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SRQ DAILY Jun 20, 2016

Monday Business Edition

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Monday Business Edition

"It is a vehicle that will bring the world's eyes on both Sarasota and Manatee."

- Rod Hershberger, 2017 World Rowing Championships
 

[Tourism]  Sources Used When Selecting A Destination
Diana Morales

When it comes to selecting a destination, Visit Florida shares the great importance of sources in regards to making vacation decisions. This chart depicts that travelers obtain their information from friends and family, magazine articles, websites, online vistior guides, professional travel guide books and travel review websites. Based on the information provided, recommendations from family and friends are the most considered source of information and take the lead with 48 percent for those that fall under the mature category. 

[Politics]  Local Push for Gun Control
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

A gun control resolution coming before the Sarasota City Commission today could be among the first of multiple messages being sent to state and national leaders in the wake of a mass shooting in Orlando. Soon, Sarasota civil rights leaders are expected to join a new coalition in Tallahassee pushing for measures limiting access to high-powered weapons. 

Today, City Manager Tim Barwin will present to commissioners the Safe Communities Initiative calling for limits on the availability of “military grade, high capacity” weapons to only law enforcement agencies. Barwin’s own background is in police work and he says the events like the one in Orlando show the deadly potential of assault weapons in citizens’ hands. “I used to think these everents were rare, and the chance of it happening in your community were very remote, but to see this happen very close to home, it shows we've reached a tipping point,” Barwin says. And while a local jurisdiction in Florida cannot implement its own restrictions on weapon access, the city can take a loud stance asking state and federal officials to take action.

Early June 12, FBI officials say Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old Fort Pierce man, brought an assault weapon into Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, and started shooting people. The event would become the deadliest mass shooting in US history with 50 people dead. Mateen was among the fatalities after he was killed by law enforcement. Among the victims was Edward "Top Hat Eddie" Sotomayor, a popular brand manager from Sarasota. 

Equality Florida co-chair Ken Shelin, a former Sarasota City Commissioner, expects Barwin’s proposal to pass unanimously, and says local leaders should continue pushing from there. He says Equality Florida and other organizations are forming a coalition to lobby leaders in Tallahassee on new gun control measures, including background checks and an assault weapons ban. “This crap about ‘it’s not the guns, it’s the people,’ if the guns weren’t available, the people wouldn’t be able to use them,” Shelin says. “It’s as simple as that.” 

But local gun rights supporters feel further regulations are a misguided approach. “This is both silly and incredibly dangerous," says Christian Ziegler, state committeeman for the Republican Party of Sarasota. "The Sarasota City Commission, with no jurisdiction over our state or federal gun laws, is overreaching their power to attack all of our Second Amendment rights in order to pander to their liberal base who put them in power by controlling the off-cycle, low turnout elections. I would suggest that the City Commission focus on fixing issues that they are responsible for such as finding out why businesses, jobs and events that benefit the local economy are shutting down and/or leaving the city limits."

The evening Sarasota City Commission meeting begins at 6pm. 

[Sports]  Gulf Coast Businessmen Chair Rowing Championships

A pair of prominent Gulf Coast businessmen will serve as event co-chairs for the 2017 World Rowing Championships. The Chiles Group CEO Ed Chiles and PGT Industries co-founder Rod Hershberger will head the event, which is scheduled at Nathan Benderson Park in September 2017. 

“The opportunity for the community, particularly in bringing Sarasota and Manatee counties together for an event of this type, is just spectacular,” says Hershberger, also president of the Argus Foundation. “It is a vehicle that will bring the world’s eyes on both Sarasota and Manatee.” Hershberger, who was tapped by Sarasota County Administrator Tom Harmer, was appointed CEO of PGT in 2005 and led the firm as it went public the following year. He now serves as president of the Argus Foundation and has previously served as chairman of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.

Chiles, a Manatee County leader, is best known as CEO of The Chiles Group, a restaurant group including the Sandbar, Beach House and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub. He also is the managing partner for the Pine Avenue Restoration Project in Anna Maria. His father, the late Lawton Chiles, served as Florida’s governor from 1991 until his death in 1998, and before that served as a US Senator for Florida from 1971 through 1989. “This event will showcase our world-class location and the incredible rowing facility at Nathan Benderson Park to thousands of premier athletes, sponsors and attendees,” says Chiles. “The economic development that this will provide to our area will be substantial, as will the long-term impact in reinforcing our area as a premier, international sports destination.” 

Hershberger expects logistics will be the most challenging part, but he feels the community is up to that task. Heavily involved in sporting events himself, he says the goal for the championships is to create a smooth experience for those traveling here for the event. “That’s what you appreciate when you leave an event, when you can say, ‘This seemed really easy,'" he says. “It has to come off without a hitch.” 

Pictured: Ed Chiles, left; Rod Hershberger, right.

[Hires]  Evans As Assistant County Administrator

Sarasota County has offered Jonathan Evans a position as assistant county administrator. Currently the city manager for Haines City in Polk County, Evans will serve as one of three assistant county administrators for Sarasota County, replacing Lee Ann Lowery who will retire in September. 

Sarasota County

[Opening]  Frank's Salon Opens Doors to Women

Frank's Salon has made the decision to open their doors in Sarasota to everyone. Beginning in July, Frank's Gentlemen's Salon will become more than an exclusive salon for men. Frank's will be available for booth rental to professional stylists with established clientele, men and women. 

Frank's Salon

[Recognition]  Williams Parker Receives Best Practices Certification

Williams Parker recently received the American Land Title Association (ALTA) Best Practices Framework compliance certification. The ALTA Best Practices Framework was developed to assist lenders in satisfying their responsibility to manage third-party vendors. Williams Parker’s real estate attorneys represent developers, financial institutions, private equity investors, single-purpose business entities, and individuals purchasing real estate across the full scope of real estate-related issues including financing, taxation, zoning and contracting.  

Williams Parker

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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