"CANDIDATES FOR OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS"

 

 

  AILEEN TABOADA AQUI

 

Aileen Taboada Aqui received degrees in Economics and Inter-disciplinary Social Science
for the University of South Florida.  Upon graduation she served as Operations Manager
for a Tampa based Management Advisor. She works at Smith Barney in Lakeland as Financial
Consultant and Financial Planning Specialist, working closely with investors, healthcare
professionals, and women.  She also coordinates the administrative and operational needs of the
group.  Aileen is on the Board of Directors for Girls, Inc., a current member of The Chamber,
and a representative of the USF Athletic Association.  Residing in Lakeland with her husband
Alex, a chiropractor, Aileen is running for Vice President, Membership, of The Chamber.

 

 

  ANGELINA CACULITAN

 

Angelina Caculitan has taught college English in Philippine universities, having achieved
Bachelor of Science and Masters Degrees in English from the University of the Philippines.
She has received awards as a top life and health insurance professional for Surety Life in 

the state of Florida and has been an Executive Director and National Training Director for Excel
Communications.  She was a two-term president of Ilocano USA, Inc., and was a past Chairman

of the Board of the Philippine Cultural Foundation, of which she is now a permanent board member. 

Presently Angie is a Chamber board member and chairman, Educational Speakers Committee, and 

member, Chamber Yearbook Committee.  She is seeking re-election to The Chamber board.  Angie 

resides in Auburndale with her husband Roger, a licensed professional engineer, whom she  helps in 

their Civil Engineering Consulting and Real Estate Investing business.  

 

 

  RUDY BAUTISTA

 

Rudy Bautista is a licensed realtor with Charles Rutenberg Realty and a local resident  for 25 years, 

is at present the Chairman of the Board of the Philippine Cultural Foundation, Inc..  Prior to this position 

he had served as board member and the board’s Vice President for two terms.  He has also served as 

the Vice President for Public Relations for The Chamber and is running for Chamber board member this

election.  Rudy and his wife Lucy, also a board member of PCFI, are very actively involved in community 

activities.  They have chaired many events, most notably the Philippine Festival ( PhilFest) and Sampaguita 

Ball and a host of other social and cultural activities.  They are the generous underwriters of the majestic 

lobby of our beautiful Bayanihan Arts Center.

 

  ROSE DY

 

Rose Dy is a registered nurse and licensed realtor with Keller Williams Realty. She was
just re-elected as President of the Philippine Medical Auxiliary, after a successful first term.
She is a major fund- raiser in the Filipino American community and is an active PCFI
Board member.  She is also a member of the Philippine Choral Group, performing at
community events, most recent of which was a benefit concert for the Children’s Pavilion
at the Bayanihan Arts Center.   Rose is a Chamber Board member and is seeking election 

as Vice-President for Membership.  She is married to Rodolfo Dy, M.D., a General Surgeon 

and immediate past president of the Philippine Medical Society, and they have three children: 

Michelle, Christopher and Elizabeth .

 

 

GILBERTO BOLANOS

 

Gilbert Bolanos has graduated with Bachelors , Masters, and Doctorate Degrees in Economics. 

He received an M.A. in Economics from the University of Louvain in Belgium and Marketing from 

the University of South Florida. He has, over the years, acquired a broad range of experience in 

banking, marketing, customer service/public relations, recruiting /staffing and numerous other 

skills.  He has also worked in the Florida Department of Labor and Division of Jobs and Benefits 

and is at present the Assistant Vice President  and Business Banking Relationship Manager of Sun 

Trust Bank.  A Tennis Champion in the K-Swiss Tennis League, he is running for Executive Vice 

President of The Chamber.

 

 

  LIBERTY GALLOWAY

 

Liberty Galloway received her Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce, major in accounting from
St. Louis University in the Philippines in 1964 and from the University of South Florida in 1982.
She retired from the Florida Department of Children & Family Services in July 2002 and has
also served in the U.S. Army Reserves.  Liberty is a founding member of the Philippine Performing 

Arts Company and is a permanent board member of the Philippine Cultural Foundation, Inc.

She has also served for years as a member of the Foundation’s Finance Committee.
Liberty and her husband Bill have two children:  Liberty Joy and Brandy Laura , and they

reside in Clearwater.  Liberty is seeking re-election as Chamber treasurer.

