People & Business : Friday 2 / 1

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

Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation Board Approves $6 Million in Grant Funding

 Recent funding from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation strengthens its focus on some of the community’s most pressing issues, including red tide, mental health and housing.
 
Restoring a Public Sarasota Waterfront A grant of $940,000 to Sarasota Bayfront Planning Organization for wetlands, bayou, and mangrove restoration. Part of the bayfront master plan, this funding will provide a restored waterfront with significantly enhanced accessibility for visitors interested in walking, kayaking and nature education. Part of the gift will create an endowment to ensure ongoing maintenance.   
 
Fighting Red Tide A grant of $751,487 to Mote Marine Laboratory over five years to fund the Directorship of the Red Tide Institute. Mote recruited Dr. Cynthia Heil, a widely respected red tide algal bloom expert, to lead the newly created institute. Dr. Heil will oversee Mote’s five ongoing and diverse red tide research programs and manage its partnerships with government agencies and research organizations at the state and national level. 
 
Feeding Hungry Babies and Children A grant of $674,628 to All Faiths Food Bank for the Pediatric Food Insecurity Screening Project. The three-year pilot to reduce childhood hunger and its negative health effects will run in partnership with Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Outpatient Center and CenterPlace Health. 
 
Eliminating Legal Hurdles for Foster Kids A grant of $539,340 to Legal Aid of Manasota to fund the Legal Lifeline pilot program to assist youth in foster care as they navigate the legal system. Legal Aid will hire two attorneys to work exclusively with children in foster care to conduct “legal health checks,” represent them in court and to develop transition plans for youth aging out of the system. 
 
 Building Capacity to Provide Trauma-informed Care for Families  A grant of $303,843 to Florida State University Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy to provide trauma-informed care training for up to 30 local infant mental health experts. Participants will become certified in Child Parent Psychotherapy, the best therapeutic treatment to strengthen broken relationships between parents and young children. 
 
Mental Health Intervention for Children  A grant of $300,000 to The Florida Center for Early Childhood over two years to hire mental health clinicians for the Starfish Academy to treat emotional, behavioral and relationship trauma in children six and younger. 
 
Educating Parents in order for Children to Thrive A grant of $300,000 to Forty Carrots Family Center to support the organization’s mission and expand its parent education, mental health and early childhood education programs.  
 
Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect  A grant of $240,000 to Parenting Matters to provide operational support and expanded its parent education programming in Sarasota County. 
 
Keeping At-Risk Youth Safe  A grant of $100,728 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County to expand the Club at Night Program to run year-round at the Roy McBean and Lee Wetherington Clubs.  
 
World-class STEM Education Comes to Sarasota  A grant of $100,000 to the Museum of Science and Industry of Chicago to support their afterschool science education program and fund museum staff to travel to Sarasota to conduct trainthe-trainer sessions with local youth science educators.
 
Solving Chronical Adult Homelessness  A grant of $100,000 to Gulf Coast Community Foundation for the St. Vincent DePaul Suncoast Rapid Rehousing Program, which quickly connects chronically homeless adults to permanent housing, case management and financial assistance. 
 
Strengthening Grassroots Support for Mothers  A grant of $19,159 to Mothers Helping Mothers to increase operational efficiency.
 
Additional Grants An additional $1.5 million in funding was awarded to provide annual support and sponsorships for partner organizations.

Junior League of Sarasota Announces New Future Leadership

The Junior League of Sarasota is pleased to announce that Melissa Hembree is the selection for President-Elect during the upcoming 2019 2020 league year and Ashley Giasone was also selected as Executive Vice President-Elect.

Melissa Hembree is an active wife and mother of four and is a Marketing & Communications Consultant. She has experience as a Project Manager in the technology, real estate, and non-profit sectors. She has served in the League for 8 years, and most recently served as a Board Member and Vice President of the Finance Council. Hembree graduated from Florida State University and is a native of Sarasota.

Ashley Giasone is also an active wife and mother of two, and a professional working at The Ryan Wells Foundation. She also has experience in the hospitality industry with hotel sales and event coordination. She is currently a Co-Chair for the New Member Education committee and has served in the League for 8 years to date. Giasone is from St. Petersburg, Florida and studied at the University of Florida and University of Central Florida.

