SRQ DAILY Apr 10, 2023
Monday Business Edition
"This program allows my office to build a pipeline of new talent into our organization,"
A program of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce helped ease the cost of internships at local companies. Meanwhile, collective efforts to train and improve skillsets helped residents in the region collectively boost their income by millions.
In total, CareerEdge Funders Collaborative helped residents of the greater Sarasota region boost their annual earnings by $3 million in 2022. That’s according to a comprehensive annual report by Elevate Data on the workforce development program’s impact on the local economy.
The annual evaluation looked at the investments and returns for CareerEdge, a program launched in 2010 that focuses on helping improve the workforce and give individuals the skills needed for career advancement.
About $1.16 million was invested in the program in 2022, helping provide training to 501 employees in the region and certifications for 689. The effort provides on-the-job training and reimbursements for paid internships, as well as a Bridge to Careers fast-tracking program and upskilling efforts that have led directly toward increases in wages.
That resulted in some immediate benefits for hundreds of employees. The evaluation found 168 workers involved in the program land promotions this year, and a total of 230 received raises.
The report includes testimony both from workers and employers involved in the CareerEdge programming.
“Mentors provided me with support and encouragement throughout the internship,” reads a comment from a participant. “They were knowledgeable and patient. They presented me with challenges and assisted me with any issues I may have had. Extremely kind staff that genuinely cares about helping me succeed.”
The internship program through CareerEdge provides up to $1,500 to companies to supplement the cost of taking on interns, and will provide that to a business for up to two interns each year. More than half of the 21 internships tied to the program last year were in the manufacturing industry, and 10 of those individuals ended up landing jobs with employers.
During internships, the interns made between $13 and $22 an hour. The average cost employers paid jumped 23% last year from prior years, up to $16.17 an hour.
All of the interns in the program praised the effort.
“Before the internship I had no idea how a real job would look. It is a much faster pace and now I know what to expect,” one intern told evaluators.
Employers also voices satisfaction from participating. “This program allows my office to build a pipeline of new talent into our organization,” one executive said. “It also helps us pay it forward with students who otherwise might not get the opportunity to see how the business world operates.” 
Graphic courtesy Elevate Data.
Luxury real estate agent Evan Danzig has expanded his business from New York City to Florida’s West Coast by partnering with the prestigious firm of Michael Saunders & Company, based in Sarasota. “As a top producing real estate agent for the last twelve years, I’ve enjoyed a successful career catering to Manhattan’s sophisticated clientele,” he commented. “It made perfect sense to expand to Florida. Tampa is booming and was recently named by TIME INC as one of the top places to see in the world for 2023. I predict continued growth on the West Coast of Florida.”
Evan has successfully completed over $500 million in residential real estate transactions ranging anywhere from one-bedroom condominiums to luxury Penthouses & Townhomes. His client base is diverse: “I have worked with everyone from the post-college graduate student looking to secure their first rental apartment to many famous celebrities and CEO’s. All of my clients get the same level of concierge style service from me, regardless of price points. After living and working in the busy city for so long, many of these individuals are looking for a certain level of anonymity and privacy. They want a place where they can relax. That made it easy for me to pinpoint Sarasota and the West Coast of Florida as the perfect place for the first phase of my business expansion – and it certainly doesn’t hurt to get to spend much of my time in one of the most beautiful places in the country.”
He said he was thrilled when the leading luxury real estate company on Florida’s West Coast recruited him to join their firm. “The Michael Saunders & Company team is a perfect fit for both personal and professional reasons. They are the top independent real estate firm in the region and I’m looking forward to continuing to provide concierge-style personalized attention to current & future clients as I serve as their residential luxury relocation expert.” Evan is a Sarasota native with familial roots dating back several generations. “My grandfather came to Sarasota in 1950 and founded Kanes of Sarasota (later Kalin’s Furniture). However, he was also heavily involved in & extremely passionate about commercial real estate for the last 70 years. I look forward to continuing his legacy in Sarasota.”
Simon Bacon is the Executive Director of Developer Services at Michael Saunders & Company. “Having known Evan professionally during his time in New York, I’ve witnessed firsthand the level of professionalism and service he delivers to his clients. I look forward to seeing his business grow and hope to collaborate with him in the future. He’s definitely someone to keep an eye on.”