 

 

MARK HAMILTON

 

Mark Hamilton has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Stetson University in
1993, a Certificate in Financial Planning from Florida Institute of Technology and a Certified
Financial Planner designation in 1999.  He is currently a commercial analyst with Paragon 

Mortgage and prior to this position he worked as a financial consultant with a major U.S.
wire house firm since 1996.  He is also a U.S. army veteran.  Mark and his wife Abby live in 

Tampa with their three children, Christopher, Ryan, and Taylor.  He is seeking re-election 

as Chamber board member.

 

 

NESTOR ONA

 

Nestor Ona is a Tampa resident since 1973 and the oldest of seven siblings , completed two
years of college at De La Salle College in the Philippines.  He completed a course in Dental
Technology at Sharon Williams College.  After working in this field for several years, he started
his first dental lab, Precision Dental Laboratory , Inc..  Over twenty years later he is President
and CEO of Creative Dental Designs , Inc. in south Tampa. His lab is on the cutting edge with
the latest , Cad Cam Technology.  Nestor has been active in Filipino organizations and is at 

present the Assistant Vice President of Public Relations for The Chamber.  He is running for the

same post this coming election.  Nestor is married to the former Carolyn Calub and together 

they have two sons, Nick and Mark David.

 

 

CAROLINA LUGAY-LACSON

 

Carolina Lugay-Lacson, M.D., is a licensed mortgage broker with Paragon Mortgage, Inc.
She is currently Executive Vice President of the Chamber, Yearbook Editor for 2005 & 2006 , staff
of the Chamber newsletter and seeks election as Chamber President Carolina is a retired psychiatrist,

having practiced Adult Psychiatry at the UP-PGH Medical Center and the Medical City General Hospital 

in the Philippines.   She was concurrently Asst. Professor of Psychiatry at the UP College of Medicine. 

While in Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada, she was a Human Resource Professional at Paramax Defense 

Systems.  A PCFI board member, she chaired the Classica Concert Series 2003-2005, coordinated the
Philippine Instrumental Music Grant from 2004 2005. She is a member of the Philippine Medical
Society.  She is married to Atilano Lacson, M.D. pathologist at All Children’s Hospital . They have 3 

children: Clarissa, Amanda, & Almira,married to Paul Malley and 3 grandchildren: John, Cecilia and 
Theresa.

 

 

CHAT PEREZ

 

Chat Perez is a chemical engineer by profession , belongs to a family of entrepreneurs who own 

several Assisted Living Facilities in the Tampa Bay Area.  Chat owns and manages Regina’s Restaurant,
a popular Filipino eating place in Pinellas Park,  while her husband, Rick, manages the adjoining
Oriental Food Store.  She is a Chamber Board member, in charge of Festival preparations, and seeks

re-election to the  Board.

 

  JOEY OMILA

 

Joey Omila is the past Executive Director of the Bayanihan Arts Center owned by the Philippine 

Cultural Foundation. He is also a permanent board member of the Foundation and its Director of 

Cultural Affairs.  In addition , he is the Executive Director and Choreographer of the Philippine 

Performing Arts Dance Company of Tampa.  A graduate of the University of Santo Tomas with a 

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree , major in  Advertising, Joey has been a long-time member of the 

Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company and has traveled extensively around the world.  

Joey is also owner of his own management company, The Passport Travel Management
Group, Inc. , helping Filipinos with their passports, advising and updating them on Philippine 

tourism.  Volunteerism is in Joey’s blood and he is a familiar sight in almost every Filipino affair

as an emcee, a performer, and organizer.  Joey is running for Vice-President of Public Relations 

for the Chamber.

 

JOHANNA QUE

 

Johanna Que holds a Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Accounting , from Xavier
University ( Ateneo de Cagayan, Philippines).  She came to the U.S. to work for G.V.
Diversified, Inc., a Minority Business Enterprise in Los Angeles.  While in L.A. she was a member
of the L.A. Chamber of Commerce , L.A. Society of Hispanic Engineers and L.A. Asian Business
Association.  Married to David Haas and living in New Port Richey, Johanna has received numerous 

awards in sales.  She currently serves as Executive Vice President of Asset Foundations, Inc.
She is running for board member and hopes that with her proven background in sales and
customer relations , she will be an asset to The Chamber.

