Five of six Scott appointees weren’t contributors [Highlands Today, Sebring, Fla.]

Dec. 20--SEBRING -- Only one of the six South Florida Community College trustees appointed by Gov. Rick Scott was a contributor to his $128 million campaign.

It also appears Ron Handley, who was picked as the new Highlands County commissioner, also was not a Scott contributor, although his mother, Ruth, supported his opponent.

A search of the Florida Division of Elections database showed that Ruth Handley and a few of the five SFCC trustees contributed to other political campaigns.

In November, Scott reappointed Tami Cullens and chose five others to serve on the college board of trustees.

Lana Puckorius of Avon Park was the president of Puckorius and Associates Inc. from 1987 to 2009, and is also the immediate past president of the SFCC Foundation. She contributed only to the Marco Rubio for Senate campaign.

"I was approached by a couple of people to apply," Puckorius said. "It was a long time before his appointment secretary called, and we had a very brief interview."

A time was set up to be interviewed by the governor. "It was so relaxed, so comfortable, so state oriented," Puckorius said.

According to the elections database, Cullens donated $100 to Scott, $200 to State Rep. Ben Albritton's campaign, and $250 to Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater's campaign. She is a 14-year member of the SFCC Foundation and she was a Webber International University trustee.

Cullens' husband, Charles, contributed $500 to Adam Putnam's agriculture commission race.

Kenneth A. Lambert of Wauchula, vice president of enterprise solutions for Knowledge-Based Marketing Group, said he contributed no cash to Scott. "But that should not be construed to mean I was not in support," Lambert said.

Another new member of the SFCC board is Derren J. Bryan of Bowling Green, the general manager and information technology director for Albritton Insurance Services LLC, who contributed $500 to Ben Albritton's campaign, as did Lambert.

Kris Y. Rider, 60, of Lake Placid, has been a bookkeeper for Michael A. Rider P.A. since 1981. She is a past president and member of Scholarship Recognition Inc. of Highlands County and received an associate's degree from South Florida Community College. Her name did not appear in the contributions database.

Finally, former Avon Park City Council member Joe Wright donated $600 to Putnam.

Ron Handley's name appeared only once, as a $100 Putnam contributor. Handley is a rancher and home builder.

However, his mother, Ruth, contributed four checks totaling $1,000 to Scott's Democratic opponent, Alex Sink.

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