HARRY SINGER FOUNDATION

Melvin J Kaplan, Co-founder

​

Born and raised in Boston, Mel is an alumnus of MIT and the University of California-Berkeley where he lectured at the School of Business Administration. Melvin Kaplan has been a real estate investor since 1960. His specialty continues to be problem-solving and entrepreneurship. With his wife of over fifty years, he successfully raised five philanthropic and entrepreneurial sons. His biography has appeared in Marquis' Who's Who in Finance and Industry and Who's Who in the World.

​

In 1987 Mel and his wife, Margaret Bohannan-Kaplan founded The Harry Singer Foundation, a nonprofit educational operating foundation dedicated to youth development. Mel and Margaret serve on its Board of Directors and advise various other 501(c)(3) foundations.  Mel has done a great deal of research regarding the formation and operation of charter schools and continues to attend several annual conferences concerned with charter schools, alternative education and school choice. For more than 14 years, Melvin Kaplan, served on the board of Aspire Public Schools as well as its Advisory Board.  Aspire has expanded to include over 36 schools and over 13,500 students K-12.  All students must be accepted to two four-year colleges to graduate (from high school).  Its success rate has climbed to approximately 98% college acceptance currently graduating over 300 from its 12th grades.

​

Margaret Bohannon-Kaplan, Co-founder

​

Margaret Bohannon-Kaplan, Co-founder is a fourth generation Californian and a descendent of pioneers who ran a horse trading post in Eureka in 1840, before the gold rush and the Civil War.

​

Margaret is an alumna of Smith College and UC Berkeley and holds degrees in philosophy and law. She is a Certified Financial Planner, was a commercial real estate broker for forty-one years and is an active member of the California and American Bar Associations. She has authored or edited over forty public policy books.

​

One of the goals of this national operating foundation has been to promote responsibility and involve citizens more fully in their communities. Margaret has given public policy her full attention (pro bono publico) for over thirty years.

​

Her biography has been published in seven different Marquis Who's Who categories since 1984 including Who's Who in America and Who's Who In The World.

​

Sharon Law Tucker, Secretary

 

Sharon Law Tucker is the Program Manager for Harry Singer Foundation and serves as board secretary.  She has been with the Harry Singer Foundation for more than twelve year.   Her career in real estate and mortgage lending spans more than 30 years.  She is a Certified Mortgage Consultant, licensed realtor, published author and has been working in non-profit for more than 15 years.  

 

Sharon played a significant role as chairperson in launching the Cornerstone Campaign for the restoration of the San Carlos Cathedral in Monterey, California, a historic national landmark.    She is currently serves on the board of  Carmel Hi-gh School Foundation. served three years on the board of  Monterey Women's Council of Realtors; served as Chapter Regent for two years of Daughters of the American Revolution, Commodore Sloat Chapter and in 2009, served as chapter delegate to Continental Congress in Washington DC.

​

​