SRQ DAILY Jun 19, 2023
Monday Business Edition
"With a thoughtful eye on our history, I am excited to bring an innovative approach to our future."
After a months-long leadership transition, Erin Silk has taken the leadership reins for the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.
The EDC board formally voted to hire Silk on Thursday. Silk first came on with the EDC in 2019 as director of business development services and rose to the post of chief operations officer in November. She has worked closely with Lisa Krouse, who has served as CEO since 2021.
“It’s been inspiring to work with so many people who have given so much to Sarasota County,” Krouse said. “To be in a position and to work with remarkable people has been such a wonderful experience. We have transformed the organization and Erin will be hitting the ground running.”
Silk promised to continue a focus on economic diversification in the community. The region has continued to make strides in that direction, growing its manufacturing sector. She stressed the bulk of that is clean, desirable manufacturing that’s not dotting the county with smokestacks.
The new CEO has been with the organization through sometimes fractious periods with the county. But she said public-private partnerships remain the key to the organization’s success. And she noted the region remains a desirable one where CEOs often move even before considering relocating businesses or launching new ones.
On that front, Silk said she will continue to build on the legacy of EDC founders before her.
“Our region is undergoing transformation, and we are at a pivotal point when it is more important than ever to focus on workforce retention, foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem, and support diverse job creation while sustaining the environment that makes our County such a special place to live, work and play,” she said. “With a thoughtful eye on our history, I am excited to bring an innovative approach to our future.”
Meanwhile, EDC board leadership expressed confidence.
“The EDC team is strong, our Board of Directors is committed to the success of our organization, we have strong partnerships with all our municipalities, over 100 private investors who believe deeply in our mission, and we thank our County Commissioners who voted for full funding of our 2024 Strategic Plan,” wrote EDC Board Chair Mark Irwin in an email to EDC supporters. 
ESTABLISHED IN 1924, THE OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY is home to more than 800 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The school offers an innovative program focused on educating the whole child in a caring, supportive community. Out-of-Door continually implements new programs and strategies to meet the emerging educational needs of the next generation. Through its evolution, ODA has honored the legacy of its visionary founders who established a school where important lessons would be learned “out-of-door,” or outside the classroom. Central to that vision was a belief that education should integrate hands-on learning experiences, physical activity, and the arts. Two campuses boast space for visual and performing arts opportunities, as well as 12 interscholastic team sports. More than 50 student-run clubs and activities, including cultural, arts, and service organizations are offered. The Out-of-Door Academy remains dedicated to its longstanding commitment to the development of self-confident, well-rounded graduates who become responsible, contributing members of the global society.
School's Mission
The Out-of-Door Academy is an independent, college preparatory school with campuses in Siesta Key and Lakewood Ranch. Students in preschool - grade 12 achieve high academic goals and build character through a balanced program of academics, athletics, and the arts. Using a student-centered educational philosophy, ODA prepares students for college and for life.
LOWER SCHOOL HISTORIC SIESTA KEY CAMPUS444 REID STREET, SARASOTA941-554-3439 | PRE-K – GRADE 5MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL UIHLEIN CAMPUS IN LAKEWOOD RANCH5950 DEER DRIVE, SARASOTA941-554-5950 | GRADES 6-12
The Sarasota Memorial Research Institute and Florida State University College of Medicine held their first joint Interprofessional Research Conference at Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s Sarasota campus in May. The event, along with the groundbreaking of SMH’s new Research & Education Institute later this month, reflects the local health system’s national reputation as a teaching hospital and expanding commitment to clinical research. More than 150 healthcare professionals gathered to learn about innovative research projects and clinical studies led by multi-disciplinary specialists from across the region. The event featured dozens of individual and group poster, panel and podium presentations by physicians, pharmacists, nurses and other clinicians and a keynote address by National Institutes of Health award-winning researcher Irshad Chaudry, PhD. SMH and FSU leaders also presented nine research and innovation awards at the event, which was supported by the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation. The 2023 award recipients are: SMH Distinguished Physician Research & Innovation Award – Beverly Long, MD. SMH Distinguished Nurse Research & Innovation Award – Bridget Drafahl, PhD, C-ONQS, CNS, RN; SMH Research & Innovation Excellence Award – Colleen Lindner, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC; SMH Distinguished Pharmacy Research & Innovation Award – Pamela Lewis, RPh; SMH Pharmacy New Investigator Research Award – Jonathan Summerlin, PharmD; FSU Emergency Medicine Resident Research Award – Emily Wheeler, MD; FSU Emergency Medicine Distinguished Faculty Research Scholar Award – Sagar Galwankar, MBBS, MBA, MPH; FSU Internal Medicine Resident Research Award – Stephanie Williams, MD; FSU Internal Medicine Distinguished Faculty Research Scholar Award – Robert Smith, PhD. Thanks to support from donors and the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board, Sarasota Memorial is slated to break ground on a new, $75 million Research & Education Institute on the SMH-Sarasota campus later this month. Designed to promote collaboration, discovery and innovation in medical education and research, the 5-story facility will house Sarasota Memorial’s clinical research division, nursing and clinical education, and graduate medical education programs, medical library and a new, state-of-the-art simulation center designed for hands-on training.
