People & Business: Friday 2/8/19

Friday, March 29th
THE SARASOTA SCENE
People & Business
To submit your news for consideration, please send press info to scenemagazine@scenesarasota.com

Children First Welcomes New Board Members for 2019

Children First, Inc., the exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Sarasota County, names Howard Berman, former president and chief executive officer of The Lifetime Healthcare Companies, Inc. and Keith Johnson, Certified Financial PlannerTM and Client Advisor of SunTrust Bank, to their Board of Directors for 2019. Both Mr. Berman and Mr. Johnson bring a great deal of knowledge and expertise to Children First and will help the organization continue to provide high quality services to those most in need in our community.   

Thomas W. Cail III, Realtor, and co-founder of Cail Grande Group, is now Board Chair. Former Chair, CEO Jeff Jackson of PGT Innovations, is now Chair Emeritus. Michael Keebaugh was welcomed as Vice Chair, Jacqueline W. Ray as Treasurer, and Katherine Martucci as Secretary.

Florida Association of Counties Appoints Manatee Commissioners to  Policy Committees

Four Manatee County Commissioners have been appointed to Florida Association of Counties (FAC) policy committees that form and shape FAC’s legislative priorities for the year. 

Commissioner Priscilla Whisenant Trace will serve on the Growth, Agriculture, Transportation & Environment (GATE) Policy Committee. 

Commissioner Vanessa Baugh will serve on the Federal Policy Committee and on the newly created Water Policy Committee tasked with making policy recommendations on Florida’s vulnerable coastline and natural resources. 

Commissioner Carol Whitmore will serve on the Health and Safety Policy Committee. 

Commission Chairman Stephen Jonsson will serve on FAC’s Executive Board of Directors. County Commissioners appointed Jonsson to serve on the FAC Board of Directors, a vacancy created by Commissioner Charles Smith’s departure from the County Commission in November. 

The new Water Policy Committee is comprised of 37 county commissioners from across the state. The committee will serve as the Association’s voice when addressing water related policy concerns and provide a structure for the organization to recommend solutions. 

“The counties in Florida are diverse and so are the water quality and supply issues they face on the frontlines,” said FAC President and Hendry County Commissioner, Karson Turner. “The Water Policy Committee allows counties to have direct input in future environmental policy reform, recognizing water issues know no boundaries in Florida but are still not solved with one size fits all solutions.” 
 
For more information on Manatee County Government, visit online at www.mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/manatee.county.fl and on Twitter, @ManateeGov.

Habitat Sarasota Celebrates Community Impact

Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, Inc served 22 families, including 34 children, with permanent, affordable housing during their last fiscal year, effectively increasing their impact in the community by 82% over the previous year.

This growth was made possible thanks to the support of 717 volunteers who contributed 17, 176 hours building homes, 477 donors who supported the organization financially, and patrons to the ReStore which generated $1.86M in sales revenue.

Habitat Sarasota’s community impact was announced to a full room of 200 supporters at their Fellowship Breakfast and Annual Meeting. Using a theme of “Together, we build” the program highlighted the contributions of the affiliate’s donors, volunteers, community and business partners, government officials, and board of directors.

“Affordable housing for families in Sarasota and across our beautiful nation is gaining the support and visibility it deserves as a critical issue,” says Renee Snyder, President & CEO, Habitat Sarasota. “Affordable housing affects our community across all sectors.”

Snyder also reported on progress of Lives Transformed: The Campaign for Hammock Place. To date, the capital campaign has achieved 67% of its $7M fundraising goal. The first home is now under construction and Habitat Sarasota has a goal to complete the neighborhood by the end of 2021. Hammock Place will provide permanent, affordable housing to 40 families and 100+ children.

“Habitat Sarasota continues to be financially strong. We are a debt free organization. We are currently working with 50 families that have applied for our program. Habitat is Sarasota’s leader in providing permanent, affordable housing.” says John Peshkin, Habitat Sarasota Board Chair and founder/principal at Vanguard Land, a private real estate investment group.

Snyder led a panel discussion on the impact that the lack of affordable housing has on our community and the importance of partnerships to address this critical issue. The panel included Roxie Jerde, president and CEO at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County; Jeff Mayers, general manager of the Longboat Key Club and board member of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce; Steven Royce, principal at Gocio Elementary School; David Langhout, vice president of Kolter Homes and vice chair of the Habitat Sarasota Board of Directors; and Nick DiLorenzo, instructor at Suncoast Technical College.

Habitat Sarasota’s Community Impact highlights include: 

22 families served – an increase of 82% over the prior fiscal year
·       178 zero percent interest mortgages serviced every month

·       5 homeowners paid off their mortgage

·       717 volunteers contributed 17,176 hours

·       Total revenue of just over $6.8 million  – a 49% increase over the prior fiscal year

Florida Veterans for Common Sense Awards Desmond Meade Thomas Paine Award 

During its annual Thomas Paine Birthday Celebration held February 2, 2019 at the IMG Golf Club, Florida Veterans for Common Sense (FLVCS) awarded its ninth Thomas Paine Award to Desmond Meade for his efforts to enact Amendment 4 to the Florida Constitution. This amendment allows felons, who have completed all the requirements of their court sentence to vote except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense.

