May 2013

SCENE SARASOTA | MANATEE

M AGA ZI N E

The Sensational Talents of

Maria Wirries FAMILY BUSINESS

Dick Vitale’s Passionate Plea An Officer & a Gentleman

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Ownership of property within Lakewood Ranch does not entitle an Owner to any right, title, interest or otherwise to use all planned Club facilities, but rather an opportunity to join, subject to the payment of assessments, fees and applicable regulations. Membership, amenities, fees and privileges are subject to change. Copyright © 2013 Lennar Corporation. Lennar the Lennar logo and the ei logo are registered service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. CGC 1507191.4/13 SM

SM

of property Lakewood Ranch does not entitle an Owner to any right, titl itle an Owner to any right, title, interestOwnership or otherwise to use allwithin planned Club facilities, but rather an opportunity

Family

is Life.

Enjoy it to the Fullest.

Laurel Oak

T H E PR E M I E R FA M I LY C O U N T RY C LU B

Member-owned since 1999, at Laurel Oak you will find very warm, welcoming, and friendly members. With abundant natural beauty teeming with wildlife, the Club’s many amenities include 36 holes of championship golf, 12 Har Tru tennis courts, a junior Olympic-size pool and a 45,000 sq ft clubhouse.

Whether you play golf or tennis, or like to socialize, dine and party with friends in a warm and inviting environment, we have a membership plan for your lifestyle. In addition to our retired members, there are many young families at Laurel Oak, giving the Club a very energetic, highly participatory membership with many family-oriented events throughout the year.

We invite you for a Club tour anytime or take advantage of our try-us-out membership, designed to allow you to experience Laurel Oak Country Club, with virtually all the privileges of a full member, before making the commitment to full membership.

Call today for your personal tour. Enjoy family and life to the fullest at Laurel Oak.

Secure your spot in one of Sarasota’s finest family country clubs.

Call Today for a Try-Us-Out Membership.

941-378-3399 2700 Gary Player Blvd.

Sarasota, FL 34240 www.laureloak.com A Private Club

Inviting. Inspired. Incomparable.

Family Business May 2013 Volume 56 No. 5

38 DICKIE V’S WAR AGAINST PEDIATRIC CANCER

57

Dick Vitale’s V Foundation Gala

By Steven J. Smith

42 MARIA WIRRIES Teen Sensation Maria Wirries

By Sue Cullen

46 HANDING OVER THE REINS A Look at Local Intergenerational Cattle Ranches

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

57 FAMILY BUSINESSES Special Promotional Section

46

42

ABOUT THE COVER Photo of Maria Wirries by Herb Booth/Booth Studios

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Stuart J. Roth Founder and President

Salt & Light Productions is nationally acclaimed for its outstanding multi-media presentations and is the recipient of 2 Emmy and 34 Telly Awards.

Salt & Light Radio WITH

Stuart J. Roth

Saturdays at Noon

WSRQ

1220 AM/106.9 FM

Our production team provides high-definition photography of interviews and supporting video, topic research, script writing, editing, voice actors and graphics. For further information on how we can help your organization unleash its full potential, please contact Patty Dodson at 941.487.4061.

7357 Merchant Court • Sarasota, FL 34240 • Phone 941.487.4061 • Fax 941.487.4062

www.saltandlightproductions.org

DEPARTMENTS

26

19 EVENTS CALENDAR

SOCIALS

17 JFCS Celebrity Chefs & Golf Challenge Event 18 Asolo Rep Starry Night Dinner 21 Sarasota Ballet Gala 24 Salvation Army’s Glitz at the Ritz 25 AJC Human Relations Award Dinner 28 CPC “Blue Ties & Butterflies” Gala 29 Senior Friendship Center’s Madcap Party 55 Florida Winefest Balloon Glow Dinner 56 USF Sarasota-Manatee Presidents’ Welcome Reception 66 The Woman’s Exchange Volunteer Luncheon 77 Project 180 “Men Behind Bars” Fundraiser 80 SFF’s Cinema Tropicale 81 LWR Community Fund Gala

36

22 PERFORMING ARTS CALENDAR

26 YARA’S WAY Live in the Best of Both Worlds

By Yara Shoemaker

31 CULTURE MATTERS The Arts and Cultural Alliance Shares Events You Won’t Want To Miss

36 GIVING MATTERS

Packing Love – Bob & Lin Williams

By Steven J. Smith

50 SCENES FROM AN INTERVIEW An Officer and a Gentleman – John Saputo

By Gus Mollasis

GCCF’s STEMsmart Initiative

Society Maven Debbi Benedict Gives the Latest Scoop

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

By Debbi Benedict

67 EDUCATION MATTERS

71 BEHIND THE SCENE

76 STORIES OF JOY The People and Passion Behind Community Philanthropy

By Joy Weston

78 LITERARY SCENE

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

82 SCENE LOCALLY News Shaping Our Community

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EOE

FROM THE EDITOR

W

ith this our family business issue, we celebrate legacy,

the entrepreneurial spirit and the

support

and

guidance

given to those who are most deserving by families who are in a position to help. For many, following in the family footsteps is a deliberate choice and a great source of pride.

We start with our cattle barons – the pioneer families of cattle ranching. The Carltons, the Uihleins, and the Turners – they are among our most well-known families. SCENE writer Ryan Van Cleave takes an inside look at the challenges these families face and the appreciation and respect they share for the intergenerational aspect of their agri-businesses.

Our feature article showcases the multi-talented Maria Wirries, a fifteen year old superstar, raised by a devoted aunt and mentored by two outstanding community supporters – Ilene Friedman and Greg Gregory.

They have all become “family” and are determined to steer this young dynamo to a future that very few ever experience. Remember her name – you will be hearing about Maria for quite some time.

The ardor of Dick Vitale to help families and children dealing with cancer is a story we proudly tell every year. Dick has worked passionately for the V Foundation, raising more than $10 million for pediatric cancer research. His annual gala brings some of the biggest names in the world of sports to Sarasota and if you don’t have tears in your eyes after hearing Dick speak, well then you just don’t have blood running through your veins. Read all about it on page 38.

With May 27 being Memorial Day, I hope you’ll enjoy reading Gus Mollasis’ interview with “The Colonel”, Bronze Star medal winner John Saputo, a local hero and owner of Gulf Coast Eagle Distributing.

From his proud roots to his strong code of ethics, you will be inspired by his love and honor of this country and for his family.

As for me, there was no “family business” to be a part of, but my entrepreneurial spirit propelled me to take risks I am glad I did, including SCENE, which I proudly own with my husband, Ron. And as I write this, I realize that everyone at SCENE is part of our family.

We work that way, we believe it, and we take great pride in our value to the local community and in supporting locally-owned businesses.

Working together, we can keep our community strong.

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Impeccable Style, Outstanding Performance

With performance, styling and craftsmanship, every owner is making a big impression with their one-of-a-kind customized yacht. Using only the highest quality materials, we handcraft each Jupiter boat to the owner’s exact specifications.

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LOCALLY OWNED, OPERATED & PRINTED FOR MORE THAN 56 YEARS CEO/Publisher:

Ronald Milton

Executive Editor:

Julie A. Milton

V.P. Sales & Business Development Art Director: Editorial Assistant:

Dan Downey Michelle Cross Cheryl Galbraith

Special Issue Director: Debbi Benedict Distribution: Contributing Writers:

Dick Jackson Debbi Benedict Sue Cullen Gus Mollasis Yara Shoemaker Steven J. Smith Ryan G. Van Cleave Joy Weston

Photographers: Herb Booth Keith Millard Cliff Roles Address Phone

7269 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34241 941-365-1119

Fax 941-954-5067 Website www.scenesarasota.com SCENE Magazine publishes 12 issues a year by RJM Ventures, LLC. Address editorial, advertising and circulation correspondence to the above address. Sufficient return postage and self-addressed, stamped envelope must accompany all manuscripts, art work and photographs submitted if they are to be returned or acknowledged. Publisher assumes no responsibility for care of return of unsolicited materials.

Subscription price: $12.95 per year, $19.95 for two years. All contents copyrighted. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. ISSN 1535-8895.

Special Publications: Arts & Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County's Arts & Culture Guide, Doctors On The Scene, The Giving Book, Leading the Scene, Men On The Scene & Women On The Scene.

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A

to Service to Community Awards

Honoring individuals in our community who Inspire Patriotism Provide Service to Others Offer Hope to Veterans Tuesday, May 28, 2013 12:00 Noon • Michael’s On East For tickets contact Stacy Quaid, JFCS Development Associate at 941-366-2224, ext. 142 Earl E. Jacobson LT COL, USMC (Retired) Veteran’s Appreciation Food Distribution Volunteer All Faiths Food Bank Daniel F. Kennedy Founder/Headmaster/CEO Sarasota Military Academy

Rick Rogala Former USS Pueblo Prisoner of War Sarasota County Veterans Commission

Troy C. Scott COL, USAR (Retired) Military Officers Association of Sarasota

John W. Saputo COL, USMCR (Retired) Gold Coast Eagle Distributing

Steve Wilberding Former Captain, Infantry, US Army OMAP Mentor & Board Member, JFCS

A benefit luncheon to support programs & services provided to local veterans through

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SOCIAL

JFCS Celebrity Chefs & Golf Challenge Event JFCS Celebrity Chefs & Wine Tasting and Golf Challenge was held at Longboat Key Club and Resort on March 19th. Over 100 golfers and 700 guests helped set records for number of attendees and proceeds raised. All proceeds go toward the mission of JFCS to provide comprehensive counseling and social services to those confronting life’s challenges. The event featured 25 local restaurants, live music, silent auction, open wine and vodka bars. Gina and Shaun Benderson served as Event Co-Chairs, Lisa Deutsch served as Golf Challenge Chair, and SCENE Magazine publisher Ron Milton was the emcee for the live Benderson Family Challenge Grant. Photos by Cliff Roles

Shaun & Gina Benderson

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SOCIAL

Asolo Rep Starry Night Dinner Asolo Rep closed out its Starry Night dinner series in a beautiful dinner setting on its Mainstage. Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards and Managing Director Linda DiGabriele hosted as guests enjoyed fine wines and exquisite food.

Dinner sponsors were Café L’Europe and Ruth Kreindler. The three prior Starry Night dinners were held at private homes, each themed to one of Asolo Rep’s productions. Starry Night dinner sponsors were PNC Wealth Management and SCENE Magazine.

Photos by Cliff Roles

Nancy Markle & Richard Ferrell

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Len & Helen Glaser, Stephanie Shaw & Stan Pastor

Flora Major & Michael Donald Edwards

Tricia Mire & Linda DiGabriele

Peggy & Ken Abt

scenesarasota.com

CALENDAR

May Calendar For a complete listing of community events please visit scenesarasota.com

Photo courtesy Jaymie Klauber, Klauber Polo Ranch, LWR by Cliff Roles

Coexistence Inc.’s Embracing Our Differences Through June 2 Island Park 6:00 am. International outdoor art exhibit intended to demonstrate in a positive way that diversity enriches our lives. Free and open to the public. 941.928.0567 | embracingourdifferences.org

Spark Growth: Riverwalk 2013 May 2 – 5 Riverwalk complex in downtown Bradenton. Experience four very different types of events that will showcase collaboration, cooperation, and vision across the Bradenton area and larger regional community. sparkgrowth.net

12th Annual Physicians Golf Tournament May 3 Laurel Oak Country Club 11:30 am. Includes golf, cart, lunch buffet, awards dinner, and all beverages. Benefits the Healthcare Foundation’s Physicians Endowment for Sarasota Memorial staff education. Tickets: $295 | 941.917.1286 | smh.com

3rd Annual Food and Wine on Pine Event May 4 Pine Avenue in the City of Anna Maria 11:00 am. Featuring more than 25 locally-owned restaurants, art, live music, fine wines and craft beers. Proceeds will benefit local art and children’s charities.

941.778.8705 | foodandwineonpine.com

Classic Corvettes on the Circle May 4 St. Armand’s Circle Park 10:00 am. Over 200 original classic Corvettes, dating from 1953 to the present, will be on display in the Circle. Open to the public. starmandscircleassoc.com

Face Autism’s 2nd Annual Autism Resource Fair May 4 Cardinal Mooney HS 10:00 am. Featuring agencies that offer services to families of children with autism. A sensory friendly play area will be provided for attending children. 941.586.1826 | face-autism.org scenesarasota.com

May 2013

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Sarasota YMCA’s Night of the Jade Butterfly

Hurricane Bash Golf Tournament & Celebrity Chefs

May 4 Frank Berlin Branch YMCA. Enjoy dinner and a live auction.

May 17 University Park Country Club 1:00 pm. Benefits

Black tie optional. Tickets: $250 | 941.951.1336 | thesarasotay.org

American Red Cross. Tickets: $50-$150 | 941.379.9300 x223 | flwestcoastredcross.org

SPARCC’s Princess & Pirate Ball May 4 Sarasota Polo Grounds 4:30 pm. Family event with din-

Jazz Jevenocracy Rhapsody, Rhythm, and Romance

ner, entertainment, activities, and a silent auction. Benefits

May 17 – 25 Glenridge Performing Arts Center 8:00 pm. Com-

SPARRC. Tickets: $45-$65 | 941.365.0208 x106

positions featuring music by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Billy Holiday, and other greats, will be performed by interna-

5th Annual Payton Wright Foundation Golf Tournament

tionally recognized, local jazz ensemble, Jazz Juvenocracy,

May 10 Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club 10:00 am. Dinner,

and highlighted by movement choreographed and performed

live music, and silent auction. Benefits the Payton Wright Founda-

by Fuzión Dance Artists. Tickets: $20 | 941.552.5325 |

tion. Tickets: $50-$200 | 941.228.4886 | paytonwright.org

gpactix.com

Selby Garden’s Mother’s Day Brunch

AJC Summer Lunch & Learn Series

May 12 Selby Gardens. Three seating’s: 10:00 am, 11:30 am, and

May 29 11:00 am Michael’s On East. Featuring Rabbi Noam

1:00 pm. Treat mom to a spectacular Mother’s Day Brunch ca-

Marans discussing “A New Pope and the Future of Catholic-

tered by Michael’s On East. Featuring the contemporary and Bra-

Jewish Relations.” Tickets: $25, reservations required | 941.

zilian jazz sounds of 2Saxy. Tickets: $18-$48 | selby.org

365.4955 | ajc.org

8th Annual Dick Vitale Gala May 17 Ritz-Carlton Sarasota 6:30 pm. Sarasota’s Dick Vitale

Asolo Rep’s Supper Club: Pulse, a New Dance Musical

hosts his annual gala to raise funds for the V Foundation for Can-

May 31 TBA 6:00 pm. Cocktails & Hors D’oeuvres. 8:00 pm

cer Research. Honorees include Jim Calhoun, Bobby Bowden &

performance at Asolo Rep. A perfect twist on the classic “din-

Bill Self. After-Party featuring The Temptations. Tickets: $1,000 |

ner and a show” evening! Tickets: $95-100 | 941.351.9010

919.380.9505 or 941.350.0580 | jimmyv.org

x4702 | asolorep.org

Deliciously Unique

MK Designs and The Golden Image Jewelry Store Unique One of a Kind Designs and Exquisite Estate Selections 30 South Palm Ave., Downtown Sarasota 941.364.8439 |

20

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www.mymkdesigns.com

scenesarasota.com

SOCIAL

Sarasota Ballet Gala

The Sarasota Ballet 22nd Season Annual Gala, Encore – The Dance Goes On was held at the USF Sarasota Manatee Campus Gardens and the Clyde G. Nixon Courtyard on March 22, 2013, where over 320 guests were spellbound by the breathtaking outdoor performance.

The beautifully performed divertissements and extracts from a varied selection of Ballets were perfectly complimented by the incredible applause by all in attendance. Sarasota Ballet sends a special thanks to the wonderful Sydney Goldstein who chaired the event. ‘Theatre of Dreams’ ends the Ballet’s spectacular season on May 3rd, 4th and 5th.

Margaret Barbieri

Photos by Cliff Roles

Hillary Steele

Sydney & Jerome Goldstein & Vivian Kouvant

Kelly Yankle, Rachel Goldberg & Victoria Bew scenesarasota.com

Helen McVey, Sylvia Rostenfeld & Betty Dodt

Arthur & Lynn Guilford

Sally Schule & Chris Pfahler

John Simon & Mary Anne Servian

Dick & Pat Anderson

Noreen Delaney & Mike Maraccini

Lauren Walsh & Jennifer Gemmeke May 2013

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PERFORMING ARTS CALENDAR ASOLO REPERTORY THEATRE

MANATEE PLAYERS

Innovations: Revolutions

941.351.8000 / asolorep.org

941.748.5875 / manateeplayers.com

May 11

Clybourne Park

Fiddler on the Roof

Through May 2

May 2 – 19

This new comedy cleverly spins the

Based on Tevye, the father of five daugh-

events of A Raisin in the Sun to tell an

ters, and his attempts to maintain his

unforgettable new story about race and

family and Jewish religious traditions.

real estate in America.

