klinkhamer holds a M.A. in Public History from Loyola University of Chicago and nearly completed a Ph.D. in Public History and Environmental History from Middle Tennessee State University. He has also taught at Tennessee State University, Lewis University, and College of DuPage.
Klinkhamer is also the author of several publications, including “Urbs in Solitudinem” (The City in A Wilderness) published in the George Wright Forum, and From Levittown to Leave it to Beaver: Interpreting Mid-Twentieth Century Suburbia.