More than the much-anticipated break in summer temperatures, fall is when I begin to look forward to something else. One of the most highly attended events of the year hosted by The Argus Foundation is coming up in November—our signature Lifetime Achievement Awards. In its 15th year, this is an opportunity to celebrate our most valuable resourced—the dedicated business men and women who have shaped Sarasota County into what it is today. This is also a chance to hear the undiscovered stories and feel the history of our great county in a way you don’t normally experience.

Choosing just two honorees each year is a tough decision. We have so many who have given so much to our community. Past award recipients include Rev. Don Roberts, Mabry Carlton, Frederick Derr, William Getzen, Rick Martin, C. Dana Rollings, Ronald Royal and Mary Fran Carroll. Next month, we will honor two additional deserving Sarasota residents—Michael Saunders and a posthumous award to William Merrill, Sr.

Michael Saunders runs the 47th largest real estate brokerage firm per dollar volume in the United States. She is currently celebrating the 40th year of her real estate company, Michael Saunders & Company. She has been a past president of The Argus Foundation and served on the boards of The Gulf Coast Community Foundation, The Education Foundation of Sarasota County, The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and the Westcoast Black Theatre Troop among many others. Michael has said that she believes success is defined by making a difference in people’s lives. That shines through in all of the former social worker’s endeavors, whether it’s philanthropy or business initiatives. It is a value we can all aspire to. Perform at your best at all times, learn every single day to sharpen your saw, and use those skills to enhance people’s lives, she recommends.  

William Merrill, Sr. passed away in 2014. He raised, with his wonderful wife, three prominent sons who are making significant community contributions professionally and through non-profits. He also had an enormous influence on shaping Sarasota’s legal community having served as president of the Sarasota Bar Association and developing some of our region’s biggest condominium complexes. He was involved with some of the most important land sites in Sarasota County, including what is now the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, the former Sarasota Quay land and once co-owned the land that was purchased for the Mall at University Town Center. He was a Shriner, a Mason, an Eagle Scout and a chairman of the Boy Scouts of America Troop 90. He was a charter member and Elder at Church of The Palms.

Both award nominees share common values of a philanthropic spirit and dedication to the community with Argus members and its founders, and they have left a lasting legacy on our community that exemplifies the philosophy of service to others in all they have done throughout their lives.

Each year I find myself overwhelmingly proud to be a part of a community with such proven leadership in both the business community and philanthropic community, and look forward to celebrating two more amazing community leaders on November 10. 

Christine Robinson is executive director of The Argus Foundation. 

“Jobs, jobs, jobs still tops in Florida.” That was an above-the-fold headline in our largest local daily last week. The story highlighted University of South Florida’s annual Sunshine State Survey, which found that jobs and the economy remain the most important issue on the minds of Floridians. According to the survey, directed by my longtime friend Dr. Susan MacManus, “the lack of well-paying jobs” is seen as the top threat to our state’s economy.

That headline—“Jobs, jobs, jobs”—caused me to do a double-take. Not because of the sentiment, which seems right on. But because of an upcoming event here in our community that was also top of mind.

Next Wednesday, CareerEdge Funders Collaborative holds its annual “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” event at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing. This is a much-anticipated forum where we will get a peek at what industry sectors are growing in our region and where the jobs will be. Couple this forecast with statewide data on growth sectors to be discussed by Florida Chamber Foundation economist Dr. Jerry Parrish, plus the perspective of local employers on a panel he’ll moderate, and we should all come away with actionable intelligence on how to best invest in our regional workforce.

The “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” labor-market analysis commissioned by CareerEdge has been dead on in accuracy. It correctly identified healthcare as a growing sector early in The Great Recession, which subsequently led to increased trainings in nursing, trauma and long-term care. In 2011, the labor report accurately forecast growth in the manufacturing sector. As a result, Suncoast Technical College created a new machining program with funding from Sarasota County and the Sarasota County School District. There has been a 100 percent placement of its graduates into new manufacturing and engineering careers.

This will actually be CareerEdge’s fifth “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” event and showcases its innovative model of workforce development—going directly to employers in growing sectors to understand what they need to create and fill skilled jobs. This award-winning approach has received national recognition from the White House and was most recently featured in a case study by the International Economic Development Council. That tells me we are on the leading edge in our region’s approach to workforce investment.