Pictured: Sarasota Memorial Chief Medical Officer James Fiorica, MD, presents the 2023 Distinguished Physician & Innovation Award to GYN Oncologist Beverly Long, MD. The award recognizes a physician that goes above and beyond the duties of serving as a pr
PGT Innovations (NYSE: PGTI) recently expanded its presence in Texas through its NewSouth Window Solutions brand, which is now selling in five major metro areas in the state: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. The company also broadened its product offerings in all five markets to include garage doors from Martin Door, PGTI's most recently acquired brand, in addition to the wide selection of NewSouth windows and doors. Retail showrooms in Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio are slated to open this month, with another showroom in Austin opening later this year. Customers can explore the possibilities available for their homes now through an in-home consultation with a NewSouth representative. Customers in the Houston area can also request an in-home consultation or visit the retail showroom located at 15120 Northwest Freeway, Suite 140 that has been serving the market since 2020. To request an in-home consultation, visit newsouthwindow.com. NewSouth Window Solutions offers energy-efficient and impact resistant windows, entry doors, and patio doors, among other products, and operates 11 other retail showroom locations across Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Fresh Harvest, Downtown Wellen’s newly launched weekly farmers market, welcomed thousands of visitors during its debut event and following weekends. Fresh Harvest offers a selection of local goods from nearly 40 local vendors. Fresh Harvest takes place every Sunday in Downtown Wellen from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees can peruse nearly 40 different vendor booths and stock up on a variety of goods. Vendors will offer a wide variety of locally grown and produced food, including herbs, spices, cut flowers, teas, canned and preserved fruits and vegetables, syrups, baked goods, pickled foods, fresh seafood, meats, poultry, eggs, milk and prepared food and beverages. A limited selection of craft vendors also participate in the farmers market. For a listing of participating vendors and more information on Fresh Harvest Farmers Market, visit wellenpark.com/events/fresh-harvest-farmers-market. Applications are also available online for interested vendors.
Pictured: Vendors offer a wide variety of locally grown and produced food.
Pulte Homes, one of the nation’s most recognized and trusted brands in homebuilding for 70 years, is offering homebuyers the opportunity to save on several quick move-in homes currently available at Magnolia Ranch in Bradenton. As Magnolia Ranch’s intimate community of 72 single-family homes nears sell-out, homebuyers can find savings of up to $50,000 on remaining new construction homes in the gated community’s final phase. Pulte also offers additional savings to be used toward closing costs as well as rate lock options for homebuyers financing through Pulte’s affiliated lender, Pulte Mortgage. Quick move-in opportunities represent several of the home designs offered at Magnolia Ranch, including the popular Whitestone and Mystique, both of which are featured as decorated models that are open for touring daily. The two-story Whitestone home design offers four-to-five bedrooms with a first-floor owner’s suite, two-and-a-half to four bathrooms, a two-car garage, and nearly 2,900 square feet of living space. The Mystique, offering up to three bedrooms, has two baths, a den, and lanai, with well-appointed finishes including quartz countertops and stainless-steel appliances. It spans nearly 1,900 square feet to over 2,100 square feet and has a two-car garage. Quick move-in opportunities are offered as well for the Highgate, a four-bedroom, two-bath floor plan, and the Cedar, a three-bedroom, two-bath floor plan, with more information available online at www.Pulte.com/MagnoliaRanch. Pulte’s exclusive single-family home designs in Magnolia Ranch offer flexible layouts, stylish kitchens with islands, spacious owner’s suites with walk-in closets and well-appointed baths, and versatile living spaces designed for everyday living and entertaining. Homebuyers can take advantage of the simple and streamlined buying process offered by Pulte, and the convenience of a quick move-in home with professionally designed interiors already in place. Homes in Magnolia Ranch are available from the upper $400,000s. A private, gated community with no CDD, Magnolia Ranch offers convenient proximity to Interstate 75 and S.R. 64 and easy access to local amenities like Publix, Lakewood Ranch Premier Sports Campus, University Town Center, and top-rated schools. Homebuyers can also shop their favorite model home looks through Pulte’s national partnership with MINE. The online interior design service features furniture and accessories showcased in Magnolia Ranch models and in Pulte communities throughout Florida and the country. Most furnishings are available at discounted prices by visiting www.AllMine.com/MagnoliaRanch. For more information about Magnolia Ranch and quick move-in single-family homes, visit www.Pulte.com/MagnoliaRanch or call or text (941) 253-5658 to schedule an appointment. Model homes are open daily.
