SRQ Magazine | September 2026

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 2

8/12/26 5:16 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 1

8/12/26 5:17 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 2

8/12/26 5:17 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 3

8/12/26 10:22 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 4

8/12/26 5:18 AM

Contents trendsport 26

september 2026

September has arrived, bringing our curated guide to the latest in food, drink, health and fitness. This season is packed with unexpected local experiences—from capybaras and crafts to prepared meals and mahjong games. It’s also the perfect time to fill your calendar with the season’s must-see events and activities. WRITTEN BY BARBIE HEIT, DYLAN CAMPBELL, MALLORY EVANS, OLIVIA FANDERS, SARAH EMILY MIANO AND STEPHANIE CHURN LUBOW | PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS, WYATT KOSTYGAN AND ALEX ALFARO.

4walls visionary building design 79 Four walls frame a structure; visionary design brings it to life. Showcasing hospitality, commercial, mixed-use and future-forward concepts, the 4WALLS Visionary Building Design Competition recognizes the Gulf Coast’s most exceptional buildings of the year. Explore the regional projects awarded Platinum, Gold and Silver and meet the teams that build purpose into every plane. Looking beyond aesthetics, the judges consider context, sustainability and storytelling—championing projects that elevate placemaking to an art form. COMPILED BY LAUREN SUTTER | SPECIAL THANK YOU TO 4WALLS

This page: Divan

Turkish Cuisine crafts a variety of baklava, photography

by Wes Roberts.

Cover: Slawek Wolak riding with the Village Idiots Cycling Club, photography by Wes Roberts.

JUDGES KEITH NELSON AND STEPHEN CHARLES SMITH

SRQSEPT26_TOC.indd 5

8/13/26 4:15 PM

contents september 2026

19

IN CONVERSATION WITH HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERS RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA

43 2026 ELITE TOP ATTORNEYS LEGAL GUIDE RECOGNIZING THE HONOREES FROM THIS YEAR’S PEER-REVIEW PROGRAM

srqist 11

Hand-crafted gelato at Fresco Italian Café on Main Street.

At this year’s Savor Sarasota, every plate found its perfect pour.

Pause Sarasota owner d’Alene Fallon explains how her studio promotes wellness. Bradenton’s Willy-Yums celebrates nine years and the launch of a children’s book.

Clothing designer Scott Spahr is making a name for himself and finding community through fashion in Sarasota.

culture city 98

Urbanite Theatre’s Modern Works Festival has become a pipeline for new work from female playwrights. Sarasota Art Museum’s Something Borrowed, Something New brings together contemporary art of local collectors.

forage 104

Villani & Co. gets a new menu with a steakhouse vibe.

giving coast 106 No one heals alone, and Beth Bradburn is proud to support the efforts.

This page, clockwise: Stanton Storer sits in front of his two pieces from Katsutoshi

Yuasa, “Life Is Good and Good For You, I” and “Life is Good and Good For You, II,” part of the Something Borrowed, Something New exhibit at Sarasota Art Museum; Pause Sarasota owner d’Alene Fallon; and, Villani & Co., photography by Wyatt Kostygan.

6 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

SRQSEPT26_TOC.indd 6

8/12/26 10:29 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 7

8/12/26 5:18 AM

SEPTEMBER 2026 CEO / PRESIDENT / EDITOR IN CHIEF

Tickets Online!

SRQ MAGAZINE’S 11TH ANNUAL WOMEN WHO ROAR LEADERSHIP+AWARDS LUNCHEON

LISL LIANG EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER

WES ROBERTS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGEMENT

Ashley Grant ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Robinson Valverde SENIOR SALES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE

Suzanne Munroe SALES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE

Nichole Knutson Rob Wardlaw VP OF PHOTOGRAPHY + VIDEO

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2026 MICHAEL’S ON EAST

ANNOUNCING TRAILBLAZER AWARD RECIPIENT

ELYCE ARONS CO-FOUNDER OF KATE SPADE AND CEO + FOUNDER OF FRANCES VALENTINE POPUP BOUTIQUES AND CHECK-IN 10:30AM LUNCHEON PROGRAM 11:30AM — 1:30PM

Join SRQ Magazine, powered by the Women Who Roar Initiative, for a signature celebration honoring the women who lead with purpose, serve with vision and help shape the future of our community.

Recognizing the 2026 Women Who Roar Leadership Circle Honorees.

TICKETS + DETAILS AT SRQMAG.COM/WWR

SRQSEPT26_Masthead.indd 8

Wyatt Kostygan MANAGING EDITOR

Barbie Heit SENIOR EDITOR

Dylan Campbell CLIENT SERVICES DIRECTOR

Gabriella Alfonso SOCIAL MEDIA, MARKETING + EVENTS MANAGER

Lauren Sutter SALES + MARKETING COORDINATOR

Taylor Smith CONTRIBUTING SENIOR DESIGNER

Virginia Jankovsky INTERN ASSOCIATES Mallory Evans,

Olivia Fanders, Alex Alfaro CONTRIBUTING EDITORS + ARTISTS

Andrew Fabian, Phil Lederer, Chris Leverett, Stephanie Churn Lubow, Sarah Emily Miano, John Pirman, Jack Coleman

SRQ MEDIA ADVERTISING GROWMYBUSINESS@SRQME.COM 941-365-7702 x1 SUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIBE@SRQME.COM 941-365-7702 x2

GET SRQ DAILY The magazine in your hands offers enormous insight into our community, but the most informed in our community follow our constant coverage of Sarasota and the Bradenton Area in SRQ Daily. The electronic newsletter is a must-read in thousands of inboxes. Check our special editions: Monday Business Edition, Tuesday Foodie Edition, Wednesday Philanthropy Edition, Thursday Family, Education and Sports Edition, Friday Weekend Edition and the much-discussed Saturday Perspectives Edition, featuring a diverse range of opinions from the region’s top pundits and newsmakers. SIGN UP ONLINE AT SRQMAG.COM/SRQDAILY

ORIGINS OF “SRQ” The “SRQ” in SRQ magazine originates from the designated call letters for the local Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

“SR” was the original abbreviation for the airport before the growth in total number of airports required the use of a three-letter code. Letters like “X” and “Q” were used as filler, thus the original “SR” was revised to “SRQ,” much as the Los Angeles airport became “LAX.” As a regional publication committed to the residents of and visitors to both Sarasota and Manatee counties, SRQ captures the place that we call home.

PUBLISHERS OF SRQ MAGAZINE, WELLEN PARK LIVING, LIVING LAKEWOOD, SRQ TOP DOCTORS MEDICAL RESOURCE GUIDE, SRQ ELITE TOP ATTORNEYS PROGRAM, SRQ HOME & DESIGN, SRQARTS: ANNUAL GUIDE AND SHE ROARS MAGAZINE. 331 South Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, FL 34236 Phone 941-365-7702 SRQMAG.COM / @SRQMAG

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PRINT AND DIGITAL EDITION Join our readers in the pleasurable experience of receiving SRQ Magazine in your mailbox every month during season and bimonthly during the summer. To reserve your subscription, provide your information and payment online. You can set up multiple addresses, renewals and special instructions directly through your online account. When you subscribe online, your first print issue will arrive in your mailbox in 6-10 weeks. Subscribe online at SRQMAG.COM/SUBSCRIBE. Contact us via email at subscribe@srqme.com Vol. 29, Issue 287 Copyright © 2026 SRQ MEDIA. SRQ: Live Local | Love Local. Sarasota and Bradenton Area is published 10 times a year. IMPORTANT NOTICE: The entire contents of SRQ are copyrighted by Trafalger Communications, Inc. Column and department names are property of Trafalger Communications, Inc. and may not be used or reproduced without express written permission of the publisher. SUBSCRIPTION: Subscriptions to SRQ are $36 for 20 issues. Single copies are $4 at area newsstands.

8/12/26 6:18 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 9

8/12/26 5:19 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 10

8/12/26 5:19 AM

srqist

STORIES ABOUT THE LOCAL PEOPLE, PLACES AND EXPERIENCES THAT DEFINE OUR HOMETOWN

Below: Visit Fresco Italian Cafe E Gelato for a few scoops of happiness in a cone.

FROM ITALIA Beat the Heat with a Frozen Treat from Fresco Barbie Heit

IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT TO ITALY FOR AUTHENTIC GELATO THIS FALL, YOU'RE IN LUCK. Fresh, handcrafted gelato outside of Europe is available

right in downtown Sarasota at Fresco Italian Cafe E Gelato on Main Street. The cozy coffee and gelato shop is owned by Rafael and Luciana Pedroso, Italian natives who now live in Sarasota. The shop specializes in fresh, authentic gelato with flavors such as rum raisin, pistachio, amarena, Belgian chocolate, hazelnut, amaretto, salted caramel, coffee, mascarpone con arancia, tiramisu and cheesecake. Luciana—who makes all of the gelato flavors herself—says the specialty flavors like snickers and cookies & cream have been the shop’s most popular flavors this summer. Be sure to ask for a sample before choosing your cup or cone, although be prepared to have a tough time choosing—they’re all delicious. For a complete Italian experience, the cafe also serves cappuccino and other coffee beverages. Brightly lit with small tables and chairs throughout, Fresco is ideal for intimate conversations or fun family outings during the hot late summer months. Sprinkled throughout the gelateria are flowers because Luciana says, “I love flowers. They make me happy!” Visit Fresco on a sizzling summer day soon. It will make you happy, too. Fresco is open daily from 11am-10pm, 1536 Main St, Sarasota, 941-326-6621. SRQ PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS.

SRQIST_SEPT26 .indd 11

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 11

8/12/26 4:29 AM

srqist

Below: Duval's Fresh. Local. Seafood. Anna Maria Oyster Bar. Savor Sarasota, June 1–14, 2026, 55+ participating restaurants, SavorSarasota.com .

SAVOR'S BEST PAIRING YET

At this year’s Savor Sarasota, every plate found its perfect pour. Sarah Emily Miano

THIS YEAR, SAVOR SARASOTA FELT LIKE A REGION-WIDE TASTING MENU. More than sixty restaurants signed on, and nearly every kitchen poured something into a glass for each course, making the prix-fixe a decadent experience. At Duval's Fresh Local Seafood, the menu united old favorites and new creations. “Someone who has never been here before can try some of our staple items, and our loyal guests can experience something new,” said Assistant General Manager Kelly Pendleton. A three-cheese crab dip, loaded with fresh crab and Old Bay, arrived with tortilla chips and Hampton Water Rosé, both crisp enough to cut through cheese and spice. On the South Trail, Tripletail fittingly served tripletail, citrusy and sweet, alongside a Crystal Cosmo with white cranberry and elderflower. Down in Nokomis, Pop's Sunset Grill created its Baked Lobster Couscous with summer produce: sweet corn, green peas, shiitakes, garlic butter and a tangy citrus sauce. "I wanted this dish to feel refined and comforting without being overly heavy," said Chef Marcos Vasquez. Paired with a Blood Orange Aperol Spritz starring Shark Tooth vodka, distilled in neighboring Venice, the cocktail tasted refreshing and unmistakably Floridian. Mimi’s Brasserie went bold: a guajillo-braised pork shank met the Ernestly Tiki, a coconut oil-washed rum cocktail threaded with pistachio-lemongrass falernum and apricot liqueur. Arts & Central kept it vibrant with a crab cocktail dressed in orange, chive and red onion, lifted with a Broadbent Chardonnay. Meanwhile, Fat Rabbit Pub let diners choose any wine, beer or cocktail to accompany the Irishman—its nationally award-winning short rib and brisket burger. At Anna Maria Oyster Bar, Chef Will Parard's Florida-style shrimp and pollock gumbo—simmered with okra, tomatoes, celery and Cajun spice in a light roux—was adapted for the summer. “It is hearty, flavorful and comforting without feeling too heavy,” said Parard. The bar sent out Purdy's Florida Old Fashioned, layered with paw-paw citrus liqueur and Cointreau, a rum cocktail with backbone. Michael's on East helped launch restaurant week as a lifeline for local dining rooms during the slow season. “When Savor Sarasota began in 2006, we were proud to be among the first restaurants to participate,” said co-proprietor Michael Klauber. The Savor lineup toured the restaurant's monthly Epicurean menus, bouncing across continents. Chinese-style Wagyu short ribs arrived lacquered in black bean-soy glaze, giving way to ginger-scallion fried rice and snap peas. A glass of earthy Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir echoed the ribs’ intensity. Dessert sent the table to France: a chocolate marquise, dense and bittersweet against cool crème anglaise. Surprises came from hotel dining rooms. Eight floors above the Trail at Bridges, inside Embassy Suites, golden hour settled over Sarasota Bay. Executive Chef German Huertas leaned into international fusion. "We like to play with different flavors from everywhere around the world," said Elizabeth Dimitrova, Director of Food, Beverage and Catering. The seared scallop with roasted corn cozied up to a Burgans Albariño, citrusy and mineral against the caramelized edge of the bivalve. Over at Sarasota Modern, the retroinspired Wink Wink delivered crispy Brussels sprouts with bacon, goat cheese and candied pecans next to a Grapefruit Paloma sharpened with smoky mezcal and a charred grapefruit wedge. Twenty-one years in, Savor Sarasota still entices diners toward new kitchens and lets them eat well for 45 dollars or less, without making it all about value. This year's pairings pushed that further, giving every course a companion and every table a conversation. SRQ 12 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

SRQIST_SEPT26 .indd 12

IMAGE COURTESY OF VISIT SARAOTA COUNTY.

8/12/26 2:48 PM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 13

8/12/26 5:19 AM

srqist

PRESSING PAUSE

A new wellness studio offers treatments and amenities to help residents recharge. Olivia Fanders

Below: d'Alene Fallon's Pause Sarasota helps residents relax and recharge with a variety of wellness treatments. 101 Links Ave, Sarasota, 941-759-6563, pausestudio.com

RIGHT IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN SARASOTA, a new wellness studio is encouraging the community to slow down. Pause Sarasota officially opened its doors in late April in the Aster & Links building and is offering treatments designed to help clients recharge. Co-owner d’Alene Fallon explains that Sarasota naturally has an emphasis on wellness, making it the perfect place to open Pause. “The people I was meeting seemed really open and welcoming, and they seemed to care about health in the same way I did,” she says. While the wellness industry in Sarasota is continuing to grow, Pause Sarasota’s unique set of services sets it apart from other businesses. “Nobody has exactly our combination of services under one roof, and we have a very elevated experience,” Fallon says. Pause found its origins as a float studio in Venice Beach 10 years ago, but now, its Sarasota location boasts a plethora of other services, including infrared saunas, LED light therapy, cryotherapy, IV therapy and naturopathic medicine. The studio has options for everyone, regardless of what one is looking for. “Whether you are an athlete trying to recover from an injury or a busy professional who needs to take a break—someone that is really interested in pain relief or anti-aging, we have something for you,” Fallon explains. She adds that many people are unsure about some of Pause’s treatments at first, but Fallon believes that it is all about education and making treatments accessible. “We did not invent these therapies. In some cases, like with cold therapy, they have been around for thousands of years. We are just bringing them to the public in a way that feels good,” she says. Fallon emphasizes that everything is self-guided and individual, allowing clients to customize their experience.

“You’re in control always, and we make sure people understand that.” Rather than treating appointments as transactional, Pause encourages clients to take their time and utilize their calming amenities. Fallon explains that Pause’s appointments are not for a certain amount of time. “We do not rush you out—we really want you to take your time and reap all of the benefits from our services,” she says. The studio was designed to be the solution to modern living. In a world full of noise, Pause provides a space to relax, recharge and recover. “Our bodies are amazing, and they can heal themselves when we give them the right input,” Fallon says. She explains that the holistic modalities that the studio offers can make people “look better, feel better and just be better in general.” Pause is the perfect place to retreat from the outside world. “Everyone is always rushing at a million miles an hour,” Fallon explains, but she hopes that more people will use the opportunity to take a pause at Pause Sarasota. SRQ 14 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

SRQIST_SEPT26 .indd 14

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.

8/12/26 2:49 PM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 15

8/12/26 5:19 AM

srqist

HOT DIGGITY DOG

Below: With Willy-Yums and his new children's book, Robert Williams has brought his dreams to life.

Willy-Yums, 2003 14th Street West, Bradenton, 941-243-6906.

Bradenton’s Willy-Yums celebrates nine years and the launch of a children’s book. Barbie Heit IN JUNE, WILLY-YUMS OFFICIALLY CELEBRATED ITS NINTH ANNIVERSARY, SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AT ITS BRADENTON HOT DOG RESTAURANT. The business is owned and operated by Robert Williams, who also has a food truck by the same name. Inspired by a favorite

childhood hot dog spot from his youth in Michigan, Williams transitioned from his role at Tampa International Airport to pursue his dream after surviving a minor stroke in 2016. He and his wife decided to go all-in, each leaving their respective careers to open Willy-Yums on June 1, 2017.

Like his childhood spot, the restaurant features a simple ordering window and picnic tables, making it perfect for a casual family outing. “This has been my dream since I was 17,” he says. “The restaurant in Michigan that I remember so well served only hot dogs, chips and one flavored soda, which was root beer. It was the place where everybody went after school. It was the place where the families went in the evenings or on the weekends. It has definitely served as my inspiration for Willy-Yums.” Williams proudly shares that his restaurant has been recognized as one of the top 10 best hot dog restaurants in Florida and the Bay Area's best. While Williams had initially intended to serve only hot dogs, chips and soda, his menu evolved following customer requests. Cuban sandwiches were soon added, followed by burgers, Philly cheesesteaks and fajita tater tots. Vegetarian options, including veggie dogs and burgers, were added to accommodate diverse dietary needs. The idea for the food truck came about in late 2019, with active operations beginning in early 2020. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, Williams used the truck to reach the public, often cold calling homeowner associations and apartment complexes for visits. “We wanted the food truck so that we could get out into the public and serve, and if somebody said, ‘wow, this food is great, where are you going to be tomorrow?’ we could tell them that we have a brick-and-mortar, come see us! It's always there. It's in the same spot all the time.” Currently, the truck operates four to five days a week, primarily Tuesday through Saturday, serving various school sports events, including Sarasota High School soccer and lacrosse, Manatee High School baseball and softball and Lakewood Ranch flag football. In addition to the restaurant's anniversary, Williams is marking the release of a children's book he both authored and illustrated. Zac and the Magical Hotdog Stand was inspired by his son—who, as a child, often accompanied his parents to work—and his business, with the goal of fostering confidence and encouragement in young readers. The story centers on Zac, a shy boy who encounters a magical hot dog stand operated by the kind Mr. Rob. Through this newfound friendship and Mr. Rob's support, Zac develops self-belief. Aimed at children aged five to ten, the book explores themes of kindness, confidence and the importance of feeling seen.

Readers can find the book on Amazon and other major digital book retailers. SRQ

16 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

SRQIST_SEPT26 .indd 16

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.

8/12/26 4:23 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 17

8/12/26 5:20 AM

srqist

Below: Scott Spahr designs all clothing selections in-house and also sells jewelry, bags and home decor. 56 S Palm Ave, Sarasota, 302-448-5969, scottspahr@comcast.net

AN EYE FOR STYLE

A clothing designer is making a name for himself and finding community through fashion in Sarasota. Mallory Evans

“I’M ALWAYS CREATING,” SAYS FASHION DESIGNER SCOTT SPAHR, OWNER OF SCOTT SPAHR CLOTHING IN DOWNTOWN SARASOTA. In 2000, Spahr opened a clothing store by the same name in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on 43 Baltimore Ave. When he discovered Sarasota almost two decades later, he said he “immediately clicked” with the city. In 2019, Spahr rented a pop-up store in Burns Court, which he said was very successful for the business, and in 2021, he officially set up shop in Sarasota. The Pennsylvania native always loved fashion. Spahr previously worked with two people at a vintage clothing store and fell in love with older fashion styles. “It reached a point where I wanted my own store, but I wanted to sell my own clothing line,” Spahr says. All the men’s and women’s selections at Scott Spahr clothing are entirely his own and produced in-house—as he’s a self-taught sewist. “I’m constantly working on designs for both men and women,” he explains. Nothing is seasonal, but all clothing is made in small batches. For example, with women’s dresses, Spahr may create four to six of the same dress with the same fabric. The store is also filled with jewelry, accessories and home decor items that are brought in from other companies based in New York and San Francisco.

Spahr says he has a table full of fun, inexpensive earrings and another with more designer items. He sells coffee mugs with faces on them, candles and wicker bags. Spahr hopes that his clothing store can fit in among the vibrant retail scene of Sarasota, and he says the city is great at being accepting and open-minded. “Sarasota has such a diversity of people coming from all over, especially in the arts,” he says. “It is a destination spot, but I think it’s really going to be on the map of the world as a great place for shopping and living.” In the future, Spahr says he wants to focus more on his brand’s social media presence with more consistent posting on Instagram. Although a website exists, he says it’s not set up to have customers make purchases, and online ordering could help expand reach. He is also constantly looking for new products. “It’s tough because you want to get a product that no one has ever seen before—that no one can Google and try to buy online,” he explains. Spahr is always experimenting with colors and prints, as well, “keeping things fresh and not falling into a rut.” In the meantime, Spahr is continuing to praise the location of his store and his love for Palm Avenue. Located across the street from the Mira Mar, he says he’s very excited about the renovations to the famous hotel and believes his section of Palm Avenue will continue to grow throughout the next few years. SRQ 18 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

SRQIST_SEPT26 .indd 18

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS.

