Spring Garden
Soup Society

Feeding the hungry in Philadelphia since 1852
 
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Board of Managers

The Spring Garden Soup Society Board of Managers
meets twice a year to assess the organization's performance
and establish goals for the future.
As you will see by reviewing the profiles below,
our members bring a broad range of experience and talent
to their stewardship responsibilities.
Continuity adds stability, with many members serving extended terms,
and several following in the footsteps of a forebear.
 
 
President - Robert H. Louis, Esquire

Mr. Louis is of counsel at the law firm Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, having practiced as a tax lawyer for almost fifty years. An active participant in bar-related activities, his charitable and civic activities include the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, the Friends of Briar Bush and Wissahickon Trails. Mr. Louis, a resident of North Wales, Pennsylvania, joined the Board in 2006, became Vice-President in 2014, and was elected President in 2021.
cindy spurdle Vice-President - Cynthia (Cindy) Spurdle

Before joining the SGSS board in 2016 and being elected Vice-President in 2021, Ms. Spurdle had spent 13 years with ARA (ARAMARK) food service, transitioning to become owner and president of an equipment leasing company. She was then named executive director of the Equipment Leasing Association, and later the first executive director of a nonprofit foundation certifying leasing professionals. Ms. Spurdle is currently board secretary of the International Women’s Club of Philadelphia and president of the Harford Park Dog Club. A graduate of Radnor Township’s Citizen Police Academy, she now serves in the Radnor Community Police Organization. Ms. Spurdle lives in Wayne, Pennsylvania and is a member of Church of the Saviour.
Secretary - William C. Hale, Ph.D.

Dr. Hale develops educational commons-dilemma games about sustainable resource use and holds a Ph.D. in "Energy Management and Policy." Previously, he worked for Raytheon Engineers as a nuclear-mechanical engineer. He lives in Rose Valley, Pennsylvania where he serves on Borough Council and on the Planning Commission. He also serves as Rental Chairman of the Rose Valley Folk and as an Assistant Scoutmaster in Troop 272, BSA. He joined the SGSS board in November 2005 and was elected Secretary in 2010.
ken gibb Treasurer - Kenneth L. Gibb
 
Mr. Gibb is the Executive Director of the law firm of White and Williams LLP where he oversees the administrative and business operations for the firm. He was elected to the SGSS Board in 1988, and served as secretary for several years before assuming his current position in 1997. He is a third-generation member, continuing a tradition begun by his grandfather, who was treasurer from 1939 to 1968, and then his father, who was a board member for over 20 years and president at the time of his death.  Mr. Gibb is also treasurer of the Homeless Advocacy Project in Philadelphia, and tutors children from center city Philadelphia in reading.  He lives in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
Barry Washington

Mr. Washington, who joined the board in 2012, was born and raised on the Main Line and currently lives in Phoenixville. He studied liberal arts at Eastern Baptist College and Penn State University, where he recently earned his BS in Integrated Social Science. He spent the lion's share of his professional career in marketing and business development at several large and small computer companies in New England and Philadelphia. He is currently project coördinator at Charter Oak Field Services, specializing in market research for pharmaceutical companies.
Kathryn Crary

Kate Crary is a partner in the law firm of Gadsden Schneider & Woodward LLP. She has previously served as Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Probate and Trust Law Section and as a director of Darlington Arts Center. She currently serves as co-Vice President of the Barley Sheaf Players and as Co-Chair of the American Bar Association’s Charitable Planning Committee. She lives in Exton, Pennsylvania.
Jeffrey Swarr

Mr. Swarr, who joined the board in 2010, is a sales professional with Avnet Technology Solutions, a global distributor of enterprise computers and software. As a two-term member of the Board of Deacons at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church and chairman of the church's Hunger Task Force for five years, he helped provide an avenue for BMPC families to experience service to others through support of soup kitchens in West Philadelphia, Chester, PA and Piedras Negras, Mexico. He lives in St. Davids, Pennsylvania.
frank noyes Frank E. Noyes, II, Esquire

A member of the board since 2001, Mr. Noyes is an attorney at the Mid-Atlantic law firm of Offit Kurman, P.A., focusing on corporate litigation and counseling owner-managed businesses, and on commercial litigation.  He is licensed to practice in both Pennsylvania and Delaware. He is an active member of Wallingford Presbyterian Church in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, where he serves as an elder, and also serves on the Commission for Financial Management (Trustees) for the Philadelphia Presbytery.
brooke porch
R. Brooke Porch

Mr. Porch is an educational consultant assigned by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist administrators and teachers in under-served school districts to improve classroom instruction and student performance. Prior to his time as a consultant, Mr. Porch was the Director of Special Education for the Upper Darby School  District.  He joined the Board in 1997 and lives in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.
Alexia Gibb Alexia Gibb

