941CEO July/August 2017

JULY / AUGUST 2017

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PLUS: Four Women Achievers On What It Takes

17 Ways to Find and Retain Top Talent Are you holding the right cards?

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July / August 2017

CONTENTS

Talk

12

FINDING AND KEEPING WORKERS 17 STRATEGIES TO KEEP YOUR EMPLOYEES— AND COMPANY —HUMMING.

18 22

GAME CHANGER

An unorthodox company uses games to boost business performance.

LEFT: VGSTOCKSTUDIO/SHUTTERSTOCK. RIGHT: PEPE NIETO

FEMALE FACTOR

Four women on what it takes to keep your balance on the way to the top.

ADVERTISING SECTION Women of Influence

27

941CEO.com Check out our website, featuring new and archived articles, and sign up for our e-newsletter, BizDaily.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

Stuff you need to know, including workers’ comp to-dos, Lakewood Ranch’s tech hub and chic shoes for working women.

49

My Space

GravityFree CEO Scott Heaps’ executive digs.

50

What I’ve Learned How ambition and potholders helped Merle Whitehead build a real estate empire.

52

Fast Track

Movers, shakers and headline makers.

54

The Seen

People and events in pictures.

56

Off the Clock

Scott Earl of Fawley Bryant Architecture and his flying dogs.

LAYOFFS GIVE WAY TO A LABOR SHORTAGE IN JANUARY OF 2010, when the unemployment rate in Sarasota County reached 12.4 percent, not many people would have bet that seven years later the biggest challenge facing local businesses would be hiring and retaining workers.

But here we are. The jobless rate in Sarasota County slid to 3.7 percent this spring. What’s more, local employers have thousands of openings they would love to fill, if they could find the candidates.

Nationally, there were 6 million job openings in April, the largest number in history. No wonder that the No. 1 issue at a recent retreat of the Sarasota County Economic Development Commission was solving “our workforce shortage.”

The good news, as I learned in reporting this month’s cover story, is that businesses are embracing a wide range of innovative approaches to find and keep top employees. There’s no shortcutting the basics such as offering competitive wages. But CEOs and human resources pros say pay is only part of the equation, particularly among millennials, who are job-hopping at rates never seen before. Subsidized childcare, full reimbursement for college and paid parental leave for both parents are some of the perks being offered to keep workers happy.

This month’s issue is chock full of other advice for business leaders, including Vicki Dean’s “The Female Factor,” in which four local achievers share their insights on balance, success and identity.

Enjoy, and, as always, let us know what you think.

COVER ILLUSTRATION

Pierre Droal

3

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Tiffani Donovan SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Kim Davis,

Dan Starostecki ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Debra Clark Maradiaga, Keith Magnuson, Sandy Moore SALES AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Amy Fitzgibbons MARKETING AND EVENTS MANAGER

Sarah Beattie EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Pam Daniel

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 941CEO Susan Burns EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 941CEO David Hackett SENIOR EDITOR Ilene Denton SENIOR EDITOR Kay Kipling ASSOCIATE EDITOR Cooper Levey-Baker WEB EDITOR Megan McDonald

ART CREATIVE DIRECTOR Gigi Ortwein ART DIRECTOR Pepe Nieto

PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER Guy Vilt

Mariash Lowther Wealth Management Brian J. Mariash Senior Vice President – Wealth Management Wealth Management Advisor 941.364.5678 J. Barton Lowther Senior Financial Advisor Portfolio Advisor 941.364.5695 Merrill Lynch 1819 Main Street, Suite 1200 Sarasota, FL 34241 fa.ml.com/mlwm

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BUSINESS ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE Diana Clenney IT SPECIALIST Shawn Lamb DISTRIBUTION MANAGER David Moreau ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Emma Burke

FOUNDER EMERITUS Dan Denton CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Kevin Allen, Su Byron, Vicki Dean, Isaac Eger, Kim Hackett, Ruth Lando, Dennis Maley, Jackie Rogers, Anu Varma, Hannah Wallace, Sylvia Whitman CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS Barbara Banks, Salvatore Brancifort, Chad Spencer, Robert Castro, Alex Stafford, Lori Sax, Jenn Soos, Everett Dennison, Evan Sigmund, Matthew Holler, Chris Lake, Gene Pollux, Fred Lopez, Victor Juhasz

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GULF SHORE MEDIA, LLC A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF SAGACITY MEDIA, INC. CEO & COFOUNDER Nicole Vogel VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT & COFOUNDER Scott Vogel SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, EDITORIAL & OPERATIONS Bill Hutfilz VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL CONTENT

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DIRECTOR, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

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All contents of this magazine are copyrighted ©2017. Unsolicited photographs and manuscripts are welcome, but return cannot be guaranteed. Circulation audited by U.S. Postal Service. Advertisements in this publication do not constitute an offer for sale in states where prohibited or restricted by law.

941CEO adheres to American Society of Magazine Editors guidelines, which require a clear distinction between editorial content and paid advertising or marketing messages.

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SATURDAY, JULY 29 – 7 P.M. Sarasota Opera House – 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota Experience a remarkable, one-night-only performance of national and international young dancers including special guests: s Francois Llorente former soloist of Ballet Nacional de Cuba s Francisco Serrano of The Royal Ballet s Kalle Sascha Wigle of The Royal Swedish Ballet

Box Office Information: 941.328.1300 or tickets.sarasotaopera.org Ask about our group sales discount for 10 or more.

For additional information, visit: srqcubanballet.com Sponsored in part by: Dr. Suzanne Kesten Mentoring Program

photo by: Soho Images

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

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PEOPLE, COMPANIES AND ISSUES YOU NEED TO KNOW.

INNOVATORS

Jellyfish Homes

“T

The last thing I wanted to do was grow jellyfish, are you kidding me?” says Brock Gratton as he looks at the hundreds of live moon jellyfish occupying a dozen tanks on the f loor of his office. Still, he and his twin brother, Blake, have spent the last year perfecting JellyTank, their desktop jellyfish aquarium. The brothers, 35, who also own Sarasota’s Xplode Marketing, shipped 1,200 presold JellyTanks in May. JellyTank started last year on a whim.

Brock and Blake Gratton

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“I was redesigning our website,” says Blake. “I saw some jellyfish and thought, ‘That’d be a cool [design element] to incorporate.’

But Brock says to me, ‘Jellyfish have nothing to do with Xplode Marketing.’ I was like, ‘Maybe we can order a tank.’”

When the jellyfish aquariums they found online proved both expensive and impractical—a $400 model kept sucking the creatures into the filter—the entrepreneurial duo designed their own. After consulting with dozens of marine biologists, aquarium businesspeople and other experts in the jellyfish world, says Blake, they reached their $25,000 Kickstarter goal in three days.

JellyTank’s water pump and circular shape create a water flow to mimic tidal movement.

The tanks start at $199 online, and the brothers, who grew up in Bradenton, are working to get distribution to retailers and may add employees. They hope to expand to larger tanks that can accommodate more exotic jellyfish species. For now, even before shipping a single product, their sales are pushing $200,000.

Says Blake, “If you would’ve told me a year ago I’d be in the jellyfish industry, I would’ve been like, ‘What?’ The only jellyfish I’d ever seen were in the Gulf of Mexico.”—Hannah Wallace

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JENN SOOS

TALK

7 PROPERTY WATCH // 8 BIZ RULES // 10 BUSINESS CLASS

PROPERTY WATCH

Calling All Scientists Tavistock Development signs on to Lakewood Ranch’s biotech campus. ●● BY DENNIS MALEY

L

RENDERINGS BY FLAD ARCHITECTS

akewood Ranch Commercial, an arm of master developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, announced plans to develop a biotech business campus dubbed CORE (Collaborative Opportunities for Research and Exploration) on 265 acres at the northeast corner of State Road 70 and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, the last major underdeveloped property at one of LWR’s busiest intersections.

In late May, Orlando-based Tavistock Development Company became the first developer to commit to the project. Called The Green, the 35-acre development is expected to be anchored by the organic supermarket chain Earth Fare and will include 150,000 square feet of retail, office and restaurant space and a four-story apartment complex with more than 300 units. Construction began in June with a goal of opening the first businesses in early 2018.

A commercial-residential project may not sound like it has much in common with the CORE goal. But Kirk Boylston, president of Lakewood Ranch Commercial, says Tavistock was the right company to boost efforts nationally and even internationally to attract tenants ranging from a large pharmaceutical company to a research

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

These two renderings show Lakewood Ranch’s hopes for developing a proposed biotech business campus on 265 acres at the northeast corner of State Road 70 and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

hospital to an educational institution.

He points to Tavistock’s development of Lake Nona Medical City, a 650acre health and life sciences park in Orlando that includes the University of Central Florida’s Life Sciences campus.

Tavistock vice paresident Skipper Peek says scientists want to be close to amenities. “A scientist from Boston doesn’t want to work in a research park located off on some field,” he says. “Lakewood Ranch already has great housing and schools. In addition to Earth Fare, we’re going to bring seven or eight restaurants, a fitness facility and other amenities that will help Lakewood Ranch realize its goal with the CORE project.”

Boylston says the research hub will follow. “Something of this magnitude is always going to be a somewhat slow and deliberate process,” he says. “But we’re in talks with several potential partners and feel good about finding one that will be a good fit for the project.”

CORE is expected to complement LWR’s northern corridor that already

includes LECOM’s dental and medical school campuses.

Boylston says a zoning change by the Manatee County Commission in March permitting light industrial manufacturing on the site should boost LWR’s ability to attract an anchor development.

“The light manufacturing designation is required if we’ve got a company that wants to do something like manufacture contact lenses or medical devices,” Boylston says. “If you’re talking to almost anyone in the biotech industry, a pharmaceutical company, they want to produce something on site, and whereas previously we were not able to tell them that we had that zoning in place, now we can, which has helped us build traction in those talks.”

Tavistock’s Peek says he learned from the Lake Nona project that such ambitious goals take time. “We used to say it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Peek says. “But now we say it’s a marathon in which you’re sprinting the whole time.”

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TALK BIZ RULES

How to manage the rising costs of workers’ compensation. ●● BY SUSAN BURNS

T

he number of workers’ compensation claims in Florida increased 24 percent from May 2015 to May 2016 and premiums paid by Florida businesses rose 14.5 percent. The reason for most of these increases? In April 2016, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the mandatory payment schedule that dictated attorneys’ fees in workers’ compensation cases was unconstitutional.

The ruling stemmed from a case of an injured employee who needed an $800 MRI. The attorney in the case worked 107 hours and was paid $164, or $1.53 an hour. The mandatory payment system, the court ruled, made it difficult for deserving injured workers in small benefit cases to find an attorney to defend them, depriving them of due process. (In cases where the benefits are larger, $10,000 and above, the mandatory schedule allows for larger fees, and finding an attorney has not been an issue.)

During last spring’s legislative session, lawmakers tried but failed to pass a bill that would cap attorneys’ fees in workers’ comp cases. That means, for now, businesses must do what they can to reduce their costs and claims, says Amie Remington, general counsel for Landrum Human Resources, Inc., which has an office in Sarasota.

“Low value claims are getting attention now,” she says. “We’re telling clients to be actively engaged in the workers’ compensation process.”

First, try to avoid accidents by maintaining a safe work environment. If an accident occurs, employers should keep in touch with their workers and show their concern, which helps to cut down on lawsuits. “Tell them, ‘We’re so sorry you hurt your back. Keep us informed.

Let us know how it’s going.’ It makes a huge difference,” says Pensacola attorney

METRIC

13,000 more jobs 8

Sarasota County’s labor force expanded to 188,241 in May, nearly 7,000 more than a year earlier. Manatee County’s labor force reached 174,811, more than 6,000 jobs over May of 2016. Overall, Florida led the nation in job creation in May, adding nearly 30,000 new jobs from a month earlier.

SOURCE: STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, JUNE 2016.

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KARLSTURY/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE PAGE: MACROVECTOR/SHUTTERSTOCK

Play It Safe

Colleen Cleary Ortiz, whose practice focuses on workers’ compensation defense.

Then get the injured worker back to work as quickly as possible to avoid driving up costs. Employers should look for a job that accommodates the injury and the doctor’s orders. “When employees sit at home, they get out of the groove of going to work,” says Cleary Ortiz. “If they’re out fewer than six weeks, they’re likely to return. If it’s more than six months, it drops to 50 percent of them ever returning. After a year, only 25 percent will return. In two years, it’s unlikely they’ll ever return.”