April ushers in more highly anticipated business openings in Downtown Wellen, including The Banyan House, the flagship lakeside restaurant, and the first retail store, Naples Soap Company. Also coming in April are Kind Vibes Outfitters, Bright Ice Scoop Shop, Dr. Jeffrey Seymour Smiles Orthodontics and Capstan Financial Consulting Group. Located in Wellen Park, one of the fastest-selling residential communities in the U.S., Downtown Wellen is the region’s vibrant new must-visit destination, presenting unique opportunities for socializing, outdoor fun and a waterfront vibe within an inspiring setting of green spaces and lawns, gathering areas and wide-open water views across 80-acre Grand Lake. The Banyan House, offering upscale modern American cuisine along the lake, opens April 24. The restaurant features a large bar and lounge and dedicates 2,000 square feet to alfresco dining with prime lake and sunset views. It’s also the exclusive caterer for Solis Hall, downtown’s elegant rental event venue for private parties, milestone celebrations and black-tie soirees. Kind Vibes Outfitters opened its doors April 1 as Wellen Park’s one-stop-shop for renting kayaks, paddle boards, bicycles and e-bikes. Bright Ice Scoop Shop introduces Wellen Park to small-batch super-premium ice cream and gourmet flavors with the April 22 opening of its first ice cream parlor south of St. Petersburg. Naples Soap Company, specializing in natural and organic skincare products, brings shoppers a close-to-home location opening April 17 for the beloved women-owned brand, started in Southwest Florida. Professional and medical offices opening in April include Capstan Financial Consulting Group, a firm providing wealth management, investment, estate and retirement planning opened its doors April 3, and family orthodontist Dr. Jeffrey Seymour, who will welcome his first patients April 19. These businesses join Villani & Co. Steak Seafood Raw Bar, Florida Lakes Spa and Florida Lakes Vein Center, which debuted in March. Downtown Wellen’s pedestrian-friendly outdoor areas are fully open, including The Yard, a casual dining and entertainment center featuring gourmet ballpark fare from Atlanta Braves-affiliated Pop Dawgs and New England-style seafood at Claw & Co. served from retrofitted shipping containers. Rolling openings in the fully leased first phase of Downtown Wellen continue through summer with Oak & Stone Artisan Pizza Craft Beer, Foxtail Coffee Co., DanaTyler jewelry and fashion boutique, Breakwater Home Fashions, Paint Nail Bar, RWA Engineering, Agility Physical Therapy and Acqua Pazza making their debuts in coming months. For a complete list of openings and businesses, visit wellenpark.com/shop-dine. Patrons are encouraged to call businesses in advance to confirm operating hours.
Pictured: The Banyan House, offering upscale modern American cuisine along the lake, opens April 24. Photo courtesy of Wellen Park.
Florida-based senior living management company AgeWell Solvere Living, announced today the grand opening of their newest community, 81 Oaks. The public is invited to attend the celebration on Thursday, April 20 th from 4:30 – 7:00 pm at 7850 Hawkins Road, Sarasota County, 34241. Prior to the start of the event, dignitaries from the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce will commence with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 4:00 pm. Commissioner Chair Ron Cutsinger, District 5, will be in attendance during the grand opening. Come enjoy hors d'oeuvres, live entertainment, and tours of this spectacular new senior living community. Sarasota-based N21 Group is the developer and Lawson Group Architects is the architect on this luxurious new senior community. Wiseman construction is the general contractor of 81 Oaks, which will have a movie theatre, spa and fitness center with exercise and therapeutic equipment. Other amenities will include a bistro, a club room, a bar as well as multi-functional community rooms to host events and classes. Outdoor amenities include a terrace with gazebo designed for dining and entertainment and multiple walking trails throughout the campus as well as in secure internal courtyards. AgeWell Solvere Living’s Salus wellness philosophy will offer residents programs that encompass the four essential components of wellness: intellectual, social, physical, and emotional. Valeo™, the wellness philosophy for memory care residents, is tailored around residents’ legacies and relies on industry-leading training programs. Both philosophies are core parts of the lifestyle one will come to expect at 81 Oaks Senior Living.
JMX Brands, the leading retailer of Amish furniture at www.dutchcrafters.com recognized Showroom Furniture Specialist Lori Voelkel with the Top Showroom Sales award presented at the annual awards ceremony. This annual celebration honors employees who demonstrate outstanding performance. 2023 marks the first year for the Top Showroom Sales award. Originally from central Florida, Voelkel says she “grew up playing in Disney World while it was being built.” She has served on the company’s Events Committee for one year, and says she loves “everyone I work with here.” Working in the Sarasota DutchCrafters Showroom, she most enjoys “making the customer happy by connecting them with their heirloom furniture.” Kari Jo Koshes, JMX Brands director of stores and fulfillment, presented the award, sharing some of the impressive numbers achieved. “The showroom teams have so much to be proud of this year, and I am grateful for all their contributions,” Koshes said. “The showrooms’ combined in-store revenues exceeded 2021 totals by $780k, and showroom-assisted revenues increased by 40% year over year.” Lori Voelkel’s efforts generated an impressive $647k for in-store sales and an additional $75k in assisted sales, 29.6% of all Sarasota showroom revenues! With just over one year at JMX Brands, Lori has been successful in her role, going above and beyond. Congratulations, Lori!
