Meet our Board Members:
Melanie Barr
Kevin Barry
Kevin Bidenkap
David Denitz
Barry Hill
Brad Jacobson
Sheryl Kilgore
Dave Menk
Kris Nishihira
Adrian Nuno
Steve Obradovich
Linda Rambis
Kurt Rambis
Jonathan Marselis
Melanie Barr
Professional: Melanie started her career in sports with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2007 she took the role of CEO of Universal Sports & Entertainment Group, a company specializing in creating, managing, and executing entertainment and sporting events. In addition to running her event business Melanie is a Broker for Business Insurance helping local businesses manage there insurance more efficiently.
Organization/Service: Melanie has created, fundraised, and assisted in the execution of events for Universal Sports & Entertainment Group, Step Up Women’s Network, the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and WIN the Los Angeles Dodgers Women’s Organization.
Board of Directors: Melanie is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of Step Up Women’s Network a National Non Profit Organization serving underprivileged teenage girls and helping them go to College. Melanie is a Graduate of Leadership Los Angeles and an Ambassador for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of CAI (Community Association Institute) and the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce.
Personal: Melanie is a proud godmother, enjoys running, the beach, golf, travel, and spending time with friends and family.
Kevin Barry
Professional: Kevin is a general partner and the managing director of Towne Restaurant in Manhattan Beach and Sangria Restaurant in Hermosa Beach. He is a limited partner of Falcon Restaurant in Hollywood and Pearl Dragon Restaurant in Pacific Palisades. Kevin is also an Ocean Lifeguard and a Junior Lifeguard Instructor for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Organization/Service: Kevin has produced numerous fundraising events at his restaurants, bringing in over two million dollars for local and national foundations and charity organizations like the Hermosa Beach Education Foundation, Leadership Manhattan Beach and the Surfrider Foundation. Organizing Committee and MC for the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race. Occasional Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages for Los Angeles County.
Board of Directors: Downtown Manhattan Beach Business Association
Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation; Hermosa Beach Restaurant Association;
Personal: Kevin is a proud uncle and godfather and is looking forward to soon being married. He loves to surf in Hawaii and Fiji and to play volleyball with his friends in local tournaments.
Connections to D4K: Long time friend of Eric & Albert. Host of Beach Blanket Bingo & Dig 4 Kids Casino Night Fundraiser’s at Sangria. Business partner of Eric at Towne Restaurant.
Kevin Bidenkap
Professional: Second Vice President – Wealth Management at Smith Barney. A veteran in the financial services industry, he joined Smith Barney in August of 2005, with Angela Park, CFP®, to provide a broader depth of services and products for clients http://fa.smithbarney.com/thebidenkapparkgroup . He is currently the investment manager and liabilities manager for the Bidenkap/Park Group. He began his career at Morgan Stanley where he served as a financial advisor to high net worth individuals and small family-owned businesses for over 10 years.
Organization/Service: Dig for Kids- Board Member; Los Angeles County Sigma Chi Alumni Chapter- Executive Vice President and Board Member; CSULB Corporate Mentoring Program- corporate mentor for 3 years to business students transitioning to the workplace; Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce- active member; Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce- active member
Personal: Kevin spends his leisure time playing golf, volleyball (indoor/beach), and traveling.
College Degree(s): Bachelors of Science – General Business, 1990
Arizona State University
Connection to D4K: Kevin has a great interest in the education and motivation of students in the Southern California region.
David Denitz
Professional: Commercial Real Estate Broker. Started in commercial real estate in 1981 with Industrial Commercial Properties. Moved to Daum Commercial real estate in 1983. Became a founding partner of Gateway Business Properties in 1996. David provides expertise to business owners in buying, leasing, selling and investments in the commercial real estate industry.
Organization/Service: Active member of the American Industrial/Commercial Real Estate Association since 1981. Original Board of Director of the AVP in 1983. Started the Diggers Girls Volleyball Club a 501 C 3 1996-2001.
Personal:Played professional beach volleyball. Has an identical twin brother Marc. Enjoys surfing, coaching and playing beach volleyball. Is married to Maureen (Mo) and has two step daughters, Lexy and Molly.
Connection to D4K: Known the Hanneman and Fonoimoana family more than 25 years. Coached Albert on the AVP tour.
Barry Hill
Professional: Senior Vice President at Jones Lang Salle
Organization/Service: Provide support to multiple charitable causes and organizations both locally and nationally. Actively involved in the UCLA Sigma Chi Alumni Big Brother Mentoring Program.
Personal: A California Native and long time resident of Manhattan Beach with wife Courtney, son Kellen and daughter Barrett. Barry enjoys surfing, golf, volleyball, travel and spending time with friends and family.
Education: San Diego State University ’93.
Connection to D4K: Strong belief in the benefits of after school programs for inner city children, long time friend of Eric Fonoimoana and participated in previous fundraising efforts on his behalf.
Brad Jacobson
Professional: Brad is the founder of Civic Couch. Civic Couch is an association of residents, non-profit organizations and community leaders coming together to promote the people, events, education system and volunteer opportunities in the community.
Organization/Service: Brad is currently on the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce Board, a board liaison for the Legislative Advocacy Council, a board liaison for the Sports and Entertainment Committee, a graduate and active alumni member of Leadership Manhattan Beach and is a member of both the Surfrider Foundation and the California State Parks Foundation.
Personal: Brad is married to Kathleen Paralusz. They are expecting their first child in September. Brad enjoys participating in many sports, including: surfing, volleyball, wakeboarding and skiing.