The Game’s Afoot Through May 12

THE PLAYERS THEATRE 941.365.2494 / theplayers.org

Multimedia concert ranges from revolutionary classical works to hip hop.

VAN WEZEL PERFORMING ARTS HALL 941.955.7676 For a complete listing of performances, visit vanwezel.org Crosby Stills & Nash

As iconic American actor William Gil-

Side Show

lette takes his bows after playing Sher-

Through May 5

lock Holmes at the Palace Theatre, a

Based on the true story of Daisy and Vio-

Celtic Woman

shot rings out, wounding him in the arm.

let Hilton, conjoined twins make a change

May 9

This labyrinth comedy-mystery-thriller

from being a circus act to becoming fa-

unfolds in glorious 1930s style.

mous Vaudeville performers in the 1930s.

PULSE

SARASOTA BALLET

May 23 – June 16 Using rhythm as a common denominator,

941.359.0099 / sarasotaballet.org

PULSE showcases American music from

Theatre of Dreams

the classics of vaudeville to the dance

May 3 – 5

hits of today, as well as original music

Presenting world premieres of new works

created specifically for the production.

choreographed by dancers of The Sarasota Ballet, accompanied by live music.

FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE 941.366.9000 / floridastudiotheatre.org In The Book Of

SARASOTA MUSIC FESTIVAL 941.953.3434 / sarasotamusicfestival.org

VENICE THEATRE 941.488.1115 / venicestage.com Second Samuel Through May 19 Set in the late 1940s, this small-town comedy introduces us to a cast of quirky neighbors as they come to grips with the biggest surprise of their lives.

How to Eat Like a Child

as how to beg for a dog, how to torture

friends must examine the true meaning

your sister, how to act after being sent to

of family, friendship, and the American

your room and how to laugh hysterically.

Way.

The Loveland Follies

By Gershwin: A Tribute to George & Ira

May 30 – June 2

Through June 2

The life and times of Ed Sullivan.

A spirited and elegant tribute to George and Ira Gershwin, one of the greatest

941.475.6756 / lemonbayplayhouse.com

May 18

Children give 23 lessons in subjects such

With the threat of deportation looming,

LEMON BAY PLAYHOUSE

Bryan Adams

May 9 – 26

Through May 19

songwriting teams from the 1920s.

May 8

The Festival runs each Thursday through Sat-

WESTCOAST BLACK THEATRE TROUPE

urday and includes artist showcases at Sara-

941.366.1505 / wbttroupe.org

June 6 - 22

sota Orchestra’s Holley Hall and Saturday Symphonies at the Sarasota Opera House.

Harvey May 1 – 19

SARASOTA ORCHESTRA

Elwood P. Dowd has an imaginary friend

941.953.3434 / sarasotaorchestra.org

Harvey - a six-foot tall rabbit. His so-

It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues Through May 12 Take a journey through time as this rousing musical revue depicts the evolution of the blues, from African chants through

cial-climbing sister, Veta, decides to have

Chamber Soiree: Summer Music

Southern spirituals to the electrifying

him committed to a sanitarium to spare

May 9

songs of postwar Chicago nightclubs.

their family from future embarrassment.

Relax to Samuel Barber’s only wind quintet.

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SOCIAL

Salvation Army’s Glitz at the Ritz The 12th Annual “Glitz at the Ritz-Carlton — the Schoenbaum Humanitarian Award Luncheon” was held on March 21st. Betty Schoenbaum personally presented the award to this year’s honorees Al and Barbara Siemer. The Siemers philanthropic endeavors focus on children’s academic success while improving long-term housing and building family financial stability for families at-risk for homelessness. The luncheon event proceeds benefit Sarasota’s Families In Transitional Housing (FAITH) program of The Salvation Army. This yearlong program is designed to help homeless families not only improve their physical and emotional well-being, but to achieve self-sufficiency and to live independently at a reasonable standard. Photos by Cliff Roles

Bryan Pope & Donna Murphy

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Michael Moore & Stacey Corley

Lisa Hagerman, Corrisa Groethe, Marilyn Bezner, Kitty Devine, Amy Souza, Wendy Rose, Glenda Leonard & Marcia Sohl

Bob & Lelia Windom

Al & Barbara Siemer, Teri Hansen & Larry Thompson

scenesarasota.com

SOCIAL

AJC Human Relations Award Dinner AJC (American Jewish Committee) honored Larry and Debbie Haspel with its 2013 Human Relations Award at a gala dinner at Michael’s On East. Almost 300 guests packed the ballroom to honor the Haspels and to support AJC, the oldest human rights organization in the U.S. The Dinner Chairs, Edie and David Chaifetz and Margot and Warren Coville, spoke of the vital work of AJC, and remarked on the honorees’ great philanthropic endeavors over the past four years since moving to Sarasota. The Haspels’ daughter Leesa described her parents as energetic and generous with their time, having raised all of their six children to understand the importance of helping their community. AJC gives this award annually to individuals whose contributions have helped to uplift the shared life of their community. www.ajc.org. Photos by Cliff Roles

Merrill & Sheila Wynne

Hillary Steele, Mort & Carol Siegler

Stan & Jo Rutstein

Stuart Siegel, Sue Jacobson & Brian Lipton

Warren & Margot Coville, David Chaifetz, Anne Virag, Debbie & Larry Haspel & Edie Chaifetz

Mandala

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LIFESTYLE

Yara’s Way

By Yara Shoemaker

Live in the Best of Both Worlds Find harmony in your work and family life.

Spotlight Before you drink coffee, wake up!

Yara’s Table Savory Eggplant Tomato Sauce

I know the workday is tough to survive without your cup of black magic, so let’s get down to the gritty truth.

Caffeine Cautions: • It’s a diuretic, meaning that it speeds the loss of calcium through urination, and can lead to osteoporosis.

• High blood pressure can be caused by as few as 2-3 cups of coffee, say researchers at the Mayo Clinic.

• Many people have a caffeine allergy without even knowing it, which causes lethargy instead of a kick.

Buckle up and enjoy the detox ride! Start by reducing your coffee intake by one half and gradually cut it out completely. Substitute a cup of green tea, herbal tea or chicory “coffee” and drink a lot of water. Every time you get the craving, just

Velvety smooth sauce with pieces of tomato and strips of savory eggplant makes the perfect companion to spaghetti or your favorite pasta. It also dresses up a mound of basmati or wild rice for a healthy dinner option that can be made ahead of time or even frozen for a busy weeknight family meal.

Ingredients: • 1 medium eggplant, peeled, sliced in ½ inch strips and roasted or grilled • ½ medium onion, sliced • 3 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced (you can use canned in a pinch) • 1 cup vegetable stock or water • 1 tablespoon each: extra-virgin olive oil and grape seed oil • Sea salt • Handful chopped parsley Heat olive oil and grape seed oil over medium heat in a pot. Add onion and garlic, sauté until slightly softened. Mix tomatoes and liquid in a blender for a short time until slightly chunky, or until smooth if you prefer. Add tomato sauce, salt and roasted eggplant, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the sauce simmer until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.

Garnish with parsley and serve over your favorite pasta or rice.

take a walk to get over your heartbreak.

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Kitchen Talk

Every healthy pantry should include olive oil, however

Natural Allure

there are some impostors lurking on supermarket shelves, so be cautious which of them you invite to dinner!

• Extra-Virgin is the first pressing of olives extracted through purely mechanical means - no harmful chemicals are allowed.

• Virgin/Fine Virgin is the second pressing of olives,

Do you carry the mark of a workaholic?

not quite as delicately flavored as extra-virgin oil.

Dark circles and puffy eyes are common

• Refined is processed by chemical and heat treatments to make inferior oil more appetizing.

among colleagues, but you can wake up looking fresh with this quick recipe for

• Olive Oil/Pure Olive Oil is a blend of refined and

pampered eyes!

unrefined oils; an attempt to mask the taste of refined oil with unrefined flavor.

• Light/Extra Light is a marketing label for a mixture of any number of highly processed

Rejuvenating Eye Mask

vegetable oils that contains some measure of olive oil, but little true olive oil flavor.

• 1 tablespoon grape seed oil • 1 organic vitamin E capsule

No Men Allowed

Working women have no time for menstrual misery!

You’re not yourself when PMS hormones hit, so if your coworkers have started marking their calendars, try these effective tips to cut the curse of your cycle.

• 1 krill oil capsule (or substitute high quality fish oil) Break open capsules and mix with the grape seed oil. Apply to eye area for 30 minutes each each day and see results in as few as 3-4 days!

• Calm cramps with a potent cup of boiled fenugreek seeds. Sip the water, then chew and swallow the softened seeds to recover quickly.

• Avoid fried or salty foods and caffeinated beverages - eat more lentils, beets and spinach for extra iron.

• Major migraine sufferers, I have one word for you: Butterbur. Google it, pick up a bottle of the extract at the natural food store and be amazed!

• Keep a positive attitude! Do light physical activities like taking a walk.

On the Move Rome, Italy

Escape to Italy for a well-deserved break and family bonding in the Eternal City; May is perfect because you’ll miss the Easter pilgrims and still be there before the summer crowd that comes from June through August. Stay stylishly in the Hotel de Russie, a five-star hub for all your adventures with its own secluded Secret Garden – you’d never guess that you’re moments away from the famous Spanish Steps, the Vatican and the fashion houses of Via Condotti. Start your first evening with a panoramic view from Restaurant Mirabelle, then take a romantic stroll through the piazzas. See Rome’s religious progression from the Pantheon to St. Peter’s Basilica. Lunch like a Roman in the casual seafood restaurant Quinzi & Gabrieli, and save room for a fancier feast at stunning La Pergola restaurant in the Waldorf Astoria’s Rome Cavalieri Hotel for dinner.

Yara’s Way is a complete online lifestyle guide with unique approaches to healthy cooking, natural beauty, personal style, luxury travel and more. Yara Shoemaker is passionate about sharing her experience and advice to improve the lives of others and help everyone be beautiful from the inside out.

Find more great tips and recipes at www.yarasway.com scenesarasota.com

Look inside my new cookbook, Health On Your Plate, and preorder from Amazon for more amazing recipes!

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SOCIAL

CPC “Blue Ties & Butterflies” Gala The Child Protection Center’s signature event – “Blue Ties & Butterflies” was a magical success! Held on April 3rd at Michael’s On East, over 250 guests came together for an evening to celebrate the courage and accomplishments of the amazing children who walk through the doors of the Center each day. The proceeds from this event will be used to support the five core programs offered through CPC. The mission of CPC is the prevention, intervention and treatment of Child Abuse. The two “Pillar of Hope” sponsors for this event were The Jay & Becky Kaiserman Foundation and Karen & Mike Valentino. Photos by Cliff Roles

Bruce Udell, Dennis McGillicuddy & Richard Bergman

Bill & Susan Kelley & Michael Moulton

Donna & Barry Wolfson

Ed & Shelley Sarbey & Skip Sack

Teri Hansen, Scott Anderson, Deb Knowles & Charlie Ann Syprett

Doug Staley & Graci McGillicuddy

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May 2013

Karen Valentino & Sheila Miller

Trish & Russell Homan

Roger & Alisa Pettingell

Heidi Anderson & Paul Brannan

Ed & Charis Rosenblum, Roger Pettingell & Nate Jacobs

Josephine Eisenberg, Shannon Warren & Veronica Miller scenesarasota.com

SOCIAL

Senior Friendship Center’s Madcap Party Senior Friendship Centers celebrated its 40th anniversary hosting a party attended by more than 220 guests and raising a record amount for the fourth consecutive year. The 70s theme included a display of vintage cars, a vivid color scheme, disco balls and psychedelic sunglasses as favors. Highlights included a “dinner of the decade” by Michael’s on East, a “Swinging 70s Revue” featuring the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe performing pop hits, and Jamie Day and Steve Dawson accompanied by Kathryn Alexandra singing Broadway’s best. Honorary Chair was Betty Schoenbaum.

Event chairs were Molly Schechter and Harold Ronson, who have masterminded Madcap fundraisers at SFC for the past four years.

Co-chairs for Senior Friendship Centers’ 40th Anniversary year are Julie and Phil Delaney. Photos by Wendy Dewhurst & Cliff Roles

Jerry & Wendy Feinstein Harold Ronson & Molly Schechter

Jewel & Mike Ash

NO CHILD SHOULD GO WITHOUT HEALTHCARE

The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center needs your help building a larger Children’s Health facility to provide affordable, accessible, and high quality healthcare for kids like Anna.

She is just one of more than 11,000 in our community receiving services at the Center every month.

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL! EVERY DOLLAR RAISED WILL HELP AT-RISK CHILDREN RECEIVE THE CARE THEY NEED.

Betty Schoenbaum & Shirley Osen

Julie & Phil Delaney scenesarasota.com

Veronica Brady & Caroline Michel

Erin McLeod & Bob Carter

1750 17th Street, Sarasota 34234 | 941.365.4545 Phil King, Executive Director email: pking@gs-humanservices.org May 2013

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ARTS & CULTURE

Soft Dawn From the “This Land is Our Land” Nature Photography Exhibit

by Mark Cohen. The exhibit depicts mystical landscapes, as well as magnificent flora and fauna, with most photos exploring the beauty of our gulf coast region. At Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, Bay Preserve at Osprey, 400 Palmetto Avenue in Osprey through May 2013.

Photography may be viewed Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. © Mark Cohen

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ARTS & CULTURE PRESENTED BY:

1 1) Perlman Music Program/Suncoast’s “Ariel Quartet” May 4 The Perlman Music Program/Suncoast ‘s artist-in-residency program brings the world’s most esteemed young classical musicians, alumni of The Perlman Music Program, to teach in schools in Sarasota and Manatee counties for three weeks every year. The celebrated Ariel Quartet will visit area schools to present interactive performances and hands-on training, May 1-7. As part of the "Emerging Artists Performance Series," the Ariel Quartet will perform a free concert, May 4, 7 p.m.,

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at Venice Church of the Nazarene, 1535 E. Venice Ave., Venice. Visit www.PMPSuncoast.org.

Why It Matters: During the 2011-2012 season, this outreach program served 16 area schools, and touched the lives of nearly 5,000 students. Some students may decide to further their music studies—all will leave these sessions better informed, and perhaps more passionate, about classical music. The Perlman Music Program/Suncoast’s educational initiatives empower music teachers and stir the hearts of budding musicians. For every student who’s inspired to pursue a career in classical music, scores of others will develop a lifetime love for it.

2) Artist Series Concerts’ “The Spirit of Spain” May 4 - 5 Artist Series Concerts presents “The Spirit of Spain” with soprano Camille Zamora and pianist

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Lydia Brown on May 4th & 5th at 7:30 p.m. in the Historic Asolo Theater at the Ringing Museum of Art. This lively program captures the sounds and energy of the Spanish culture (and celebrates the Cinco de Mayo holiday) through the music of many of its best-known composers, including Granados, and Tarrago - and others who fell under its influence…Rossini, Ravel, and Bizet. Tickets at 360-7399 ($25-$45) Why It Matters: “The Spirit of Spain” actually says it all. The colors, smells, energy, and motion that are so closely associated with the Spanish culture come to life through music – of the composers who lived there, and those who visited, or were simply influenced by the almost “magnetic” qualities that draw musicians and more importantly listeners into the performance.

A secondary and very important “why it matters” is that live performance, unamplified, in its pure and natural state, is becoming a rarity in our world. Attend a live performance and you

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will come away knowing that listening through headphones really isn’t “almost as good.”

3) Florida Studio Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival May 11 The Young Playwrights Festival is the culmination and celebration of FST’s year-long WRITE A PLAY program. More than 3,000 plays were submitted from young playwrights all over Florida and across the globe. The winning playwrights of the Under Six and Seven Up programs will have the opportunity to see their winning plays performed in professional productions of UNDER SIX and a reading of SEVEN UP. Winners will receive a special certificate and a medal honoring their courage to create. More information at www.floridastudiotheatre.org.

Why It Matters: The Young Playwrights Festival and WRITE A PLAY are designed to inspire

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STABIL

CONCRETE PAVERS STABIL Concrete Pavers has become a trusted name in the Sarasota/Manatee area for all your paving needs. Our showroom features many products in a variety of shapes and colors for your selection along with samples for you bring home. We carry both thin and thick pavers as well as 4 sizes of coping giving STABIL the ability to handle any job from new construction to a remodel of your current pool deck.

Our well-trained staff will work with you from start to finish ensuring your complete satisfaction.

TM

STABIL CONCRETE PAVERS LLC

Showroom:

7080 28th Street Court East (off Whitfield Ave.) Sarasota, FL

941-739-7823

www.stabilconcrete.com

students from all backgrounds in grades K-12 to write plays through high energy, interactive performances, workshops and in-school residencies. The program is designed to inspire creativity, promote literacy, strengthen language and communication skills, and instill an appreciation for the art.

It has impacted children and teens in 61 of 67 Florida counties, with a special emphasis is placed on underserved schools.

Nancie Kalin

REALTOR®

I Listen. I Care. I Deliver.

“My unmatched knowledge of the local market is a valuable asset for you.”

