Deering Estate Staff

Mr. England is a 30+ year resident of Palmetto Bay and has been totally involved in the life of his community. Previously, he was elected to two terms on the St. Petersburg, FL City Council, including a term as Vice-Mayor.

He currently serves as Chairman of the Fundraising and Development Committee of the Deering Estate Foundation Board; and as Chairman of the Palmetto Bay Partnership, a Committee of the Palmetto Bay Council tasked with maximizing the economic potential of the Village. Peter is also a former National Board Member of Bread for the World, a Christian based grass roots advocacy organization which lobbies Congress on behalf of the poor and hungry, here and abroad. Mr. England is a member of the Palmetto Bay Business Association.

Mr. England has been the chief marketing officer with both Florida Federal Savings, and FPL. He concluded his professional career as Director of Government Relations with Camillus House. Retired, he is working for the community he loves. Peter believes in Economic Development for South Miami-Dade, and particularly in Palmetto Bay. He considers the Deering Estate his backyard on the Bay, and is committed to its future development for generations to come.

Mr. England and his wife, June, have three adult sons. They enjoy traveling, especially to visit their grandson in Atlanta. June is a member of the 100 Ladies of Deering.

Doreen Furnari is a member of the 100 Ladies of Deering. She has a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University, an MBA from University of Miami Business School, and a law degree from University of Miami Law School. Doreen graduated cum laude. She serves as Company Secretary at Carnival Corporation since June 2023, and has been at Carnival Corporation since August 1995. According to Doreen, “As a long time South Florida resident, I’ve looked for ways to make a broader difference in the community where I live, all while developing connections and friendships. Being a part of the Deering Board is an honor.”

Raul Garcia has a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Florida State University. He joined Kauffman Rossin in 1998 in the areas of banking, hedge funds and private equity. Raul is a leader in the community. He is also the chair of the Miami Finance Forum. According to Raul, “I love and admire the Deering property.”

Born and raised in Miami Florida, Eric Haas received his BA in History, and Broadcast Communications. He was initiated into the Kappa Alpha Order, and served as the president, at Mercer University, Macon Georgia.

Working construction in a restaurant, over a summer break, he became interested in the restaurant business.

While based full time, in Miami, as a Flight Attendance for Eastern Airlines, Eric worked various second jobs in different restaurants. During this time he met his wife Lori, and together they opened the original Sports Frill on Sunset Dr. in 1987.

Sports Grill had become known locally, for their “famous, Special Grilled Wings”, and their family friendly atmosphere. There are now six locations in Miami-Dade County, and in 2014 they opened their first store in Broward County.

Sports Grill participated in the “Make-A-Wish” foundation for the first time in 2015, and were able to grant four “wishes”. Sports Grill has also catered and participated in many community events over the past 29 years!

Eric has been on the Diaconate at Old Cutler Presbyterian Church since 1992. He was elected to the board of directors of the Deering Estate Foundation in 1998, and serves as the president 2011-2013.

Eric and Lori have two daughters and reside in Miami, Florida.

Becky Roper Matkov, a preservation consultant and writer, manages RG Heritage, LLC, overseeing land and historic property. For 18 years, she served as CEO of Dade Heritage Trust, Miami’s largest nonprofit historic preservation organization. In 2015, she received the Florida Secretary of State’s Award, given to one “whose passion for historic preservation has forever changed the face of Florida.”

A graduate of Duke University, Becky has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina. She is the co-author of the book Florida’s Historic Restaurants and the editor of the coffee-table book, Miami’s Historic Neighborhoods. She is a past president of the Junior League of Miami, a former chairman of the State of Florida’s Historic Preservation Advisory Council and the founding editor of Preservation Today magazine. For 10 years she managed the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation, which funded environmental initiatives in Florida. Becky serves on the board of the Deering Estate Foundation, the Stiltsville Trust and the Florida Trust and is a member of The Villagers and the International Women’s Forum.

She is married to attorney Tom Matkov and they have a son, daughter and granddaughter. She loves to seek out historic places—around the world or down the street.

Courtney Reeder was born, raised, and is currently a Palmetto Bay resident along with her husband and three children. She graduated from Florida International University in 2004 with a degree in Marketing & Hospitality.

She served as PBBA Chairwoman from 2015-2016.

Courtney is the Operations Director for Golden Rule Seafood, a family owned & operated seafood market, with a longstanding reputation for having the finest quality and greatest selection of seafood in South Florida. She has also been very instrumental in the creation of the newest family business, a family-friendly, local seafood restaurant in Palmetto Bay.

Originally from Illinois, Jerrod now lives in Palmetto Bay with his husband, Geoff, and their son, Josh. As a high school student in the Midwest farm belt, Jerrod first learned of the Deering family and their invaluable contributions to agriculture and its industrialization. Over the years his interests in historical properties and conservation have led him around the world, only to return full circle to the amalgamation of his Illinois roots with his Florida life by settling just across the street from The Deering Estate.

Jerrod pursued an interest in linguistics which eventually led him to work in the field of interpreting – serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community as an American Sign Language interpreter in the greater Washington D.C. area, North Dakota, and northern Florida. He’s now a stay-at-home parent, spending lots of quality time with his family at Deering. Jerrod also enjoys traveling, collecting artwork, playing the piano, fishing and reading.

Charles Deering’s estate exhibits virtues which demand protection and preservation as hallmarks of south Florida heritage and our nation, as well as promotion to the general public as an historical and ecological gem not to be missed. Jerrod couldn’t be prouder to serve on the Board of Directors dedicated to this purpose.

Aleksey Shtivelman has a Bachelor of Arts from Stony Brook University and a J.D. in law from Boston University Law School. Aleksey is a partner in the Miami office of Shutts & Bowen, LLP, where he is a member of the International Dispute Resolution Practice Group. According to Aleksey, “beyond my qualifications, my personal connection to the Deering Estate drives my desire to serve on the board. I have enjoyed countless visits, educational programs, and events at the estate, and I am committed to ensuring that future generations can do the same.”