MEET THE TEAM
Ione S. V. Wilsmann
Co-Chair, Project Management
After one and a half years of worshipping at St. John’s, Ione expressed her desire to volunteer and support the church in areas where her time and expertise were needed most. Timing was perfect, and after speaking with Father Stavros, he invited her to get involved with the Arise & Build Committee - specifically the project management role – which was a clear fit for her skills, background and interest.
Ione knows there is something special about St. John’s and she truly felt called to help with the Arise & Build campaign. She is blessed to have the opportunity to contribute towards expanding both our church community and our church ministry. She divides her church time between the capital campaign, Philoptochos and Daughters of Penelope.
Ione’s family tree has international branches. Her father was born in Mytilene, Greece and her mother in County Wicklow, Ireland. Ione was born in New Jersey and raised in the Greek Orthodox faith. She lived her early years in New Jersey and Virginia, yet most of her adult life was spent in New York City and New Jersey.
She and her husband moved to Florida four years ago when he retired from MetLife and Ione retired a year later. Though retired, Ione remains actively engaged in service. In addition to her activities at St. John’s, she continues to serve on the Board of the UVA Foundation and the Advisory Board of Hillcrest Finance in NY. Locally she is also active with The Chiselers.
Ione worked in the commercial real estate industry throughout her career, in leadership roles covering various aspects of real estate including finance, global investment, business development, regional office management, capital raising and investor services. Over the course of her career, her employers have included JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, MetLife, Quilvest, U.S. Steel and Carnegie Pension Fund, and USAA Real Estate.
Ione and her husband, Mark Wilsmann, have four children between them from prior marriages; one granddaughter; and their two-year-old cream golden retriever, Beau. Their children live in Colorado, Washington, DC, and North Carolina and they are blessed to be able to visit them often.
Favorite Bible Verse: John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
Ione loves that St. John is uniquely humble, warm and welcoming. She appreciates the regular teaching of the history and symbolism behind what we do and how God’s word applies to our daily lives and the world in which we live. The Prayer Team email and monthly Messenger newsletters keep Ione inspired and in the spirit on a daily basis.
Laura Holland
Co-Chair, Project Management
St. John’s felt like home to Laura after just one year of joining the church. When the role of Arise & Build Project Manager came about, Laura spoke with Father Stavros, prayed with her husband, Dan, and clearly saw that the role was one she was being called to serve.
Laura is energized by the ways that the Arise & Build campaign will help our parish flourish, enabling us to share God’s love with even more people.“The unknown blessings that will come from this campaign excite me the most – God’s plan is far greater than anything I can imagine.”
One of the things that drew Laura and Dan to the church originally, was the Pre-sanctified Liturgy during Lent 2024. Laura has also engaged with the church through the Young Adult ministry.
Laura was born in Charleston, SC. She has spent most of her life in Florida between Melbourne, Gainesville and Tampa, where she moved in 2020 for the MBA program at the University of Tampa. Just three months after moving to Tampa, Laura met her husband, Dan, and they were married three years later.
After graduating with her MBA in 2022 as Outstanding MBA Student of the Year, Laura worked as an internal consultant for JPMorgan Chase in the Consumer and Community Bank. In June 2024, she took a role in the Corporate and Investment Bank working as a project manager, a role not unlike her role in Arise & Build.
In July, Laura and Dan will welcome their first child, giving Laura even more incentive to invest in her son’s future through her service and the resulting growth of the church. Laura feels the opportunity to be a part of the capital campaign is her way of learning and embracing the deep history of the church, so it is not forgotten as the new is brought to life.
Laura was baptized Catholic and Chrismated Greek Orthodox as a baby but raised in the Catholic Church thereafter. Her favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
St. John’s is where Laura and her husband both found God individually and together. Laura’s favorite things about our church are that St. John’s is rooted in tradition, driven by God’s love, and embraces community and fellowship.
Gary Ward
Chairman, Finance Committee
Gary Ward has been a member of St. John’s for 16 years. He joined the Arise & Build committee as the Finance Chairman with a desire to serve our community using his expansive knowledge of finance and banking.
Gary was born in Cleveland, Ohio, grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and is the youngest of seven children. He enjoyed a 40-year career in banking and brokerage industries with titles of Chief Financial Officer (CEO) and Market President. In 1997, his work brought him to Tampa, where he currently lives with his wife, Sandra Pappas, also very involved in St. John’s. They have two adult children and four grandchildren.
Their daughter, Brooke, and her husband, Jeff, live in Knoxville with their three children. Their son, Ryan, and his wife, Pao, live in Tampa with their daughter.
Gary is most excited about the Arise & Build Campaign for the opportunity it provides to expand our church, our outreach into the Tampa community and to spread the Christian faith. In addition to the Arise & Build team, Gary has also served on the Parish Council and Tampa Greek Festival leadership.
Gary loves the St. John’s community for its warm and welcoming spirit, that is unlike any church he has attended. He feels blessed with many friendships through the community and has learned much about faith from Father Stavros.
Favorite Bible verse: Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Favorite Bible Story: The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32): Gary loves this story for its beautifully illustrated themes of unconditional love, forgiveness, repentance, and the joy of reconciliation.