8/12/26 4:23 AM

ENGAGING READERS THROUGH STORYTELLING WITH REGIONAL LEADERS

In

Conversation

TRENDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN SARASOTA AND MANATEE COUNTIES

LEADERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION TOMMY GREGORY, J.D. President, State College of Florida

AS ITS LEADER, WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR YOUR INSTITUTION? TOMMY GREGORY OF STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA: Florida is number one in higher education already and has been for a number of years, according to polls done by USA Today and others. That ranking comes from our success both in terms of graduation rates and affordability, among other factors.

But those are two big driving factors that explain our success. My vision is that the State College of Florida will become a national leader. We already are in terms of tuition, having not raised tuition in 15 years. I also want to continue to raise our graduation rates and the speed at which students graduate. For example, if the average college student at State College of Florida graduates with their AA or AS degree in 3.2 years—which is about the average now for our first-time-in-college students—I’d like to reduce that below three years, so that saves them one semester of college education and gets them that much faster into the workforce, that much faster on

A CONVERSATION WITH TOMMY GREGORY, J.D., PRESIDENT OF STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA AND DR. DAVIS SCHNEIDERMAN, PRESIDENT OF RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN their path to prosperity. My vision is to be recognized not only for academic excellence but for truly changing those students’ lives. We’ll do that by investing in our people and creating that culture of service to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed. DR. DAVIS SCHNEIDERMAN OF RINGLING COLLEGE: We need creative people now more than ever. There’s never been a more important time to receive a world-class art and design education because creativity is the skill that is in demand. Ringling, which is now in its 95th year, has this remarkable reputation and legacy as we’re moving into our centennial. We started out as a small but important southern regional school, first of its kind in Florida, and now we are a world leader in art and design. My job is not to redirect that momentum because the momentum is extraordinarily positive, but to seek to extend it into the next chapter. We believe that creativity and technology have to be integrated. You can’t really think of those things separate-

ly. They’re not competing with each other. They’re not opposed to each other. At the same time, human-centered students and human-centric creativity must remain at the heart and the forefront of everything that we do.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS CURRENT TRENDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION? SCHNEIDERMAN: The most obvious is artificial intelligence. It’s hard to imagine that it’s not a daily topic of conversation for every institution in this country. In fact, I was just at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s new president seminar and there was a lot of discussion about AI amongst all of the other institutions that were represented. I think another thing—and Ringling is really ahead in this regard—is an overdue focus on career outcomes. Families need to know that their investment in any institution of higher education is going to pay off for them in all the important ways. So we’re going to teach students skills, but we believe those skills, through getting

DR. DAVIS SCHNEIDERMAN President, Ringling College of Art and Design

a Ringling College education, directly translate into career outcomes. That’s through industry connections, internships, portfolio development, alumni placement operations—these aren’t niceto-have things; they’re essential.

There are also enrollment challenges because of all the students who weren’t born after the 2008 financial crisis. The demographic numbers don’t look great overall in the next 15 years but Florida is bucking that trend and, in fact, is up in graduates who are finishing high school so there is a real opportunity for more Floridians to learn art and design in their home state and continue to contribute to that home state economy. Creativity and interdisciplinary thinking are making a comeback. I think people realize in the age of evil robots that humans thinking about things is what we need. GREGORY: I’m sure this is true nationally as well, but it’s certainly true in the state of Florida and for our region that the students here have more choices than they’ve ever had before. That

SRQ MAGAZINE BRANDED CONTENT PROGRAM | SEPTEMBER 2026 | INTERVIEWED AND COMPILED BY BARBIE HEIT

V2_SRQ1161_SRQ_0926_InConversation_0805.indd 19

8/12/26 10:24 AM

IN C ON VERSAT I ON

TOMMY GREGORY, J.D. is the 7th President of State College of Florida, ManateeSarasota (SCF), the region’s first and largest public State College, serving students across campuses in Bradenton, Venice, Lakewood Ranch, Online and soon-Parrish. A native Floridian and retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, President Gregory has more than 30 years of leadership experience in military service, law and public office. He served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives, held senior executive roles, and is a lifelong champion of education, service and community. President Gregory’s mission is clear: graduate more students —and graduate them faster. He’s focused on removing barriers, accelerating pathways to degrees and building a college that powers Florida’s workforce and fuels upward mobility. He holds a degree in economics from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a law degree from the University of Texas. He and his wife, Erica, also a retired Lt. Colonel, met as cadets, served around the world and have three sons, including two SCF alumni and one currently at the Air Force Academy. A dedicated public servant and outdoorsman, President Gregory brings energy, discipline, and vision to the future of SCF.

SRQ M AGAZ I NE | T R E N D S I N H IG H E R E D U C AT IO N : : SE PTE MBE R 2026

continues to change, evolve and grow over time. And it’s not just in terms of the number of campuses.

At State College of Florida, we have three campuses now, plus, in any given year, almost half of our students choose to take online courses in addition, so it’s almost a hybrid now. They’re not exclusively online or exclusively in-person, so they have that choice. We’re opening a fourth campus, but in addition to that, there’s a variety of higher education institutions in this region. So students have all of these choices. What we’ve discovered is that the students are expecting an education that fits their lives as opposed to the other way around. They’re looking for an education model that can adapt to the different technologies, have a flexible schedule to meet their working schedules and the rest of their life.

Because of that and because of our increased relationships with the workforce in the area, our college has evolved to become as much an economic development partner as we are a higher education partner in this region.

HOW IS AI INFORMING YOUR APPROACH TO TEACHING? GREGORY: No surprise to anyone that AI is one of the most significant technological changes that everyone will face in their lifetime. There are going to be lots of things that get built out and changed as a result of it, but what it then demands of an education institution like ours is a way to incorporate the tool that AI is in a way that helps the student understand how to use it responsibly while continuing to develop the skills that they need. They’re going to need the skill of using AI in any career field going forward. You have to use the tools that are there, but it can’t replace their critical thinking; it has to be incorporated into all of our higher education courses and programs in a way that’s reinforcing the ethical, responsible use of it and reminding them that we also have academic integrity. You have to give the proper citation, you have to explain where you’re getting the information and show what

tools you’re using to draft the papers or complete the projects.

SCHNEIDERMAN: As an English professor, I’ve done a lot of work with artificial intelligence from a humanistic and ethical perspective– what I call AI studies. The study of AI is a cultural phenomenon. So, you don’t need to be a programmer.

You don’t need to be a math person to think about it. In fact, you have a right and a responsibility to think about it if you don’t want to wake up in a world where evil robots are fire-whipping you. Sometimes it can be so confusing to even follow the news on artificial intelligence.

Do they mean generative AI like ChatGPT? Do they mean facial recognition technology at the airport?

Do they mean Google Maps? Do they mean Grammarly? Those are all AI processes. So Ringling’s position is that we want to teach you how to use the tools and technology appropriately and ethically without that technology using you in inappropriate ways. It’s not about cognitive offloading, but it’s about partnership. We have some wonderful activities happening here.

We have an AI coordinator, one of our professors named Rick Dakan, who co-developed the 4D framework for AI fluency. He did this with a partner Professor Joe Feller at the University College Cork in Ireland, and it’s been adopted by colleges, universities and businesses around the world. In fact, Professor Dakan and Professor Feller have partnered with Anthropic to build a series of free open-license courses that use this framework and I’m delighted to say that more than 600,000 people have touched this thing already. Rick is also a steering committee member for the Florida AI Learning Consortium.

There’s more, but all of this is to say that Ringling is a leader in training students for the appropriate and ethical use of AI. And my own background in that world, I think, is timely given everything else that’s going on here. The last thing I did before coming to Ringling at my previous institution was lead a large grant from the Mellon Foundation on exactly this topic. GREGORY:

I think the strongest and most successful programs are those that we develop in partnership with employers in the area. We have AA degrees, AS degrees and four-year bachelor’s degrees—BA and BS. In particular, our AS degrees are primarily in health sciences and education. Those two, as part of students getting their degree, have internships and clinical requirements just to graduate, and students are doing those at what is likely their future place of employment. We might have nurses doing clinical rotations at Manatee Memorial or Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Those are the two largest in the region and two likely places for our nursing students to do clinical rotations.

Our education degree students are doing their internship work in the local classrooms, and we evaluate them to ensure they’re meeting the requirements to get the degree.

At the same time, they’re getting hands-on, real-world experience.

They’re developing a professional network; they’re meeting people that may serve as a reference and they may be meeting the person that’s doing the hiring. So, they’re being evaluated, forming relationships, learning the skill and getting an education all at the same time.

Unsurprisingly, as a result of that, all of those health-science programs have 100% job placement before graduation, and that’s exciting for them, and it’s the best-case scenario for the local community.

SCHNEIDERMAN: Ringling has always been great about being industry-aligned. Because of its long history and connection to the computer animation industry, it has always had faculty that are deeply in touch with what it takes to be an animator at Disney or Pixar. So we’re really excited about that alignment. Secondly, we believe that students need to come out of Ringling not only knowing their artistic area, but having skillbuilding through different minors, certificates and concentrations that are going to give them the professionally focused opportunities that will allow them to be the

20 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

V2_SRQ1161_SRQ_0926_InConversation_0805.indd 20

8/12/26 4:39 AM

V2_SRQ1161_SRQ_0926_InConversation_0805.indd 21

8/12/26 4:39 AM

IN C ON VERSAT I O N

DR. DAVIS SCHNEIDERMAN Dr. Davis Schneiderman, PhD, began serving as President of Ringling College of Art and Design on June 1, 2026. Before coming to Ringling College, he spent more than two decades at Lake Forest College, a nationally-ranked, private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois, where he helped guide the institution through technological change, capital and enrollment growth and curricular reinvention—consistently centering creative practice as a core strength while contributing to sustained enrollment success and greater public recognition.

For 10 years, Schneiderman served in senior leadership at Lake Forest, including five years as Provost and Dean of the Faculty, partnering with the Board of Trustees to guide academic strategy, long-range planning and resource allocation across all educational and co-curricular areas. Most recently, he served as founding Executive Director of the Krebs Center for the Humanities, a public-facing cultural institution that integrates exhibitions, symposia, artist residencies and community programs with artists and writers worldwide.

Through the Krebs Center and three major Mellon Foundation grants, he built lasting partnerships with museums, libraries, schools and civic organizations. As Principal Investigator of HUMAN, a $1.2 million Mellon Foundation initiative, he has become a national voice on artificial intelligence in higher education and the arts.

SRQ M AGAZ I N E | T R E N D S I N H IG H E R E D U C AT IO N : : SE PTE MBE R 2026

ideal pick of employers as soon as they get out. Put another way, students often come in with astounding artistic talent. Our faculty grow and nurture that artistic talent, and Ringling College teaches them about being professionals.

Whether that’s about intellectual property, negotiating contracts, the basics of resume building—there are special challenges for creative professionals to go out and be successful and we don’t want them to be confronted by an opportunity and not know how to negotiate a good position for themselves with that opportunity. So, it’s about the making of the art, but about learning how to be an entrepreneur for your own artistic practice.

HOW IS YOUR INSTITUTION ADAPTING TO THE CHANGING EXPECTATIONS OF TODAY’S STUDENTS, INCLUDING FLEXIBILITY, AFFORDABILITY AND STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES? SCHNEIDERMAN: I think one of the advantages of small colleges in general, where I’ve spent my entire career, is that they can be very nimble. They can be very adaptable.

They can pivot. Many institutions had to do so during COVID, but how do you teach art and design online? Our faculty figured that out effectively, very quickly. We’re also interested in the near term in making more programs that can be transfer-friendly, both for current students who may decide that their interest in art and design has shifted a little bit. They thought they were coming in to be an illustrator, but they’ve become interested in photography. Are there easy ways for them to change those pathways? We also have to think about the cost of college and the amount of aid that is provided for students. Student scholarships are of supreme importance for the future of Ringling College and for all colleges. Also, I’d say what really makes Ringling stand out from other art and design colleges is that many of them are buildings in a city and they have a very urban campus feel, and that is delightful if that’s what a student is looking for. But we are much more

like a small liberal arts college in terms of the campus vibes that we offer to students. We have so many recreation and wellness activities, so many student-led clubs and really impressive internship and volunteering opportunities. We have a campus ministry. We have support for all of our students. That’s why 80% of our students choose to live on campus. That’s very unique for an art and design college. We also have programs for first-generation students and for veteran students.

GREGORY: Number one, we keep education affordable, and we’ve done that by not raising tuition in 15 years and that forces us to be super efficient. The other way that we do it is by offering flexible course schedules. It could be morning, afternoon or evening. It just depends on what the student needs and where they are. For example, in our Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, the BSN, almost all of those nurses are working already.

Many of them are graduates of our AS degree. They’re working fulltime, and they want to come back and get their BSN. Regardless of whether they came to us first, now they’re working on their BSN, and they have a job. We have to schedule those classes to accommodate their work schedules, and healthcare worker schedules can be challenging to say the least. We also provide personalized assistance, advice and support in the form of tutoring and what we call success coaches.

WHAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL INDUSTRIES, BUSINESSES OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON STUDENT SUCCESS AND WORKFORCE READINESS? GREGORY: We’re constantly looking for internships for our students, whether or not they’re required, and there are several very helpful companies. We find that students are very successful when they’re given the opportunity, and plenty of businesses do, but we’re always looking for more. I pointed out healthcare and education earlier, but it’s also true in business and technology. Our business leaders are always looking for our

students who are majoring in any of the business programs. We have very strong partnerships and serve either on the board of directors or on several committees with all of our local chambers of commerce and all of our local economic development corporations. That allows us to get that high level of exposure and interaction with a lot of companies all at once and stay engaged in that economic development conversation. We also have a strong partnership with both of the local county school districts, Manatee and Sarasota Counties.

In today’s world, a lot of high school students are choosing to take college courses while they’re there, which requires us to have a strong working relationship. We actually have high schools on our college campuses and both of those high schools are public charter high schools, which means we are interacting and working on that relationship with the two school districts. Both of those schools are A-rated and those students are graduating from high school on our campus on the same day or the same week that they’re getting their AA degree and off to college.

SCHNEIDERMAN: Ringling College brings over 100 recruiters to campus each year. And those can be local companies, but they’re also Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Nintendo, Cartoon Network, Hasbro, YouTube—all of the places that people think of when they think of folks going into this industry. But we also do quite a bit with local organizations. And one of the cool ways we do that both locally and more extensively is through our INDEX (industry experience) program.

INDEX is the ability for businesses and employers, large or small, to come to us and say, “We’ve got an art and design issue. Do you have any students that can help us with that? Do you have any faculty that might be interested in helping us with that?” I’ll give you a couple of recent examples. Sarasota’s African-American Cultural Coalition worked on the Leonard Reid House right in Newtown.

Our students helped in some of the

22 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

V2_SRQ1161_SRQ_0926_InConversation_0805.indd 22

8/12/26 4:39 AM

V2_SRQ1161_SRQ_0926_InConversation_0805.indd 23

8/12/26 4:39 AM

IN C ON VERSAT I ON design work for that when it was getting off the ground. This isn’t quite local, but the Smithsonian American Art Museum has had a program called Drawn to Art: 10 Tales of Inspiring Women Artists, and Ringling Illustration students are providing content for that.

Locally at the well-regarded Moffitt Cancer Center, we have a really interesting program where our students were working on virtual reality to try to demonstrate to cancer patients what they might be going through in the future before their treatment begins. We believe in helping our students get into the larger, wider ecosystem, but those local partnerships are part of what makes Sarasota special and we want to have our students contributing to the local economy and working with local businesses.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION OVER THE NEXT FIVE TO TEN YEARS? GREGORY: We haven’t raised tuition in 15 years and Florida is a very affordable state to pursue higher education, but what some people don’t realize is that the state colleges like SCF, our tuition is half of the university tuitions in Florida. Florida’s already a great deal. All credits in Florida schools are transferable by law within the state system and that’s a huge advantage for Florida students.

I know that’s not a challenge but it is a challenge to maintain the affordability that underlies the usefulness of having that.

We’re going to continue to focus there, while of course, facing the challenge of public scrutiny. When you’re a public entity, you’re always under the microscope. Taxpayers in Florida, just like the rest of the country, contribute a lot of money toward higher education because they recognize that it’s a public good and we have to be good stewards of those taxpayer dollars.

The public demands that we are producing graduates with degrees that are meeting workforce needs in the local community. We’re continually reviewing all of our

SRQ M AGAZ I NE | T R E N D S I N H IG H E R E D U C AT IO N : : SE PTE MBE R 2026

degree programs to ensure that it is a return on investment.

SCHNEIDERMAN: There’s a challenge of fewer high school students in the country becoming college-going students, but there’s the larger question of what the value of higher education is. Do you remember the game of life when we were kids? You spin a little wheel and you move a car around, and at one point, you decide if you’re going to go to college or if you’re going to skip college right at the beginning. And if you skip college, you start to make more money right away in the game. And if you go to college, you don’t make as much money right away. But by the end of the game, the people who went to college have more money.

That isn’t every college because we have to make sure that when our students come to us, we’re doing all the things I’ve talked to you about today so they can go out and have chosen the correct path in the game of life. We believe we have all those fundamentals. We’re happy about it. That ROI–why go, and why go to Ringling are questions that we believe we have a compelling suite of answers for. A separate topic is the challenging environment for international students coming to the United States right now, just because of the political situation, and those things can change and shift over time, but we’ve had a meaningful population of international students at Ringling over the decades; they are important to our community. We’re going to look for every opportunity to help them still come and thrive and study, but we also believe that we are serving all students and we know that a vibrant campus helps make students into well-rounded people when they can explore and experience other people.

HOW ARE YOU MEASURING STUDENT SUCCESS BEYOND GRADUATION RATES? SCHNEIDERMAN: Because of the industry alignment, the cool things that students can do here are really impressive. They can do an internship or senior experience with

Disney as one of our students did recently. One of our alums works with Chance the Rapper. Our entertainment design students have internships at Mattel, Universal, places of that kind. But let me tell you a little bit about that alumni success because that’s what we’re talking about. I was astounded when I watched the Oscars this year to learn that 66 Ringling alums worked on Oscar-nominated films. Fourteen computer animation grads worked on KPop Demon Hunters. Twenty-one computer animation grads worked on Zootopia II. Six worked on Avatar: Fire and Ash. I would venture to guess that any movie that is being made right now has Ringling College alums engaged with in some meaningful way.

HOW DOES YOUR INSTITUTION ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS? GREGORY: This has really been part of who SCF is and was from the beginning.

We are your local open access institution. That’s part of the mission of being a state college, and so, you can’t get more equitable access than that. We want students to come from any background to pursue higher education at the State College of Florida. We like to say at SCF, we meet you where you are. We’re everyone’s college. That references whatever path they’re pursuing, whatever background they have, whatever capability they have to come in and take full-time or part-time classes. They may be 18 years old, 68 years old or anywhere in between; we’ll meet them where they are. In addition to doing those things, we keep tuition affordable by not raising the rates and by being half the tuition of universities in Florida, which are already very affordable comparatively across the country. We truly are living up to that open access to the greatest extent possible. We’re a place that people in this community should say is a high-quality, world-class education that’s affordable, and it’s right here at home.

SCHNEIDERMAN: Over 90% of our students receive some sort of financial aid and that includes both need-based and merit-based scholarship support. We believe very much in trying to provide as much scholarship support to students as we can. Our applications are reviewed holistically. It means that we equally weigh academic recommendations, and this is not the case for every college’s portfolio. To get into Ringling, you submit a portfolio and that portfolio has to demonstrate your potential. You don’t have to be a master of your field because you’re coming to learn that. But we want to make sure that if you come here, you’re going to be prepared to thrive in our very rigorous, practical, industryaligned ecosystem. At the same time, for a student who maybe comes from a place where they don’t have a lot of high school support to develop a portfolio, we provide all of that. We will help talk you through what we’re looking for. So, we don’t want to turn someone away just because they didn’t go to an art-aligned high school. Far from it. We want to make sure that anyone who has that spark can show us that spark in the most compelling way. Our on-campus community also is very inclusive and diverse. Twenty-two percent are international, and over 50 U.S. states and territories are represented. Students are coming to Florida from all over to go to this college. Of course, the beaches are a bonus along with all the wonderful aspects of Sarasota, but the training that has been demonstrated over decades at Ringling is really what the value proposition is. It’s a community of caring faculty and staff who are invested in your success. I have never been to a college where you can feel the passion so strongly from so many people everywhere you go.

It’s infectious.

24 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

V2_SRQ1161_SRQ_0926_InConversation_0805.indd 24

8/12/26 4:39 AM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2026 | 10:30AM – 1:30PM | MICHAEL’S ON EAST BALLROOM

11th Annual

WOMEN WHO ROAR LEADERSHIP AWARDS LUNCHEON

JOIN US FOR A MORNING OF INSPIRATION AS WE CELEBRATE WOMEN WHO LEAD WITH A ROARING SPIRIT 2026 trailblazer award recipient

ELYCE ARONS

co-founder of kate spade and ceo + founder of frances valentine A 35-year fashion veteran, Elyce knows a thing or two about business and style. She famously chased her passion for fashion all the way from Kansas to New York City alongside her best friend, Kate, and co-founded Kate Spade in 1993. Elyce shepherded the company from inception to international success, growing it into one of the most iconic brands in modern fashion history, and was instrumental in its 2006 sale to Neiman Marcus Group.

ONLINE TICKETS+TABLES | SRQMAG.COM/WWRLUNCHEON OUR SPONSORS

2026_SRQSEPT26_WWR.indd 25

8/12/26 6:35 PM

TREND +SPORT Kevin Schrock cycling with Village Idiots Cycling Club

September has arrived, bringing our curated guide to the latest in food, drink, health and fitness. This season is packed with unexpected local experiences—from capybaras and crafts to prepared meals and mahjong games. It’s also the perfect time to fill your calendar with the season’s must-see events and activities.

