Former prosecutor Hagen Brody and Tahiti Park neighborhood leader Jennifer Ahearn-Koch won spots on the Sarasota City Commission on Tuesday night, while Chamber of Commerce leader Jill Luke won a seat on the North Port City Commission.

In Sarasota, Brody led a field of three candidates with 6,333 votes according to final unofficial election results, while Ahearn-Koch pulled in 5,057. Third-place finisher Martin Hyde ended with 3,094 votes. The top two vote getters win seats. In North Port, Luke bested former city employee Pete Emrich by 2,441 votes to 2,160 in a special election battle for Seat 4.

Brody believes his mandate from voters shows a desire for a more effective government. “The top priority is reinstalling faith that the City Commission as an institution can effectively address the issues,” he says. “Over time, every time we talk about changing the form of government, or we talk about having an elected mayor, it’s people saying they are not sure the commission in its current form can get things done. I disagree. We can get things done, and I’m going to give it a go.”

Ahearn-Koch, a steering committee member of STOP!, ran on a neighborhood-focused platform, and said the array of issues discussed in the past few months of the campaign need to be addressed collectively. “With Administrative approval, it’s very important to start restoring the citizen’s voice in the development process,” she says, and also stresses support for Housing First and affordable housing initiatives. “It’s time we get to work and focus on the issues citizens care about.”

As returns came in, it became clear the race was decided before Election Day. Based just on early and absentee votes, Brody and Ahearn-Koch had more votes than Hyde would get even after ballots cast at polls on Tuesday were taken into account.

Brody, Ahearn-Koch and Hyde were the top vote-getters in a March election where five other candidates, including incumbent Susan Chapman, were eliminated. Luke and Emrich in March were the top candidates in a three-way race. 

Graphic courtesy Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections.

Sitting on Washington Boulevard with minimal signage and little flash, it can be easy to drive right on past La Primavera, but it would also be a mistake. A combined Latin market and restaurant, the continually crowded eatery serves up some of the best and most authentic tacos in town, resisting the foodie trend to add, add, add and keeping the fare simple and delicious. Options abound, from the mainstays chicken, carnitas and steak, to rarer offerings such as calf brain, tripe and barbacoa, but the chorizo is a never-miss. Never too dry, the juicy ground pork gleams with a hint of red as the piquant aroma of Mexican chili peppers gets your mouth watering before the first bite. Served on house-made corn tortillas (that you can watch being made every day), with a smattering of chopped onions and a sprinkling of cilantro, the red salsa may be hotter but the tomatilla is a primo pairing. 

Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

La Primavera, 901 North Washington Blvd., Sarasota, 941-366-5321.

Miromar Development Corporation has announced the appointment of Shari Abell as director of marketing. Abell will be working with all Miromar properties in the development and implementation of advertising, collateral, public relations initiatives and special events. Abell has an extensive background in sales and marketing as the real estate key accounts executive for Gannett/News-Press Media Group, managing print and digital advertising for some of Southwest Florida’s top builders and developers for the past seven years. Prior experience includes marketing management for several major consumer products. Abell has a Bachelor of Science in journalism with minor degrees in communications and political science from West Virginia University. 

Miromar Development Corporation

Richard Miller of executive search firm Brooke Chase Associates has announced the successful placement of Quinn Starker as Junior Engineer Plumbing with Mountain Plumbing Products. Quinn will be tasked with managing and improving new product development competencies and processes, while maintaining international installed base including certifications, cost reduction, improved serviceability and customer service. Quinn holds a Masters of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering from The University of Tulsa. Founded in 1997, Mountain Plumbing Products is a leading manufacturer of high-performance water appliances. Brooke Chase Associates is an executive search firm specializing in the recruitment of executive management professionals within the building materials and kitchen/bath industries. 

Brooke Chase Associates

Selby Gardens has welcomed its newest professional botanist this month, Dr. Sally Chambers, expanding the institution’s study of the fern plant group. Typically, orchids and bromeliads are the stars of the Gardens’ research focus, but, with the addition of Chambers, the ferns, with approximately 30% of species being epiphytic, will receive increased attention. Though Chambers’ research work will apply to all of the plants Selby Gardens studies, not just ferns. Chambers most recently held the position of postdoctoral researcher at the University of Florida. She holds a PhD in plant ecology and evolutionary biology from Purdue University and completed her undergraduate work in natural resource and conservation management at the University of Kentucky. Chambers’ botanical garden experience includes an internship in the Horticulture Department at Missouri Botanical Garden. 

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

SRQ Media’s 2017 Hear Me Roar Trailblazer Award Recipient Nancy Bernardini has just been named President of the powerhouse beauty brand Zotos International, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Shiseido Americas Corporation. Ms. Bernardini is a veteran of the beauty industry, most recently serving as General Manager of Gurwitch Products and CEO of leading prestige brands Laura Mercier and RéVive. During her tenure, Bernardini helped put Gurwitch’s brands on a strong growth trajectory and significantly accelerated sales and profit growth. Gurwitch was acquired by Shiseido Americas Corporation in July 2016, and since then, Ms. Bernardini has helped successfully integrate the Laura Mercier and RéVive brands into the Shiseido Americas organization and position them for continued success. “I am excited to lead Zotos and to help the business continue to thrive in the professional haircare industry. I have tremendous respect for the organization and for their high-quality products, and also for the values that I have seen Shiseido instill in all its brands since Laura Mercier joined the Shiseido family. Our priorities will be to accelerate Zotos’ performance and delight more salon professionals around the world, creating a more powerful presence for the Zotos portfolio of brands in the global professional haircare market,” said Bernardini. 

Zotos International Inc.