Al Hanser Honored

Al Hanser, Founder and Chairman of The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company, was recently honored by the Board of Directors of the Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) for his dedication and leadership as Chairman of the Board of CFI since 2011.

“Al’s inspired leadership has resulted in a robust, effective organization with an outstanding Board of Directors that is now positioned to expand its service to the nonprofit sector. I am delighted that AL has agreed to be an Emeritus Member of CFI and will continue to lend his invaluable advice in helping to guide our path forward,” said Chip Roach, incoming Chairman of the Board.

With his wife Sally by his side, Al listened as friend after friend extended their public, heartfelt appreciation for his service, not only to the Charitable Foundation of the Islands, but also to the hundreds of projects, causes and organizations he has helped guide and support. His unselfish service is motivated by a passionate commitment to making our community a better place to work and live for everyone. Dozens of organizations have benefited from Al’s leadership, including but not limited to:

F.I.S.H. of Sanibel - Captiva

CROW

Community Housing Resources

Bailey - Mathews National Shell Museum

Children’s Education Center of the Islands

J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society

Sanibel - Captiva Conservation Foundation

Sanibel Community House

Sanibel Historical Museum and Village

Sanibel Public Library Foundation

Sanibel Sea School

Sanibel School Foundation

Al’s exemplary leadership resulted in CFI embarking upon a strategic planning process in November 2018 which established clearly defined objectives that will assist Sanibel and Captiva nonprofits to increase their ability to address some of the most pressing needs facing our community.

CFI’s Board includes Vice Chair, Virginia Stringer, Treasurer, Tim O’Neill, Secretary, Melissa Congress, Cindy Brown, Steve Brown, Ralph Clark, Brenda Harrity, Chris Heidrick, Mike Kelly, Tony Lapi, Mary Ellen Pfeifer, Nathalie Pyle, and Paul Roth. The Charitable Foundation of the Islands was founded in 2000 and its first Chairman of the Board was Francis Bailey who started the Good Neighbor Fund to help those in need on the Islands. That spirit of community commitment is alive and well at Charitable Foundation of the Islands today.