Meet The Team
President
Melissa Eichmeyer
Melissa was born and raised in Missouri but her dream was to always come to Florida. She started her career as a Registered Dietitian but soon learned that no one really listens to you concerning their diets. So, she moved to Technology training where people do need to listen or their programs will not work. After traveling extensively for work, she finally was lucky enough to settle down in Punta Gorda in 2011. Once arriving Punta Gorda, Melissa became addicted to Pickleball. She was an active founding member of Peace River Picklers member by developing their first website and having an active role in all the tournaments. As Pickleball grew in the area, Melissa became a large supporter of PicklePlex®, giving up her a lot of free time to volunteer at PicklePlex®. One of her favor volunteer activities is Friday Night Lights at PicklePlex® where fellow Pickleballs can have some fun together. Melissa has not stopped there as she joined the PicklePlex® board in the fall of 2021, to support the growth of PicklePlex® and Pickleball in our community.
Vice President
Vince Talbert
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Vince and his wife Debbie started living in Punta Gorda part time in 2019. They have two daughters who live away at college. They moved here full time in 2022 from Maryland where they both were born and raised. Vince is retired after spending his career in banking, technology and marketing.
Vince has been a life long racquet sport enthusiast including tennis, squash, racquetball and badminton. He began playing pickleball in 2018 and led a daily league back in Maryland.
Treasurer
Su Chaplin
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Su was born and raised in Oklahoma. While attending college in Iowa she met her husband of 49 years, Larry. She has three children, ten grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. They were in the Army for seven years and were able to live overseas for three of those seven years. After the military, they moved to Green Bay in 1978. Su and Larry owned a logistic company and Over the Road Maintenance Company. Su is the CEO of Master Fleet, Green Bay, WI. They moved to Florida in 2010 and started playing pickleball in 2014. The rest is history!
Secretary
Sue Meyer
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Both Sue and her husband, Mac hail from Ann Arbor, Michigan (hail to the victors!) and return there each year to visit friends and family. Sue spent her career at the University of Michigan managing large research projects and Mac was a high school Industrial Arts teacher. They lived the dream of leaving their jobs, selling their home, and moving aboard their sailboat, sailing the Caribbean for 12 years. Until they found SWFL and then pickleball. Early on Sue took on the responsibility of co-authoring of the Peace River Picklers Newsletter (with Ginny MacDonald) and through that experience met so many fabulous folks and learned so much about the sport. She and Mac have volunteered for PicklePlex in a number of ways, from tournaments, hosting pro-camps, answering the call for help, developing an approach to fundraising, so they understand the importance of every volunteer, the lifeline of PicklePlex. Sue is honored to serve.
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Director - Community Relations
Nancy Prafke
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Originally from Springfield, Ohio, Nancy moved to Punta Gorda in 2005 from Evergreen, Colorado. Nancy was drawn to helping our community get back on its feet after Hurricane Charley and began volunteering with TEAM Punta Gorda, a grass-roots civic organization, in 2006. She became the volunteer CEO at the end of 2007 and provided leadership that resulted in the completion of many collaborative solutions for our community. She resigned her CEO position in April 2013, to run for the City Council position which she won. Nancy accepted the role of City Council liaison to the pickleball community in November 2016 and began working with what has now become the board of the PicklePlex. She and her husband John are avid pickleball and PicklePlex fans!
Director
Mike Davila
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Mike originally hails from the Big Easy (New Orleans) and he and Lori have recently relocated to Punta Gorda. They met at Tulane University and have lived in France, Florida, New York, Louisiana and Georgia. Until recently, they called Atlanta home, for 23 years. Mike has broad experience in Financial Management, to include his successful Securities Asset Investment Business ( Wells Fargo ), that he sold in 2016,
then retired. Pickleball, through Lori, was introduced to him in 2019 and he was "hooked". Very involved in Atlanta pickleball. Mike coordinated programs at the Marcus Jewish Community Center, co founded the Friendly Hammond Pickleball group and facilitated other pickleball events. He has competed and volunteered at multiple Grand Slam Georgia Opens and other tournaments. Married 35 years, Lori and Mike are looking forward to an amazing retirement of pickleball, learning golf, boating, and travel in beautiful Southwest Florida.
Director
Marc Labrosse, Jr.
Marc grew up in Rhode Island and has been married to his high school sweetheart Lori for forty years. They have three children and eight grandchildren. He had two careers, the first in the photofinishing industry where he finished as the Plant Manager of one of the largest photo labs in the world. The second, he worked for IBM having various roles in project, people, and financial management.
He moved to FL at the end of 2020 and retired from IBM in 2021. He has always been active in many sports, both playing, coaching, and running leagues. He took up pickleball in 2016 and plays as often as he can. He has many hobbies including computers, electronics and reading. He believes strongly in giving back and looks forward to helping the PicklePlex continue to grow and meet the needs of our community.
Operational Manager
Scott Garber
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The PicklePlex Board of Directors are pleased to introduce our new (and first) Facility Manager for PicklePlex, Scott Garber. Scott has lived seasonally in Punta Gorda and was one of our favorite Ambassadors last season. He has been playing pickleball for about six years and is a USAPA Ambassador for Dare County in N.C.
Scott has already started working with various Board members to introduce him to the nuances of our organization and facility. He has much to learn, but he is a quick study and we know our members will help him in all ways possible.
Scott was also the President of his local club in N.C., has helped them to achieve a 501(3)c non-profit status and has lobbied his local officials to successfully approve a $500,000 budget for dedicated pickleball courts in their community.
And he recently earned his certification, Coach level from PPR.
Of course, Scott had a very successful life before pickleball, has been a Broadcast Engineer for 30 years, most recently with CNN. We are so lucky to have him on board!
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