Finally, stay in close touch with the insurance carrier about every claim and make sure that the treatment is in line with the injury. Insurance risk managers may have more than a thousand claims.

“And cases can get away from them,” says Cleary Ortiz. “You don’t want an adjuster paying for a psychiatrist to treat a foot injury.”

JOBS REPORT wusf

Replaced By a Robot?

Region ranks No. 5 most vulnerable to workplace automation. ● BY DAVID HACKETT

TV

classical wsmr

89.1 103.9

wusf.org

T

he North Port-SarasotaBradenton metropolitan area is the fifth most vulnerable area in the nation to having jobs threatened by automation, says a new study by the University of Redlands (California) Institute for Spatial Economic Analysis.

Over the next 20 years, 62.4 percent of the jobs in the Sarasota area will be “technically automatable,” says researcher Jess Chen, “meaning technology will reach the point where some or all of the job can be done by a robot.”

The study cites analysis by two Oxford University professors who say that advances in machine learning and robotics are rapidly accelerating. The Sarasota-Bradenton area, along with cities such as Las Vegas and Riverside, California, are most vulnerable because of a large percentage of low-wage service jobs, Chen says.

Here are jobs in the local market that could be most affected: Cashiers: 97 percent of jobs vulnerable.

Waiters, waitresses: 96 percent.

Retail salespersons: 92 percent.

Cooks: 96 percent.

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers: 89 percent.

Chen says the following jobs are among the least likely to be affected by automation locally: recreation workers, physicians, mechanics, elementary school teachers, pharmacists and civil engineers.

Oh, and if you are a CEO, you’re fairly invulnerable, as well. Chen projects that only 1.5 percent of the area’s 520 CEO’s could be replaced by a robot.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

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89.7

a service of the University of South Florida

watch, listen & learn

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TALK BUSINESS CLASS ● BY JACKIE ROGERS

HEEL TO TOE

Six styles every businesswoman should own.

STYLISH KICKS Keep your look professional, yet sporty with a classic-style sneaker on the workday walk to lunch. The simplicity and texture of this shoe are way more stylish than wearing clunky running shoes with a skirt. Pair them with a cute floral dress for a weekend walk at the Farmer’s Market. If you’re a fan of color, these kicks come in five hues. | Tretorn Tournament, $65 at Main Street Traders

THE CLASSIC PUMP

APPROPRIATE WORK SANDAL Living in a warm climate means having an attractive, yet office-appropriate sandal.

Choose a style with more coverage or thicker straps to keep from looking too casual. Selecting a pair with a block heel will give you more stability when racing to your next meeting. | Antonio Melani, Skarly, in Burning Sand, $89.99 at Dillard’s

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From pencil skirts to slim leg trousers to boyfriend jeans, this go-with-everything shoe has withstood fashion’s test of time.

Look for a point-toe style in a mid-height heel to give you the sleekest silhouette.

For colors, go for black, nude and gray. | Donald J. Pliner, $248, Foxy Lady, St. Armands Circle

941CEO

PARTY HEELS No matter what the occasion, every girl needs a shoe for a night on the town. Whether they are sky-high, flatter than flat or somewhere in between, opt for a pair that work with your lifestyle. Try a metallic finish, bold color, texture or print to keep it fun and trendy. | Carano, $498 at L. Boutique

PRETTY FLATS After the long workweek, kick off your heels and opt for a fashionable flat with a pointy toe to keep your casual Friday attire looking sharp. Pair with denim or your favorite ankle-length pant, white blouse and blazer for a crisp look. | Sam Edelman, Ruby Flat in Nautical Blue, $109.95, Nordstrom.com

TOP: ALEX STAFFORD

OFF-DUTY SANDAL The Florida lifestyle requires a sandal that can dress up a summer look for an office barbecue or weekend outing with business colleagues. Resist showing up in your favorite, wornout flip-flops and dress to impress with an effortless summer sandal.

The distressed denim fabric is casual while the shoe’s structure is sophisticated. | “Fly” Coconuts

by Matisse, T. Georgianos Shoe Salon, $96

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

11

Finding and 17 Keeping Workers

VGSTOCKSTUDIO/SHUTTERSTOCK

WINNING STRATEGIES

BY DAVID HACKETT

12

941CEO

These are golden days for PGT Innovations, Inc. The Venice-based manufacturer of impact-resistant doors and windows has seen net revenues soar nearly 45 percent in the past three years. Its stock price, which plunged to 88 cents during the depths of the Great Recession, exceeded $12 earlier this year. And the company is not only running three shifts at its local plant, it has acquired three operations near Miami and Orlando.

Yet one challenge keeps PGT president and chief operating officer Jeff Jackson up at night.

“Plain and simple, it’s labor,” Jackson says. “Can we get and retain enough qualified workers? That’s our challenge right now, as it is for many businesses.”

PGT has seen its workforce, which dipped to under 1,000 during the downturn, swell to more than 2,600 today, closing in on Publix as the largest private employer in the Sarasota-Bradenton Metropolitan Area.

“And we have 130 positions I’d fill today if we had the right candidates,” Jackson recently said. “But you can’t just hope they will walk through the door.”

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

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Demographics add another layer to the challenge: Younger workers are jobhopping at unprecedented rates. A 2016 study by the networking site Linkedin found that millennials averaged nearly three jobs in their first five years out of college—double the rate of Generation Xers. Compounding the challenge, a wave of baby boomers—the most stable part of the workforce—is heading to retirement.

“There’s a war on for talent right now,” says Laurie Bennett, executive director of human resources for Sarasota Memorial Hospital. “It’s our No. 1 priority.”

Companies are responding with major changes in how they attract employees and what they are doing to keep them. Here are some successful strategies that could benefit your company.

14

Hiring strategy Cast a wide net The days of being able to fill job openings by relying on a file cabinet of applicants, putting a Help Wanted advertisement in the Sunday newspaper or sticking a sign such as “Job Opening, Apply Within” outside the business are long gone, says Pat Mathews, principal of Workplace Experts, a Sarasota-based human resources consulting firm.

“But it’s amazing how many businesses haven’t gotten the message,” Mathews laments. “When I see those

Sarasota Memorial Hospital offers daycare for the children of its employees.

hospital sells not only its workplace, but the Sarasota lifestyle of beaches, warm weather and culture.

“We used to post and pray,” Bennett says. “Now, we’re going after people.”

SMH changed its employment portal into a “candidate relationship manager.” Candidates who respond through Facebook, for example, can register in 20 seconds, Bennett says, providing their name, email address and job interests. SMH then interacts with the prospects, notifying them when jobs in their fields open and sending email blasts, for example, when the hospital is recognized

Most [employees] “who quit know that they are going to do it within their first week on the new job. That’s why the ‘onboarding’ process is so vital.” – Pat Mathews

‘Now Hiring’ signs outside a business, it strikes fear in my heart. It sends the message: ‘We’re desperate.’ There are so many more effective ways to do it.”

Sarasota Memorial Hospital, which has 5,400 employees and 300 to 400 openings at any given time, is casting a national net to lure applicants. Between 30 percent to 40 percent of SMH’s recruiting efforts now go through social media sites such as Facebook, Indeed, LinkedIn and Twitter, with only 5 percent devoted to the previous staple, advertisements in print media. The

as a top place to work. More than 8,000 potential candidates are now in SMH’s system. In addition, the hospital made job applications accessible on mobile devices.

Bennett says one-third of applications now come through cell phones or tablets.

Companies still use jobs sites such as Monster and CareerBuilder to find candidates. But they are also increasingly focusing on Facebook posts, for example, that do not even mention a specific job opening and are designed to pique the interest of a talented worker not actively seeking another job.

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JENN SOOS. OPPOSITE PAGE: RAWPIXEL.COM/SHUTTERSTOCK

PGT’s challenge is shared by businesses across the region, who have gone from wringing their hands over layoffs to a full-throttle switch forward to find new workers and keep the ones they have. The SarasotaBradenton unemployment rate, which reached 12.2 percent in 2010, fell to 3.7 percent in April, the lowest rate in a decade. Nationally, the United States had a record 6 million job openings this spring, according to the Labor Department, compared to just 2.2 million during the depths of the recession in 2009.

Ten Tips

to Retain Workers 1

“By marketing your brand, your culture, you attract candidates who may not even be actively looking,” Mathews said. “They say, ‘Wow, that looks like a great place to work.’”

McDonald’s, which is hiring 250,000 summer workers, has created an application process called “Snaplications” using the social media mobile app Snapchat. Users nationwide access 10-second video ads of restaurant employees talking about working at McDonald’s. They can then “swipe up” to visit the McDonald’s career webpage in Snapchat to see openings and apply for jobs.

The ability to easily get a company’s message out not just regionally but across the country allows employers to target areas ripe with potential applicants. For example, Bennett says, SMH recently targeted Texas after that state had large layoffs in health care.

Even as companies are casting a wider net, they also are turning internally through employee referral programs to connect with candidates.

PGT is among a growing number of companies that gives financial bonuses to employees who refer successful hires. An employee who refers a hire earns $25 if both the employee and the new worker are employed in good standing after 90 days; $50 more after 180 days and another $100 after a year, for a total of $175.

“What better endorsement can we get than from an employee who loves his or her job?”

Jackson says. Nearly half of workers hired through PGT’s employee referral programs are still on the job after two years, which is significantly better than the company’s overall retention rate.

Start strong The first days are critical Companies often spend thousands of dollars and many work hours to attract and hire a great employee. Many of those employees walk out the door before their desk chair is even warm.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

2

Customize benefits and schedules to give employees options that suit their lifestyles.

3

Include specific retention targets in annual managerial goals.

4

Communicate regularly, directly and honestly about how the company is doing.

5

Show zero tolerance for harassment or bullying.

6

Make clear to employees the paths for advancement and what it takes to reach them.

7

Celebrate your company’s heritage and successes to burnish employee pride in where they work.

8

Reward employees whose referrals lead to successful hires.

9

Raise pay when deserving. A study found that 35 percent of workers who did not receive a raise in the previous 12 months were job hunting.

10

Consider benefits that go beyond the work area, such as fitness club memberships, child-care and educational reimbursements.

SOURCES: 941CEO RESEARCH

More companies are interacting with employees on social media.

Value results over face time. Remote workers are 50 percent less likely to quit.

15

with us for the long term. And to get to that point, we have to make the start successful for them.”

PGT Innovations has a wellness center onsite.

“We used to post and pray. Now, we’re going after people.” – Laurie Bennett

“Thirty-three percent of new workers quit within six months,” Mathews says.

“And most of those who quit know that they are going to do it within their first week on the new job. That’s why the ‘onboarding’ process is so vital.”

Mathews says managers and human resources should follow up with new employees at set periods, including after the first week. Ask the new hires whether the job is what they expected and, if not, what changes or adjustments they would like to see. Employees want transparency and open lines of communication. They want to feel that their voice is heard and that they know what is going on beyond their work station.

Another important step, says Alicia Larkins, human resources director at Tervis, is to educate new hires about the company’s history and achievements.

16

“We’ve been here since 1946, and telling our new employees about our rich history helps develop a sense of pride in where they work,” Larkins says. “You can’t wait to do it. The first 90 days are critical.”

Small things can have a big impact on someone new to a job. Mathews says not having a prepared work area for a new employee or sending the new hire off for hours to fill out paperwork sends the wrong signal at a crucial moment.

At PGT, one of the first messages is that lines of communication are open.

“We’ve learned to put a lot of effort into the first days and weeks,” says PGT’s Jackson, who has an open-door policy.

“We know if we can keep an employee for five years, they’re often going to stay

PGT recently raised its starting wage from $10.25 to $11 an hour. Skilled workers can make between $18 to $24 an hour. But Jackson says benefits can be just as important, if not more so, in attracting, motivating and retaining employees.

In recent years, PGT has added a wellness center at its Venice campus where workers can get free basic medical care such as blood tests, prescriptions and referrals to specialists. There’s a free 24-hour fitness site. And in April the company broke ground on a $1.8 million child-care center for employees, with costs subsidized by PGT. Employees can also receive up to $50,000 to attend college or get other advanced training, education that leads to promotions and higher pay. An emergency loan program called the Crisis Connection helps employees get through tough financial times.

The city of Venice has also stepped in, approving in May the rezoning of 30 acres on Knights Trail Road near the city’s manufacturing hub, which includes PGT, Tervis and other businesses. Plans call for 534 apartments for moderate and low-income residents, with rents starting at $750. It is the area’s first affordable housing project in decades and, if achieved, will allow employees to live, get childcare and shop close to where the work.

