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Growing Up In Orlando

David West, Founder and President of Inside Out Leadership Development, LLC was born in Boston, Massachusetts while his father was completing his graphic art training at the New England School of Art. While still a small baby, they moved to Orlando, Florida area where he grew up attending Pine Hills Elementary School, Robinswood Junior High School, and Maynard Evans High School.
 
David began his basketball career in 5th grade on the Pine Hills Elementary School "Panthers." His father was the coach. He also played Little League baseball and Pop Warner football. He was a member of the Boys Club and formed an agricultural 4-H club. He also enjoyed coin collecting and stamp collecting.

David, along with younger sister Robynne, had their TV debut as participants on Orlando's WDBO-TV's Romper Room. They also starred in a video produced during a tour of the Orlando Fire Department. That video played for many years during Fire Prevention Week.

While at Robinswood Junior High, David established a basketball school record which will never be broken. It was Highest Free Thrown Percentage in a game--100% (9 for 9).

In high school, David played basketball for the Evans "Trojans." A few highlights of his career included  a victory in his first JV game against Martin County Stuart snapping their 95-game win streak (scoring 16 points), scoring 31 points in one game, playing varsity basketball with Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins, the second high school player (following Moses Malone the year prior) to go directly to the NBA (with the Philadelphia 76ers), and playing in the 1975 Florida State Basketball Championship in a lopsided win over Tampa Robinson to complete a 32-2 record. Another great member of that team was Edward Kuhl, who was Florida's Basketball Scholar Athlete of the Year, and went on to play for the University of Pennsylvania on a team that reached the NCAA Final 4 in his senior year, only to lose to Ervin "Magic" Johnson's Michigan State team in the semi-finals.

While in high school, West was in the National Honor Society, Civitan club, and was a recipient of the Orlando Sertoma Club's Student of the Month.

In his youth, David showed a spark of propensity for entrepreneurship by selling address labels and other mail order items door-to-door and mowing many neighborhood lawns. During high school, he worked for Publix Supermarkets (Store #33 in Pine Hills).

College in Tampa

David attended Florida College, a small private college in Temple Terrace (Tampa area), Florida on a basketball scholarship. There he received an A.A. in Communications, and a B.A. in Biblical Studies. Despite having a student population of less than 500, his baskeball teams advanced to the state JUCO (Junior College) tournament each year. One of his teammates, LeRoy Staley, went on to play for Indiana State, with Larry Bird, only to lose to Ervin "Magic" Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA Finals. 

Additionally, David ran for the school's Cross-Country team that was National Runner-Up for the NLCAA (National Little College Athletic Association), was President of the Sower's Club (for aspiring preachers) and a member of Omega Chi.

When he was no longer on scholarship, to put himself through college, David preached part-time and gained some secular work experience working at various times as a security guard, a telemarketer, a tree trimmer, and a janitor. 


Preaching

From a very young age, David aspired to be a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. At age 15, he preached his first sermon, and at age 16 he participated in a couple of public debates on religious issues. During his first two years of college, he worked with the University Church in Tampa (school year), the Northside church in Dyersburg, TN (summer), and the Rose Hill church in Columbus, GA (summer).

He began full-time preaching at age 19 for a church in Dundee, Florida. Two years later, he moved to Wilmington, North Carolina to preach for the Winter Park Church and attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington taking Communications courses and electives such as Spanish, Coaching Basketball, and Sports Officiating. While in Wilmington for about 3 1/2 years, he also regularly played basketball and racquetball for recreation (city league, YMCA league, and college intermurals) and was a member of the local Toastmasters International chapter.

He frequently worked out with the Laney High School basketball team and played both with and against Michael Jordan (before he was famous). Ed Lewis, Michael's high school baseball coach, was a member of the church where David preached.
Jordan was a terrific high school player, but no one had any idea at the time that we were playing with with someone who would develop into arguably the best basketball player in history.

While attending UNC-W, David was a part of several 3-on-3 basketall championship teams. He also won the University's 1-on-1 basketball championship, with the final game played during half-time of one of the varsity games.

One other highlight in Wilmington was the privilege to meet and shake hands with Ronald Reagan, just a few days before being elected president of the United States. (Many years later, David would have the opportunity to shake hands with President George W. Bush and wife, Laura, and then Governor JEB Bush.)

