Behind every strong man is a strong family.  Sarasota native Michael Suarez attributes his life successes to his supportive upbringing. He was fortunate to be raised by his mother and both sets of grandparents, noting that his maternal grandfather, Alfred Houston Sr., and his paternal grandmother, Allease Suarez, were particularly influential, serving as essential advisors during challenging times. He says that hearing about the difficulties his grandparents faced often provided him with perspective, making his own problems seem minor by comparison. He believes that their guidance and life experience were fundamental to his current achievements: “Without their wisdom and experience,” he says, “I am not sure if you would be interviewing me right now.” 

Suarez has been married for over forty two years. “She continues to help me make the rough places smooth in our lives,” he says of his wife, Lavender. The two feel blessed to have raised their family in Sarasota, as well.  

As a young boy, Suarez attended the Newtown Day Nursery, later named the Helen Payne Day Nursery, now merged with Children First.  His mother was a single mother of three who needed a place to care for her children while she worked. “The caring staff there, much like the current staff at Children First, nurtured me and showed me what true caring and making a difference look and feel like. I will forever be grateful to them,” he says.

Suarez spent a total of 37 years in local government and retired as the Executive Director of Emergency Services. He joined the City of Sarasota Fire Department in 1982 and was a part of the consolidation with Sarasota County in 1996. “I worked my way through the ranks, becoming the first  African American to hold the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief, Assistant Chief, Chief and Executive Director,” he shares. “Those accomplishments are important but they are not as important to me as the legacy of making a difference by using my position to help others attain their goals.  It’s funny, before becoming the Executive Director, my grandfather would tell the world, ‘My grandson is going to run that place one day,’ but sadly, he passed away before I got there.  My grandmother did see me get there. Her advice to me was always, ‘The good lord chose you for a reason, so go in there and make us all proud. I tried and I sure hope that I made them proud.”

Returning to his roots—but this time in a leadership role—Suarez now serves as the Board Chair of Children First. A longtime friend of CEO Phillip Tavill, he was asked to join the Board before his retirement, but he felt he didn’t have the time to dedicate. “If you know Mr. Tavill like I do, you know that he does not give up easily,” Suarez says. “I think that the ink had not dried on my retirement papers before he invited me to lunch. He told me that he understood that I had some time on my schedule. I accepted and did the paperwork to join the Board. It was one of the best decisions that I have ever made.”

Suarez believes that the most important thing that any one person can do in their lifetime is to share their knowledge and experience with others. In addition to serving as Board Chair of Children First, where they serve birth to 5 years, Suarez is the President of the Alpha Phi Alpha Foundation of Manasota, Inc., an organization that works with young men ages nine to 19 on issues that they face in today’s society. In addition, they provide scholarships to the young men as they head off to college. “In my life, I have had many achievements and I am proud of that. However, it comes in second place when it comes to the things that we accomplish with young people. Nothing feels better than a young person telling you that what you have helped them to do has created a better life for them and their families,” he says.

A fan of the works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., there are a couple of quotes that resonate with Suarez: The first is “Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace.  A soul generated by love.” The second is “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”

Looking back, Suarez is proud of the times that he was able to help young people realize their full potential. “Without using names, there were a few young men and women who wanted to challenge themselves to take promotional exams or move into a different area of public safety. I was always eager to chat with them to make them understand that nothing is holding them back but fear. They had the knowledge, they had an idea of what they wanted to accomplish, and they needed someone to confirm that. I was really proud when that person was me. What is even more important, even post-retirement I still receive calls for advice. I received a couple of letters from young firefighters thanking me for the difference that I made in their lives. I still have them and they are precious to me,” he adds.

For young people looking to become philanthropically involved, Suares advises that they first find something that they have a passion for. That way it never seems like work; it always seems like a reward. “As an example, at Children First, we are in the middle of a campaign to build a new building to serve more kids. You can’t imagine how it feels to be the Chair of this organization during this process,” he says. “This year, we are also celebrating 65 years of serving this community. The kid from the Newtown Day Nursery is now the Chair of the Board of the organization that he started with. Talk about coming full circle!”

To be honored with the Good Hero award was a humbling experience and an extremely emotional one for Suarez. It reminded him that he was doing the things required of him in life.  I live by the scripture ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’ I really appreciate you all and I am forever grateful that you noticed my work in this community,” he says.  

Michael Suarez was honored as a Good Hero by SRQ Magazine in December 2025.