The EDC of Sarasota County Board of Directors recently voted to appoint Erin Silk, CEcD as the new President & CEO. A group of about 40 community stakeholders and partners convened in the Fall of 2022 to interview Erin for the President & CEO role. Since that time, the Board of Directors has been engaged in a vigorous executive and leadership transition plan for Erin. The transition was well-planned and thoughtful. While Erin is new to this position, she is no stranger to the EDC. Erin joined the organization in April 2019 as the Director of Business Development Services and was promoted to Vice President of Business Development Services in July 2021 and then Chief Operations Officer in November 2022. The EDC team is strong, the Board of Directors is committed to the success of the organization, they have strong partnerships with all our municipalities, over 100 private investors who believe deeply in their mission, and they thank our County Commissioners who voted for full funding of the 2024 Strategic Plan. The future is bright for the EDC and our thriving community!
Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is pleased to announce that Crime Analyst Molly Suplee graduated from the Florida Law Enforcement Analyst Academy on Friday, June 16. The 30 graduates serve crime intelligence analyst roles and represent 19 criminal justice agencies throughout the state.
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.
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.
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.
In December 2022, the innovative artist, activist, writer, and filmmaker John Sims passed away suddenly at his studio in Sarasota. The tragic loss of Sims left a deep impact on the art world. His art, informed by mathematics, design, sacred symbols, and poetic text, boldly confronted white supremacy, the Confederate flag, and the deep disparities and division within our society. The Ringling is honored to have had the opportunity to work closely with Sims, who was their artist in residence in 2020. The exhibition From the Chambers, Honoring John Sims brings those two works together, on view publicly for the first time, in conjunction with John Chamberlain’s sculpture Added Pleasure. The exhibition serves as just one part of the significant legacy the artist leaves behind, in Sarasota and beyond. On view May 6 through August 6, 2023 in the Searing East galleries. Ringling Musuem, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, ringling.org
Break out the big hair and acid-washed denim because Laser Light Nights are back at The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature. Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night from May 25 through September 2, we are rocking out to some of your favorite artists in the Planetarium! A variety of food options and drinks are available for purchase onsite with cash or card. Tickets are $15. The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St W., Bradenton, bishopscience.org.
Enjoy SIN Nights for Geckos Hospitality and Service Industry Colleagues. Join Geckos on Hillview Street in Southside Village and let us serve you late at night after your shift on Friday and Saturday nights. We will keep the light on late for you and offer Geckos food and drink specials just for you from 10-Midnight. Come in wearing your uniform or bring in your schedule and enjoy the camaraderie of friends at Geckos on Hillview. 1900 Hillview Street, Sarasota, www.GeckosGrill.com.
ComCenter Lakewood Ranch hosts local art groups to exhibit in the main lobby area of the building. The exhibits are open to the public to view Monday through Friday between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, and the majority of the art is for sale. The artists are usually treated to a welcome reception by ComCenter as well. The exhibits continually change about every four to six months so there is always something new to see and our ComCenter clients and their clients enjoy the ever-changing exhibits. The next group, The Lake Club of Lakewood Ranch, will be exhibiting for the first time at ComCenter from May 8 through July 31. ComCenter Lakewood Ranch, 9040 Town Center Pkwy, Lakewood Ranch, comcenters.net.
The artists at Art Uptown Gallery will present Small Works Show, showcasing small framed pieces of their original art. Meet the artists at the First Friday public reception on June 2 from 6-9 p.m. All of our award-winning artists are local, full-time residents of Sarasota. The exhibit opens on Saturday, May 27 and runs through Friday, June 30. Art Uptown Gallery welcomes patrons and friends at 1367 Main Street where the diverse work of regional award-winning artists is exhibited. artuptown.com.
