New Members Named to Board of Nathan Benderson Park’s Nonprofit Operator

January 8, 2021 – Sarasota

New members are seated on the board of directors overseeing the nonprofit operator of the Suncoast’s premier multisport venue and community park.

Carolyn Mason and County Commissioner Ron Cutsinger will join the board of Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates (SANCA), which manages and promotes Nathan Benderson Park for Sarasota County. Commissioner Christian Ziegler was named as the county’s alternate representative. 

The board voted to bring Mason aboard at its Dec. 16 meeting, while the Board of County Commissioners appointed its representatives Dec. 11. Cutsinger replaces Commissioner Alan Maio on the SANCA board.

“We are extremely pleased to have Carolyn Mason and Ron Cutsinger join the SANCA board,” board Chairman Ron Shapo said. “Caroline is one of the outstanding citizens of Sarasota County. Her record of success and her dedication to the community are exemplary. That includes an extraordinary combination of both governmental service and service to a wide variety of civic organizations which serve so many of the needy in our community.”

He added that what makes Mason’s election to the Board even more significant is her longtime support for Nathan Benderson Park and its activities.

“It is also a great pleasure to have Ron Cutsinger join the board,” Shapo said. “He also has a long history of service to the community in multiple capacities, both in the business and nonprofit sectors. Ron also comes to the board as a person who is very involved in water sports and has a strong an interest in the environment, which are both areas of vital interest to SANCA, both now and in the future. We have greatly benefited from the service of Al Maio and very much look forward to the value we will receive from Ron’s service and advice on the board.”

Mason is a Sarasota native who grew up in the Rosemary District, historically a Black community. She worked for the City of Sarasota for a decade, then went on to work with community agencies including Girls Incorporated, Goodwill Industries, Habitat for Humanity Sarasota and The Salvation Army. She served on the city commission from 1999-2003, including a stint as mayor from 2001-03. In 2008, she became the first Black member of the Sarasota County Commission, and was its chairwoman in 2013 and 2015.

“I am excited to join the board of SANCA,” Mason said, “to help bridge the minority community with Nathan Benderson Park and all of the wonderful activities that go on there.”

Mason was the county commission’s representative with organizations including the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness, the Community Action Agency, the Enterprise Zone Development Agency, the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council and the CareerSource Suncoast board of directors. 

She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Human the Human Development Award for Community Service by the Westcoast Center for Human Services, the Woman of Color Award, the NAACP Freedom Award, the “She Knows Where She’s Going Award” from Girls Incorporated, and the Freedom Fighter Award from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Manatee/Sarasota Chapter. Mason received the 2015 Lifetime Freedom Award from the NAACP’s Sarasota County Branch for a history of service and activism focused on the preservation and protection of civil and human rights. 

Her first involvement in civic activism was in the 1980s, where as a newspaper columnist, she tried to introduce the area’s arts and cultural offerings to Black residents who, until then, were largely excluded. Later, as a city commissioner, she spearheaded Sarasota Openly Addresses Racism (SOAR), an annual panel discussion on race that brought together people from many different segments of the community. 

Cutsinger was elected as a commissioner in November 2020. An active water sports enthusiast, Cutsinger enjoys scuba diving, fishing, boating and kayaking. Sarasota County’s natural wonder and pristine beauty are what brought him to the area, and one of his top priorities is to always safeguard treasured environment assets.

“I’m honored,” he said, “to serve on the board of the Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates representing Sarasota County. Nathan Benderson Park is an exceptional world-class amenity with an exciting future. I look forward to being a part of it.”

Cutsinger has been a south Sarasota County resident for more than 45 years. He and his wife, Alison, moved from Michigan in 1973 and have owned several local businesses, including Ron’s Restaurant in Englewood, which they opened in 1974. After selling Ron’s, Cutsinger completed formal training in Bible and ministry, returned to pastor a local congregation for 12 years, and founded Suncoast Christian School. He continues to serve as a leader in his church.

For nearly 30 years, Cutsinger has been a financial advisor and is the owner and managing director of Waypoint Wealth Management, a full-service financial services firm. He holds his Series 24 Securities Principal License and is certified by the Securities and Exchange Commission as a registered investment advisor.

Cutsinger has served as a member of civic and nonprofit community service organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, Rotary Club of Sarasota, and the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. He served as president of the Friends of Elsie Quirk Library and as a member of the Sarasota County Library Advisory Board. He has also served on the Sarasota County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and was recognized by the Friends of The Legacy Trail for his support of the successful referendum to extend the trail. He most recently served as chairman of the Sarasota County Planning Commission, from which he stepped down to run for county commissioner.