BRADENTON, FL (September 2, 2025)— Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints Lon Deckard and Karen Rose to the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota District Board of Trustees. Deckard and Rose bring extensive experience in business and education leadership and service, respectively, and a strong commitment to advocacy and support for SCF and its students.

SCF President Tommy Gregory, J.D., welcomes the new board members, sharing, “We are thankful these community leaders have volunteered to serve on the SCF Board of Trustees. They sacrifice a lot of time and bring many talents to the table. Our students will benefit from their expertise and support.”

Deckard is a U.S. Navy veteran and owner of Quadrel Inc., a concrete management software company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He serves on the board of Argus Foundation, a nonprofit business leadership organization located in Sarasota. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Rose was recently appointed to the Sarasota County Schools Board. She formerly served with Sarasota County Schools as a board member, an executive director, a middle school principal and a special education teacher, and is a former member of the Florida Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Youngstown State University and a master’s degree in education from the University of South Florida.

Delighted to join the board, Rose shared, “I am honored to serve and committed to SCF leading the way in educational opportunities and student achievement.”

The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. 

Photo caption: Lon Deckard, new member of the SCF District Board of Trustees.

Photo caption: Karen Rose, new member of the SCF District Board of Trustees.