Trustees & Staff

Bob Blalock, a Manatee County native and graduate of Princeton University, practiced law at Blalock Walters in the areas of estate planning, real estate, and business. He has been active in civic affairs serving as Chair of the 12th Judicial Circuit Judicial Qualifications committee, a Trustee of New College of Florida and the Manatee Community Foundation. He has also chaired of a variety of entities including the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation, Manatee Estate Planning Council, Manatee Players, the Sarasota Orchestra and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Bob was a close personal friend as well as legal representative for Mary Parker and assisted her for years with foundation funding requests and site visits.

Born at Manatee Memorial Hospital, Mary is a native of Manatee County. Mary Parker was her grandfather’s sister and was like a grandmother to her. Mary spent considerable time with Ms. Parker and the Bishops as she was growing up, including celebrating holidays, birthdays, and special occasions together. Mary Parker’s nursing career influenced young Mary, and after graduating from the University of Florida, she later graduated with her nursing degree from what was then the Manatee Junior College School of Nursing, now the State College of Florida. Ms. Parker lived independently through her 100th birthday, but after fracturing her pelvis, Mary became her nurse and companion until her passing at 108 years old in 2020.

Having grown up in Bradenton, Bud was aware of the Bishops and Mary Parker and the generous contributions they made to so many causes. When he began working at Dick Pratt’s firm in the early 1960’s he became personally acquainted with Mary. He worked closely with Mary over the years in assisting with the operation of her foundation and also with the Bishop Foundation. He continued as Mary’s personal accountant and friend until her passing in 2020.

Barbara M. Jennings is a community volunteer with extensive, valuable experience working with local Manatee County non-profit organizations. Barbara is a retired businesswoman and university administrator who came to Bradenton from Ohio. She has earned university degrees in three separate fields – education, urban studies, and law. Her multi-disciplinary background is especially valued as the Foundation continues to strategically focus on best meeting its mission and goals to build a better community.

Mary L. Ruiz is CEO of Ruiz Strategic Advisors, a management consultancy specializing in strategic planning for growth companies and nonprofit agencies. She is a senior healthcare executive and a respected leader in impacting public behavioral health policy. She worked as Chief Strategy Officer of Centerstone of America, a multi-state behavioral health system based in Nashville, TN. From 1996-2016, she served as CEO of Centerstone of Florida, a hospital and outpatient behavioral health system headquartered in Bradenton. Mary chairs the Board of Trustees of New College of Florida, the public liberal arts honors college the state university system. She is past president of the International Women’s Forum of Southwest Florida, a global invitation-only group of preeminent women leaders.

A native of North Dakota, Adell lived in various countries outside the United States for seventeen years before returning upon her husband’s retirement in 2002, when they settled with their family in Bradenton. She served almost sixteen years as Executive Director of the non-profit Turning Points, in Bradenton, where she met Mary Parker and became familiar with the two foundations which were vital supporters throughout the years of her tenure. She is looking forward to the opportunity to assist in guiding the Foundations in continuing their legacy of making critical, positive impact throughout Manatee County.