YOUR CHAMBER AT WORK

Letter From The President

Hello, springtime in the South! It’s hard to believe that we get to live and work in this special little gem of a city called Sarasota, Florida. Our Chamber has been serving our community and region for 102 years, being at the table where decisions and discussions are happening that affect the businesses in our region.

This year the focus of our organization is on Leaders- how to build them, promote them and position them for success. In March at our Annual Breakfast, we enjoyed hearing from Angie Bastian, the founder of Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn. Angie and her husband started the business and it became a million-dollar brand that sold to ConAgra. This May, we will be recognizing and celebrating past Leadership Sarasota graduates who have made a difference in our community. And probably my favorite signature event of the year, the Small Business Awards will be held on Friday, June 23.

In fact, pretty much most of what we do here at the Chamber is geared towards building up leaders at all stages of life and careers. Through CareerEdge, we are training individuals to lead within their roles and companies. Through Opportunities For All, we are developing young students through our internship program to be leaders. And through our Young Professionals Group and Leadership Sarasota, we are equipping folks with the skills to lead their families, lead within their organizations, and lead the Sarasota community.

Wishing each of you a wonderful springtime and excited to see you soon at a Chamber event.

Heather Kasten Presdent/CEO