WRITTEN BY DYLAN CAMPBELL, MALLORY EVANS, OLIVIA FANDERS, BARBIE HEIT, STEPHANIE CHURN LUBOW AND SARAH EMILY MIANO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX ALFARO, WYATT KOSTYGAN AND WES ROBERTS

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 26

8/13/26 4:16 PM

TREND SPORT NON-DROP RIDES Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club Easily the oldest group of the three, the Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club (SMBC) is also the largest, with 600 members and hosts over 7,500 rides a year. “We have rides that start as far north as Parrish, as far south as Venice, as far east as Myakka and as far west as the beautiful Gulf of Mexico and the barrier islands,” says President Don Stuart. “We want to be the premier cycling club in Sarasota. We want to be inclusive of all ages and abilities to enjoy the sport, build friendships, increase skills and give back to the community.” The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was founded in 1974 and prides itself on giving back to charitable causes. For Stuart, who moved to Sarasota from Connecticut three years ago, SMBC has been a place to find community and kinship—as well as race toward his goal of cycling 10,000 kilometers in 2026. “I enjoy the camaraderie and the sense of purpose riding gives me. It keeps me motivated and active, both socially and recreationally,” says Stuart. One does not have to be a member, however, to ride with SMBC. There are five different speed groups to choose from and, with 95% of all rides being designated as “non-drop” rides, no cyclist gets left behind. “We put a prime focus on safety. There is always a ride leader who has been trained in the rules of Florida Biking law and is responsible for the group. Fun follows very closely behind along with getting exercise and meeting new people,” says Stuart. “I’ve met so many new people because of how many different rides we have.” Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club, PO Box 15053, Sarasota, smbc.com

Get Ridin’ Here are three great cycling clubs in Sarasota where the rides are smooth— or intentionally bumpy—the vibes are high and the community is even sweeter. —D.Campbell BUILDING A NETWORK SCORR

Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club

CYCLISTS AT EVERY LEVEL Village Idiots Cycling Club (VICC) Perhaps the cycling club with the best name in town, Village Idiots Cycling Club operates out of Lakewood Ranch, offering rides for cyclists of every level, from beginners to the Tour de France hopefuls. Wednesday night rides leave from Lakewood Ranch Main Street and Saturday morning rides depart from Waterside Place. There are the high level groups such as A—riding at 25 mph and above— all the way down to the more beginner friendly D group, which paces itself at 14-16 mph. An emphasis is placed on road safety and learning how to ride in a group. In recent years, the group has also incorporated mountain biking. “A lot of people can get fast before they get good. I want to make sure that you’re good before you’re fast,” says president Dawn Zielinski, who encourages newcomers to contact the group before showing up for a ride. “I want to make sure that we have somebody to support them, I love it when they reach out to me via email or the website.” For Zielinski, who has helmed VICC for seven years, the benefits of cycling stretch over so many aspects of her life. There is the social component—the friends she has made and community she has found—as well as the physical and emotional components. “A lot of people call it cycle-therapy. You get so much out of cycling, such as exercise and endorphins. If you’re riding by yourself, you have time to think and process things that you don’t have time to do when exercising in other disciplines,” says Zielinski.

VICC also hosts the annual WOW (women on wheels) ride, the Ride of Silence and offers pathways for those interested in competitive cycling or triathlon. Village Idiots Cycling Club, villageidiotscycling.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS

Not all two wheeled adventures are best on asphalt.

Just ask Eric Claessens, president of the Sarasota County Off-Road Riders (SCORR). Over the years, the group has worked tirelessly to create a network of 25 miles of biking trails within South Sarasota County’s Carlton Reserve—perfect rolling short track for mountain bikers and gravel riders of all abilities.

“It’s the perfect beginner or intermediate trail,” says Claessens. “You’re not going to be jumping over rocks or logs—they are nice, flowy trails.” The network, which consists of interconnecting loops that branch out to service roads, allows for riders to experience a different side of the area. Away from the white sand beaches and stunning waterways, is a quieter, more heavily forested area truly reminiscent of “Old Florida”. “We have three main access points for the trails. One is the parking lot at the Carlton Reserve, the other is at the Myakkahatchee Environmental Park in Northport and the third access point is off East River Road on the north end of the Myakka State Forest,” says Claessens. “There’s so much wildlife out there. You see pigs, deer, alligators, birds, just all kinds of animals.” To ride with SCORR, simply hop on the group’s Facebook page and reach out. The group, which consists of dedicated “Trail Thugs” that assist with upkeep of the trail network, hosts a multitude of rides throughout the season, typically from September through June or July. SCORR also hosts larger events, such as Piggy’s Revenge, an endurance ride through Carlton Reserve in which riders can choose to ride the 10, 20 or 40 mile mountain bike route, a 60 mile trail or a 20 mile gravel bike loop that over 300 people annually attend. Sarasota County Off Road Riders, scorrider@gmail. com, scorrider.com

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 27

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 27

8/13/26 4:34 PM

TREND SPORT

No Proof Required “Intentional drinking,” the New Yorker calls it. The Atlantic labeled an entire generation “neo-temperate.” Tipplers are “zebra-striping” through their evening, alternating between cocktails and spirit-free options in the same outing. Mixologists build zero-proof programs with the care they once reserved for their spirited menus. Along the Gulf Coast, the shift happened quickly. At a number of area venues, bartenders are holding the spirits. New zeroproof programs are delivering drinks with distinct flavor: bitter, botanical, smoky, earthy.

A guest who skips the bourbon deserves more than a glass of orange juice, and local bartenders are making sure what’s handed across the bar is worth the squeeze. —S.E. Miano

Florence and the Spice Boys | Serenity Now

ZERO PROOF Michael’s On East When Michael’s on East reopened after renovations last October, co-proprietor Michael Klauber clocked something in the dining room: iced tea. “We’ve seen a real influx of younger diners, and we noticed that a lot of them weren’t drinking,” he says. “Why can’t they have the same kind of experience that people have with some of the wines and spirits?” The answer: a zero-proof menu. “We went through the same kind of process that we go through when adding any wine or beer,” Klauber says. “We did

28 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 28

Rufa at the Ritz-Carlton | Blue Jay

Michael’s On East | Tease Tini

Michael’s On East | Honey Keeper

Cafe Evergreen | Summer Cooler

a lot of homework, and we tasted a lot of products.” The naming was intentional, too. “We don’t call them non-alcoholic or mocktails.

We really wanted to say what it is . . . zero proof is how we describe them.”

Before the menu existed, lead mixologist Lara Baykent fulfilled the same request on repeat. “People would say, ‘Oh, I don’t drink. Can you make me a mocktail, but put it in a fancy glass?’” Now that they’ve got The Honey Keeper, no guest needs to pretend. A riff on the restaurant’s signature Beekeeper cocktail, the zero-proof version swaps tequila with a non-alcoholic agave distillate and adds smoked nutmeg honey syrup. Nationally, the drinks media

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS

8/12/26 6:29 PM

TREND SPORT

outlet VinePair has reported that the winning flavor in the NA space tends to be bitter and botanically complex, not sweet. The Honey Keeper follows that formula: smoke registers first, then a sweetness that lemon and orange bitters keep in check. Baykent pairs it with happy hour’s jumble-up crab stack with a chili basil vinaigrette. “Spicy and sweet, they go together,” she says.

Baykent credits a lesser-known ingredient for the texture: Arabic gum, “to give it a little more body and a little more weight, so when somebody drinks it, the mouthfeel is like an alcoholic drink.” For the filet mignon brochette with housemade ketchup, the bar sends out something bolder, the Midnight in Manhattan: on oak-aged American spirit, Italian-style aperitif and aromatic bitters, all non-alcoholic, with enough tannic grip to stand beside red meat. The Tease Tini, their zero-proof espresso martini, pairs a coffee liqueur alternative with vanilla and fresh-pulled espresso, riding the wave that’s made it the most-ordered cocktail at bars nationwide. “Why punish people that aren’t gonna have a spirit, a wine or a beer, when we can do some really fun things with these new products that are coming out?” Klauber says. “It really is exciting.”

mimicking a certain kind of alcohol,” Carlson says. “It’s not pretending to be something else. It’s kind of its own thing.” She hasn’t had a drink in 10 years, but then, “all of my friends and everybody I know doesn’t drink very much,” she says. “It’s part of being a little bit healthier, and still wanting to have something fun to drink when you go out.” The distinction matters: rather than asking a non-alcoholic product to stand in for gin or vodka, Florence treats it as an ingredient with its own character. The Serenity Now shows the range: Fluere Smoked Agave provides a campfire on the nose, grapefruit supplies tartness and serrano pepper gives a gradual heat. Carlson compares the profile to a smoky mezcal margarita. Pair either drink with the hummus, sprouted labneh or the chicken shawarma pita. “People do that a lot, honestly, have a cocktail and a little snack.”

Florence’s zero-proof menu belongs to a growing category: the functional beverage, engineered to deliver a physiological effect. Where a standard mocktail replaces the missing spirit with extra juice, these drinks introduce adaptogens and botanicals that change how a drink feels, not only how it tastes.

INSPIRED BY THE BIRDS Rufa at the Ritz-Carlton

GOOD FOR THE GUT Café Evergreen

Jillian McClure tends bar at Rufa at the Ritz-Carlton, an all-outdoor bar, with a credential she leads with: three years of sobriety. “I got sober in April 2023,” the lifestyle bartender says. “So I am extra passionate about creating mocktails and craft drinks as alternatives.” Rufa opened in October 2024 with two spirit-free cocktails on the menu. The bar takes its name from a true snowbird, the Rufa Red Knot, which winters in Sarasota before migrating to Argentina.

Every cocktail carries a bird name and a virtue. The Dove (“Peace + Hope”) starts with coconut milk and caramelized pineapple. McClure simmers fresh pineapple juice with brown sugar and cinnamon to caramelize the fruit, giving a toasted depth that straight juice cannot touch. Fresh lime and Yuzu lime soda lighten the body, while a toasted coconut rim adds crunch.

McClure might pair that with the Birria Tacos, braised short rib with chihuahua cheese, or Beef Sliders with chorizo and lime cilantro aioli. “Many times in my early sobriety, when I would go out, most people would say, ‘Oh, we can do it without the alcohol.’ And mainly you’re getting a glass of orange juice.

Nobody wants to eat a steak dinner and have a glass of orange juice with that.”

The Blue Jay (“Honesty + Kindness”) is pure drama. Housemade tart cherry syrup pools at the bottom beneath Yuzu lime soda. Butterfly pea tea, which the bar steeps in-house from dried flowers, stains the top layer a vivid indigo. There’s a faint lavender note on the finish. “The drink actually is red, white and blue,” McClure says. “It almost looks like those popsicles you eat in the summertime.” Cue the tapas-style Maine lobster bites with garlic-herb butter, avocado and plantain tostones. At a tasting event last November, the Blue Jay outsold every spirited option on the menu. “It’s not just a trend,” McClure says. “It’s a movement.”

The numbers confirm what she and other bartenders already suspected: off-premise sales of non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits reached $925 million in 2025, up 22 percent year over year, and the U.S. no-alcohol market is projected to approach $5 billion by 2028.

The kefir grains of Cafe Evergreen live in its bank vault. The building in Nokomis, constructed in 1923 as the first bank and first post office in Sarasota County, still has the original vault, walls three feet thick. Owner Ted Weinberger discovered it was the ideal home for his cultures. “They’re very sensitive to electricity, to fluctuations in heat and hot and cold, and they like it quiet,” he says. “The bank vault seems to be really working out nice for them.”

Weinberger grows water kefir, a cousin of the milk-based kefir that those 1970s Cossack yogurt commercials promised would help you live to 100. It requires feeding sugar water to symbiotic colonies of bacteria and yeast. Long before “functional beverage” became a marketing category, Café Evergreen was fermenting its own, tending the same living culture for over a decade. The grains are temperamental: sensitive to metal, hostile to tap water, prone to unexplained die-offs. Weinberger keeps a backup batch in hibernation in the refrigerator, suspended in high-sugar water, dormant and ready. “Sometimes you just don’t know why.

You just go in there, and you look at it and they’re not happy.”

The liquid tastes, well, it’s hard to describe. “I don’t know how it gets that flavor,” Weinberger admits, “but it reminds me of apple juice. It’s very non-offensive.” Poured into a wine glass, the color could pass for white wine. “You think you’re having a glass of Chardonnay because it’s the same nice yellow color.” The café also carries CBD-infused drinks, part of a broader pattern: 22 percent of consumers who purchase non-alcoholic beverages now explore THC and CBD options as part of their social drinking repertoire.

The Summer Cooler, Evergreen’s most popular drink, adds fresh watermelon muddled with mint and house-made lemonade: a probiotic punch dressed up as a poolside cocktail. The Midnight Cooler swaps in blueberries. Weinberger’s pairing recommendation: the raw avocado slider on dehydrated onion bread. “You’re knocking it out of the ballpark. You’ll feel full, and you’ll walk away really happy.”

SHOWING THE RANGE Florence & the Spice Boys

Michael’s on East, 1212 S. East Ave, Sarasota, 941-366-0007, bestfood.com; Rufa at the Ritz-Carlton, 1111 Ritz-Carlton Dr, Sarasota, 941-309-2000, ritzcarlton.com; Florence & the Spice Boys, 257 N Cattlemen Rd, Unit 90, Sarasota, 941-359-8338, florenceandthespiceboys.com; Café Evergreen, 801 Tamiami Trail South, Nokomis, 941-412-4334, cafeevergreen.net.

The bestselling zero-proof cocktail at Florence & the Spice Boys, The Pink Cloud, arrives in a martini glass with a tricolored tuft of cotton candy perched on the rim, sweetening the final sips while dissolving slowly into a pomegranate, hibiscus and elderflower tonic. “Every time we sell them, people are like, ‘Oh, what’s that?’” says General Manager of the UTC location, Amber Carlson. Florence, which opened a year ago, originally offered every cocktail in a non-alcoholic version. The team learned fast that subtraction does not make a drink. “Several drinks feature Aplos Arise, a hemp- and adaptogen-based non-alcoholic spirit. “Aplos is not

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 29

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 29

8/12/26 6:29 PM

TREND SPORT

The Farm That Keeps Growing Back in 2019, we introduced you to Tim and Chelsea Clarkson, who began raising chickens and collecting eggs for friends and family as a hobby. That small endeavor quickly evolved into Grove Ladder Farm, a thriving business that grew from a half-acre homestead in Sarasota to a 12-acre pasture-based livestock farm in Arcadia, serving Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties. Today, Grove Ladder Farm remains dedicated to ethically raised, non-GMO poultry, eggs and regenerative agricultural products. According to Clarkson, all animals are raised outdoors on fresh pasture year-round.

During the winter, when native forage is dormant, the farm plants cover crops such as rye grass, oats and wheat to keep animals grazing naturally. The farm has also evolved into a one-stop source for locally produced goods beyond its own offerings, stocking items such as yarn, local kombucha and sourdough chocolate chip cookies. For customers unable to pick up their products, Grove Ladder Farm provides home delivery. In addition to poultry and eggs, the farm now raises lamb, while Chelsea spins wool into yarn. Through partnerships with neighboring producers, customers can also purchase grass-fed beef, forest-raised pork, raw dairy, organic vegetables and pasture-raised chicken and turkey from Four Daughters Farms in Parrish. Raw dairy has become especially popular; however, because it is unpasteurized and unhomogenized, Florida law requires it to be sold only for pet food and animal consumption.

Clarkson attributes much of the business growth to the COVID-19 pandemic, which served as a catalyst for the expansion of Grove Ladder Farm. When farmers markets shut down, Grove Ladder Farm transformed its website into an online marketplace featuring products from local farmers the Clarksons had met over the years. The shift not only expanded access to local food but also strengthened relationships within the farming community and eased the pressure of managing every aspect of production alone. “It probably took me too long to realize that I can’t do everything by myself,” says Clarkson. “We have some really awesome partners now, and we are able to reach more people. At the same time, we’re supporting other local farmers and I’ve become really good friends with all of them. I think it’s a full circle win.”

Last year, the farm began offering statewide shipping through UPS. Orders quickly grew from just one or two shipments per week to 40 or 50, reaching customers in Miami, the Florida Keys and Jacksonville. Grove Ladder Farm also continues its local home-delivery service, supported by three longtime customers, and plans to expand with an additional truck and increased storage capacity to serve Tampa and St. Petersburg. Recent investments include expanded freezer storage and a dedicated order-fulfillment building on the property. Since our 2019 story, Grove Ladder Farm has experienced remarkable growth. If the past seven years is any indication, the next seven promise even greater possibilities for the local farm and its community. —B.Heit 5690 SE Stallings Terrace, Arcadia, groveladderfarm.com, @groveladderfarm

Grove Ladder Farm at their Downtown Sarasota Pick Up Location

Tim and Chelsea Clarkson

28 | srq magazine_ SEPT25 live local

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 30

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CECILIA MARTY

8/13/26 3:35 PM

TREND SPORT

Uncorking a New Era After decades of serving quality steaks to the Sarasota community, Alpine Steakhouse started a new chapter in its journey by opening a temperature-controlled 2,200-bottle wine cellar a few years ago.

“It’s been a vision of mine for about 15 years,” co-owner Matt Rebhan explains. “Being able to properly store and pour wines at the proper temperature, we’ve really stepped into a whole other tier, a whole other level of wines.” Since opening the wine cellar, Alpine has been hosting pop-up tastings and exclusive events within the space.

Rebhan highlighted that Alpine can accommodate private dinners of up to six people in the room as well. “People have the whole room to themselves right in the middle of the wine cellar,” he says. The addition has also added to the overall dining experience at Alpine.

Now, guests are encouraged to pair wines from the cellar with the restaurant’s USDA Prime steaks. “We have wines now that are more challenging to get and are on a more exquisite level,” Rebhan adds.

“People see that and they say, ‘Wow, maybe I should have some wine with my steak.’” Alpine Steakhouse’s new wine cellar represents what the restaurant is all about: creating an elevated experience for guests while staying rooted in hospitality. —O.Fanders 4520 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, 941-922-3797, alpinesteak.com

Playing for Connection Across Sarasota, people are looking for ways to branch out and find new ways to have fun. The Sarasota Mahjong Club was founded last year when organizer Emily Wilson was looking for people to play the tile-based game with. Now, the group has grown to 850 members and continues to expand. At first, people were fascinated by the 19th-century game and its emphasis on skill and strategy. “The game is layered, so it takes a little bit to learn, and you do have to use your cognitive skills,” Wilson explains. “It feels so good to be using my brain and experiencing joy and laughter with friends at the same time.” She highlights that mahjong is the perfect way to bring people together and allow them to find community. “I think that’s a little bit harder to find as an adult,” she says. The club hosts mahjong lessons and dropin games weekly, with the occasional themed event. Similarly, MVP Sports and Social has been encouraging community through team sports, offering opportunities to meet new people and stay active. “It’s not about being good or being competitive, but about meeting people,” group organizer Chris McComas says. “Whether they’re here for six months or eleven years, I hope they build relationships with people they travel with, go to concerts with and stay connected to long after they leave.” MVP Sports and Social has something for everyone, with 18 leagues across 9 different sports. In such a rapidly expanding city, MVP Sports and Social and the Sarasota Mahjong club showcase Sarasota’s appetite for connection. —O.Fanders mvpsportsandsocial. com, @sarasotamahjongclub

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS (OPPOSITE PAGE + RIGHT); ALEX ALFARO (ABOVE)

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 31

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 27

8/12/26 6:25 PM

Divan Turkish Cuisine

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 32

8/12/26 6:23 PM

TREND SPORT

The Sweet Layers of the Mediterranean Nobody agrees on who invented baklava. Every version behind a modern pastry case traces back to Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace, where sultans sent trays of baklava to the Janissaries each Ramadan. As the empire spread, so did the dessert, picking up a different accent in every region. Centuries later, three Sarasota kitchens layer it three ways. A Ukrainian-born baker soaks her Greek-style version in honey on Cattleman Road. A St Armands’ sweets shop stocks more than 30 varieties. And a Gulf Gate restaurant imports the pastry, 72 layers per piece. —S.E. Miano OfKors Cafe, 1359 Main St, Sarasota, 941-330-2220, ofkorscafe.com; OfKors Bakery, 3945 Cattlemen Rd, Sarasota, 941-552-9717, ofkorseurobakery.com; Ephesus Mediterranean Delights, 27 N Boulevard of the Presidents, Sarasota, 352-217-3195; Divan Turkish Cuisine, 6525 Superior Ave, Sarasota, 941-924-3030, divanturkishcuisine.com

OfKors Bakery

Eupheus Mediterranean Delights II

OFKORS BAKERY

EPHESUS MEDITERRANEAN DELIGHTS II

DIVAN TURKISH CUISINE

Marie Korsykova and her husband opened OfKors Bakery in early 2018 with recipes they carried from home and later expanded through European pastry courses. Their second location opened in December, a Main Street cafe sending out brunch till 5 pm: Shakshuka, French toast, crepes and a steak plate. Still, OfKors Cafe carries some similar items as the bakery. Look in the pastry case any morning, and the baklava nestles near cannoli, croissants and poppyseed rolls, which you can pick up along with a designer bouquet for home.

Korsykova grew up in Odesa, a Ukrainian port city named after the ancient Greek colony of Odessos, on the Bulgarian coast, and later shaped

by Ottoman and Russian rule. “The cuisine and the culture were influenced a lot by Greek settlers,” she says. Her baklava belongs to that Greek inheritance. Thirty-three layers of filo, a thick stratum of walnuts and almonds between them, the whole square soaked through with honey. No sugary syrup. Greek tradition set the number at 33, one layer for each year of Christ’s life, which proves a tasty balance. The Greek method yields a drier bite than its Turkish counterpart, the nut flavor intensified, the filo audible when you break a piece apart. “You need to prepare yourself that the two of these, the Greek one and the Turkish one, are very different,” Korsykova says. “Many of my friends actually prefer the Turkish one. And that’s fine, because many people like it to be very juicy.”