Connections to D4K: Supporter of Dig4Kids and friend to Eric Fonoimoana.
Sheryl Kilgore
Professional: Sr Technical Support Engineer, Mission Assurance & Performance Excellence Division, Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems
Organization/Service: Parkinson’s Disease Foundation Member, DonateLife California – Organ and Tissue Donor Member, and involved in various fund-raising events for local charitable organizations.
Personal: Native Texan, moved to California in 1993. Lives in Manhattan Beach with her niece. Enjoys spending time with friends playing volleyball, tennis, softball, going bowling and watching Longhorn football.
College Degree(s): Bachelor of Science, University of Texas, Austin, TX 1988
Connection to D4K: Sheryl has a teaching degree and has played volleyball since junior high school. Began volunteering for DFK after meeting Albert on a Volleyball Vacations trip. The afterschool programs are a perfect match to utilize her education degree and volleyball background.
Dave Menk
Professional: Dave Menk has been a Senior Account Executive with Clear Channel Outdoor, the world’s largest out of home media company, for the past 13 years. In that capacity, he works with advertisers and advertising agencies in developing outdoor advertising campaigns targeted to meet their expectations. This includes securing the business as well as managing thru the process from creative concept to implementation on the street. His list of clients over the years has included cruise lines, timeshare resorts, internet providers, real estate developers, and many others.
Organization/Service: Dave is involved in various church projects ongoing and has served on various boards in the Orlando area in the past including to name a few the Orlando Advertising Federation and Christian Service Center. He has also been known to coach youth basketball from time to time as well in the Orlando area.
Personal: Dave grew up in the rural Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and after college graduation spent some time living in Michigan and New Jersey. He moved to the Orlando area in 1991 and is divorced and the father of a 16 year old daughter, Taylor, who is currently a junior in high school.
College Degree(s): Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from Virginia Commonwealth University(’84)
Connection to D4K: Met Christi Phillips at an AVP function(while volunteering at the Tampa event with daughter in ’07) and then met Erik and Mitch here in Orlando thru my daughter’s volleyball club, OVA. With involvement in club sports, marketing, and passion for both volleyball and working with youth– became a natural fit to get involved.
Kris Nishihira
Professional: Kris Nishihira currently serves as Vice President for the Citizens Business Bank. A Nineteen year veteran of the bank, Mr. Nishihira is an area manager, where he oversees a team of business development officers in the South Bay and Long Beach markets. Prior to his role is management, Kris consulted on the financial structure of over 300 small to middle market businesses.
Organization/Service: He is actively involved in the community and sits on the board for Dig 4 Kids, The Boys and Girls Club of Los Angeles Harbor and is involved as a coach in the AYSO soccer organization
Personal: A lifetime South Bay native, he was born and raised in San Pedro, Ca.
College Degree(s): Bachelors degree in Business Administration from California State University Dominguez Hills, with an emphasis in Marketing in 2000.
Adrian Nuno
Professional: Adrian is a Business Banking Relationship Manager at Wells Fargo & Co. He has been with the bank since 2006 and in the financial industry since 2003.
Organization/Service: Adrian is very active within the Central Florida community. He has worked closely with Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Central Florida on many of their events and activities. He also attends many fundraising events and chamber meetings throughout greater Orlando.
Personal: Adrian is happily married to his lovely wife Annie. He loves sports, traveling and playing cards with friends and family. Adrian resides in Winter Garden, Florida.
Connection to D4K: Adrian is excited about helping Central Florida children through educational fitness and character development.
Steve Obradovich
Bio Coming Soon!!!
Linda Rambis
Professional: Manager, Special projects for the Los Angeles Lakers
Organization/Service: Board Member of the Lakers Youth Foundation, Pediatric Therapy Network official spokesperson along with my husband Kurt, Co-Host of the Annual Rambis Rock N’ Bowl to benefit Crohns Disease, Cedar Sinai Sports Spectacular committee member and Sports Spectacular Women’s Luncheon host.
Personal: Lives in Manhattan Beach and has 3 kids Jesse 21, Jordan 20 and Ali 15.
College Degree(s): Attended Florida State University and majored in Architecture and Design
Connection to D4K: My husband and I are both supporters of Dig4Kids and friend to Eric and Al. All 3 of our kids play volleyball and we support the mission of D4K and helping youth in our communities through education.
Kurt Rambis
Professional: Played 14 years of basketball in the NBA most notably with the Los Angeles Lakers and is currently the assistant coach of NBA’s New York Knicks. In addition, Kurt is a part owner of O’Neill Sportswear, Lost Enterprise, Rusty and Metal Mulisha Sportswear lines.
Organization/Service: Board Member of the USYVBL, Pediatric Therapy Network official spokesperson, Host of the Annual Rambis Rock N’ Bowl to benefit Crohns Disease, Cedar Sinai Sports Spectacular committee member.
Personal: Lives in Manhattan Beach and has 3 kids Jesse 21, Jordan 20 and Ali 15.
College Degree(s): BS degree in psychology from Santa Clara University
Connection to D4K: Supporter of Dig4Kids and friend to Eric and Al. All 3 of my kids play volleyball and I support the mission of D4K and helping youth in our communities through education.
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Jonathan Marselis
Professional: Senior Vice President Business Banking Manager for Wells Fargo Bank.
Connection to D4K: He has been a huge supporter of our Day at the Beach where we bring about 100 kids from the Boys and Girls club to play games and enjoy all the beach has to offer.
More Bio info coming soon…