Construction will begin in May on US 41 immediately east of the State College of Florida campus entrance to River Road as part of an improvement project led by the Florida Department of Transportation, the West Villages Improvement District and Wellen Park, LLLP. The planned improvements will reduce traffic speeds and enhance safety in a rapidly growing residential and commercial area along US 41. Extensive planning has been done to ensure there will be minimal traffic impacts. Work will begin in the southbound lanes first to coordinate with Phase One construction occurring between Preto Boulevard and West Villages Parkway. During the construction process, extensive landscaping and sidewalks will be added along the roadway, a roundabout will be created at Mezzo Drive (opposite Brimstone Hill Boulevard) and turn lanes will be created at Mezzo Drive (opposite Tortuga Cay Drive) and Pinot Drive. Digital display signage will be visible along US 41 to notify drivers of the construction and changes to traffic patterns. The speed limit will be reduced to 45 miles per hour in the work zone, in accordance with Florida Department of Transportation regulations. Construction will take place Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with occasional evening or night hours as needed. Once construction is completed in 2024, the speed limit will be 45 miles per hour to maximize pedestrian and cyclist safety to residents crossing US 41. Reduced speed will also help mitigate noise impacts associated with traffic. The planned improvements are being funded by Wellen Park, LLLP and there is no fee or cost impact to homeowners via the West Villages Improvement District annual assessments for the initial planning, design, permitting and construction of the planned improvements. The new landscaping along US 41 will be regularly maintained by the West Villages Improvement District at the same level of service it maintains in front of IslandWalk and Gran Paradiso. Wellen Park residents and the public are invited to attend a public information open house, 6-8 p.m., April 25, 2023, at the Wellen Park Welcome Center, 12275 Mercado Drive, Venice, to learn more about the planned US 41 improvements. RSVPs are strongly encouraged at westvillagesid.org. Meeting details, project updates and more information are also available online.
SHE ENGINEERS is a bilingual (English and Spanish) poster exhibition highlighting eight women in various engineering fields. In their own words, the women share their passion and what inspired them to become engineers. If we support a woman in STEM, then she can change the world.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ 2023 Jean and Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature showcases the creativity and innovation of American artist and designer Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933). The first exhibition of its type to be presented in a botanical garden, the exhibition highlights the inspiring connection between Tiffany Studios and the natural world through unique horticultural displays in the Tropical Conservatory and the Gardens, accompanied by seminal examples of Tiffany’s work on view in the Museum of Botany and the Arts. To learn more, visit selby.org. Selby Gardens Downtown Sarasota campus, 1534 Mound St., Sarasota.
Florida Studio Theatre presents the original music revue, Reel Music, celebrating the movies that helped create the soundtrack to the last century. Featuring classics like “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Circle of Life,” and “My Heart Will Go On,” this new Cabaret traces how films—and the music highlighted in them—have evolved over the past one hundred years. Created by Richard Hopkins, Rebecca Hopkins, and Sarah Durham with musical arrangements by Jim Prosser, Reel Music begins playing February 15, 2023, in FST’s Court Cabaret. Single tickets for Reel Music
range between $18-39 and are now on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or at 941.366.9000.
Compass Rose History Experiences announces the launch of Resilience: A Guided Walking Tour Experience. Guides Mimi Cirbusova and Andrea Knies will navigate attendees on a journey back in time down Main Street as we explore the resilience of the Sarasota community during the Great Depression and World War II. Locals and visitors alike will find inspiration from the stories of the people and places of Sarasota's past. Tours meet at Five Points Park in Downtown Sarasota and cover a distance of less than one mile over the 75-90 minute tour. All tours begin at 3:30 pm. Tickets cost $20.00 and must be purchased in advance. Guests purchasing both tours can receive a $10 discount by selecting the ticket package. Visit CompassRoseHistory.com to purchase your tickets or to learn more about Compass Rose History Experiences.
This monthly gathering of car enthusiasts brings together automobile lovers from every walk of life, not to mention a wide array of spectacular cars. Bring your own vehicle (all makes and models are welcome) to show off, or check out the hundreds of cars on display. Each month, the event sponsors a different charity, and attendees are encouraged to donate $10 to benefit the charity. The event, occuring on the second Sunday of each month, will feature live music, complimentary coffee and more. To learn more, visit facebook.com/carsandcoffee941. Sarasota Cars and Coffee, The West District at University Town Center near Ford’s Garage, 295 N. Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota.
The Jazz Club of Sarasota presents an evening of jazz, dinner and drinks. The Danny Sinoff Trio will perform. John C. Court Cabaret at Florida Studio Theatre, 1265 1st St., Sarasota, jazzclubsarasota.org.