An ornate pressed-tin ceiling covers the length of Ephesus Mediterranean Delights II on St. Armands Circle. Below, carved lattice woodwork frames the glass display cases where trays of baklava stretch end to end. Chocolate pistachio. Traditional pistachio. Crunchy walnut. Each piece glistens with honey syrup, chopped nuts visible through the translucent top layers. The shop also stocks over 20 varieties of lokum, the rosewater-scented cubes known as Turkish delight.

General Manager Kerim Dagli oversees both locations, Ephesus I and II, around the bend from each other. The baklava comes from a producer in Tampa who follows Turkish technique. “This is really the best,” Dagli says. His pick: the crunchy walnut, ordered with strong Turkish coffee, served in a small porcelain cup.

Dagli draws the line between traditions by method, at least in his own experience. “For example, the Lebanese baklava, they cook with rosewater, and Greek baklava, they cook with cinnamon.

And in Turkey, we are cooking with honey.”

Ephesus II’s back room could pass for an Istanbul tea house. Patterned kilims cover the floor and the walls. A tower of stained-glass lamps glows from the center, and a heavy wooden door, centuries old by the look of the ironwork, hangs beside them. Get comfy on the low cushions, order a second coffee and spend the afternoon.

Chef Ugur Sariyar ran a restaurant in New Jersey before heading to the Gulf Coast. “I didn’t like winter,” he says. “I wanted to be close to the beach, the palm trees.” He runs Divan Turkish Cuisine with his wife Dede; their toddler daughter, Sariyar jokingly says, “works part time.” The name translates to couch, a place for relaxing in Ottoman parlors, and the small dining room backs up the promise.

Blue glass nazars, charms against envy, glint beside shelves of cookbooks and mosaic lamps.

A painted mural of Istanbul’s domed skyline hangs behind gray booths, with tables set in navy and patterned cushions lining the banquette.

Start with the manti, ground beef dumplings with garlic yogurt, small enough to eat in one bite, like the baklava waiting at the end. Sariyar imports his baklava from Gaziantep, the region most closely associated with the dessert’s traditional roots, made by specialists. “There’s a chef, and there’s a baklava chef,” he says. “Those people, they only make baklava. That’s why it’s so thin. You can see from one side to the other side.” Seventy-two layers of hand-stretched, high-starch dough come filled with pistachio, walnut or chocolate, and soaked in a simple syrup of sugar, lemon, honey and water. Pistachio leads; the nut was historically scarce outside that area when the recipe took form, Sariyar says. Press a fork in, the layers almost ooze. Order Turkish black tea so the tannins can clear a path to the next rich bite.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 33

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 33

8/12/26 6:22 PM

JAMES GRIFFITH SALON TREND SPORT

Forty years of French haircutting technique, hometown roots and a team that keeps on growing.

James Griffith has been cutting hair for nearly

50 years. He opened first salon in Venice four Downtown WellenhisPark is Growing

decades ago, added a second location at the Gasparilla The vibrant community that thrives on wellness, personal connections and in Boca Grande in 2000,an then a thirdnew in Sarasota anInn active lifestyle is entering exciting chapter with the arrival of its in 2009.

The Wellen Park salon, which opened in early Phase II development.

Continuously ranked among the fastest-selling masterMay, is his fourth, and he shows no signs of stopping. planned communities in the U.S., the already bustling downtown has added a “You eithercurated go or mix you of grow,” says. “Forservices my wifeand office tenants that thoughtfully retail,herestaurants, Christine andperspectives me, we didn’tand feelnew likeexperiences going.” will bring fresh to the community—each one Christine grew up to in the Sarasota, and James adding a unique voice ever-evolving spiritmoved of Wellen Park. From local here from Ohio right out ofbrands, high school never left. entrepreneurs to established Phaseand II reflects the people and businesses They’ve raised family infuture. south Sarasota County helping shape thetheir community’s —their daughter Aimee now serves asopen the company’s Some of the newest businesses now or soon to be opening include Easy Does It marketing Comfort Kitchen, servingthey’ve comfortwatched food with a creative twist; Le brand and director—and Maison, authentic patisserie Wellenan Park developFrench from the groundfeaturing up. Whenfresh the breads, pastries and croissants; Bandido,thea answer Mexican-inspired restaurant and tequila bar developerAgave came calling, was easy. “We’re with contemporary cuisine; and Grain Berry, a favorite from here,” James says simply.

“We& are locals with for health-conscious customers offering superfoods, worldwide, big-city training.”smoothies and signature bowls.

Retail and lifestyle additions include Seaside the & Co., Hudson Square Boutique Training is the cornerstone of everything salon and Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, offering everything does. James and his senior staff were the first studentsfrom fashion and home décor to premium pet care.

James the Griffith SalonDessange and Club Pilates help residents in the United States to attend Jacques look and feel their best, while the Mattamy Homes Design Center provides a French Haircutting Academy when it opened in New personalized home-design experience with expert guidance every step of the way.

York—which means they’ve been practicing French New professional office tenants include AvSKY, a private aviation brokerage and haircutting longer than anyone else in the country. The aircraft parts dealer; Allstate Fisher Family Insurance, a family-owned insurance technique, as James describes it, works with the shape of provider; J&B Insurance Partners, helping individuals protect their financial future; the head to soften features and make the face the center and Mattamy Homes, North America’s largest privately owned homebuilder. of attention, the hairRick as its frame. Every Wellen Park’swith President, Severance, sharedstylist his enthusiasm about the at every James Griffith location is trained in-house in new tenants—not just community’s Phase II growth. “I‘m so pleased with our this method, which is also how the salon maintains their appetite to be a part of Wellen Park, but also to be part of the fabric,” he quality consistency locations. says.

“Weand actually have a across numberitsoffour tenants who are residents—they reside in French painting—is specialty, Wellen Park, balayage—hair which is phenomenal.

It saysalso a lotaabout our community’s live, work, and the salon has grown into one of the largest hair Wellen Park residents play model.”

With these new additions to the community, James Griffith Salon extension practices onneed the Gulf Coast as well.

Heitit is will have everything they close to home.

—B.But the haircutting that defines the brand, and the training that sustains it. “It’s the work that we’re the most Terrific Teens at Big Cat Habitat proud of,” James says. “Each salon of ours is unique in the way it looks, but it’s the quality of the hair that Experience the ultimate zen at Big Cat Habitat with Capybara Yoga, a unique class where gentle stretching and a relaxed atmosphere always Histry team in Wellen Park meet the world’s largest and most charming rodents. If yoga is notdelivers.” your thing, Capys & Coffee forisanenergetic enjoyable morning experience. and excited, and the business community This coffee date offers early park entry, a complimentary beverage and a tasty breakfast treat, all while you around meet, feed and capture photos them hasDirector, already Renee proven welcoming.

Thethe salon haswith the five capybaras with these lovable creatures. Big Cat Habitat’s Marketing & Events Ferreira, oversees events collaborative events tenants who currently reside at the Habitat, which has maintaineddone the species for 15 years.

Thewith herdneighboring includes parents and offspring named with almostthen since Weddings are a to major ofTravis and Taylor. One a recognizable theme. “We started off first with a male capabara, weday got aone. female and decided namepart them theadorable business, and who withwere Solisborn Hallinnearby andWe a new thing led to another and Travis and Taylor produced two really babies June 2025. made a big announcement hotel the works, Park looks likeand fertile and had a naming contest to let the community help us name theintwo babies andWellen we ended up with Chief Swifty. Then we found out THIS SPREAD CLOCKWISE James and Christine Griffith are excited gets me up in the morning,” they were both boys, so they became Chief and Swift, who,ground. at just “That’s one yearwhat old,really are actually considered our teenagers.” Big Cat Habitat to share their award-winning services with the Wellen Park commuJamesBig says. for young currently houses 300 animals with more than 65 different species. cats“Creating are the firstopportunity thing that comes to mindhairwhen people think of them, nity. Keelie and Brian Bloom hope that neighbors will enjoy sipping but Ferreira explains that the Habitat has long been takingdressers in animals a forever home;19835 they’veWellen alwaysPark had a hard time saying no, toneeding have a place to work.” and shopping together at their newest boutique in Wellen Park. which has resulted in an accumulation of a lot of different animal species.

“We’ve had capybaras long before they were a fad, probably for Blvd., Suite 7102, 941-396-2665; jamesgriffithsalon.com around 15 years,” she says. “Now the species has gone viral on social media, so it’s pretty cool and our events are more popular than ever.”

At the Habitat, the capybaras interact with their capybara friends and with humans, but in the wild, Ferreira explains, they are a very find them floating in the water with a bird or even a small monkey floating along with them. Sometimes a PHOTOGRAPHY

BY WES ROBERTS | SRQ MEDIA 16 Explore W E L L E Npeaceful PA R K L I V Ianimal.

N G | F A L“You L 2 0 2might 6 turtle might even take a ride on their back—they’re incredibly chill.” Ferreira shares that the mostly aquatic capybaras spend their days swimming by the waterfall, enjoying hand-delivered vegetarian breakfasts and napping. With webbed feet and the ability to hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes, they’re built for the water. On event days like Capybara Yoga or Capys & Coffee, they greet visitors for treats, scratches and attention before heading back for another swim. Since capybaras can grow up to 4½ feet long and weigh between 60 and 180 pounds, the animal handlers, who are mostly women, have learned to lift with their legs. They also recently purchased V3_SRQWPLAUG26_Explore.indd a 16special “capybara bus” that the animals can walk into and be transported around in. “Here at Big Cat Habitat, we love 8/3/26the 5:01 AM human and animal connection and so funds from all of our animal encounters go directly to the animals,” says Ferreira, noting that the yoga program has helped the Habitat raise over $150,000 since 2019. “You may be attending an adorable yoga class when you visit, but you’re also making a really big difference by spending the morning with us.” —B. Heit bigcathabitat.org

34 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 34

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS

8/13/26 3:36 PM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 35

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 35

8/12/26 6:21 PM

TREND SPORT

Crafts of All Trades If you’re in need of a new artsy hobby, look no further. The Sarasota County area offers a plethora of crafting activities, ranging from knitting and needlepointing to making digital arts and 3D printing. Classes grow in popularity by the day, though, so don’t waste time signing up for your next artistic endeavor. —M. Evans

Knit & Sip

KNIT & SIP Lakewood Ranch’s popular event space, GROVE, expanded its yoga and pottery classes to even more artistic activities with Knit & Sip. “We slowly started adding different workshops—candles, resin—and I thought, let’s take it up a notch and try knitting for something more hands-on,” says Claudia Potes, Director of Marketing at GROVE. Potes partnered with Debra Fourre Stacer, founder of TDog ChunkyHand Knits, to create hand-knitting workshops called Knit & Sip. The monthly program opened its doors on June 2 with blanket-making, and it began offering pillow-making in July with a sand dollar pillow—one of Knit & Sip’s best-selling items. “Everyone was laughing and having a really good time in the classes,” Stacer says. Attendees can choose between four yarn colors for their 30” x 40” blankets.

Potes and Stacer walk people through each step of finger-knitting, beginning with the foundational chain stitch, followed by the knit stitch and closing stitch. Guests also receive a care card with instructions on taking care of their blankets. Tickets include a glass of wine, and people can purchase small plates during the events to taste some of the Grove’s dining offerings. grovelwr.com

36 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 36

Creation Stations

Needlepoint Studio of Sarasota

NEEDLEPOINT STUDIO OF SARASOTA

CREATION STATIONS

Thirteen years ago, Dallas native Vickie Yohe founded Needlepoint Studio of Sarasota, and the hobby is still as popular as ever. Yohe started out with four-hour classes for participants to complete needlepoint projects, but she realized that many newcomers needed an introduction class. Now, she offers two-hour Needlepoint Studio classes to teach the basic basket-weave stitch. Yohe’s classroom that sits 18 people is almost always full.

“I try to create an environment where you’re building friendships, learning something new and keeping your brain active,” Yohe says. “It’s more than just needlepoint.” Her team speaks with guests about what they want to make, the colors or decorative stitches to include and if the item will become an heirloom piece to pass down for generations. Participants learn everything from basic needlepointing to beading and embellishing. Most participants attend classes regularly, and workshops and private lessons are also available. Yohe says people travel from the west coast and even England to visit the shop.“This is a full-service needlepoint store,” she says. needlepointstudio.com

Established in 2017, Creation Stations promotes makerspaces throughout Sarasota County Libraries. “People are inspired to create something, and a lot of times, it ends up being arts and crafts-related, or even technology-related, such as 3D printing or digital arts,” says Jamie Naylor, Digital Services Supervisor for Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources. Guests can try cricket programs to make bookmarks, the Glowforge to engrave or laser cut, 3D printing and sewing—one of the most popular options.

A Memory Lab is also available as part of a digitization effort to preserve photographs, documents and recordings. This is currently only offered at the Osprey Library, but Naylor hopes to open another space at the Elsie Quirk Library soon. “There are other technologies like robotic programs and LEGO WeDo’s that are incredibly popular,” Naylor says.

Some programs are specifically designed for elementary-aged visitors, but there are categories that cater to all ages. People also have the opportunity to request equipment and materials, such as sewing machines, with varying availability at each library. Naylor says her team tries to assess what skills people will learn through the programs—and how to continue to encourage interest and curiosity. sarasotacountylibraries.org

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX ALFARO / WES ROBERTS

8/13/26 3:37 PM

TREND SPORT

Longevity Medicine Longevity is having a moment. From NAD+ infusions and peptide therapies to “biological age reversal” clinics, the biohacks and promises are everywhere. But ask the physicians at Precision Health Concierge Medicine in Sarasota what actually extends a healthy life, and the answer is considerably less glamorous. “We’re just practicing really good primary care and individualizing it to each patient,” says Dr. Sheena Spielberg.

“Longevity medicine is a natural extension of that.” The approach centers on a simple but consequential distinction: lifespan versus healthspan— the number of years lived actively and well. Average U.S. life expectancy is roughly 78, but most Americans spend their final 13 years managing chronic disease. Precision Health works to close that gap through early screening for cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic dysfunction and cognitive decline, combined with personalized interventions on diet, exercise, sleep and emotional well-being. “It’s the wellness wild west out there,” says co-founder Dr. Patrick Mullen. “People are always chasing the next best thing, when most of it comes back to doing proven, foundational things extraordinarily well.” That requires time—something traditional insurance-based medicine rarely allows. Co-founder Dr. Zyad Asi frames it simply: “We’ve dedicated our lives to researching the most current medical knowledge to help our patients, and we’re not just doing something because it’s popular. We’re treating the whole person to slow down the aging process so people can keep playing with their grandkids.” —S.Lubow

Passion Health Concierge Medicine

precisionhealth.com

Dine Inside the Art

Bistro Sarasota Art Museum

Through its monthly Bistro Pop-Up Nights, Sarasota Art Museum has been trying to blend contemporary art and dining, creating a truly unique experience for its guests. Starting with an after-hours tour of one of the museum’s exhibitions, the evening then transitions into a four-course meal inspired by the art itself.

According to General Manager John Dangaran, the idea for the events came from a desire to enhance visitors’ connection with the museum by placing visual arts alongside culinary arts. “It’s inspiration built off inspiration,” he says. “We’re not trying to replicate the art itself. We’re trying to create an interpretation of it through food.” Dangaran describes how each of the popup nights is designed around a specific exhibition; they are grounded in each artist’s story and creative theme. Sarasota Art Museum’s Bistro Pop-Up Night on May 6th featured squid ink éclair, strawberry and swiss chard “collage” salad, pan-roasted halibut and Basque cheesecake—all modeled after the museum’s Something Borrowed, Something New exhibition. The chefs are allowed to experiment with the components and presentation of their dishes to be a representation of the artwork. Virginia Shearer, executive director of Sarasota Art Museum, explains that this event, “challenges our wonderful culinary artists behind the Museum’s Bistro to stretch their own creativity while allowing visitors to experience our exhibitions in new ways and through multiple senses.” While the event has become increasingly more popular, Dangaran says the dinners will remain small and limited to preserve their intimate and imaginative nature. “It’s the true encapsulation of a pop-up—temporary, creative and something people look forward to,” he says. “It’s supposed to The Book Worm feel special.” —O.Fanders sarasotaartmuseum.org/bistro-popup-nights

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 37

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 37

8/12/26 6:17 PM

Jacked Panda

Good Food Society

Morton’s Gourmet Market

38 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 38

8/12/26 6:13 PM

TREND SPORT

MORTON’S GOURMET MARKET “I got a staff of 40 people in the kitchen, just the kitchen alone,” says Fernando Cruz, executive chef at Morton’s Gourmet Market in Southside Village. Cruz has cooked at the family-operated market on South Osprey Avenue for twenty years. Between this flagship and a commissary kitchen supplying the Siesta Key location, his team prepares more than 400 dishes and rotates another 200. Walk the center island. On one side, composed salads by the pound: golden beets roasted, sliced and dressed with candied walnuts and goat cheese.

Blue crab salad. Pad Thai shrimp.

Aunt Bessie’s coleslaw. The famous chicken salad requires 400 pounds of hand-poached chicken per week.

On the other side, heat-and-serve entrées rotate daily: Cajun seafood jambalaya, lobster mac and cheese.

The lamb curry simmers in coconut milk with tomatoes, red peppers and fresh spinach, served alongside jasmine rice. Chicken francese nestles in lemon butter sauce over creamy mashed potatoes. Pair any main with a side of roasted redskin potatoes or steamed broccoli with carrots. The soup counter draws its own following: Roasted Red Pepper and Crab, Claire’s Butternut Squash, Grandma’s Chicken Noodle. Three chefs develop the daily specials. Some appear once; others, like the sesame-seared tuna and homemade crab cakes, have earned permanent spots. Cruz also accommodates vegan and vegetarian requests, adding new options as customers ask for them. The catering division handles private events from 25 to 200 guests, sending bartenders and servers alongside the food.

Fifty-plus years of serving Sarasota will build that kind of reach, and every dollar spent at the counter stays in the local operation. Cruz credits the people behind it. “I always tell my guys: one thing that I love about the kitchens is that, when you’re in the kitchen, it doesn’t matter what color you are, what religion you are, what party you are. We all become a group.” He pauses. Twelve different nationalities work to make this all happen. “In the kitchen, it’s who you are.”

Two Minutes from Scratch Sarasota’s meal prep scene has outgrown the protein-and-rice stereotype. A new wave of kitchens now cooks from scratch, feeding everyone from paleo and keto to plant-based eaters. There are high-protein plans for active lifestyles, wholesome meals for growing kids and nutrient-dense options for GLP-1 users or older adults with an eye on longevity. Every chef profiled here trained professionally. And every dollar stays local, supporting the farms and businesses behind the food. —S.E. Miano Good Food Society SRQ, 941-424-6894, goodfoodsocietysrq@ gmail.com; Jacked Panda Prep to Go, Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun 8 a.m.–7 p.m., 941-544-9696, jackedpandapreptogo.com; Morton’s Gourmet Market, 1924 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota, 941-955-9856m mortonsmarket.com

GOOD FOOD SOCIETY

JACKED PANDA

Every week, Eleonora Raso, co-owner of Good Food Society, posts a new menu, so her customers can order online. She cooks from a commissary kitchen using organic, locally sourced ingredients, zero seed oils, no preservatives. All items can be made gluten-free. Portions come sized for two, four or six, priced to compete with a grocery run. The business is personal, and puts families first.

“When I had my daughters, I was always in a rush,” Raso says. “I didn’t have time to cook or time to clean up.” She looked for a service that made everything from scratch while supporting local farmers. When nothing existed, she and her husband Luigi built one, for busy parents and professionals alike. A recent menu featured a Blossom Garden Bowl of arugula and quinoa topped with peaches, honey mint goat cheese and grilled lemon herb salmon. The Beef Stir Fry tosses strips of locally sourced beef with broccoli, bell peppers and carrots in a hot pan, spooned over brown rice so the vegetables stay crunchy. Seafood paella on saffron rice and Cuban platters with pulled mojo pork and mango rounded out the week. Every dish balances protein, vegetables and grains, designed to fuel a busy day. Both Rasos trained as chefs in Italy; Eleonora graduated from the Academy of Culinary Arts and earned a master’s in European patisserie. Their Sarasota roots stretch back decades: her uncle owned Bacco’s downtown in the 1990s, her grandfather’s family operated a hotel on St. Armands Circle. The couple ran two restaurants on Anna Maria Island until Hurricane Helene wiped them out. “Overnight, we lost everything,” she says. They launched the Harvest and Heart food truck last October and followed with Good Food Society this spring.

The school lunch problem stayed with her, though.

“When I looked at my kids’ school lunch, I was horrified,” she says. “After how much you pay, they come up with mac-n-cheese and chicken tenders.” Her answer: meals a parent can actually feel good about sending off. School lunch delivery for private schools rolls out next year.

Orders start at $100, with free delivery in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch over $200. “It basically costs as much as doing all the shopping and cooking,” Raso says. “It cuts time, and it cuts the bad things out of your meals.”

Out of a Chevron station on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, Jeff Houser cooks three thousand meals per week alongside his wife, Kim, a longtime nurse. At Jacked Panda, he keeps it clean: beef tallow and olive oil, no seed oils. The oven-roasted, almond-crusted chicken breast is finished with a raspberry-chipotle honey mustard, served over cranberry pilaf with Brussels sprouts still firm from a quick sear. “The same breast I would serve at the Ritz-Carlton, for ten dollars,” he says. “They’d pay forty to fifty if I did that in a sauté pan and put it on a white tablecloth.” His sambal-and-honey salmon cake sits on whipped sweet potato with fresh mango salsa and coconut cream. Farm-to-table eggs, nitrate-free smoked bacon.

