Diana Booker Named Howard Palmer Award Winner

Twenty honored at Member Celebration presented by AdventHealth

Diana Booker is the latest honoree to receive Florida Citrus Sports’ Howard Palmer Award, the organization’s most prestigious member honor, presented in recognition of a lifetime of service without regard for personal recognition. The longtime chair of the not-for-profit’s audit committee, Booker accepted the award Thursday at Florida Citrus Sports’ annual Member Celebration gala at Full Sail Live.

Booker currently serves as Chief Financial Officer/Accounting, for GD2 Global, LLC, and Chief Financial Officer/Controller for Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company. She also previously served as Vice President of Accounting & Real Estate Administration with TBC Corporation (Tire Kingdom, Midas, etc.).

​​​​​An Owensboro, Kentucky, native and University of Kentucky graduate, Booker is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Florida State.

“I wouldn’t be here without my family and friends’ support over the years,” Booker said Thursday as she accepted the award. “Sometimes they say they can’t believe I give so much of my time, but I do it because my mom and dad instilled charity and volunteerism into me as a little girl. I owe this honor to them and look forward to doing even more with Florida Citrus Sports.”

Booker has been a Florida Citrus Sports member since 1995 and previously lived in Palm Beach Gardens before returning to Central Florida in 2019. She serves as a Team Selection Committee representative and is a former chair of the Membership Committee, leading the organization’s referral program.

In addition to her service with Florida Citrus Sports, she is also involved locally with Quantum House (Board of Directors), Junior League of Greater Orlando (Sustainer), Krewe of Amalee (Steering Committee), Persimmon Hollow Brewery (Board of Directors) and DeLand Breakfast Rotary Club (Board of Directors).

Howard Palmer Award Winners:

2023 – Diana Booker
2022 – Richard Jackson
2018 – Reg Shrigley
2017 – Ted Ruta
2016 – Lee Corso
2015 – Chuck Rohe
2014 – Ford Kiene
2013 – Paul Kennedy
2012 – Charlie Miller
2011 – Bill Sullivan
2010 – Rich Fildes
2009 – Harvey Massey
2008 – Bill Dymond
2007 – Marshall Vermillion
2006 – Mike Vestal
2005 – Pat Bishop
2004 – Royce Walden
2003 – Simon Snyder
2002 – Dennis Braziel
2001 – Yogi Moore
2000 – George Nahas
1999 – Bill Becker
1998 – Tommy Thompson
1997 – Tom McCoy
1996 – Chuck Heard
1995 – Garneta Swenson
1994 – Jeff Clark
1993 – Bob Matheison
1992 – Elmer Cook
1991 – Vernon Hinely
1990 – Debby Sweeney
1989 – Tom Quattry

Twenty Honored at Member Celebration presented by AdventHealth

In addition to Booker’s Howard Palmer Award recognition, 20 additional Florida Citrus Sports members have been honored with “Member of the Year” service awards for the 2022-23 season.

The individuals listed below are being recognized for supporting the organization in various ways throughout the membership year and represent just some of the Florida Citrus Sports members who make up our family and go above and always go the extra mile for the cause and our community.

• Michael Cantrell
• Shawn Cavalieri
• Rae Connelly
• Karen Connors
• Patrick Connors
• Joe Doher
• John Gyllin
• Justin Kinsey
• Terry Lambing
• Paul Leake
• Kelly McDonald
• Chris McLeod
• Lance Merritt
• Amy Pryor
• Greg Renton
• Andrea Rickheim
• Corbin Robinson
• Karl Schmidt
• Brian Wagner
• Robert Yacabucci

Photos from Thursday’s Member Celebration presented by AdventHealth can be viewed on our Media Archive.