The road to obtain a 2018 Constitutional Amendment in Florida was daunting. Proponents had to collect signatures equal to at least eight per cent of the total number of votes cast in the last presidential election, or almost 800,000 signatures and also had to obtain eight percent in at least fourteen of Florida’s 27 congressional districts. Making matters vastly more challenging for passage of Amendment 4, the signatures could only be those of registered voters. This requirement meant that none of the estimated 1.5 million people affected by the initiative could sign the petition. 

The last daunting hurdle was to garner 60 per cent of the vote to pass. Desmond Meade led the charge to overcome all these hurdles as President of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, and Chair of Floridians for a fair Democracy.

Of note, Amendment 4 obtained more votes than any candidate running for office in the election and it passed by more than two million votes. Mr. Meade notes that the overwhelming vote for the amendment is a powerful recognition that we can all work together to expand and deepen our democracy.

Founding Father and patriot Thomas Paine said about voting: “The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which other rights are protected. To take away this right is to reduce a man to slavery, for slavery consists in being subject to the will of another, and he that has not a vote in the election of representatives is in this case.”

Last year, FLVCS chose voting rights as one of six policy priorities to pursue. As veterans, we fought to protect civil rights and are proud that we supported Mr. Meade’s effort to obtain the passage of Amendment 4.

FLVCS notes that Amendment 4 enfranchised more people at once than any single initiative since women’s suffrage. An important aspect for FLVCS is that many veterans now can vote who had been denied this most basic civil right. 

Florida Veterans for Common Sense (FLVCS) is a veterans’ advocacy organization that educates the public and takes positions on national security and veterans’ issues as well as supporting projects that directly benefit veterans.

http://floridaveteransforcommonsense.org/

 Contact: FLVeterans@aol.com

Artwork by Booker High School VPA Program Students at Quay Sarasota

Students from the Booker High School Visual & Performing Arts (VPA) program recently contributed works of art which are on display at Quay Sarasota, a new mixed-use waterfront neighborhood destination with residential, retail, hotel and office opportunities under construction along downtown Sarasota’s waterfront.

GreenPointe Communities, the developer of Quay Sarasota, is collaborating with students from Booker High School’s VPA program, offering students the opportunity to exhibit and showcase their talents in the heart of Sarasota’s Arts and Cultural District.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with students and faculty from Booker High School’s VPA program at the Quay Sarasota Waterfront District,” said GreenPointe Communities Development Manager Brett Blank. “This is a wonderful partnership and we appreciate the opportunity to recognize the outstanding work and contributions by students from the local area.”

The artwork was installed on fencing surrounding the development site and encompasses 19 large size panels depicting a variety of contemporary images. While the VPA program has earned national rankings for its excellence in arts education, many students of the program have limited options when it comes to pursuing arts at the college level.

“I am so impressed with the talent and dedication I see from the VPA students at the Quay Sarasota site,” said Martha Flynn, President of Pathfinders Consulting Group, LLC, providing career readiness programs and events to Booker High School. “Experiences like this create interest, excitement and opportunity for the VPA program students.”

Quay Sarasota is an entirely new vision – a 14-acre waterfront district that will offer a blend of luxury residential, upscale retail, boutique hotel, and state-of-the-art office space in a scenic waterfront setting of natural beauty, eclectic architecture and active public spaces.

For more information about the Quay Sarasota Waterfront District, visit www.QuaySarasota.com

Ritz Carlton Participates in Beyond School Walls Program

Through the generosity of Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and their leveraged grant, Big Brothers Big Sisters has launched five Beyond School Walls programs locally. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast and The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota recently launched the Beyond School Walls program in partnership with Booker High School that will help students gain a special learning experience outside the classroom.

The workplace mentoring program, called Beyond School Walls, allows high school students to interact with mentors in a business setting. Students experience what it means to work for a corporation, develop employment skills, learn business etiquette, and identify educational requirements for professional success. The program is designed to introduce local youth to the variety of career opportunities that The Ritz-Carlton has to offer. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast has matched students from Booker High School with Ritz-Carlton staff members. Students work with their mentor to craft a plan for the future that includes what is necessary to meet their career goals.

“Beyond School Walls matches at-risk students with professionals at partnering businesses, who will host their “Littles” on a regular basis at their workplace. For the students, opportunity abounds. Foremost, they gain an adult coach, confidante and friend at a critical point in their lives—the heart of any Big Brothers Big Sisters program. But they will also be exposed to diverse career options in a dynamically growing field,” said Dr. Mark Pritchett, President and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. “And they’ll experience what it means to work for a large business, including the elusive but vital “soft skills” that employers bemoan as missing from newer workers—think punctuality, professional dress and communication.”

