JDRF South Florida has presented the new Executive Committee and slate of Board of Directors for fiscal year 2021.

Donald “Rocky” E. Thompson II, shareholder in the Corporate Department at Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, has been named President of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Southern Florida Chapter.

In addition, David Siegel, President, Stiles Commercial Group, has been named Nominating and Board Development Chair.

Scott Rostock, Partner, Litigation with Akerman is Immediate Past President.

Thompson and Rostock will also serve on the Board of Directors. Siegel will also serve on the Advisory Council along with Dr. Jeffrey Martorana, John Rearer with Trean Corp., Bill Parker withInSource, Yolanda DiLella with Crown Castle and Carl Schuster with Greenspoon Marder. Schuster was named JDRF South Florida Chapter Legacy Award Honoree in 2018.

Thompson practices in the areas of mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, real estate development, securities transactions, and general contract negotiations. Stearns Weaver is a statewide full-service law firm.

Rocky became involved with JDRF over twenty years ago shortly after his daughter, Danielle, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes one 4th of July. It became the official day of her “dependence” on insulin injections to survive. Rocky spent many years on the Board of Directors of the Greater Palm Beach Chapter of JDRF culminating in serving as its President for a 2-year term. Following a move to Stearns Weaver in 2007, Rocky became an Advisory Council member for the South Florida Chapter, then Board Member and Nominating Committee Chair and now, once again, twelve years later, President.

“My sincere hope and expectation is that there will be a cure for Type I diabetes and, as a result, there will be no need for my service in the next 12 years and I will no longer mark the 4th of July as a day of her dependence but of independence,” commented Thompson.

In addition to those serving as Advisory Council, a host of prominent local businessmen and women offer their time and expertise to the JDRF South Florida Chapter. The following professionals will serve on the JDRF South Florida Chapter Board of Directors for 2021:

• Dr. Adriana Carrillo, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
• Rohit Chhabra, Central Square Technology
• Gus Giraldo, Centene Corporation
• James Gitkin, Salpeter Gitkin, LLP
• Brad Goodchild, Wells Fargo Advisors
• Fred Kaub, GFA
• Gila Kimmelman, Envision Healthcare
• Alicia Koross, MBAF
• Rachel Malueg, Mom Extraordinaire
• Dr. Janine Sanchez, UM Miller School of Medicine
• Jon Stage, Hodkin Stage Ward, PLLC
• Mark Waks, Slalom
• Jeremy Wehby, Grounds Grou

JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our strength lies in our exclusive focus and singular influence on the worldwide effort to end T1D.

About JDRF: JDRF is the leading Global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. T1D is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin. Having nothing to do with diet or lifestyle, T1D strikes both children and adults. JDRF has a Gold Rating from GuideStar Charity Navigator, operating with an 80% efficiency margin.