Who We Are
Our story
In 1979, a small committee within First Presbyterian Church of Orlando drafted a document that would lay dormant for a time, but that would eventually become the authority for the Heart of the City Foundation. It was designed in the spirit of the early church—starting in the city and moving outward.
The Apostle Paul’s ministry always started in cities. Ephesus. Galatia. Philippi. It was from these city centers that the good news of God’s love spread into the surrounding villages.
At the corner of Church Street and Magnolia Avenue, the church campus of FPCO is geographically the center of Orlando. It was the desire of the committee that the Heart of the City Foundation would be like a heart, pouring life and love into the city and beyond.
But the church was struggling to survive. They had lost the leadership of their former pastor and were still searching for a new one. People were moving away from the city center and into the suburbs. The church wasn’t able to meet its budget. Without the church, there would be no hope for the Heart of the City Foundation to exist.
The General Presbyter told them, “You folks have to remember you’re a city center church, and city center churches are not surviving these days.” The General Presbyter advised them to find a pastor who would be equipped to undertake the possible demise of the church or a relocation to the suburbs. Former committee member and Heart of the City Foundation board member Donald Brown says, “It was not the best of times for FPCO.”
So with great faith, the committee prayed for a bold and dynamic senior pastor who would be able to shepherd their church into flourishing—and in the city center. In 1981, after two years of searching, the FPCO congregation warmly welcomed Dr. Howard Edington and his wife Trisha from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Still, sandwiched between a Texaco gas station and a funeral home and without a parking garage, the committee and Dr. Edington still wondered if they might need to move to the suburbs.
Finally, they made their ultimate decision: FPCO would continue its ministry in downtown Orlando.
With Dr. Edington’s strong leadership and through unique partnerships with the city of Orlando, FPCO started to thrive. It was time for the Heart of the City Foundation to come into being.
One day, the members of the committee and Dr. Edington sat in the church and spent the day trying to come up with the name and mission statement for the congregation’s future ministry. They felt like the name “Heart of the City” suited their mission: “To create within the heart of the city a place where people are confronted with the power of the gospel and learn to live their lives for Christ in the world.”
One of the next steps was to reexamine the dormant document they had drafted back in 1979. With confidence, they revived it and gave it the name “Heart of the City Foundation.” They believed the Heart of the City Foundation would play an important role in both the life of the congregation as well as in the life of Orlando and in the life of the world.
And thus, the Heart of the City Foundation’s journey of ministering to the people of Orlando and beyond began.
Decades later, we continue to be a witness to how God uses the Heart of the City Foundation to let Christ’s kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven. And now, we lovingly invite and encourage you to join us in this noble endeavor.
“Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Our vision, mission, & Values
Vision
An endowment that endures for generations, to serve God’s Kingdom as the preferred choice of Covenant Partners for legacy giving
Mission
To steward the legacy giving of Covenant Partners, aligned with their values and intentions, to best advance God’s Kingdom
Values
Trustworthy, Christ-centered, Excellence, Generosity, Sustained Performance
Staff
Dennis Brockman
Foundation Director
“I was first drawn to The Heart of the City Foundation because of its devotion to Kingdom work in the church, city, and world. When I learned about all of the amazing, life-changing grants and scholarships people can sustainably create, I knew I wanted to play a part.”
Dennis Brockman is married to Lisa and has five children—three who are married; two are in college, and one in high school. Dennis and Lisa have been Covenant Partners with the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando (FPCO) for more than 23 years. With FPCO, he has led Sunday school classes for children as well as adults as part of FPCO's formation offerings. He also served with Cru for 37 years in many different roles, where he partnered with others in evangelism and discipleship all over the world. In April 2020, Dennis transitioned to Heart of the City Foundation as the Foundation Director.
Suzi Shirley
Foundation Coordinator
“I have known about the Heart of the City Foundation for many years through my work in the Orlando area with non-profit organizations, but truly never knew all that they did and the impact that they had on our city. Now that I have joined the team, I am even more impressed and am honored to be a part of it.”
Suzi Shirley has been married to her husband Sean for 31 years and they have two children, a daughter in college and a son in middle school. Suzi and her family live in Winter Garden and worship at Mosaic Church. Suzi has served in the non-profit sector of the city for the past 20 years doing program administration for Lifework Leadership as well as for J4 Leaders. Suzi began serving with the Heart of the City Foundation in March 2020 as the Foundation Coordinator.
Board of trustees
We have given our lives to the Heart of the City Foundation—our leadership, our influence, our finances, our expertise. We are here to serve you.
“I am part of the Heart of the City Foundation because it offered me a way to provide long-term non-operational support to the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando and its mission to spread the Gospel and the love of Christ to those most vulnerable in our city.”