4) Venice Theatre’s “Second Samuel” Through May 19 Second Samuel is a fictional town in South Georgia that was built after the first Samuel burnt down during the Civil War. Second Samuel is also the name of the play showing on Venice Theatre’s MainStage through May 19. Set in the late 1940s, this

For your next real estate search, call Nancie at

941.928.8833

sentimental comedy by Pamela Parker introduces us to a cast of quirky neighbors as they come to grips with the death of their beloved Miss Gertrude. They’re also confronted with what turns out to be the biggest surprise of their small-town lives.

Tickets at www.venicestage.com.



Why It Matters: With gentle humor and believable characters, Parker’s script reveals timeless lessons in tolerance and love. Without being heavy handed or preachy, the play affirms diversity and difference in its many forms. Audiences will want to stand and cheer when the “nice guys finish first.” Appropriate for the whole family and a great conversation starter. We’d say more, but that would give away the surprise!

Visit SarasotaArts.org for additional events, artist profiles and information about Sarasota’s exciting season of arts and culture.

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      scenesarasota.com

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Philip N. Hammersley & Darren R. Inverso of Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos, P.A.

Navigating Your Small

Through A Dispute

Business

By Sue Cullen

Successful small business owners, with skills ranging from carpentry to computers to the art of deal-making, share a willingness to shun the 9 to 5 routine and create an enterprise built on their unique skills and a lot of hard work. They also share a determination to get the job done and a willingness to wear many hats from accounting to sales and all points in between. Yet, the entrepreneurial impulse that urges a small business owner to jump in to the work, resolve any problems that arise, and do what it takes to make customers happy can be very costly when things don’t go so smoothly and disputes arise.

Business owners can best protect the fruits of

dispute,” Hammersley said. “We advise people to be

their hard work by taking some crucial steps on their

proactive in setting themselves up for success and to

own behalf before a dispute occurs, and they need

avoid most problems.”

to know how to respond effectively to protect their

A self-evaluation of the business, starting with the

interests if one does, according to Philip Hammers-

business structure is the place to begin. Is it a sole

ley of Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos, P.A.,

proprietorship, C or S Corporation, or a limited li-

a Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent® peer rated

ability corporation? Other than sole proprietorship,

attorney whose practice is in complex construction,

each of these entities offers some degree of personal

commercial, trust and estate, and real property liti-

liability protection in the event of a legal dispute, as

gation. “In this day and age, it’s more than likely at

well as having certain business succession and tax-

some point in your business life, you will get into a

ation implications. For example, Hammersley said

his firm recommends that developers and investors

it can be to resolve,” Inverso says. “Plus, in trying to

who buy and sell real estate set up separate legal

deal with the issue, sometimes owners have taken

entities for each individual deal, so if problems arise

action that made it worse. When you get a demand

with one, it does not impact the others. While every

letter or someone says they are not going to pay, go

business has its unique circumstances, some things

see a lawyer. We’re going to assess the strengths and

remain the same. “All businesses need protection

weaknesses of our client’s situation and his or her

from the start whether we’re talking about a small

potential liability, look at the most economical way

contractor with a tool box and a truck or a real es-

to resolve it, and develop a strategy that will get us

tate developer,” says Darren Inverso, a Sharehold-

there.” Experienced attorneys also will look at all as-

er of Norton Hammersley, whose practice includes

pects of the problem to ensure their clients’ interests

complex contract disputes, real estate and develop-

are covered. If not, the consequences can be signif-

ment litigation, construction defect and design lit-

icant. “Someone may complain about an equipment

igation, condominium disputes, and corporate and

installation, and it is critical to get the manufacturer

partnership disputes.

involved early because it may not be the installer’s

Considering how the business is being engaged

fault. While fixing the problem and making the cus-

for service, which involves setting up contracts and

tomer happy are important, it also is important not

other forms properly, is the next step in proactively

to do anything to limit another party’s involvement,”

heading off disputes. Ideally, contracts should out-

Hammersley said. “Insurance is another matter. If

line the scope of the work that will and will not be

the insurer is not notified in a timely fashion, it may

performed as well as those things for which the cus-

nullify the coverage.”

tomer or others are responsible. “Otherwise, people

Arguably, one of the best reasons for getting an

make assumptions, such as their realtor will handle

attorney involved is that, once both parties have

everything from soup to nuts, when by law they are

representation, it helps remove the emotion from

only allowed to do certain things,” Inverso said.

the equation. “We look at it as a business decision,

Contracts also should include clauses that spell out

and what is the most businesslike way to approach

how any potential disputes and resulting legal fees

it,” Inverso said. “People are very passionate about

will be handled. “When it comes to contract agree-

what they do, and a dispute can turn into having

ments that spell out how resolution will be reached

to be right versus doing what is right.” If the dis-

in a dispute, Florida courts have ruled that arbitra-

pute is far enough along that sitting down together

tion and mediation clauses are generally enforce-

to work things out is not an option, mediation is of-

able, and if arbitration is out, then you’re looking at

ten recommended, but people may resist it for rea-

the courthouse for resolution,” he added.

sons ranging from past experience to a feeling that

Another benefit of having these basic business in-

it shows weakness or a desire for vengeance. The

struments in place is that they lay the groundwork

reality is that if a lawsuit is filed, a judge will order

for a relationship with an attorney whom owners

mediation anyway, he added.

can call if needed for early counsel that may head

When dealing with a dispute, legal fees are only

off a problem or minimize risk. That highlights one

part of the cost. Less tangible, but carrying at least as

of the biggest mistakes that people make in a busi-

much impact, are the time owners spend resolving

ness dispute: trying to handle it by themselves. “Peo-

the dispute rather than working on their businesses

ple generally know when a problem is brewing. If

along with the potential impact on personal financ-

we get involved early, we can look at different ways

es. “An advantage of working with a multidiscipline

to resolve the issue, starting with sitting down at the

law firm is that we have the ability to walk down

table to work things out, or if we can’t accomplish

the hall to consult with tax or estate planners and

that ourselves, we may bring in a mediator early on

asset protection experts,” Hammersley said. “That

as opposed to after someone has spent two years

way we make sure our strategies take into account

and $100,000 in legal fees,” said Hammersley, who

accounting or tax issues.”

also is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator.

Should the case go forward to court, an experi-

People delay seeking counsel often because they

enced litigator who can pull together the requisite

don’t want to incur legal fees. However, in an effort

expertise to represent clients most effectively is a

to save money by resolving the situation themselves,

business owner’s best hope for a favorable outcome.

they very well may wind up paying more, maybe

After that, his or her fate is in the hands of the court.

much more, in the long run. “Just don’t wait until it is

Never getting to that point in the first place ensures

too late and miss an opportunity to deal with prob-

business owners can keep their dollars and their tal-

lems early. The longer it goes on, the more expensive

ents focused on building a thriving enterprise.

Connect: Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos | 1819 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34236 | 941-954-4691

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GIVING

Packing Love Bob & Lin Williams

By Steven J. Smith | Photo by Cliff Roles Through decades of hard work, Bob and Lin Williams built a

if they continue to do well in school and stay out of trouble,

successful company, Harmar, which makes mobility and ac-

they will have a four-year college degree paid for.”

cessibility products such as wheelchair lifts for cars. Lin also ran her own retail store for 10 years. The transplanted Canadi-

For years, Bob and Lin poured just about everything they made

ans have now dedicated their retirement in Sarasota to giving

back into their growing business. (Bob remembers holidays

a financial and scholastic lift to area school kids.

when he’d give Lin cards with notes like: “For Christmas, I bought you a new welder!”) Through Take Stock in Children,

The couple got started after SRQ Wealth Management advisors

they now invest in opportunities for others to succeed.

Steve Martin and Karin Grablin introduced them to Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Since then, they have funded a high-

Hungry to do more, the couple next turned their generosity to

tech “STEMsmart” classroom at Sarasota Middle School, in-

All Faiths Food Bank and its BackPack Kids Program, which

vested in college scholarships for low-income students through

provides nutritional support to almost 2,000 children in 32

Take Stock in Children, and donated to the All Faiths Food

area schools. Participating students, who are either homeless

Bank BackPack Kids Program.

or from low-income families, leave school every Friday with a backpack filled with healthy, kid-friendly groceries. Twice a

“We’re very involved with education, children, and the needy,”

month, the backpacks also contain fresh produce, nutrition in-

Lin said. “Gulf Coast helped us find where we can do the most

formation for parents, and nutrition activity sheets for students.

good. The kids are our future, and we want to see that they get ahead.”

Bob and Lin stepped up to fund almost 300 local children through the program. “If kids go to school hungry, they’re not

Having run their own manufacturing business, Bob and Lin

going to learn as much as they will if they’re reasonably well

recognize the value of innovative thinking and technical know-

fed,” Bob said. “This program was a natural fit for us.”

how. That’s one reason they donated $25,000 toward the complete remodeling of a classroom at Sarasota Middle for STEM

Back when Bob was working seven-day weeks while Lin was

(science, technology, engineering, and math) classes. Their

home with their son, Chad, packed lunches sometimes dou-

gift paid for all-new furniture that helps students collaborate

bled as a communication channel. “If I needed to pay bills

in teams, interactive technology like digital microscopes and

that week, I’d put a note in Bob’s lunch that said ‘Bring home

handheld computers, and even training for teachers. “And we

money,’” recalled Lin. But working hard never stopped them

want to do another classroom, because we think it’s that im-

from helping others, a message that came through to Chad,

portant,” Bob said.

who now runs Harmar.

Take Stock in Children is another effort the couple supports for

“Philanthropy is definitely something we want him to get in-

area school children. “Take Stock in Children identifies kids

volved in,” Bob said. Added Lin: “We raised Chad to respect

from a poor background who have the brains and the smarts

other people and always do the right thing. We hope and ex-

to get to college and do well there, but don’t have the financial

pect that’s the way he’s raising his son, who is seven years old.

means,” Bob said. “This program promises those students that

It’s an important way to think and live.”

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Dickie V’s War Against Pediatric Cancer

By Steven J. Smith

Dick Vitale is a family man, a big reason why he works so passionately for the V Foundation — it raises money for pediatric cancer research, helping find a way to improve the lives of children and families.

“Family is my number one priority in life, and there’s nothing greater than sharing every moment of your life with people who mean so much to you,” Vitale said. “I’m blessed that my two daughters, sons-in-law, and five grandkids live so close to me and Lorraine, my wife of 42 years. I came from a great family. My mom and dad were uneducated, but had a doctorate of love. They passed it on to my brother and sister and I, and there is nothing, I say nothing, that’s more important to me and my wife than our family.”

Affectionately known in basketball circles as Dickie V, Vitale is a famed basketball sportscaster who has coached at the college and NBA levels and is known for his catchphrase “Awesome, baby.” He proudly says he has adopted the V Foundation for Cancer Research as his second family. It was formed in 1993 to honor his friend, college basketball coach Jim Valvano, who succumbed to cancer at the age of 47.

The V Foundation enjoys a notable presence in the scientific community, guided by an elite advisory board of top physicians and research scientists at well known universities and cancer centers from around the U.S. that recommend which research projects should receive funding. Vitale sits on the foundation’s board of directors and holds a gala every year to help keep the foundation funded.

“The Dick Vitale Gala has raised money for the V Foundation over the last seven years,” Vitale said.

“In each of those years we raised a minimum of $1.3 million. Last year we raised $2.1 million. This year we hope to match it. Since it started, my gala has raised in excess of $10 million.” scenesarasota.com

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Dick Vitale and 2012 Honorees Jay Wright and Gary Williams with Dick’s “Real Heroes” – cancer survivors.

This year’s gala will get underway at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 17 at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota. Vitale expects 40-50 celebrities and coaches to come to the event. The gala will honor three college sports coaches: Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden, University of Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun, and Bill Self, basketball coach at the University of Kansas.

“We’ll also have a post-gala show that will be magnificent, with Dennis Edwards and the Temptations,” Vitale said. “The bottom line is no child should be doing chemotherapy and radiation. They should be playing. They should be having fun. And we’re trying to do all we can to raise dollars to help kids battle that disease.”

He added that over $120 million has been raised so far for the V Foundation, $1 million of which was recently raised for a research grant in the name of the late Payton Wright, a young girl who lost her life to cancer. That money has helped save the life of a Sarasota boy named Kyle Peters.

“Kyle’s cancer-free now,” Vitale said. “There are more stories, about loads of kids we don’t know, that have been helped along the way. But the foundation needs dollars. They need money to do research. That’s my goal. I’m obsessed with it, and I will beg and I will plead with people to help us.”

Want to join Dickie V and his cause? Call 941-350-0580 or 941-374-6026. More information can be found at his website, www.DickVitaleOnline.com or the V Foundation’s website, www.jimmyv.org.

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By Sue Cullen, Select photos by Herb Booth/Booth Studio

Anyone who has heard teenage singing sensation Maria Wirries knows the gut tickling sense of being in the presence of true talent and the pleasure of watching someone so young handle an audience with such élan. The incredible journey this confident 15-year-old sophomore at Manatee School for the Arts has taken in her short lifetime is as remarkable as her innate talent. Maria’s own capacity for hard work and the generous actions of family, in the broadest sense, have helped her create a very different life from the one into which she was born.

It seems Maria has been everywhere this season starting in October

Maria also lends her vocal talents to many galas and fundraisers

when she played Sister Mary Leo and was dance captain in “Nun-

including Jewish Family & Children Services, American Jewish Com-

sense” at The Players Theatre. She also soloed with the Sarasota Or-

mittee, Catholic Charities, Cat Depot, Sarasota Bay Club, Designing

chestra at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, and she is a featured

Women Boutique, Embracing our Differences, and Sarasota Insti-

vocalist with the Sarasota Orchestra Jazz Ensemble, lead tenor drum-

tute of Lifelong Learning. She has performed many solo concerts,

mer and featured vocalist with the Jacobites Pipe and Drum Band, and

including four to benefit the poor in her native Haiti, where she

worked with the renowned jazz pianist and composer Dick Hyman to

likely would have lived a very different life of struggle if not for her

debut a new jazz number with Gloria Musicae — just to name a few.

biological aunt who fought to adopt her.

As well as being a singer, actress and Celtic tenor drummer, Maria also

Born in Port Au Prince to a Haitian woman, Maria was turned over to

is an en pointe ballet dancer, rated senior figure skater, composer, pia-

her American missionary father to raise because her mother was unable

nist, and plays the ukulele. She made her international debut in July as

to care for her. When she was four months old, her father died of a

Gloria Musicae’s featured vocalist at the Amalfi Coast Music & Arts Fes-

blood disorder, and his sister Jeaneen Wirries traveled to Haiti to bring

tival for three major concerts and several extemporaneous performanc-

Maria to Florida. “I had to go down there when he passed away. I prom-

es, including one memorable solo in the Blue Grotto of Capri, which

ised him I would take care of her if anything happened to him,” Jeaneen

can be seen on YouTube along with many of her other performances.

said. “I was 62 and retired when I got her and had raised four children,

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but with family you can’t say no. It took a long time, but I got her out.”

small change Maria earned from her performances, which promptly

As the only mother she’s ever known, Maria calls Jeaneen “Mom.”

went into piano and skating lessons. “They were living in a very small camper trailer in the Myakka woods on the grounds of Jeaneen’s sis-

It didn’t take long before Maria demonstrated that she is special.

ter’s and her husband’s property,” Greg said. They also discovered that

Jeaneen says she learned to walk and talk at about nine months and

Maria was being homeschooled using an online curriculum.”

showed an early aptitude for, and interest in, music. When she was about 18 months old, an aunt gave her a xylophone and would play

It was around this time that Maria began taking voice lessons from Alan

nursery tunes on it, which Maria was able to play back by ear. How-

Corey who thought she would do well at Manatee School for the Arts in

ever, it was during a talent show when she was in kindergarten that

Palmetto. “Maria’s talent is certainly extraordinary,” Corey says. “Both

Maria was bitten by the performance bug. “I sang ‘I’ve Been Working

her voice itself and her musical instincts — her sense of pitch, rhythm

on the Railroad’,” she recalled. “I liked being out front of the audience

— are very advanced, but it is her awareness and ability to embrace a

and making them happy. I enjoy that.” All it took was a little encour-

wide variety of styles that makes her most musically marketable.”

agement from her Mom. “I told her if you can get in front of people and do this, you will be able to do something the majority of people are not

Unfortunately, living so far away in the Myakka woods presented too

able to do,” Jeaneen said. “When people clapped, that did it for her.”

many obstacles. Greg and Ilene felt that “just wasn’t right” and found a home for them much closer to the school. Maria was accepted and

From there, the young Maria charmed audiences with a repertoire of

now is dual enrolled at State College of Florida, continually earning

country-western tunes at fairs, rodeos, prizefights, Flywheeler meets

a spot on the honor roll for both her academic and artistic subjects,

and talent contests. It turned out that a talent competition led to a

Greg says. MSA’s Assistant Principal Terry Devine characterizes Ma-

pivotal moment in Maria’s life and changed it nearly as completely

ria as highly talented and a dedicated performer who works very

as Jeaneen’s decision to bring her to the U.S. Although she

hard to hone her craft, and he admires her great attitude toward help-

did not win the contest, she was asked to sing before a per-

ing out and getting the job done. The school does recruitment shows

formance at The Players Theatre. “I first came across Maria

in which Maria participates, and one day a performer did not show

several years ago when this little girl stepped on stage, and this

up as scheduled. “I looked around the cafeteria and saw Maria

big voice came out,” says Jeffery Kin, the theatre’s artistic direc-

there and said to her, ‘hey Maria, come on, you’re going on the

tor. “Maria’s feet are firmly planted on the ground. She is kind

show’,” he said. “On the way there, Maria said, ‘so what am

and considerate, and there is never a hint of ‘don’t you know

I performing?’ We looked at my iPod to figure out what

how good I am?’ I believe she has the makings of a person who

songs I had that she could perform, and put together a

could become famous. She could become a

show on the way to the performance.”

star. She has the work ethic, the talent, plus that inner joy that is often so elusive.”