Hembree and Giasone will begin preparing in the new year, to lead the League in 2020-2021. They will work to continue advancing the League’s mission for the greater Sarasota community.

Camile N. Campagna Joins Dickinson & Gibbons, P.A.

Dickinson & Gibbons, P.A., a Sarasota litigation firm, is pleased to announce that attorney Camile N. Campagna has joined the firm.  Ms. Campagna practices primarily in the area of marital and family law with attorneys Deborah J. Blue and Mark A. Wilson.

In 2007, Ms. Campagna graduated magna cum laude from Defiance College in Ohio with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, and was the recipient of the Outstanding Senior Criminal Justice Award. During college, she was a McMaster Scholar and served at the Cambodia Women’s Crisis Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Prior to law school she worked as a Juvenile Corrections Officer and a Career Transition Specialist. As a Child and Family Advocacy fellow, she earned her Juris Doctor in 2013 from Hofstra University School of Law in New York. While at Hofstra, she was Executive Research Editor of the Family Court Review and a recipient of a Certificate of Study in Family Law.

Ms. Campagna worked as an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the New York City Law Department in the Family Court Division from 2013 to 2015. After relocating to Florida, she served as an Assistant State Attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit prosecuting misdemeanor, felony and juvenile cases. Ms. Campagna is admitted in the state courts of New York and Florida. She is a member of the Sarasota County Bar Association and the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar.    

Nautilus Homes Welcomes Vice President of Client Experience

In his quest to deliver luxury customer experience foreign to the traditional building industry, Ryan Perrone, the owner and founder of Nautilus Homes, recently welcomed Rick Mountjoy as the firm’s vice president of client experience. Mountjoy will work with the entire Nautilus team to ensure they deliver exceptional customer relationships.

“At this exciting stage of our growth, it’s the right time to introduce this position,” says Perrone. “As we expand and grow into new customer segments, it’s vital to continuously evaluate our customer care strategies. With his extensive experience and expertise, Rick is uniquely qualified to take our customer initiatives to the next level.”

Mountjoy shares Perrone’s customer-centered philosophy.

 “Nautilus is deeply client-centric,” he says. “That’s part of Ryan’s recipe for success—and it’s what made Nautilus the high-end boutique builder we are today. We value developing and maintaining substantial relationships that last a lifetime. Clients and developers recognize that commitment, and that’s why they seek us out continuously. My goal is to build on that success and continue to explore creative ways to enhance the customer experience in the physical and digital realm. The building industry has a reputation for being antiquated. We are on a mission to change that. Clients now expect and deserve real time service and project tracking and updates.”

Mountjoy brings decades of expertise in the building trade to his new position. As a young boy, he helped with his father’s building company. As a young man, he launched his own business, and then went on to join a Fortune 500 homebuilder in the Maryland/Virginia area. “My background covers the spectrum of the building industry,” he says. “I’ve managed my own small business—and I’ve worked for a company with hundreds of employees. That comprehensive experience can only add value to Nautilus Homes from a systems and growth perspective.”

According to Perrone, Mountjoy will fit right in with the Nautilus Homes’ team.

“It takes an extraordinary team to create extraordinary design,” he says. “We’re defined by our commitment to excellence in craft, integrity, and customer satisfaction. Each team member shares that commitment—and it’s not just a question of knowledge, but a true fire in the belly. That passion made Nautilus the region’s preeminent custom building company. Rick shares that passion, and we’re thrilled to have him on board.”

For more information, visit Nautilus-Homes.com or call 941-366-3650.

  Acrylic Painters of USA, Colored Pencil Society of America & the Annual Student Show  

The Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA), Florida, will hold their “It’s Colored Pencil 2019” exhibit at ArtCenter Manatee in the Kellogg Gallery, February 26 through March 29. The show will feature the work of 27 colored pencil artists from Florida. Juror for the show, Erin Wilson, is from the Museum of Fine Art in St. Petersburg. CPSA strives to bring awareness to the beauty and richness of colored pencil as a medium for creating fine art.
 
