Care to Learn restructures board

For the first time since its 2007 founding, Care to Learn has a new board president.

Founder Doug Pitt vacated the role – but not the organization – in a move he calls stepping “across” the board room table.

“This is something I’ve been thinking about for more than a year and it should have been done a while ago from a procedural standpoint,” he said.

In what amounts to a board restructuring for a single seat, Pitt now will function as president emeritus. Currently, the 10-member board rotates officers – such as vice president – on a yearly basis. The role of president now will join that cycle.

Stepping in as president is founding board member and Springfield lawyer Jerry Harmison Jr., who practices at Harmison & Pearman PC, founded in 2003 with a specialty in workers’ compensation defense.

“Doug is the forward face of this organization,” Harmison said. “If I can take the board lead, that frees Doug up to be out there. As we grow chapters, the need for outreach only continues to grow.”

This is far from Harmison’s first stint leading a board. The attorney served as chairman of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce leading up to its national Chamber of the Year designation and was a six-year board member with Springfield Public Schools.

A volunteer board position, Harmison will continue his law work as well as Float Trip Pickles LLC, a tasty venture co-owned with law partner Greg Pearman that produces three products for 65 Missouri stores and also ships to more than 20 states.