U.S. Census data tracking home ownership between the years 2009 and 2013 shows that Gulf Coast counties have a higher percentage of residents who own their homes than does the state as a whole, and Florida has a higher rate than the nation as a whole. Sarasota boasts a 74.5 percent rate, compared with Manatee's 71.4 percent. 

A focus on medical and health innovation efforts on the Gulf Coast could raise awareness of existing assets and possibilities for companies in the future interested in the field. Health Innovation Week will spotlight efforts from businesses suchas Voalte and Enzymedica. The event runs Nov. 9-13. “We have a lot of different companies and health care providers who play an important role in the economy, but nobody has tried to pull them together and showcase what they are doing,” said Mark Pritchett, president and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

Mark Huey, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, said the idea has been greeted with enthusiasm so far, with some 30 to 35 companies expressing interest from when the idea of a health innovation event was first brought up by the EDC. And when officials realized two important events, a BioTech Expo to be held at State College of Florida on Nov. 12 and a Voalte User Experience Conference from Nov. 10-12, gave the opportunity to build an entire week around the sector. And because so many similar companies are succeeding in Manatee County, Huey said the Sarasota EDC was able to join with the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation to make a regional event. “We are always looking for chances to work together, but we have never committed to doing anything as substantive as this,” Huey said of the work with the Bradenton EDC.

Health Innovation has been identified as a long-term focus for the Bradenton EDC, and the Health Innovation Week allows the Sarasota EDC the chance to gauge interest in the sector as the organization re-evaluates its own long-term plan, Huey said. And Pritchett noted that efforts like the Big Ideas on the Gulf Coast initiative have already identified health innovation as one of the economic areas with the most potential for growth in the region. The Health Innovation Week will expose the public to some of the existing companies. 

The overall goal of the event will be to tell the story of the region’s emergence as a center for health innovation, something that could bolster the reputation of companies exploring that field and also attract more companies to the area who could add resources to the growing sector. The week will include open house events at a minimum 18 companies. And on Nov. 13, a half dozen downtown restaurants will host public events with some of the major regional players in the health innovation industry. Long-term, Huey said, the companies will be able to point to web resources being generated through the event as a way to prove the firms’ credibility when dealing with health care companies outside the area, and the same resources could also show companies considering moving or opening in this region that resources exist to ensure success. 

Donald Trump’s presidential ambitions could put a Sarasota political leader in one of the most important campaign jobs in the country next year. Joe Gruters, chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota, was announced on Friday as the chairman for Trump’s Florida campaign. “This is one of the few times ever when I have weighed in on a primary,” Gruters said. “I am not endorsing Trump as the chair of the Republican Party of Sarasota or as the vice chair of the Republican Party of Florida, but as an individual I will do all I can for a victory for Donald Trump. At this point in the country’s history, he is the right person for the job.” 

The relationship between Trump and Gruters actually stretches back years. The local party in 2012 made the decision to award its Statesman of the Year award to Trump in 2012, and did so again last year. Trump remains the only figure ever to win the honor twice. The recognition has also gone to such national figures as Sean Hannity and Ted Cruz, the latter also a presidential candidate this year. 

Trump is one of several major candidates in the field right now with Florida connections; former Gov. Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio are battling it out right now for the role of establishment standard-bearer while Trump tries to shore up the outsider vote. 

Of course, Gruters in the past has always prided himself on treating all campaigns equal. In 2010, the local party was among the only in the state to host a rally for then-candidate Rick Scott even as most party leaders backed Attorney General Bill McCollum. Scott ended up winning the primary that year, and then the general election. Gruters didn’t endorse a candidate in the primary but would later say he thought Scott won thanks to the public hunger for a business leader in an executive post.

As party chair, he said he will still invite all campaigns and give a warm welcome; he noted the Rubio campaign leaders also serve on the Republican Executive Committee here. Gruters suggested that since Florida’s primary is later in the primary cycle this year, there may be fewer campaigns rolling through the area than came in 2012. He also noted that Bush, Ben Carson and John Kasich all have events planned in Sarasota in the next month, none set up through the local party. 

Photo courtesy Joe Gruters: Joe Gruters introduces presidential candidate Donald Trump to supporters at a Saturday event during a swing through Florida

The Monroe Board of County Commissioners voted to grant Sarasota-based Mote Marine Laboratory a non-residential rate of growth ordinance exemption for Mote’s Florida Keys research facility on Summerland Key. Mote leaders announced plans for expansion of its research facilities on Summerland Key in February during a special celebration of the organization’s 60th anniversary. The exemption is one of the last steps before submitting the final permit to build the new cutting edge research facility with intentions to break ground January 2016. 

Mote Marine Laboratory

Martha Meyers, business and industry services specialist for Manatee Technical College, won the 2015 Education-Workforce Partner Award from the Florida Workforce Development Association. CareerSource Suncoast board chair Adam Kendall presented her the award at an Oct. 22 meeting. Meyers was selected for the award out of 24 workforce regions who submitted nominations. The award recognizes an individual educator’s contribution to workforce development in Florida. 

Manatee Technical College