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SRQ DAILY Mar 21, 2016

Monday Business Edition

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Monday Business Edition

"It is an honor, but I feel it's a responsibility, too."

- Angela Massaro-Fain, Grapevine Communications
 

[Real Estate]  Sales Mid-Point Soars

The median sales price for homes sold in Manatee County in January was at the highest level seen for any month in the past four years, according to the Realtors Association of Sarasota and Manatee. The median sales price in January stood at $274,900, 10 percent higher than last year. Reflecting activity on the high end of the marker, the average sales price for homes sold in January was even higher, at $329,304. 

[Business]  Frescura Leads Siesta Chamber

With a fireworks show on the horizon and a business guide for Siesta Key underway, Ann Frescura has had plenty to do since coming on as executive director of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce. Frescrua, who previously spent eight years as promotion and events director for Downtown Springfield, Illinois, is still learning about the most pressing issues for this tourism-based economy but excited to take on tasks big and small. 

“In the last couple months, my main focus has just been on getting acclimated within the office,” she said. Excited about the values of the organization, she has worked since January on filling some key posts and looks to expand the membership of the chamber. 

On the immediate horizon, the Chamber, a partner with the Siesta Key Village Association, is preparing for the 15th Annual Easter Egg Hunt and Games scheduled for March 26. A golf outing on May 2 already eats time as well. But the biggest event on the horizon will be the Independence Day fireworks display, which has been hosted by the Siesta Key chamber for more than 25 years. 

While events are a strong part of Frescura’s resume, she also has been learning about the regular issues such as the shortage of parking spaces. And she wants the Siesta Chamber to expand membership beyond just tourism-based industries.

A top priority for Frescura is also the creation of a business guide for the community, something she sees as a chance to raise the success of all businesses and to coordinate with Visit Sarasota County to boost the island's economy overall. 

[Recognition]  Massaro-Fain Earns Rare Honor from AAF
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

While many a press release gets drafted by Grapevine Communications, the team got to send accolades for one of their own last week. Angela Massaro-Fain was awarded the American Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal Award, making her only the fifth recipient of the honor in more than 20 years and only the second woman ever to wear the medal around her neck. After picking up the award at the ADDY Awards Gala, Massaro-Fain spoke with SRQ about the recognition.

What do you think earned the attention of the American Advertising Federation to give you the award?  It’s not just creative excellence, but our responsibility for social concerns and what we do to improve the advertising community and to help our own community as a whole. Grapevine Communications believes we have a responsibility to help the rest of the community, and that however we can do that, we should. That is by offering free advertising opportunities or creating whatever is needed to further the cause of a nonprofit by donating services for public relations, social media web work, copyrighting—whatever it is that might help. 

How do you feel about the award itself?  It is an honor, but I feel it’s a responsibility, too. We set standards and have high standards. We have the best integrity, which is just how I was raised. If you do great work to the highest standards, your word has to be gold. We are always transparent and provide the best we can provide. We never want someone to come to Grapevine and leave and say, 'Ugh.' We want them to work with Grapevine  and want to say, 'Wow, I worked with Grapevine and it was fantastic.'

So few have received this award. What does it mean to be in this company? Previous recipients include Jimmy Dean from Harbor Style, Linda Gross from Advice Solutions and Nairn’ Gillet, a past governor of the American Advertising Federation, who were all at the event. To have those three on the stage with me meant a lot. It’s pretty awesome. 

[Expansion]  UF Opening FLEXStation in Sarasota

The University of Florida Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering will open the first UF Innovation Station in Sarasota County. It will be the first physical extension of UF's Florida Engineering Experiment Station, or FLEXStation, affording businesses and entrepreneurs access to tech workforce talent, applied research, faculty and intellectual property. In recognition of the potential economic development impact of this opportunity, the Sarasota County Commission unanimously approved an activity-performance-based grant agreement to help launch the Innovation Station. 

University of Florida

[Exec Moves]  DeMarsh Joins Berlin Patten

Berlin Patten Ebling announced the addition of Benjamin DeMarsh, the ninth attorney in the firm’s practice. DeMarsh will primarily practice in the areas of residential and commercial real property related litigation. DeMarsh grew up in Nokomis. He graduated from the University of Florida with his bachelor’s in Finance and attended law school at the University of Texas School of Law. He served as the president of the UT Health Law & Bioethics Society, and was a member of the UT Health Law Transactional Competition Team. During law school, Ben worked at the Travis County Attorney's Office as a law clerk serving the Transactions Division, The Health Services Division and the Open Records Division. He was admitted to the Texas Bar in 2014 and to the Florida Bar in 2015.  

Berlin Patten Ebling

[Exec Moves]  Seidensticker to Chair JFCS

The Board of Directors of the Jewish Family & Children’s Service of the Suncoast named Stephen Seidensticker as its chair elect. Seidensticker takes over responsibilities from outgoing chair Joe Mendels on Oct. 1, the start of the organization’s fiscal year. Seidensticker joined the JFCS Board of Directors in 2013. He brings 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry. 

Jewish Family & Children's Service of the Suncoast

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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