“Through a collaborative partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation, we have extended the education of our youths beyond their school, to local corporations,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters President and CEO Joy Mahler. Gulf Coast Community Foundation transforms our region through their initiatives, allowing us to impact the lives of our youth. “We are also grateful for our relationship with The Ritz-Carlton. We invite other local businesses to take their lead and provide this workplace mentoring opportunity for their employees.”  

“Through a collaborative partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation, we have extended the education of our youths beyond their school, to local corporations,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters President and CEO Joy Mahler. Gulf Coast Community Foundation transforms our region through their initiatives, allowing us to impact the lives of our youth. “We are also grateful for our relationship with The Ritz-Carlton. We invite other local businesses to take their lead and provide this workplace mentoring opportunity for their employees.”  

The Lake Club Debuts New Sterling Model

As the newest luxury enclave, Genoa, along with new models by Stock Signature Homes, will be debuting this month.

Phase I of Genoa’s  homes will start from the $600s and will be offered on 65-foot and 84-foot homesites with breathtaking lake and preserve views. The eight new Stock models will feature three distinct design styles for buyers to choose from – British West Indies, Mediterranean, and Florida Coastal.

Among the new models is the Sterling. Offering four bedrooms, four full baths, a formal dining and great room, study, breakfast nook, and a three-car garage, the Sterling will have more than 3,000 square feet under air. Highlights of the interior design by Marc-Michaels include the grand kitchen, featuring mixes of soft taupe and natural wood finishes capped with white pearl quartz, and the unique dining room focal wall with millwork and cut mirror panels.

To learn more about Lake Club living, visit the Model Preview Center located at 8307 Lake Club Boulevard in Lakewood Ranch, call (855) 201-8065 or preview models, floor plans and amenities at TheLakeClubLWR.com.

Williams Parker Adds Trusts and Estates Associate Fletcher H. Rush

Williams Parker is pleased to announce it has added Fletcher H. Rush, a board certified wills, trusts, and estates attorney, as an associate in the firm’s trusts and estates practice. Mr. Rush joins the firm from Farr Law Firm. 

Mr. Rush represents clients and families in the design of wealth transfer plans, including lifetime and testamentary transfers, as well as the use of revocable and irrevocable trusts for the benefit of family members, friends, and charitable organizations. Personal representatives and trustees acting in a fiduciary capacity seek Fletcher’s counsel to help navigate the various complexities involved in the transfer of wealth. He also represents clients in preparing and filing federal estate and gift tax returns, providing recommendations to reduce transfer taxes, and post-mortem planning solutions.

Mr. Rush serves on the board of the Library Foundation for Sarasota County and is a member of the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council and the Venice Estate Planning Council. He holds a degree in economics, a juris doctor, and master of laws in taxation from the University of Florida.

Williams Parker’s offers one of the largest trusts and estates practices in Florida. Its attorneys are regularly engaged to provide the legal framework to address business succession, estate planning, tax planning, charitable giving, and retirement planning goals as part of the smooth transition of its clients’ businesses and estates to future owners and beneficiaries. This includes both lifetime and postmortem planning. Additionally, when necessary, the group represents clients, or their fiduciaries, in litigated estate and trust administration proceedings and in tax controversies involving estate and gift tax matters.

Teen Court of Sarasota Receives Grant From The Florida Blue Foundation

Teen Court of Sarasota is proud to announce a three-year collaboration with the Florida Blue Foundation. This $300,000 grant will allow Teen Court to provide improved health and well-being mental health services to youth in Sarasota County who are program participants.

“We are truly grateful for the Florida Blue Foundation’s investment in us,” said Heather Todd, Executive Director of Teen Court.  Both organizations thoughtfully support changing behaviors and habitats to encourage, motivate and inspire youth to live healthier and productive lifestyles. 

Todd and Lori Moran, Chief Operating Officer of Teen Court, jointly acknowledged this new relationship as a valuable collaboration that will strive to improve the health and well-being of the youth served in Sarasota County.  Todd adds, “The young people we serve are not defined by the choices that brought them through our program.  This grant award allows us to serve our clients utilizing restorative strategies, meaningful consequences, and services including mental health counseling for those that otherwise would not have had immediate access. We show teens how to improve their life by taking care of their mental and physical health.  Our programs include fitness and education on the effects of drugs and alcohol while encouraging youth to avoid overall bad habits.”

“Florida Blue Foundation is dedicated to providing residents and neighborhoods the skills and resources to become more self-sufficient when it comes to their health care,” said Florida Blue Foundation Vice President Susan Towler. “Our grant to Teen Court of Sarasota aligns with our mission to help people and communities achieve better health.”

Teen Court of Sarasota, Inc. is an alternative to Juvenile Court, allowing a young person a second chance of having a bright future. Youth who come through Teen Court participate in a court program run by their peers, under the supervision of a volunteer adult judge. Student volunteers who participate in our Teen Court program receive a law-related education along with community service hours for their time. In complement to the Teen Court program, the organization also offers counseling services, drug prevention, anti-bullying, and anger management classes to those youth who demonstrate extra need.