Reclaiming Home, Contemporary Seminole Art group exhibition will mark The Ringling’s first presentation of contemporary art by Native American artists with ancestral, historical, and present-day connections to Florida. An imperative step toward establishing a meaningful relationship with the Native American artistic community, Reclaiming Home will highlight the breadth and depth of the artwork by Seminole, Miccosukee, and mixed-heritage artists from Florida with the important work by internationally-recognized artists. The exhibition will expand the conceptual framework of Native American art made in Florida today and provide a fuller understanding of the complexities of issues within the art of the Seminole diaspora. Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, ringling.org.
The Sarasota Concert Association announces its 2023 Music Matinees concert series. These four free noon-time concerts showcase exceptional regional musicians performing a variety of musical styles, including classical and folk music. Scheduled this season: Passerine; Wednesday, January 4 at noon. With inventive vocal harmonies and song-writing skills, supported by the sounds of acoustic strings, Passerine offers a fresh take on traditional folk and bluegrass music, as well as a repertoire of original songs that range from ballads to contemporary Americana. Duo Pianists Michael Baron and Priscila Navarro; Wednesday, February 22 at noon; The Baron-Navarro Piano Duo performs a wide range of music, from classical to popular, for two pianos and piano four–hands with electric energy and melting lyricism. Their New York City debut as a piano duo at Carnegie Hall in March of 2022 was sold out and met with critical acclaim. Soprano Hein Jung and pianist Gregorios Zamparas; Friday, March 17 at noon Soprano Hein Jung has performed in recitals and with opera companies in major cities throughout the U.S, Italy and South Korea. She will be accompanied by pianist Gregorios Zamparas who has been praised for his versatility as a recitalist, orchestra soloist and chamber musician throughout the U.S. and Europe. Cellist Natalie Helm and Pianist Jesse Martins; Wednesday, April 19 at noon Principal Cellist of the Sarasota Orchestra, Natalie Helm is a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician, and educator. For this performance she will collaborate with pianist Jesse Martins, who also serves as conductor and vocal coach with the Sarasota Opera. The concerts are free but pre-registration is required and available 30 days before each concert at SCAsarasota.org. Performances take place at David Cohen Hall in the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N. Tamiami Trail. Visit www.SCAsarasota.org or call the box office at 941-966-6161.
This walking tour led by volunteer guides will introduce you to interesting botanical specimens on the estate while providing a historic overview of the development of the estate. The Ringling Arboretum has been accredited at Level II through ArbNet and there are over 2350 trees within the arboretum representing native, exotic, historical, and culturally significant trees. Garden Tours are available Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays and take place entirely outdoors. It is 90 minutes in length and covers approximately 1 mile. We encourage visitors to bring bottled water, and wear appropriate footwear, preferably closed-toe, sunblock, and hats. There will be a maximum of 10 participants per tour. Tours are subject to weather conditions. Please check it at the Visitors Pavilion prior to your tour. Tickets will be available 30 days prior to each tour.
The hilarious new play CHICKEN & BISCUITS introduces us to the Jenkins family, as they gather to celebrate the life of their beloved and recently deceased father and grandfather, the Revered Bernard Jenkins. When an unexpected guest reveals a secret, they all discover that nothing brings a family together like a big side of drama. This side-splitting new Broadway comedy explores the tenderness of family, the joy of reconciliation, and the nourishing power of love. Written by Broadway newcomer Douglas Lyons and directed by the talented Bianca LaVerne Jones, who was associate director of the 2021 Broadway production, CHICKEN & BISCUITS proves that while family may drive us crazy, we’re lucky to have each other.
Asolo Repertory Theatre
Take a trip back to 1973 with the Irish Catholic OShea family in the uproarious INCIDENT AT OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP. This boisterous and moving new memory play introduces us to young Linda, as she recalls a week she’ll never forget. When Linda’s mother instructs her to tell her sister about the birds and the bees, things quickly snowball into a potential crisis after the conversation is overheard by the parish priest. Secrets are unintentionally revealed, and a quick-witted group of women realize what really matters as they work to protect their family reputation and each other. This wild and tender comedy directed by Asolo Rep Associate Artistic Director Celine Rosenthal explores the foolishness of first love, the pains of Catholic guilt, and ultimately, the power of family.
Asolo Repertory Theatre
A Place in the Sun – A Tribute to Stevie Wonder, will begin playing in FST’s Goldstein Cabaret on November 16, 2022. The new music revue celebrates the legendary musician whose catalogue spans six decades and multiple musical genres, taking audiences through the beloved songbook of musical pioneer, Stevie Wonder. Created by Jason Cannon, Richard Hopkins, and Sarah Durham, this all-new Cabaret features such timeless hits as “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” “Isn’t She Lovely?,” and “Superstition.” Tickets are now on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or at 941.366.9000.
Enjoy a night of fun at Waterside Place during Ranch Nite Wednesdays. The event features food trucks, live music, a night market, a vintage mobile bar and cornhole. Visit lakewoodranch.com to learn more. Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Sarasota.
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