“Housing costs are a huge issue,” Jackson says. “A lot of working-class families are being priced out of the market.”

Earlier this year, Sarasota Memorial was named one of the 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review. Flexible scheduling options and customized benefits, including giving employees a variety of health insurance choices, are attractive to today’s workers, Bennett says. SMH has two childcare centers, a fitness facility that rivals 941CEO

JENN SOOS

Retaining workers It’s more than pay

the best in the area and counseling programs for employees dealing with personal issues.

“Pay is important,” Bennett says, “but benefits and flexibility matter a lot as well.”

Among HR directors, “engagement” is the buzzword. Bennett says employers can fuel engagement by ensuring workers have the tools and training to be successful and giving regular feedback to employees. Employees also want to feel “managers care about them,” she says, and that they have a friend at work.

Mathews says millennials, in particular, are looking for jobs that they enjoy, where they feel recognized and where they see a chance to advance. They want to be kept informed about what is happening at the company, the bad as well as the good. And they want to know that their voices are being heard.

“You can’t expect employees to communicate through a suggestion box.”

– Pat Mathews “You can’t expect employees to communicate through a suggestion box,” she says.

Bealls department stores, which employs 500 at its Bradenton corporate headquarters, makes clear to employees their paths for advancement by exposing them to different jobs, says Cheryl Woeltjen, the company’s director of government and public affairs. For example, an employee doing entry-level work such as data entry is given exposure to work as an analyst or a fashion buyer.

“We’ve also added a formal mentoring program where we pair newer workers with mentors who are not their direct supervisor,” Woeltjen says. “It’s

someone they can confide in without having to go to their boss.”

Finally, keeping a top employee sometimes means taking risks. Jackson tells the story of a good worker who had been at PGT for two years but who was fired when he did not show up for a shift and failed to notify his supervisor.

“When you’re on a production line and don’t show up, it’s a big problem; and you have to treat it seriously,” Jackson says. “But the employee called me, apologized and said he had some issues going on in his life. We gave him a second chance and it has worked out great. Keeping the human part of the equation is so important.” ■

Works for Them Four companies. Four workforce strategies.

Sun Hydraulics, Sarasota-based manufacturer of industrial valves and manifolds. employees: 621 The company receives 500 resumes annually for its summer internship program thanks to relationships it has built with college faculty around the country. About 30 engineering interns are chosen for the program, which pays up to $18 an hour and features a variety of “high-level responsibilities,” says Greg Glass, head of human capital. Between eight and 12 annually ascend to post-graduate internships, which often lead to full employment. “After going through these three steps, they know us and we know them,” Glass says. “Our turnover rate among engineers who have gone through the program is incredibly low, about 5 percent, and many of the former interns have gone on to play leading roles for us.”

Bealls, Bradenton-based department store chain. employees:

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

10,000 in 17 states, including 500 at its local headquarters.

Bealls has boosted its hiring process by having candidates for jobs at corporate headquarters record video interviews through company software. Candidates talk about their experience and what skills they would bring to Bealls.

“We get to see how they present themselves and whether they fit our organization,” says Cheryl Woeltjen, the company’s director of public and government affairs.

Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, Sarasota-based distributor for Anheuser-Busch and other products. employees: 223 Retaining workers “is a big challenge,” says human resources director Ford Snodgrass, particularly at Gold Coast’s warehouse, where the jobs are physically demanding and employees often work 60 hours a week. Gold Coast champions a generous benefits package that

includes full medical, dental and life insurance coverage and college reimbursement. “We pay 100 percent of medical, dental and life insurance, which is rare these days,” Snodgrass says. The company also contributes a percentage of employee pay, up to 5 percent after five years, to a 401(K) retirement plan, contributions that employees are not required to match.

Tervis, employs 700 overall, including nearly 500 at its Venice manufacturing plant and headquarters.

Millennials job-hop more than prior generations. To keep them at Tervis, the company last year added six weeks of parental leave at full pay for both mothers and fathers.

The company also added a 100-day wellness challenge in which the 160 workers who participated received free Fitbits and fitness, sleep and other health assessments, says human resources director Alicia Larkins.

17

Game Changers

BY SY LV I A W HI T M A N | PHOTO GR A PH Y BY BA R BA R A BA NK S

A sports-inspired company turns execs into business champions.

I

n 1997, after winning his second Australian Open and fourth Wimbledon title, tennis wunderkind Pete Sampras needed help. He had the serve and volley down, but not the game off court, where the shy pro struggled with reporters’ questions.

Enter actor Steve Shenbaum. Turns out 1997 was a big year for him, too—and not just because of his role as Ted on the TV series Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. An actress friend, a fellow Northwestern University alum, introduced him to Sampras, and Shenbaum shared a few pointers. Make eye contact. Open your body language. Talk about what you know best: yourself and your sport. Feel free to laugh.

Game on trainer Chris Friday with FCCI professionals.

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941CEO

Game on Nation was born.

Shenbaum kept acting (American Pie 2, Will & Grace, scads of commercials), but his consulting work was earning bigger raves. Many noticed Sampras’ new ease with the press and public. In 2003, it was all hankies on deck as Sampras announced his retirement from tennis, his young son in his arms.

“He had the confidence to deliver that speech without a script,” recalls Shenbaum. “For Pete to be on center court not in his tennis outfit but in his coat and tie, speaking from the heart, was a championship in and of itself.”

That got Shenbaum and Sampras’ representatives at IMG Academy thinking: Maybe other athletes could benefit from performance training. So, in 2003, Shenbaum moved to Bradenton to partner with IMG Academy.

“We want our audience to take part in an experience that lets authentic conversation and truth come to the surface.”

—STEVEN SHENBAUM

Growing in a growing field Although Shenbaum helped a few top draft picks step up to the mic—Sports Illustrated dubbed him “the man who will save us from the boring athlete interview”—he had a wider ambition: to effect change within organizations, not just individuals. Game on Nation’s ambitious goal became: “improve the world through authentic and purposeful engagement.”

The firm focuses on communication, leadership, resiliency and team-building training. It delivers customized programs to three groups: professional and top collegiate athletes and their organizations; companies and nonprofits; and the military. Its clients range from NASCAR to the NBA Rookie Transition Program, the University of Mississippi to Amherst College, TD Bank to Under Armour, the USO to the U.S. Marines.

Leadership training is a growing global business, with revenues of about $170 billion per year in the United States alone, by some estimates. According to the Association for Talent Development, U.S. companies in 2015 spent an average of more than $1,200 per employee on learning experiences. Game on is on track to gross around $1.3 million this year from live presentations, online resources and consulting services.

The company’s staff has grown to four principals and eight “communication consultants,” mostly actors, comedians and athletes in various locations who expand the firm’s geographic reach. Shenbaum is the boss and visionary. Hired as an intern in 2004, exuberant Bradenton native Blair Bloomston (“no caffeine—or else I’m too much”) has risen to vice president as a master of “gamification” and the lead on sales. In 2009 improv actor and marketer Chris Friday joined the team as a curriculum developer and logistical point man.

In 2012, the company separated from IMG, relocating to a bungalow along Manatee Avenue. Three years later, the firm hired AJ Lee, a former Division 1 gymnast, as J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

director of marketing. But everyone in the quartet has a hand in everything.

In a field with plenty of competition, game on Nation says its training techniques set it apart. Sessions touch on such evergreen themes as “valuing each other’s differences,” “seeing change as opportunity,” or “staying positive under pressure.” But game on avoids dream catchers and energy waves, trust falls and ropes course. Instead, the firm draws on its bank of more than 70 games, each no more than 15 minutes, each with a pithy “tie-back” message. To qualify, each activity must incorporate mystery, intrigue, laughter and empowerment—MILE, in game on-speak.

“We want our audience to take part in an experience that lets authentic conversation and truth come to the surface,” says Shenbaum.

CEO buy-in Forbes reports that leadership training often fails because of a mistaken emphasis on rote processes and canned techniques. Other critics point out the difficulty of assessing staff development programs. They can be useless if office culture undercuts the messages. When a company, team or military organization approaches game on, Shenbaum asks to start at the top. If the executives or owners or commanders agree to play, “There’s much more potential for impact,” he says.

Shenbaum promises clients increased loyalty, productivity and a sense of workforce well-being. Sarasota-based FCCI Insurance Group, with 816 workers and $2.2 billion in assets, taps game on for a variety of staff development programs. Kristi Hoskinson, FCCI’s manager of personal 19

and professional development, says the programs get high rankings in post-workshop surveys: “Comments tell us that it’s resonating. Teammates say they’re emboldened and empowered to act out what they learn.”

She adds, “Every game is strategic, tailored to the outcome we want to achieve. I know of no other firm that does communication and leadership development with such an emphasis on care, compassion and leading with integrity.”

A morning of ‘purposeful fun’ FCCI targets emerging leaders at the company and puts them through eight monthly sessions that focus on developing communication skills and building strong teams and relationships. Last May, for the third year in a row, FCCI brought in game on to “tie the bow” on the training. Twenty of FCCI Insurance Group’s mid-level professionals gathered at the Sarasota home office for this finale. There is no lectern, no PowerPoint, no mention of previous lessons on topics like “conf lict management” and “coaching for peak performance.” Just Friday, Bloomston, and Lee from game on Nation, ready to play.

“Every game is strategic, tailored to the outcome we want.”— KRISTI HOSKINSON

The theme of the day: “Celebrate It.” “Jack, is it?” asks Friday, as he points to senior claims adjuster Jack Sowers. “Let’s celebrate Jack.”

Amid vigorous applause, blushing Sowers steps to the front of the semicircle. Friday sets out rules for the game “One Two Three.” He and Jack stand face-to-face, look each other in the eyes, and alternately count to three.

Then they substitute a clap for 1, then a snap for 2, then a stomp for 3. Soon the whole room pairs up, counting, clapping, snapping, stomping—making mistakes and laughing. Partners are in this together.

“I never said you have to go fast,” says Friday. “But how often do we put deadlines on ourselves, even when we don’t have to?”

941CEO

GAME ON NATION’S FOUR STEPS TO A HIGH-PERFORMANCE WORK CULTURE

1

Embrace mystery.

Greet each day with a sense of curiosity and discovery and be flexible to change.

2

Identify incentive.

Remember that your values are worth more than the sum of your paycheck.

FCCI leaders play the interactive game “Spell Check.”

He acts out how coworkers avoid eye contact when passing in the hall, how he himself tunes out his wife while tapping on his cell phone. “So the tie-back for this game is, ‘Don’t bounce, don’t stare, connect’,” he says.

“Connection is key.”

The challenge of this kind of interactive training lies in making “eureka” moments last.

“If you’ve really connected, then people will remember how that felt, and the information becomes ‘sticky,’” says Bloomston.

Lessons leavened by laughter “This isn’t about playing around,” says Shenbaum. Just as an ill-structured fitness exercise can pull muscles or strain tendons, a training game with a sexually inappropriate joke or unacknowledged racial slight can do more harm than good. “We have to deliver interactivity in a way that honors participants,” he says. The background tieback for every MILE game is, laugh with, not at.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

3

Enjoy laughter.

Use humor to lift others up and always laugh with rather than at.

4

Accept empowerment. Know that your role matters and be a good steward of that in order to pave the way for others.

In “Last Letter First Letter,” Bloomston and Julie Smith, a senior marketing underwriter at FCCI, pretend they are chatty dishwashers —a little improv complicated by an extra rule: Each woman has to begin her sentence with the last letter of the last word her partner speaks.

When the chuckles die down, trainer Friday invites the rest of the group to pair up and try it. In the debriefing, he reveals the tie-back: Let them finish. In other words, listen before formulating a response.

One of FCCI’s emerging leaders quips, “Made me think before I speak, which I never do.”

Shenbaum might call that truth coming to the surface.

To settle the room before a break, Bloomston introduces “Coins.” It’s not a game as much as a rumination and guided meditation about work-life balance. Coins are the things we love outside of the job—the jingle in our pocket, the instant dopamine hit, the connection back to our values.

Bloomston’s are her kids, Taco Tuesday, and New York City.

“Who loves steak? Who can cook it? Who loves sushi?

Who hates it?” Bloomston asks.

Fingering our coins, she explains, can soften a game face or turn a rant to a rave. Leaders, for example, might do well to ask their team not “How was your day?” but “What was the best part of your day?”

The next 20 years For now, game on stages about 300 events a year. Twenty percent of them are local, ranging in length from 90 minutes to three days. It’s a point of pride for the company that bookings have multiplied without any advertising, not even on Facebook.