Mr. Hillenmeyer retired from a 34-year career as a health care executive in 2011. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and earned a Masters Degree from Duke University. John held multiple leadership roles with Orlando Health for 28 years; the last 15 as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Hillenmeyer was a health care industry leader in Florida who served as Chairman of several state industry associations and advised policymakers on health issues.
He was an active community leader throughout his career. He chaired the Economic Development Commission and the Regional Commission on Homelessness. He served on the Boards of the YMCA, Red Cross, United Way, Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Hillenmeyer remains active in the community. In addition to the Heart of the City Foundation Board, he serves on the Dr. Phillips Charities Board and is Board Chairmen of Westminster Communities of Florida. He is an active member of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, where he served as an Elder.
Mr. Hillenmeyer has been married to his wife Gale for 50 years. They have two sons and three grandchildren.
Hardy Vaughn is President of Seaside Insurance in Orlando, Florida. He has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina and a Master of Science in Financial Services from the American College at Bryn Mawr Pennsylvania. He also has the Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant designation. Hardy has been a member of FPCO for 30 years and has been involved in the usher ministry, currently serving as team captain for the Traditional Service. Hardy has also been active with the Gathering of Men and is married to Betty Brady.
Tami Kaiser joined the Heart of the City Foundation Board of Trustees in 2013 and serves as Secretary and Mission Chair.
Tami retired from a career as a human resources executive in the hospitality industry after leading human resource development for Red Lobster/Darden Restaurants for 14 years and for Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, Holiday Inn and Harrah’s Entertainment for 20 years.
In her ‘encore’ career, Tami provides consulting services to nonprofits and serves in volunteer leadership for Lifework Leadership-Orlando, Women Doing Well, the National Christian Foundation-Orlando, The Collaborative; and Samaritan Village.
She and her husband Jim are active members of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando where Tami serves as an elder. She is from Aurora, IL, and holds an undergraduate degree from Miami University and a master’s from the University of Memphis.
I became involved with the HOCF in 1996 our newborn daughter Elizabeth died shortly after she was born. I have always had a desire to impact inner city youth for the gospel, a quality education and to break the cycle of poverty. My husband Joe and I started a scholarship fund in Elizabeth’s memory which provides tuition assistance for inner city children to attend The Christ School.
More recently, we established a fund called Kids Across America to provide scholarships so inner city students could attend KAA, a Christian Sports Camp, in Branson, Missouri. The students who return from camp have hope in Christ and realize their lives can be different from todays culture.
I was asked to serve on the Scholarship Committee which awards ~$63,000 in scholarships from various funds at HOCF each year. It was such a rewarding experience that when I was asked to join the Board it was easy to say yes! The HOCF has provided an easy vehicle for Joe and me to establish a legacy for our family and impact lives in the community.
Doug Doudney is in the business of private investing in real estate, securities and private equity. He and his wife, Julie, and their two adult children, Cami and Doug, Jr., have been members of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando for about 12 years. Doug has extensive experience in youth work and education, and has a heart for outreach of all types.
Michelle Jernigan is a native Floridian, a graduate of Stetson University and Stetson University College of Law. She is professional mediator, arbitrator and a shareholder with the firm of Upchurch Watson White & Max. Michelle has been a member of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando (FPCO) since 1983. During her membership, Michelle has served as a Deacon, taught Sunday school (adult and children), been active in the Collaborative, and worked with various women’s ministries. She has served on the Heart of the City Board of Trustees since 2014 and continues to remain an active member of First Presbyterian Church. Michelle has two grown daughters, Rachel and Sarah, both of whom attended FPCO’s weekday school and The Christ School.
Quino Martinez and his family have been members of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando since 2005. He has served our church community as a member of various congregational committees and the Session, and was drawn to the Heart of the City Foundation because of its commitment to spread the Gospel through sustainable investments in our city. Active in the community, Quino has served on the boards of The Gathering, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando, the Board of Zoning Adjustment for the City of Orlando, the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia, and Lake Highland Preparatory School. Quino was raised in Dallas, Texas and attended Southern Methodist University and the University of Dayton School of Law. He practices commercial real estate law with Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed. Quino has been happily married to his wife, Jay, for over twenty years and they have two daughters.
Janice Divine grew up in Michigan, New York, and finally, South Florida. She attended the University of Florida where she earned a BSBA in Finance. She married her late husband, Russ, and became a bank’s commercial lending officer and branch manager where she enjoyed managing people and helping them hone their banking skills. After 15 years in banking, she became a stay-at-home mother, then went on to work part-time for a nonprofit and the Weekday School.
Not having grown up in a Christian home, she felt blessed to marry into a wonderful family who nurtured her faith with their love and Christian example. Her faith grew significantly when she and Russ started going to a Crown Ministry class, eventually becoming Crown Ministry leaders themselves. She also enjoyed teaching Sunday School to elementary-level kids, learning alongside them.
