Ground broke on a new private aviation facility at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Sheltair, the largest privately owned aviation network in the country, plans to open facilities near the end of 2025, promising to invest $40 million as it opens two hangars at the property.

“I can’t begin to express how excited we are to be in the Sarasota market,” said Lisa Holland, Sheltair president and CEO. “We recognize the potential that it holds for us, and we look forward to working with the community to bring our Family First mission to the area.”

The company plans to open one hangar with almost 30,000 square feet of hangar space and just under 6,000 square feet of office space. A second hangar will provide another nearly 17,000 square feet of hangar space and another 3,500 square feet for offices.  Those will accommodate all classes of commercial aircraft.

The “crown jewel” of the site, according to an announcement from the airport, will be a 10,705-square-foot terminal on 15 acres of airport space with a large airspace canopy. That will include space for pilots and passengers for private flights with a private lounge and conference rooms available. There will also be crew rest facilities available.

Airport officials say the new facility to further establish SRQ airport as a private flight terminal, not just as the fastest growing commercial airport in the country.

“We are thrilled to announce the arrival of Sheltair as the third fixed base operator at SRQ,” said Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. “Situated on 24 acres within the new north quad airport development, this addition will provide another choice for the general aviation community and bring numerous job opportunities to the Sarasota-Bradenton area.”

Other FBOs already in operation at SRQ airport include Dolphin Aviation and Atlantic Aviation.

For Sheltair, the expansion to Sarasota marks the company’s 13th location in Florida and 17th location overall.

Long-term, Sheltair plans to grow its facilities to include a 60,000-square-foot maintenance, repair and overhaul facility and as many as four more hangars, each of those adding more than 20,000 square feet of space. 

Photo courtesy SRQ Airport: Sign shows plans for Sheltair facility.

The Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is excited to announce the launch of Invest Today, Transform Tomorrow, an initiative to shape the future of transportation in Sarasota and Manatee County. The public is invited to share their thoughts and opinions regarding their ideal transportation future through the Phase 1 Visioning Survey, open now through June 15, 2024. To take the Phase 1 Visioning Survey, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/SMMPO To learn more about Invest Today, Transform Tomorrow/2050 Long Range Transportation Plan, visit www.transform-tomorrow.com 

PGT Custom Windows and Doors by MITER Brands is pleased to announce a partnership with Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt, custom home designers featured on popular HGTV shows, including 100 Day Dream Home and Rock the Block. The partnership provides the Kleinschmidts access to the full suite of PGT window and door products, which they recommend as their preferred window manufacturer for all new construction projects. For 2024, the couple has 35 new home builds and remodel projects scheduled, as well as a boutique hotel makeover. Many of the building projects will be featured in the upcoming season of HGTV’s 100 Day Dream Home and a new series on the network. PGT Custom Windows and Doors is committed to delivering an unbeatable experience for homeowners, supported by its mantra: the freedom to live where and how you want. The brand is recognized as “America’s authority in high-performance laminate glass for the fenestration industry.” This distinction translates to energy efficiency, burglary deterrence, and noise abatement benefits for homeowners, offered through the brand’s products. 

Pictured: Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt. Photo courtesy of PGT.

On April 8th, over 100 concerned citizens attended the League’s Sarasota Memorial Hospital Board Election Panel “Understanding the Issues” at the Selby Library.  Many attendees expressed their desire to hear directly from the hospital board candidates prior to the primary election on August 20th.  In response, the League of Women Voters of Sarasota County will hold their first ever Primary Election Candidate Forum at the Jacaranda Library on July 11th from 5:30-7pm.  The forum will be followed by a 30-minute Candidate Meet & Greet for those attending in person.  Registration is required and will be available on the League’s website after the June 14th candidate qualifying deadline. Prior to the August Election, the League will also host a Sarasota School Board Candidate forum on July 17th.  For more information go to lwvsrq.org. 

Morgan Stanley announced today that Aimee Cogan, CFP, a Managing Director, Family Wealth Director in the Firm’s Sarasota, FL Wealth Management office, has been named to Forbes Magazine’s list of Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State for 2024, listed on forbes.com.  This is the second year in a row Aimee ranked #1 in the State of Florida, for the north Florida region. Forbes’ “Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State” is a select group of individuals who have a minimum of seven years of industry experience.  The ranking, developed by Forbes’ partner SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors and weighing factors like revenue trends, AUM, compliance records, industry experience and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, a global leader, provides access to a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses, and institutions, including brokerage and investment advisory services, financial and wealth planning, cash management and lending products and services, annuities and insurance, retirement and trust services.   

The Gulf Coast Maritime Museum (GCMM) is thrilled to introduce award-winning Filmmaker and seasoned sailor Jim Bigham as a new addition to its Board of Directors. With a film career spanning 5 decades, Mr. Bigham has an impressive repertoire that includes feature films, documentaries, and commercials. His recent film credits include the line producer for Marvel’s Ms. Marvel, Black Widow, and Spider Man: Far From Home, as well as Tim Burton's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children & Plastic. Other notable projects include Steven Soderbergh's Magic Mike and Mosaic, the feature film Dolphin Tale, the TV shows Romanoff’s, Ballers, and Chasing the Dream, an Academy Award-nominated documentary. Jim's contributions to the film industry have been recognized with a Spirit Award for producing the indie feature film Sweet Land, which was named one of the Ten Best Films of 2006 by critics, including LA Times and Entertainment Weekly. He was also part of the first film crew behind the Iron Curtain to produce the historic Glasnosts Rock. His television highlights include Saturday Night Live and 5 museum films for the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta. Jim is most proud of his documentary For Once In My Life, which won Audience Awards at SXSW and many other prominent domestic and international festivals. Jim, as director and producer of the film, also won the IDA Award for Best Musical Documentary. This film was a 2012-2014 selection by the US State Department and USC’s American Showcase Series, shared with several European and Asian countries. Bigham’s deep-rooted passion for sailing can be traced back 60 years to his first experience on a small craft in a lake in Southwest Ohio. Since then, he has not only sailed but also competed on a national level. Currently, he and his wife, Cathy, find joy in racing their Flying Scot and cruising on their Freedom 45.

“I am looking forward to utilizing my media skills to help the GCMM find unique ways to entertain and educate the community about Florida’s important boatbuilding and maritime history,” said Bigham. The museum will be a great asset to the Gulf Coast and the entire state of Florida.” Other GCMM board members include Chairman Chad Weiss, Vice Chair Lynne Seibert, Treasurer Pat Ball, Legal Counsel Dave Mulock, and Maritime Counsel Courtney Ross. 

BALANCING THE PRESSURES AND NEEDS | School superintendent Terrence Connor speaks about balancing the pressures of the job and the needs of Sarasota's students, May/June 2024. 

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