About Us

Jack Meredith

Chair

Jack Meredith has over 35 years’ experience in architecture and construction and has a strong passion for order and supporting the human experience in his work. His interest in architecture began in the mid-1980s when he was a young carpenter designing, building, and constructing residential and commercial projects as a licensed contractor. After working as a contractor, he decided to pursue a career in architecture and pursued his architecture degree at Boston Architectural Center (BAC). The studios at BAC challenge normative architectural practices and materials, encouraging the use of innovation with restraint. This approach profoundly influenced his work both during college, and throughout his career. Jack currently serves as Director of Harvard Jolly Architecture’s Sarasota office where he works full time having overall accountability for the Harvard Jolly team by providing essential leadership.

In addition to his professional and educational experience Jack is dedicated to urban renewal and minimizing the impact of gentrification throughout urban communities. He’s committed in developing strategies to maintain the Sarasota Housing authorities’ mission to “providing quality affordable housing to enhance the lives of residents and promoting their independence.”

When Jack is not working or volunteering, he enjoys spending time with his family: he is blissfully married to Terri and has four children.

Ernestine Taylor

Vice Chair

Ernestine Taylor is an Air Force Veteran who became homeless and received a Section 8 Voucher. Once stably housed, she and her daughter enrolled in and completed the Family Self Sufficient program. This program helped them both complete degree programs and increase earned income, which propelled them toward economic independence and housing self-sufficiency, culminating in her graduating off of voucher assistance. Now another family in need is being housed with Ms. Taylor’s former voucher. Ms. Taylor has served as volunteer for AmeriCorps Vista with Legal Aid of Manasota and Senior Friendship Center. She was also a Guardian ad Litem for the Twelfth Circuit. Ms. Taylor has over 14 years employment experience with various non-profit organizations in Sarasota County dedicated to serving family, children and seniors. Ms. Taylor is honored for the opportunity to serve on a Board that seeks to help families flourish and live affordably in our community. She supports and encourages residents of public housing and Section 8 to increase their earned income and progress toward economic independence and housing self-sufficiency.

John Colón

John A. Colón is the Managing Partner of Sanderling Partners. He has spent over 30 years managing investments for his clients and has been duly recognized by several prominent firms. Mr. Colón most recently served as a Senior Vice President-Investments at Wells Fargo Advisors in downtown Sarasota. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors, Mr. Colón spent more than a decade at Morgan Stanley in New York. While there he attained the rank of First Vice President, and was tapped to open the Locust Valley, NY office of the firm which he managed for several years.

Outside of the office, Mr. Colón has been active in his community both locally and at the state level. He has served as a Gubernatorial appointee on the State Board of Education, and the Manatee County Schoolboard. Mr. Colón has also been a Commissioner of the Sarasota Housing Authority since 2005 and has served as its chairman 4 times over the years. He currently serves on the Board of Sarasota Teen Court, Manatee Tiger Bay and the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling Board of Directors.

G. Duane Finger

Gerald Duane Finger is retired from Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority where he served 31 years as Planning and Development Manager, Relocation Assistant, Director of Redevelopment and HOPE VI Coordinator. Duane was first appointed to the SHA Board of Commissioners in November 2004, and reappointed in April 2005, and served as Chairman. Duane was reappointed to the new, post-HUD receivership Commission in July 2008 and served as Chairman from 2008-2010, and also served as Chairman of Development Committee from 2010-2011. Currently, Duane serves on the Development Committee.

Mark Vengroff

Managing Partner of One Stop Housing / Chairman of One Stop Cares

Mark Vengroff joined One Stop Housing (OSH) as its managing partner in 2018. He continues to build on his fathers legacy of providing clean, safe, affordable housing to working families for over 40 years. In Mark’s first five years with OSH, the company had doubled in size with over 4,000 rental units across the State of FL and Memphis TN. The apartments include eight converted hotels, several large multi-family apartment communities, and many various sized multi-unit apartments. OSH is one of the largest for profit, Owner/Operators of Workforce Housing in the State of FL.

In 2019, Mark acquired and rebranded a construction company now named, One Stop Housing Development & Construction (OSHDC). OSHDC is licensed in FL and TN as a general contractor and licensed plumbing & electrical contractors. The savings gained through OSHDC’s design/build and construction/renovation allows OSH to reduce its costs on new developments and continue to provide lower rents to working families. In 2020, Mark founded One Stop Cares (501c3) to provide the needed wrap around services to support the residents in the surrounding communities.

Mark currently sits on the Board for the Bradenton Economic Development Board, appointed Commissioner on the Sarasota Housing Authority, Founder/Co-Chairman for the FL Incubator, Chairman of a 501c3, One Stop Cares, and Managing Partner of One Stop Housing, One Stop Housing Development & Construction.

Board Meeting Packets

Board Meeting Minutes