SRQ DAILY Dec 20, 2018
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"It's time to turn the reins to someone younger and faster."
When Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker considers his legacy in the county organization he’d led for a dozen years, his thoughts turn not toward any roadway or regional park, but his staff.
“I’m quite proud of the fact we have 1,700 people working as a team serving the citizens,” he says.
Hunzeker on Tuesday announced to Manatee County Commissioners he would retire in the spring, staying long enough to ensure a smooth transition for a new interim administrator. Hunzeker won’t share publicly the name of any particular person he’d like succeed him, but he plans to speak with County Commission Chairman Stephen Jonsson about a group of five or six current employees who all could capably lead the organization.
While the administrator announced his retirement weeks after an election, he says he’s got no doubt he could maintain a positive relationship with the board. He has a contract that would allow him to stick around into 2020. The conversation of his retirement has come up multiple times over the past several years. His wife retired earlier this year. He's got five grandchildren. While he plans to stay in Manatee County, now seems finally the time to leave the administrator's desk behind.
“This time it’s for certain,” he says. “At some point in time you just really say you’ve got to change. I’ve been doing this for 51 years. It’s time to turn the reins to someone younger and faster.”
Hunzeker, 71, began his career in government in 1968 as an accountant for St. Louis County in Missouri. There, he helped set up a vaccination registration program. While in that region, he would work in a variety of public fields from transportation to auditing to running the elevators in the Gateway Arch. He later came to Florida, where he spent 15 years working in Hillsborough County and a few years in Osceola County before coming to Manatee.
In that time, he says the greatest changes in government work have to do with outside agencies. The state and federal government “are not the partners in taking care of the community that they used to be.” “Take the red tide business,” he says. “That’s not something to tackle on the county level. But we’re not seeing them stepping up much.”
His greatest pride is instilling an overarching philosophy in government of accountability, civility and ethics. The 'philosophy has been drilled in with his staff, and when the county occasionally deals with an employee that doesn’t see merit in playing by the rules, matters get quickly addressed.
But Hunzeker has trouble spotlighting any specific achievement that represents his legacy in Manatee. It's not how he thinks. “I’m not one to talk about successes,” he says. “I’m more focused on what faces us in the future—growing populations, shifting populations, infrastructure requirements, service delivery. Most of what we’re focused on is what will happen in the next 20 to 50 years.” 
In a sea of seasoned designers, it takes more than quality knits and flattering fits to stand out for a line of knitwear. Contemporary designer Andrea Mihalyffy looms to the forefront with her Couture Collection and Essentials Collection of profusely soft threads and relaxed elegance. Raised in Hungary and trained as a knitwear designer at the famed Hungarian University of Art & Design in Budapest, her regard for timeless pieces with salient comfort have made her into the creative she is today. Mihalyffy’s artforms are currently based at the newly launched Raine Studio on Gillespie Avenue for the public to touch, feel and fall in love with (appointments are recommended).
The Essentials Collection reaps effortless style in the form of basic apparel and accessories to complete a full wardrobe—practical and cozy to be worn from day to night (including bedtime). The pieces in this line are actually made with all organic cashmere yarn, sourced from Inner Mongolia farms from Kashmir goats raised with organic grazing standards. The fine natural fiber is produced without chemicals and dyed only with non-toxic, natural dyes. The handmade Couture Collection is made right in her local studio directly on a knitting machine, and displayed as ready-to-wear luxury wares. Sophisticated yet eternally comfortable to wear, “this line represents my freedom as a designer,” she expresses. Customers can purchase the classic, one-of-a-kind pieces as is, or have Mihalyffy personalize/customize to your liking.
“My designs are guided by simplicity,” she says. “I’m focusing and taking advantage of the diverse nature of the knitted material which results in free movement of the fabric picking up the body's natural form and transforming by the body's movement—creating a fluid silhouette and very feminine, soft look.”
Photo courtesy of Andrea Mihalyffy website.
Shop the collections online or at Raine Studio, 728 Gillespie Ave., Sarasota, 34236.
Conjuring images of watery adventures and denizens of the deep, the octopus has long carried with it a sense of mystery. Perhaps due to its fascinating appearance, sharp intellect or connotation with seafaring tales, the tentacled creature is known by many only by reputation—not by taste. But much like the valiant mariners of the past, Element has tamed the beast, bringing to shore a slice of the sea for those daring enough to try it.
One of many sharable small plates on the Element menu, the grilled octopus is the breakout star. Nestled atop a mound of frisee greens, chilies and green tomato, the succulent cephalopod is tender and smokey from the grill. A drizzle of shallot vinaigrette adds just the right about of kick to the already flavorful starter. Enjoyed alone or with friends, Element’s grilled octopus is sure to impress.
The Florida Department of Education has reported that the graduation rate for Sarasota County Schools for 2017-18 was 89.8 percent, up 4.1 percent from the previous school year. The district remained above the state graduation rate of 86.1 percent, which increased 3.8 percentage points from the previous year. The rising trend in graduation rates in schools throughout Sarasota County reflects the academic success the school district has achieved over the last year, including improved FSA test results and a four-percentage point increase in its overall district A-grade. The graduation rate is calculated by tracking the number of students who start in a school as ninth graders to the number in the same class who graduate four years later.
Today marks the opening of the Bay Street extension, a joint public-private project between Sarasota County and Palmer Ranch Holdings. This project consisted of constructing a new 1.1-mile, two-lane, east-west corridor from Pine Ranch East Road and Willow Bend Way, to the Honore Avenue roundabout. New medians, bicycle lanes and sidewalks were also constructed, and improvements were made to the Legacy Trails's Osprey Junction trailhead. The new road will provide a link between U.S. 41 and Honore Avenue. The design and construction of the project was managed by Palmer Ranch in coordination with Sarasota County. The construction cost is approximately $5 million, with the costs being reimbursed to Palmer Ranch from road-impact fees collected within that district.
The Education Foundation of Sarasota County has announced they are partnering with DreamLarge, the philanthropic arm of local innovation agency ATLARGE, which will assume production of #SRQHacks, a free, three-day hackathon focused on engaging students in technology, entrepreneurship, design and marketing. Catalyzed three years ago by the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, #SRQHacks is designed to empower local students ages 13-18 through an intense immersion experience in which they work together with community mentors to design solutions that solve community-wide issues. Current DreamLarge initiatives include PINC: People, Ideas, Nature and Creativity; All Faiths Food Bank, allowing their mission to speak for themself with the rollout of its rebranding; and #LightsOutSRQ, helping shine a light on climate action within our community. The transition of #SRQHacks to DreamLarge will take place in 2019 when the event moves from January to the fall.
Music Compound has welcome seven new teachers to its rosters, and now employs 31 individuals. Music Compound has hired new teachers to accommodate growth at new downtown location and original Cattlemen Studio. With the opening of the downtown location at the Bazaar on Apricot and Lime, there is an opportunity for residents, working professionals and school-aged youth to take lessons. Music Compound is looking to provide an opportunity for adults to pursue their musical dreams, and to make themselves a priority, for at least 30 minutes a week. Special pricing for individuals that take lessons from 11am to 2pm.
David Meyers, of leading luxury Gulf Coast brokerage Michael Saunders & Company, was recently awarded his broker’s license by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC), a seven-member organization appointed by the Governor and tasked with regulating real estate licensees. Meyers completed the post-licensing educational requirements along with passing an FREC-approved course for brokers, consisting of 72 classroom hours and covering a range of topics, including state regulations, industry ethics and broker management. David Meyers is based out of the Michael Saunders & Company Lakewood Ranch office.
Join SRQ Media January 24 at 11am for the next installment of the 2018-2019 SB2 Luncheon Symposia series, SB2 | Economic Forecast and Localpreneur of the Year Awards. Local experts will explore the economy for the Sarasota and Bradenton region through the lens of tourism and hospitality, small business and economic development and real estate and financial trends. The luncheon will culminate with the presentation of the SRQ Localpreneur of the Year Awards, finalists and winners will be recognized as area trailblazers whose initiative and business savvy are helping our region grow. Tickets $55/person. Ticket sales close Friday, January 18, 2019. Visit SRQSB2.com for additional details.
A solo exhibition presenting recent video projects by internationally acclaimed writer and interdisciplinary artist Coco Fusco. Works explore the current political and social climate in Cuba as the Revolution enters its twilight years. Fusco will be premiering her lasted video project currently in production. This newest project, made possible by her 2016 Greenfield commission at the Hermitage Artist Retreat, is a short video-essay on contemporary Cuba that reflects on the anxieties emerging as the country faces an uncertain future. Fusco will also be unveiling a new sculpture on The Ringling’s grounds.
The Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota.
Two exhibits open up in the four galleries, including an all-media juried show featuring artists from all around the region. Women's Contemporary Artists is a group of women artists from Florida's Gulf Coast. Opening reception on December 5.
ArtCenter Manatee, 209 9th St. W, Bradenton.
Nominations are now open for SRQ Magazine’s 6th Annual Women in Business Competition, recognizing extraordinary women who have made meaningful contributions to the Sarasota and Bradenton communities through their business, non-profit and philanthropic endeavors. Know someone who deserves to be recognized? Nominate them today! Once nominated, individuals will be invited to submit a formal application which will be juried by a panel of outside judges.
Nominations are open through Friday, January 25, 2019; midnight.
Art Center Instructors exhibition will feature the talented local and visiting Art Center Sarasota instructors. A second gallery will offer Stephen McMennamy, an Atlanta-based artist, his first solo exhibition featuring his time-based video collages. Artist Peter Gatzambide will exhibit a recent series of assemblage paintings and works on paper in his first solo exhibition at Art Center Sarasota.
Art Center Sarasota, 707 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota.
The winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, this American institution with its one-of-a-kind score features fast-talking salesman Harold Hill, who brings trouble to River City, Iowa when he cons the townspeople into buying instruments for an imaginary band—but his plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when his heart is stolen by the town librarian. Tony Awarded-nominated Jeff Calhoun directs.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota.
After several years of requests from theater patrons, Sheldon Rhoden will reprise the role of Marvin Gaye. This original show begins in the 1950s at the start of Gaye's career with Motown and follows its twists and turns until his untimely death in the mid-1980s.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 North Orange Ave., Sarasota.
For the 15th year, and with an expanded 15-night schedule, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens will light up the holiday season with Lights in Bloom! More than one million lights will illuminate the Gardens and walkways. The tropical holiday paradise will also include nightly live entertainment, games, crafts, and grilled foods from Michael’s on East. Celebrate the holiday season at Lights in Bloom! Event dates are December 20–23, 26–30, and January 1–6.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 900 South Palm Ave., Sarasota
The 15th Anniversary Perlman Music Program Sarasota Winter Residency takes over USF Sarasota- Manatee beginning December 20, culminating with the Celebration Concert at the Sarasota Opera House on January 5. 20+ free events will be held in the Performance Tent, including orchestra and chorus rehearsals, master classes, and works-in-progress recitals. Super Strings, December 29, features Florida students performing side-by-side with PMP students under the baton of Itzhak Perlman. Complete schedule and tickets available online at PMPSuncoast.org.
USF Sarasota-Manatee, 8350 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
This black tie event features a private journey through tropical holiday light displays, passed hors d’oeuvres, a seated four-course dinner, live entertainment and dancing, culminating with a champagne toast overlooking the fireworks on Sarasota Bay.
The most anticipated party of the year is right around the corner....NEW YEARS EVE!
Full Moon Promotions is bringing back THE Sarasota New Years Eve Party to the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium to ring in 2019. This will be THE Biggest & Best Ticketed New Years Party in the area! Tickets are all inclusive; open full bar, bottomless champagne, catered apps, live & DJ entertainment, and a huge dance floor and light show. Ring in the new year right at Sarasota Illumination!
Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
The Magic of Ma’Ceo... described by the ocala star banner as an- “Equine Cirque du Soleil”! This theatrical European style, equestrian themed, cirque show tells a beautiful seamless story with a contemporary blend of Acrobatics, Aerial, Dance, and Equestrian Arts woven to the acoustic beats of rich Spanish guitar. This renowned show has toured the nation this past decade, recently performing in Honolulu, Hawaii, Alaska, and Las Vegas. For the first time ever, Cirque Ma’Ceo will be performing in front of their hometown crowd,Sarasota Florida! To make this occasion even more special, we will be offering a VIP ticket to purchase a Benefit Dinner with the rare opportunity to eat, drink, and personally get to know the cast of Cirque Ma’Ceo right under the Big Top! A large portion of the ticket proceeds will be directly donated to Big Cat Habitat and the animals who have filled our lives with joy.
Big Cat Habitat, 7101 Palmer Blvd, Sarasota
The culmination and highlight of the 17-day Perlman Music Program Sarasota Winter Residency, the 15th Annual Celebration Concert at the Sarasota Opera House features the most gifted, young musical talents of our time. The PMP Chorus is led by Patrick Romano, Chorus Master and the PMP String Orchestra performs under the baton of Itzhak Perlman.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota
This rollicking, music-filled farce, which premiered in 1879, includes home-town references to our own Pittsburg Pirates. At eight years of age, Frederic was apprenticed to a group of fun-loving, soft-hearted pirates. Now 21, he decides to leave the pirates to lead “a blameless life.” He makes it his goal to eradicate these pirates. Fun and mayhem follow.
Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W, Bradenton
In the black of night, a Salem village reverend discovers a group of teenage girls dancing devilishly around a fire in the woods. When his daughter exhibits strange catatonic symptoms the following morning, the townsfolk are frenzied with rumors of witchcraft. Deep-seated jealousy, deadly accusations, and seething resentments pit neighbor against neighbor as a deeply religious community is thrown into turmoil, in this Arthur Miller classic.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota.
“Who Stole the Mona Lisa?” is a whimsical and imaginative animated film that offers a delightful, multimedia, classical music performance presented in synchrony with a live performance of Igor Stravinsky’s Suite from “The Firebird.” Live and visual pairings of “Babar the Elephant” and “Pictures at an Exhibition” complete the program. Alexandre Moutouzkine mans the piano while Edward Alley narrates.
Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota
Artists are local, national and international, and Art Center Manatee is one of only five venues in the country to host the exhibit. Admission is $5. In a neighboring gallery, and on display for the same period of time, the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society will also be showing work from its member-artists.
ArtCenter Manatee, 209 9th St. W, Bradenton.
“Welcome to the 60s” where Tracey Turnblad, a pleasantly plump teenager dreams of fame and fights to racially integrate the Corny Collins Show. This winner of eight Tony Awards (including “Best Musical”) is based on the John Waters film and proves that “You Can’t Stop The Beat.”
The Players Theatre, 838 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
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