On January 23, the Ringling College of Art and Design announced its seventh president, Davis Schneiderman, Ph.D. Dr. Schneiderman, who was appointed unanimously by the Ringling College Board on January 15, will assume office on June 1, 2026. Dr. Schneiderman comes to Ringling College from Lake Forest College, a nationally-ranked private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois, where he served in senior leadership for 10 years, including as Provost and Dean of Faculty from 2018 to 2023.

Since arriving at Lake Forest College in 2001, Dr. Schneiderman has built an identity as a nationally-recognized leader in higher education, working in the forefront of interdisciplinary innovation, artificial intelligence and technology ethics in creative education. Starting in 2023, Dr. Schneiderman has served as the founding executive director of Lake Forest College’s Krebs Center for Humanities, a public-facing cultural institution that connects creative practice and technology with public engagement. While leading the Krebs Center, Dr. Schneiderman secured multiple Mellon-Foundation grants, including the development of the HUMAN Initiative (Humanities Understanding and Managing AI Nexus). In addition to his work in education, Dr. Schneiderman is a novelist, essayist and multimedia artist—creating audio, video and performance works as a part of The Muttering Sickness Collective.

“My journey here involves decades of service to higher education, but everything I've done has led me to Ringling College in this moment,” said Dr. Schneiderman. “I am, at heart, a creative writer, an artist and a performer, and I see in Ringling a powerful creative incubator. The dedication of Ringling's faculty and staff to this project is nothing short of inspirational. The passion I see in Ringling students is exactly what we need more of now, more than ever.”

Dr. Schneiderman will succeed Dr. Larry S. Thompson as president, who announced his retirement in April 2025. During Dr. Thompson's 27-year tenure, Ringling College has grown exponentially, transforming the institution from a locally-revered arts school into an internationally recognized college of art and design.

“Over the past 27 years, Dr. Thompson has built a remarkable foundation for creative excellence, championed our vision with unwavering commitment and positioned Ringling College as a national leader in art and design education,” said Dr. Joel Morganroth, Ringling College Board of Trustees Chair. “Ringling, in 1999 was a school, and now it's a college with twice the enrollment. The operating budget then was $15 million and is now 10 times that amount. The endowment was under $4 million and is now 20 times that amount. There were six majors then and now there are 13.”

Dr. Thompson also welcomed Dr. Schneiderman during the announcement event at the college. “This is a meaningful and deeply personal moment for me,” said Dr. Thompson. “Ringling College is not just a place of education, it's a place of imagination, experimentation, where determination and courage are needed daily, and where boundless creativity thrives. It’s a community defined by both creative and academic excellence and by a shared belief in the transformative power of art and design. To lead such a place for nearly three decades has truly been a privilege and a profound responsibility. In June, we will welcome Dr. Schneiderman, a leader whose vision, integrity and commitment to creative education give me great confidence in the future of this institution.”

Ringling College of Art and Design, 2700 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 

Dr. Schneiderman (left) and Dr. Thompson. Photo courtesy of Ringling College.

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Waldorf Astoria Residences Sarasota, ahead of sales launching on Wednesday, will hold an exclusive preview event on Tuesday in anticipation of the brand-new building’s opening in Downtown Sarasota. The building will feature 86 private residences, ranging in size from one to five bedrooms, and several amenities including a wellness center, recreational areas and a 30,000 square foot elevated garden. Ahead of the event and the launch of sales, SRQ Magazine spoke with panelist Sadek Omar, a partner at ORE Development, a subsidiary of the building’s developer Jebcore Companies.

How did Jebcore Companies come to be interested in this development?

The project's location is what we like to describe as the heart of downtown Sarasota. It is, for us, the most important site in the Downtown market because it's the epicenter and pivotal to themarket's vitality once reimagined. When we started the project, our partners, WMG Development, who took the risk and safeguarded the site for the right use, have always been hyper-focused on giving back to the city and creating something meaningful. When we were discussing the partnership, our group stepped up, committing to executing a once-in-a-lifetime project. When analyzing the right brand for the project, we studied the nuances. We thoroughly enjoyed the Waldorf Astoria’s commitment to creating special, standalone residential experiences. Those two critical points aligned with our vision.

What was your key focus in developing this building?