Upon returning to Tampa, David preached for the Antioch church for two years, and then worked with the North Street church for a year afterwards. In 1986, he moved to Trilacoochee, Florida to preach for the church there for 9 years. His most recent move was six miles to the south in Dade City (Pasco County's Seat) where he has worked with the congregation there for the past 14 years.


Starting A Business Career

When he moved to Dade City, David started developing a career in business. He worked as editor for the East Pasco Business Focus newspaper, as Executive Director of Keep Pasco Beautiful, an affiliate of the Keep America Beautiful program, and a substitute teacher for the Pasco County School District. He has spent the past 10 years working for The Tampa Tribune in the Marketing Department as Community Relations Manager for Pasco and Hernando counties.


Getting Involved In The Community

When he moved to Dade City, he became very active in the Dade City community. He joined the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce and during his first year was named "Ambassador of the Year." He then joined the Board of Directors where he has served five two-year terms. He has served as chair of many committees, and on the Executive Committee as Secretary and then as President. He has been named "Citizen of the Year", "Chamber Member of the Year" and nominated as "Business Leader of the Year."

David also was inducted into the Rotary Club of Dade City. He served as Secretary two years, President, Assistant Governor for District 6950 for two years, and then as District Governor (2005-06).

He has served on the District Membership Committee, as Chancellor for the College of Past District Governors, Chair of the District Foundation, Chair of the Nominating Committee, Chair of the Fund Council, Chair of New Club Extension and now as District Trainer. He was named Rotarian of the Year in separate years by his club and by his District.

He was the chair of Sparklebration 4th of July Festival and Fireworks, his Rotary Club's major fund-raiser for eight years. He also helped to establish the following Rotary clubs: Dade City Sunrise, East Hernando, Land O' Lakes, Wesley Chapel Noon, Wesley Chapel Sunrise, San Antonio (FL), and the E-club of Tampa Bay and the Caribbean.

David is also a graduate of the Rotary Leadership Institute, serves on the facilty of the Rotary Leadership Institute and as a facilitator for the Florida Rotary Presidents Elect Traning Seminar. He was asked to conduct the Necrology Service (for deceased Past District Governors) at the 2007 Rotary Institute in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

As Governor of Rotary, he made a 10-day trip to Bangladesh to visit with Rotarians, attend the District Conference and investigate potential project that the local Distict and clubs could partner with them on.

One of his greatest privileges was the honor of hosting the President of Rotary International, Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar of Sweden, for a day and a half visit of Pasco County. West, his wife, and his son are all Paul Harris Fellows (with Jonathan being presented his by the President of Rotary International).

Another highlight was having two Past President's of Rotary International at my District Conference. PPRI M.A.T. Caprass (1986-87) was my President's Rep and PPRI Herbert G. Brown (1995-96) was his aide. Rotary Director Milton O. Jones, who recruited West to become District Governor, was also part of the program.

Another memborable moment was the opportunity to spend about 30 minutes meeting with Dr.Muhammed Yunus, "The Father of Micro-Credit" and the recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, to speak about potential solutions to world poverty and hunger. Yunus was in Tampa to receive the  Patel Foundation's 2006 Global Citizen of the Year award. West had just recently returned from his home country of Bangladesh to explore humanitarian opportunities.

West believes one of the best tools available to fight world hunger is Morning Star Fishermen, which teaches people to raise Talapia fish and use the waste water to grow hydroponic vegetables, so that people can solve their own hunger problems. West is a friend and admirer of founders Hans and Sigrid Geissler and serves on their board.


Other Organizations

Among the various boards that David has served on are the Dade City Rotary Club, The Dade City Rotary Charities, Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, East Pasco County Boys and Girls Club, Junior Achievement, Leadership Pasco, Florida Parks and Recreation (Tampa Bay District), Pioneer Florida Museum and Village, the San Antonio Boys Village, the Pasco Education Foundation, Morningstar Fishermen, and the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, San Antonio Rattlesnake and Gopher Enthusiasts (Rattlesnake Festival organizers), and Pasco County United Way. He also is a member of the Florida College National Council.