Shenbaum, who has a wife and two daughters, ages 3 and 5, says he works hard but doesn’t believe in “rise and grind.” He’s not pushing for a major expansion. He enjoys the flexibility of running the show, unbeholden to investors or a board of directors. Game on is venturing into creating Web resources, though, to supplement the high-touch sessions.

In the early days of game on, Shenbaum received a letter from Sampras that said, “I wish this kind of program was offered when I was younger.” That’s a reminder for Shenbaum on the importance of sharing his company’s insights with organizations as early as possible in their development— “before it’s too late” for change, he says. ■ 21

FEMALE FACTOR Four achievers on what they’ve learned about success, balance and identity.

Photography by

ALEX STAFFORD

THE CORPORATE EXECUTIVE

Jennifer Cotter Female leaders are rare at the top echelons of business. Only 5 percent of Fortune 500s are led by women, and only 20 percent of their boards are composed of females.

Even in Southwest Florida, where small private companies dominate, women are a minority in executive suites and as company founders. We asked four successful women in Sarasota and Manatee about their journey up the ladder.

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EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR TELEVISION, CONTENT AND PROGRAMMING FOR HSN Manatee County resident Jennifer Cotter, 45, manages nearly 500 employees and freelancers at HSN, a $4-billion multichannel retailer based in St. Petersburg. She comes from a traditional television background, learning from Gerry Laybourne, creator of Nickelodeon; and Peter Lassally, who worked with Johnny Carson. She worked in comedy and talent development with Robert Morton, David Letterman’s longtime executive producer, and helped launch Oprah Winfrey’s Oxygen Network. Cotter took time off when her son was 2 and then was recruited by HSN, which offered her a fourday workweek that allowed her to spend more time with her husband and two sons.

What did you learn from your first TV bosses?

“They were complimentary about what I was great at, but also told me what I

by

VICKI DEAN

needed to develop. I realized how valuable that was. [After that] I looked for people I could learn from and aspired to be like and, conversely, for people [whose] behaviors I didn’t want to have as a leader.”

Your management style?

“I manage everyone from a kid who just came out of college to someone who has been with us 38 years. My leadership style is honest. I’m transparent. I want people to know I care about their career path and about their lives.”

How can women achieve parity with men at work?

“We have to support and stay focused on the advancement of women. Be a mentor to another woman. Be kind if someone’s doing something in a meeting that’s minimizing her own success. Women are more likely to take a passive role in a conversation. I encourage

941CEO

THE SUPER SALESWOMAN

Kim Ogilvie REAL ESTATE AGENT, MICHAEL SAUNDERS & COMPANY

Jennifer Cotter

“Figure out what makes you unique in a landscape of people.” women to prepare themselves to push beyond their comfort zone.”

Did you ever experience gender bias?

“When I moved to Florida I was working with all women [at Oxygen], so it was interesting to go back to working with men who were significantly older than me. They had a role in mind that I was going to fill.

[But] I wasn’t going to take a subordinate position to them.”

What company policies would help women balance family and work?

“Men and women should have certain perks related to family needs. I encourage my team to prioritize every day— if home life needs to come first, if a

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

school performance outranks an important presentation at work.

Planning and communication are key. Honesty around where you’ll be, when you will be back, what you might miss, is critical.”

Advice for women starting out?

“Stay organized, work hard and ask for advice. Figure out what makes you unique in a landscape of people. I’m a hard worker, but I also was more organized than [most] people in TV who tend to be creative first. Being organized and a good communicator differentiated me. Women [tend] to be their own toughest critic.

Don’t beat yourself up. If I had it to do over again, I’d try and learn that earlier.”

Before Tennessee native Kim Ogilvie became one of the topproducing real estate agents in Southwest Florida, she graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with degrees in biology and psychology and worked in the oil industry in Houston. She moved to Sarasota in the early 1980s and joined Michael Saunders & Company’s Main Street office in 1989 when there were eight associates. She’s now among 90 associates in the office, and she and her husband, Michael, have achieved the highest sales volume in $1-million-plus homes from 2003 to 2015.

What advice do you give new agents?

“Connect with your clients, first and foremost. You have to understand what they need and want, even when they don’t know what it is. No. 2 would be being authentic and true to yourself. No. 3 would be to put the clients’ needs in front of your own. If I don’t feel that it’s right or to their benefit, I will advise them against it even though it’s going to cost me a commission. That’s why 90 percent of my business is repeat and referral.”

What’s it like to work with your husband?

“I’m a Type A-plus personality. He’s way more relaxed. And he’s got a bigpicture view, whereas I’m involved in the day-to-day details, negotiating, going on listing appointments.”

What can women do to help each other succeed?

“Sometimes I think women are criticized for the qualities that men are praised for—tenacity, assertiveness, 23

FEMALE FACTOR a competitive spirit, confidence. Women can bring those qualities to the table along with a softness and compassion [to help] people understand where they are in the largest purchase for most of them in their lifetime.”

Talk about working with Michael Saunders.

“She is an inspiration. In 1976, she started the company with a $5,000 loan co-signed by a male acquaintance because banks frowned upon giving a single woman money. Now her company has grown into the market leader with a lot of women in leadership roles. Michael, in her mid70s, has more energy than 10 agents put together. You don’t get the pleasure of knowing that many people like her in your lifetime.”

Advice for agents starting out in real estate?

“Do whatever it takes to align yourself with a top producer as a mentor. I would cook their breakfast and clean their bathrooms in order to tag along, learn what they do and hear what they have to say.”

How do you balance your work and personal life?

“I spent many years having it run me, but now I finally feel like I’ve got a grasp on how to run it. It used to be all work, work, work.

Now I make sure I have down time. I like to work out. I love to snow ski. I visit my family in Tennessee and spend time with my friends. Work is not everything.”

Kim Ogilvie

“Do whatever it takes to align yourself with a top producer as a mentor.”

THE CEO

Erin Cigich CEO, CLICKBOOTH

Clickbooth CEO Erin Cigich grew up in Land O’ Lakes and attended the University of Florida. Five days after graduation from the advertising school in 2007, she took an entry-level sales position at digital startup Clickbooth in Sarasota. Cigich was the 10th employee of the targeted online advertising agency. Not long after, she was promoted to vice president of sales and then company president. Now 32, she is is in her third year as CEO. The 15-year-old company has 32 employees in Sarasota, five remote workers and a team of 15 developers based in Bosnia. She and her husband, Richard, live in Sarasota with their young daughters.

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You had a mentor. What was her best advice?

“When I graduated, I thought that I was figuring out my entire life, and my boss at my college internship said, ‘You’re not figuring out your whole life, you’re figuring out what’s happening next.’ I didn’t take the position 941CEO

Erin Cigich

at Clickbooth thinking one day I would be CEO. It was just, ‘What’s the next challenge? What’s the next thing that excites you and how do you play to that?’ I still go back to that advice.”

Does gender influence your management style?

“Women are naturally empowering leaders and good listeners.

Understanding employees’ motivators, goals, all the pieces that go into making them a whole person comes naturally to a woman vs. being more focused on just the numbers piece of it.”

What changes should happen to lift women up?

“Paid parental leave is important. Your whole life resets when you have a child.

Clickbooth offers fulltime employees a flexible and unlimited paid timeoff policy.”

How did you transition back to work after the births of your girls?

“With my first daughter I was worried that everything would go well without me and they would wonder, ‘What do we need her for?’ Or, that it would go poorly and I would have let my team down. I had to step out of that and check my ego. With my second daughter, we were [selling] Clickbooth from being founder-owned to private equity-owned. The pitching, negotiating, happened from when I was eight months pregnant to when my daughter was two months old. There were days when it would’ve been easier for me to come into the office, but I wanted to be with my daughter and live what our company values [such as maternity leave] are.”

“I didn’t take the position at Clickbooth thinking one day I would be CEO.”

Advice for women starting out?

“Speak up. If somebody asks a question and you feel like you have an answer or an idea, make sure you’re sharing that. That was a major contributor to me moving up within the company. Studies show that men apply for a job when they’re 70 percent qualified and women apply for a job only when they’re 100 percent qualified.”

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THE ENTREPRENEUR

Christine Nordstrom BAKERY AND CAFÉ OWNER Ohio native Christine Nordstrom, 38, operates the bakery Sift Bakehouse; two locations for Styr, her breakfast and lunch cafes; and the new Five-0 Donut Co, all in downtown Sarasota.

She also has joint custody of her two children.

A graduate of Johnson & Wales University’s culinary arts program in Rhode Island, Nordstrom has interned as a pastry chef at the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina, and with Michelin-star chef David Kinch in California.

When Nordstorm arrived in Sarasota in 2001, she worked as a waitress before landing a pastry 25

FEMALE FACTOR

“Think about the life you want to have and then choose a business accordingly.”

time’s a charm. You have to fail several times before you make it in the food industry. And you’re either really well-funded or really experienced. I wasn’t well-funded. I’ve figured out creative ways to make it work.”

Christine Nordstrom

chef job, then built her brand by selling her baked goods at farmers’ markets seven days a week. After the birth of her daughter, Nordstrom worked at Latitude 23.5 Coffee and Tea, where she started selling her popular baked goods.

What did you learn from star chef David Kinch?

“Restaurant Sent Sovi was a tiny galley kitchen. David taught me about working with what you have. And that you don’t have to have a lot of money to do what you love. As long as you do it well, people will support you.”

Any failures along the way?

“Cakewalk Bakehouse, defunct. Wired Whisk Bakehouse, defunct. Sift Bakehouse. Third

26

How tough is the local food industry?

“It’s lonely up here. You have to work your face off. I’m a single mom. I built my work and my business around having my kids. Think about the life you want to have and then choose a business accordingly. If you want to have a business but you don’t want to work seven days a week, look into something that you can do online and work from home.”

Your management style?

“A zero-drama policy. Most people stay with me long-term.

We choose inherently good people who are also good at selfmanagement.”

Marketing strategy?

“I built a brand through Instagram and Kevin Roberts’ book, Lovemarks [about marketing]. I love to connect and build with brand ambassadors. It all boils down to relationships.”

Advice for female entrepreneurs?

“Understand that you’re not just going to bake. You have to understand branding, social media, accounting, bookkeeping, cash flow, loss leaders. You have to understand your competition and have a grasp on psychology; otherwise you can’t manage employees.

You have to learn how to delight people. And you have to do all of these things and still go take care of your family.” ■

941CEO

WOI 2017-2018

Women of Influence 941CEO is honored to introduce Sarasota-Manatee’s inspirational Women of Influence – owners, executives and professional trailblazers who have paved the way for others to succeed in our community.

941CEO’s 2017-2018 Women of Influence features strong women with expertise in diverse industries. Learn what motivates them to keep strengthening their businesses.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SALLY ULLMAN

ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Joni Rametta, CFPÂŽ

Lori Ruth

Wealth Planning and Design LLC 6230 University Parkway, Unit 305 Sarasota, FL 34240 (941) 361-1484 joni@wealthplanninganddesign.com

Observer Media Group 1970 Main St., 3rd Floor Sarasota, FL 34236 (941) 302-3079 lruth@yourobserver.com

Dianne Kopczynski

Kathy Collums

Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC 1401 Manatee Ave. W., Suite 1200 Bradenton, FL 34205 (941) 747-4483 dkopczynski@mjcpa.com

Sarasota City Executive Sabal Palm Bank 5101 Fruitville Road, Suite 100 Sarasota, FL 34232 (941) 806-0427 kcollums@sabalpalmbank.com

Heather Kasten Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance 8430 Enterprise Circle, Suite 140 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 (941) 757-1664 heatherkasten@lwrba.org

Veronica Miller Goodwill of Manasota 2705 51st Ave. E. Bradenton, FL 34203 (941) 355-2721 veronica.miller@gimi.org

The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance is committed to connecting, educating and strengthening the business community in the Lakewood Ranch region. The LWRBA’s nearly 600 members reflect a wide variety of small and large businesses across all industries in the Lakewood Ranch region.

lwrba.org

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941CEO

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SALLY ULLMAN

ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Lisa Kirkland

Lori Denny

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center 8330 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.

Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 (941) 782-2128 lisa.kirkland2@uhsinc.com

Community AIDS Network 1231 N. Tuttle Ave. Sarasota, FL 34237 (941) 366-0461 ldenny@cccsrq.org

Marina Wolf-Schmidt

Jannon Pierce

Owner Kiddie Academy of Lakewood Ranch 4225 Concept Court Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211 (941) 727-9072 kiddieacademyfl@aol.com

Easter Seals Southwest Florida 350 Braden Ave. Sarasota, FL 34243 (941) 355-7637 jpierce@easterseals-swfl.org

Monaca Onstad Schroeder-Manatee Ranch 14400 Covenant Way Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 (941) 757-1544 monaca.onstad@lakewoodranch.com

With more than 100 events and programs each year, the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance provides the opportunity to connect with over 2,500 member professionals to help you grow your business.