As her “honorary grandpa” and “bestie” (best friend) respectively, Greg and Ilene are naturally proud of all

That performance at The Players led to a fortuitous meeting.

Maria’s accomplishments. Maria also relishes their rela-

“After I sang at The Players, I met Greg Gregory and Ilene Fried-

tionship.

man,” Maria says. “Over the years, we’ve gotten closer and

sit together, and we

closer, and now he’s my honorary Grandpa.” The way Greg remembers it, “Maria sang ‘New York, New York’, and my

always

“We

go

giggling

to these big functions and cannot be quiet. We’re about something,” Maria says. “We’ve met their

reaction was, ‘Streisand might just as well retire now.’ She

friends, and they’ve become

brought the house down.” Greg and Ilene introduced them-

our friends. Greg and Ilene

selves to Maria and Jeaneen during intermission. Greg talked about his role as drum major for the Jacobites Pipe and Drum Band, and Jeaneen gave him one of Maria’s CDs. “After listening to it, I knew she

have been a huge influence in our lives.” Jeaneen concurs. “They are part of our family now,” she says.

“They’ve done an awful lot to help us and

was a rare talent,” he said, and he ar-

get Maria to meet people who can make a difference in her

ranged for her to audition as a singer with

life. Now she’s friends with everyone in Sarasota, I think.”

the Jacobites. “When I saw those drummers doing all this crazy stuff, I decided I’ve got to be a part of that, so now I’m a vocalist and play the tenor drums,” Maria says.

As their friendship blossomed, Greg and Ilene became aware of Maria’s and her Mom’s circumstances. Jeaneen was in her 70s, and the two were living off Social Security benefits and the

Greg is particularly pleased that he and Maria

that she does, and does so with a smile and humble nature; indeed a rare combination of attributes.”

As much as her extraordinary talent, it may be that “rare combination” of personal attributes that define Maria’s future. “Maria is one of those exceptional people who excels at everything. She’s smart and quick. She has sparkle, energy and poise that sets her apart from others on and off stage,” says June LeBell, who was the nation’s first female announcer at a major commercial classical music station.

“Making a career in music is not easy. I’ve met exceptionally talented singers who never amounted to anything and less talented performers who became stars. Maria is one of those young musicians who could, if all her stars are aligned, become a supernova.”

Maria’s in-born characteristics along with her extraordinary talent are shaping her ambitions for herself and likely will define her future. “She likes to make things better for people, and she likes to entertain people,” Jeaneen says. “When she was eight, she wanted to do a breeding program for whales. She doesn’t think in small things.” That hasn’t changed. In addition to wanting to marry Leonardo DiCaprio, Maria harbors no small ambitions. One day, she plans to be president of Haiti and perhaps an amDrumming with the Jacobites Pipe & Drum Band

bassador, much the same as former child star Shirley Temple. “I’d like to fix Haiti’s corrupt

share a passion for the Jacobites Pipe and Drum Band where, in

government and make a better economy. They are such a creative

addition to singing and performing the tenor drum, Maria also is an

people, I’d love to show the world how creative they are,” Maria

instructor. So is the Jacobites’ Pipe Major Gary Reinstrom. “I feel

says. “I’m planning to go to college and double major in political

her greatest talent is her ability to connect with people individually

science and musical theater. I’ll start out with a musical career. I’d

or from the stage. She is a delight to be around,” Reinstrom says.

really like to do Broadway and tour, and then I want to go into a

“I also see Maria as a natural leader and motivator. I have seen her

political type career.”

instruct men and women much older with success.”

It is that level-headed, goal-oriented approach, sparked by youthIn the whirlwind of all her performances, Maria counts one

ful enjoyment, that also fuels her drive to excel at ice skating,

standout as working with Dick Hyman, which she defines

which she has done since she was three and now ranks as a sing-

as “cool” and fitting particularly well with an interest in jazz

ing rated figure skater. She recently earned a gold medal in moves

sparked by her “Uncle” Barry. Most memorable, however, was

and plans to do the same in freestyle, which will allow her to

her first performance with the Sarasota Orchestra to celebrate

qualify for opportunities like Disney on Ice. “I like skating be-

the 90th birthday of Ilene’s mother Bea Friedman. “I was 12 or

cause I get to be with my friends and have a good time, and it’s

13, and it was the first time I ever performed with a live orches-

good to have on my resume,” she concludes with a characteristic

tra. The sound of the orchestra and being with such wonderful

mix of joy and practicality.

people was incredible,” she said. “My knees were shaking that night, and I don’t normally get nervous.” Sarasota Orchestra CEO

In this celebrity-crazed and “reality” TV society, it’s refreshing to

Joe McKenna also considers that first performance memorable.

find those who are focused on actual reality. “People say Maria

“Everyone in attendance knew this was the start of something

should go on American Idol. I say why? We don’t want her to go off

special. It is wonderful to watch her journey,” McKenna says.

half prepared in life,” says Jeaneen. Greg adds, “We believe Maria

“Maria is a remarkable young musician. She is extraordinarily

has what it takes in terms of talent, focus, dedication and discipline

talented and her poise is well beyond her years. She excels in all

to accomplish her goals and undoubtedly much, much more.”

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Handing Over the

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Reins

A Look at Local Intergenerational Cattle Ranches

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

It might come as a surprise: Florida’s cattle industry is one of the biggest in the United States. Indeed, four of the 10 largest cow-calf operations exist right here in the Sunshine State. Even more impressive is that almost half of Florida’s agricultural land is involved in some capacity in cattle production. To put a financial spin on it, Florida beef producers own well over a million cows, heifers, and bulls, worth well more than a billion dollars. As you can imagine, the impact of cattle farms on the environment, the community, and area businesses is immense.

While cattle have been in Florida since the days of the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon (1521 or so), it’s only in the last two centuries that it’s become big business. One of the earliest cattle ranchers in our area was Henry Hawkins, who came here with his parents in 1857. After he got married, he settled near the Myakka River and soon had 2,200 head of cattle, 1,600 sheep, and 1,200 hogs. Jeff Lahurd’s Sarasota: A History includes a picture of Hawkins taken at his 90th birthday celebration as he’s literally sitting in a saddle on a horse, surrounded by a hundred family member and friends.

That image — a well-weathered farmer sitting astride a horse — speaks to one of the interesting facets of Florida cattle farms. Many of them are intergenerational family businesses, meaning they’re passed from grandparents to parents to kids and so on. Right in our own backyard we’ve got farms owned by the Turners, the Carltons, and the Uihleins that all have been in their respective families for generations.

Lisa Carlton is an eighth generation Floridian who was born and raised in Sarasota County. With her sister and mother, she’s co-manager of the Mabry Carlton Ranch, a cattle and citrus operation that’s been in their family for four generations. One of the most noteworthy things about this ranch is scenesarasota.com

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Lat Turner in "planted pines" Hi Hat Ranch 1950's & Chuck Turner, Manager, cattle operation Hi Hat Ranch that it’s the only one in Florida that’s 100% owned and operated by women, Carlton proudly notes.

The Mabry Carlton Ranch operates on 11,000 acres of native rangeland. “We’re constantly looking for new ways to diversify our business,” Carlton admits. To that end, they’ve tried watermelons, tomatoes, and pretty much any pickable Florida fruit. They’ve even harvested timber. At the moment, about 60% of their business is cattle, and 40% is citrus. That could change at any time, though, as the Carltons — like farmers everywhere — are always looking for ways to create new sustainable income streams since the very nature of their business is one of economic challenges.

She points out that Hollywood movies have glamorized the life of cattle ranchers. It’s hard, hard work, she says, and there’s always something to do whether it’s cattle round up time where they’ve hired on up to 10 extra hands or whether it’s just the family members themselves doing the work.

Family is important to the Carltons, and they hope the family connection to the land and business will carry through to the next generation. While some children of farmers are tempted to sell off land for developments, that won’t be the case here.

“With our conservation easement we have with Sarasota County and the state of Florida,” Carlton says, “our lands will never be developed — it’ll always be a cattle operation.” That doesn’t guarantee that their four children will stay on and work the lands, but there’s hope that they’ll choose to do so, even if their 11,000 acres is considered small by most farm standards.

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Another family-owned cattle farm, SMR Farms, is on the bigger side, having 48 square miles of land (1 square mile = 640 acres). That land was bought in 1922 by the Uihlein family — the founders of Schlitz Brewing Company. If you don’t know where SMR Farms is, that might be because you know it by another name: Lakewood Ranch. Mac Carraway, President of SMR Farms, notes that his is the only cattle operation coexisting with the ongoing development of a master planned community like Lakewood Ranch. Over 8,000 acres of their land is set aside for grazing, but they also have an extensive citrus, sod, and tree nursery business, too.

Technology has changed the way cattle ranches operate, Carraway explains. Having cell phones enables problems or supply needs in the field to be handled far more rapidly than in years past. And Internet video sale auctions provide a much larger market into which SMR Farms can sell their annual calf crop.

“The cattle industry has continued to produce better genetic lines, enabling us and others to produce more consistent size and quality in our calves,” notes Carraway. “Plus there’s much more focus on animal care from ranch to plate, from birth to sale, including many advances in veterinary care, nutrition, and genetics.”

Despite the latest advancements in technology, like other farms, SMR is still dramatically affected by nature. Drought, rainstorms, lightning, cold snaps, tropical storms — it all profoundly affects the day-to-day operations. Plus there’s also the ongoing threat of coyotes and buzzards to the animals, Carraway adds.

Through it all, SMR remains in the family. Even now, 90 years scenesarasota.com

after the farm was established, 100% of the board of directors of SMR are members of the Uihlein family (or their representatives), and they are actively involved in all aspects of the enterprise’s operations.

Yet another intergenerational local ranch is Hi Hat Ranch, which began as a 42 square mile plot of land in 1937 by Ross Beason, a New York businessman. When his son, Lt. Ross Beason Jr. was killed in WWII, Beason sold the property to Manatee County native Herman Turner in the mid 1940s and it has remained in the Turner family for three generations.

A March 19, 1945 article in the Herald Tribune described the property at that time as a remarkable piece of land with “27 artificial lakes, a private airfield, 3,400 acres of sodded pasture, 400 other acres under development, 94 miles of improved roads, a ranch home, truck loading pens, dipping vats, 600 miles of four-strand barbed wire fences and 40 miles of telephone lines.”

Herman Turner always felt a deep connection to the community, so he set up a foundation that still benefits charities to this day. Among the many groups and organizations it has supported over the years are New College, St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, Mote Marine Laboratory, the United Way, the Boy Scouts of America, and Southeastern Guide Dogs. St. Marga-

ret’s Episcopal Church in particular benefited from Turner’s generosity since he donated the land their buildings reside on.

After running the ranch for 15 years, Turner turned the day-today operations over to his son, Latimer (“Lat”), who began to diversify the business. Instead of just raising and selling beef cattle, the Turners soon began to also handle vegetables, sod, citrus, timber, poplar trees, and honey. Lat continued his father’s commitment to community and in 1994 was award the Cattleman’s Association Environmental Stewardship Award for Florida.

Lat’s son, Chuck, deals with the challenges of running the cattle part of the ranch today. “The public may romanticize being a cowboy or a farmer,” he says, “however it’s a difficult business. We fight weather, insects, livestock diseases, poor commodity markets, and increasing government regulations.”

Still, the current matriarch of the family, Velda Turner, explains, “It’s been gratifying to watch as the Hi Hat Ranch has spanned four generations in the Turner family.” That sense of appreciation and respect for the intergenerational is clearly shared by the Carltons and Uihleins as well. Most importantly, we all benefit from having local family-centered agricultural businesses like these where owners care about the community and the environment as much as we do.

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Scenes from an Interview:

JOHN SAPUTO

AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN

by Gus Mollasis

If they ever remake the movie An Officer and a Gentleman, Hollywood need not look any further than “The Colonel”, John Saputo, to play the lead. Because that is what this man’s life has always been about - leading. As a commanding officer in the United States Marine Corps, he received a Bronze Star Medal with a V for Valor, for leading his men through countless combat battles during Operation Desert Sheild and Desert Storm. As a businessman, he’s led his company, Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, to great heights, recently being honored with the prestigious Ambassador of Excellence award by Anheuser Busch. Surely, when that happened, both his grandfathers smiled and tipped a cold Budweiser in their grandson’s direction. As a family man, he has led his wife and four daughters to a good life, providing an outstanding example of what a man should be to his family. Whether in the trenches fighting alongside his Marines in a foreign land, or in a neighborhood grocery store helping one of his sales guys stock his customer’s shelves, he is a man who is not afraid to get his hands dirty if it means getting the job done. It is with gratitude and a “can do” attitude that John Saputo lives every day of his life. He remembers all who came before him, who fought and died, and worked to make this a better country. And it is for these reasons that he continues to lead from the front and be thankful for his wonderful life. Recently, I sat down with this officer and a gentleman and we took a look at some of the scenes from an interview of his life.

Where were you born?

I was born in 1950 in Detroit, Michigan.

in this world on 40 hours a week. Nobody gets ahead trying to fight the system. He would say, “If there is something wrong in the system, then change it when you get into a position of pow-

What were you like as a child?

er. Get in the system quickly at a young age. Go to work every

I was a pretty athletic kid but I also liked books. I loved literature.

single day and by the time you get to be my age, something

As a teenager I was working as a helper on a beer truck in Down-

good is going to happen for you.”

town Detroit. As the driver was collecting the money while I was waiting, I would read War and Peace.

What does Memorial Day mean to you?

Memorial Day is always a time when I have great reflection. In

Who were some of your heroes growing up?

my 32½ years in the Marines, three years active duty and 29½

The World War II Veterans, all those guys that came back after losing

in the Reserves, I was asked to be a part of 16 burials of Marines

three, four, and five years of their lives. They didn’t whine or com-

from different wars. From when I started my career in 1972 until

plain, they grabbed themselves by the bootstraps and within a mat-

2006 when I turned 55 and faced mandatory retirement, I think

ter of three to five years they had their GI Bill degrees and they were

about those burials everyday. I think about the Marines that I led

out there being productive members of society. You never heard a

in combat. It was probably the highest honor that anyone has ever

whimper or a whine about what the world owed them. They just got

bestowed on me – to be an officer, a lieutenant, a captain, a major

up and they went to work and they raised families. They were truly a

and then a colonel of Marines. That’s what Memorial Day means to

great generation. They raised lots of kids and put many of them who

me. It was an honor and privilege to serve with guys like that, who

were first generation through college. These are my heroes.

when the guns fire, they go to the guns. They don’t duck down.

They don’t hunker down in a bunker. They move to the movement

What is the greatest thing that you learned from your parents?

From my dad, I learned a work ethic and that nobody gets ahead scenesarasota.com

and flash of the guns. To command men like that in a combat situation is a great honor and privilege that was bestowed on me.

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Can you tell me what makes a good Marine?

disappointed in the people that we were taking orders from at the

What makes a good Marine is that every Marine aspires to be a

civilian leadership level – they were much more political than I

leader. From a private all the way to colonel, everyone knows their

wanted them to be. I wanted to have the same respect for let’s say

place within the ranks. And everyone knows that anyone that is

the Secretary of Defense or the Assistant Secretary of Defense that

junior to them is their responsibility. Think about that. The Marine

I had for four-star General Mattis, who just retired, or for General

Corps to me is the only pure organization I have ever belonged to.