She loves being involved with the Heart of the City Foundation on several levels, including as an Ann Wilson Divine Scholarship family sponsor and board member. Education and legacy are very important to her. She loves spending time with her two daughters and sons-in-law, three grandchildren, and mini Doxie.
Ellen Arnold was born in Columbus, Georgia, and grew up in The Episcopal Church. Her faith grew even stronger as she attended Bible Study Fellowship for 14 years. She got her first taste of Orlando while attending Rollins College for her first two years of college before completing her BS in business administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, becoming a lifetime fan of the Tar Heels.
Once she graduated, she came back to Orlando to work at Boston Company of the Southeast, an investment firm where she greatly enjoyed managing portfolios. After she had her twin daughters, she became a stay-at-home mother, bringing one more daughter into the world. Today, she loves caring for her grandbaby, Anna Kay, two days a week and spending time with her 17-year-old cat, Nala.
She put in 8 years on the Board of Samaritan Village, always grateful for the support Heart of the City Foundation gifted to them, and ultimately was inspired to be a part of the gifting of support to Christ-centered ministries and young people pursuing higher education.
Kurt Wood is a Partner and the Director of Client Service for the institutional investment firm, DePrince, Race & Zollo. He began his investment career 34 years ago at Sun Bank Capital Management. Kurt and his wife of 31 years, Karin, have been covenant partners of the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando (FPCO) for 29 years and have three adult children. At FPCO, Kurt has taught Youth Sunday School, served as Upward Basketball Commissioner for three consecutive years, and is proudly serving his second stint as an Elder.
Kurt is a graduate of Clemson University. He is a former board member and past president of the Association of Investment Management Sales Executives (AIMSE) and the Winter Park Little League. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the $120 million Winter Park Health Foundation where he’s the Treasurer and Chairman of the Investment Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Public Pension Trustees Association.
Robby Ball grew up in Eustis, Florida before attending the University of Florida on a football scholarship (“Go Gators!”). After graduating with a Bachelor’s in Advertising & Marketing, he moved to Orlando to work as a branch manager for Winter Park Federal Savings & Loan. After several years, he moved on to work for A.G. Edwards & Sons, a financial services securities firm, and he has enjoyed his work in that industry ever since. He is currently a Financial Advisor/Wealth Manager with Morgan Stanley.
He previously served as an HOCF Trustee for multiple years, believing in the purpose of the foundation to assist and align with FPCO. He was drawn to being a Trustee again by his “everlasting love” for his home church, FPCO, and his desire to serve HOCF in its journey at this time.
He and his wife Margie are proud parents to three children—Clint, Kevin, and Ashley—and grandparents to six grandchildren and two grand-dogs. He loves living in Orlando because he gets to be close to his family. He says, “My faith has grown as I’ve grown as a man, a husband, a father, and now as a grandfather.”
Charles is an Orlando native, graduating from Boone High School, earning a degree in finance from the University of Central Florida, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Rollins College. He has an extensive background in business operations; having served for over 25 years in various roles in financial services, corporate banking, information technology, and finance/administrative services in the real estate, hospitality, and title industries. In addition, he brings experience in the non-profit space, having served operational roles in his church and as an interim COO/CFO for a local organization focused on at-risk youth. He is now the COO of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. He is married to Kimberly, a fellow Orlando native, and has three children.
“I believe we should reach out to share the Kingdom of God and The Heart of the City is a vehicle to reach that goal. I enjoy working with others who share this goal.”
Kathy Johnson grew up in Augusta, Georgia, where she accepted Christ into her life as a child and flourished in her faith through Sunday School and Methodist Youth Fellowship. After graduating from Mercer University, she married her college sweetheart, Danny, and moved to Orlando where she taught 9th grade Civics. She loved getting to know her students and becoming dear friends with her fellow teachers. From there, she became a mother to their two children, Cary and Tripp. After moving to Orlando, they joined First Presbyterian Church of Orlando and have been active members for more than 30 years.
She loves traveling with Danny, spending time with their children and grandchildren, playing bridge with friends, and enjoying their home in Maine.
I was born in New Jersey and moved to Fort Lauderdale when I was 12 years old. I graduated from Pine Crest Preparatory School and attended Broward Junior College. I met my late husband at the University of Florida and we were married for 43 years before his passing. We lived in West Palm Beach and moved back to College Park in 1968, where we raised our 3 children—Bobby, Lisa, and Thomas.
I got my Real Estate license in 1970 and I am still active today. With my sons, I own Hewitt Properties and Hewitt Residential. We manage, own, and develop properties in Central Florida.
I have been a member of FPCO for 50+ years and have taught children Sunday School and also served as Deacon. I have served on the House of Hope board for 15 years. I have been a Bible Study leader in my home and have been Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) board member and Huddle leader. I am presently on the Florida Fellowship Foundation board and Heart of the City board.
I remarried in 2022 to a wonderful Godly man. I am blessed. I have met many challenges in my life but know that the Lord is my Shepherd.