Operation Round Up Charter Board Member Retires

Posted: May 1, 2018 at 7:00 am
The Operation Round Up Board presents Tip Tharp with a clock commemorating his 13 years of service. Board members Bill Hodge, Pat Gugle, Bruce Behrens, Tip, Ellen Hamel, Mark Alexander and Winnie Wadsworth were present. Board members John Lipe and Mildred Smith were unavailable.
The Operation Round Up Board presents Tip Tharp (center) with a clock commemorating his 13 years of service. From left, Bill Hodge, Pat Gugle, Bruce Behrens, Tip, Ellen Hamel, Mark Alexander and Winnie Wadsworth. Board members John Lipe and Mildred Smith were unavailable.

After 13 years of dedicated service, Operation Round Up’s Board Chairman Julian “Tip” Tharp has retired.

Tip was there on March 16, 2005, when the first Operation Round Up board meeting was held at Peace River Electric Cooperative in Wauchula. The board reviewed the basics of the program, learned about their responsibilities as directors and drew lots to set up staggered 3-year term limits.

“In 2005, PRECO Board Member George Miller, asked me if I’d like to serve on a ‘new board’ at the co-op,” shares Tip. “He recommended me for a position on the Operation Round Up Board and the rest is history.”

Residing in Indian Lake Estates, in Polk County, Tip and his wife Annie have been PRECO members since 1998. The couple moved here from Tennessee after Tip’s retirement from Random House, an international book publisher.

Always eager to get involved, at the board’s first meeting in 2005, Tip was elected Treasurer. Two years later, he was elected Chairman of the Board by his peers and was thereafter reelected annually to that office for the remainder of his years of service. He also served on Operation Round Up’s Executive Committee and Scholarship Committee.

“It has been a great joy to help our local communities with food, shelter, medical and clothing needs,” says Tip. “I especially enjoyed granting scholarships to our young people. They are our future and from the applications I’ve seen over the years, our future looks good.”

Regarding the colleagues he served alongside during his tenure, Tip says, “I was privileged to work with the most caring, unselfish, diligent and loyal people to ever come together to do good and serve others in need. I will always hold them in the highest regard.”

“I thank all the members that contribute to Operation Round Up,” continues Tip. “My hope is that member contributions will continue to grow in the future.”

During Tip’s years on the board, the Operation Round Up Charitable Foundation granted more than $1.7 million to the 10 counties served by PRECO.

Please join us in wishing Tip Tharp the very best in the future. He leaves us with a legacy of hope and help.