It’s not normally a shock to learn of the death of a 100-year-old, but for those close to Betty Schoenbaum, it seemed impossible that the philanthropist’s personal work would ever stop. “She was attending meetings, campus potlucks and agency events right up to the end. Truly remarkable,” says Kameron Hodgens, executive director of the Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center. “Towards the end of this past season, I was often worn out, but then I’d see Betty and think, if she can do it, so can I!”

In Sarasota, Schoenbaum would be most clearly remembered at the campus bearing her name. The Glasser/Schoenbaum campus houses 17 health and social services agencies assisting low-income and at-risk adults, children and families. Over more than 28 years, an estimated $10 million in operating expenses has been saved by the organizations, which pay just $8.50 per square foot annually to rent space there. Those organizations in turn have assisted more than 45,500 clients each year. The center was originally founded by the late Kay Glasser, and started with seed money from the Schoenbaum family in 1990.

Schoenbaum had been wife to Shoney’s founder Alex Schoenbaum, and her philanthropy was remembered in Charleston, SC, as well as in Sarasota. The Schoenbaums together funded early childhood development centers in South Carolina and funded scholarships at Ohio State University. Schoenbaum’s daughter Joann Miller told The Columbus Dispatch her mother loved giving and frequently said there were “no luggage racks on the hearse.” “She always said she had the most beautiful, privileged life, and she grew up in the most loving family,” Miller told the paper.

And even in her later years, she remained involved planning events and galas. Lastly she worked as part an intergenerational team on a benefit for the Glasser/Schoenbaum center. “What she did was act as a role model that all generations could look up to, that believe philanthropy is an important part of Sarasota,” says Gabriel Hament, the youngest member of that team. “It was demonstrative of the fact that if you stay engaged in your community, your age means very little.”

That type of human connection, Hodgens says, made Schoenbaum such a presence in the region. “Betty’s ability to connect with everyone—anyone—who had an opportunity to meet her was beyond admirable. She loved to know your story, what excites you, what motivates you, what makes you laugh,” Hodgens says. “she never stopped learning.”

Another staff member at the center said the philanthropist’s presence won’t be forgotten soon. “She was larger than life and yet remembered as so accessible and kind,” says Christina Russi, a staff member at Glasser/Schoenbaum. “She knew how best to use all her wonderful years as a platform to inspire and motivate. Her humor helped to embrace all in her mission. She will be missed but her lessons of caring and giving, of making every day count, will be remembered.” 

Picture courtesy Glasser/Schoenbaum center: Betty Schoenbaum

Is it a tidal sandbank connecting the remote islands of Waya and Wayasewa of the Yasawa Islands, Fiji or the shoal between the Isles of Scilly, off the coast of Cornwall, England, UK? Most likely if you’re reading this, you’re a Florida native and your sandbar is probably within a 160 mile radius. But theoretically, that’s not really what this local company out of Saint Petersburg means—according to Sandbar Clothing Co. owner Chris McCormick, your sandbar is wherever, whatever or whoever brings you happiness. Designed for everyone—it's the place you go to get away and have no worries, whether you're reading a book, hiking up a mountain or cruisin' on a boat out to that island calling your name.

“For a good chunk of my life I spent almost every weekend boating with friends, where the sandbar was our destination—a little collection of sand in the middle of the ocean right by our hometown. It was our home away from home, where we went to escape reality. When I got to college, I found myself daydreaming in class about the sandbar. I started thinking about the others around me and if they were doing the same thing. That’s when ‘where's your sandbar’ was created. Shortly after, the first line of shirts were released,” shares McCormick.

Sandbar Clothing Co., established in the sunshine city in 2016, purveys simplistic, yet stylized tees for exploring and enjoying the outdoors. The universal shirts are 100% ringspun cotton and preshrunk already (to avoid a saddening misuse of the dryer). ‘The Compass’ Snapback Hat and ‘Salt & Stone’ T-shirt are highlights of the line, as well as ‘The Original’ design which comes in cool solid colors—sporting its identifying outlined atlas of the world. Threads come in noticeably light, snug-worthy soft fabric and relaxing fits—because comfort is what’s key when you're on the search...

“Your sandbar is waiting for you—wherever, whatever, or whoever it is. Find it. Enjoy it.” 

Photos provided by Sandbar.

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Booker Middle School has been named a College For Every Student (CFES) Brilliant Pathways School of Distinction. CFES Brilliant Pathways, founded in 1991 in central New York, aims to help students unlock their brightest futures. CFES Brilliant Pathways empowers educators and gives communities a chance to participate in the 21st-century economy, leveling the playing field for 100,000 students for over 25 years. Their programs introduce students to college and career possibilities, provide crucial resources to educators, such as professional development, support and evaluation, and workshops, and help students and their families demystify the path to college. Booker Middle School not only developed and executed an exemplary plan for its CFES Scholars, but also involved the entire school in the CFES core practices of Mentoring, Essential Skills, and Pathways. 

Booker Middle School

Kate Rossi, regional executive vice president of NRT’s Eastern Region, has been named to HousingWire’s 2018 Women of Influence list. Based in Sarasota, Rossi oversees NRT’s Coldwell Banker operations in the eastern region of the United States, spanning nearly 16,000 independent sales associates across seven companies, including Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate. Rossi was recognized for her leadership and company growth efforts over the span of her career, and in particular, over the past 12 months. In 2017, she oversaw an initiative to grow the agent population throughout her companies with exceeding success. HousingWire, a source of news and information for the U.S. mortgage and housing market, named 85 women in the mortgage and housing industry to the eighth annual list.  The Women of Influence program recognizes the outstanding efforts of women in driving the U.S. housing economy forward. The honors are given to individuals who are making notable contributions to both their businesses and to the industry at-large, with a specific focus on contributions made in the most recent 12 months. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s president in the North Carolina and South Carolina markets, Pauline Bennett, was also named to the HousingWire 2018 Women of Influence list. 

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Sarasota Memorial Hospital was ranked among the nation’s top 10 highest-volume hospitals for hip and knee replacements, based on an independent analysis of 2017 Medicare claims reported by Orthopedic Network News. Sarasota Memorial was the only hospital in the southeast United States to make the Top 10 Joint Replacement Hospitals list. In the report, SMH also was spotlighted for specialized revision hip and knee procedures. Revision procedures are an important quality metric because they are generally considered more challenging procedures than initial surgeries, and a high number of revision procedures generally means that a hospital has become a referral center for other revisions that cannot be treated elsewhere. It’s not the first time Sarasota Memorial has been recognized among the nation’s highest performers for hip and knee surgery. In 2017, SMH was named a Center of Excellence for hip and knee replacement by DNV-GL Healthcare USA, Inc., one of the nation's leading hospital accrediting organizations, and also ranked among U.S. News & World Reports’ and Modern Healthcare’s “High Performing” hospitals for hip and knee replacement. 

Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Leslie Loftus of Loftus Law was this year recognized in the 2018 edition of Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite.  To compile the list, Florida Trend invited all actively practicing Florida lawyers to name the attorneys that they hold in highest regard—lawyers with whom they have personally worked and would recommend to others. The winner list represents just over 1% of the active Florida Bar members who practice in Florida. Loftus was recognized in the field of marital and family law. She was the only marital and family law lawyer recognized in the Sarasota-Manatee area. 

Loftus Law