2023 GOOD HERO AWARD HONOREES

Good Hero Honorees from the 2023 Good Hero Philanthropic Awards include: Corporate Good Heroes Amanda and John Horne of Oyster Rock Hospitality, David Crawford of Catalist Realty and Cina Welch of FCCI Insurance Group, staff members Brena Slater of Safe Children Coalition and Christi Haley of Pace Center for Girls, philanthropists Scott Libertore of The Libertore Fund for Children and Marla and Jim Doss  of James M. Doss Charitable Foundation, volunteers  Neil Lyons for the Legal Aid Manasota and Chuck Johnston of Resilient Retreat and Board Members Meghan Serrano of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties,  Paulina Wamsler of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Brock Leach of Children First.

2022 GOOD HERO AWARD HONOREES

Good Hero Honorees from the 2022 Good Hero Philanthropic Awards include: board members Lisa Moore of Blaze of Hope and Marjan Zaun of Florida Cancer Specialists, staff members Bronwyn Beightol of United Way Suncoast, Jessica Braemer of Better Together and Bill Sadlo of The Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties, philanthropists W.E. Chip Gaylor for the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the Sarasota Yacht Club Cares and Mary Kay Henson for Unidos Now and All Faiths Food Bank, volunteer  Elizabeth (Betty) Ferguson for the Sarasota Ballet and Corporate Good Heroes Liberty Savings Bank and Norman Love Confections.

2021 GOOD HERO AWARD HONOREES

Good Hero Honorees from the 2021 Good Hero Philanthropic Awards include: Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties board leader Lee DeLieto (pictured below with Arthur Lerman of the JFCS of the Suncoast and Good Hero Partner and SRQ Executive Publisher Wes Roberts), legacy donors and philanthropists Jim Tollerton, David Rubin, Mark Barnebey and Brian Mariash, Karen Valentino for the Child Protection Center, legacy volunteer Mary Tavarozzi for her board leadership at ALSO youth,  Bonnie Eskell of Children First, Erin Minor executive director of Harvest House, Nicole Murby for EasterSeals Southwest Florida and executive director of Teen Court of Sarasota Heather Todd and the Diamond Circle donors for The Challenge for Changing Lives campaign at Children First.

2019 GOOD HERO AWARD HONOREES

Good Hero Honorees from the 2019 Good Hero Philanthropic Awards include: Ann Walborn for Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, donor and philanthropist Robert Bernhard (pictured below with Heidi Brown of the JFCS of the Suncoast and SRQ Executive Publisher Wes Roberts), Barbara Van Essen for the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast, legacy volunteer Suzanne King for Selby Gardens,  Jonna Keller, board member for The Boys and Girls Club Sarasota,  Ann Anderson, board member of Save Our Seabirds, Peter Skokos and Chef Bryan Jacobs for the New Nonprofit Awards and the Corporate Hero Award honoring Rae Dowling.

2018 GOOD HERO AWARD HONOREES

Good Hero Honorees from the 2018 Good Hero Philanthropic Awards include: Melissa Wandall for the Mark Wandall Foundation, the late Arnold Simonsen and Ronda Montminy for their support of the Players Centre for Performing Arts Rosemary studio, Antonia Quiros of Goodwill Manasota, prolific volunteer and philanthropist Phyllis Siskel and, in posthumous recognition, Mark Morin, who served on the board of the State College of Florida Foundation.

In an emotional end to the event, one final award was announced, the Good Hero Corporate Titan Award, recognizing a local business leader who made a conscious choice to put community above profit and give back in a serious way. Accepting the award to a standing ovation in memory of Steve Seidensticker, son Joe Seidensticker gave a heartfelt thanks and call to action in his father’s name. “He believed in helping one person at a time, using the assets that he had. He believed that money is not the only way to change people’s lives . . .I hope that when we come together next year, we will be honoring a corporate hero that has touched people’s lives purposefully and measurably, using all the talents and assets at their disposal.”