Ninety percent of the operation runs on subscription.

Seven hot pink vans, each painted with a weightlifting panda, deliver every Monday from Anna Maria Island to Venice and inland past I-75. Houser’s 20 programs are tailored to individual dietary needs, centering on whole, single-ingredient foods: four to six ounces of protein with fresh local vegetables and low-glycemic carbs. Plans are customizable at no extra charge. Houser came to meal prep through his own transformation. “As parents and human beings, we eat out a lot,” he says. “I was eating out a lot, especially dining out of Uber, DoorDash, whatever there is. I was very unhealthy. I was probably about 210 pounds.” A classically trained chef with stints at Spago and his own restaurants, he changed his diet and, by forty-five, was competing as a bodybuilder. His daughter named the company poolside, back when he was, in his words, chubby and getting strong. At fifty, he talks motivational, like a coach. ”I’ve never met a human being who gets a second body.”

Some clients are managing medical conditions. “Before semaglutide came out, we were treating things with diet and nutrition,” Houser says. He measures portions individually for customers tracking their A1C or adjusting to GLP-1 medications, where appetite disappears and protein intake often drops. “The only way we can heal ourselves as humans is with water and food.” Portioned meals reheat in two minutes and sell out within forty-eight hours. His lasagna layers 90/10 ground sirloin between fresh pasta, three cheeses and roasted San Marzano tomatoes with garlic confit. “You have to have food available,” he says. “I make it available.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 39

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 39

8/13/26 3:37 PM

The Atlanta Braves at Spring Training, CoolToday Stadium

Where Baseball Blooms Everybody loves a rehearsal. Think about it—if you had the chance to practice how you might approach a tough conversation with a friend, an important meeting at work or any interaction in your life of relative importance before it happened—would you take it? In Major League Baseball, that sentiment rings true. The Major Leagues have held “rehearsals” for the regular season since the late 19th century, when clubs would travel to New Orleans and Hot Springs, Arkansas for functional training camps. It’s fitting then, that in Sarasota County, Florida’s Cultural Coast, MLB has hosted dress rehearsals for the regular season for over a century. Since joining the Grapefruit League in 1924, Sarasota County has hosted six teams in MLB’s annual Spring Training. Starting with the New York Giants at Payne Park, the Red Sox came south from 1933 to 1958, before the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds soon followed suit.

The creation of Ed Smith Stadium in 1989 paved the way for the next era of baseball, serving as a minor league site and starting in 2010, the Spring Training home of the Baltimore Orioles. A renovation in 2011 transformed Ed Smith Stadium into one of the more striking and architecturally iconic stadiums in all of Spring Training, be it Florida’s Grapefruit League or Arizona’s Cactus League. The spherical tan facade is topped with red-tiled roofing and wrought-iron gates, modeled after the turn of the century Spanish-colonial design that permeates buildings throughout Sarasota. For the club itself, 2026 marked the start of new beginnings. After a disappointing 2025 season in which Baltimore finished last in the American League East, missing the playoffs, change was on the horizon. A new manager, Craig Albernaz, took over the reins hoping to breathe new life into the team. Five-time MLB All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso signed with the Orioles in free agency, his five-year, $155 million contract the second largest in club history. The organization also refurbished Ed Smith Stadium and the ensuing training facilities. Ahead of Spring Training, the Orioles installed a multi-million dollar Player Development Complex at Ed Smith Stadium. The 47,700 square foot facility, featuring The Aviary, a hitting facility connected to a biomechanics lab; a revamped pitching area also connected to a biomechanics lab; 33,430 square foot outdoor agility area and more, set the tone for a promising spring.

Thirty miles south of Ed Smith Stadium lies CoolToday Park, a glimmering monolith of glass, steel and contemporary design. The Spring Training home of the Atlanta Braves since 2019, CoolToday Park is the newest stadium in the Grapefruit League. With design cues from other area stadiums like Bradenton’s historic LECOM Park and Clearwater’s BayCare Ballpark, CoolToday Park pays homage to Sarasota’s rich history of professional baseball, while retaining the same feel as that of a Major League stadium. For the Atlanta Braves, this past spring also marked new beginnings for the franchise. In recent history, the Braves have been one of the most dominant teams in the sport, racking up six straight National League East division titles from 2018-2023, including a World Series title in 2021. 2025 was an aberration, with the team finishing fourth in the division, its first losing season since 2017. While the team’s core, with starting pitchers Chris Sale and Spencer Strider, and All-Star position players such as Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies, remained intact, other changes occurred in the offseason. Longtime manager Brian Snitker stepped down and was replaced by former bench coach Walt Weiss. The team signed outfielder Mike Yazstremski and reliever Robert Suarez to multi-year deals and retained shortstop Ha-Seong Kim and closer Raisel Iglesias in free-agency. As of early August, the Braves have been one of the best teams in all of baseball. Each spring marks the start of something new, a chance to try again. In Sarasota County, it means continuing an indelible part of America’s pastime, with each inning of every game marked down, forever etched into the history books. —D.Campbell Ed Smith Stadium, 2700 12th St, Sarasota, 941-893-6300. CoolToday Park, 18800 W Villages Pkwy, Venice, 941-413-5000

40 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

SRQSEPT26_Trendsport.indd 40

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS

8/12/26 6:08 PM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 41

8/12/26 5:22 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 42

8/13/26 3:25 PM

SEPTEMBER 2026 | SPECIAL AWARDS SECTION

PALMETTO SARASOTA BRADENTON ANNA MARIA LAKEWOOD RANCH OSPREY VENICE NOKOMIS

2026 ELITE TOP ATTORNEYS LEGAL GUIDE | FIRST EDITION

PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DATAJOE RESEARCH TO FACILITATE THE COMPLIANCE RESEARCH AND ONLINE PEER-VOTING PROGRAM

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 43

8/12/26 6:33 PM

WELCOME

2026

From courtrooms to conference rooms, the Sarasota and Bradenton Area is home to some of Florida’s most respected legal minds.

Each year, SRQ Magazine presents the Elite Top Attorneys program, a peer-nominated guide that shines a spotlight on outstanding legal professionals across the region, from Anna Maria Island and Lakewood Ranch to Downtown Sarasota, Venice, and Nokomis. We asked attorneys to nominate the colleagues they most respect, those they trust to stand beside them or challenge them across the aisle, and the response was overwhelming. Peer recognition is one of the highest forms of professional praise, especially in a field built on trust, intellect, and advocacy. This year’s honorees have earned the confidence of their fellow attorneys through years of dedication, sharp legal acumen, and unwavering ethical standards. In the 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Legal Guide and awards section, you’ll meet the individuals whose work helps shape outcomes for clients and sets a high bar for the legal profession. Many are also leaders in our community, lending their expertise to causes and organizations that uplift our region. The law is more than a profession, it’s a pillar of a just society.

The attorneys honored here are stewards of that ideal, ensuring that disputes are resolved with fairness, contracts are honored with clarity, and justice is pursued with integrity. We’re proud to share this year’s honorees with you.

Join us in celebrating the 2026 Class of SRQ Magazine’s Elite Top Attorneys.

METHODOLOGY To create the list, the magazine contracted DataJoe Research to facilitate an online peer-voting process and Internet research process. DataJoe Research is a software and research company specializing in data collection and verification, and conducts various nominations across the United States on behalf of publishers. To create the list, DataJoe Research facilitated an online peer-voting process. DataJoe checked and confirmed that each published winner had, at time of review, a current, active license status with the appropriate state regulatory board. If we were not able to find evidence of a lawyer's current, active registration with the state regulatory board, that lawyer was excluded from the list. In addition, we checked available public sources to identify lawyers disciplined for an infraction by the state regulatory board. These entities were excluded from the list. Finally, DataJoe presented the tallied result to the magazine for its final review and adjustments. We recognize that there are many good lawyers who are not shown in this representative list. This is only a sampling of the huge array of talented professionals within the region. Inclusion in the list is based on the opinions of responding lawyers in the region. We take time and energy to ensure fair voting, although we understand that the results of this survey nomination and Internet research campaign are not an objective metric. We certainly do not discount the fact that many, many good and effective lawyers may not appear on the list.

DataJoe uses best practices and exercises great care in assembling content for this list. DataJoe does not warrant that the data contained within the list are complete or accurate. DataJoe does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

All rights reserved. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without written permission from DataJoe. Only one ballot per person was accepted for each entry year. Nominators were asked to vote for a professional only if they had personally witnessed his/her skill and expertise. If a nominator voted for themselves in any category, they were also required to vote for at least two candidates outside of their practice in that same category. All nominators and nominees must be actively practicing within the Sarasota and Bradenton Area region. For research/methodology questions, contact the research team at surveys@datajoe.com.

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 44

8/12/26 10:26 AM

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 45

8/12/26 5:15 AM

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 46

8/12/26 5:14 AM

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 47

8/12/26 5:14 AM

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 48

8/12/26 5:14 AM

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 49

8/12/26 5:13 AM

LISTINGS ADOPTION LAW

2026

Paul J. Consbruck Paul J. Consbruck Attorney at Law 871 Venetia Bay Blvd, Ste 202 Venice, FL 34285 941-218-2705 Debra M. Salisbury Law Office of Debra M. Salisbury PA 3293 Fruitville Rd, Ste 101 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-1616 APPELLATE LAW

Jesse R. Butler Butler Legacy and Litigation PLLC 2025 Lakewood Ranch Blvd, Ste 201 Bradenton, FL 34211 941-254-6611 Andrea Flynn Mogensen Law Office of Andrea Flynn Mogensen PA 677 N Washington Blvd, Ste 128 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-955-1066 Jennifer Anne Gore Maglio Mctlaw 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 700 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-952-5242 David A. Wallace Legacy Bentley Goodrich Kison 783 S Orange Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-9030 ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION

Kimberly Bonner Kim Bonner Mediation 5020 Clark Rd, Ste 152 Sarasota, FL 34233 941-479-9262 Stephen G. Brannan West Coast Mediators PO Box 2008 Sarasota, FL 34230 941-792-1695 John Chapman The John Chapman Law Firm PA 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 870 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-732-9577 Steven J. Chase Legacy Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2708 W. Drew Clayton Jr. Clayton ADR 5077 Fruitville Rd., Ste. 109 Box 111 Sarasota, FL 34232 941-265-1123

Larry K. Coleman Law Offices of Larry K. Coleman 4230 Riverview Blvd Bradenton, FL 34209 941-747-1234 Mark A. Haskins Upchurch Watson White & Max 5244 Siesta Cove Dr, Ste 230 Sarasota, FL 34242 800-264-2622 John Hawkins Grimes Galvano PL 1023 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0151 Leslie Telford Kettring Mediation Services of Southern Florida Inc PO Box 1948 Sarasota, FL 34230 941-957-3004 Gary H. Larsen Dickinson & Gibbons PA 401 N Cattlemen Rd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34232 941-366-4680 Robert G. Lyons Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100 Richard B. Perlman Richard B. Perlman Esquire PO Box 8242 Longboat Key, FL 34228 941-228-8580 ATTORNEYS FOR NONPROFITS

Malcolm J. Pitchford Legacy Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2705 BANKRUPTCY AND WORKOUT

Laurie Blanton Holland Law Group PA 1401 Manatee Ave W, Ste 1010 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-744-5450 R. John Cole II Legacy Cole & Cole Law PA 46 N Washington Blvd, Ste 24 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-4055 Richard J. Cole III Cole & Cole Law PA 46 N Washington Blvd, Ste 24 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-4055 Richard V. Ellis Richard V. Ellis Law 2187 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34237 941-841-1210 Mark D. Hildreth Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2747 James Jackman James D. Jackman PA 5008 Manatee Ave W, Ste A Bradenton, FL 34209 941-747-9191

Pamela Fields Legal Aid of Manasota 1900 Main St, Ste 302 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-0038

Sherri L. Johnson Johnson Legal of Florida PL 2937 Bee Ridge Rd, Ste 1 Sarasota, FL 34239 941-926-1155

Janella Leibovitz Legal Aid of Manasota 1900 Main St, Ste 302 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-0038

Richard Loudermilk Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34230 941-364-2784

Christine Ann Neilson Hope Family Services PO Box 1624 Bradenton, FL 34206 941-747-8499

Kelly Roberts Roberts Law PLLC 2075 Main St, Ste 23 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-444-9783

BANKING AND FINANCIAL

BUSINESS LAW

Peter T. Currin Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-536-2030

Morgan R. Bentley Legacy Bentley Goodrich Kison 783 S Orange Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-9030

Zachary B. Buffington Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-893-4000 John M. Compton Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos PA 1819 Main St, Ste 610 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-954-4691 Lori M. Dorman Dorman Law PA 1215 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-375-3565 Daniel J. Jackson Sandberg Phoenix 22 S Links Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-0115 Matthew J. Lapointe Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100 Jodi M. Ruberg Trenam Law 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 320 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-263-8143 Jenifer S. Schembri Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100 Justin P. Senior Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2792 Michael E. Siegel Shutts & Bowen LLP 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-3775 Yuliya V. Swaim Dominko & Swaim Law Group PLLC 6571 Palmer Park Cir Sarasota, FL 34238 941-394-0183 Brian L. Trimyer Harllee & Bald PA 202 Old Main St Bradenton, FL 34205 941-744-5537 Steele T. Williams Steele Williams PA 1381 McAnsh Sq Sarasota, FL 34236 941-378-1800

50 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 50

8/12/26 5:13 AM

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 51

8/12/26 5:13 AM

LISTINGS 2026

CIVIL LAW LITIGATION

Sara Castro Castro Potts Law Firm PLLC 1990 Main St, Ste 750 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-300-9595 Aaron Crittenden Harllee & Bald PA 202 Old Main St Bradenton, FL 34205 941-744-5537 David J. Fredericks Anderson Givens & Fredericks PA 3665 Bee Ridge Rd, Ste 100 Sarasota, FL 34233 941-866-4348 Bill Galvano Legacy Grimes Galvano PL 1023 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0151 Steven D. Hutton Legacy Hutton & Stall 2639 Fruitville Rd, Ste 302 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-364-9292 Adria Maria Jensen Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2739 Andrea M. Johnson Law Office of Andrea M. Johnson PA Po Box 14432 Bradenton, FL 34280 941-741-8224

Hunter G. Norton Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2771

Katlyn N. Craig Bentley Goodrich Kison 783 S Orange Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-9030

Amanda R. Kison Bentley Goodrich Kison 783 S Orange Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-9030

George Parpas Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6626

Daniel J. DeLeo Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2740

Jason A. Lessinger Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100

Bonnie Lee Polk Legacy Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-5548

Charles W. Denny IV Dickinson & Gibbons PA 401 N Cattlemen Rd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34232 941-366-4680

Patrick J. Reilly Snyder & Reilly Trial Lawyers 355 W Venice Ave Venice, FL 34285 941-485-9626 Michael Schuchat Lutz, Bobo & Telfair PA 2 N Tamiami Trl, 5th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-951-1800 Mark A. Schwartz Legacy Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6621 David Shapiro Shapiro Delgado 308 Cocoanut Ave Sarasota, FL 34236 941-340-1667 CIVIL LAW TRANSACTIONAL

David S. Maglich James D. Gibson Legacy Gibson Kohl PL Fergeson Skipper PA Attorneys at Law 1800 2nd St, Ste 777 1515 Ringling Blvd, 10th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-362-8880 941-957-1900 Scott D. McKay McKay Law Firm PA 1904 Manatee Ave W, Ste 300 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-251-4951

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Caroleen B. Brej Bentley Goodrich Kison 783 S Orange Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-9030

Michael P. Murphy Dickinson & Gibbons PA 401 N Cattlemen Rd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34232 941-366-4680

Scott H. Carter Sandberg Phoenix 22 S Links Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-0115

Christopher M. Nigro Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6633

Corinna S. Coser Bentley Goodrich Kison 783 S Orange Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-9030

Przemyslaw L. Dominko Dominko & Swaim Law Group PLLC 6571 Palmer Park Cir Sarasota, FL 34238 941-394-0183 Michael A. France The Law Office of Michael A. France 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 230 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-888-7795

James E. Lynch Harllee & Bald PA 202 Old Main St Bradenton, FL 34205 941-744-5537 Declan P. Mahoney Fergeson Skipper PA Attorneys at Law 1515 Ringling Blvd, 10th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-957-1900 Fred E. Moore Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100

Matthew S. Francis Fergeson Skipper PA Attorneys at Law 1515 Ringling Blvd, 10th Flr Meghan E. O’Connell Sarasota, FL 34236 Rising Star 941-957-1900 Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA Martin Garcia 2033 Main St, Ste 600 GarciaDell Sarasota, FL 34237 1819 Main St, Ste 300 941-366-8100 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-960-8101 James D. O’Donnell Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP Conrado Gomez Jr. 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Bentley Goodrich Kison Sarasota, FL 34236 783 S Orange Ave, Ste 300 941-364-2725 Sarasota, FL 34239 941-556-9030 Meghan O. Serrano Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP Brian D. Goodrich 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Bentley Goodrich Kison Sarasota, FL 34236 783 S Orange Ave, Ste 300 941-364-2783 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-9030 Tyler B. Stall Hutton & Stall Aidan Anton Gross 2639 Fruitville Rd, Ste 302 Shutts & Bowen LLP Sarasota, FL 34237 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 941-364-9292 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-274-8892 Forest Sutton Syprett Meshad Daniel Guarnieri 1900 Ringling Blvd Lutz, Bobo & Telfair PA Sarasota, FL 34236 2 N Tamiami Trl, 5th Flr 941-365-7171 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-951-1800 Andrew Van Ness Rising Star Charles F. Johnson Bentley Goodrich Kison Legacy 783 S Orange Ave, Ste 300 Blalock Walters PA Sarasota, FL 34236 802 11th St W 941-556-9030 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100

52 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 52

8/12/26 5:13 AM

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 53

8/12/26 5:13 AM

LISTINGS 2026

Daniel P. VanEtten Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100

Timothy J. Rudge Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2785

CONSTRUCTION LAW

Richard T. Sommers Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2727

Michael A. Fant Jr. Gurley Fant PA 1800 2nd St, Ste 714 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-1489 Christopher C. Fiore Gurley Fant PA 1800 2nd St, Ste 714 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-1485 Alex Gurley Gurley Fant PA 1800 2nd St, Ste 714 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-1492 David E. Gurley Gurley Fant PA 1800 2nd St, Ste 714 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-586-1266 Philip N. Hammersley Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos PA 1819 Main St, Ste 610 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-954-4691 Erik M. Hanson Shutts & Bowen LLP 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-3774 Joseph M. Herbert Herbert & Associates Law PA 2033 Main St, Ste 502 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-444-0300 Andrew J. Oppenheim Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 813-221-7159 Ryan W. Owen Adams and Reese LLP 2001 Siesta Dr, Ste 302 Sarasota, FL 34239 941-316-7640 Anya L. Pardy Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-893-4003 E. Zachary Rans Shutts & Bowen LLP 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-3787

Christopher A. Staine Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2718 Alan E. Tannenbaum Hill Tannenbaum Legal 1990 Main St, Ste 725 Sarasota, FL 34236 866-863-0603 Christian T. Van Hise Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2711 J. Ben Vitale Vitale Law PA 5214 Paylor Ln Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240 941-552-7887 Douglas E. Walker Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-5545 CONSUMER LAW

Thomas L. Avrutis Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co LPA 201 Fletcher Ave Sarasota, FL 34237 941-263-4758 Sherry Ellis Sherry Ellis Law PLLC 1834 Main St Sarasota, FL 34236 941-363-0800 CORPORATE COUNSEL

Rian Elizabeth Davis At Home Auto Glass 6425 15th St E Sarasota, FL 34243 941-294-2664 Alisa Marie Heedy Northern Trust 1515 Ringling Blvd, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-316-4439 Telese L. Zuberer Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100

CORPORATE FINANCE MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

Amanda K. Fantauzzo Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-263-1520 Benjamin R. Hanan Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2788 Trevor J. Johnson Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-867-2374 Peyton A. Kreuscher Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6602 Mallory D. Osteen Rising Star Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6617 Christa L. Sullivan Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2750 CRIMINAL DEFENSE

Allan Baily Law Offices of Baily & Baily PA 46 N Washington Blvd, Ste 18 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-9997 Courtney Benson CMB Law 546 12th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-747-4440 David Bouziane Knowles Bouziane & Shaffer Law LLC 2812 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-432-4953 Derek Byrd The Byrd Law Firm 2151 Main St, Ste 201 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-954-3400 Adam Dunn The Dunn Law Firm PA 49 N E Ave Sarasota, FL 34237 941-866-4352

James Fowler Jr. Fowler Law Group PA 2075 Main St, Ste 38 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-404-8909 Jennifer Lea Fury FuryLaw LLC 433 8th Ave W Palmetto, FL 34221 941-900-9153 Colleen M. Glenn The Law Office of Colleen M. Glenn PA 1017 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-746-8800 Daniela Gomez Gomez Legal PLLC PO Box 102 Bradenton, FL 34206 941-666-2038 Kevin Griffith McIntosh Law 766 Hudson Ave, Ste B Sarasota, FL 34236 941-299-0701 Jacob Grollman Grollman Law 544 12th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-896-6775 Andrew T. Hibbert Glenn and Hibbert PA 100 Wallace Ave, Ste 360 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-357-1775 Brett McIntosh McIntosh Law 766 Hudson Ave, Ste B Sarasota, FL 34236 941-299-0701 Scott Miller The Miller Law Firm PA 5283 Office Park Blvd Bradenton, FL 34203 941-877-5587 Daniel D. Nawara The Law Offices of Daniel D. Nawara PA 1767 Lakewood Ranch Blvd, Ste 303 Bradenton, FL 34211 941-920-5514 Andrew Pouget Fowler Law Group PA 2075 Main St, Ste 38 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-404-8909 William C. Price IV Law Offices of William C. Price IV PA 522 12th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-747-8001

54 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 54

8/12/26 5:13 AM

WILLIAM H. DRUMM, ESQ. HONOREE | FAMILY LAW

HONOREE

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF/YOUR FIRM William “Bill” Drumm is a seasoned family law attorney who brings a rare combination of empathy and tenacity to every case. With over 25 years of experience and bar admissions in Florida, New York, and North Carolina, he is known for navigating high-stakes divorce, custody, and support battles with precision and heart. Bill advocates fiercely for his clients while maintaining integrity. A former banker with a strong financial background, he is strategic in the courtroom and compassionate in person. He fights for fair outcomes and helps families move forward with strength and dignity.