Tommy Franks, who I respected a lot. That was the only disap-

It’s the only organization where I knew I could count on all those

pointment I think I had. Many in civilian leadership didn’t carry the

ranked above me. They knew they could count on me and I knew

core values that the average Marine in the trenches carried.

they would take care of me. I knew that those who were senior to me would never leave me on a field of battle wounded or dead,

Tell me your proudest day as a Marine.

that they would always bring you back. The ultimate honor is that

You train and you train and you train and you’re always training for

Marines with lower ranking knew the same would be true from

a contingency. The proudest day is that my men thought enough

me. When you have that kind of trust and a bond, it is something

of me on a March day during Operation Desert Storm when our

that you will have for the rest of your life and will never ever forget.

battalion was pinned down by machine gun fire. When I jumped to my feet, I commanded a bunch of those guys to follow me,

You graduated summa cum laude from Boston College. Has

jump in an armored vehicle and go straight to where the fire was

education come easily to you?

coming from so we could help neutralize it and no one would

I did well in studying. I went to University of Detroit High School.

be killed. As a matter of fact, the day that I got my Bronze Star it

I had Dominican nuns in grade school for eight years. In high

was my anniversary. My helmet fell off because I didn’t have my

school I had the Jesuits, who I like to refer to as “The Pope’s Ma-

chinstrap on. I was eating an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat). I could see

rine Corps.” They were great educators. They made education fun.

pictures of my wife and my four daughters and I said to myself,

They instilled into all their students that you have to aspire to be

“You know what, I’m not dying today. I’m going to do something

great. And once you make it, you have to be a man for others and

to get us out of this.” And that day, when you have 30 to 40 men

bring everybody else along with you that you possibly can. With

in your command jump up and say okay, we’re following this guy,

that background, I decided to go to a Jesuit College, so I went

that was a defining and cathartic moment for me. Another time, we

to Boston College. I obtained a degree in Accounting, graduating

were in a town called Al Wafra (Kuwait). I didn’t really realize the

number one in my class. But my minors were English Literature and

power that my commission or the government gives you. We were

Russian Literature. I am a big Dostoevsky and Tolstoy fan.

in front of a Kuwaiti cracking plant and we had a helicopter over it. The helicopter took fire, so the commanding officer decided he

What makes a good commanding officer?

didn’t want the Marines to go in there door-to-door and fight. So

Being a good commanding officer is extremely simple. It’s almost

we called in an air strike and the commanding officer called in ar-

the Jesuit ethic. Be a man for others. You lead from the front. I got a

tillery. I had all of my fifty armored vehicles and six tanks lined up

few combat awards that I wouldn’t have gotten unless I was the first

and he gave me the word over the radio. I crackled, “Open Fire.”

guy to jump up and say, “Let’s go to the guns, let’s attack.” I used to

To see all those vehicles with 275 men firing at the same time, it

tell my men, “Oats for the horses and Bud for the men. We ride to

was a moment when I thought that no human being should have

the guns at dawn.” That’s what I told them as we made the landing

this kind of power. And if somebody gives you this kind of power,

in Kuwait and as I patrolled streets in Baghdad in 2003 and 2004.

you better use it in the most judicious and most humane manner

A good leader is the one who leads from the front and sets the

possible. Long story short, at the end of that battle, all the bad guys

example. Whatever you ask your people to do, you got to be able

were dead and none of my guys were hurt or wounded.

to do it yourself. That’s true for the military and in business. In my business, my people don’t know if I’m going to show up at a Publix

You have been awarded various medals for combat valor and

in Northport or a Wal-Mart in Palmetto or the SweetBay on High-

courage. What do they collectively mean to you?

way 41. They never know when I’m going to be there. Whenever

Everyone one of them were awarded to me but I don’t accept them on

I meet up with them I help them fill the shelves and the coolers

behalf of myself. I accept them on behalf of all the men I commanded

and help put the signs up. I do the grunt work with them. A leader

because whatever I have done on an individual basis it was because

can never be afraid to do the grunt work side by side with his men.

of the collective courage and commitment that my men had. I wear them on my tuxedo and I wear them at Marine Corps special events

What is the one thing that surprised you about serving your country?

to honor the guys that were there that helped me rate those medals.

When I was a junior lieutenant, the biggest surprise I had was to learn there were so many other men like myself who believed in

Finish the following sentences with the first thing that comes to

the same core values as I did - honor, courage, commitment and

your mind:

country. I thought, “Oh my God, there are other people with these

A Marine is…

sentimental, nerdy-kind of feelings.” And then when I became a

Honor, Courage and Commitment.

senior officer and worked at the highest levels, I found even our leaders at the two-star and three-star level still had that passion for the guy in the trenches, especially in the Marine Corps. But I was

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America is….

The greatest country in the world. I don’t say that lightly because scenesarasota.com

I’ve visited a lot of places and those places have so far to go to get

nism that oppresses people and does not allow the natural juices

anywhere near where we are. People don’t appreciate how far our

and DNA in people to rise up and do better. I still believe in that.

democracy has come.

Consider the cost to this country in treasure and blood. In the last ten years, there were 5,000 dead American troops, 33,000 wound-

My family is…

ed. When you look at Vietnam, there were 58,000 people killed

The most important thing in my life. It’s the focal point of all my

and then our huge losses in the Korean War. Those were places

work and any of my personal endeavors.

that we were really trying to do good and you look at it and you say was it worth that treasure? I have mixed emotions about that,

Sarasota is …

especially with some of the problems we have in this country. But

It is the best place that I have ever lived in my life. I have lived in

what excites me is that there are still people willing to sacrifice for

California, Michigan, New York and North Carolina. As my wife

others in this country. We do not have problems recruiting young

likes to say, “You screwed up the first 25 years of our marriage.

men for our military and it doesn’t have anything to do with money

But the last 16 have been really good living in Sarasota.” (Smiling)

or going to college or anything like that. It’s all about them having that feeling of honor, courage and commitment.

Are there some common traits in your military life that helped you prepare for civilian life and your success as a business man?

What is a hero to you?

Civilian life was a very easy transition for me because I just took

A hero to me is somebody who is behind the scenes. He doesn’t

the principles of leadership, the work ethic that the Marine Corps

blow his own horn. It’s someone working day-to-day, just getting

gave me and applied it to my business career. It was the reason

up everyday, putting in 50-60 hours of work for his family. That’s

why I got where I am quickly, more quickly than most people. For

the unsung hero in this country

instance, when I was a 27-year old kid two years out of active duty and in the Marine Corps Reserves, the breweries I was worked

How did you get your first distributorship?

for at that time saw a maturity in me. They saw a confidence and

The distributorships I owned were very small. I worked my way

a swagger and thought here’s a young guy who can take control.

up buying and selling bigger distributorships. I started with a five

He’s not afraid to go up against Jimmy Hoffa’s labor union. He’s not

truck operation then a ten truck operation, then a twelve. My first

afraid to jump out in the streets of Detroit and work accounts on

operation was on the west side of Detroit.

Livernois Avenue, and you know how rough some of those neigh-

My mother’s relatives were all from the Downriver area and my

borhoods were. The brewery executives saw leadership abilities in

dad’s were from St. Louis. I always had a dream of being an Anheus-

me and that’s why I was able to buy my first distributorship at age

er Busch distributor. I had a grandfather who was a distributor. He

27, which was kind of unheard of in our industry. I was never afraid

was a big influence on my life. In fact he was a former bootlegger.

to move if the opportunity presented itself. I did not get myself

Both my grandfathers were former bootleggers. Joe Barraco, my

completely rooted in Detroit, or in New York, or North Carolina. I

maternal grandfather, worked a day job and he really never un-

went where it was best for me and my family. I kept the momentum

derstood prohibition. He’d make a little wine and little beer and

going in my career while bettering my family’s situation by moving

sell it to his neighbors. My other grandfather, John Saputo, lived in

to better and better cities.

Springfield, Illinois and he and his twin brother made a little wine every once in a while and sold it to the neighbors. I used to ask him,

Are you worried about America’s future?

“Papa, how did you get into the beer business?”And he said, “You

I am very worried about America’s future. I’m worried about the

got to understand. The only people who knew about wine and beer

next two generations. I see a lot of young Americans very happy to

distribution, were the Italians and the Jews. And we were the ones

be dependent on not just their government but also on their par-

running it.” So he got a small distributorship. He could barely speak

ents. I am the grandson of immigrants from Italy and still hear their

English. I remember my brother and I used to help him unload trail-

voices echoing in my head saying, “You have to do better than us.

ers by hand. I was a 12-year-old helping him when he sat me down

You have to do better than your father. If you don’t you’re letting

in his old office, looked me straight in the eye and said, “This is

us down.” They made a heck of a sacrifice. You think of these

what I want you to do. Go to school and get a college education.

people with nothing in their pocket, getting on a boat and coming

I want you to go into the military.” And then he said, “If you come

to a country they had never been to. I always believed, and I try to

back, you come back into the beer business and if you like it, you

instill it my kids, that you have an obligation to your ancestors to

have got to be an Anheuser Busch distributor.” He saw back in 1962

do better than your parents. I am worried about this dependency

the future for the beer business was Anheuser Busch. When I got

mentality and this lack of can do attitude.

my first Anheuser Busch distributorship back in 1986, my maternal grandmother knew that this is what he wanted me to do. She came

What should America’s role be on the world’s stage?

down and had her picture taken with me standing next to a stack of

I grew up in an officer corps that believed that America should

Budweiser in the warehouse. And she took that picture and put it

right all the injustices in the world, that we have an obligation to

on his headstone at the mausoleum where he is buried in Michigan.

the rest of the world to bring the rest of the world up. I still believe that wrongs should be righted where Democracy is in jeopardy, wherever there are dictators, wherever there is hard core Commuscenesarasota.com

What does Anheuser Busch brand mean to you?

It’s the pinnacle of the beer business. It’s where most distribuMay 2013

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tors aspire to get. I’m one of the few that came from the out-

perfect. Our campus is 23 acres surrounded by beautiful trees.

side, selling other brands. August Busch III saw something in

I make sure that my green plan and my sustainability plan is

me and said, “I don’t want to compete against you anymore.

in place so that we live in harmony with this beautiful land-

You’ve been a hell of a competitor. I want you to be one of

scape we have in Lakewood Ranch. After that, I answer my

my distributors.” Here is a guy and a captain of industry who

150 e-mails a day as quickly as I can. By noon I am out visiting

picks a one million case beer operator operating a competitive

customers until around 7 p.m. and my weekends are spent on

beer distributorship out of Raleigh, North Carolina. I meet him,

special events that we take great pride in. We do between five

he shakes my hand and says, “Sell these other brands that you

and six hundred special events a year, all of a community and

have, these other partnerships that you have with your brothers

charitable nature. We try and help every single one of them.

and come with me.” And I trusted him and shook his hand and

Because when somebody goes out and applies for a 501c3,

he did everything that he told me that he was going to do. To

there is something in their heart that says something about that

think that you could trust a guy that high up the hierarchy of cor-

organization and that person and I want to be part of that heart

porate America on a handshake is to me just fascinating. That’s

and I want to give back. I’ve got a saying, “You build your

how I like to try to run my business – that my handshake and my

community, you build your beer distributorship.” I pride my-

word mean more than anything else.

self on the fact that even through the recent recession we did everything that we possibly could so that in my entire career I

What is the one thing that you demand and expect from all your

never had to lay anyone off.

employees?

I expect all my employees to have passion and dedication, the

When you have a chance to kick back and relax, what do you do?

same passion and dedication that I have toward this business. I

My most fun time is spending time in my yard and in my pool

expect them to buy into it heart and soul. My customer satisfac-

with five grandchildren and my daughters and my sons-in-law.

tion statement says, “Promise our customers 100% but deliver

Thank God for my sons-in-law – they took a huge burden off me.

110%.” One of things I am most proud of is that I have a lot

They took four high maintenance daughters and I am no longer

of guys who have been with me for years that want their sons

monetarily responsible for them. (Laughing)

to work here. That tells you the environment and culture you’ve created is a good one, when a father wants his son to come and

What is the advice that you have for young people regarding

work at the same place where he works.

serving their country?

If you are or are not thinking about it, you should. It’s pure, un-

What does it mean to have your company, Gold Coast Eagle

like anything in civilian life. There is no greed, no graft, and for

Distributing, be honored with the annual Ambassador of Ex-

the most part, no corruption among the ranks. It’s where other

cellence award at the annual Anheuser Busch sales and mar-

people take care of you and you are expected to take care of

keting meeting?

other people below you. My military career projected me to new

That award means you have arrived in the industry. We were rated

heights in my business career because it made me much more

in the top 15 out of 675 wholesalers. It’s a very, very demanding

mature than I would have been at that age. When you come out

award to win. The stars have to be all aligned and your work has to

of high school or college and you go into the military, there’s a

be absolutely perfect. It’s a pinnacle in my career.

purpose. There’s a paycheck coming in and a work ethic that stays with you the rest of your life.

Describe the relationship that you develop with your customer.

I have about 1,400 customers. I want them to know where my

How do you hope people recognize Veterans on Memorial Day?

heart and head is. I want them to know that they are my partners,

I think people should realize that a Veteran doesn’t expect your

that without them I am not successful and a lot of them have told

thanks, but what he does expect is your respect for the sacrifice

me that without us they are not successful. I want them to know

he or she has made. And it is a sacrifice. If I could tell you what

that they can pick up the phone and call me anytime they have

our troops go through to attain their rank, get through boot camp,

a problem and I will be “Johnny on the Spot” to solve it. I make

get through officer candidate school and endure all of the daily

25-30 retail calls every week to my customers in person where I

suffering they go through, and they do this for us. They appre-

drop by and see them. That let’s them know that I appreciate their

ciate the thank you, but they want respect. Always remember

business and they can call me anytime.

that and maybe visit our Veteran’s cemetery here, look at those headstones and think about the individual sacrifices that were

Describe your typical work day.

made for us.

I am up at five and at the office by 6:30, 6:45. I like to do what I call roving leadership in the morning. I go around and talk

54

How do you want to be remembered?

to all the salesmen before they go on their routes and to the

I want to be remembered as a damn good officer of Marines and

truck drivers before they leave. I talk to the mechanics, the

as one of the best beer distributors in the United States of America.

warehouse guys. My warehouse guys and I are very meticulous

And I want to be remembered as that because for me, I know it

about the warehouse. We are a food distribution company.

honors both of my grandfathers’ dreams as immigrants coming to

Our floors are scrubbed two times a day. They have to be

this country.

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SOCIAL

Florida Winefest Balloon Glow Dinner Florida Winefest & Auction just completed its 23rd year of celebrating “Parties with a Purpose”. This year’s parties included winemaker dinners and tastings, a unique balloon glow dinner, grand brunch and auction, a cigar dinner and “Sip and Soar”. Since 1991, $7.7 Million has been awarded to 76 different nonprofits in Sarasota & Manatee Counties. The benefiting organizations serve disadvantaged children’s programs and include monies to purchase baby cribs, after school supervision and a hot, substantial snack before going home, and assisting families who have lost their houses and are living in their cars to get back into temporary housing. Photos by Cliff Roles

Joyce Koehler & Linda de Rogatis

Wendy & Jerry Feinstein

Gail & Ron Travis, Mary & George Hoagland

Rex & Fran Jensen

Dick & Carol Angelotti

TOM & JERRY’S

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scenesarasota.com

May 2013

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SOCIAL

USF Sarasota-Manatee Presidents’ Welcome Reception Dr. Arthur Guilford, regional chancellor of University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, welcomed his new colleagues in higher education at a special reception held on the USFSM campus. Dr. Carol Probstfeld, president of State College of Florida and Dr. Donal O’Shea, president of New College of Florida were introduced to a crowd of friends, supporters and community leaders. All three institutions share the goal of making this area a true “university town” and are building new relationships, partnerships and collaborations that will benefit students and the Sarasota and Manatee County economies now and in the future.

Alan Lane, Dr. Richard Wharton & Rick Hager

Arthur Guilford, Donal O’Shea, Judy Genshaft & Carol Probstfeld

Ron Regan, Dr. Anila Jain, Roger Frazee & Dr. Craig Trigueiro

Phil King, Felice Schulaner & Dennis Rees

GOPHER ROOFING

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scenesarasota.com

Family Businesses SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

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Grapevine Communications

There is a certain magic found in a family-run business. An undeniable presence of sincerity and care that conjures the warmth of home in the workplace. Through these beginnings, a proven, flourishing family business transcends its larger conglomerate counterparts, propelled by the underlying traditions and character of a proud, close family dynamic. Thus is the story of Grapevine Communications.

The fabric of Sarasota’s powerhouse advertising, marketing and public relations agency was woven with a true passion for family, community and relationships. It was this ingrained gusto mixed with the inspiration and loving guidance of her mother, Frances, that Angela MassaroFain founded Grapevine in 1988 in Montreal, Canada.

From the very beginning, Angela’s ability to be fearless and emotionally honest helped her business thrive.

She also adhered to the standards set forth by her mother, a woman who possessed an intuitive mind for business and understood the importance of nurturing relationships in her own lengthy professional career.

“In business as in life, the best advice I’ve ever received was from my mentor, my mother,” said Angela.

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Gabriele Vest, John Fain, Angela Massaro-Fain & daughter MariaFrancesca Massaro (inset) scenesarasota.com

“She told me, ‘Never say never,’ and ‘If your gut gives you a feeling about someone, trust it.’”

Grapevine saw success that attracted such clients as Honeywell, Johnson & Johnson, Intertape Polymer Group (IPG) and L’Oreal. In 1996 John Fain joined IPG as the Corporate Vice President of Marketing. As with Angela, John’s strong devotion to family complemented his multifaceted business and strategic marketing skills, and the two developed a productive rapport.

In 1998 Angela sold Grapevine to IPG, and both she and John relocated to the company’s U.S. headquarters in Bradenton — Angela to manage the new in-house agency. The collaboration was fitting in every way, and Angela and John’s business relationship eventually blossomed into love, then marriage, and ultimately a partnership in Grapevine’s 2002 reformation.

