A slate of candidates for Florida statewide office backed by President Donald Trump, one that includes Sarasota Republican Joe Gruters, is quickly coming into view. And this is happening with such swiftness it may just box out the expected competition for every major office on the ballot in 2026.

Trump this week encouraged and effectively endorsed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds to run for Governor. While we await a formal announcement, Donalds already said one is “coming soon.”

Gruters, who quietly filed for Chief Financial Office last year with a Trump endorsement already in hand, figures the support of the nation’s chief executive presets the course of the entire election cycle.

“It sends an undeniable message that Trump has a long memory and anybody who dares challenge his endorsed candidates in Florida will find themselves caught in his crosshairs,” Gruters said.

That seemed a ready swipe at First Lady Casey DeSantis, and Trump reported issued his endorsement of Donalds the same day Gov. Ron DeSantis expected to lobby the President at a Republican Governors Association dinner and ask the president to support his wife. The Florida Governor, who once rode a Trump endorsement to a GOP nomination for statewide office, rather unforgettably challenged Trump for the presidential nomination last year.

Those around Gruters think the Donalds endorsement also helps the Sarasota Republican. DeSantis will soon name a CFO to serve out the term of Jimmy Patronis, who will leave the Cabinet post by April because he is running for Congress. No one right now expects DeSantis to appoint Gruters, with whom he repeatedly butted heads during Gruters’ tenure as Republican Party of Florida chairman and especially after Gruters became the first Florida state lawmaker to endorse Trump’s comeback campaign for the White House. Most expect Gruters to instead appoint state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, the Republican who rallied senators to endorse DeSantis over Trump and got most of the chamber on the team.

But does a DeSantis appointee have a chance against a Trump-backed Gruters?

"Make no mistake. There will be two slates in '26. The DeSantis slate and the Trump slate,” said Max Goodman, a consultant who long worked with Gruters. “And if your name begins with Casey or Blaise you're in for one helluva bumpy ride."

Of course, it’s entirely possible Team Gruters — and Team Donalds — are overestimating the staying power of Trump’s support. Based on history, there’s every reason to think Trump’s popularity will be much lower by the time the midterm elections roll around. That’s the nature of a presidential election energizing the opposition party while his supporters, many of whom only show up for presidential elections, lose interest or suffer disappointment a president’s policies haven’t magically made their life better in less than two years.

However, I repeatedly hear that within Republican circles, Trump’s endorsement has never been powerful than it has ever been in a GOP primary, and perhaps more powerful than any party leader’s endorsement has been.

Florida is a Republican state now. Heck, even if Democrats miraculously change that by next November, Republican voters in the state feel less inclined to hedge bets with a moderate than they likely have ever been.

At the very least, the battle to watch next year will be on the Republican side, and Sarasota has produced one of the key players in that race. Now we all will wait to see if Gruters successfully moves on the bigger things beyond Sarasota’s political world.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ MEDIA. 

Pictured: Byron Donalds and Joe Gruters.

At the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, we are celebrating a successful 2024 and we are looking ahead to a busy 2025. I wanted to share some of the economic indicators that we are watching.

There is no doubt that our community has seen growth and change over the last five years. What is not so obvious is that there are now also more companies calling our region home, too. This is a good sign that our economy is becoming more diverse. Diversifying the Sarasota County economy is at the core of our EDC’s mission because a more diverse economy means good careers for residents, and in turn, a vibrant, thriving community.

Take this, for example, in the last five years our metro area (North Port to Bradenton) experienced a 4.1% growth in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industries, which have average wages of $94,197, and a 4.8% growth in Management of Companies and Enterprises (think Corporate Headquarters), which boast average wages of $120,052.

One important factor of a healthy economy is an area’s ability to attract and create high-paying jobs. The two examples above tell us that our economy is moving in the right direction. These trends are important to us as we continue to evaluate Sarasota County’s economic needs and our strategic priorities to support a growing, more diversified economy.

I would like to invite you to explore our FY2024 Annual Report linked below. Last year, we added phenomenal new talent to the EDC team. We also completed an eight-month strategic planning process that engaged all our stakeholders and partners across the County. It resulted in a clear, focused, collaborative Strategic Plan to guide us into 2027.

We engaged with industry leaders from across the country to showcase the opportunities for business growth in Sarasota County, and we supported some great local companies as they made important investments and created great jobs here at home. The companies the EDC of Sarasota County supported last year are creating $5.2 million in new annual payroll, they will generate $491,200 in yearly new county tax revenue, and their growth projects had over $20 million in economic impact.

In addition, you will read about our priority to increase critical Business Park development throughout the County. We are supporting the development of 675,000 square feet of new Business Park over the next three years and projecting another six to eight million square feet over the next decade.

Erin Silk is President and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County. 

You can view the Annual Report in its entirety here

Internships play a crucial role in shaping the workforce of tomorrow. As businesses seek fresh talent and innovative ideas, students and young professionals search for meaningful experiences that will prepare them for successful careers. That’s why the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with New College Florida, is excited to host the 2nd annual SPARK: Intern Summit this June—an event dedicated to fostering connections between local businesses and aspiring young professionals.

For companies, hosting an intern is not just an act of goodwill—it’s a strategic investment. Interns bring new perspectives, enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn that can invigorate an organization. Businesses that engage with interns gain access to emerging talent, often identifying future full-time employees through these programs. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), nearly 70% of interns receive job offers from the organizations where they interned. This highlights the critical role internships play in talent acquisition.

