Meet The President - In my first life in Florida I was a school teacher. I taught French at the then top ranked high school in the country – Melbourne High School. That was 1965-1968. Having met my husband, David, in 1966 in the teacher’s lounge at Mel-High and married in 1967 -- my second life in Florida was all about managing two careers, raising two children and a lot of volunteer work.

My husband was Mayor of our town for twelve years – it is an elected / nonpaying position. I was volunteering for the local real estate Board and chairing committees for them as well as getting involved at the State level. I have held responsible positions in both the Melbourne Area Association of REALTORS (I was the president for most of 1996 and all of 1997) with membership at that time of close to 1200 members and the Florida Association of REALTORS (I was a District Vice President).

How did a REALTOR get mixed up with the League of Women Voters (LWV)? It’s about things I believe in and about seeing political abuse in action and finding a group where I felt we could make a difference. In my first and second lives here, the groups I have consistently supported were the AAUW (University Women) and the LWV. Now we are retired – it is my third life in Florida . I have come to the end of a two-year term as the President of the Melbourne Branch of AAUW and I’m looking forward to serving the next two years as president of our local Space Coast LWV as well as, serving as membership chair at the State level. The issues that drew me to the LWV when my children were young have been amplified by the seven grandchildren we have now living in this state. Like I said it’s about things I believe in and trying to make a difference!

                                             Ruth Schechter