WHAT SETS YOUR YOU/YOUR FIRM APART FROM OTHERS? At Berlin Patten Ebling, we build long-term relationships by helping clients navigate some of life’s most important legal moments with confidence and clarity. Our team stands out for its collaborative approach, prompt communication, and genuine compassion. We do not take a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, WILLIAM “BILL” DRUMM is a family law attorney at Berlin Patten Ebling with a focus on divorce and paternity cases. Drawing on his background in corporate finance, he skillfully handles complex financial issues, including equitable distribution, alimony, and child support, often working with forensic accountants

we craft innovative legal strategies designed to meet each client’s goals, whether they are buying a home, managing a family transition, or protecting their legacy. We believe in working together, staying accessible, and always putting people first.

to uncover hidden assets and value businesses. Bill also addresses custody

SHARE A CLIENT TESTIMONIAL “Bill Drumm is the most

matters, collaborating with psychologists and guardians ad litem in high-conflict

honest, decent, dedicated, ethical and responsible lawyer I

cases. Known for his empathy, Bill believes effective advocacy in family law starts

have ever known. He worked in my divorce with kindness and

with understanding. With over 25 years of experience and a strong track record in

generosity. I will be eternally grateful to him for his big heart and

both negotiation and litigation, he brings seasoned judgment and a compassionate

humanity. I have recommended him to everyone in need of an

approach to every case.

excellent lawyer.” — E. M.

FLORIDA BAR DATE OF ADMISSION July 20, 2000 DEGREES Bachelor of Science, Juris Doctor

PRACTICE AREAS Family Law Divorce Paternity Stepparent Adoption LAW FIRM Berlin Patten Ebling

CONTACT 3700 S. Tamiami Trail | Suite 200 Sarasota, FL 34239 941.954.9991 bdrumm@berlinpatten.com berlinpatten.com

2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide — srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 55

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 55

8/12/26 5:13 AM

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 56

8/12/26 5:12 AM

MATTHEW S. FRANCIS HONOREE | COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

2026 HONOREE

WHAT SETS YOUR YOU/YOUR FIRM APART FROM OTHERS? Fergeson Skipper stands apart because we believe every client deserves personalized legal counsel backed by experience and responsiveness. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, we take the time to understand each client’s objectives and provide practical strategies tailored to their needs. Our collaborative approach allows clients to benefit from the collective knowledge of attorneys across multiple practice areas. For 50 years, our firm has built a reputation for integrity, responsiveness, and exceptional client service.

HOW DO YOU REPRESENT, PROTECT AND SUPPORT YOUR CLIENTS? At Fergeson Skipper, we represent our clients with deep experience, strategic advocacy, and unwavering commitment. We protect our clients’ interests through thorough preparation, proactive planning, and skillful negotiation or litigation, whether in real estate disputes, business matters, estate planning, or civil litigation. We support them as trusted long-term advisors, delivering clear guidance and responsive MATTHEW S. FRANCIS is a shareholder with Fergeson Skipper whose practice focuses on business litigation, construction litigation, real property litigation, and civil litigation. He enjoys working closely with individuals, families, and business

communication so they can move forward with confidence. Our goal is always practical solutions that safeguard what matters most: their families, businesses, and peace of mind.

owners to help them navigate complex legal matters with confidence and clarity.

MISSION: We are a full-service law firm. The attorneys at Ferg-

As part of Fergeson Skipper’s collaborative team, he is proud to contribute to

eson Skipper believe that relationships matter most. We provide

the firm’s 50-year approach of delivering trusted legal counsel with integrity,

detailed legal analysis, personal attention, and skill in finding solu-

professionalism, and personalized service to clients.

tions for a wide range of legal matters.

FLORIDA BAR DATE OF ADMISSION July 20, 2000 DEGREES University of Florida, Levin College of Law, JD Warrington College of Business

PRACTICE AREAS Litigation & Dispute Resolution Business, Contract and Commercial Litigation Construction & Design Defect Litigation Estate and Trust Litigation Real Estate Claims and Disputes Consumer Litigation, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death

LAW FIRM Fergeson Skipper P.A. CONTACT 1515 Ringling Blvd. | 10th Floor | Sarasota, FL 34236 941.957.1900 | mfrancis@fergesonskipper.com fergesonskipper.com

2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide — srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 57

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 57

8/12/26 5:12 AM

LISTINGS 2026

Jason Reid The Reid Law Firm 912 7th Ave E Bradenton, FL 34208 941-920-5662

Edwin M. Boyer Boyer & Boyer PA 46 N Washington Blvd, Ste 21 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-2304

Richard Charles Reinhart Law Offices of Richard C. Reinhart PC 538 12th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-747-1492

Sierra A. Butler Butler Legacy and Litigation PLLC 2025 Lakewood Ranch Blvd, Ste 201 Bradenton, FL 34211 941-254-6611

AnneMarie Rizzo The Law Place 1414 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-444-4444 Drew Solnoki The Byrd Law Firm 2151 Main St, Ste 201 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-954-3400

Melissa Casanueva Butler Legacy and Litigation PLLC 2025 Lakewood Ranch Blvd, Ste 201 Bradenton, FL 34211 941-254-6611 Erika Dine Dine Elder Law 1161 E SR 70, Unit 110-822 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-746-3900

Erika Valcarcel Erika Valcarcel, Criminal Defense Lawyer PA 2170 Main St, Ste 204 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-212-1791

John L. Ferrari Jr. Ferrari Elder Law 7100 S Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34238 941-960-1676

Brice Van Elswyk Van Elswyk Law PLLC PO Box 417 Nokomis, FL 34274 941-841-0132

James E. Johnson II James E. Johnson II 410 43rd St W, Ste N Bradenton, FL 34209 941-747-1871

Dustin Wagner Lightning Law PLLC 1201 6th Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-993-4226

Gregory A. Kaiser Wills, Trusts, Probate & Elder Law Firm 6751 Professional Pkwy, Ste 104 Sarasota, FL 34240 941-914-9145

Mark R. Zimmerman Zimmerman & Zimmerman Law Firm 2055 Wood St, Ste 118 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-364-8503 EDUCATION LAW

Christopher A. Likens Christopher A. Likens PA 1800 2nd St, Ste 971 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-7838

Jane Elizabeth Windsor Windsor Law LLC 1990 Main St, Ste 750 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-487-7527

Neil T. Lyons Luhrsen Goldberg LLC 6954 Professional Pkwy Sarasota, FL 34240 941-212-2600

ELDER LAW

Rebecca J. Proctor Proctor Elder Law PA 3639 Cortez Rd W, Ste 108 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-251-6969

Jeanne Bennett O’Brien & Bennett PA 2750 Ringling Blvd, Ste 3 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-316-9200 Teresa K. Bowman Teresa K. Bowman PA 3277 Fruitville Rd, Ste D-2 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-735-5200 Andrew R. Boyer Boyer & Boyer PA 46 N Washington Blvd, Ste 21 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-2304

Tammie M. Sandoval-Badger Bank OZK 3705 53rd Ave E Bradenton, FL 34203 941-924-2116 Lindsey J. Segarra Bach, Jacobs & Byrne PA 2033 Main St, Ste 505 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-906-1231

Daniel Hooper Smith Advocates in Aging Law Office of Wiesner Smith 328 N Rhodes Ave Sarasota, FL 34237 941-242-7270 Kevin G. Staas Staas Law Group 801 E Venice Ave, Ste 2 Venice, FL 34285 941-408-8555 Bishop L. Toups Law Offices of Daily Montfort & Toups 249 Nokomis Ave S Venice, FL 34285 800-291-4881 Jami Worley Worley Elder Law PLLC 4916 26th St W, Ste 152 Bradenton, FL 34207 941-448-1302 EMINENT DOMAIN

Paul A. Blucher Blucher Law Group PLLC 7300 Delainey Ct Sarasota, FL 34240 941-361-1145 S. William Moore Moore Bowman & Reese PA 551 N Cattlemen Rd, Ste 100 Sarasota, FL 34232 941-365-3800 Michael R. Whitt Legacy Shutts & Bowen LLP 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-3516 FAMILY LAW

Nicole A. Behar Dickinson & Gibbons PA 401 N Cattlemen Rd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34232 941-366-4680 Deborah J. Blue Dickinson & Gibbons PA 401 N Cattlemen Rd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34232 941-366-4680 Adam Bragg Bragg Law Firm PLLC 2055 Wood St, Ste 209 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-893-1555 Faith Z. Brown Brown Brown & Kuhn 1001 3rd Ave W, Ste 375 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-953-2825

Heather Byrd The Byrd Law Firm 2151 Main St, Ste 201 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-954-3400 Ryan Chapman Chapman Law 3859 Bee Ridge Rd, Ste 201 Sarasota, FL 34233 941-922-0828 Peter Collins The Collins Law Group 1800 2nd St, Ste 785 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-9800 William H. Drumm Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 3700 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-954-9991 Carmen R. Gillett Carmen R. Gillett PLLC 1845 Morrill St Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-9826 Paul F. Grondahl Paul F. Grondahl PA 3027 Manatee Ave W, Ste D Bradenton, FL 34205 941-730-9333 Jeffrey M. Guy Guy Law Group 2170 Main St, Ste 205 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-822-8869 Kathi Busch Halvorsen Legacy Kathi B. Halvorsen PA PO Box 1866, Ste 406 Sarasota, FL 34230 941-953-2612 Erin Ann Itts Itts Law PLLC 355 W Venice Ave Venice, FL 34285 941-451-8074 Dana Keane Keane & Keane Attorneys at Law 46 N Washington Blvd, Ste 5 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-7255 Amanda M. King Syprett Meshad 1900 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-7171 Lisa J. Kleinberg Family Law Office of Lisa J. Kleinberg 1990 Main St, Ste 725 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-306-4126

58 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 58

8/12/26 5:12 AM

BARBARA H. GORMLEY, ESQ. HONOREE | PERSONAL INJURY

HONOREE

OVER THE LAST 27 YEARS, attorney Barbara H. Gormley has proudly represented only individuals that have been injured as a result of the negligence of another. Ms. Gormley is rated “AV Preeminent” which is the highest level of peer rating and means that her peers, lawyers and judges, have ranked her at the highest level of professional excellence for her legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards. Ms. Gormley has provided the highest quality of legal services both inside and out of the courtroom since 1999 and is known for treating every case as if it is going to trial. She represents clients throughout the State of Florida.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FIRM Her practice involves personal injury, including serious and catastrophic injuries, wrongful death as a result of automobile and trucking accidents, pedestrians and bicyclists hit by a motor vehicle, motorcycle accidents, trip/slip and fall cases on commercial and residential properties, negligent security resulting in injury cases, as well as nursing home and assisted living facility abuse cases.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF Juris Doctor, Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center, Davie, Florida Deans List Member of the Nova Southeastern University’s Moot Court Honor Society State Bar of Florida, Admitted 1999 Admitted to the U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida Florida Bar Association, Trial Lawyers Section Member Eagle Member of the Florida Justice Association Sarasota County Bar Association Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent® 2014 to present Member of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys

FLORIDA BAR DATE OF ADMISSION April 16, 1999 DEGREES Juris Doctor, Nova Southeastern Shepard Broad Law Center

PRACTICE AREAS Motor Vehicle Accidents Trucking Accidents Motorcycle, Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents Negligent Security Resulting in Injury Slip/Trip and Fall Accidents Nursing Home and ALF abuse

LAW FIRM Law Office of Barbara H. Gormley, P.A. CONTACT 2831 Ringling Blvd. | Suite 214E | Sarasota, FL 34237 941.366.1290 | barbara@barbarahgormleypa.com barbarahgormleypa.com

2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide — srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 59

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 59

8/12/26 5:12 AM

LISTINGS 2026

Chrystal R. Koch Teresa K. Bowman PA 3277 Fruitville Rd, Ste D-2 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-735-5200

Kenneth M. Poole Jr. Syprett Meshad 1900 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-7171

Peter J. Krotec Syprett Meshad 1900 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-7171

Sean M. Powers Sean M. Powers Legal 437 10th Ave W Palmetto, FL 34221 941-518-6280

Leslie Wulfsohn Loftus Loftus Law 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 110 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-444-7278

Stephanie Baptiste Sandaire SB Florida Law 11161 State Road 70 E, Unit 110-967 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-404-5775

Lynette Mancuso Mancuso Mediation 1776 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-780-5001

Philip J. Schipani Schipani Law Group PA 1605 Main St, Ste 1110 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-499-8154

Paul M. McDermott McDermott Law Offices PLLC 6151 Lake Osprey Dr, 3rd Floor Sarasota, FL 34240 941-837-5071 Libby A. McNary McNary Law PLLC 1904 Manatee Ave W, Ste 200 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-345-1662 Lindsey A. Meshberger Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100 Stephanie L. Murphy The Murphy Law Group 2127 Ringling Blvd, Ste 102 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-282-5914 Colleen Norman Law Office of Colleen Norman PLLC 3293 Fruitville Rd, Ste 101 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-390-0172 Sharon O’Day O’Day Resolutions 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 110 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-228-8571 Dan Policastro The Law Office of Dan Policastro PL 355 W Venice Ave Venice, FL 34285 941-882-4367 Jillian Polk Rising Star Syprett Meshad 1900 Ringling Blvd.

Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-7171

Bianca N. Senior Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100

Jaime L. Wallace Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100

Juliana Ghiraldello Da Silva State Attorney’s Office 12th Circuit, Florida 1112 Manatee Ave W, 6th Flr Bradenton, FL 34205 941-747-3077

Kristy Zinna The Law Office of Kristy Guy Zinna PL 433 8th Ave W Palmetto, FL 34221 941-209-1511

HEALTHCARE LAW

GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE

Ivan Alvarez State Attorney’s Office 12th Circuit, Florida 1112 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-747-3077 Kelly M. Fernandez Persson, Cohen, Mooney, Fernandez & Jackson PA 6853 Energy Ct Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240 941-306-4730

Edward B. Sobel Edward B. Sobel PA 4900 Manatee Ave W, Ste 206 Bradenton, FL 34209 941-746-1203

David M. Levin Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100

Jaclyn R. Soroka Betras Kopp LLC 6320 Venture Dr, Ste 104 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 813-333-9420

Michael R. McKinley Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-316-8867

Kyle Stalnaker Stalnaker Law PA 6704 Professional Pkwy Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240 941-359-7825

Maggie D. Mooney Persson, Cohen, Mooney, Fernandez & Jackson PA 6853 Energy Ct Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240 941-306-4730

Paola Stay Stay Law Office PLLC 520 12th St W, Ste 204 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-900-7249 Angela D. Tobaygo Angela Tobaygo Law 100 Wallace Ave, Ste 100 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-404-1333 Monica Villaverde The Law Offices of Monica Villaverde PLLC 1990 Main St, Ste 725 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-284-4985

Joseph J. Polzak Polzak Shamsey Mladinich PLLC 111 S Orange Ave Sarasota, FL 23236 941-263-6980 Marisa J. Powers Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100 John K. Shamsey Polzak Shamsey Mladinich PLLC 111 S Orange Ave Sarasota, FL 23236 941-263-6980

Jennifer Grosso Sarasota Memorial Health Care System 1700 S Tamiami Trl, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34239 941-917-9000 John L. Moore Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6620 Alexis Rosenberg Rosenberg Law PA 1895 Floyd St, Ste B Sarasota, FL 34239 941-373-6777 Bruce Rosenberg Rosenberg Law PA 1895 Floyd St, Ste B Sarasota, FL 34239 941-373-6777 Robert S. Stroud Fox Rothschild LLP 2 N Tamiami Trl, Ste 400 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-308-2674 Gregory A. Zitani Alpha Law Group PLLC 2101 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-304-1500 IMMIGRATION LAW

Andres Coballasi Durand Kenyon Law Group PLLC 1215 Manatee Ave W, Ste 105 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-894-1234 Daisy Delatorre Pathway Legal Group PLLC 3711 Cortez Rd W, Ste 130 Bradenton, FL 34210 941-265-8595 P. Christopher Jaensch Jaensch Immigration Law 2199 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-9841 Victoria Jaensch Karins Jaensch Immigration Law 2199 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-9841

60 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 60

8/13/26 3:20 PM

ALAN PEREZ,ESQ. PARTNER

HONOREE

HONOREE | PERSONAL INJURY

ALAN PEREZ brings the perfect blend of legal mastery, innovative thinking, and personal dedication to every case he handles. Board Certified by The Florida Bar as an expert in Civil Trial Law—a distinction held by less than 1% of attorneys eligible to practice in the State of Florida—Alan has proven himself at the highest level of courtroom excellence. With a fierce commitment to justice, Alan represents injury victims across Florida in cases involving auto accidents, falls, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, and institutional physical and sexual abuse. Known for his dynamic presence in the courtroom, he integrates advanced technology into every phase of litigation and trial—creating compelling visuals, leveraging data, and presenting evidence with clarity and impact.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FIRM For over 25 years Mallard Perez, PLLC, has been dedicated to fighting for the rights of injured individuals, providing them with aggressive legal representation to secure maximum compensation for their damages. With years of experience in handling a wide range of personal injury cases, including car accidents, nursing home abuse and neglect, and medical malpractice, our team of skilled attorneys is committed to providing personalized attention and clear communication throughout the legal process. We believe in holding negligent people and businesses accountable and ensuring our clients receive the justice they deserve.

Alan is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts, the Federal Middle District

HOW DO YOU REPRESENT, PROTECT AND SUPPORT

of Florida, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme

YOUR CLIENTS? Clients trust Alan not just for his legal skills,

Court. His excellence has been recognized by Florida Super Lawyers Magazine

but for his personal investment in their stories. He offers each

every year since 2012— a testament to his integrity skill, and results. Fully bilingual

client direct, one-on-one attention, building relationships that

in English and Spanish, Alan serves a broad range of clients, ensuring that language

fuel powerful advocacy and generate consistent referrals.

is never a barrier to justice.

FLORIDA BAR DATE OF ADMISSION November 4, 2008 DEGREES J.D. University of Dayton B.A. St. Mary’s University

PRACTICE AREAS Car, Truck, Motorcycle, and Bicycle Accidents Pedestrian Accidents Slip & Fall Injuries Child Abuse Nursing Home/ALF Abuse Medical Malpractice

LAW FIRM Mallard Perez, PLLC CONTACT 889 N. Washington Blvd. | Sarasota, FL 34236 941.952.1682 | alan@mallardperez.com mallardperez.com

2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide — srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 61

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 61

8/12/26 2:51 PM

LISTINGS 2026

James G. Martin Law Office of James G. Martin PA 100 Wallace Ave, Ste 380 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-953-3900

Gail E. Farb Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-2557

Jackson Boone Boone Law Firm 1001 Avenida del Circo Venice, FL 34284 941-488-6716

Anthony Edward Olson Anthony Olson PA Immigration Law Firm 2020 Cattlemen Rd, Ste 100 Sarasota, FL 34232 941-362-7100

Jennifer M. Fowler Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-2558

G. Matthew Brockway Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100

Jason P. Ramos Law Offices of Jason P. Ramos PLLC 306 N Rhodes Ave, Ste 109 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-876-5454 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

Douglas A. Cherry Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2738 Adam B. Portnow Law Office of Adam B. Portnow PL 100 Wallace Ave, Ste 310 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-373-1797 Elizabeth M. Stamoulis Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-5546 LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

Marisa S. Agganis Rising Star Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-2562 Anne Willis Chapman Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100 Jason A. Collier Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2791 Jennifer B. Compton Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2754 Patrick J. Duggan Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2735

Ryan M. Guerin Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2704

Casey Colburn The Colburn Firm 7321 Merchant Ct, Ste A Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240 941-928-6801

Nikhil N. Joshi Hultman & Joshi PA 2055 Wood St, Ste 208 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-218-2800

Stacy Dillard-Spahn Law Office of Robert K. Lincoln PA 1549 Ringling Blvd, Ste 101 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-681-8700

Frank Michael Malatesta Malatesta Law Office 871 Venetia Bay Blvd, Ste 235 Venice, FL 34285 941-256-3812

Caleb J. Grimes Legacy Grimes Galvano PL 1023 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0151

Christine Sensenig Sensenig Law Firm PA 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 230 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-953-2828 Kimberly Page Walker Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6628 Barbara J. Welch Essenson Law Firm 100 Wallace Ave, Ste 310 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-954-0303 LAND USE ENVIRONMENT

Charles D. Bailey Jr. Legacy Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6609 Charles D. Bailey III Legacy Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-5551 Mark P. Barnebey Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100

N. Macaire King Rising Star Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100 Robert K. Lincoln Legacy Law Office of Robert K. Lincoln PA 1549 Ringling Blvd, Ste 101 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-681-8700 William W. Merrill III Legacy Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100 Stephen D. Rees Jr. Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-907-0006 Scott E. Rudacille Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100 Patrick Seidensticker Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100

Leah M. West Rising Star Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100 MEDICAL MALPRACTICE DEFENSE

Patricia D. Crauwels Eastmoore Crauwels & Dubose PA 1626 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-8888 Ralph L. Marchbank Jr. Dickinson & Gibbons PA 401 N Cattlemen Rd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34232 941-366-4680 MEDICAL MALPRACTICE PLAINTIFF

Theodore C. Eastmoore Legacy Eastmoore Crauwels & Dubose PA 1626 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-8888 James Horne James Horne Law 9040 Town Center Pkwy Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-541-3446 Patrick S. McArdle Arroyo | Mcardle 46 N Washington Blvd, Ste 26 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-404-5987 Derek A. Reams Q Law Injury Attorneys 607 7th St E Bradenton, FL 34208 941-748-1358 Charles W. Telfair Lutz, Bobo & Telfair PA 2 N Tamiami Trl, 5th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-951-1800 PERSONAL INJURY

Alyson Battaglia Legler Murphy & Battaglia LLP 2411 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-299-0308 Drake Buckman Buckman, Buckman & Castellano PA 2023 Constitution Blvd Sarasota, FL 34231 941-304-4154

62 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 62

8/12/26 5:11 AM

DAMIAN MALLARD, ESQ. MANAGING PARTNER

HONOREE

HONOREE | PERSONAL INJURY

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FIRM For over 25 years Mallard Perez, PLLC, has been dedicated to fighting for the rights of injured individuals, providing them with aggressive legal representation to secure maximum compensation for their damages. With years of experience in handling a wide range of personal injury cases, including car accidents, nursing home abuse and neglect, and medical malpractice, our team of skilled attorneys is committed to providing personalized attention and clear communication throughout the legal process. We believe in holding negligent people and businesses accountable and ensuring our clients receive the justice they deserve.

