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Supervisor correspondence may be sent to the District Management office, and will promptly be forwarded to the intended Board Member.

Supervisor Bios

Rance Gaede

Rance Gaede’s professional career began with 20 years as a YMCA professional with YMCA’s in Arkansas, Texas, and Florida.  In 2012, Mr. Gaede transitioned into government which has allowed him to work with volunteers, build board and committees and create policy.  Mr. Gaede has served on various boards throughout his career including the Riviera Beach Housing Authority, the NAYS Leadership Committee, and the AYP Regional Board.  Mr. Gaede has a Bachelor’s Degree from Arkansas State University and holds certifications from the YMCA of the USA, the NRPA, NAYS, and NIMS.

Malachi Knowles, M.R.C.P.
Founder, Inner City Youth Golfers’, Inc.;  African American Golfers Hall of Fame; African American Collegiate & Youth Golfers Hall of Fame and Golf Fore Anyone, Inc.

Malachi Knowles was born in West Palm Beach and raised in Riviera Beach, Fla. He graduated from Washington Elementary (Riviera Beach) and Roosevelt High, 1959 (West Palm Beach) Schools.  He attended Morgan State College, Baltimore, MD 1959-63. Morgan did not have a golf team so he “worked with the athletic director and others” to start a team under the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1960. His passion for golf started at an early age of ten (10) years old as he was anointed the “shag boy” by the “Caddy Master” at the Everglades Country Club, Palm Beach Florida. He was Morgan’s first team Captain while lettering for three years on a golf scholarship and graduating with a BA Degree, June 1963.

Mr. Knowles was awarded a full two year scholarship to attend the School of Regional & City Planning, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla. whereupon he became the first African American in the United States of America to graduate with the “Master of Regional and City Planning Degree” in August, 1965. He also graduated from the U.S. Army Finance School, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, Indiana and fulfilled his military obligation thru the USA Army Reserves.

Immediately upon graduation, Malachi started his working career as a “Housing Intern” on August 16, 1965 with the U.S. Housing and Home Finance Agency, Chicago, Ill and retired from the government after holding several executive and policy making positions in Washington, DC, March 1991. Most notably, he was Director General/Ambassador of the “World Conference of Mayors”; Executive Assistant to Ambassador, Dr. Eddie N. Williams, President of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; Special Assistant to the Director of “The United States White House Office for Urban Policy” and Director of Special Projects, US/HUD Hqtrs, Washington, DC.

Mr. Knowles has an extensive planning, housing & community development background over the years. He has taught graduate and undergraduate classes in city planning, housing, development, budgeting, policy and marketing at the University of the District of Columbia (1970-1974), Washington, D.C.; Morgan State University, Baltimore, Md (1974); and  University of Miami, Miami, FL 1975/77). Currently, he is the Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation Secretary/Treasurer, (RBCDC, 04/26/12) and Secretary, Thousand Oaks Community Development District, Riviera Beach, FL. Also, he is on the Board of the, Palm Beach County Sports Commission; Publisher, Golf Fore Anyone, Inc.; Kappa Upsilon Chapter Reporter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity (Life Member #88) and President, The National Council of SHADS (An Auxiliary of Eta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.), 2018-present.

Malachi founded “Inner City Youth Golfers’ Inc.” a foundation that works with at risk youth between 7 and 18 years of age in January 2000 (www.icyg.org). In April 2004, he started the “African American Golfers Hall of Fame” and 2010 the “African American Collegiate & Youth Golfers Hall of Fame” (www.africanamericangolfershalloffame.com). He   currently serves as the Director of Junior Golf for the Sunshine State Golfers Association.

Mr. Knowles has received numerous proclamations; citations; honors and awards, most notably: Inducted into the 2020 inaugural class of the “2019 Florida Black Sports Hall of Fame”; “2016 Citizen of the Year” Riviera Beach, FL; inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, March 20, 2016; “2015 African American Champion For Change”, Aetna Inc. (African American History Calendar); “2014 Dedicated Service to Children in Riviera Beach and Palm Beach County Award”; “2014 Outstanding Service Award” Palm Beach County Chapter, National Pan-Hellenic Council; “2014 Citizen of the Year”, Kappa Upsilon Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; “2014 Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame Outstanding Sports Contributor” and “Presidential Award”, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, May 26, 2011.

He has traveled extensively in the USA and abroad. He is married to his best friend, Esmeralda H. Knowles. His daughters name is Malinda Frances Knowles.

Horace Towns

Horace Towns was born and raised in Riviera Beach, Florida. Horace graduated from Suncoast High School, which continues to be ranked in the top 10 nationwide for academics. Horace attended Indian River State College for Stormwater Management with Stormwater licensing C, B, and Master License A.

In 2003, Horace Towns began his municipal government career, leading to his expertise in Stormwater and municipal government. He has served as Director, Operations Manager, and NPDES Permit Writer in his municipal career.  Horace worked in various disaster zones and emergencies related to Hurricanes and Tornadoes which are prevalent in South Florida.

Horace Towns is the president of Towns Global Group, LLC., a consulting & media company that was established in 2014.

In 2016, Horace Towns was appointed to the Riviera Beach Housing Authority to serve as Commissioner. During his tenure, Horace served as the Chairman of the finance committee while developing a 14-acre parcel of land in Riviera Beach. The development, Heron Estates, is a forty-four-million-dollar project that was created to provide affordable housing for seniors, veterans, and low to mid-income families. The project had two phases with Phase 1 providing 101 units of housing for seniors. Phase 2, named “Heron Estate Family”, provides 72 homes for families.  This project was the first new housing development built in Riviera Beach in four decades. The Heron Estate development earned the Riviera Beach Housing Authority 2021, the “Best Housing Authority” award for a small agency.