From the humblest of beginnings, both John & Mary K. Wilson have crafted a lifetime of hard work, dedication to their craft and their community. Soon to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, it was John's decorated career in television news that brought the Wilsons to St. Petersburg in 1981. Since then, both John and Mary K. involved themselves in countless charitable efforts establishing themselves today as a cornerstones of the Tampa Bay area for more than 30 years. In 2014, John Wilson retired from a 50-plus year career in television as an Emmy-award winning television news anchor and reporter, but his passion for his local community outshines his awards. They still perform regularly on stage, often with the Florida Orchestra, donating their time and talents wherever possible. And Mary K. Wilson did much more than just help raise their three boys. A professionally trained Opera singer, choral director and conductor, she is now one of the most sought-after vocal instructors in the Tampa Bay region, after having directed a handful of choirs at a number of churches over the years. Her passion for music education is a driving force behind the Foundation's music scholarship program.

Eldest Wilson son Paul owns the successful Wilson Media & Advertising in St. Petersburg, a firm that he founded in 1999. He's piloted some of the most well respected brands including the Don CeSar Resort & Spa, Marriott International, Broadway Across America, the Florida State Fair and Verizon Fios. Paul is also a professionally trained actor and singer, appearing in a number of films, most recently along with his brother Patrick in Big Stone Gap, the film adaptation of Adriana Trigiani's best selling novel by the same name. Paul is also a singer and whether it's Sinatra, Elvis, or The Wilson Van, Paul knows how to command the stage.

Middle son Mark had broadcasting in his sights early on and followed dad's footsteps. He realized a lifelong dream in 1997 joining dad at FOX13 where they worked together for 18 years and succeeded him as FOX13's primary evening news anchor in 2014. He is now a four-time Emmy Award winner with a passion for reporting that took him to Iraq during the height of the war, to ground zero following the terror attacks, even to the White House for an exclusive with President Obama.  When Mark's not working, he usually has a guitar in his hands. He's a devoted rock guitarist who has written songs, scored several small films and plays lead guitar in The Wilson Van.

Youngest son Patrick's star has shined brightly since his early days at high school in St. Pete. Today, Patrick is a two-time Tony award nominee for his work on Broadway and has received critical acclaim for his acting and singing both on television and in movies. He's starred in HBO's Angels in America, the film version of Phantom of the Opera, CBS' A Gifted Man, Watchmen, Little Children and the A-Team to name a few. In 2014, he starred in James Wan's box office smash The Conjuring and January 2016, he was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his role on FX's Fargo, was critically praised for his directorial debut of Insidious: The Red Door in 2023 and most recently has starred in DC's blockbusters Aquaman and Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. Patrick also sings in The Wilson Van when his schedule permits, but he enjoys playing drums just as much.