Chris Voelker Chris Voelker’s life is busier than ever these days, and she loves it. Chris is a familiar face at charity events and is known as an animal welfare champion who is very involved with the Humane Society of Sarasota County. She also is known as the proprietress of the State Street Eating House + Cocktails, which brought a big-city urban vibe to
downtown
Sarasota’s
restaurant
scene. Although she always has been involved, Chris now is managing the restaurant — a role she finds exciting and stimulating. She honed her business acumen as an executive with a large utility company and as a small business owner with her husband, Kirk, with whom she also runs a charitable foundation. Her experience has been a boon although Chris doesn’t downplay the challenge of learning the restaurant business and adapting to a seven-day schedule. Brimming with ideas, Chris has instituted significant changes including opening for breakfast/brunch, updated menu offerings, a three-hour happy hour and expanded snack menu, mixology classes, and wine, whiskey and gin tastings. The experience has made her even more appreciative of the restaurant’s talented, dedicated staff and loyal customers. Chris’s ability to bring a vision to reality has also helped the Humane Society where she has served as past Board President and currently is on the Executive Committee. Under her leadership, the organization brought in a new team that revamped operations resulting in more adoptions and more lives saved. She also has helped achieve a long-term goal with the opening of a low-cost wellness clinic bringing more affordable care to the community. As busy as she is, Chris considers herself to be in a great place in life and still manages to find time to spend with her husband and close cadre of female friends, and to enjoy the area’s bountiful arts. Women on the SCENE 2015
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