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Name: Tom Dyer Title: Publisher What You Need To Know: Tom is Watermark's founder, publisher, and off-and-on editor, who still contributes features and news stories. Tom grew up in Maitland and graduated from Winter Park High School, Depauw University and the University of Florida College of Law. He is an attorney, practicing in the area of wills, trusts, estate planning and probate. Tom can't say no to ice cream and his superpower is an eerily accurate imitation of Skeletor, nemesis to He-Man. Fun Fact: Tom has climbed Vermont's highest mountain. |
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Name: Rick Claggett Title: Chief Financial Officer What You Need To Know: A long-time Orlando resident who graduated from Winter Park High School, Rick considers Central Florida to be his home. After receiving his B.A. in Theater Arts, Rick worked in New York’s entertainment industry. In 2002 Rick joined Watermark as the Admin. Assistant until he was promoted to Business Manager in 2005. Rick's favorite Orlando hangout is â┚¬Å”Sip,â┚¬Â his weakness is Mexican food, and he likes working at Watermark because there's a sense of doing something positive for local LGBT communities. Fun Fact: Rick was once Ricki Lake's personal assistant. |
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Name: Steve Blanchard Title: Editor What You Need To Know: Steve hails from Arnold, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis. After graduating from the University of Missouri – Columbia, he accepted a job writing sports at the Fulton Sun in Missouri, then as a business writer for the Charlotte Sun in Port Charlotte, FL. After four years, Steve moved with his partner of nine years, Phillip, to St. Petersburg in 2004 where he started working with Watermark. His superpower is faultless listening skills, but he can be disarmed by a single slice of pizza. Fun Fact: Steve's favorite aspect of his job is the chance to meet exciting people. |
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Name: Jamie Hyman Title: Online Editor What You Need To Know: Jamie is a graduate of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, a degree put to good use as the first-ever News Director for an Upper Florida Keys radio group. After stops in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Jamie settled in Orlando in 2008. Her superpower is the ability to smell desperation in craigslist sellers, and when she's not at work, she's reading, surfing or playing roller derby. Fun Fact: Jamie once crashed a restaurant opening just so she could meet Bob Barker. |
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Name: Jake Stevens Title: Art Director What You Need To Know: Jake has been with Watermark since February 2007 and uses his Bachelors of Fine Arts degree to create the signature editorial layouts that Watermark is known for. His previous credits also include Pre-Press Technician for Upper Valley Press of N.H., Art Director for Backstage Pass Magazine in Daytona Beach, the 2007 St. Pete Pride Program, the Come Out With Pride 2007 Program and Play bill (also a few COWP advertisements and flyers). When Jake isn't at work, he can be found on Facebook, at Paradise's karaoke nights, or at a hardcore metal show. Fun Fact: Jake spent seven years working as a cowboy-lifeguard at a Western-themed water park. |
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Name: Mark Cady |
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Name: Scott McCauley Title: Sales Account Manager – Orlando What You Need to Know: A native of West Virginia, Scott has a master's degree in music education and has taught band for 13 years in South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida. Scott is an avid gardener and has had his own landscape business as well as professional gardener for various celebrities in NYC. He and his partner Kevin have been together since 2000. Scott’s favorite thing about Watermark is listening to the humor of Don Williams… and his superpower is the ability to tolerate Don Williams’ humor. Fun Fact: Scott’s favorite place to be is on his back patio with a frozen watermelon margarita. |
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Name: Don Williams Title: Sales Account Manager – Orlando What You Need to Know: Don began his media career as a radio announcer/disc jockey in his hometown of Painesville, Ohio. After a decade of spinning 45 rpm records, he decided to move into advertising sales. This decision followed his walking through a radio station parking lot and noticing that the cars driven by the djs were older and not as nice as the cars driven by the sales people. Don has had three careers with Watermark Media over the past 10 years. He began his third career on June 1, 2009 and is happy to be back. He lives with his partner of ten years, Jeremy, in downtown Orlando. They are owned by a miniature pinscher, Tina, Coco, a cocker spaniel & Byna, a golden retriever puppy. The four-legged friends also double as a splendid alarm system. Fun Fact: Don is an aspiring mystery writer. |
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Name: Sam Rennels |
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Name: Bill Jeffries Title: Sales Account Manager – Tampa Bay What You Need to Know: Bill Jeffries has a marketing degree from Auburn University. After graduating, he took a sales job in the outdoor advertising business in Atlanta. From there took a tour of Florida as he was transferred to Tampa, then Miami/fort Lauderdale and then Orlando and back to Tampa. In all, Bill have more than two decades of advertising experience. When he’s not at work, you can find him at the gym, working on his house or just enjoying time out with friends. Fun fact: Bill is so addicted to sushi that if he goes a week without he suffers from withdrawal. |
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Name: Erik Caban |
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Name: Andrés Duputel |
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
New York-born Lawrence Ferber juggles several synergistic careers at once: entertainment and travel journalist, film festival programmer/curator and filmmaker. Holding a BA in Film Production from NC State University, his debut feature (as co-writer) is BearCity, a gay romantic comedy set in NYC’s bear scene and due for release in 2010. Email Lawrence Ferber.
Stephen J. Miller has been Watermark's film critic and features writer since October 2007. He believes art matters more than politics in the long run. He sees well over a hundred movies a year. His work includes playwrighting and book reviews. Stephen likes absurdism, as long as it makes sense. Email Stephen Miller.
Anthony Paull is an author, filmmaker, and syndicated columnist of The Dating Diet, which is published in various GLBT publications across the United States. Anthony’s web site.
Gregg Shapiro is a 1999 inductee into Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, as well as the recipient of 2003’s Outmusic Award for Outstanding Support. He covers music, film, books and theater for a variety of regional GLBT publications. His book, Protection, was published by Gival Press in 2008.
Brian Feist has been writing for GLBT publications for over ten years. He joined the Watermark staff in 2009 and contributes a recurring column of social and political commentary. Brian grew up on a farm in southern Minnesota, where his family still lives. He has degrees in Music, Education and Nursing, but prefers to think of himself as a student of life.
Mary Meeks is a commercial litigation attorney at Carlton Fields, P.A. in Orlando and Mary is a gay rights activist who leads a grassroots social justice organization called “OneOrlando.com.” She has co-produced two award-winning documentaries on gay rights issues. Mary writes a periodic column in Watermark called “Living Loud.” Email Mary Meeks.
Reverend Phyllis Hunt has a deep passion for people who have been marginalized and disenfranchised by the unjust and unrighteous actions religious authority and beliefs. She is a native Floridian and has served the Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa since 1993 offering a progressive Christian message of inclusion. Phyllis writes a period column on spiritual issues called â┚¬Å”Abundant Blessings.â┚¬ÂÂ
John Chambrone received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcasting while growing up in New York. Shortly after moving to the Tampa area in the late nineties, he began producing a monthly gay and lesbian radio program, ‘Out in the Open,’ on WMNF 88.5fm here in Tampa. After a decade and a half of writing for the Gazette in Tampa, John is a proud member of the Watermark family. John focuses mostly on music and pop culture and has reviewed hundreds of concerts.