Joining the Colored Pencil Society will be Acrylic Painters USA (APUSA). They will hold their 13th Annual Juried Show at ArtCenter Manatee in the Searle Gallery. Founded in 2006, APUSA’s mission is to further the interests of artists in the use of acrylic/water-media by providing competitive exhibits, encouraging the study of the acrylic medium, and educating artists and the public on the significance of acrylics as an important painting medium. They represent some of the finest acrylic painters in the region. The juror for this show is William “Skip” Lawrence, a wellknown artist and Editor-in-Chief of Palette Magazine. 

Completing this trio of exhibits will be our Annual Student Show, featuring the all media work of our students. While many of our students are professional artists, this exhibit speaks to their desire to continue to learn and explore. ArtCenter Manatee is committed to providing our students the opportunity to display their work professionally and to a broader audience. Juror  will be Bea Dreier.
 
All shows open on February 26, with an opening reception on Thursday, February 28 from 5:00 to 7:00pm. The reception and exhibits are free and open to the public.

All Faiths Food Bank Receives $170,000 in Grants

 In support of Backpacks, which provide students with nutritious snacks over the weekend and holidays, School Pantries which provide fresh produce, meats and groceries to families at schools, Mobile Farm Markets which distribute fresh produce in our community, the Mobile Pantry Program (including our Veterans Pantry every second and fourth Tuesday of the month) which provides access to fresh produce, meats and groceries to those in need, and Nutrition Education programs.

All Faiths Food Bank recently received grants from the following organizations:

$105,000 from The Stone Foundation in support of the Backpack, Mobile Farm Market and Veteran Programs

$25,000 from the Norm Skalicky Foundation in support of all programs 

$20,000 from the Roberta Leventhal Sudakoff Foundation in support of the Backpack Program

$20,000 from the Harry Sudakoff Foundation in support of the Mobile Pantry Program
   
The grants will help provide, children, families, seniors, veterans and those in crisis with nutritious food throughout Sarasota and DeSoto counties.

The Players Centre Announces 90th Consecutive Season 

The Players Centre for Performing Arts has announced its 90th season Wilde Broadway Series shows. This celebratory all-musical season covers the gamut from classics to a soon to be announced rock musical. The theme for the 2019-2020 season is anthems to live by.
  
The Players will present their 90th season at their location in downtown Sarasota at 838 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236. The Players 90th Broadway Series runs from September 2019 through April 2020.
   
The 2019 Summer Sizzler series has been announced and includes Love, Loss and What I Wore, SHOUT! The Mod Musical and The Odd Couple. Keep an eye out for more updates about our Backstage at The Players lineup, SNAP series, studio shows and more!

Women’s Resource Center to Recognize Four “Wonder Women” at its 2019 Renaissance Legacy Luncheon

The Women’s Resource Center’s 2019 Spring Legacy Luncheon is Tuesday, February 26, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Blvd. of the Arts, Sarasota. The annual event celebrates outstanding women, or “Wonder Women,” in Sarasota and Manatee counties. This year is the first year that the luncheon celebrates women from both counties in one unified event. The 2019 Wonder Women are: Umbreen Khalidi-Majeed, an entrepreneur and CEO and strategist for Parkside Assisted Living and Memory Cottage; Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld, president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota; Michael Saunders, founder and CEO of Michael Saunders & Company; and Heather Kasten, president/CEO of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance. Tickets are $100 and $200 (patron), and available for purchase at MyWRC.org/Renaissance. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Leslie Tilton at 941-256-9721 or events@mywrc.org.

Bianca N. Manos Joins Icard Merrill

The law firm of Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen, and Ginsburg, P.A., is pleased to announce that Bianca N. Manos has joined the firm as an associate in the Sarasota office. Her practice is focused in the areas of family law and commercial litigation. Prior to joining Icard Merrill, Bianca represented corporate and individual clients in matters involving personal injury, premises liability, and property damage litigation.

Bianca received her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Florida, and her J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. While in law school, she served as the editor in chief of the University of Florida Journal of Law and Public Policy, and was a member of the Trial Team.

Bianca is an active member of The Florida Bar and the Young Lawyers Division of the Sarasota County Bar Association.