By: Isabel Pedersen

George “Gus” Nimick is one of five Pittsburgh brothers who, each in his turn, marched off to study at Princeton University. His father had gone there, too.

It is no surprise that Gus, when they moved to Sarasota 30 years ago, looked for the Princeton Club. And, for 30 years, he has been the glue which kept that club alive: doing the boring stuff; maintaining lists, collecting dues, sending out notices, and making sure that someone besides Gus Nimick would be president. He did serve as president of the Ivy League Club but not “his” club.

Meanwhile, Deborah “Debbe” was cutting her own swath. Her presidency of the Child Protection Center and her private practice as the “teacher of last resort” for trouble
d and learning disabled children are the latest manifestations of a lifetime commitment to children. Her first child-centered job came at eleven, teaching swimming.

After finishing her classics major at Brown University, she added a master’s degree in Educational Psychology. Debbe started two pre-schools, in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, and in Houston, as they moved back and forth. Then she added some more courses in Houston and spent several years as a psychologist in the Houston schools. While in Pittsburgh, she had developed a fifth-grade curriculum for the gifted, all of this while raising three children.

The Nimick’s 59-year-old marriage involved moving from Gus’ native Pittsburgh where,  as a chemical engineer, he worked on product quality at Gulf Oil to managing Information Technology for Gulf’s trading branch in Houston. Then Pittsburgh, then Houston again. Gus’ early adoption of the computer to industry’s uses made him early in the IT work. He also served as Secretary to the Industry Advisory Board to the International Energy Agency.

Now, after studying economics at the University of South Florida and being elected to their honorary society, he does a bit of work as a Certified Financial Planner and tax preparer.

Between tap dancing classes, painting (which has become Debbe’s passion), Gus’ club work, their three children, three grandchildren, and their other volunteer activities, let us hope they can find time to relax here, just a bit, so we can enjoy this energetic pair.