He teaches life skills classes each week at the Lighthouse Ministries, the San Antonio Boys and Girls Club, the Pasco County Juvenile Detention Center, and the Hispanic "Teen Dream Team" in Dade City.

In previous years, he has served as a Cub Master, soccer coach, basketball coach, summer camp councellor and in other capacities. Currently, he helps coach his son's high school basketball team.

He is a graduate of Leadership Pasco and Leadership Tampa Bay.

David has organized events and fundraisers that have produced hundreds of thousands of charitable dollars. A few of his favorite fund-raisers include producing a retirement party for tennis great Jim Courier which doubled as a fundraiser to open a new YMCA in Dade City, four different fundraisers for local charities featuring lunch and meet-and-greet with Tampa Bay Buccaneer greats Derrick Brooks (twice) and John Lynch (twice), and a Dade City Recognition Day which celebrated the accomplishments of approximately 100 Dade City area citizens who had gained fame beyond the local community. Among those honored were Hjalma Johnson who was serving as President of the American Banking Association and Martha Walters Barnett who was serving as President of the American Bar Association concurrently. Among the many also honored were country music stars Howard and David Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers).

David raised the funds for the gateway "Welcome to Dade City" signs, the basketball courts in the Dade City Hispanic community, new basketball goals for the San Antonio Boys Village, and the bronze handicapped-accessible drinking fountain in Price park, among others. He also played a role in funding a handicapped-accessible playground in Dade City's Price Park and the downtown public restrooms.

Along with the late Lewis Abraham, he organized and raised funds to establish the Lacoochee Boys and Girls Club (which is now named in Abraham's honor). He twice raised the matching funds needed to build playgrounds at the Boys and Girls club and twice raised the money to keep the doors open in the early days when the club struggled. He also successfully lobbied the Boys and Girls Club of America to move the club under the oversight of the Tampa Bay program to provide needed stability. Early fundraising efforts included Celebrity Golf Tournaments featuring Lacoochee native Jim "Mudcat" Grant (the first black American League pitcher to win a World Series game) and his friends.

West was named Man of the Year runner up by the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society of the Suncoast. The Dade City Garden Club planted a tree in his honor in recognition of his service to the club and the community.


Reading, Writing and Speaking

David is an avid reader and has a personal library of approximately 20,000 volumes. Florida College asked him to speak at the Annual Lectureship Program in 2000. He has also contributed chapters to two books published by Florida College, one of which is being used as a textbook for one of their courses. He wrote, edited and published a twice monthly religious magazine known as Bible Talk for four years.

For several years, he either hosted or was a regular guest on radio call-in talk shows in Orlando, Lake Wales, and Dade City. He has also participated in programs on public access TV show and written numerous newspaper columns.
 
He founded the East Pasco Toastmasters club, served as president, and won a couple speech District contests (Table Topics and Prepared Speech) on the way to becoming a CTM (Certified Toastmaster).


Immediate Family

Regarding his immediate family, David's mother, Sylvia, passed away in March of 2007 after 53 years of marriage to his father, Bob West. He has two sisters Suzanne Gore and Robynne Genton.

He is married to the fomer Vickie Hill of Ocala, Florida and have three children: Jennifer Aguilar (Salvador) and Jessica Johns (Chad) who are both grown and married, and Jonathan who is currently in high school. They also have three grandchildren, Nathaniel, Michael and Matthew (Jessica's children).

Vickie owns a popular catering business (link), has served two terms as president of the Dade City Garden Club and served two terms as Chairman of the Board for Academy At The Farm charter school. She has served on the school advisory boards for all of the schools that her children have attended.

Jennifer is an Emergency Room RN in a large metropolitan hospital. Husband, Salvador, is a mortgage broker and a realtor. Jessica, was a cosmetologist, but is now a full-time mom. Her husband, Chad, is a 1st Lieutenant in the Army National Guard, working in the state Governor's office on statewide drug reduction programs.

Jonathan, David's son, plays high school basketball, is on the City of Dade City's Youth Advisory Council, is a straight "A" student, and is in Interact and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is also a member of the Pasco High School Math Team.

David started his own business, Inside Out Leadership Development, LLC in the summer of 2007.