When asked, 95 percent of members said they would recommend membership in the Lakewood Business Alliance to others.

8430 ENTERPRISE CIRCLE, STE 140, LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL 34202 | (941) 757-1664 J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SALLY ULLMAN

ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Jessica Featherstone Dawn Stanley Charter One Hotels & Resorts 6731 Professional Parkway W., #100 Sarasota, FL 34240 (941) 755-0055 dmilhous@charteronehotels.com

Susan Goldstein Michael Saunders & Co. Commercial Division 100 S. Washington Blvd.

Sarasota, FL 34236 (94) 907-9595 susangoldstein@michaelsaunders. com

lwrba.org

Berlin Patten Ebling, PLLC 8130 Lakewood Main St., Suite 206 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 (941) 907-9022 jfeatherstone@berlinpatten.com

Jennifer Lee Modern-Wealth, LLC 6710 Professional Parkway W., Suite 201B Sarasota, FL 34240 (941) 251-0510 jennifer@modern-wealth.com

Sally Ullman Sally Ullman Photography 8016 Spring Marsh Drive University Park, FL 34201 (941) 301-8926 sallyullmanphotography@gmail.com

The Power of Connection. To learn more about becoming a member of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, please visit our website at www.lwrba.org or contact us at (941)7571664 or info@lwrba.org

8430 ENTERPRISE CIRCLE, STE 140, LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL 34202 | (941) 757-1664 30

941CEO

ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Dr. Kameron Partridge Hodgens & Mrs. Betty Schoenbaum THE GLASSER SCHOENBAUM HUMAN SERVICES CENTER

“M

y three passions in life are people, community, and advocating for those in need,” says Dr. Kameron Hodgens, CEO of the Glasser Schoenbaum Human Services Center. Her leadership at the Center allows her to embrace those passions by strengthening our community’s only collaborative nonprofit campus, which houses 18 tenant partner agencies who provide more than 80 human service programs to those in need.

Mrs. Schoenbaum, our community’s wellknown, from-the-heart philanthropist, who supports many local, national and international causes, says of her efforts, “I love what I’m doing. I get up in the morning and start thinking, what can I do for other people who are underprivileged?”

With her husband Alex’s gift to the late Sarasota philanthropist Dr. Kay Glasser in 1986, the Center's construction mortgage was secured and the doors opened in 1990.

Today the campus touches the lives of over 45,500 people annually. Funding for the partner agencies on the campus totals more than $16.8 million, representing a tremendous social and economic impact as well. While the tenant partners are charged only $8.50 per square foot for their space, the operational cost to the Center is almost double that amount.

“Affordable rent and one-stop access for clients will remain our primary goals. It just makes sense.”

1750 17TH ST., BLDG J-1, SARASOTA, FL 34234 | (941) 365-4545 |

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ACHIEVEMENTS Dr. Hodgens: ▶

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Women in Business Winner, SRQ Magazine Public Citizen of the Year, National Association of Social Work M.A. & Ph.D. Developmental Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Leadership Council and Program Graduate, The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce

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President, The Schoenbaum Family Foundation, Inc. Lifetime board member of The Ohio State University Foundation & The Glasser Schoenbaum Human Services Center Honorary Doctorates from The Ohio State University & from the University of Charleston, West Virginia

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ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Laura Spencer, Chief Financial Officer; Roxie Jerde, President and CEO; Marlo Turner, CFRE, Senior Vice President of Donor Engagement; Betsy Pennewill, Corporate Counsel

Community Foundation of Sarasota County

At

the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, we believe that each and every person has the potential to impact another person, a cause, a community.

You can be the one to make a difference.

For more than 37 years, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has matched donors to the right causes, creating lasting impact. Whether you want to feed the hungry, educate kids, look after animals, support the arts, revitalize neighborhoods, or protect our natural resources, we can be your partner and ensure your gifts have greater impact.

The combined compassion, expertise, and knowledge of the women of the Senior Leadership Team all reinforce the Community Foundation’s reputation as an authority on philanthropy. In partnership with our donors, we connect with other funders, nonprofits, local governments and school districts to fi nd effective solutions to community problems and stay alert to emerging issues and opportunities. And through a national network of community foundations, our team can advise you about charities all over the country and around the world, and stay on top of best practices so that you can enjoy philanthropic peace of mind.

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“Each of us has the potential to impact a person, a cause, and a community.”

941CEO

ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

ACHIEVEMENTS

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Two-Generation Approach: Creating intergenerational cycles of opportunity for vulnerable parents and their children together.

Season of Sharing: Providing a vital safety net to keep a roof over the heads of families on the verge of homelessness.

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Campaign for Grade-Level Reading: Ensuring that all children are proficient readers by the end of third grade, an early indicator in academic and lifelong success.

EdExploreSRQ: Connecting teachers and their students to the wealth of real-world, experiential learning opportunities in our region.

2635 FRUITVILLE ROAD, SARASOTA, FL 34237 | (941) 955-3000 |

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ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Linda Apple PREMIER SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

L

inda Apple, in her distinguished real estate career, has earned widespread recognition in Lakewood Ranch, with great respect from customers and peers, and a revered reputation as a marketing expert in the luxury market. A Realtor since 2004, her 25 extensive years in business consulting, image, communication, and business skills, made the transition to real estate, easily reaching the million-dollar status. In 2007, she joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty and became a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist to offer her clients ultimate service and global marketing. Linda brings a set of skills, along with her passion for homes and decor, that sets her apart from most Realtors. She advises her clients it isn’t just about a home, it’s about the lifestyle they wish to live, whether on the beach to enjoy the Gulf of Mexico, golf and tennis in a gated community, or the abundant Downtown Sarasota culture.

"Luxury is available at every price point."

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Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist Million Dollar Guild Black Label Luxury Group President of Ohio Ballet Executive Board Has two children and five grand children

L inda Apple

lu xu ry

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e state

l i n d a a p pl e te a m . c o m

PREMIER SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALITY | 8141 LAKEWOOD MAIN STREET, SUITE 101 LAKEWOOD RANCH, FLORIDA 34202 | (941) 907-9541 | SothebysRealty.com

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Jennifer Mitchell THE CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY

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ennifer Mitchell joined The Circus Arts Conservatory in 2008 as the Marketing/ PR Coordinator and helped build a qualified marketing department for the nonprofit organization. She was promoted to Managing Director, after five years of incredible dedication, poise and passion, in June 2013. She holds multiple scholarly degrees, including her B.A. in Business Administration from University of Oxford, England, and her MBA from the University of South Carolina. Her experience in marketing and management has stretched to the corners of the nation. For over a decade, she held executive positions with the Miss America Teen Organization directing scholarship programs in all 50 states. She has also organized cultural, professional, employment and other events nationwide. Jennifer served as Associate Director of Special Events and Alumni Relations at Ringling College of Art and Design in 2006.

Apart from her stellar business instincts, her compassion, commitment and caring nature make her a woman of influence in both the workplace and in the world.

“Success is no accident.

It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing.”

2075 BAHIA VISTA ST., SARASOTA, FL 34239 (941) 355-9335 |

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Proud mother of three beautiful children ages 18, 11, and 8 Co-created an antidrug youth campaign for Connecticut U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro resulting in impactful state legislative change in the 1990s Planned and executed multiple world-wide media events featuring Nik Wallenda and other internationally known circus artists

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Secured $1 million in the Florida State Budget for fiscal year 2017-2018, with the leadership of Rep. Gruters & Sen. Galvano to support the Sailor Circus Arena Renovation Project

circusarts.org 35

ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Susan Thompson, CPA; Aubrey Lynch, CPA; Lisa Bristow, CPA; and Lisa Johnson, CPA

CS&L CPAs

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ACHIEVEMENTS

S&L CPAs was named among the nation’s Best Firms for Equity Leadership by the 2017 Accounting MOVE Project. How does this recognition benefit our clients? Our women in ownership are driving forces for flexibility, productivity and collaboration— both inside and outside the firm. Our mission is to provide the finest level of personal service and technical expertise to exceed our clients’ expectations.

Beyond preparing fi nancial statements and tax returns, our professionals aim to bring consultative advisory perspectives to our client relationships. Businesses and organizations seeking to maximize their growth potential can look to us for knowledge and recommendations in areas of fi nancial strategies, technology integration and day-to-day operational issues.

We make certain our clients know they are our priority. Owners and executives value our ability to really listen and communicate with them in an approachable and responsive manner. We proactively bring timely information and fresh ideas that can add great value to their business.

As business and personal goals often blend together, our relationships expand to include entire families. We enjoy serving clients throughout the evolution of their business and their transition to the next phase of life.

“Our women in ownership are driving forces for flexibility, productivity and collaboration.”

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2017 Best Firms for Equity Leadership, Accounting MOVE Project 2016 Greater Good Awards, 941CEO Magazine 2015 Small Business of the Year, Manatee Chamber of Commerce 2014 Small Business of the Year, Sarasota Chamber of Commerce 2014 Spirit of Manatee, Manatee Community Foundation CPA Practice Advisor 40 Under 40 Award, Aubrey Lynch Five Star Wealth Manager Award, Lisa Johnson FICPA Women to Watch: Experienced Leader Award, Susan Thompson TBBJ Business Woman of the Year Finalist, Susan Thompson

CSLcpa.com SARASOTA: 1515 RINGLING BLVD., SUITE 900, SARASOTA, FL 34236 | (941) 954-4040 BRADENTON: 1001 THIRD AVE. W., SUITE 700, BRADENTON, FL 34205 | (941) 748-1040 TAMPA: 101 E. KENNEDY BLVD., SUITE 1460, TAMPA, FL 33602 | (813) 490-4490

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Mary Anne Servian GIRL SCOUTS OF GULFCOAST FLORIDA, INC.

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ary Anne Servian grew up in a small town in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Philadelphia. Her father was a decorated veteran of WWII, and received extensive injuries at the Battle of the Bulge.

Her three brothers followed in his footsteps, two serving in the military and one in fi re service.

As the only girl in her Irish-Catholic family, Mary Anne aspired to become a nun and studied in a convent school. This goal never came to fruition (think “Maria” in The Sound of Music). Instead, she pursued a career in business through extensive banking and software development positions.

“My hope is to leave this world a better place for girls and young women.”

In the late 1990s, Mary Anne moved to Sarasota.

Following her family’s example of service, she quickly engaged with the community, serving on the City of Sarasota Commission from 2001-2007, and as mayor from 2005-2006.

She then focused her fi nancial and management talent into nonprofit work, serving as Managing Director of the Sarasota Ballet for six years.

In May 2017, Mary Anne was named CEO of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc., seeking to empower as many girls as possible in the council’s 10-county service area.

4780 CATTLEMEN ROAD, SARASOTA, FL 34233 | (941) 921-5358 |

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ACHIEVEMENTS ▶

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Community Achievement Award, Decision-Making Skills for Women in Prison, 1997 Board Member/Chair, First Step of Sarasota, 2002-2010 Helping Hands Award, ALSO Youth. 2003 Loyalty & Patriots Award, Marine Corp League, 2005 Chair, Municipal Finance & Taxation Committee, Florida League of Cities, 2005

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Statewide CRA Panel, 2006 Patriot’s Award, VFW Sunshine Post 3233, 2007 Board Member/Chair, Crowley Museum & Nature Center, 2008-2010 Board Member, Housing Authority, City of Sarasota, 2009-2011 Arts Leadership Award, Arts Management, 2014

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ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Veronica Brandon Miller GOODWILL MANASOTA FOUNDATION

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eronica Brandon Miller’s nickname is “the Queen of Collaborations.” With more than 25 years of creative vision and a level of unparalleled expertise in community engagement, branding and marketing, Veronica has leveraged resources and raise necessary funds for numerous charitable organizations. As the vice president for Goodwill Manasota’s Foundation, Veronica has created and implemented multiple strategic development plans and obtained donations and fi nancial contributions to advance the organization’s mission. Her myriad accomplishments are testament to her determination, hard work and innovation. One of the most notable collaborations Veronica is credited for is the creation of the award-winning Goodwill Ambassador program, which now has more than 1,500 volunteers. This program has brought together a cadre of powerful leaders, all with the same desire to provide good-will in the community.

