Commission Grps 4&5

Commissioner
MJ “Chip” Block

blockc@jupiterinletcolony.org

“Chip” Block is a retired media executive and entrepreneur residing in Jupiter, Florida.

He is active in local affairs. He serves as President of the Jupiter Inlet Colony Property Owners Assn. and is a member of the Scripps Florida Council.

Mr. Block began his career at Time, Inc. in 1971. He entered publishing after serving as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1968-1971.  Block has written extensively on publishing and media trends throughout his career.

He graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1967. He was elected president of the student government during his junior year. 

Career highlights:

*    1973  Co-founder, American Family Publishers

*    1975  Executive vice-president, Downe Publishing

*    1977  Co-founder, Games Magazine

*    1980-1990  Media consultant for many companies, including Time Warner,

3M, Newscorp, US News, and The Washington Post Company

*    1991  Co-founder, Applied Interactive Media

*    1998  President, consumer marketing and General Manager, The Petersen Company

      1999  Co-founder, USAPubs, Inc.

•     1999  Elected to the DMA Circulation Hall of Fame

Former director:

American Family Publishers

Vietnam Veterans of America

Rolling Stone Magazine

Graphic Computer Assn.

Petersen Publishing, Inc.

Ziff Davis Media

Hudson News Company

USAPubs, Inc.

Chip lives with his wife, Leanna, and two Labradors in Jupiter, Florida. They also have a home in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. Among his hobbies are tracking economic trends; history; golf, and walking on the beach with a good cigar.  He can be reached at 917-923-0056.

Commissioner
Richard D. Busto
Group 5
Special Assignments Commissioner bustod@jupiterinletcolony.org

Dick, with his wife Pam, moved to Canada in 1995 to become President and CEO of Gandalf Technologies, a high tech. networking company, developing, manufacturing and marketing internet routers in fourteen countries.

Two years later Dick moved to Jupiter Inlet Colony, Florida and his son Andrew was born.  Andrew has autism and Dick and Pam have been very active by volunteering at the Renaissance Learning Center (RLC), a local charter school serving children with autism ages three to fourteen.  He is a founder of the Renaissance Learning Academy (RLA), a charter high school serving students with an autism spectrum disorder which opened in August, 2009.  Dick is also the President of the Autism Project of Palm Beach County (APPBC), a grass roots, non profit, local organization raising funds to assist individuals with autism and their families.  APPBC is partnering with the Els for Autism Foundation to build a Center of Excellence in Palm Beach County that will serve all individuals with autism spectrum disorders.  The center will house both RLC and RLA charter schools as well as provide adult services,  and transitional housing assistance for anyone on the autism spectrum.