News Release
For Immediate Release
Media Contact
Lauren Der
Florida Strawberry Festival
813-752-9194
media@flstrawberryfestival.com
New associate director elected to Florida Strawberry Festival board
PLANT CITY, Fla. (Aug. 26, 2014) – A new associate director was recently elected to the
Florida Strawberry Festival’s board of directors.
Rhett Rollyson, a Plant City resident and festival volunteer, was elected to fill the associate
director position that has been vacant since April when one of the board’s associate directors was
promoted to director.
“The festival is something that is so important to our city and our community, and I’m humbled
to be selected to serve among this group,” said Rollyson.
For the last 10 years, Rollyson has been an active volunteer in the festival’s information services,
having worked in information booths and as a roving hostess. Two years ago, he took on an
additional volunteer role in helping with seating and security at the festival’s soundstage.
Serving the festival has been a long-standing tradition in his family, Rollyson said. His father,
Rolly Rollyson, is a member emeritus of the board of directors, and his father-in-law, Dub
McGinnes, is a current director. Other members of his family have served in various volunteer
positions.
Thirty individuals comprise the festival’s board of directors and govern the 11-day event.
Fourteen of those individuals serve as directors, and 16 serve as associate directors. All members
must reside within Hillsborough County.
“When choosing new members of our board, we look for individuals who are passionate about
serving our festival and have a vision for its future,” said Florida Strawberry Festival President
Jim Jeffries. “Rhett exhibits these qualities and many more, and we know he will be an asset to
our festival.”
About the Florida Strawberry Festival
The Florida Strawberry Festival is an 11-day community event celebrating the strawberry harvest
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of Eastern Hillsborough County. Each year, over 500,000 visitors enjoy the Festival’s headline
entertainment, youth livestock shows, exhibits of commerce and, of course, its world-famous
strawberry shortcake. The 2015 Florida Strawberry Festival will be held Feb. 26-March 8, 2015
in Plant City, Fla. For more information, visit www.flstrawberryfestival.com, Facebook and
Twitter (#berryfest2015).
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