Some of the outstanding Goodwill Ambassadors include additional women of influence, CJ Bannister, Jo Rita Steve, Faith Holliday and Stella McDaniel. “Every leader will tell you to surround yourself with good people. I surrounded myself with a group of people who embody the true spirit of the word ‘ambassador’,” says Veronica.

“Helping others has been a lifelong quest; quite simply, it defines me as a person"

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Biz(941) People to Watch Leadership Manatee Leadership Sarasota Gulf Coast Leadership Institute Paul Harris Fellow Chair of the board, Project 180 Vice chair of the board, Child Protection Center Board member, All-Star Children’s Foundation Board member, Business Women’s Alliance Group Board member, Ave Maria Preparatory School Board member, Leadership Manatee Alumni

experiencegoodwill.org GOODWILL MANASOTA CORPORATE CAMPUS 2705 51ST AVE. E. | BRADENTON, FL 34203 | (941) 355-2721

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Angela Massaro-Fain, Allison Imre Perkowski and Gabriele Vest

Grapevine Communications

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“Creativity isn’t just what we do… it’s who we are.”

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hether you've researched a vacation, shopped for engine parts, or sought to relax with some delicious local artisan pizza and craft beer, it's likely you've experienced the creative influence of the dynamic team at Grapevine Communications.

Leading the charge of the award-winning, full-service agency is the talented trio of President Allison Imre Perkowski, Vice President of Business Development Gabriele Vest and Founder/Executive Creative Director Angela Massaro-Fain. But these three influential women are quick to give the credit of Grapevine’s success to its tenured staff members, who consistently deliver cohesive solutions to complex needs for a diverse array of clientele.

Serving industries from manufacturing to memory care—and just about everything in between—Grapevine continues to make its mark by performing all facets of its powerful multimedia, cross-platform capabilities in house. This approach provides businesses with one trusted, highly experienced, undeniably effective source for advertising, marketing and public relations services that are designed to grab attention and get results.

5201 PAYLOR LANE, SARASOTA, FL 34240 | (941) 351-0024 |

ACHIEVEMENTS

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2013-2017 Best of SRQ “Best Marketing/PR Agency” 2003-2016 Tampa Bay Business Journal “Top 25 PR Firms of SW Florida” 2016 Tampa Bay Business Journal “Corporate Philanthropy” 2006-2016 Gulf Coast Business Review “Gulf Coast Top 500” 2015 941CEO Magazine “Greater Good Philanthropy” Award 2014 Manatee Chamber of Commerce “Small Business of The Year” 2010 Small Business Award & 2006 Young Business Award – Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce

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ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Robyn Faucy, Executive Director Carisa Campanella, Program Manager Jennifer Williams, Care Advisor Karla Brody, Care Advisor Sara Weinberg, Operations Manager NEURO CHALLENGE FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON'S

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obyn Faucy joined Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s (NCF) as the new executive director last year with a driving vision: to provide all services and programs at no charge and to expand the mission of “improving the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers.”

Since 2008, NCF has provided programs, services, care advising, and community referrals. As they approach their 10-year anniversary, they fi nd themselves emerging as an organization with “a better approach to Parkinson’s” - and requests for services from other PD communities.

Twelve months after Faucy became ED, NCF offers all programs and services at no charge.

She and her team have expanded services in Manatee, Charlotte, Pinellas and Sarasota counties and are seeking funding opportunities to serve Sebring, Clearwater, Sun City, The Villages and other communities which have requested NCF’s support.

NCF is also planning The Parkinson’s Expo, its largest educational event to date, with national and regional sponsors asking for booth space. The Expo expects to draw more than 1,500 people from 10 neighboring counties.

“When people hear the word Parkinson’s, we want them to think Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s.”

(L to R) - Jennifer Williams, Carisa Campanella, Robyn Faucy, Sara Weinberg. Not pictured: Karla Brody.

PHOTO CREDIT: LYNN ELKES / SELWIN PHOTOS, INC.

ACHIEVEMENTS In the past 12 months... ▶

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Offered all programs and services at no charge Offered 30+ monthly programs Served more than 2,000 people 817 people attended 2017 Symposium Formed Medical Advisory Committee of PD specialists

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Expanded services in LWR, Charlotte and Pinellas Opened office in Manatee (July) Added third Care Advisor Increased community outreach to serve more people Planning first-ever Parkinson’s EXPO in 2018

April 14, 2018 8am - 4pm Robarts Arena Sarasota The Parkinson's Expo will be a day-long event designed to educate, engage and empower the Parkinson's community.

722 APEX ROAD, UNIT A, SARASOTA, FL 34240 | (941) 926-6413 |

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NeuroChallenge.org 941CEO

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Sue Jacobson NEW COLLEGE OF FLORIDA

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ue Jacobson is a retired attorney who came to Sarasota from upstate New York nearly 18 years ago. In Sarasota, Sue has followed her passion to do what she can to improve the lives of others. A member of the New College of Florida Foundation Board of Directors, she also has enjoyed a long involvement, including serving as board chair, with Jewish Family and Children's Service of the Suncoast and with the West Coast Florida Region of American Jewish Comittee.

At New College, Sue has been involved with the Daughters for Life Scholarship program, which provides full scholarships to women of all religions from the Middle East. She worked to help develop community support and funding for the program, which seeks to bring positive change and peace to the Middle East and the world through education for women. She is a member of the Pines of Sarasota Foundation's Board of Trustees, supporting Sarasota’s premier not-for-profit senior care community. Sue is also a member of the Board of Canandaigua National Trust Company of Florida and an alumna of Leadership Sarasota. Sue was named one of the “Women in Power” by the National Council of Jewish Women Sarasota-Manatee in 2017.

“I’m incredibly proud and honored to give back to New College and our community.”

5800 BAY SHORE RD, SARASOTA, FL 34243 | (941) 487-5000 |

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ACHIEVEMENTS ▶

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Sue Jacobson received an M.S. in Social Administration from Case Western University’s Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences.

She earned her J.D., cum laude, from Albany Law School of Union University, where she was a member of the Justinian Honor Society and personal

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research assistant to the dean of the law school.

Sue began her law career as a Confidential Law Research Assistant to the Justices of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, in Albany, New York.

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Dr. Laura Hershorin SARASOTA CENTER FOR FAMILY HEALTH & WELLNESS

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octor Laura Hershorin doesn't just strive to have an excellent acumen as a physician, she is committed to practicing medicine in a holistic manner. She believes that creating good health goes far beyond the treatment of illness. Through a concierge business model, Dr. Hershorin focuses on getting to know her patients, making meaningful changes to their behavior with the understanding that lifestyle optimization is more powerful than any pharmaceutical.

"Helping individuals to thrive includes basics like sufficient quality sleep, healthy eating, exercise, and stress management," she says. "Even more, it includes a strong sense of purpose, being part of a community and contributing to that community in a way that is deeply meaningful."

This is why Dr. Hershorin is so deeply involved in philanthropy - in particular, with the Hershorin Schiff Community Day School, an interfaith Jewish day school that offers excellence in cuttingedge education, and brings together children and families of all faiths throughout the Sarasota community. She is committed to continuing a legacy handed down to her by her parents and grandparents; she works with philanthropists and nonprofit leaders to support the school’s mission of improving the world.

“Health is not about medicine - it's about what makes you smile.”

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Castle Connelly Top Doctor 2012-2017 Diplomate, American Academy of Family Physicians Board Certified, American Board of Family Medicine Doctor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine Chair of the Board, Hershorin Schiff Day Schools of Tomorrow

6124 53RD AVENUE EAST | BRADENTON, FLORIDA 34203 | (941) 364-4411 |

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SarasotaCenter.com 941CEO

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Dr. Giti Javidi UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA SARASOTA-MANATEE

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longtime advocate for increasing participation and retention of women in STEM fields, Dr. Giti Javidi has worked tirelessly on a number of projects in this domain over the past 13 years. At the national level, she has worked to develop new curricula and programs for computer science education with the goal of engaging a wider audience, particularly women and minorities. Since joining USF Sarasota-Manatee a year ago, Dr. Javidi has worked to engage the community in growing interest from young women in careers in information technology and computer science. For her efforts, Dr. Javidi and her husband Dr. Ehshan Sheyboni (also a member of the USFSM faculty), received a grant from Google to help bolster the skills of computer science teachers at local high schools.

“This Google partnership will train more teachers in computer science and information technology who, in turn, can train more teachers in the future.”

8350 N. TAMIAMI TRAIL, SARASOTA, FL 34243 | (941) 359-4330 |

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Trojan Girl Rock Award – Fearless Individuals Encouraging Revivals in Communities Everywhere.

Recipient of $35,000 Google grant to help bolster the skills of computer science teachers at local high schools.

Recipient of a number of prestigious NSF and NASA grants.

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Invited keynote speaker for a number of local, national and international organizations.

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ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Stephanie Rodriguez ZENITH INSURANCE COMPANY

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tephanie Rodriguez is an advocate for people in both her personal and professional life. As a Claims Physician Partner at Zenith Insurance Company, Stephanie utilizes her years of experience to facilitate relationships with medical providers throughout the State of Florida. Her efforts help ensure that Zenith’s policyholders and their injured workers receive the appropriate care they need, and that the most optimal outcomes are achieved. Personally, she and her husband Alan volunteer with Care2Tri, an organization that promotes the inclusion of individuals with disabilities by partnering able-bodied athletes with disabled athletes to compete together in running and triathlon events. They also have initiated programs to raise funds for people with disability who need assistance with medical care/devices not covered by insurance. They have successfully provided two wheelchair vans, and funded home modifications for two families who suffered from paralysis due to an accident or unexpected medical condition.

“There are opportunities to make a difference in our communities.

Find what you enjoy doing most and help others.”

Growing up in the Sarasota area, meeting her husband here and undertaking volunteer work have enabled Stephanie to build wonderful community relationships and demonstrate how disabled individuals can be productive in both work and life.

1390 MAIN ST, SARASOTA, FL 34236 | (941) 906-2000 |

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ACHIEVEMENTS ▶

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Accredited Claims Adjuster Certification - ACA Past VP and President of Sarasota Bradenton Claims Association Vice President Care2Tri Host city coordinator for the annual W.O.W. Walk Out Wilson’s, Walk/Run for the Wilson’s Disease Association ISTA Certified Personal Trainer

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Volunteer with International Triathlon Union Para Triathlon, American Cancer Society, Big Cat Habitat, Gulf Coast Sanctuary, Ironman Triathlon Para Division events.

Join Care2Tri in Lakewood Ranch on 11/4/17 for 5K/1 mile special needs fun run.

thezenith.com 941CEO

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Patricia Wunderlin 5050 CONGRESS, INC.

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id you know the U.S. now ranks No. 101 in the world for percentage of women in Congress?

We should rank No. 1. At the current rate, it will take us over 300 years to reach gender balance.

It’s time to fi x this. We need gender balance in Congress by law. We formed this nonprofit organization in 2015 to get the U.S. Constitution amended. With two Senate seats for each state, one will be designated for a woman.

For the House of Representatives, the districts will be twice as big, with two representative seats for each district; one for a woman and one for a man. Our five committees of women and men are hard at work on this national effort. Call or email us to get involved.

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Master’s degree in business from University of Wisconsin – Madison Career in management for Fortune 500 corporations Founded and led a software consulting company

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providing services for government contracts with staff in three time zones Served on boards of various organizations including Girls, Inc. of Sarasota County

info@5050congress.org | 5050Congress.org 5050 CONGRESS, INC. | P.O. BOX 1628 | SARASOTA, FL 34230-1628 | (941) 685-1119

Tara Murphy, COO ACHIEVA CREDIT UNION

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ara Murphy advises young women starting their careers not to be afraid to seize opportunities when they arise. She emphasizes that sometimes reaching outside your comfort zone can unlock your hidden potential. Tara should know; she followed her own advice by moving from a career path in information technology into a front-line position with Achieva, an innovative credit union with a reputation for community involvement and one of Tampa Bay’s top employers. Two decades later, she is the Chief Operations Officer, and is helping to broaden Achieva’s longtime support of education in the communities it serves.

1659 VIRGINIA ST., DUNEDIN, FL 34698 | 1(800) 593-2274 |

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Chief Operations Officer, Achieva Credit Union, since 2011 Pinellas Education Foundation-Career Education Board Member Frances Stavros Career Education Award 2016

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Panel speaker at Ford Next Generation Learning National Conference Leadership Tampa Bay, class of 2015

AchievaCU.com 45

ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Mary Dietterle EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANIMAL RESCUE COALITION

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en years ago, Mary Dietterle was sitting at her desk on a crowded New York trading floor in the midst of the financial crisis thinking she would rather be walking dogs for a living.