SHARE YOUR MISSION: Our mission at Mallard Perez, PLLC, is to passionately advocate for the rights and justice of our clients through expert trial representation. We strive to provide a supportive and empathetic environment for our team, fostering collaboration, growth, and the highest standards of legal excellence. Together, we aim to make a positive impact on the lives of those we serve, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are protected.

SHARE A TESTIMONIAL: After two long years, my case has been settled. I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude DAMIAN MALLARD is the Managing Partner of Mallard Perez, PLLC. He has

for all the hard work and dedication that Damian has done for me.

practiced law for 35 years, beginning his career for 22 years working for Insurance

Damian and his team went above and beyond to help me with my

Companies defending Personal Injury cases. He is a Board-Certified Trial Lawyer,

case and get things done. Thank you for pouring so much effort

a distinction held by less than 1% of attorneys eligible to practice in the State

and energy into everything you did for me. Your hard work truly

of Florida. He has tried cases all over Florida and handles Catastrophic Auto

made a difference, and it is greatly appreciated. I would highly

Accident cases, Medical Malpractice, Nursing Home Abuse and Institutional Child

recommend Mallard Perez to anyone who needs the help. There is

Abuse cases statewide.

no question that Damian is the best at what he does!!

FLORIDA BAR DATE OF ADMISSION April 30, 1991 DEGREES J.D. Stetson University College of Law, 1990

PRACTICE AREAS Car, Truck, Motorcycle, and Bicycle Accidents Pedestrian Accidents Slip & Fall Injuries Child Abuse Nursing Home/ALF Abuse Medical Malpractice

LAW FIRM Mallard Perez, PLLC CONTACT 889 N. Washington Blvd. | Sarasota, FL 34236 941.952.1682 | damian@mallardperez.com mallardperez.com

2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide — srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 63

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 63

8/12/26 2:52 PM

LISTINGS 2026

Nicholas J. Castellano II Buckman, Buckman & Castellano PA 2023 Constitution Blvd Sarasota, FL 34231 941-304-4154

Christopher Hallet Mallard Perez PLLC 889 N Washington Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-952-1682

Warren H. Chin Eastmoore Crauwels & Dubose PA 1626 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-8888

Courtney Isop Mallard Perez PLLC 889 N Washington Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-952-1682

Karly R. Christine Christine Law PA 5531 Marquesas Cir Sarasota, FL 34233 941-548-9555

Patrick Iyampillai Hale Law 2803 Fruitville Rd, Ste 240 Sarasota, FL 34237 800-800-1414

Dan Dannheisser Dannheisser Injury Law 1834 Main St Sarasota, FL 34236 941-842-0840

Rose Kasweck Hale Law 2803 Fruitville Rd, Ste 240 Sarasota, FL 34237 800-800-1414

Jim L. Delgado Shapiro Delgado 308 Cocoanut Ave Sarasota, FL 34236 941-340-1667

Amy Kimberly Kenyon Kenyon Law Group PLLC 1215 Manatee Ave W, Ste 105 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-225-2616

E. Keith DuBose Eastmoore Crauwels & Dubose PA 1626 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-8888

Alexander J. Kompothecras Alpha Law Group PLLC 2101 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-304-1500

Chase J. Englelbrecht Alpha Law Group PLLC 2101 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-304-1500

Kennedy Legler Legler Murphy & Battaglia LLP 2411 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-299-0308

Stephen Fernandez Goldman Babboni Fernandez Murphy & Walsh 2822 University Pkwy Sarasota, FL 34243 941-842-2231

Danielle M. Lindauer Becker & Lindauer LLC 11023 Gatewood Dr, Ste 103 Bradenton, FL 34211 941-200-4822

Christina A. Goldberg Luhrsen Goldberg LLC 6954 Professional Pkwy Sarasota, FL 34240 941-212-2600 David Goldman Goldman Babboni Fernandez Murphy & Walsh 2822 University Pkwy Sarasota, FL 34243 941-842-2231 Barbara H. Gormley Law Office of Barbara H. Gormley PA 2831 Ringling Blvd, Ste 214E Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-1290 Patrick M. Hale Hale Law 2803 Fruitville Rd, Ste 240 Sarasota, FL 34237 800-800-1414

Daniel Murphy Goldman Babboni Fernandez Murphy & Walsh 2822 University Pkwy Sarasota, FL 34243 941-842-2231

Michele Stephan-Arsenault Mctlaw 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 700 Sarasota, FL 34236 888-952-5242

Alan L. Perez Mallard Perez PLLC 889 N Washington Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-952-1682

Cameron W. Allen Rising Star Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 8433 Enterprise Cir, Ste 200 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-954-9991

Alicia A. Piro The Law Offices of Alicia A. Piro PL 7719 Holiday Dr Sarasota, FL 34231 941-925-4800 Bill Robertson The Robertson Law Firm 330 S Pineapple Ave, Ste 110 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2455 Maxwell Shrem Rising Star Hale Law 2803 Fruitville Rd, Ste 240 Sarasota, FL 34237 800-800-1414 Bernard Walsh Goldman Babboni Fernandez Murphy & Walsh 2822 University Pkwy Sarasota, FL 34243 941-842-2231 F. Scott Westheimer Syprett Meshad 1900 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-7171 PRODUCT LIABILITY

Julie S. Luhrsen Luhrsen Goldberg LLC 6954 Professional Pkwy Sarasota, FL 34240 941-212-2600

Michael J. Cowgill Mctlaw 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 700 Sarasota, FL 34236 888-952-5242

Damian Mallard Mallard Perez PLLC 889 N Washington Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-952-1682

Altom M. Maglio Mctlaw 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 700 Sarasota, FL 34236 888-952-5242

Anthony J. Manganiello III Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100

Ilyas Sayeg Justice Law 49 N East Ave Sarasota, FL 34237 954-515-5656

Kelli Martinez Guardian Legal Counsel PA 8433 Enterprise Cir, Ste 100 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-466-4529

Tamara J. Spires Mctlaw 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 700 Sarasota, FL 34236 888-952-5242

REAL ESTATE

Katherine Andrews Rising Star Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 8470 Enterprise Cir, Ste 201 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-366-8100 Maury Azerad Properties Title LLC 5218 Paylor Ln Sarasota, FL 34240 941-260-9221 Joseph B. Battaglia Battaglia Law PLLC 9040 Town Center Pkwy Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-677-0088 Michael J. Belle Law Office of Michael J. Belle 2364 Fruitville Rd Sarasota, FL 34237 941-955-9212 Evan N. Berlin Legacy Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 3700 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-954-9991 Jill M. Bowen Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2775 Kathryn Angell Carr Legacy Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2709 Nancy E. Cason Syprett Meshad 1900 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-7171 Erin Hope Christy Trenam Law 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 320 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-278-4305

64 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 64

8/12/26 5:11 AM

KYLE STALNAKER HONOREE | FAMILY LAW

HONOREE

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF/YOUR FIRM Stalnaker Law dedicates its practice to the areas of Family Law and Personal Injury. In 2022, the firm opened its doors in Lakewood Ranch, Florida — the same town Kyle Stalnaker and his family call home.

Since then, Stalnaker Law has been honored in SRQ Magazine’s “Best Legal Firm” awards every year—first earning Gold, then Platinum twice, and this past year Bronze—all as a solo practitioner law firm. Kyle has also been named to SRQ Magazine’s “Elite Top Attorneys” list three times.

WHAT SETS YOUR YOU/YOUR FIRM APART FROM OTHERS? Every client deserves an attorney who treats their case like it’s the only one that matters. Stalnaker Law combines aggressive advocacy with genuine accessibility — clients speak directly with their attorney, get honest answers, and are kept informed at every step. The firm has built its reputation on preparation, results, and KYLE STALNAKER brings a relentless competitive drive to every case he handles.

relentless dedication to the client. Whether your matter calls for

A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and Stetson University Col-

a hard-fought trial or a strategic settlement, Stalnaker Law brings

lege of Law, Kyle has spent over 14 years earning his clients’ trust through tena-

the same intensity to every case. Your fight becomes our fight.

cious advocacy and an unwavering commitment to results. Clients turn to Kyle not only for his aggressive courtroom presence, but for his accessibility — he believes

SHARE YOUR MISSION Stalnaker Law exists to provide every

responsive, honest communication is the foundation of effective representation.

client focused, fearless representation. Rooted in the Lakewood

Whether negotiating a favorable settlement or arguing at trial, Kyle approaches

Ranch community and serving Manatee and Sarasota Counties,

each matter with preparation, resolve, and a singular focus: fighting for his clients.

we combine relentless advocacy with direct communication and

When your case matters, experience and dedication make the difference.

total dedication. Our mission is to guide families and injury victims

Kyle Stalnaker delivers both.

through life’s hardest moments toward the justice they deserve.

FLORIDA BAR DATE OF ADMISSION June 12, 2012

PRACTICE AREAS Family Law Personal Injury

DEGREES UC Berkeley (Undergrad) and Stetson Law

LAW FIRM Stalnaker Law, P.A.

CONTACT 6704 Professional Parkway W | Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240 941.359.7825 | Stalnakerlawfirm.com

2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide — srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 65

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 65

8/12/26 5:11 AM

LISTINGS 2026

Natalie G. Coldiron Natalie G. Coldiron PLLC 1990 Main St, Ste 801 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2491 Andrew J. Conaboy Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 3700 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-954-9991 Amy L. Concilio Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-536-2029 Nicole F. Cromie Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-2564 Melanie DeLeon-Thompson Schofield & Spencer PA 1429 60th Ave W, Ste 300 Bradenton, FL 34207 941-755-2674 Scott W. Dunlap Legacy Sandberg Phoenix 22 S Links Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-0115 Jamie A. Ebling Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 3700 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-954-9991 Sheryl Edwards The Edwards Law Firm PL 500 S Washington Blvd, Ste 400 Sarasota, FL 34236 800-896-3619 Kyle D. Elliott Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6618 Ryan A. Featherstone Sandberg Phoenix 22 S Links Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-0115 Sarah E. Ferlazzo Rising Star Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-953-5315 Christa L. Folkers Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-5554

Alexandra Glauser Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos PA 1819 Main St, Ste 610 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-954-4691 Crystal Golm Golm Law Firm 1904 Manatee Ave W, Ste 300 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-704-4049 Kirsten Guerin Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos PA 1819 Main St, Ste 610 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-954-4691 Ryan T. Harris Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100

William C. McComb Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 3700 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-954-9991 Lisa Gonzalez Moore LGM Law PLLC 1201 6th Ave W, 2nd Flr Bradenton, FL 34205 941-822-8780 Alyssa M. Nohren Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100 Sam D. Norton Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos PA 1819 Main St, Ste 610 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-954-4691

Michelle Lajoie Hermey Fergeson Skipper PA Attorneys at Law John C. Patterson Jr. Legacy 1515 Ringling Blvd, 10th Flr Shutts & Bowen LLP Sarasota, FL 34236 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 941-957-1900 Sarasota, FL 34236 Julie A. Horstkamp 941-552-3770 Horstkamp Law Firm PLLC 901 Venetia Bay Blvd, Ste 260 Stephen G. Perry Venice, FL 34285 Blalock Walters PA 941-584-2060 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 Michael Infanti 941-748-0100 Infanti Law Firm PLLC 1605 Main St., Suite 1112 Peter J. Pike Sarasota, FL 34236 Pike Law 941-960-8823 4901 26th St W Bradenton, FL 34207 Ann S. Johnson 941-312-2580 SandbergPhoenix 22 S Links Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-0115

Gary Kauffman Kauffman Thompson PLLC 1990 Main St, Ste 725 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-479-3006 Lauren P. Kohl Gibson Kohl PL 1800 2nd St, Ste 777 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-1166 Richard Lawrence Lawrence Advisory PLLC 1800 2nd St, Ste 888 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-479-8500 Thomas B. Luzier Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-893-4005

Nick Roknich IV Rising Star The Roknich Law Firm PA 1800 2nd St, Ste 854 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-404-4540 Patrick W. Ryskamp Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-536-2035 Natasha Selvaraj Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 3700 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-954-9991 Peter Z. Skokos Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos PA 1819 Main St, Ste 610 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-954-4691 T.R. (Thomas) Smith Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 8433 Enterprise Cir, Ste 200 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-954-9991 Benjamin Sorrell Syprett Meshad 1900 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-7171 Matthew A. Staggs Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100

Jan W. Pitchford Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2710

Matthew J. Thompson Kauffman Thompson PLLC 1990 Main St, Ste 725 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-479-3006

Matthew R. Plummer Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100

Amanda C. Tullidge Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100

Nicole M. Price Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100

Janelle VanHoose Esposito Law Group PA 1205 Manatee Ave W, Ste 200 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-251-0000

Cynthia A. Riddell Riddell Law Group 3400 S Tamiami Trl, Ste 304 Sarasota, FL 34239 941-366-1300

Juan C. Villaveces Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2765

66 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 66

8/12/26 5:11 AM

MATTHEW F. TYMPANICK HONOREE | SPORTS LAW

HONOREE

MATTHEW TYMPANICK is a State/Federal Criminal Defense Attorney out of Sarasota, Florida. He has tried over 40 cases ranging from low level misdemeanors to serious felonies. Before starting Tympanick Law, P.A., in November 2021, he was a felony prosecutor for over three years handling thousands of cases.

Attorney Tympanick is also a NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor.

Attorney Tympanick has appeared on television programs including: 48 hours, Live Now from Fox, Court TV, and many more. He also appears regularly on radio/podcasts discussing sports law issues throughout the country.

MISSION: To provide excellent representation that is accessible, transparent and innovative, during a time when people need it most.

SHARE A CLIENT TESTIMONIAL: “My wife and I highly recommend Matthew Tympanick! Matt is very knowledgeable and kept us informed about our case status with frequent updates. During the formal mediation, Matt was amazing! He is a skilled negotiator. He negotiated a settlement for us that was almost 50 percent higher than the maximum that the insurance company initially said that they were willing to pay.” — Robert W.

FLORIDA BAR DATE OF ADMISSION April 13, 2017 DEGREES Juris Doctor University of Massachusetts School of Law - Dartmouth

PRACTICE AREAS Criminal Law Personal Injury Sports Law

LAW FIRM Tympanick Law, P.A CONTACT 1680 Fruitville Road | Suite 519 | Sarasota, FL 34236 888.667.2642 | mtympanick@tympanicklaw.com tympanicklaw.com

2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide — srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 67

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 67

8/12/26 5:11 AM

LISTINGS 2026

Clifford L. Walters III Legacy Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100

Todd D. Kaplan Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-907-0006

John E. Wickman Wickman Law Group PLLC 46 N Washington Blvd, Ste 15 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-259-6100

Mary E. King Law Office of Mary E. King PL 3389 Magic Oak Ln Sarasota, FL 34232 941-906-7585

SECURITIES

Jo Ann Koontz Koontz & Associates PL 1613 Fruitville Rd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-225-2615

Michael D. Bressan Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2717 James E. Fanto Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2764 Worth Graham Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100 Jarrod J. Malone Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2715 Brandon M. Taaffe Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2773 Charles A. Wood Jr. Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2716 SPORTS LAW

Matthew F. Tympanick Tympanick Law PA 1680 Fruitville Rd, Ste 519 Sarasota, FL 34236 888-667-2642 Christina E. Unkel Unkel Law Firm PLLC 5020 Clark Rd, Ste 301 Sarasota, FL 34233 941-219-5842 TAX LAW

David P. Johnson Legacy David P. Johnson Attorney at Law 2201 Ringling Blvd, Ste 104 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-365-0118

Erik J. Arroyo Arroyo | Mcardle 46 N Washington Blvd, Ste 26 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-404-5987 Gregory S. Band Band Law Group 1543 Second St Sarasota, FL 34236 941-917-0505 x10 Charla M. Burchett Legacy Shutts & Bowen LLP 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-3780

Matthew B. Mayper Sean M. Byrne Legacy Bach, Jacobs & Byrne PA Fergeson Skipper PA Attorneys at Law 2033 Main St, Ste 505 1515 Ringling Blvd, 10th Flr Sarasota, FL 34237 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-906-1231 941-957-1900 Allie R.B. Castellano Thomas J. McLaughlin Buckman, Buckman & Castellano PA Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 2023 Constitution Blvd 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34231 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-304-4154 941-536-2042 Jared T. Coldiron E. John Wagner II Norton, Hammersley, Williams Parker Attorneys at Law Lopez & Skokos PA 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr 1819 Main St, Ste 610 Sarasota, FL 34236 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-536-2037 941-954-4691 Michael “Mike” J. Wilson Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-536-2043

Elizabeth P. Cottom Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6631

TECHNOLOGY VIRTUAL

Robert A. Drean Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100

C. Jade Davis Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2799 TRAFFIC LAW

Darren Finebloom The Law Place 1414 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-444-4444 David Haenel The Law Place 1414 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-444-4444 WILLS

J. Allison Archbold Archbold Law Firm PA 1217 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-960-8825

Douglas J. Elmore Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6637 Katherine M. Fall Boyer & Boyer PA 46 N Washington Blvd, Ste 21 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-2304 Lorenzo A. Fernandez Rising Star Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-231-1204

Christopher J. Fowler Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos PA 1819 Main St, Ste 610 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-954-4691 Rose-Anne B. Frano Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-536-2033 Richard R. Gans Legacy Fergeson Skipper PA Attorneys at Law 1515 Ringling Blvd, 10th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-957-1900 Dana Laganella Gerling Affordable Attorney Gerling Law Group 6148 State Rd 70 E Bradenton, FL 34203 941-756-6600 Rodney Duane Gerling Affordable Attorney Gerling Law Group 6148 State Rd 70 E Bradenton, FL 34203 941-756-6600 Whitney C. Glaser Legacy Whitney Glaser Law 3027 Manatee Ave W, Ste B Bradenton, FL 34205 941-241-8266 Jeffrey S. Goethe Barnes Walker 3119 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-741-8224 Cheryl L. Gordon Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2706 Ric Gregoria Legacy Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-536-2031 Scarlett R. Guy Guy Law Group 2170 Main St, Ste 205 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-822-8869 Valerie Lang Hall Lang Hall Law Offices 3639 Cortez Rd W, Ste 106 Bradenton, FL 34210 888-973-5043

68 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 68

8/12/26 5:11 AM

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 69

8/12/26 5:10 AM

LISTINGS 2026

Michael M. Hamrick Greene Hamrick Schermer & Johnson PA 410 43rd St W, Ste N Bradenton, FL 34209 941-747-1871

John A. Moran Legacy Sandberg Phoenix 6111 Exchange Way Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-366-0115

Neil William Scott Legacy Neil W. Scott Attorney at Law 1800 2nd St, Ste 818 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-906-8555

Sarah J. Harnden Shutts & Bowen LLP 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-3785

Anthony G. Mowry BKM Attorneys at Law 1872 S. Tamiami Trl, Ste D Venice, FL 34293 941-493-0871

JoAnne “Joleen” K. Searles Shutts & Bowen LLP 1858 Ringling Blvd, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-3773

David B. Heedy Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2794

Tina M. Mroczkowski Bowman, George, Scheb, Kimbrough, Koach & Chapman PA 2750 Ringling Blvd, Ste 3 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-5510

David M. Silberstein Legacy Silberstein Law Firm PLLC 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 860 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-953-4400

Gary W. Peal Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 3700 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL 34239 941-954-9991

Alexander A Stewart Stewart & St. Paul Estate Law PLLC 1201 6th Ave W, Ste 100 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-217-7654

Joshua P. Perez Rising Star Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 201 Center Rd, Ste 210 Venice, FL 34285 941-954-9991

Gianna M. Tomeo Rising Star Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6623

Meghan Griffin Persampiere Rising Star Sandberg Phoenix 6111 Exchange Way Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-366-0115

Jeffrey T. Troiano Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-329-6638

Jennifer J. Hensley Hensley Law Offices 5190 26th St W, Ste D Bradenton, FL 34207 941-755-8583 Susan Hines Hancock Whitney Wealth Management 1800 2nd St, Ste 103 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-556-4866 Ashley S. Hodson Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 240 S Pineapple Ave, 9th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-364-2723 Bryan S. Kessler BKM Attorneys at Law 1872 Tamiami Trl S, Ste D Venice, FL 34293 941-493-0871 Kraig H. Koach Koach Law Firm, P.A. 2639 Fruitville Rd, Ste 302 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-951-1234 Steven W. Ledbetter Ledbetter Cowan Law Group 229 Pensacola Rd Venice, FL 34285 941-256-3965 Matthew J. Matechik The Matechik Law Firm PA 100 Wallace Ave, Ste 310 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-926-6755 Jenna K. Meltzer Blalock Walters PA 802 11th St W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-0100

Jordan J. Riccardi Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100 Brandon Robinson Barnes Walker 3119 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-741-8224 Andrew Rosin Law Offices of Andrew W. Rosin PA 1966 Hillview St Sarasota, FL 34239 941-359-2604 Fletcher H. Rush Williams Parker Attorneys at Law 50 Central Ave, 8th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-552-2563 Johnson S. Savary Jr. Sandberg Phoenix 22 S Links Ave, Ste 300 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-0115

Stephen Berlin Berlin Law Firm LLC 200 N Washington Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-777-7000 Rosemary B. Eure Lancaster and Eure 711 N Washington Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-7575 Mark Flaherty Flaherty Law Firm 2180 Main St Sarasota, FL 34237 941-706-2860 Alex P. Lancaster Lancaster and Eure 711 N Washington Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-365-7575 Gregory Linehan Greg Linehan Law 1515 Ringling Blvd, Ste 230 Sarasota, FL 34236 941-559-4529 Edward Murphy Legler Murphy & Battaglia LLP 2411 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-299-0308

Daniel L. Tullidge Fergeson Skipper PA Attorneys at Law 1515 Ringling Blvd, 10th Flr Sarasota, FL 34236 941-957-1900 Matthew D. Unzicker Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC 8433 Enterprise Cir, Ste 200 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-954-9991 John J. Waskom Legacy Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA 2033 Main St, Ste 600 Sarasota, FL 34237 941-366-8100 WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

Amanda Annunciata Berlin Law Firm LLC 200 N Washington Blvd Sarasota, FL 34236 941-777-7000

70 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 70

8/12/26 5:10 AM

MICHAEL INFANTI HONOREE | REAL ESTATE LAW

HONOREE

MICHAEL INFANTI is the founder and managing partner of Infanti Law Firm, PLLC. For more than 25 years, he has represented individuals, businesses, lenders, investors, developers, and Fortune 500 companies in the acquisition, financing, development, leasing, and sale of residential and commercial real estate throughout Florida. Whether advising a first-time homebuyer, a family business, or a national developer, Michael is known for delivering practical, business-minded legal counsel tailored to each client’s goals. A third-generation Sarasotan, he has served in leadership roles with various corporate and nonprofit organizations, been appointed by both the Sarasota County and Sarasota City Commissions to civic advisory positions, and remains committed to serving the community he proudly calls home.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FIRM My practice focuses on residential and commercial real estate and business law throughout Florida. Over the past 25 years, I have represented everyone from first-time homebuyers and family-owned businesses to banks, private investment funds, national developers, REITs, and Fortune 500 companies in the acquisition, financing, development, leasing, and sale of real estate.