But as a region so long dependent on services and seasons, we still have much ground to make up in diversifying our economy. At last month’s Florida Chamber of Commerce Future of Florida Forum in Orlando, a new Industry Diversification Index was shared by Florida Gulf Coast University. The index ranked our region 13th out of 24 workforce regions in the state, and it also showed Florida sitting just above the middle of the pack across the country. So, we’re roughly in the middle of the middle. And while that might seem like a nice place to meet right now amid the extremes of our current political climate, it’s not where we want to be when it comes to economic diversification.

That’s why we must keep working, together, to diversify our regional economy, to invest strategically in workforce development, and to meet employers and workers where they are in order to create and fill more skilled positions with career-ladder opportunities. Floridians—and CareerEdge—have it right: It’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs.

Mark Pritchett is president and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. To register for the Jobs, Jobs, Jobs event on October 19, go to CareerEdgeFunders.org. 

The Circus Arts Conservatory took center stage in a recent wedding–inspired shoot produced by Ashley Gruters of SRQtees Weddings and Events to celebrate her company's five year anniversary. Gruters wanted to showcase the history of Sarasota’s local arts and culture here in Sarasota and featuring the Circus was the perfect fit. SRQtees went big with the overall dramatics and high fashion design. Every vendor and detail for the shoot had a unique story the way down to the place cards with the names of SRQtees past clients as well as the bride that modeled in the shoot. “The performing arts has such a legacy here in Sarasota. It was a no brainer for my company emphasize the legacy of Sarasota as the circus capital of the world,” Gruters says. Photography by Heather Lauren Photography. 

SRQtees Weddings and Events

The interventional cardiology team at Manatee Memorial Hospital is the first in Manatee and Sarasota counties to offer patients with coronary artery disease a new treatment that literally disappears over time. The Absorb GT1 Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold stent opens clogged arteries to restore blood flow and gradually dissolves in the body, reducing the risk of future blockages that can occur with metal stents. This implant is the world's first FDA-approved dissolving heart stent. S. Jay Mathews, MD, cardiologist with Bradenton Cardiology Center successfully implanted the first Abbott Absorb GT1 Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold stent into a 52-year-old male patient last week at the Manatee Heart and Vascular Center at Manatee Memorial Hospital.  

Manatee Memorial Hospital

On September 22, The GAP School held their inaugural Bridging the GAP event in Lakewood Ranch. Students honored local philanthropist Betty Schoenbaum who has helped provide dozens of scholarships to students throughout the community since the creation of the Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center. A special painting was commissioned by local artist Oscar Correa to honor Schoenbaum for her joy of giving called The Lightworker Series; Education is the Future. This special painting is the first of a series of paintings dedicated to honor local philanthropists for their good works. 

The Gap School

Nearly 2,100 volunteers from more than 65 local companies mobilized to tackle 150 projects at local social service agencies, schools and community organizations through United Way's annual Day of Caring. Day of Caring supports United Way’s mission to connect the caring people of the community with opportunities to make a difference. Tasks to be completed vary from creating computer network systems to painting, conducting mock interviews for low-income job seekers, gardening, refinishing furniture, cleaning and organizing. The value of the donated work is estimated to be $247,380, amounting to 1313 days or 263 weeks of work in just one day.  

United Way Suncoast

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota presents the return of the acclaimed Ying Quartet with Sarasota Orchestra’s principal clarinetist, Bharat Chandra on October 29 and 30, at the Historic Asolo Theatre. The Ying Quartet (Robin Scott, violin; Janet Ying, violin; Phillip Ying, viola; and David Ying, cello) occupies a position of unique prominence in the classical music world, combining brilliantly communicative performances with a fearlessly imaginative view of chamber music in today's world. Now in its second decade, the Ying Quartet has performed in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls and even the White House. 

Artist Series

Join Selah Freedom on October 25 at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing as the organization hosts An Evening of Celebration to benefit their mission to end sex trafficking. Enjoy gourmet fare, sweet libations and dance instruction. Don’t miss this unique event.  

Selah Freedom