Hernando's Walter L. Dry Sr. is called a consensus builder during his term as chairman of the board of governors at the state level.
By BETH N. GRAY
Published June 21, 2004
SPRING HILL - Winding up a year as chairman of the board of governors of United Way of Florida, Walter L. Dry Sr. says he encountered no surprises during his tenure.
Well, maybe one.
"The job was easier than I'd anticipated because of the professionalism of all the chief executive officers," said the 70-year-old Spring Hill labor relations consultant.
Dry referred to officers of 33 United Way organizations throughout Florida under the umbrella of the board of governors.
The 33 member agencies represent more than 90 percent of the United Ways across the state, he said.
Through Dry's leadership and outreach efforts, some smaller agencies were brought into the fold in the past year.
His most important contribution as chairman of the 18-member board, Dry said, was to facilitate dialogue and the passing of information among all of the United Way organizations.
Chief among the issues the board dealt this year was the universal prekindergarten bill in the Legislature.
"Walter's main role was to develop our position. That was critical," said Ted Granger, president of United Way of Florida, who oversees daily operations of the organization.
"We were advocating with legislators, their staffs and the governor's office to try to make sure what passed was a quality bill," Granger said. "That didn't happen in our minds."
Also, the bill's path through the legislative process was so convoluted, Granger added, it took someone like Dry to unravel it, formulate a stance and communicate the issue to United Way organizations.
Dry rose to the challenge, he said.
At Dry's election as chairman last year, Granger predicted Dry would be a consensus builder.
"He absolutely was," Granger said last week. "He was a stability at board meetings."
Dry also promoted a collegial atmosphere and made sure the board fulfilled its fiduciary responsibilities, Granger said.
For instance, the board reorganized operations at the state level.
In a move toward efficiency, some services that had been contracted out are being brought back in-house.
In such matters, Granger said of Dry, "He was a continuing source of good judgment and counsel."
A highlight for Dry in his role as board chairman was to host the 2004 United Way Leadership Forum last month at the Tampa Convention Center. Dry said he was especially pleased to meet one of the featured speakers, Brian A. Gallagher, president and CEO of the United Way of America.
Dry, now serving a year as immediate past chairman of the board of governors, said he would like his peers to remember him for fairness, honesty and a willingness to listen to all sides of every issue. His term on the board, which began in 2000, continues through 2008. He served for two years as secretary-treasurer.
Dry has been a director since 1998 of the United Way of Hernando County and is a past president of that organization.
