Commodore: Cheryl Walters
Cheryl grew up in Pennsylvania, where opportunities to be on the water or in the water were plentiful. Lakes and creeks and streams were a regular playground for after school or weekend adventures. Water skiing and canoeing were favorite activities in the teen years. Trips to the ocean were on every summer’s calendar. Jetboats, ferries to the islands, and sunset cruises were a must. All of these adventures and opportunities became the base for her ongoing love and enjoyment of being out on the water surrounded by the peaceful beauty of nature.
Cheryl met her husband, Ric, while in college. After they were married, they moved to Lancaster County, PA, and bought their first boat at a barn sale in 1979. The boat was launched on a dammed-up section of the Susquehanna River, known as Lake Clarke. At that point, they immediately joined a wonderful organization called Lake Clarke Rescue. That was where boating safety, volunteerism, and the camaraderie of like-minded friends were thoroughly ingrained.
Upon moving to Kennebunkport, ME, in 1993, Cheryl and Ric became members of the Arundel Yacht Club (AYC). They bought a Boston Whaler, which they kept at a dock at their house, and then bought a trawler to be able to fully explore the ocean, bays, rivers, and islands of coastal Maine. The theme continued to be the same – love and enjoyment of waterways, boat club activities, and the camaraderie of good friends. Cheryl was elected to serve as Chairperson of the Membership Committee for the yacht club, and she retained that position for 8 years. Upon moving to the Landings in April 2021, Cheryl and Ric immediately sought out yet another boating club in which to become members, and SIBC turned out to be a great fit!
Cheryl earned both a bachelors degree and a masters degree in Speech/Language Pathology and Communication Disorders. She practiced in a variety of settings, from hospitals to state facilities, private practice, and all levels of public education. For the last 20 years of employment, she led a team of 39 professionals and paraprofessionals in the field of special education.
Since becoming a member of SIBC, Cheryl served on the Social Committee, as Board Secretary, and then as Vice Commodore. These positions helped Cheryl gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings and needs of the club. She views SIBC as a home away from home and gratefully embraces the rewarding experiences and friendships made at SIBC.
Vice Commodore: Will Artley
The Artley name has been a fixture in Savannah since the late 1800s when they moved to the area from Pennsylvania. In 1901, they started a construction company (Artley Company), which operated for more than 100 years under the supervision of multiple generations, including Will’s brother, Jim. The former Sheraton Hotel on the Wilmington River—which can be seen from Landings Harbor Marina—is a testament to the Artley Company’s construction expertise.
One fact that many people do not know about Will is that he was a very good swimmer. He attended the University of Florida on a full, 4-year scholarship and achieved All-American honors all 4 years. He was a multi-time SEC champion and NCAA finalist. Will also swam in the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Trials, making the finals in the 200-meter backstroke in 1972. He was also a member of several U.S. National Teams. After his college career, Will successfully dabbled in Masters Swimming for 3 years. In this short period, he set a world record in the 100-meter freestyle and was the world champion in the 100-meter backstroke.
Will received a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Florida. He put that education to work at Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), which is based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where he was a Senior Technical Editor/Writer for over 30 years. He oversaw the editing and writing of technical documents for many government agencies, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He retired from ORAU in September 2025.
Will’s biggest hobby is boating. When the weather is suitable, he and his wife, Diane, take a boat out weekly. He comfortably navigates boats to Bluffton, Daufuskie Island, Hilton Head Island, Richmond Hill, and River Street as well as other local destinations. He also knows how to circumnavigate Skidaway Island and Wilmington Island via different routes. Both SIBC and New Neighbors have leveraged his experience on a regular basis to captain boats for planned group excursions.
Will is the youngest of four siblings. His oldest sister, Helen Duffy, lives on Skidaway Island. His brother, Jim, lives in Statesboro. His other sister, Meredith Bettencourt, moved to California over 50 years ago where she still enjoys the California style of life.
Secretary: Jody Everson
Jody Everson grew up in the Windsor Forest area of Savannah. After graduating high school in 1982, she attended Georgia Southern University and earned her B.A. in Business Administration. She worked as a customer service representative at Great Southern Federal. Next up was a Masters degree in Human Resources from Georgia State University. Employment continued with becoming a mortgage loan processor. At a Jimmy Buffett concert, she met her soon-to-be husband, Keith Everson. Jody became the office manager for Keith’s brother’s glass installation company.
Jody and Keith have a son, James, and a daughter, Jenna. After they were born, Jody became a stay-at-home mom but stayed active by volunteering at church, the kids school, and their sports. Jody did some substitute teaching as well.
