Mayor John Deese was appointed to Seat #1 in March of 2021 and the Mayor’s seat in March of 2024.  Mr. Deese served the Town on the Pension Board from 2019-2021.  John Deese retired in April, 2023 as the President/CEO of Guardians Credit Union in West Palm Beach, Florida after a 44 year career.  As part of retirement, he and his spouse opened Golden Memories Travel which is a full-service travel agency specializing in cruises, tours and luxury vacations.  They also own Palm Beach Lighting which is a repair, rewiring & restoration lighting facility in West Palm Beach, Florida.  He has been a resident of Palm Beach County since 1970 where his parents lived in the Hypoluxo Island/Point Manalapan area during his youth.   He has owned a residence in Point Manalapan since 2016 along with his spouse, Steven Locante.   Together they have 2 four legged children named Duke & Gigi.   John’s other activities have included seats on State and national credit union boards as well as many charity organizations in the community including 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, Adopt-a-Family and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.   He and his spouse enjoy cruises, entertaining and spending time at their summer home in the Asheville, North Carolina area.

Vice Mayor Simone Bonutti, a resident of Manalapan since 2004, was appointed to fill the seat vacated by the retiring Louis De Stefano. Simone is a native Floridian born in Ft. Lauderdale.  She attended Ole Miss and graduated in 1996 with her B.A.  Simone went to work for Ford Motor Co. in Berlin, Germany on IT projects.  She returned to the U.S. and worked at Stryker Ind. for four years and then on to Bristol Myers Squib where she served as a diabetes specialist. 

Simone met Peter Bonutti, M. D., a successful orthopedic surgeon and medical device developer.  After they married, their family has shared their time between Florida and Illinois.  Now they have moved to Florida on a permanent basis considering all that Florida has to offer their family…the ocean, warm weather, and coastal living.  She has served on the Town Commission for six years total.

Commissioner Elliot Bonner, a resident of Manalapan since 2020, was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Rick Granara.  Although not a native Floridian, Elliot grew up in Coral Springs (Broward County) after his family moved to south Florida from New Jersey while he was in the first grade. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Florida A&M University.  Before joining NextEra Energy, Elliot worked for International Paper, Enron and Constellation Energy.

Elliot has boy/girl twins that are very active in their scholastic, artistic and athletic endeavors.  In addition to serving on the board of a local Boys & Girls Club, he also runs his own non-profit that provides gently used sports equipment to Title 1 schools and underprivileged youth  programs in Palm Beach and Broward Counties.  As a year-round resident of Manalapan, Elliot is eager to contribute in his new role on the Town Commission.  

Commissioner Orla Imbesi was appointed to complete the term of Seat #2 Town Commissioner in December 2023.

Commissioner Cindy McMackin first served the Town on the Architectural Committee Board in 2022. McMackin graduated from UCLA in 1990 and, after 24 years working in construction, retired from Pan-Pacific Mechanical in December of 2021 where she served as their President. She is currently the owner and President of Mac5 Construction, and President of HPM Construction. McMackin holds a General Building license as well as speciality licenses in plumbing and HVAC construction. She is married to Ron McMackin and they have owned their home in Manalapan since December of 2020. Together they have five children. Cindy has previously served on many different boards including as Vice President of her community board in Hawaii, as Audit Chair of the board of private college prep school, and has also been an active participant in many different charitable organizations. She is the current Treasurer of the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts Parent Teacher Student Organization and a member of the Theatre Board. She enjoys traveling with her spouse and family including her siblings, parents, children, four step-children, and nine grandchildren. 

Commissioner Kulwin was appointed to the Town Commission in December of 2023. Dr. Dwight Kulwin is an academic oculoplastic facial surgeon from Cincinnati. He recently retired after 39 years at the University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. His wife, Dr. Elizabeth Brown, is a retired pediatrician. They have two children:  son Charles, a neurosurgeon in Indianapolis,  and son Robert,  an orthopedic surgeon in Cincinnati, along with two grandchildren in each of those cities. Dr. Kulwin has been coming to South Florida since his parents moved there in the 1970s. Dwight and Elizabeth have had a home at La Coquille Villas in Manalapan since 2017. Dr. Dwight Kulwin is an academic oculoplastic facial surgeon from Cincinnati. He recently retired after 39 years at the University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Eye Institute. His wife, Dr. Elizabeth Brown, is a retired pediatrician. They have two children:  son Charles, a neurosurgeon in Indianapolis,  and son Robert,  an orthopedic surgeon in Cincinnati, along with two grandchildren in each of those cities. Dr. Kulwin has been coming to South Florida since his parents moved there in the 1970s. Dwight and Elizabeth have had a home at La Coquille Villas in Manalapan since 2017.

Commissioner David Knobel was appointed to Seat 5 Town Commission, which expires March 2027. Mr. Knobel was born in Miami and moved to Palm Beach County in 2004. He was appointed by the Florida governor to serve as an education commissioner from 2003 to 2009.  David’s career in private education began in 1981 and includes the start-up of a technology college to provide computer personnel for Miami corporations.  David sold his education company in 2005. He continues to mentor entrepreneurs.  David moved to Manalapan in February 2020 with his wife Patricia and their son.