Sarasota isn't just for retirees. The area continually proves to be a hub for the best and the brightest talents in everything from dance to finance—all under the age of 30. In an ongoing series throughout the year (and beyond), SRQ highlights under-30's who are doing big things, both in their own careers and within the community. 

Watchful Eye

GABRIEL HAMENT, 24
Investment Adviser Representative, Foundations and Charitable Accounts, Cumberland Advisors

Quick Stats

  • Graduate of the Connect Florida Institute of Leadership Florida.
  • Formerly served on the board of directors of the Pine View
    Foundation.
  • Former campaign manager for Liz Alpert and her election to Sarasota City Commission.

Your nickname: Gabe. Your brand tagline/personal philosophy in 7 words or less: “A Tradition of Excellence.” This motto has inspired me ever since attending Pine View for 11 years.  Would you rather be an inventor or a leader? Why not both? We will need a special hybrid type of inventive, creative and forward-looking leadership if we hope to capitalize fully on this exciting period of economic expansion in Sarasota.  Share your biggest ah-ha moment: When I won my first campaign, we spent four months knocking on doors, making phone calls and raising money. When the results came in on election night, it showed me that success doesn’t happen overnight, but is the cumulative effort of months and years of hard work. Tell us about a time when things felt helpless but you knew you could pull through: When I was managing my first campaign, I relied on a colleague who was an expert at using a special voter database system. I focused on the fundraising and messaging so I never took the time to learn the software. When she then took a big job with a presidential campaign, I thought the whole operation would come apart! Thankfully, a childhood friend who was managing another local campaign showed me the ins and outs of the program. How has Sarasota failed Millennials? This is a loaded question—but one certainly worth discussing. City and county leaders are grappling with the region’s long history of dependency on real estate development and the service sector. Those two sectors are cyclical in nature and tend to offer low wages. The partnership between Ringling College, New College, USF and SCF (known as the C4 Multiversity), UF’s CityLab Master’s in Architecture program and the UF Innovation Station are steps in the right direction. Our city leaders need to enumerate a defined vision for the future. We need to think big—like John Ringling.  Your heart goes out to: The Sarasota Orchestra.  Your most recent social media post? Facebook: “Exciting Tuesday morning – @CarolineZucker was sworn in for her 5th term serving on the Sarasota County School Board.” In Sarasota-Bradenton, we do too much_______ and too little ________: In Sarasota-Bradenton we do too much complaining about traffic and not enough time walking and bike riding. What’s next? I plan to spend many years at Cumberland and work my way up to managing one of our proprietary investment styles. Looking a ways further down the road, I can imagine a run for School Board is quite likely.

The Fighter

FRANK CIRILLO, 22
Politician, Campaign Manager for Frank Alcock

Quick Stats

  • Worked on NextGen Climate campaign.
  • In 2016, ran for Florida Senate District 23, garnering 42 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary.
  • Serves as a Director of the Sarasota-Charlotte Democratic Progressive Caucus.

Your nickname: I have a couple nicknames actually given to me from friends and family, including: Frankie, Enchilada, Tank, Franklin and “C.” Your brand tagline/personal philosophy in 7 words or less: “Live life as if every day is your last.” (I know it’s nine...) Would you rather be an inventor or a leader? Leader. Share your biggest ah-ha moment: I wouldn’t say that I have had one profound ah-ha moment—it’s been one long moment of realizing that politics is much more about who you know and not what you know. Tell us about a time when things felt helpless but you knew you could pull through: My parents divorced my freshman year of high school. Not because I knew I could pull through but because I had no other choice but to pull through. I can definitely say I matured and gained a lot of fortitude from that experience. How has Sarasota failed Millennials? In many ways, but the biggest failures are affordable housing and transportation options, especially when traffic gets bad during season.  Your heart goes out to: The White Helmets. Your most recent social media post? I share articles all the time on Facebook, but the most recent post I wrote that wasn’t a photo was: “I find it highly ironic that the ‘law and order’ candidate Donald J. Trump campaign took our 4’ x 8’ sign down on Fruitville Road and used our own a A-frame to put up his own sign. You can’t have it both ways guys…@JoeGruters @ChristianZiegler. Our campaign has never taken down another candidate’s signs. We always put up our own. Just goes to show that crony capitalism is the way of the Republican Party. Can’t take a little free market sign competition? #Pathetic #SoSad” In Sarasota-Bradenton, we do too much_______ and too little ________: In Sarasota-Bradenton we do too much development out and too little development up. What’s next? (Knock on wood) Hopefully going to Tallahassee to be a legislative aide and get my law degree.