Now eleven years later, Grapevine is run by Angela and John’s love for helping clients reach their next-level goals, accompanied by their own devotion to giving back to community-focused organizations and foundations. “For us, there is a high level of trust and respect in how we approach our business and its future,” said John. “We talk to each other very openly to ensure that every decision we make is in the best interests of our clients, employees and community, overall.” That outlook has encouraged Grapevine to donate more than $1.4 million in services to over 60 area nonprofit organizations since 2002. “If you are able to give, you should,” says Angela — and so, they do.

Angela and John are familiar faces throughout the area who sit on several boards and committees, where they also donate their personal time as part of their commitment to the community.

Beyond their expressions of community compassion, Grapevine’s ever-growing client base is a reflection of the quality work it produces — which is further reinforced by the industry accolades the agency receives. Grapevine has been named among the “Top 25 Advertising Agencies in Southwest Florida” by Tampa Bay Business Journal for nine years in a row. They have also won numerous ADDY Awards, as well as the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s 2006 “Young Business of the Year” and 2010 “Small Business of the Year” awards. Grapevine is also the only company in the SarasotaManatee area to be recognized consistently and consecutively as one of the “Top 500 Companies on the Gulf Coast of Florida”— 2012 was the fifth year in a row they earned the honor.

The business has expanded to an in-house staff of 12 employees, and Angela and John continue to foster a closeness with their team to offer a real sense of humanity in the workplace. The result is an authentic care and concern for employees that is often likened to that of an extended family. “Every day John and I are reminded about how much we care about and are loyal to our staff, whose positive attitudes make us proud,” said Angela. “Happy people create great work.”

It has been said that the best job training programs throughout history have been those of family businesses. This notion rings true as Grapevine entered its second generation with the introduction of Gabriele Vest — Angela and John’s niece — in 2006. For Gabriele, becoming a part of the team was no easy task. She started with the company in an internship position while attending the University of Tennessee. After spending over a year and a half learning every job and every role of every person in the company, Gabriele was finally offered a full-time position. Today, the Account Executive manages over 30 clients for the company. She is also a part of local boards and organizations, and is in the process of CEO training to prepare her for a leadership role. “Angela and John have been wonderful teachers,” said Gabriele. “It has been such a great experience to work for those who have a vested interest in your success. There is an extraordinary level of trust and the feeling of home here that is so rarely found in other businesses.”

Looking to the future, the family connection goes beyond Gabriele, as Angela and John’s daughter, Maria-Francesca, stands to eventually join the team. Maria-Francesca is currently a junior at the Out of Door Academy and taking extracurricular courses to enhance her skills in graphic design. When she does make her transition to the company, she can expect the very same intense training experienced

by Gabriele. “We have established a spectacular family model with our business that produces a solid service for our clients,” said Angela. “Our goal is to keep doing so through the generations.”

5201 Paylor Lane Sarasota, FL 34240 941.351.0024 www.grapeinc.com scenesarasota.com

It is no coincidence how Maria-Francesca is to be mentored by her mother, just as Angela was by hers.

Grapevine’s family dynamic is a genuine testament to the benefits of nurturing strength of character and willingness to achieve exceptional things for others in life and in business. It proves that if you are able to recognize that value and work together for the common good, your family can be the greatest competitive advantage in any industry. And that’s the certain magic that makes Grapevine so special.

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Atlas Insurance

Rob Brown, Darren Howard & Tom Kochis

Atlas Insurance has protected families and businesses for 60 years, having expanded nationally while remaining firmly rooted in the Sarasota community along the way.

From its beginnings as a two-person office, the firm has grown to nearly 40 employees as a full line, independent agency serving clients across the country and representing a nationwide network of carriers. Rob Brown followed his father’s footsteps into the business founded in 1953 by his grandfather, which places Atlas Insurance in its third generation of proven family leadership.

Although it works with a wide range of businesses, Atlas Insurance has recognized specialties in community associations, construction, restaurants, hospitality, healthcare and nonprofits. On the personal insurance side, the firm provides homeowners, auto, and watercraft policies, and offers a dedicated team versed in assisting clients with greater needs—including valuable collections, unusual items, and waterfront properties.

These clients are treated with a level of service more commonly reserved for significant commercial accounts, as assigned staff work closely to ensure frequent contact and all potential exposures are covered. A sister company handles employee benefits and planning.

7120 Beneva Road Sarasota, FL 34238 941.366.8424 www.atlasinsuranceagency.com

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The concept of “family” spreads throughout the firm’s culture, which starts with the shared values of Brown and long-time partners Darren Howard and Tom Kochis. All demonstrate a strong devotion to family and the community in which they live and have been raising families. To celebrate Atlas Insurance’s 60th anniversary this year, they wanted to do something special that invoked the firm’s long history of community service. Rather than make a sweeping gesture as with their 50th anniversary when they built a Habitat for Humanity home, they plan to make an impact in a number of areas. Their goals include donating 60 pints of blood along with support for foster children, the Child Protection Center, Keep Sarasota Beautiful, ALS Foundation, and breast cancer awareness. scenesarasota.com

Cafe Baci

Michael & Roberto Mei

As fifth and sixth generation restaurateurs, Roberto Mei of Café Baci, and his son Michael, acknowledge that the inclination to create a first class family-run Italian restaurant is in their blood. Roberto’s Sarasota journey began when he and his family came here to visit his mother-in-law. “She took us to the best Italian restaurant in town,” Mei said. “Afterward, we said if this is the best, then we should consider coming here.” Growing up working in the small chain of restaurants his family owned in Manhattan, Roberto Mei already was a veteran in the business. The New York Post named him the island’s youngest manager at age 18, and the rigors of creating successful restaurants in one of the nation’s most challenging markets paid off for him here.

Over twenty years of operating Sarasota’s Café Baci says he’s been doing things right. “We do everything fresh,” he said proudly. “We make our own pasta, stocks and sauces. We even go to the extent of filtering our cooking water. Michael added, “It’s the attention to detail that differentiates us.”

4001 South Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34231 941.921.4848 www.cafebacisarasota.com scenesarasota.com

What also sets Roberto Mei apart is his leadership at the restaurant and in the community. He and his wife, Denise a Realtor® with Michael Saunders & Co., actively support the YMCA, Children First, United Cerebral Palsy, Girls Inc., and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. “I try to set an example for my children and employees and instill virtues like hard work, honesty, integrity and respect,” Mei says,” Anyone can run a successful business, but to raise great children and have great employees, that’s the accomplishment of which I am most proud.”

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Café Gabbiano

Peter Tracy, Laura & Marc Grimaud

Marc Grimaud, owner/operator, and his uncle, Peter Tracy, general manager and operating partner, took ownership last year of one of Siesta Key’s best-loved dining destinations – Café Gabbiano. Grimaud’s early roots were in the restaurant business and Peter has been in the hospitality industry for 25 years. This family team has put their mark on Café Gabbiano offering more culinary experiences than before. Changes include daily by-the-glass wine tasting flights for $10 and a four-course wine-pairing menu as well as a truffle tasting menu available Sunday through Thursday. Grimaud, a certified sommelier, said wine remains a core element of the Café Gabbiano experience with more than 3,000 bottles and 220 varieties. The restaurant also has a full bar and a Siesta Hour daily from 4 to 6 p.m. with $5 appetizers and drinks.

In addition to its traditional and outstanding menu, Café Gabbiano offers a great steakhouse-style steak. Allen Brothers dry-aged filet mignon has been added to the menu selection. With its reputation for fine food and service, it is a natural that weddings, other events and off-site catering have become very popular. Sunset baskets are also available for those who want to grab some appetizers and a great bottle of wine and head to the beach for sunset.

5104 Ocean Blvd.

Sarasota, FL 34242 941.349.1423 www.cafegabbiano.com

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In the year since taking over Café Gabbiano, Grimaud and Tracy have become an important part of the community and have participated in several nonprofit events.

They have also done a great job building relationships with patrons online through Facebook, Foursquare, Open Table and the restaurant’s new website, www.CafeGabbiano.com. They take pride in greeting every patron and giving them a phenomenal dining experience. scenesarasota.com

Dermatology & Oculoplastic Consultants

Dr. Heidi Anderson & Dr. Paul Brannan

5880 Rand Blvd. Suite 201 Sarasota, FL 34238 941.925.DOCS www.skineyedocs.com scenesarasota.com

Husband and wife specialists Dr. Paul Brannan and Dr. Heidi Anderson of Dermatology & Oculoplastic Consultants have successfully built a thriving practice that meets their high standards and offers synergistic, comprehensive care. Anderson is board certified in dermatology and pediatric trained. She treats skin conditions from acne to psoriasis as well as providing cosmetic procedures utilizing laser technology & research backed cosmeceuticals. Brannan is a board certified ophthalmologist and one of only 400 doctors to complete a two year fellowship in oculoplastics, a subspecialty focusing on the eyelids, eye sockets and tear ducts. He is also proficient in skin cancer surgery and facial reconstruction. “We both have academic backgrounds. Paul was fulltime faculty at University of Cincinnati and I was a microbiologist at Princeton University where I worked with patient implications of microbiology genetics,” Anderson said. “I realized then how much I enjoy talking with my patients.” That patient-focused approach permeates their practice. “We focus on patient satisfaction and are involved heavily in their care,” Brannan said. “We base what we do on academic studies and incorporate technologies and techniques that we trust, always striving to provide the gold standard of care.”

Of their convenient and comprehensive care for skin cancer patients, Dr. Brannan says, “My wife can diagnose cancerous lesions, our associate can do MOHS surgery if required, and immediately after, I can perform the surgery to ensure everything functions properly and is aesthetically pleasing.” Dr. Brannan also performs facial cosmetic procedures.

“Everything I do is minimally invasive, done with proven products, and customized for a natural look,” he says. “It’s always rewarding when our patients refer others to us because they had a good experience.” With two young children at home, the couple still finds the time for community involvement and are active with a variety of nonprofits.

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Iltis Lending Group

Steve, Lisa & Michael Iltis

For more than 20 years, the Iltis family has been helping people find the right mortgage options for their personal residences and real estate investments. Steve Iltis, president, and his wife Lisa, vice president, of the Iltis Lending Group each bring 30 years of experience in lending to the mortgage brokerage they founded in Sarasota. Both initially established their careers in the banking business, so they have a thorough understanding of finance and can help clients successfully navigate the lending process, which has become more complex with new restrictions and regulations.

Now their son, Michael, has joined Iltis Lending as a loan officer after graduating in 2012 from the University of Colorado where he also was the Buffalos starting center. As a loan officer, he appreciates the ability to tap into his parents’ expertise and insight into the mortgage lending business as well as for the breadth of loan options they can offer that provide the right solution for each client even in today’s more complex environment.

The firm offers jumbo, conventional, FHA, VA or USDA loans for primary residences and second homes as well as for multifamily housing and other investment properties.

1348 Fruitville Rd #303 Sarasota, FL 34236 866.954.4252 941.954.4252 steve@iltislending.com lisa@iltislending.com mike@iltislending.com www.iltislending.com

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Their network of lenders enables them to shop for the best interest rate and terms for their clients. They are always available and offer free, no obligation preapprovals. Being a family business means they have strong community ties and value the good name they have earned by serving clients well. They also have a track record of giving back to the community. Steve and Lisa both served on the Foundation board for Riverview High School where Michael graduated, and they are known for their ongoing support of many local nonprofits. scenesarasota.com

Jupiter Marine

Craig Herndon, Carisa Albrecht, Carl Herndon & Todd Albrecht

With so many mom-and-pop stores disappearing from the American landscape, it’s great to know that we still have many family-owned businesses thriving in our area like Jupiter Marine in Palmetto. This premier boat-building company was purchased by former Bertram Yacht president and industry legend Carl Herndon in 1998. It was Herndon who designed and perfected a unique and heavier hull pad, resulting in a sharper entry and a dry, soft ride (used on all Jupiter models). Learning from his father, Craig Herndon, Carl’s son, serves as Jupiter’s VP of Engineering.

Jupiter boats aren’t your basic plain Jane boats for the casual water enthusiast— these are custom-crafted vehicles that feature the latest in boat-building technology.

Anyone who’s spent much time on the water surely knows about Jupiter’s exquisite crafts. “Many of our clients also own mega-yachts,” says Carisa Albrecht, Herndon’s daughter and the Executive Vice President of Jupiter Marine. “And they expect the same level of quality and service from us. Our goal is to exceed those expectations.”

Step onto any Jupiter watercraft and you’ll quickly see the type of quality and Wow factor that Albrecht means. The boats all use fiberglass reinforced polyester and the fasteners are hidden. From tin-coated copper wiring to fuel efficient engines to bronze through-hull fittings below the water line, all of the materials used are the best quality available.

1103 12th Avenue East Palmetto, FL 34221 941.729.5000 www.jupitermarine.com scenesarasota.com

According to Todd Albrecht, Carisa’s husband and Jupiter’s VP of Sales, they produce 26’, 30’, 32’, 34’, 38’, and 41’ boats in varying layouts from tournament, forward seating, and cuddy cabin arrangements. Jupiter’s latest marvel, which debuted at the Miami Boat show in February, is the 41’, an enclosed sport bridge model that can easily support six passengers.

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SOCIAL

The Woman’s Exchange Volunteer Luncheon The annual Woman’s Exchange Volunteer Luncheon was held on April 1, 2013, at Michael’s on East. This year’s theme was “Hollywood Glitz and Glamour,” with entertainment provided by Debbie Keeton. The annual event celebrates the hard work and dedication of nearly 240 volunteers.

Since its inception in 1962, the Woman’s Exchange, Inc. has awarded more than $7 million in grants and scholarships to support the arts of Sarasota and Manatee counties and is one of Sarasota counties largest scholarship providers. All of the scholarship and grant monies have been generated through sales at their retail consignment store located at 539 S. Orange Avenue in downtown Sarasota. Photos by Cliff Roles

Trish Ivey & Karen Koblenz

Mary Parker, Phyllis Darling, Cathy Stegeman & Carol Diruzza

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EDUCATION

EDUCATION MATTERS

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

SCENE continues its community-centered focus by presenting some of the most exciting intellectual happenings taking place in our community. Education Matters focuses on the difference-making programs, events, teachers, and students of our area schools.

This month, we proudly feature not a school but rather Gulf Coast Community Foundation — a prominent and key supporter of education in our community.

In September 2012, President Barak Obama said that “to

year community-wide effort to transform the way teachers

prepare American children for a future in which they can

teach and students learn science, technology, engineering,

be the highly skilled American workers and innovators of to-

and math. Sarasota and Charlotte counties are partners in this

morrow, I have set the goal of preparing 100,000 science

initiative, as is the technology company Texas Instruments.

and math teachers over the next decade. These teachers will

Classrooms are now being equipped with TI-Nspire handheld

meet the urgent need to train one million additional science,

computers and these have changed the way teachers monitor

engineering and math (STEM) graduates over the next de-

progress and the way students engage with the content. There

cade.” To do so, President Obama proposed putting aside

are also new digital probes and digital microscopes available

$1 billion to support a STEM Master Teacher Corps, giving

and as you might imagine, kids love using them. STEMsmart

annual bonuses to STEM teachers for modeling practices

Classrooms of Tomorrow are also equipped with HP moni-

and mentoring peers, and funding existing Teacher Incentive

tors and allow the students to work in small groups while the

Funds designed to help identify, develop, and leverage highly

teacher moves about monitoring progress.

effective STEM teachers.

Beyond President Obama’s own education agenda and

STEM is going to be the future of education for the next

beliefs, why is STEM so important? The GCCF Project Direc-

decade, it seems, and Gulf Coast Community Foundation

tor of STEMsmart, Chris Pfahler, explains, “If we want our

(GCCF) isn’t content to leave it to government officials to help

kids to be relevant in the world in which they are going to

our young people prepare for the future. GCCF studies emerg-

live, they need STEM skills.” GCCF President and CEO Teri

ing issues and has invested in education since it was founded,

Hansen adds that “ten of the fastest growing professions re-

so supporting a STEM program fits well with their mission.

quire significant mathematical or scientific training yet only

Enter their STEMsmart Initiative, a multi-million dollar five-

14% of degrees in colleges are being granted to students

scenesarasota.com

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studying STEM fields.” If we are ever going to have enough properly trained workers to keep our businesses thriving, we need to build that talent pipeline right here in our own backyard and help students make the connection between subjects in school and meaningful career opportunities.

More than a few myths exist about STEM, such as “only super intelligent students can pursue STEM careers; boys are better at science and math; and my favorite—there are no STEM jobs here locally,” explains Pfahler. The pass rate in Mr. Lash’s Algebra I class at Venice High School after TI-Nspires were added rose to 100%. Every student passed. L.A. Ainger is the only STEMsmart middle school in Charlotte County and not coincidentally, sent 11 students to the 56th annual Regional Science and Inventors Fair. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of that distinction is how seven of those competitors were girls! Three of L.A. Ainger’s girls took first place honors, won 4-year scholarships to Florida Gulf Coast University, and were sent onto compete at the state level. Eleanor Keys went on to earn first place in

Middle School Nanotechnology & Botany classes

the Junior Division Botany for the entire state of Florida.