Ms. Gibb is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a BS in Business Administration and Accounting with a concentration in Business Data Analytics.  She is currently working in the accounting department of a construction company.  She is a fourth generation member, joining her father on the Board in 2021.  She is actively involved in the monthly “Casserole Blitz,” sponsored by the Hunger Committee of the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, providing casseroles for various homeless shelters in Philadelphia.  She lives in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
judy cook Judith Cook

Judy Cook was elected to the Society in 2023, providing a smooth transition of family representation on the board following the retirement of her husband, Douglas, after 44 years of service, including terms as Treasurer and President. Mrs. Cook is a retired special education teacher. She served as President of the Auxiliary of the Penn Home for 25 years, was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Rose Tree Day School of Media, Pa, and currently serves as a trustee of the Broughton Foundation and of the Sheetz Charitable Trust.
Peter Veloski J. Peter Veloski

Mr. Veloski is an attorney with the law firm of Schwarz Mongeluzzi LLP, where he focuses his practice on mass tort actions and other forms of complex litigation. Peter joined his father on the SGSS board shortly after graduating from Temple University Law School in 2015. While in law school, he served as financial director of the Temple Law student public interest society, and was a recipient of the Dolores Sloviter public interest fellowship in recognition of his efforts to provide tax preparation services to low income families. Peter lives in South Philadelphia with his wife, Vanessa, and their dog, Scout.
Howard McFarland Howard McFarland

Mr. McFarland, a Havertown resident, was elected to the Board in 2012. He is a graduate of Taylor University with a degree in business and economics, and spent 32 years with a major computer company in marketing, manufacturing, and Information Technology. He has held a number of trustee and teaching positions in his church, and credits his Christian faith for creating his heart for the poor, disadvantaged, and needy.
Don Fields Don Fields

Mr. Fields lives in Drexel Hill, PA with his wife Alexandra. They have three sons: Elias, Noah, and Jacob. A graduate of Temple University, Mr. Fields is a 20+ year employee of SAP software in Newtown Square, serving in various rôles around education and training delivery. He has been a member of the Upper Darby School Board since 2018, where he has served  on Curriculum and Finance committees as well as board vice-president and president. He is also a voting member of PSLDAF (Pennsylvania School District Liquid Asset Fund), serving on its Audit Committee.
Richard Coe Richard O. Coe, Ed.D.

Dr. Coe served the Bucks County Intermediate Unit from 1972 to 2007 in the roles of teacher, supervisor, Special Education Director, and Executive Director. A resident of Washington's Crossing, he is currently Executive Director of Kids Voting Southeast Pennsylvania, a grassroots nonpartisan organization working with local school districts in Bucks and eastern Montgomery counties and the community at large to enhance civics education and provide students with a realistic experience of voting on election day. He joined the SGSS Board of Managers in 2012.
John Dallas Bowers (President Emeritus)

Mr. Bowers was elected as a second-generation board member in 1988, his father having served from 1968 until shortly before his death in 1992, a tenure that included a term as Society president. Mr. Bowers was elected President in 2004, a post he held for 17 years. Prior to that, he was Vice-President and Chairman of the Executive Committee. He worked in broadcast promotion and sales for 15 years before becoming an advertising, marketing, and communications consultant in 1977.  He was a 30-year board member with Delaware County Memorial Hospital and its parent, Crozer-Keystone Healthcare System, until it was sold to the for-profit Prospect Medical Holdings in 2016. He currently serves on the board of Radnor Studio 21/Main Line Public Television. He is a hospice volunteer, a member of Church of the Saviour in Wayne, Pennsylvania, and lives in nearby Villanova.
Rick Coe Richard E. Coe, Esquire

Elected to the SGSS board in 2021, Richard E. Coe is a partner with the law firm of Faergre Drinker Biddle & Reath, specializing in antitrust matters and commercial disputes. He is a pro bono advocate for military veterans and serves on the board of the National Veterans Legal Services Program. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and Harvard Law School, Mr. Coe lived near the Spring Garden section of Philadelphia prior to moving to Swarthmore, where he now resides with his wife, Susan, and two sons, Fintan and Patrick. He coaches and cheers for both with their various sports team.



IN MEMORIAM
 
J. Jon Veloski (1947 - 2022)

Mr. Veloski was a statistician and Director of Medical Education Research at Jefferson Medical College where he provided analytic services to other faculty members, and studied outcomes assessment with support from the government and private foundations.  He joined the SGSS Board of Managers in 1989 and served as its secretary from 1997 to 2010.  He lived in Hockessin, Delaware.







We remain committed to the spirit of our founders' vision,
and invite tax-deductible donations from those who feel led
to support our commitment to feed the hungry.
For more information on how you can help
please click here.


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Questions or encouraging words are always welcome at
SpringGardenSoupSociety@verizon.net