Boating has been part of Jody’s life for many years. Her father had a boat that he used at their house on the Sapelo River. The family had lots of fun tubing, skiing, and crabbing. Keith and Jody enjoyed boating on Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell as well. She has enjoyed the outings with SIBC. Being out on the water and seeing wildlife and smelling the marsh brings Jody much happiness! She feels it is important for everyone to volunteer so that SIBC continues to be a success.
Treasurer: Lucian Gillis
Lucian and his wife, Lee, moved from Atlanta to the Landings in August 2022. Lee had lived in the Atlanta area most of her life. Lucian was there for 31 years. They live next to the Palmetto Clubhouse and are thrilled to be here.
Lee has been a paralegal most of her career. Most recently she worked in the federal system as a Case Administrator for the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Lucian practiced law full-time for 45 years. In 1974, he received a B.S. degree in Commerce from the University of Alabama. His prelaw major concentrated in finance. After graduating from the University of Alabama Law School in 1977, his first job was a deputy district attorney in Birmingham, AL. In 1980, Lucian moved to Mobile, AL, to work with a private firm there. He left in 1991 to practice in Atlanta, GA. From 2007 until retirement in July 2022, Lucian’s firm was Gillis & Creasy located in Dunwoody, GA. His private law practice focused on general civil litigation, primarily business litigation and personal injury defense. He has regularly had fiduciary responsibilities for his clients and sometimes for third parties.
His primary hobby since college has been competitive powerlifting. He last competed in 2010, and is certified as an international referee. Lucian regularly officiates contests at all levels. In addition to able-bodied competitions, he has for decades volunteered for disabled powerlifting events, both Special Olympics (for the intellectually challenged) and Paralympics (for the physically impaired). Now that he is retired, Lucian wants to get more involved with clay shooting, swimming, fishing, cycling, and hunting.
Director at Large: Keith Everson
Keith retired as an educational leadership consultant in 2018 ending his tenure on 4 boards as well, including Chairman of a billion dollar financial institution.
He has been married to Jody for 33 years and has two grown children. His hobbies include helping his daughter maintain her old Savannah house, hiking with his wife, and working on his collector cars.
Keith grew up boating on Lake Hartwell on the Georgia/South Carolina line and quickly learned the differences between lake boating and coastal Georgia boating. Jody’s family had been boating on the Georgia coast for years, and her father taught Keith how to navigate the tides, currents, and changing sandbars, as well as how to read charts and channel markers.
After moving from Atlanta, Keith and Jody joined the Freedom Boat Club to continue their enjoyment of boating. They have been residents of the Landings for about a year and a half and became members of SIBC approximately six months ago. The social events, including happy hours and flotillas, have provided great opportunities for them to meet members and get involved in the club. Keith believes that getting more involved as a board member, or in any volunteer capacity, will help ensure that SIBC continues to thrive as a social activity for the community.
Director at Large: Paul McCormack
Paul and his wife, Betsy, moved to the Landings in March 2022 from Duxbury, a coastal town on the South Shore of Massachusetts. While living in New Jersey, they summered in Duxbury for 15 years. During that time, they had a trailerable Boston Whaler and a small day sailboat.
After moving to Duxbury full time in 1999, a boating decision had to be made, go bigger (more expense and more complications) or simplify. The decision was made easier due to the fact that there was, and is, a 20-year wait for a deep water mooring. (Alas, in the good old days, before “good governance” arrived, they would have been able to jump the line with a small “gift” to the harbormaster.)
Paul and Betsy sold the Whaler and sailboat, and bought two kayaks. Upon moving to Savannah in 2022, the kayaks were gifted to neighbors (who had been getting more use out of them anyway). During their time here, they have made many water trips with SIBC and New Neighbors. Paul’s professional career was in finance.
Director at Large: David Morris
David Morris is an Eagle Scout (1976) and a former National Boy Scout counselor, where he discovered a lifelong love of water activities, including swimming, boating, and sailing.
He holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan and taught sailing during his senior year. He furthered his education with a mini-MBA from Santa Clara University.
David’s career as a software architect and executive in Silicon Valley was followed by two years of service on the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury from 2017 to 2019. In 2022, he relocated to Savannah, where he became active with Kiwanis and the Second Harvest Food Bank. He serves as Skidaway Island’s New Neighbors chair for Discover Savannah and organizes Euchre card-playing evenings.
His hobbies include graphic design, photography, reading, cooking, walking, and spending time with his wife and two Italian Greyhounds. David is always fond of being on or in the water, which is how he initially discovered SIBC.