Beyond recruitment, internships allow businesses to test-drive potential employees in real-world scenarios. They provide an opportunity to train and mentor young professionals, instilling the company’s values and work culture early on. Furthermore, interns often bring in fresh digital skills and technological insights that can benefit the company’s operations. For small businesses and startups, interns can be an asset by contributing to projects, conducting market research, or assisting with social media and customer engagement.

From an intern’s perspective, the benefits are equally significant. Internships serve as a bridge between academic learning and professional application. They allow students to gain hands-on experience, develop industry-specific skills, and build a network of professional contacts. Additionally, internships help individuals refine their career paths by exposing them to different roles and workplace environments. This clarity is invaluable, as it enables young professionals to make informed career decisions before entering the full-time workforce.

Employers today seek candidates with relevant experience, and internships provide a competitive edge in the job market. Many students who participate in an internship, graduate with not just theoretical knowledge, but practical experience that demonstrates their readiness for the workplace. Moreover, the soft skills developed during an internship—communication, teamwork, problem-solving—are essential for long-term career success and what employers are looking for.

We hope that you’ll share this exciting event and join us on Wednesday, June 25 at the SPARK: Intern Summit and be part of the movement that shapes the future of Sarasota’s professional landscape. To learn more about this event and our programs at the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, visit our website at www.sarasotachamber.com

Heather Kasten is President/CEO for the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

Pictured: Last year's SPARK: Intern Summit. Photo courtesy of Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

There is an undeniable correlation between the success of an educational institution and the excellence of its faculty. We are proud that the professors and lecturers at Ringling College of Art and Design are among the finest professionals in both the educational and artistic worlds. And that is not by happenstance.

To achieve the highest quality of education on behalf of our students, we recruit and actively partner with skilled, passionate, inspiring educators, most of whom also have had highly accomplished (and, in many cases, ongoing) careers as professional artists. We look for candidates who contribute to our ethos, with a strong, creative intellect, a passion for teaching and a unique and engaging way of seeing the world. Our primary recruitment goal is to demonstrate Ringling College’s commitment to its students, its faculty and staff, its community, the world as a whole.

We rely on a number of factors both to attract these faculty members and to prove the value of establishing long-term careers here.

Any prospective art college faculty will no doubt know of our institution on the strength of our reputation alone. After 94 years in existence, Ringling College annually receives numerous accolades and awards, and we appear at or near the top of notable lists of the best art colleges in the country as well as the world. Likewise, our programs, including Computer Animation, Motion Design, Game Art, and Film, shine in national rankings. We are known for positioning our graduates to excel in their chosen fields, a reputation that’s strengthened by the many Ringling grads who go on to work for prestigious and highly visible companies like Sony, Apple, Pixar, Marvel, Nintendo, Mattel and many, many more.

We also offer a small-school teaching environment. On average our student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. Thus, our faculty has ample time to teach smaller classes and engage students individually, while still immersing themselves in a diverse campus that fuels a phenomenal creative community.

I believe teachers with high standards are drawn to institutions with high standards, and that quality element at Ringling College speaks to those educators who strive to be the best and teach the best. 

From our consistently exceptional students to our state-of-the-art facilities to the policies and projects we’ve implemented to ensure we keep our campus as a welcoming, friendly, and professional environment. After all, Ringling College is all-in on fostering a superlative educational environment that translates to the larger community and emphasizes creative thought, worthwhile experience and proactive community leadership.

On top of all of our strengths as an educational institution, Sarasota sells itself as an appealing place to build a career. Consider our wonderful town the ultimate tiebreaker for prospective faculty who are torn between two or more universities. The sunshine-rich, snow-free climate, beautiful beaches, and other natural attributes outshine conditions elsewhere. More importantly, Sarasota’s well-established cultural richness and its love for the arts culture help seal the deal. We’re able to offer our art college faculty an artist-friendly lifestyle that few other programs can match.

And when those talented educators come here to join our faculty and our community, they in turn elevate our college, increase our appeal to other prospective faculty and students alike and contribute to Sarasota’s overall excellence. Everyone wins—especially our students.

Dr. Larry Thompson is president of Ringling College of Art & Design. 

Photo courtesy Ringling College of Art & Design.

Ensuring each and every member of our community has access to nutritious food has never been more critical. Recent federal spending cuts threaten to compromise access to government funding and food assistance programs – putting our most vulnerable neighbors at an even greater risk.

As All Faiths Food Bank’s president and CEO, I am deeply concerned about what these changes would mean for hard-working people, families, seniors, veterans – and especially children – who rely on us for daily nourishment.

One of the most pressing concerns is the future of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding. Further cuts to this critical funding will leave millions without access to the food they depend on. At the same time, proposed reductions to school meal programs could make it even harder for children to get the nutrition they need to grow, learn and thrive. With summer approaching, when school lunches are no longer a daily guarantee, these proposed changes could have devastating consequences for countless kids in our community.

That’s why we must be proactive. With our community’s support, All Faiths Food Bank has worked tirelessly for 36 years to ensure no one in Sarasota and DeSoto counties goes hungry.

But now, more than ever, we need your help. As government resources become more uncertain, our food bank will rely even more on the generosity of partners, volunteers and individual donors to fill the gap and help keep our shelves stocked and programs running. Whether it’s through financial contributions, volunteer hours, or raising awareness, every effort makes a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need.

No one should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. Together, we can ensure that even in these uncertain times, our community remains strong, supported and well-fed.

We stand ready and committed to our work – but we cannot do it alone. Please, join us.

Nelle S. Miller is the president & CEO of All Faiths Food Bank. 

Photo courtesy of All Faiths Food Bank.