Pittsburgh Pirates fans now once again can fly direct from the home field in Pennsylvania to the spring training ground in Bradenton. Elite Airways on Friday announced that it would begin twice weekly flights between Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport starting in February.

“We’ve been working on this for six months, trying to get this destination,” says Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of SRQ Airport. He says direct flights between the cities existed in the past, from 1989 to 1997, but those flying between the cities for the past two decades were forced on connecting flights. Since then, PIT has risen to be one of the top 15 desired destinations for direct flights to SRQ.

Starting on Feb. 23, flights will begin between the cities on Mondays and Fridays, with a Bombardier CRJ flying out of SRQ at 9:30am to land in PIT at 12:15pm, and then leaving PIT at 1pm before landing back here at 3:45pm.

The destination proves important in growing Sarasota’s sports economy, largely thanks to the location of Pirates spring training and the presence of the Bradenton Marauders minor league team. Piccolo predicts that as Marauders players and staff get flown up to Pittsburgh even in summer months, the direct flights will prove valuable for the sports organization. And Pennsylvania officials also expect the route to prove useful in flying people from Pennsylvania to Florida. “I’m sure many Pittsburgh Pirates fans headed to spring training next year and people headed to the beach will be thrilled with a convenient nonstop flight right to the heart of their destination,” says Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

Piccolo notes that flights begin one day after the first flights between the destinations. But he also sees other potential for connecting the sports communities in Pittsburgh and here, noting he’s also talked with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Steelers about promotions and partnership.

Elliott Falcione, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director and a former salesperson for the Pirates, notes growing connections between the sister cities of Bradenton and Pittsburgh. “This new flight will no doubt be embraced with open arms by both cities and we applaud the efforts of Elite Airways expanding flights at SRQ to provide nonstop jet service to Pittsburgh, making it more convenient for people to enjoy all that our area offers, including world-renowned beaches and old Florida charm.”

Spring training impacts other parts of SRQ’s destination wish list as well, and Piccolo says success here may encourage an airline to offer service between Sarasota and Baltimore; Sarasota hosts the Orioles spring training. A number of existing flights between Atlanta and SRQ helped attract the Braves to move its spring training to Baltimore starting in 2019. 

Elite Airways President John Pearsall was in town to present news of nonstop jet service between Pittsburgh International Airport and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, beginning on Feb. 23. Not coincidentally, this is one day before the first home game of the 2018 spring training season at LECOM Park in Bradenton. Pearsall, always smiling and ready with a broad laugh, shared with us his humble beginnings in the airline industry, and how the job he has now grew out of a teen-age fancy.

At what point did you know that travel was your calling?  I think early on, when I took my first flight at 15 years old. I started in this business as a pilot and still am an active pilot. The challenge of getting into the airline industry is different. There are different paths to get in. [As a pilot] I took the corporate VIP path. And that worked out very well. I was overseas for many years flying, and then back here in the United States. That's led to one opportunity after another, flying and working for other major airlines. It's a tremendous opportunity to now be the president with Elite Airways.

Did you stay with corporate VIP service during your time as a pilot?  I've done it all. I've done private, I’ve done corporate, I've done commercial. I've have not done cargo, [laughs] but all of those venues have been absolutely tremendous in the education and how I got to this point.

What is the hardest thing about the transition from pilot to president?  I spend a lot of time on email, a lot of time in the office. I find that having the expertise as a pilot really helps in running the company. It's been a tremendous asset for me, as opposed to coming from the financial industry for example.

What keeps you in the CEO driver's seat at Elite?  I keep my job because I run the day-to-day operations. We have talented folks in different compartments of the organization: sales, maintenance, reservations, and customer service. Having that background in running flights in the past has been a perfect segue.

What's going on behind the scenes that customers are not aware of?  Obviously to keep the flight on time, to take great care of the customers, and there is a lot behind the scenes folks that [passengers] never see. From the maintenance staff to the operations staff, and the dispatchers behind the scenes. There are a lot of people that make up an airline to get you from point "A" to point "B" that you never see. You see your gate person, you see your check-in person, and you maybe see the baggage people, but you never see the, you know, hundred people that are behind the scenes that help you get there safely.

During the press conference you said we could be looking at 30,000 passengers taking direct flights form Pittsburg to SRQ.  It's going to be a tremendous asset to Sarasota Bradenton. We do believe they love coming down here for Spring Training and the holiday breaks and we think it's a great time to start this service. 

Alex Miller has been promoted to manager of the Customer Experience Team at JMX Brands, the largest online retailer of Amish furniture under the brand name DutchCrafters. Miller will oversee the sales, customer service and delivery processes for the company, ensuring the best possible customer experience throughout the sales cycle. Miller has worked in several roles at JMX Brands since 2009. Most recently, he has served as digital advertising specialist and assistant manager of the Customer Experience Team. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Eastern Mennonite University. In 2015, he was named one of the “20 Under 35 Young Professionals Changing the World” by the Mennonite Economic Development Associates. 

Dutch Crafters

Rebecca Roberts, the School District of Manatee County’s chief financial officer, is resigning her position effective January 5, 2018. Roberts joined the School District in April 2014, as director of finance. She was promoted to chief financial officer in October 2014. During her time, the School District has seen a steady improvement in its financial performance. During her first year, the 2013-2014 school year, the district submitted its first state-required fund balance in five years and ended that school year with a total fund balance of $14.4 million. The district has met its fund-balance requirement each of the last four years and finished the last school year, 2016-2017, with a total fund balance of $25.5 million. The district’s strengthening financial health has led to multiple upgrades by global credit ratings leader Fitch Ratings in the last three years. Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene said Roberts will be missed. 

School District of Manatee County

Today, father and son Gene and Nick Santini of Punta Gorda continue a five-generation family fishing legacy by harvesting blue crabs from Charlotte Harbor. And the latest episode of Adventure & Wildlife – Hosted by the Shark Brothers highlights a morning of crabbing with the Santinis then follows the blue crabs to Peace River Seafood, where owner Kelly Beall and general manager Larry Corbin discuss more of the seafood industry. Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda is featured in the episode’s conservation spotlight segment. Dr. Robin Jenkins, who is the facility’s director of veterinary services, and Executive Director Callie Stahl share what the nonprofit facility does to rehabilitate and care for abandoned, injured or orphaned native wildlife. The 25-minute video is part of an original series hosted and produced by Sean Paxton and Brooks Paxton II, otherwise known as the Shark Brothers, and a component of the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau marketing program. Additional episodes of Adventure and Wildlife – Hosted by the Shark Brothers will be released at later dates featuring the abundant outdoor recreation opportunities the Punta Gorda area offers. 

Adventure and Wildlife – Hosted by the Shark Brothers

According to Sherrill Sokol, “My friends, who golf, love it and play practically every day.” University Park Country Club scored as the best 18 holes in our region last year. Who do you think has the Best Golf Course in town? Share your opinion now! 

Vote Here!