The Ringling presents a solo exhibition of works by Lorna Bieber in May that includes two new pieces making their debut in the Keith D. and Linda L. Monda Gallery for Contemporary Art. Her artwork first and foremost encourages us to indulge in the pleasures of looking and discovering anew the details of the visual world. Her artistic practice is grounded in appropriating, recycling, and manipulating imagery. The work reminds us of the image world that inundates our daily existence. Our experience of reality is mediated through a barrage of photographic digital images that supplants our connection to the natural world. Yet, Bieber is less interested in a critique of this condition than she is in offering her work as an antidote, a way to inspire viewers and reconnect with our shared sense of wonder. Included with museum admission. The Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, ringling.org.
There has been a murder in a local hair salon, and it is up to the audience to solve the crime. Everyone is a suspect when the old lady living above Shear Madness salon is mysteriously offed. Join two police officers to piece together the clues behind this strange, scissor-stabbing homicide. Chock full of up-to-the minute spontaneous humor, Shear Madness has slayed the hearts of audiences around the world. Now it is up to Sarasota audiences to outwit the suspects and catch the killer in this interactive comedy whodunit. FST Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.
Sarasota, floridastudiotheatre.org.
The 2023 exhibition season continues with Identity, Exploring the Human Condition, which highlights the diverse talents of artists from across the southeast region of the United States and will be on display in all four gallery spaces. On view from June 1-August 5, the opening reception is Thursday, June 1, 6-8 p.m. The juror is Christy Paris, an art professor and PhD candidate in the College of Education at the University of South Florida. A Juror’s Critique, with Paris, will take place on Tuesday, June 6. Art Center Sarasota is located at 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. For information, visit www.artsarasota.org or call 941-365-2032.
Maverick, Mexican painter Frida Kahlo painted 55 self-portraits in her short and tragic life. View the commemorative exhibit by artist Beck Lane of her work at UUCS Lexow Wing Gallery, her artwork merges extraordinary creative vision and innovative technique and has been collected and shown in pop-up galleries, solo shows, galleries, and private collections in Boston, California, New York City, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Miami, Brussels, Switzerland, South America, and Israel. On her YouTube Channel, Catalyst and Co., Beck records herself painting live, while offering encouragement to fellow artists, and sharing her experiences as an artist and her painting process and techniques. These mixed medium works pulsate with powerful, vibrant energy, fluid color and rare style. On Sunday, July 16, Lane will be painting live from 12-2 pm at the Lexow Gallery. UUCS Lexow Wing Gallery, 3975 Fruitville Rd., www.uucsarasota.com, www.becklaneartist.com.
At the Saltare Mortis In-Studio Series, come take a glimpse into our lives as detectives as we attempt to solve a mystery in a town where crime is next to none. Though detectives in training, we have many tools up our sleeve to help us solve the mystery. But we could use your help. Put your detective skills to the test to help us unmask the criminal. You never know what surprises we will run into along the way. Shows will run in person on June 9 and 10 and July 14 with virtual options on June 19 and July 17. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit sarasotacontemporarydance.org.
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is excited to announce a monthly trivia series this summer at their Bay Preserve headquarters in Osprey on June 9, July 14 and August 11. The free community events will take place from 5pm to 8pm with trivia beginning at 6pm. Each month a different food truck duo will be onsite offering a variety of tasty options the whole family can enjoy. The public is invited to come watch, play, or simply enjoy nature and food with family and friends. Each monthly event will have a different theme with a variety of questions covering categories ranging from movies and music to science and nature. Teams can have up to eight members and multi-generational teams are encouraged. The winning team for each individual monthly event will receive a prize package in recognition of their win. Points will also be accumulated across the series, with the overall winning team receiving their choice of a private, guided hike or kayak trip for up to ten people. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to sit upon for this outdoor, picnic-style gathering. In the event of rain, the trivia component will be moved to an area under cover. Learn more and RSVP at conservationfoundation.com/events. Conservation Foundation, 400 Palmetto Ave., Osprey.
It is the lottery where everyone wins. Twelve lucky audience members determine the fate of our team by selecting the nightly lineup of games. Our cast of funny people are off to the races spinning scenes, sketches, and songs to win your laughter. Bownes Lab, 1265 First St., Sarasota, floridastudiotheatre.org.
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