In unison with Waldorf Astoria, we really wanted to create something unique. We endeavored to assemble the best and brightest team for this project. We cut no corners, and I think we created a building design that is worthy of the site that it sits on. We take that commitment to heart, and we're really, really proud of that. We've also had several meetings with neighbors and had an involuntary community workshop, which is indicative of the effort and care we put forth in our relationship with the local community.

What do you hope the new building will contribute to the Downtown Sarasota community?

The corner where Waldorf Astoria Residences Sarasota will be is currently dull. Our project will transform it into a vibrant and walkable space for the community to enjoy. Outside of quality residences, I'm hoping that with the amount of investment we put into delivering a great commercial experience, it drives the opportunity for us to attract the top retailers and restaurateurs in the world. We're aiming for the best of the best, but when I say that, I don't mean to make it cost-prohibitive for the community to enjoy, but it just means the best in any sector that we can reach. We aim to revitalize an abandoned corner and create a thriving downtown sector, which can be the playbook for the future of our beautiful city. That is critical.

Waldorf Astoria Residences, 1390 Main Street, Sarasota, michaelsaunders.com/new-developments/waldorf-astoria/ 

Pictured: The Waldorf Astoria Sarasota will begin sales on January 28. Credit: Photo courtesy of Meredith Bennett.

 North River Ranch, the award-winning master-planned community by Neal Land & Neighborhoods, has earned three more top industry awards from the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), further solidifying its reputation as one of the country’s most thoughtfully designed residential communities. North River Ranch is located at 11645 Camp Creek Trail, Parrish. For more information, visit www.northriverranch.com. 

Sarasota County has acquired property on Winson Avenue in Englewood. This is part of the county’s ongoing commitment to acquire parkland under the Land Acquisition and Management Program (LAMP). The closing date was Dec. 18, 2025, and the purchase price was $750,000. The 0.48-acre property will expand the county-owned Indian Mound Park. It will also enhance public water access to Lemon Bay. The parcel includes approximately 105 feet of shoreline and opportunities for fishing, sightseeing and birdwatching. For more information about the Sarasota County Land Acquisition and Management Program, visit bit.ly/landacquisitions. 

Colleagues from HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital recently stepped away from their daily roles to give back to the community by volunteering at Harry Chapin Food Bank Southwest Florida, supporting efforts to fight hunger and food insecurity across the region. During the volunteer event, hospital team members assisted with sorting, packing, and distributing food to families in need. The experience reinforced the hospital’s ongoing commitment to caring for the community both inside and outside its walls. For more information about the hospital and its community outreach initiatives, visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com 

Babcock Ranch, America’s first solar-powered town, shattered its own records to rank as the 4th top selling master-planned community (MPC) in the United States, according to year-end reports by both RCLCO and John Burns Research and Consulting, while the national real estate market faced sizable headwinds in 2025. In a year characterized by varying market challenges, Babcock Ranch achieved an unprecedented 1,066 net sales, marking the first time the community has surpassed the 1,000 net sales in a calendar year. This represents an impressive 34% year-over-year increase compared to 2024.
To learn more about living at Babcock Ranch, visit babcockranch.com. 

Approximately 2,000 people gathered at Sarasota’s Bayfront Park on January 17 for the Grand Opening Celebration of Embracing Our Differences’ 2026 international outdoor art exhibition. The free community event featured live steel drum music, family-friendly activities hosted by local arts organizations, food vendors, and the official presentation of this year’s Best-in-Show awards for artwork and thought-provoking quotations. 

Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative’s (SBAC) “Art Innovations Zone” initiative continues its powerful exploration of Black artistry with “Celebrating Artists of African Descent: Past and Present,” February 1-March 13, at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 3rd Avenue West, Bradenton. The exhibition features the work of 10 artists from across the Suncoast region, with Frederick Woods and Glenyse Thompson presented as featured artists. The public is invited to a catered opening reception on Tuesday, February 10, from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. The evening offers an opportunity for creative conversation, storytelling, and meaningful exchange with the artists, whose work reflects the intersections of art, identity, and lived experience.To RSVP, visit SuncoastBlackArtsCollaborative.org. The exhibition is sponsored by the Manatee Community Foundation and the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation.