A special meeting was called in Sarasota for the Republican Party of Florida to take a stance on who should lead Republicans nationally. But not enough people showed up to even take a vote.

Critics of current Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel petitioned Joe Gruters, state chair for the RPOF and a Sarasota state Senator. A letter, penned by Lake County GOP Chair Anthony Sabatini, had enough signatures to force a meeting, and Gruters scheduled in his own hometown at the Sarasota Fairgrounds. But when a roll call was taken, just 71 of the 256 members of the state Republican Executive Committee made the trip. Indeed, a roll call showed no voting members from even neighboring DeSoto County could make the trip to Sarasota.

“I feel really bad for the people who traveled across the state to show up for four minutes,” Gruters said. “People wasted their time and money, and it’s just unfortunate.”

At the same time, Gruters remains undeterred in his own support for re-election McDaniel. As state chair, he is one of just three people in Florida who actually have a vote in that Jan. 27 election. Notably, Bradenton Republican Kathleen King, Florida’s national committeewoman, also has a vote and also intends to back McDaniel. Peter Feaman, a South Florida Republican and national committeeman, is supporting California attorney Harmeet Dhillon for RNC chair instead.

While the special meeting failed to attract a quorum, critics of McDaniel did stage a rally opposing the RNC chair, and it attracted more than 200 people, most of who are not members of the RNC. That event was hosted by The Hollow 2A, a Venice-based group with ties to former White House National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.

“We’re tired of a weak Republican Party,” said Collier County State Committeeman Alfie Oakes, one of the headliners speaking at the rally.

Gruters, whose term as RPOF Chair ends next month, is also running for RNC Treasurer, and hopes to work with McDaniel in that role. Many attendees at the rally directed their ire directly at Gruters. Some carried signs asking him by name to rescind his support from McDaniel. Sally Nista, a local Republican activist openly affiliated with the Proud Boys, could be spotted waiving a sign supporting K.C. Crosbie, Gruters’ opponent in the race for RNC treasurer.

TaylorMade Golf Company has made a material investment in PopStroke, a cutting-edge putting and casual dining concept that merges a technologically advanced competitive golf environment with food and beverage. With the newly announced partnership, TaylorMade joins an ownership team that includes PopStroke Entertainment Group and Tiger Woods. Founded by former Wall Street Executive Greg Bartoli, in just four short years PopStroke has become the leading putting entertainment experience in golf. With five locations in Florida, one in Houston, Texas, and two venues under construction in Arizona, the company has an aggressive growth strategy that will bring this immersive putting experience to golfers around the country – and eventually the globe. PopStroke aims to introduce a wider audience to the game in a more dynamic, affordable and less intimidating way. The goal is to foster indelible experiences for guests of all ages, skill levels and backgrounds by bringing friends and families together to enjoy the game of golf. Each PopStroke venue will be outfitted with special edition TaylorMade golf balls for patrons to use on the putting course and take home as a keepsake. In addition, premium TaylorMade rental putters will be available to further elevate the golfing experience. Beyond the upscale putting courses, PopStroke offers experiential dining with a full-service restaurant, multiple sports bars, private event spaces, a playground for kids, various gaming experiences and more. With the investment in PopStroke, TaylorMade's CEO David Abeles will now join the Board of Directors, which also includes PopStroke CEO Greg Bartoli, TGR Ventures CFO Christopher Hubman and Chairman of NBC Sports Group Pete Bevacqua.

"I am extremely excited to partner with TaylorMade as we continue PopStroke's rapid expansion," said Tiger Woods. "TaylorMade has been a great and trusted partner of mine for many years, and I couldn't be happier to expand my partnership with David and his team. I have spent my entire career growing the game of golf, and I know that TaylorMade will enhance the guest experience at PopStroke as we continue to introduce millions of guests to the game that I love." 

Williams Parker, the longest-standing law firm in the Sarasota-Manatee area, is adding a deeply experienced new partner to its roster of attorneys. With over half a century at the bar, Florida native Barry Spivey was one of the initial class of board certified attorneys in wills, trusts, and estates in 1986. Executive editor of the Stetson Law Review in law school, Spivey has practiced law in Sarasota since 1972. His practice has evolved from focusing exclusively on estate planning and administration to predominately focusing on estate and trust litigation. He is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and serves on its Fiduciary Litigation Committee. His litigation practice includes representation of personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries in will and trust contests, fiduciary surcharge and removal proceedings, guardianship litigation, the modification and termination of irrevocable trusts, and appellate proceedings, among others. A former director of the Sarasota County Bar Association and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Spivey has served on and chaired numerous Florida Bar committees and has received many honors, including the William S. Belcher Lifetime Professionalism Award. Spivey received his high school, university, and law school education in Florida and served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam. He is married to Tami Foley Conetta, has a son and stepdaughter, and enjoys reading and cycling. 

 Del Webb Oak Creek is hosting a grand opening Saturday, Jan. 28, celebrating the introduction of five new professionally-designed model homes, a new on-site design center, and inspiring sales center. The New Year, New Home Hunt grand opening event, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., includes model tours, free food truck fare, and giveaways. Grand opening guests can also preview the North Fort Myers community’s planned amenities. Advance registration is encouraged and available online through the “Join Interest List” link at www.DelWebbOakCreek.com. Del Webb Oak Creek offers 900+ new-construction, well-appointed, single-family homes overlooking lakes and preserves. Drawing inspiration from its surrounding tropical destination, the community is located off Bayshore Road and imparts a casual coastal ambience with welcoming entry monumentation, and palm trees and lush landscaping greeting future residents along the winding entry drive. Reflecting the preferences and passions of today’s homebuyers, the community boasts 12 open-concept floor plans, blending gathering rooms, spacious kitchens, and casual dining areas, with inviting outdoor living spaces. Options and features in each home give individual homebuyers the flexibility to personalize their new home, whether downsizing or upsizing. Del Webb Oak Creek’s three home collections offer 1,405 to just over 3,000 square feet of living space with two- to four-bedrooms, two- to four-and-a-half bathrooms and two- and three-car garages. Homes feature a variety of exterior elevations and color schemes.Future residents of Del Webb Oak Creek will enjoy a vibrant resort-style lifestyle with six acres of private amenities nestled along the centerpiece 38-acre lake. The grand 17,000-square-foot clubhouse will offer a state-of-the-art fitness studio with strength-training and cardio equipment and a separate movement studio for exercise classes. The building’s large social hall with a demo kitchen will accommodate both large and small gatherings. A full calendar of social activities is available coordinated by a full-time, onsite lifestyle director. The clubhouse will also offer a café, lounge, and an outdoor social veranda overlooking the resort-style pool and the lake beyond. The separate Oak House Bar & Grill will feature a full-service bar and food menu, with poolside dining and open-air tiki seating. 

To learn more click here.

JUST Capital, along with media partner CNBC, today released the 2023 Rankings of America’s Most JUST Companies, including the marquee JUST 100. The rankings are the only comprehensive evaluation of how the nation’s largest corporations perform on the issues that matter most to Americans today, including creating jobs in the U.S., paying a fair living wage, acting with integrity at the leadership level, supporting workforce retention and training, protecting worker health and safety, providing benefits and work-life balance, protecting customer privacy, minimizing pollution and more. Fifth Third Bank ranked in the Top 25 of the marquee JUST 100 list earning placement at #23. The Bank was ranked fifth among all banks. Inclusion in the JUST 100 is a recognition of the Bank’s commitment to its employees, customers, communities, planet and shareholders. For the annual Rankings, JUST Capital collects and analyzes corporate data to evaluate the 1,000 largest public U.S. companies across 20 Issues identified through comprehensive, ongoing public opinion research on Americans’ attitudes toward responsible corporate behavior. JUST Capital has engaged more than 160,000 participants, on a fully representative basis, since 2015. Compared to their Russell 1000 peers, companies in the JUST 100 on average: Created 12,318 more jobs in the U.S. from 2017 to 2021; Pay 72% of workers a family sustaining living wage (8.6 percentage points more than peers); Provide 9 more hours of career development training per employee;  Offer 2 more weeks of paid parental leave for primary caregivers and 1 more week of paid leave for secondary caregivers; Offer 2 more days of paid sick leave; Intake 79% less water per revenue dollar; Emitted 42% less metric tons of CO2 per revenue dollar; Had a 4.5% higher profit margin, 2.3% higher return on equity, and paid 5 times more in dividends. CNBC will delve into the data, highlighting company-specific results and showcasing key stakeholder performance stories about this year’s JUST 100 leaders across the network’s broadcast and digital platforms at cnbc.com/just100. A comprehensive interactive ranking and benchmarking platform is available at justcapital.com/rankings. 

Hygeia Spa and Fitness located at 3060 University Parkway, Sarasota. The new 1,250 square-foot boutique is a one-stop health and fitness facility. From cardio and strength training equipment to massages and facials. No membership or hidden fees and clients can enjoy a complimentary consultation and New Year specials. Hygeia Spa and Fitness founded by Marcy Yarborough, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Anthony August, NASM and Global Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Expert. Marcy has been a Licensed Massage Therapist in Florida since 1998 and a certified personal trainer since 2001. In addition, she is nationally certified through National Certification for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. Marcy became interested in massage therapy after receiving treatments due to a sports injury and a car accident. She was amazed by the results and wanted to learn
massage therapy to improve other people's well-being. Marcy feels she can relate to her clients from past injuries and from receiving prenatal massages for nine months of her pregnancy. Marcy specializes in working with spinal injuries, migraines, neck, shoulder, and back pain, sports injuries, arthritis, Fibromyalgia, prenatal, and much more. In 2021, she placed bronze in Best of SRQ local for Best Massage in SRQ Magazine.  Anthony August started his fitness journey in his young 20s with the realization that he needed to change his life. So, he began pursuing a healthier lifestyle and found an incredible passion for helping others live longer healthier lives. Over the years, he has worked with some of the most
amazing people all over the country. After 20 years in the fitness industry, he finally achieved his goal by opening Hygeia Spa and Fitness. 

PGT Innovations (NYSE: PGTI), a national leader in the premium window, door, and garage door categories, is pleased to announce a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Corning Incorporated to produce next-generation glass technology beginning this year. The two products produced by the collaboration to date are PGT Innovations’ Thin Triple Insulated Glass Unit (Thin Triple IGU) and Diamond Glass, both featuring Corning® Architectural Technical Glass (ATG). Thin Triple IGU uses two outer panes of traditional glass with an internal pane of ultra-thin Corning ATG. Thin Triple IGU aligns with new energy and efficiency values under the Inflation Reduction Act and Energy Star® Version 7 guidelines. Diamond Glass, a laminated ultra-lightweight glass, weighs up to 45% less and is three times more scratch resistant than traditional laminated glass. Diamond Glass technology, set to become the standard glass used within PGT Innovations’ WinDoor product portfolio, can be used for laminated or laminated insulated windows or doors. With the launch of PGT Innovations’ Thin Triple IGU featuring ATG, the company will be the first manufacturer in the U.S. window and door market to offer such a product. Additionally, PGT Innovations will be the exclusive supplier of impact-resistant windows and doors featuring Diamond Glass for use in residential and mixed-use buildings in the U.S. The initial products and technologies resulting from this collaboration will be displayed in the PGT Innovations booth, C2119, at the 2023 NAHB International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, taking place from January 31 to February 2.  

Pictured: WinDoor Pivot Door featuring Diamond Glass. Courtesy of PGTI.

A COLLECTIVE ENGAGEMENT | Michael Alandu on the neglected crises affecting some of the most vulnerable populations in the world. 

A native of Ghana but has spent the past twenty years of his life and career living in the US and working for CARE, an international development and relief organization that has led the way to a better life for millions of vulnerable people living in remote locations around the world. Read more about Michael's journey through the link, on our social medias, or in the January Edition! 

Read Here!