2019 Who’s Who in America’s Neighborhoods Award

Ray Dettman

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Ray Dettman was nominated by Jorg Hruschka, Chief Service Officer from the City of Fort Lauderdale Neighbor Volunteer Office. Ray Dettman is in the world of volunteering and civic activism many respond to the call to service, but like a shooting star that momentarily flashes brightly in the night sky, most do not last. Few make service to others a lifetime commitment. For almost forty years, Mr. Ray Dettmann is one of the very few who stayed the course to make his neighborhood and the City of Fort Lauderdale the place that we all want to live, work, play, and raise our children.

The turbulent times of gangs and prostitution are long gone, and Ray has shifted his focus on a wider horizon. He is still a passionate leader in his neighborhood, but he is giving back to the greater good of the City. He embraced a new cause, early literacy, and the education of our youngest neighbors. Ray is one of the proud founders of Action for Literacy, a Fort Lauderdale not-for-profit. His charity wants to ensure that every child in Greater Fort Lauderdale has access to a free book at any time. They are providing free reading material through the collaborative book giveaways and are a strong supporter of the Little Free Library project. Ray works tirelessly at Read-a-Thons for local children. He is invaluable in installing and stocking the birdhouse style Little Free Libraries, which can be found all over the city.

But his enthusiasm to give back to his community does not stop there. Ray is also was a founder of the Neighbor Volunteer Office’s Volunteer Leadership Council. Another accomplishment is his tenure as area captain of CERT from 2010 to 2015. He continues to be an active member today. His steadfast commitment to civic duty was recognized by city leaders and he was called to serve on the Fire Bond Board in 2018. Ray’s focus has always been on serving his fellow citizens and continually finding better ways to serve, to build a safer neighborhood, and a more inclusive and proactive Fort Lauderdale. If you need someone to lead, Ray is the first person to answer the call to serve. He is a true example of the best in our city.

Cheri Coryea

Bradenton, Florida

Cheri Coryea was nominated by Debbie DeLeon. In Cheri’s 28 years working with neighborhoods, she has led the development of several County initiatives including the creation of the Economic Development Incentive Program (ED) which is currently attributed to the creation of over 2,000 new jobs paying at or above $38,000 over the next five years. She was also instrumental in the creation of the Southwest Tax Increment Financing District, the funding mechanism for improvements for a large part of Manatee County.

She is a member of the Florida Planning and Zoning Association and is the past chairman of the SunCoast Partnership to End Homelessness. She works to improve healthcare for the medically needy and currently serves as the County liaison to the Healthcare Advisory Board to study indigent health care services and trends in Manatee County. Additionally, she has overseen the Children’s Services tax and was a part of creating and sustaining the Manatee County Children’s Summit – a community-wide annual event that attracted over 2,000 attendees.

The Manatee Millennial Movement (M3) is an initiative she founded to help mentor and groom the County’s group of young professionals who will lead and influence county government. Cheri has managed an annual budget of over $44 million including federal, state, and local grants. She focused on building community relationships and interacting with the over 150 not-for-profit agencies, hospitals, and intergovernmental organizations that collaborate with Manatee County to serve citizens. Neighborhood improvement highlights include: Rubonia Community Center renovations, Norma Lloyd Park development, Samoset, Bayshore Gardens, and Pride Park improvements. Cheri has also authored “Voices: Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.”

Cheri is a champion for all of Manatee County’s neighborhoods. She is a professional who has worked alongside neighborhoods to help assess their needs and rally the necessary people across various fields (businesses, governments, and nonprofits) to affect positive change. She is a creative problem solver who always tries to provide neighborhoods with options and alternatives instead of the “no” response government has been well-known for giving communities.