 

  ROBERT RALSTON

 

Robert “Bobby” Ralston is running for Vice President of the Chamber.  An army child, he
has lived in Germany, Kentucky and Kansas, but he considers Tampa his home, with his wife
Joy and their two children, Celine and Joseph.  Bobby is a Senior Loan Officer for Paragon
Mortgage and was the recipient of the firm’s MVP Award in 2005.  He is a very active member
of The Chamber and is out dealing with the public, meeting new people and gaining new
clients.  He is eager to bring the new generation into The Chamber and learn from the more
seasoned Chamber members who know the ropes.

 

 

  JOSEPHINE PULIDO SCHAAF

 

Josephine Pulido Schaaf is a Real Estate Sales Associate working out of the Palm Harbor office of
Keller-Williams Real Estate.  Jo is involved in commercial and residential real estate deals all over 

the State of Florida, and has recently been involved in several Multi Million deals involving multi-family

developments such as apartment buildings, condominiums and mobile home parks.  She is also serving 

as a transaction broker on several business sales contracts, such as Assisted Living facilites and Coin

Laundries.  She also has sales in high end luxury homes and condominimums.  Having moved from Manila 

to Pinellas County when she was only three years old, Jo is well versed in the Florida market, particularly 

here on the West Coast.  Prior to entering the real estate arena, Jo was in lending with SunTrust bank, 

and a paralegal with a background in real estate law.  Jo is married to attorney, Gary Schaaf, whose firm,
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A., is also a member of the PACC.

 

 

BOB RUELO

 

Licensed to practice law in the states of Florida, Illinois, and the Philippines, Bob Ruelo is at
present concentrating his practice in Immigration Law.  Interspacing his busy law practice with 
community-oriented activities, he has been Secretary and Legal Counsel for the Philippine
Cultural Foundation, Inc. for the last 12 consecutive years.  Working closely with Paul
Beraquit , Bob incorporated and drafted the bylaws and other legal documents of the
Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay , Inc. ( PACC).  Bob is a charter
director of The Chamber and First Editor of its yearbook.  Bob is married to Jean Ruelo, a registered
nurse, and is running for Chamber board member.

 

 

   ISABELITA SMITH

 

Isabelita Smith has a Bachelor of Science in Education and an Associate Degree in Business
Admisistration from the University of the East in the Philippines. She taught Science, Chemistry ,
Biology and Physics in Manila high schools.  She worked at the Bank of America and the National
Bank of America before moving to Florida.  She is married to William L. Smith and they reside
in St. Petersburg.  She is active in several Filipino American organizations and has been bestowed
Person of the Year honors from both the Fil-Am Club of Pinellas and the St. Petersburg International
Folk Fair Society.  Isabelita is presently a board member of The Chamber and is seeking re-election.

 

 

  GARY M. SCHAAF, ESQ.

 

Gary M. Schaaf, ESQ., is an experienced commercial litigator and shareholder in the
Tampa Bay office of Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. Gary’s extensive experience in complex
commercial litigation, including contract, probate, trust and community association litigation, real
property disputes , and a host of other types of litigation, is quite impressive.  He also has
significant trial experience in the state and federal courts of Florida, as well as appellate practice
experience before Florida’s Second District of Appeals and the Eleventh Circuit Court of
Appeals.  He has been rated ‘ AV” by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory - its highest
rating- upon his colleagues’ endorsements in areas of professional conduct, ethics, and ability.
Gary is married to Josephine Pulido Schaaf, a realtor, and is a candidate for board member
of The Chamber.

 

 

  MARC VITORILLO

 

Marc Vitorillo is a Licensed Professional Realtor and a licensed Mortgage Broker.  He has a business
degree in Management Information Systems from the University of South Florida in Tampa.  He began
his career as a network engineer with IBM Global Networks and ATT Global Networks.  Marc has been 

involved in many community and professional organizations, among which are the National Association 

of Realtors, Florida Association of Realtors, the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and the Philippine 

American Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay.  Marc and his wife Sharon, a registered nurse,
reside in Tampa and he is running for Chamber president.