In short, STEM subjects aren’t boy-specific—girls excel in them too and discover some of those interests in STEM after-school clubs and summer camps. And as to there being no local STEM jobs? Governor Rick Scott recently announced that “STEM jobs advertised in Florida are up 14%over last year.”

There are plenty of STEM jobs everywhere you look but not enough STEM skilled workers. Talk about opportunity!

Thanks to efforts by GCCF and their partners, STEM education is showcased at various events such as STEMsmart Week which happened at the end of March this year. The week of events comprised 20 classes at State College of Florida’s Venice Campus and 11 competitions at Sarasota County Technical Institute. It all culminated with 500 middle and high school students coming together on a Saturday to simulate an epidemic, make fireworks in a lab, compete with student-made robots, research sharks and manatees, and learn a new computer-programming language. It’s easy to see why kids get excited about happenings like that which feel like anything but what was happening in schools only a decade ago.

In many ways, it’s as simple as this: “Kids start to engage,” notes Pfahler, “when they discover their classroom is smarter than their phones. They are digital natives. It’s a textbook that feels out of place to them, not the technology. And by 2015, 50% of all textbooks in our schools are mandated to be e-books.”

Hansen, says, “Whether you’re a teacher, parent, employer, or student, STEMsmart is about you. It’s how we raise the quality of teacher training and ensure that the education we provide to our children will be relevant. It’s about fostering innovation and staying competitive globally. It’s about cultivating the talent we need to grow businesses locally, increase our tax base, and protect our community’s quality of life.” Given the evidence, the need for more effective STEM education is self-evident, no?

For more information on STEM education, visit STEMsmart.org.

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SOCIAL

Behind the Scene

Society Maven Debbi Benedict Gives the Latest Scoop

scenesarasota.com

It’s that time of year when the swells of

renovated the dock which was demolished by

Sarasota pack their Louis Vuittons, or their

Hurricane Sandy last year. Luckily the house

Samsonites if they are traveling incognito, and

was spared. An eleven day trip to Tuscany with

scatter hither and yon for cooler climes or

her Junior League friends is also on the books,

exotic ports of call. Poodle, where are you off

going to cities she has never visited like Milan,

to this summer?

Varenna on Lake Como, Bellagio, Portofino,

Visiting the majesty that is Alaska has

Bologna, and Verona. For many, many years

been on Renee Hamad’s bucket list forever

the exotic Renee had an apartment in Paris, but

and this summer she is going to finally be able

this year, she is looking forward to entertaining

to check it off! She is flying into Ketchikan,

her Parisian friends here in the States. They

Alaska with her family for a ten day odyssey.

have never been here so Renee will play the

They’ll stay at several different sites including

ultimate tour guide and may even take them to

The Lodge at Whale Pass, Hotel Captain Cook,

Manhattan for a few days! Now that’s my kind

Winterlake Lodge, and Redoubt Bay Lodge,

of perfect hostess! As Renee told me, “Summer

each featuring a different kind of adventure

will fly by in the blink of an eye!”

including kayaking among the icebergs, hiking

We all know the Friedman name looms

along the Iditarod Dog Sled Trail, sport fishing

large in Sarasota, but did you know it was also

by helicopter, glacier trekking, and rafting a

pretty impressive overseas? Ilene Friedman and

wild river. Of course, Miss Renee said it will

her husband, Greg Gregory, will be visiting

be her family doing most of the adventures –

Vienna, Austria where her brother, Sy Friedman,

she will be at the spa getting a massage! Renee

is the director of the Kurt Gödel Research

always spends one month of the summer at

Center for Mathematical Logic. They will attend

her ocean-front home in New Jersey. She just

a conference in honor of Sy’s 60th birthday and May 2013

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will also give a video presentation that showcases life in Sarasota

Don’t expect uber-Realtor Cheryl Loeffler to just be lying

and the many cultural arts that it has to offer. I believe they are the

around on her vacation, no siree! She is taking a cruise which

perfect ambassadors for Sarasota! I can just imagine all the new

includes ports at Copenhagen, Denmark, St. Petersburg, Russia,

visitors next year from the recommendations of Ilene and Greg.

and London, England. Cheryl has never been to Russia and as

One of the best parts of the trip of course, is stopping to see the

a member of the board of Ringling College of Art + Design, she

grandkids in Virginia on their way to and from Vienna.

is really looking forward to visiting The Hermitage Art Museum.

We love a charity auction in Sarasota! Aimee and Chris Cogan

She likes this particular cruise line because it is small and more

had the winning bid at an auction for a trip to France during the Forty

intimate. She looks forward to taking cooking classes and Canyon

Carrots Firefly Gala. It sounds perfectly divine with an excursion

Ranch workouts on board. Well, I guess the two activities really do

to the Loire Valley, wine tastings in the area’s vineyards, and visits

go together, don’t they?!

to local chateaux’s and castles. Then on to Paris for classes at the

I think rowing regattas are the most civilized of sporting events.

famous Cordon Bleu cooking school. Aimee tells me she is the one

Laura Leeming’s family will be traveling to Sacramento for the

who could use the lessons more than Chris! Then a cruise down

IRA rowing regatta college championships. Her son, Hunter, is a

the River Seine, along with the must-see site in Paris - a tour of the

sophomore at Brown and is rowing in their 1st Varsity boat. They

Eiffel tower with lunch. A family trip to Bell Grade Lakes in Maine

will be returning to California to celebrate her brother-in-law’s 50th

follows, where the book On Golden Pond was written. They spend

birthday beginning with a party in Los Gatos and then all heading

time there every year swimming and eating lobster. I’m sure the

to Napa for a 3-day family wine-tasting trip. Her sister-in-law has

favorite trip of daughter, Bella, will be their Disney cruise to Alaska,

rented a house for them all so it will be quite the divine family

where they’ll see lots of glaciers and wildlife. I bet a certain mouse

festivity! Later in the summer they’ll go to North Carolina to join

might also make an appearance!

friends for the Leeming’s annual lake vacation, which Laura tells me

Ballet doyenne Hillary Steele will begin the summer by going

is a total getaway - her cell phone doesn’t work there! That really

to Washington, DC in June as part of The Sarasota Ballet contingent

does sound like heaven. She may end up with a spur of the moment

to watch the troupe once again perform at a prestigious event at the

trip to the Henley regatta in England and/or the under-23 national

Kennedy Center. They are one of only ten ballet companies that were

team world championships in Austria, if Hunter prevails. Keep your

asked to perform. She’ll visit the monuments while there and always

fingers crossed!

visits The Vietnam Wall to honor several soldiers she knew. In August

In addition to spending lazy, peaceful days at her beautiful

she is planning a trip to London and Paris with a group of friends for

home on Gull Lake in Michigan and a short trip to the The Cloisters

pure pleasure, just shopping in all the famous shops (a specialty of the

in Sea Island, Georgia, the main event in Susan Gilmore Clark’s

glamorous Hillary), visiting museums, attending the theatre, general

summer will be in Boulder, Colorado, where she will participate in

sightseeing, and driving the Chunnel, which she’s never done before.

the 10K Bolder Boulder once again. She told me with a wink that

Not only will the delightful Susan Brennan get to do lots of

she “ran” in the 10K last year. Well, ran and walked, she clarified.

hiking in Breckinridge, Colorado this summer but most importantly,

Susan has a tee shirt which says, “Altitude is For Sissies” which

she will get to visit her daughter, Meredith, who just took a job

is the mantra of the Bolder Boulder. It is a bit much for someone

there! Susan tells me that Meredith’s new position is an answer

who normally lives at sea level to run very far in that altitude. The

to her prayers. She will be the Director of Religious Education

event prides itself in having been named “America’s All-Time Best

with the Catholic Church there, building on her experience in the

10K”. She tells me there were 42,000 participants last year, and

convent as a Franciscan Sister of the Renewal. It sounds perfect for

the biggest thrill, in addition to being in the race with two of her

her and will give Susan the opportunity to get out of the heat for a

children and four of her grandchildren, was running into Folsom

bit. Don’t you just love it when friends and relatives move to such

Stadium to the finish line because that’s where she went to college

beautiful places?

at the University of Colorado. Her daughter is a marathon runner

After a New York City shopping trip with Margaret Wise (ooh, I’d like to be along for THAT trip!) Teri Hansen and husband, Steve

from Sun Valley, Idaho who organizes this special family bonding time. I have a daughter like that, too!

Wilberding will head to Sweden for a cruise where she will reconnect

I always love to hear what our favorite forest biologist, Canopy

with her Swedish roots. Also possibly on her travel agenda, is an

Meg, is doing for the summer. Of course most people also know

adult art summer camp session at Ringling College’s Wildacres in

her as Meg Lowman. The intrepid Meg will head to her research

the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Are you familiar with

site in Ethiopia, an urgent situation where she is conserving their

Wildacres? It’s a fabulous retreat that offers all sorts of art classes

last forest patches (which exist in church-yards) as quickly as

for all levels of artists or aspiring artists. I have known lots of people

possible and then will present the findings of this global project at

who have gone there to be immersed in the one-week workshops

the international ecology meetings in London. On a more restful

and have had a terrific time. I guess we can add artist to the list of

note, she is hoping to do a blissful stay-cation here at her home

Teri’s many talents!

base, with a week planned to hang out with her mom at the place

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of her choice somewhere in Florida. Now that’s what I call a good daughter!

Lucky Nelda Thompson will be in

Michelle Crabtree

Belgium and Holland to see the tulips in

Realtor, Broker Associate, CLHMS, CRS, CIPS, GRI, PMN, ABR, TRC, RSPS, AWWD, SFR, GREEN

2011 Five Star Real Estate

bloom. She has been coveting this trip for

Agents “Best In Client Satis-

years and now she is finally traveling with

faction” – 4 Years

a group of friends from Manasota Key and Kentucky to the land of canals, where they

2010 Florida Realtor Honor

will tour the tulip fields by river boat while

Society – 4 Years

making frequent stops along the way to

2010 Director, Sarasota

visit historic medieval cities, important art

Association of Realtors (SAR)

destinations, and of course, the windmills. I

– 3 year term

have always wanted to visit this area, too. I had no idea you could take a cruise to see

2009 Women’s Council of

the tulips bloom! I’ll have to add that to my

Realtors (WCR) Sarasota

bucket list, too!

“Business Woman of the Year”

After last year’s big European vacation to Paris and London, this year Patricia and Roger Courtois are going on their best vacation ever. Where will they be going, you ask? To that fairest of all cities, Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s not the sights that will beguile them, no, but it will be their first grandchild, their grandson,

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Davis. Patricia tells me they are “looking forward to spending oodles of time” with daughter Nicole and son-in-law Chad, loving on the precious, Davis. Nothing could be better!

Visiting one of only two states she is yet to see, Jaime Wallace will be hiking and biking around Vermont. She tells me she likes the mountains and lakes. I think it is one of the prettiest states in our country.

And being in the cool mountain air during our sweltering summer couldn’t hurt either!

I am sure we could all guess that Bruce Lesser is a golfer just by all the brightly colored clothes he wears! He and India are heading to Hawaii for a month and then on to California to play in a golf tournament.

In Hawaii they plan to be on the big island,

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see the volcano, do some fishing and of course, play golf on one of Hawaii’s best courses. Then it’s on to Kauai for exploring by helicopter. They’ll end the summer by

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going to Georgia to watch some of that terrific Georgia football.

The

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splendor of charming Nantucket is a favorite of Jennifer Compton and her scenesarasota.com

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family. They have rented the same cottage on the harbor for nine years now. She tells me “it’s simple and perfect”. They love the break from the heat, the picturesque

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the entire week. Some of the things they look forward to are renting a Jeep to drive on the beach, renting bikes to traverse the entire island, sitting in chairs on the lawn watching the boats go by, eating lobster an adventure camp for a couple of days,

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attending a couple of screenings from the

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film festival, but most important of all, spending time together just their family.

Jennifer says, “It is definitely our happy place!”

It seems like family reunions are the centerpiece of summer and Audrey

Keller Williams Realty

Coleman’s family is no different. They’ll

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where she’ll gather with her many cousins

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and eat good southern food! Two national

all meet in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,

conferences are also on her schedule one of The Circle-Lets in San Francisco, California and one of The Holidays, of which she is a national officer, in Memphis,

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Nikki and Jim Nilon. Of course, they also bring along their two dogs and a bird!

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This year they will go up the east coast to visit family in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. She is hoping they can also stop off in Washington, DC to see the sights

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they love their RV trips is because it is a Manufacturing

big change from their hectic Sarasota social season. I think we can all agree we all need

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to do for a long time. One of the reasons

some of that away time!

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because it is something they have wanted

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Cape Cod for the Gallagher family reunion and a BBQ are on the menu. Then up to Hanover, New Hampshire for Judi’s Cooper family reunion. She tells me her brother has a huge home on the Connecticut River, scenesarasota.com

so they’ll do paddle boarding, swimming, tennis, and lots of dinners on the deck at sunset. She can’t wait for that glorious family time.

Can you imagine the opportunity to travel to South Africa for three tours this year? Well, that’s what Michael and Teri Klauber will be doing when they lead three groups of Gulf Coast Connoisseur Club travelers on exotic food and wine experiences throughout South Africa’s wine regions. This unique trip is coupled with the ultimate safari experiences lead by their friend and partner Ryan Hilton from Admiral Travel International -yes, think leopards, cheetah, elephants and lions! Teri tells me that she and Michael compete for the most gorgeous photos of wildlife. This year they are thrilled to be traveling with their two youngest children, plus her son Chad, from NYC, will be joining them.

Joining the Klaubers on their South Africa trip are Tom and Sherry Koski. Tom tells me they are going for the simple reason that they haven’t ever been there and they have been meaning to go for a long time.

Then, voila! The opportunity showed up.

It will include Victoria Falls, Cape Town, Johannesburg as well as a safari they are looking forward to doing.

Gerri Aaron will be doing the family

Dakkak

reunion thing, too, in addition to going to Washington DC for the AJC Conference.

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Canada and/or Alaska are also part of her travel itinerary. New York is also on her list for theater-going and fun. What I like most though, is she tells me that “most of the summer we travel between Philadelphia and Long Beach Island to keep up with family, friends, and financial advisors!”

We Protect What’s Important To You Because You’re What’s Important To Us!

After our hectic social season, it is good to get out of town, whether it’s just

Full-Service Agency:

down to Naples or across the continents.

Restore your spirit, rest your weary dancing

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feet, and just breathe. The next glittering social season is only five months away!

Until next time….TaTa! Debbi Benedict is SCENE’s society maven and Special Issues Director. Contact Debbi at 941483-4460 or debbibenedict@verizon.net. scenesarasota.com

941-921-6630 | www.dakkakinsurance.com George & Mary Dakkak

“Protecting you is our family business.”

May 2013

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GIVING

By Joy Weston

T H E P E O P L E & PA S S I O N B E H I N D C O M M U N I T Y P H I L A N T H R O P Y “The natural flight of the human mind is not from pleasure to pleasure but from hope to hope.”

– Samuel Johnson Hard to believe, but another fully-packed social season has come to

with children and the community at large. PSCA conducted over 850

an end, and (with a sigh of relief) more relaxing times are about to begin

prevention workshops last year with more than 24,000 program par-

in my favorite month of May. It’s not too hot, there are lots more avail-

ticipants. The Child Protection Team (CPT) is a medically directed,

able parking spaces, our beaches and streets are less crowded, and there

multidisciplinary program that provides expertise in evaluating and

are great deals at my fave restaurants. Yippee! With it comes my indul-

investigating allegations of abuse and neglect. The CPT provided ser-

gence in an ancient superstition – bathing my face with the morning dew

vices to 908 children last year.

on the morn of May 1st. What, why? Well, as the story goes, the morning

Freya Zollinger, a member of the advisory council told me, “There

May dew has magical powers and anyone who bathes their face in the

are so many small victims without a voice, so anything we can do

dew will have a beautiful complexion all year round. Check me out and

to ease that suffering just a bit, is what matters to me.”

let me know if you think its working. At the very least it’s an excuse to say hello and let me know my column is actually being read!

Yearning for something that might seem impossible, yet doing what

“No matter where you are on your journey, that is exactly where you need to be. The next road is just ahead.”

– Oprah

youR heart says to do is the perfect segue to the theme of this month’s

Across the nation the secret is out: Empower and educate young girls

piece – HOPE – to desire with expectation of obtainment and expect

with hope and passion, and they will become the powerful, confident

with confidence...moving forward, one foot in front of the other, hoping

and philanthropic spirited women who change the world. In 1973, Girls

today will be the day. The day the cure is discovered, the day hunger is

Clubs of Sarasota County was formed through the initiative of communi-

eradicated, the day cruelties, and abuse are as impossible to imagine as

ty leaders in order to provide a safe place for girls to receive after school

the sun never rising again. Yes, these are lofty dreams, but dreams are

enrichment programs. In 1989, it became Girls Incorporated of Sarasota

built on hope, and you are never too young or too old to keep on hoping

County (GISC). As early as age 5, girls who attend GISC are exposed to

for something more, something bigger and better; the one thing that

life-changing education about entrepreneurship, technology, finances,

could change your life and the lives of so many others. The organiza-

engineering and science through the Micro-Society program. Amazing-

tions I am about to share with you specialize in just that – providing hope

ly, eighty percent move on to higher education and successful careers,

without any proof that anything and everything is possible.

often coming back to improve the quality of our community.