Now, as the new Executive Director at Animal Rescue Coalition, she isn't literally walking dogs for a living, but she is promoting ARC’s mission to reduce the number of unwanted dogs and cats finding their way into shelters by offering free and low-cost resources to pet owners and local rescues.

6320 TOWER LANE, SARASOTA, FL 34240 | (941) 957-1955 |

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YMCA Tribute to Women in Industry (TWIN) Award Recipient Founder/Writer Heels On the Floor - Mentoring Website for Women

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Volunteer - Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch 2016-17 Volunteer - Rapid Access Medical (RAM) Veterinary Clinic 2016

animalrescuecoalition.org

Jean Weidner Goldstein, Margaret Wise and Diane Roskamp DESIGNING WOMEN BOUTIQUE

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PHOTO BY: CLIFF ROLES

esigning Women Boutique was started by three visionary women who shared a desire to give back to the Sarasota community. Affectionately known as the “Founding Mothers,” Jean Weidner Goldstein, Margaret Wise and Diane Roskamp had an idea for an upscale consignment shop whose proceeds would benefit local non-profit groups. To achieve their dream, they sought out volunteers, consignors, and sponsors.

They created an inviting store environment and limited their inventory to only the best designer labels. Soon DWB became one of Sarasota’s favorite shopping destinations. And the rest, as they say, is history.

1226 N. TAMIAMI TRAIL, SARASOTA (941) 366-5293 |

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ACHIEVEMENTS ▶

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15 successful years of operating Designing Women Boutique Granting over $2 million to arts and human services organizations Hosting annual Gala as well as many fashion shows and trunk events

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Launching popular Salon Series luncheon events Expanding store services to include estate liquidation and downsizing

DesigningWomenSRQ.org 941CEO

ADV E RTISIN G SEC T ION

Dr. Heidi K. Anderson DERMATOLOGY OF COASTAL SARASOTA

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hether it involves her family, her dermatology practice or her community, Dr. Heidi Anderson only knows how to do things one way—with a clear sense of purpose and the resolve to make a positive difference. She brings superior expertise in medical dermatology and sincere compassion to every patient encounter. She takes care of multiple generations and is cutting edge.

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“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”

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5310 CLARK ROAD, SUITE 201, SARASOTA, FL 34233 (941) 925-3627 |

Board certified in Dermatology University of Cincinnati, Dermatology Residency Princeton University, Undergraduate

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Member, Women’s Dermatology Society Member, American Academy of Dermatology

DOCSofSarasota.com

Lori P. Augustyniak, CPA, CIC HORIZON INSURANCE

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ori Augustyniak, owner of Horizon Insurance, started her insurance career in 1996 with Nationwide Insurance. In 2004, Lori went on her own and purchased a Nationwide Insurance agency. In 2008, she became an Independent Insurance Agent. Now Horizon Insurance represents over 37 different companies.

At Horizon Insurance, giving back to the community is most important. Each month Lori’s team spends half a day volunteering at a local charity such as All Faiths Food Bank and Meals on Wheels. Lori is a graduate of Indiana University; holds a CPA license and earned the Certified Insurance Counselor designation (CIC).

“There are no mistakes, only learning opportunities.”

7347 52ND PLACE E, BRADENTON, FL 34203 (941) 755-9500 |

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Five Star Professional Award Home/Auto 2011-2017 Herald Tribune Manatee Reader’s Choice First Place Insurance Business America magazine “Top Producer”

info@horizonins.net 47

AD VER TI SI NG SECTI ON

Erin R. Wells, CIC, CISR WALLACE WELCH & WILLINGHAM

E

rin Wells is a personal risk advisor dedicated to educating individuals on the options available to tailor an insurance program to fit their needs. With 30 years of insurance experience, Erin brings extensive knowledge and strong determination to stand with her clients through the entire insurance process.

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Past, Board of Directors, ProWIN (Professional Women’s Information Network) Associations: FAIA, LWRBA, SCIC

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Allison Ward Moore WARD GROUP PR

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llison Ward Moore knows how to shine the spotlight on her clients. A skilled public relations strategist, Moore develops highly effective broadcast, print and digital campaigns to advance her clients’ objectives. She brings her unique brand of media relations skills to every project, helping her clients—including major corporations, growth-oriented Florida businesses and nonprofits—achieve an excellent ROI on their marketing dollars. A longtime resident of Sarasota, Moore represents clients including Alive Sciences, U.S. Masters Swimming, Suncoast Boat Show and the Ringling College Library Association’s acclaimed Town Hall Lecture Series.

(941) 961-3708 |

48

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT “PR IS THE SMARTEST, FASTEST-EVOLVING AND ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO ENGAGE YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE IN CREDIBLE CONVERSATIONS.” —INC. MAGAZINE

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MY SPACE ● BY HANNAH WALLACE

Inside GravityFree CEO Scott Heaps’ office.

Scott Heaps, CEO of GravityFree, a web design and digital marketing firm, enshrines his passions for family, music, pop culture and general irreverence in his workspace. Heaps is quick to point out that his toys don’t just sit on the shelf; he takes them down and plays with them for a break. And of his employees, he says, “There’s no one here who wouldn’t join in.”

Memorabilia Heaps collects rare items, many from 1966 (the year he was born), such as the futuristic space ships and cars from Ultraman, a Japanese science fiction show created by Eiji Tsuburaya (Godzilla).

Sc Heaot t ps

Paul Reed Smith 408 guitar “It’s an American-made beauty,” Heaps says. And he still plays it. “That’s the point of having it,” he adds.

SALVATORE BRANCIFORT

Workspace A walnut desk, bright yellow walls and poster art of concerts he attended are part of his inspiration. “I have tons [of posters] and just change them out randomly. I love poster art,” he says.

I Dream of Jeannie lamp.

Heaps turned to eBay to find the original lamp from the popular 1966 show. “She’s not in there. I’ve looked,” he says.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

Stacey A portrait of his wife, an interior designer, was taken by a close friend.

The couple has twin boys, Vaughan and Lennon.

UFO and alien figurines “We’re GravityFree. We tend to have a bunch of space stuff,” he says.

49

WHAT I’VE LEARNED

Merle L. Whitehead

How loyalty and thousands of potholders helped build a real estate empire. ● BY DAVID HACKETT

AT

THE AGE OF 18, MERLE WHITEHEAD ENTERED THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK, armed with a high school degree, a couple years of experience selling men’s clothing and a full tank of ambition.

Over the next 45 years, Whitehead, putting up to 60,000 miles a year on his car, drove himself to create RealtyUSA, the largest independent real estate company in New York and one of the largest in the nation.

He also built one of the region’s biggest mortgage banks, 1st Priority Mortgage.

RealtyUSA and 1st Priority Mortgage were acquired last year by Howard Hanna Real Estate Services of Pittsburgh in the largest private family real estate company sale in history. RealtyUSA retains its brand, with Whitehead as chairman of the combined operations in New York.

Now a seasonal resident of Casey Key, Whitehead, 65, shared the challenges and philosophies that shaped his career.

“I grew up in Buffalo in one of those Leave it to Beaver families. My father was a steelworker and my mother was a homemaker who didn’t drive. She’d be waiting for my father in a dress when he came home from work. When I was 16, I started working at a men’s clothing store.

But it occurred to me: If I was going to work on commission, what was the biggest thing I could sell? That led me to real estate.”

“Because I was so young, I had to be proactive. My business partners and I bought thousands of potholders for 20 cents each and we went door-to-door every afternoon in the early 1970s handing out the potholders and introducing ourselves.

We targeted the working, middle-class neighborhoods because we felt they would give us more of a chance. It might not work today, but it sure did then. People would tell us, ‘My sister is looking for a home or my parents are thinking of moving.’ We built connections that lasted for years.”

“I was the first guy in the state to go in multiple cities. It was much more provincial then, and people told me that Albany would never accept a company from Buffalo. But, of course, that proved all wrong. I was fortunate later to have breakfast with Warren Buffett, who told me that in the early days of the automobile there were 59 manufacturers that eventually went down to three. Mr. Buffett predicted the same consolidation would happen in the real estate business.”

Merle L. Whitehead 50

“I’ve run 34 marathons, including Boston a couple of times. Training for a marathon requires the same mindset as working to be successful in business. If you set your goals every day and follow through with 941CEO

BUFFALO BUSINESS FIRST

“One thing I learned as we grew was in talking to banks, always under-promise and over-deliver. One year, I told them I expected a 6 percent increase in sales volume and came in at 4 percent, which wasn’t bad, but the bank was disappointed. From that day on, I tried to surprise to the upside.”

discipline, you’ll be ready for the day when you find yourself at the starting line.”

“The most challenging period I’ve faced was in 2009. I’d weathered downturns before but this was the first time that I had ever seen bankers scared.

We lost $1 million a month in January, February, March and April. I took out a $4-million, five-year loan to clear my lines of credit and that helped me get through it. I got that loan, at a time when banks were hardly lending, because I’ve been with the same bank for 25 years. I’ve had the same attorney for 40 years, the same CPA for 30 years. My wife, Jan, and I have been married for 48 years. I’m a big believer in building long-term relationships and loyalty.”

“For 25 years, our company has used psychological testing as a big piece in hiring for our executive team.

We use AVA (Activity Vector Analysis).

At first, I had the perverse opinion that everyone should be like me. Then, I realized that was a mistake. People with different strengths complement one another.

One characteristic we look for is aggressiveness. I was speaking to a group once and asked how many wanted an aggressive Realtor. Nobody raised their hands. Then I asked them if they were buying a house priced at $180,000 and offering $160,000 whether they would like to have a low-aggressive agent meekly presenting their offer? They got my point. When you combine someone who is aggressive and coachable, you have the chance for a great employee.”

“When you combine someone who is aggressive and coachable, you have a chance for a great employee.”

“I do not work out of our corporate headquarters in Orchard Park, New York. I don’t want the CFO talking to me for 20 minutes about something he’s already decided to do. I also hate any signs of arrogance. The branch office where I work out of has limited parking so I park my car down the block and walk in. I’ll shovel snow or pick up wrappers around the building. I’ve always believed that everyone is vitally important. To get your paycheck, no one is as important as the CFO. To have a nice workplace, thank the cleaning staff. So many places today treat employees as if they’re disposable and that’s just not our culture. The example starts at the top.” ■ J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

STEVE HALL

CEBS, CSFS, CHRP Market President ALLTRUSTINSURANCE.COM

941-713-6187 51

FAST TRACK TALK MOVERS, SHAKERS & HEADLINE MAKERS

▶▶

JACKI DEZEL SKI ,

president and CEO, Manatee Chamber of Commerce. ▶▶

MELISSA L ARKIN-

SKINNER ,

chief executive officer, Florida Operations, Centerstone. ▶ ▶ L O R I D E N N Y , promoted to director of marketing and communications, Community AIDS Network. ▶ ▶ R E I L O P E Z , chief of laboratory services, SunCoast Blood Bank. ▶ ▶ C A R L A L L E N , promoted to area construction manager; and M A R K D O L A N , promoted to builder, Neal Communities. ▶ ▶ T O N Y B L A S I N I , vice president, employee benefits; and M A R C I S W E AT , trust associate, Caldwell Trust Company. ▶ ▶ L A U R A C A S T R O , manager of client experience; R YA N H O E V E N A A R , manager of creative and digital content; A U S T E N L E G L E R , promoted to senior manager of client experience; and A L I S S A M O O R E , manager of brand and design, Next-Mark. ▶▶ D O U G N E U F E L D , commercial division broker52

associate, Re/Max Alliance Group. ▶ ▶ M I C H E L E F O S T E R , site rental manager, Historic Spanish Point. ▶ ▶ C I N DY K A N E , account executive and web content producer; A L E J A N D R O S A N C H E Z , account executive; and J E N N K E L LY , account executive/copywriter, Fox Business Group. ▶ ▶ K AT I E F R I T Z , promoted to coordinator, marketing and community relations, Pittsburgh Pirates and Bradenton Marauders. ▶▶ M E L I S S A D A R P I N O , director of sales and marketing, TableSeide Restaurant Group. ▶ ▶ J O H N E T T E C A P PA D O N A , director of development, Jewish Housing Council. ▶ ▶ K I M K I R T L E Y , workers compensation development manager, Sarasota Orthopedic Associates. ▶▶ M A R Y A N N E S E R V I A N , CEO, Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida.

