A Sarasota financial executive spoke in front of Congress on Monday hoping to discourage representatives from further raiding the Federal Reserve’s surplus accounts to finance highway construction, but he isn’t optimistic politicians in Washington will listen. “They should really think hard about the surplus decision they made,” said Robert Eisenbeis, vice chairman and chief monetary economist at Cumberland Advisors in Sarasota.

Eisenbeis testified before the House Subcommittee on Monetary and Trade Policy, discussing the payment of interest of reserves by the Fed. He looked at monetary policy since the start of the Great Recession in 2008 and growing concerns about the balance sheet for the Reserve. In prepared remarks, he stressed that the Fed cannot be treated like a bank, and that the ramifications of decisions must be explored. 

For his part, Eisenbeis questions decisions by the Fed regarding efforts to accelerate inflation. “Inflation should stay where it is,” he said. "We should declare victory and go home.” While in Washington, he saw a partisan divide between Democrats who were defensive of Fed actions in the past and Republicans who had concerns about growing interest payments. The Sarasota expert explained the issues leading to a lack of equilibrium with the Fed balance sheet, but Eisenbeis’ own attitude is that Congress need not meddle, and that issues like the raid of surpluses for the sake of the highway bill are more important.

“Congress has capped surplus at $10 billion,” he explained. “Everything else is transferred as remittances, which of course is cutting back on the Fed’s ability to engage in policy.” 

Rene DeGuia is fast. How fast? He can whip up three large pizzas in 28 seconds.

A Sarasota Domino’s franchise owner and two-time winner of the World’s Fastest Pizza Maker Competition (in 2000 and 2005), DeGuia has his sights set on taking home the title once more. In June, he will compete at the 2016 competition at The Venetian in Las Vegas.

DeGuia didn’t travel an easy road to pizza-making glory. He first entered regional pizza-making contests in 1992, then after a string of losses he decided to do whatever it took to win. He hired a sports psychologist and a physical trainer. “I would make 7,000 pizzas a week,” said DeGuia.

His grueling training sessions led to the invention of the “slingshot” technique, a rapid pizza-making method. The move proved a sure-fire hit: DeGuia won the 2000 title and his newfound technique became standard practice on the competitive pizza-making circuit.

For DeGuia, competitive pizza making is not just a solo sport. DeGuia insists training emerging pizza makers has been more rewarding than winning titles. “When you show somebody something and they do something with it, that’s very important to me,” he said. DeGuia increasingly faces off against those he trained with on the competition stage, and it’s a challenge he welcomes. “That’s what drives me,” he said. “It’s kind of a healthy competition.” Speed and efficiency go hand-in-hand, and he maintains competitive pizza making will increase store performance.

With four children and two Domino’s franchises (he just opened a location serving Siesta Key), DeGuia certainly has more than pizza on his plate, but doesn’t let that interfere with training. These days, training is just another part of the job. “I still work in the stores,” he said. “So every time there’s a pizza, I make it as if I’m competing.” 

Pajamas in the daytime? You bet. This season, loungewear is emerging from the Land of Nod and finding its way into your waking-hour wardrobe. Calypso St. Barth’s Alouetta Kimono is a silk confection in a moody floral stripe pattern and features an embellished neckline—gold sequins mingle with lipstick-red novelty threading—and a tassled tie waist.

Given that June is just around the corner (hello, wedding season), the kimono serves as an unexpected take on traditional bridal party pre-wedding attire. Scrap the ho-hum pastel loungewear and take it up a notch with this sophisticated wrap-around—your bridesmaids will thank you. 

Lotus Boutique, 1451 Main Street, Sarasota, 941-906-7080

The Goodwill clearance center located on North Tamiami Trail in Nokomis closed its doors May 14 to prepare for the Grand Re-Opening of its Goodwill GoodNeighbor Center, with a full retail store and attended donation center on May 26. Donations will continue to be accepted at the Laurel/Nokomis attended donation center. The sales floor at the Laurel location is approximately 6,162 square feet and will offer more than 12,000 pieces of apparel along with books, electronics, housewares and new goods for shoppers. Eight new jobs are being created to operate this store. The store and the attended donation center will be open 9am-7pm Monday through Saturday, and 10am-6pm Sundays.  

Goodwill Manasota

Realize Bradenton announced the addition of four new members to its 12-member board of directors. Elected to three-year board positions are: Mark Boehmig, Technical Toolings Systems; Jedd Heap, Fawley Bryant Architects; Mike Mears, State College of Florida; and Sue Revell, Manatee County Bar Association. 

Realize Bradenton