“It is hope that gives life meaning. And hope is based on the prospect of being able one day to turn the actual world into a possible one that looks better.”

Recently at a Girls Inc. luncheon attended by over 800 at The Ritz Carl-

– Francois Jacob

years by an organization that empowers young women who become the

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the

competent successful women who are changing the world is my honor.”

changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty,” are the beautiful

“The important thing is not that we can live on hope alone, but that life is not worth living without it.”

insightful words that were on the cover of the Child Protection Center’s Gala program…and what a great event it was! Experiencing the

ton, The Observer Group VP and this year’s honoree Lisa Walsh said, “Being the first mother and daughter (Emily) to be honored in different

– Harvey Milk

genuine desire by board chair Graci McGillicuddy and others in the

“Women Are Exceptional. We are daughters, sisters, mothers and

organization to make a difference in the lives of children was awesome

wives; entrepreneurs, employees and retirees; friends – young and old.

and translated into a sea of blue envelopes for this important cause.

And we are even more exceptional when we work together and help

It’s hard to believe, but true that child abuse is the leading cause of

each other.” This the call to action that The Women’s Resource Center

death in children under 4 years of age. The Child Protection Center

of Sarasota County supports for women on their personal journey –

(CPC) is dedicated to the Prevention, Intervention and Treatment of

whether adjusting to a career change, concerned about financial secu-

child abuse in our community. CPC’s Personal Safety and Communi-

rity, coping with difficult family relationships or seeking opportunities

ty Awareness Program (PSCA) offers a holistic approach by providing

for personal growth and self-sufficiency.

At its over-the-top sold out luncheon, Harvard educated plastic sur-

education to children, their caretakers and professionals who interact

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geon and WRC board member Dr. Marguerite Barnett told me, “As a young resident a similar resource center in Hawaii helped me and since ‘women are half the sky as they help hold it up,’ we all need to support one another when we can.”

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in your soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all."

– Emily Dickenson

Recently I was privileged to be at two back to back events in support of diseases that are affecting so many these days – diseases with no cure in sight, just lots of hopeful individuals doing everything they can to change that. First was a lovely luncheon supporting Alzheimer's and Dementia, a devastation my own mom suffered from, yet through the advancement of research, providing and enhancing care and support, plus reducing the risks through the promotion of brain health, I left feeling hopeful that the

SOCIAL

Project 180 “Men Behind Bars” Fundraiser Project 180, a crime reduction program, recently hosted Men Behind Bars, a light-hearted, fundraising event with Celebrity Bartenders to spotlight the challenges that men behind bars face when they reenter society. Celebrity bartenders included Les McCurdy, Joe C. Hembree, Larry Eger, Gary Keller, “Bernie” DiPino and C J Czaia. The fundraiser included specialty food bars from Michael’s on East, the R&B band ‘CrossOver,’ the art of Ed Whitton, and both a silent and live auction with Michael Klauber, serving as auctioneer, raising several thousand dollars for the organization. During the event, Executive Director Barbara Richards presented the Turns Lives Around Award to honoree Elliott C. Metcalfe, Jr., Public Defender of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit for 32 years, for his “extraordinary dedication to helping individuals turn their lives around.”

Alzheimer’s organization is working hard to cure this killer of a quality life.

Giving hope is always in style, was the theme of the 4th annual H.O.P.E. cause 4-fashion Neuro Challenge Foundation gala, created to raise funds to overcome Parkinson’s through research, education, medical assistance and community support. This is a heart-wrenching disease, but seeing the amazing strength and support individuals and their caretakers show and get, makes the Neuro Challenge Foundation a needed gift that keeps on giving.

Judi Bell, Executive Director said, “Two hundred and eighty two guests helped us raise over $100,000, and the stories of support and HOPE for those affected by Parkinson’s were abundant.”

When the world says, "Give up, "Hope whispers, “Try it one more time."

– Anonymous

Barbara Richards & Veronica Brandon Miller

Charlotte Ryan & Bob Johnson

The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund was created in 2000 to enhance the quality of life in and near our community by promoting philanthropy to respond to community needs. Their mission is to connect the charitable needs of donors to the on-going needs of the community, especially with the youth and elderly, through education, sports, arts and culture. I was really impressed at their Parisian-inspired fundraiser, when LWRCF offered a match of up to $1000 to each person who donated to their favorite charity. That’s what I call a brilliant example of the real meaning of philanthropy!

Angela Massaro-Fain, Owner/President of Grapevine Communications and event co-chair told me, “I live in LWR, sit on the Board of the LWR Community Foundation and am committed to giving back to the community I live in. What personally appeals to me is that both Sarasota and

Judge Becky Titus & Elliott C. Metcalfe, Jr.

Chris & John Currie

Manatee counties benefit from the grants distributed by the foundation.”

Hope is a courageous act of power that grabs on to a thought, an idea, a dream beyond forever. It fuels the fire of desire to make a difference somewhere somehow. I always hope with each article I write to inspire others to get involved with a cause that touches their heart. Magic and miracles happen every day; I hope this is your day. En-JOY !

Joy Weston is an International Best-Selling Author, Inspiring Speaker, Communications Coach, and a devotee of making a difference.

Contact Joy@JoyWeston.com.

Enrique Pino & Cramer Verde scenesarasota.com

Joe C. Hembree, Larry Eger & Les McCurdy May 2013

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LITERARY S

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

Since more and more people are being conscientious about their finances these days,

this month’s first featured title is Jan Cullinane’s The Single Woman’s Guide to Retirement (Wiley, paperback, 310 pages, $18.95). Why is the focus of this book specifically on women?

Because Cullinane gave lots of talks on retirement issues to couples and before long she realized that the needs of women were different than those of men. And as she writes in the Preface, “Even if you’re happily married or have a significant other now, there’s an 80 to 90 percent chance you’ll be making all the decisions, financial and otherwise, at some point.”

If that’s the case, why not be well-informed versus guessing and acting out of ignorance?

“To get retirement ‘right,’” says Cullinane, “think ‘lifetime planning’ rather than ‘retirement planning.’ Consider all key areas of your life, such as health, wealth, social, spiritual, financial, and career, and examine where you are now and where you’d like to be in five years. Write it down. In five years, rinse and repeat!

This will provide a helpful framework.”

This book covers a lot of ground in that same helpful manner, from divorce to dating, working to volunteering, philanthropy to money, caregiving to dealing with a spouse’s death. The book also has enough worksheets plus information and anecdotes from other professionals to be a comprehensive blueprint for a satisfied, successful retirement.

To give you just a taste of the style, here’s a sample from chapter 7: “Divorce, Death, Dating, Dependency, and Deepening Connections.”

“You may be reading this book because you’re divorced, or you’re thinking about divorce (by the way, January is the most popular month for divorce filings). Either way, you have plenty of company. About 37 percent of marriages end in divorce or annulment, according to the 2012 U.S. Census. With the difficult economy, the divorce rate has dipped a little, since some people can’t afford to get unhitched.

About a quarter of a million women over 50 get divorced each year, and two-thirds of divorces are initiated by women; if you’re college educated, that percentage is even higher. It’s a scary time, even if you’re the one who put the wheels in motion.”

In her research for a previous book entitled The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life, she and co-author Cathy Fitzgerald gave report cards on the best places to retire. How did Sarasota rank? “Among the very best,” she admits. “An A.” For more information on Jan Cullinane or The Single Woman’s Guide to Retirement, please visit jancullinane.com

This month’s second featured title is also in the self-help/self-improvement vein. It’s Longwood, Florida author John Mattone whose Intelligent Leadership: What You Need to Know to Unlock Your Full Potential (Amacom, hardcover, 238 pages, $27.95) just came out at the end of March 2013. Mattone is one of the world’s top independent leadership consultants, executive coaches, and speakers, so you know the information in this book is going to be great, and it is.

“Intelligent Leadership,” says Mattone, “will challenge you to reflect on, connect with, and accept both your leadership strengths and development opportunities.” The book will also reveal ways for you to strengthen what he calls your “inner-core character” (values, beliefs, thoughts, and emotions) as well as your “outer-core competencies” (decision making, emotional leadership, communication, and talent leadership). One of the ways that he does this is through a nine point system called a Leadership Enneagram Inventory — he was the first to ever use the Enneagram in business, starting back in 1997! Among some of

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the other tools, tips, self-assessments, charts, and graphs in this book are The Leadership Wheel of Success and a Map of Leadership Maturity.

Taken together, the ideas and tactics in this book show readers how to break through self-imposed limitations and bank on their already-existing strengths to become dynamic leaders. Since in the next five years, 40 to 70 percent of all corporate executives will be eligible for retirement, the time for grooming new leaders is now. Take the next step in unlocking your own potential by reading this well-organized and interesting book that’s the result of 30 years of Mattone’s speaking, coaching, and teaching efforts.

“Becoming a great leader requires a continuous commitment — every day — not every other day, or every third day, or once a week — but, every day — to becoming the absolute best you can be,” Mattone explains. “It’s hard work to truly become the best you can be. Actually, it’s the hardest work you will do in your life. It is my belief that each and everyone one of us possesses the massive potential to become more capable, committed, and aligned today than we were yesterday.”

For more about the author or Intelligent Leadership, please visit johnmattonepartners.com

Classics Revisited Why is this month’s classic a fairly recent book? Because it’s the type of book that’s going to get people talking. David Houle is a futurist, which means that he very carefully pays attention to the present in order to have a better perspective on what the future might bring. His goal is to be a catalyst that gets others thinking about the future more then to facilitate conversations about it.

“People simply don’t think deeply about the future,” he says. “They are caught up in their personal lives, so ‘the future’ means their plans. They are caught up in the media hysteria of the moment so they look at the future through those short-term filters.” One way to help these people is for them to read Houle’s latest book, Entering the Shift Age: The End of the Information Age and the New Era of Transformation (Sourcebooks, hardcover, 290 pages, $24.99), which will help by identifying and discussing the new forces that will shape our lives tomorrow, such as remote workplaces, the “24/7” culture, and speed-oflight connectivity.

The title comes from Houle’s astute observation that we are no longer in the Information Age. We’re in an age of constant change where change is so constant, so quick, that it’s the new norm. And that changes everything. Houle adds, “The Shift Age is perhaps the single most transformative 30 years in human history. It is therefore an incredible time to be alive if you accept that and embrace that. The transformation will be so significant and so deep that all aspects of society will to some degree be affected.”

With chapters on “The Arts,” “Energy,” “Society and Economics,” “IP Is the Wealth of the Shift Age,” and “The Ascendency of Women,” Houle offers a must-read that gives insight into the world in which our children — and our children’s children — will live, work, and play.

If it sounds like too much to tackle at once, just reading a single chapter at a time will give you plenty of firepower to impress people at the next cocktail party you go to. Give this book a chance and you’ll see why it’s a modern classic.

For more information on the author, please visit davidhoule.com scenesarasota.com

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SFF’s Cinema Tropicale

Hundreds of film supporters attended The Sarasota Film Festival’s island-themed celebration on the final Friday of the festival.

Cinema Tropicale rocked at the gorgeous Sarasota Yacht Club as guests mingled with celebrities including Cheryl Hines and Lili Taylor enjoying themed dining selections, cocktails, live music, and spirited dancing. The evening was a memorable celebration of Sarasota, filmmakers, and visiting artists and actors from around the world. Photos by Cliff Roles

Mike & Kathy Martella

Roman & Lanka Eckert & Lynn & Ritchie Barrie

Suzette Jones & Richard Dorfman

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Van & Sharyl Smith & Leslie Juron

Dawn & Mitchell Epstein

Eric Huffman & Sam Davidson

Mark Famiglio, Eva Alexandra Countess Kendeffy & Lawrence Giles

Sharyn Weiner & Victoria Leopold

Lori & Richard Formato scenesarasota.com

SOCIAL

LWR Community Fund Gala The cuisine, fashion and romance of France served as the backdrop for this year’s Lakewood Ranch Community Fund’s gala, “A Night in Paris,” held at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club. Over 300 guests danced and dined amid the pleasures of Parisian Chic, all while raising over $50,000 to help fund grants for non-profit charitable organizations. A “paddle raise” auction by guests was matched by the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund to net $11,200 for direct distribution to 8 local non-profit organizations. The evening included a silent auction, dining stations, music, and chance drawings for airline tickets and fine jewelry.

Photos by Cliff Roles

Julie Smith & Angela Massaro-Fain

Roger Capote & Jennifer Grondahl

Nick & Denise Drizos scenesarasota.com

Bob & Susan Harrigan

Diane & Greg Brune

Marilyn Howard & Ashley Canesse

Lynn Ross & Darrell Turner

Michael & Ruth Harschman

Therese & Ron Masseo

Sharon & Dr. Bob Hillstrom

Barbara & Joe Najmy

Mark & Violetta Huesman May 2013

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NEWS SHAPING

OUR COMMUNITY THE PATTERSON FOUNDATION LAUNCHES LEGACY OF VALOR CAMPAIGN The Patterson Foundation kicked off its Legacy of Valor campaign highlighting 17 community-driven partnerships that honor veterans and their families, inspire patriotism and embrace freedom.

The Legacy of Valor campaign is an extension of The Patterson Foundation’s first-of-its-kind partnership with the National Cemetery Administration to construct Patriot Plaza, a ceremonial amphitheater at Sarasota National Cemetery. The yearlong series of Legacy of Valor partnership events – which include a variety of experiences from luncheons and exhibits honoring veterans to the Sarasota Chalk Festival and Circus Sarasota – begin this month and culminate during the spring 2014 dedication of Patriot Plaza. The Patterson Foundation is investing up to $1 million in the Legacy of Valor campaign. www.patriotplaza.thepattersonfoundation.org

MCCRACKEN BEQUEST YIELDS MORE THAN $1M GIFT TO USF SARASOTA-MANATEE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Future educators from Manatee County studying at University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) College of Education will have access to even greater scholarship opportunities due to a bequest of the estate of Francis E. and Gaile McCracken.

The gifts from the McCracken Estate will bring the lifetime total of their donations to nearly one-point-three million dollars ($1.3 million) to support future educators in Manatee County who attend USFSM. In 2007, Francis “Mac” McCracken created the McCracken Educator’s Scholarships at USF Sarasota-Manatee, and was proud to provide a legacy of financial support and access to higher education for Manatee County students attending USFSM. The scholarships contain both financial need and academic eligibility requirements. www.usfsm.edu

Rutenburg Homes currently has a new model home open seven days a week at The Concession. www.theconcessionrealestate.com

NEW COLLEGE NAMES SHANNON DUVALL AS VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT New College of Florida, the state’s honors college for arts and sciences, has selected Shannon Duvall as its new Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the New College Foundation. A native of the Orlando area, Duvall is associate vice president for development at Albion College, a nationally recognized, independent liberal arts college in south-central Michigan. She begins work at New College on May 13 and will be responsible for all aspects of the College’s fund-raising program, including major and planned giving, the annual fund and the New College Promise, the ongoing capital campaign.

Duvall was chosen after a national search. www.ncf.edu

SARASOTA’S MICHAEL LONG AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS TRUMAN SCHOLARSHIP New College of Florida student Michael Long is one of 62 students nationwide to receive a 2013 Truman Scholarship, a prestigious award given to college juniors with exceptional leadership potential and who are committed to a career in public service. Long, a thirdyear student from Sarasota, is the second New College student to receive a Truman Scholarship, and the only Florida student to receive the scholarship this year. Scholars are selected after a rigorous application and interview process, and are chosen on for their academic achievement and likelihood of becoming leaders in public service. Past notable recipients include John Kroger, president of Reed College; Janet Napolitano, secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; and George Stephanopolous, former White House advisor and ABC news anchor.

AREA BUILDERS PARTNER WITH THE CONCESSION REAL ESTATE

WBTT BUYS THEATER AND SECURES HOME

The Concession finalized strategic partnerships with several elite, area builders for its luxury residential community adjacent to The Concession Golf Club. The builders include: Anchor Builders, Arthur Rutenburg Homes, Holiday Group, John Cannon Homes, Inc, John Neal Homes and Lee Wetherington Homes. The partnerships are part of The Concession’s approach to build relationships with prospective buyers and provide another level of service and greater depth of choice in their high-end market. Each builder has committed to build a new model home by the end of 2013. Arthur

After 14 seasons on the move, Westcoast Black Theater Troupe (WBTT) has a permanent home located at 1646 10th Way. Julie Leach, chair of the Board of Trustees, announced that the WBTT has purchased the site where they have been performing for the past three years. The site consists of two acres and two buildings.

The theater building has 15,250 square feet and the Binz building has an additional 11,632 square feet. WBTT will announce a capital campaign in the fall to help with building improvements, education, and endowment. www.wbttroupe.org

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