GEORGE TOTH, M.D.

JACKI DEZELSKI

▶▶ L A U R A G I L B E R T , president and CEO, Sarasota YMCA. ▶ ▶ C A R O L B U T E R A , executive director, William G. and Marie Selby Foundation.

▶▶ G E O R G E T O T H , M . D . , family practice physician, First Physicians Group internal medicine/pediatrics and family practice in North Port. ▶▶ S A M A N T H A C U M M I N S , business development division, Karins Engineering Group.

▶▶

JULIANNE KENTON-

H A N E Y, M . D . ,

First Physicians Group obstetrics and gynecology practice with Drs. Michael Finazzo and Maureen Maguire in Sarasota. ▶ ▶ E M I LY G A R R I O T T , associate, law firm of Syprett, Meshad, Resnick, Lieb, Dumbaugh, Jones, Krotec & Westheimer, P.A. ▶▶ E L I Z A B E T H W E X L E R , associate attorney, law firm of Gibson, Kohl, Wolff & Hric. ▶▶

EDWIN R . “EDDIE”

B E A U C H A M P,

regional vice chancellor for business and financial affairs, USF Sarasota-Manatee; and S A N DY J U S T I C E , research administrator, USFSM’s new Office of Research. ▶ ▶ M AT H E W B AT E M A N , dean, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine’s School of Dental Medicine. ▶ ▶ J OY H A M M , dean of admissions and financial aid, New College of Florida. ▶▶ L A U R A S H O E M A K E R , foundations relations officer; and A M Y H E R N D E N , marketing manager, Protect Our Reefs specialty license plate and grants program, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. ▶ ▶ S A L LY C H A M B E R S , botanist, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. ▶▶ D R . M A D D I E M O ’ H Y L A , chiropractic physician; and S H A R O N PA N N O N E , office manager, MindSpa Integrative Wellness Center. ▶ ▶ A N N E M C C L U R E , head golf professional; and J O E L R A S H O , first assistant and tournaments director, The Founders Club.

▶ ▶ L A U R E N M C E LY E A , public relations coordinator, Three Six Oh Public Relations.

ACCOLADES ▶ ▶ M I C H A E L S A U N D E R S was honored by the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World with its Hall of Fame Award.

MARY DOUGHERTY-SLAPP

POSITIONS TAKEN

▶▶

M A R Y D O U G H E R T Y-

S L A P P, A . G A R Y J O H N S O N

and WAY N E L U O M A joined the board of the Loveland Center. ▶▶

PREMIER SOTHEBY’S

I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E A LT Y

has been ranked No. 35 on the annual REAL Trends 500 survey of the top U.S. residential brokerage companies. ▶▶ T R A C Y K N I G H T , R I C H A R D D O R F M A N and D O M I N I C D I M A I O have joined the board of trustees of State College of Florida, ManateeSarasota. ▶▶

GECKO’S GRILL & PUB

won a National Restaurant Association Education Foundation Neighbor Award. ▶▶

M A N A S O TA M E M O R I A L

PA R K A N D F U N E R A L H O M E

was awarded the 2016 International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association Keeping It Personal Award in the Most Personalized Service or Memorial category.

941CEO

has been listed among America’s 100 top hospitals in 2017 by Becker’s Hospital Review. ▶ ▶ The G U L F C O A S T C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D AT I O N

was named to The NonProfit Times’ list of “2017 Best Nonprofits to Work For.” ▶▶

DANA L AGANELL A

and R O D N E Y D . of the Gerling Law Group were named 2017 Super Lawyers by Super Lawyers magazine. ▶▶ T R A C Y K N I G H T , S U S A N S O F I A and A N N E E S S N E R joined the board of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. ▶ ▶ P E T E R C R O W L E Y is the 2017-2018 chairman of the board of Goodwill Manasota. ▶▶ J I L L M C G A R R Y , K I R S T E N R E G A L and T I M P O L K have joined the board of Manatee County Habitat for Humanity. ▶ ▶ M A X M U E L L E R of Sir Speedy in Sarasota has been recognized as a 2016 Platinum Level Top Performer.

GERLING

GERLING

▶▶

NEW COLLEGE OF

was named one of the country’s top 50 colleges for offering out-of-theclassroom experiences. ▶ ▶ Circus Arts Conservatory co-founder D O L LY J A C O B S received the 2017 National Travel and Tourism Week Voice of Sarasota Award. ▶ ▶ R E I D G E R L E T T I joined the board of the Historical Society of Sarasota County.

FLORIDA

▶▶

DIANNE ANDERSON,

and joined the board of the State College of Florida Foundation.

ROBERT KLINGBEIL BARBAR A NAJMY

MOVING AND OPENING ▶▶

S P R O U T S FA R M E R S

M A R K E T opened in Pelican Plaza at 8330 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. ▶ ▶ The H YAT T P L A C E L A K E W O O D R A N C H opened at 6021 Exchange Way. ▶▶

GLORIA MUSICAE

changed its name to Choral Artists of Sarasota. ▶ ▶ Alabama-based R AYC O M M E D I A purchased WWSB ABC 7. ▶▶

ETHNIC ORIGIN

RAE DOWLING

C O M PA N Y ,

▶ ▶ R A E D O W L I N G , Florida Power & Light area manager, received the Bradenton Kiwanis Foundation Bert South Philanthropic Award. ▶ ▶ Variety has named Ringling College film program head B R A D L E Y B AT T E R S B Y as the 2017 Variety Mentor of the Year. ▶▶

ELLIOT T MITCHELL

joined the board of Community AIDS Network. ▶ ▶ J A S O N B A R T Z joined the board of the Bradenton Kiwanis Foundation.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

FAST TRACKER

S A R A S O TA M E M O R I A L

a home décor shop, opened at 1560 Boulevard of the Arts in downtown Sarasota’s Rosemary District. ▶▶

THREE DOG BAKERY

opened at 8455 Cooper Creek Blvd. in the Shoppes at University Town Center. ▶▶

BIG FROG CUSTOM

opened at 7266 55th Ave. E. in the Twelve Oaks shopping center in Bradenton.

T- S H I R T S & M O R E

▶▶

MCCARVER & MOSER

opened at 1301 Main St. in downtown Sarasota.

JEWELERS

▶▶

B R I C K ’ S S M O K E D M E AT S

has opened at 1528 E. State St. in downtown Sarasota. ▶▶

I N T R A E S PA L E A R N I N G

CENTER ,

a language school, opened at 5899 Whitfield Ave., Suite 200A, in Sarasota.■

JOHN HANSEN

▶▶

H O S P I TA L

Single Stream Recycling co-owners John Hansen and Eric Konik are expanding their company to Newtown in Sarasota, hiring 40 employees this year and 40 more in 2018.

The Sarasota County Sports Commission, a division of Visit Sarasota County, has been named Sports Tourism Organization of the Year (population under 400,000) by the National Commission of Sports Organizations.

The reason, says ROBERT WELLS , director of sports for Visit Sarasota County, is the significant increase in economic impact of sporting events. In 2013, he says, 53 sports events here brought an economic impact of $59.8 million, with 53,000 room nights booked at area lodgings. In 2016, 135 events brought an economic impact of $178 million, with 108,000 room nights booked.

Among last year’s new events were the Wilson Premier Baseball Championships at Ed Smith Stadium and Twin Lakes Park. Wells says 2017 looks even brighter. The Wilson Championships, for example, is expanding from one tournament to three; the U.S.A. Volleyball junior beach tournament will be coming to Siesta Key for the first time in late July with 850 athletes and their families; and the U.S.A. Ultimate national championship will return to Sarasota Oct. 19-22, after a three-year hiatus, and is expected to bring 1,200 athletes and spectators. In late September, 40,000 athletes and spectators are expected to attend the World Rowing Championships at Nathan Benderson Park.—Ilene Denton 53

THE SEEN TALK

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SARASOTA CHAMBER SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 1 James Maslen, Comcast Spotlight; Tracy O’Neil, Kerkering Barberio; Suzanne Starr, Comcast Spotlight 2 Marcus Braz, HealthSouth; Patrick Del Medico, Al Purmort Insurance 3 Neil McCurry, Cathy Collum, Sabal Palm 4 Samantha and J.R. Hobbs, Dulcy Kushmore, Canada Med Services; Jeremy Miller 5 Peggy Calhoun, Community Aids Network; Lisa Howard, 5 Lighthouse at Manasota 6 Christine Miller, Shantel Norman, Sarasota Chamber 7 George McGonagill, Questar Construction; Nancy Detert, Sarasota County commissioner; Suzanne Atwell, former City of Sarasota commissioner; Kevin Cooper, Sarasota Chamber; Al Maio, Sarasota County commissioner 8 Alexandria Davis, CS&L CPAs; Keith Johnson, SunTrust; Elizabeth Rabbitt Stephen, Allegiant; Cameron Kolesa, SunTrust

3 4

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PHOTOGRAPHY: LORI SAX

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8 941CEO

MORE SEEN PHOTOS AT 941CEO.COM

1

941CEO’S AHA! EVENING OF INNOVATION 1 Gary Giambalvo, The Antelope Project; Mary Nittolo, The Studio; Dean Eisner, business adviser 2 Nick O’Donnell, Terraform Designs; Anand Pallegar, atLarge; Pete Peterson; Jamie Ruetz, TRITON; Celia Sperotto, Sarasota Youth Orchestra 3 Brent Dykstra, Dominic DiMaio, Mario Bringas and Ryan Riley, Synovus 4 Kim Miele, Gulf Coast Community Foundation; Nikki Taylor, Taylor and Company; Gigi and Austin Kuster 5 Jeanne Corcoran, Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office; Jon Thaxton, Gulf Coast Community Foundation

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5

4

PHOTOGRAPHY: CLIFF ROLES

Volume 14/Number 4, July/August 2017, 941CEO (ISSN 1936-7538) is published in January, March, May, July, September and November by Gulf Shore Media, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of SagaCity Media, Inc., 330 S. Pineapple Ave., Suite 205, Sarasota, FL 34236.

Subscriptions are free to qualified individuals. For customer service inquiries, subscription inquiries or to change your address by providing both the old and new addresses, contact: 941CEO, Subscriber Services, PO Box 433217, Palm Coast, FL 32143. Phone: 1-800-331-8848, Email: 941CEO@emailcustomerservice.com. Periodicals postage paid at Sarasota, Florida, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2017 by Gulf Shore Media, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts without return postage will not be returned. DISCLAIMER: Advertisements in the publication do not constitute an offer for sale in states where prohibited or restricted by law.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 941CEO, Subscriber Services, PO Box 433217, Palm Coast, FL 32143.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

55

OFF THE CLOCK TALK ● BY ILENE DENTON

FETCH!

Scott Earl and his dogs practice the high-speed sport of flyball.

I

t’s a dog’s life for Scott Earl, 54, a BIM technician (building information modeling; “basically drafting,” he says) with Fawley Bryant Architecture in Bradenton. He, his wife Dawn and their three canines— miniature Australian shepherd Kylie, Australian shepherd mix Dazy (“as in crazy Daisy”) and rat terrier Cody— spend every spare minute competing in the sport of flyball.

Flyball is “basically a relay race, a drag race for dogs,” Earl explains. Four canines careen one at a time in a lane at top speed over a series of hurdles to a box with a spring-loaded tennis ball, then race back to deliver the ball to their handler. Some 400 teams and 6,500 dogs blessed with speed and focus—from Chihuahuas to Great Danes—participate, according to the North American Flyball Association.

In this area, three teams practice weekly at the Sarasota Obedience Center in east Manatee County. The Earls are members of the Barkaholics, whose 12 handlers and 22 dogs compete in monthly tournaments across Florida and travel each October to Indianapolis for the nationals, where they race against a thousand dogs.

(The Barkaholics took first place in their division last year and were interviewed on NBC Nightly News, partly, Earl says, because they travel with a portable tiki bar.) The team’s name conveys their passion. “Flyball becomes an addiction,” says Earl. “We started one dog to have fun with it. Next thing you know we have three dogs competing.”

Earl says flyball is more for his dogs than himself.

“It gives them a job, basically,” he says. “We practice every Sunday morning and they know what that day is. When we’re loading the car to go to a tournament, they get excited.”

He and Dawn get a lot out of it, too. Earl says they plan to retire in a few years and travel the country with Kylie, Dazy and Cody, racing with different teams. ■

Scott Earl with Dazy and Kylie.

56

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BARBARA BANKS

“FLYBALL IS BASICALLY A RELAY RACE, A DRAG RACE FOR DOGS.”

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