I believe effective legal counsel goes beyond identifying issues—it requires understanding each client’s objectives, anticipating challenges, managing risk, and developing practical solutions that help clients successfully achieve their goals.

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION April 25, 2001

DEGREES

Juris Doctor / MBA

PRACTICE AREAS

Residential and Commercial Development

LAW FIRM

Infanti Law Firm, PLLC

CONTACT 1605 Main Street | Sarasota, FL 34236 | Ste. 1112 941.960.8823 | minfanti@ilfpllc.com infantilawfirm.com

JENNIFER J. HENSLEY HONOREE | WILLS & TRUSTS

JENNIFER’S PASSION FOR SERVING OTHERS began early—shaped by life experiences that reflect the challenges many clients face. With empathy, dedication, and a deep belief in protecting what matters most, she’s built a practice rooted in trust, advocacy, and compassion.

HONOREE

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION April 15, 2020

DEGREES

MISSION: At Hensley Law Offices, we don’t just draft

Juris Doctorate

documents—we build legacies.

PRACTICE AREAS

CONTACT 5190 26th Street West | Suite D Bradenton, FL 34207 941.755.8583 | Firm@jenhensleylaw.com jenhensleylaw.com

Estate Planning Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney Probate and Trust Administration Litigation

LAW FIRM

Hensley Law Offices, LLC

2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide — srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 71

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 71

8/12/26 2:53 PM

JAMES FOWLER HONOREE | CRIMINAL DEFENSE

JAMES FOWLER IS THE FOUNDING PARTNER OF FOWLER LAW GROUP, P.A. James draws upon his diverse criminal law experiences to defend adults and juveniles involved in all types of criminal law matters, including federal and state crimes, DUI offenses, driver’s license suspensions and traffic cases. He is a 4th generation native of Sarasota County with strong ties to the local community.

James served as a prosecutor with the Office of the State Attorney in both Sarasota and Manatee Counties. As a prosecuting attorney he handled numerous DUI, misdemeanor, felony and juvenile cases and received specialized training from the Florida Traffic Safety Resource Prosecution Program in the areas of drugged drivers and DUI refusal cases and Motion Practice. He has been recognized as a “Top 100 Trial Lawyer” and “Top 40 Under 40” by the National Trial Lawyers Association from 2014 - 2020. He has been named to Super Lawyers Magazine list of “Rising Stars” from 2014 - 2020. James has also been nominated for Judicial Appointment by the 12th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission three times in as many years. James has been featured in numerous publications throughout his career; most notably Forbes, Entrepreneur, HuffPost, and Business Insider.

HONOREE

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION September 26, 2008

DEGREES

Bachelor of Science, Ferrum College, 2002 Juris Doctorate, Coastal School of Law, 2008

PRACTICE AREAS Criminal Defense

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Forty Carrots Key to the Cure Lakewood Ranch Young Leaders Alliance Americans Inn of Court Sarasota County Bar Association Manatee County Bar Association Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys

LAW FIRM

Fowler Law Group

Contact 2075 Main Street | Suite 38 | Sarasota, FL 34237 941.404.8909 | jfowler@teamflg.com thefowlerlawgroup.com

JOSEPH HERBERT HONOREE | CONSTRUCTION LAW HONOREE

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION September 23, 2010

DEGREES

Juris Doctor (with honors), Master’s of Business Administration, Board Certification: Construction Law

PRACTICE AREAS Construction Law Business Law Litigation Real Estate Law

LAW FIRM

Herbert & Associates Law, P.A.

FOLLOWING SERVICE IN THE NAVY and a management career, Joseph received his Juris Doctorate and MBA from Stetson in 2010. He has practiced in Sarasota for sixteen years and is a Board Certified expert in Construction Law and published lecturer. He practices in complex litigation, business, real estate, and employment law. Joseph manages a boutique, modern firm efficiently taking on large regional and national firms, focusing on exceptional research and writing, advocacy, and in-court performance.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF/YOUR FIRM. The firm has a top-notch paralegal and two seasoned, highly-skilled associates in addition to the firm president. The firm practices primarily in construction law and litigation. We represent home and condo-owner associations, property owners, contractors, developers, and sureties in a variety of complex business and construction matters. We also provide guidance on business formation and disputes, real estate matters, and related civil matters.

CONTACT 2033 Main St. | Suite 502 | Sarasota, FL 34237 941.444.0300 | herbertassociateslaw.com

72 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 72

8/12/26 5:10 AM

ANDREW POUGET HONOREE | CRIMINAL DEFENSE

ANDREW POUGET IS A LIFELONG STUDENT OF THE LAW AND VIGILANT ADVOCATE FOR JUSTICE. He understands that success is earned by hard work, determination, quality legal research, and framing arguments with precision and articulation.

His passion for law is the driving force that compels him to take the extra step, and he does not quit until he achieves the best possible result for his clients. Since matriculating in 2018, Andrew has continued the firm’s legacy of providing high-quality criminal defense to Sarasota, Bradenton and Tampa. Andrew’s depth of legal knowledge and proficiency in legal writing provides an essential element to FLG’s comprehensive approach to criminal defense, and his aptitude for appellate practice sets FLG apart as a full-service criminal defense firm in the SRQ area.

HONOREE

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION December 26, 2018

DEGREES

University of Detroit Mercy, Suma Cum Laude, Majors in philosophy, political science, and pre-law Detroit College of Law, Magna Cum Laude, Juris Doctorate Certificates in Trial Practice and Criminal Law

PRACTICE AREAS DUI Defense Criminal Appeals Criminal Law

LAW FIRM

Fowler Law Group

Contact 2075 Main Street | Suite 38 | Sarasota, FL 34237 941.404.8909 | Andrew@Teamflg.com thefowlerlawgroup.com

KIM BONNER

HONOREE | ABRITRATION & MEDIATION I AM A FLORIDA NATIVE WITH THIRTY-SIX YEARS OF LEGAL EXPERIENCE. I earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Stetson University, a Masters Degree from the University of West Florida, a law degree from Pepperdine School of Law, and a Master of Judicial Studies degree from the University of Nevada Reno. As an attorney, I handled criminal, civil, appellate, and administrative matters. During my years as a trial court judge, I presided over cases in every division of circuit and county court, giving me a unique vantage point from which to assist parties.

HOW DO YOU REPRESENT, PROTECT AND SUPPORT YOUR CLIENTS? I started this practice because I wanted to help people navigating the court system. Litigation is expensive, time consuming, and stressful. I try to make the process nonthreatening, cost efficient, and productive. Each case receives individualized attention and all parties and attorneys are treated with respect and professionalism. As an arbitrator, I draw on my years of experience as a criminal and civil trial attorney, as well as two decades deciding cases ranging from routine disputes to highly complex issues. Attorneys and their clients can be confident that they have a neutral fact finder with real-life experience adjudicating cases.

HONOREE

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION October 22, 1990

DEGREES BA MA JD MJS

PRACTICE AREAS Mediation Arbitration

CONTACT 5020 Clark Rd. | Suite 152 Sarasota, FL 34233 | 941.479.9262 Kim@kimbonnermediation.com Kimbonnermediation.com

LAW FIRM

Kim Bonner Mediation

2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide — srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 73

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 73

8/12/26 5:10 AM

COURTNEY ISOP, ESQ. HONOREE | PERSONAL INJURY HONOREE

COURTNEY ISOP has been a trial attorney for over 19 years, representing both plaintiff s and defendants

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION

in personal injury cases throughout Southwest Florida.

December 26, 2006

Earlier in her career, Courtney served as senior staff attorney

DEGREES

for one of the largest insurance companies in the state of

Albany Law School of Union University, 2004

Florida and represented hundreds of defendants in automobile negligence cases. She became a Plaintiff ’s attorney

PRACTICE AREAS

in 2017 and now exclusively advocates for the wrongfully

Car, Truck, Motorcycle and Bicycle Accidents Pedestrian Accidents Slip & Fall Injuries Child Abuse Nursing Home/ALF Abuse Medical Malpractice Construction Injuries Boating Accidents

injured in Sarasota and Manatee Counties.

MISSION: At Mallard | Perez, PLLC is to passionately advocate for the rights of our clients leveraging our trial experience and excellent results.

LAW FIRM

Mallard Perez, PLLC

CONTACT 889 N. Washington Blvd. | Sarasota, FL 34236 941.952.1682 | courtney@mallardperez.com mallardperez.com

CHRIS HALLETT, ESQ. HONOREE | PERSONAL INJURY HONOREE

A STETSON UNIVERSITY College of Law graduate, Chris competed on Stetson University’s nationally ranked trial team and won multiple competitions. He continued his

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION

excellence in trial advocacy during law school studying trial

December 26, 2006

strategies and techniques abroad in Oxford, England, at St.

DEGREES

Hugh’s College. In addition, Chris was a teaching assistant

Stetson University College of Law

in trial advocacy to The Honorable Judge Shawn Crane,

PRACTICE AREAS

work is Chris’ passion, he remained active on campus,

Car, Truck, Motorcycle and Bicycle Accidents Pedestrian Accidents Slip & Fall Injuries Child Abuse Nursing Home/ALF Abuse Medical Malpractice

LAW FIRM

Mallard Perez, PLLC

Circuit Court Judge for the 6th Judicial Circuit. While trial serving as the American Bar Association’s Diversity Chair.

MISSION: At Mallard | Perez, PLLC, is to passionately advocate for the rights of our clients leveraging our trial experience and excellent results.

CONTACT 889 N. Washington Blvd | Sarasota, FL 34236 941.952.1682 | chris@mallardperez.com mallardperez.com

74 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 74

8/12/26 2:53 PM

PAUL M. McDERMOTT, ESQ. HONOREE | FAMILY LAW

PAUL MCDERMOTT has practiced law for 25 years. He is the founder of McDermott Law Offices, located in Lakewood Ranch, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. He earned his law degree from Regent University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of WisconsinMadison. He is a member of the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar, the Manatee Bar Association and the Sarasota Bar Association.

HOW DO YOU REPRESENT, PROTECT AND SUPPORT YOUR CLIENTS? Our team of dedicated legal professionals provides clients with compassionate and effective legal representation during a difficult time in their lives. We listen to our clients as they identify their specific needs and objectives so we can devise an effective strategy to accomplish their goals. We keep our clients informed as we advance their case. We aim to treat our clients the way we would want to be treated from maintaining meaningful communication to integrity in billing practices. McDermott relies on his 25 years of negotiation, mediation and litigation experience to achieve the best results possible for his clients. We hold in high regard the trust our clients place in us and do everything we can to maintain that trust us and protect their interests.

HONOREE

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION April 2, 2015

DEGREES

Juris Doctor

PRACTICE AREAS Divorce

Collaborative Law Alimony/Spousal Support LAW FIRM

McDermott Law Offices, PLLC

CONTACT 6151 Lake Osprey Drive | 3rd Flr. | Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240 941.225.2550 | mcdermottlawoffices.com

RIAN DAVIS, ESQ.

HONOREE | BUSINESS & CORPORATE LAW RIAN DAVIS is General Counsel at At Home Auto Glass, LLC, a multistate auto glass company, where she leads contracts, employment, real estate, regulatory compliance, and litigation oversight. A graduate of Emory University School of Law, she also holds a B.A. in History from Southeastern Louisiana University. Rian serves the Sarasota County Bar Association as Young Lawyers Division Treasurer and Programs Chair of its Council for Diversity and Inclusion.

WHAT SETS YOUR YOU/YOUR FIRM APART FROM OTHERS? As General Counsel, Rian functions as both strategic advisor and primary drafter, embedded directly in the business rather than viewing it from the outside. What sets her apart is a practical, riskaware approach that weighs legal exposure against real business objectives, translating complex regulatory and contractual questions into clear, actionable guidance. She protects the company by building durable legal infrastructure across its corporate, employment, and regulatory needs, anticipating problems before they arise. A trusted partner to executive leadership, Rian represents her client with precision, responsiveness, and an unwavering commitment to integrity and accountability. “Good counsel does more than manage risk; it gives a business the confidence to grow.” — Rian Davis

HONOREE

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION April 20, 2022

DEGREES

BA History; JD

PRACTICE AREAS

CONTACT 6425 15th Street E. | Suite A Sarasota, FL 34243 | 941.367.0034 rian@ahagoffice.com AtHomeAutoGlass.com

Corporate Governance Corporate and Commercial Contracts Labor and Employment Regulatory Compliance

LAW FIRM General Counsel to At Home Auto Glass LLC

2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide — srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 75

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 75

8/12/26 10:26 AM

CYNTHIA RIDDELL HONOREE | REAL ESTATE LAW HONOREE

CYNTHIA A. RIDDELL is a Florida Bar Board Certified Real Estate Attorney and the managing attorney at Riddell Law Group. She is admitted to practice in Florida as well as the U.S. District Court in and for the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in and for the Middle District of Florida. She focuses her practice on transactional residential and commercial real estate closings and title insurance. She is an attorney member of the local Realtor-Attorney Joint Committee which conducts legal seminars for the benefit of realtor members of our local Real Estate Association of Sarasota Manatee. She is a former Director of the Board of the Sarasota Bar Association 2022-2025. Ms. Riddell is currently chair of the Solo/Small Firm section of the Sarasota County Bar Association. She is a member of the Real Property Probate and Trust Law section of the Florida Bar. She received her B.A. in History from the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida and her Juris Doctor from Stetson College of Law, St. Petersburg, Florida. Cynthia grew up in Sarasota and returned to the area after law school to practice real estate law with her father, Jeff Riddell, and has managed the firm for the last decade.

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION April 21, 2008

DEGREES

Juris Doctor, Bachelor of Arts

PRACTICE AREAS

Real Estate Closings Title Insurance Real Estate Litigation Foreclosure Short Sales Bankruptcy Law Probate Administration Business & Commercial Law Contracts Real Estate Law

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS Member Real Property Probate & Trust Law Section of Florida Bar

CONTACT 3400 S. Tamiami Trail | Suite 304 | Sarasota, FL 34239 941.366.1300 | criddell@RLGLAWFIRM.COM | www.RLGLAWFIRM.com

CHRISTINE SENSENIG HONOREE | LABOR & EMPLOYMENT HONOREE

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION February 22, 1996

DEGREES

University of South Florida, B.A., B.A., 1988, and MLA 1992 University of Florida Levin College of Law, J.D. 1995

RECOGNITION

Florida Trend Magazine Legal Elite, 2009-2026 SuperLawyer, 2015-2026 University of Florida National Alumni Leader of the Year, 2009, AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell

LAW FIRM

CHRISTINE SENSENIG is the managing partner of The Sensenig Law Firm, P.A. She provides human resources and employment law advice as well as litigation defense to employers of all sizes in all aspects of the employment relationship. To build strong long-term relationships with clients, the Firm explores the “why” behind a client’s concerns. In employment law, clients have needs in “real time” and the Firm believes in being an accessible resource to our clients. Christine Sensenig is grateful to have been recognized in her community by colleagues that she respects and admires as a member of SRQ Magazine’s Elite Top Attorneys.

“I do my best because I am counting on you counting on me.” — Maya Angelou CONTACT 1515 Ringling Blvd. | Ste. 230 | Sarasota, FL 34236 941.953.2828 | csensenig@senseniglawfirm.com senseniglawfirm.com

Sensenig Law Firm PA

76 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local — 2026 Elite Top Attorneys Awards Legal Guide

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 76

8/12/26 5:09 AM

CASEY COLBURN

HONOREE | LAND USE, ENVIRONMENTAL LAW MR. COLBURN’S Florida-based boutique practice focuses on residential and commercial real estate purchases, sales, development, redevelopment and property rights. Casey assists landowners, developers, investors, and governments with due diligence, zoning, permitting, FEMA’s “50% Rule,” government and environmental regulations, as well as land use approvals and challenges, often involving retail, waterfront, hospitality, residential, mixed-use and environmentallysensitive projects. He also advises on new and revised zoning and environmental rules, cleanup options, energy efficiency, conservation, sustainability, constitutional land use and ethical legal practices. He has lectured on these topics for peers, young lawyers, governments, and—perhaps his favorite audience -- his three daughters’ school civics classes. A longstanding aspect of his practice involves co-counsel relationships with lawyers locally and nation-wide and, of course, advising individuals and their businesses on how to relocate to the Free State of Florida. “Being entrusted by a colleague to help serve their valued client is a real honor. So is being included again this year among such esteemed and talented Suncoast legal professionals. Thank you, SRQ.”

V4_SRQ1154_SRQ_0826_TopAttorneys_0805.indd 77

HONOREE

FLORIDA BAR ADMISSION September 17, 2003 Also licensed in Pennsylvania

PRACTICE AREAS

CONTACT 7321 Merchant Ct. | Suite A Sarasota, FL 34240 941.928.6801 | 850.692.9656 Casey@CaseyColburn.com caseycolburn.com

Zoning Land Use Environmental Real Estate Sustainability Due Diligence FEMA Development Permitting Wetlands Green Building Waterfront Permitting Conservation Riparian Rights Docks Contaminated Site Remediation Redevelopment Code Enforcement Ethics Copyright Shopping Center Law

LAW FIRM

The Colburn Firm, PL

8/12/26 2:54 PM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 78

8/12/26 5:23 AM

P

R

E

S

E

N

T

S

Four walls frame a structure; visionary design brings it to life. Showcasing hospitality, commercial, mixed-use and future-forward concepts, the 4WALLS Visionary Building Design Competition recognizes the Gulf Coast’s most exceptional buildings of the year. Explore the regional projects awarded Platinum, Gold and Silver and meet the teams that build purpose into every plane. Looking beyond aesthetics, the judges consider context, sustainability and storytelling—championing projects that elevate placemaking to an art form. PRODUCED BY SRQ MEDIA | SPECIAL THANKS TO JUDGES STEPHEN CHARLES SMITH, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP AND KEITH NELSON, LEED AP BD+C

ONE PARK HOY T ARCHIT ECTS

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 79

8/12/26 10:27 AM

Residential Building

PLATINUM

ONE PARK H OYT A RC HI T ECTS

Architect HOYT Architects Contractor Juneau Construction Company Mechanical Engineer MG Engineering Structural Engineer Bliss & Nyitray (BNI) Developer Property Markets Group (PMG) Photo Renderer HOYT Architects

One Park is envisioned as a defining downtown landmark within Sarasota’s evolving Quay district, establishing a strong vertical presence that connects downtown Sarasota, The Bay Park and the Cultural District along the edge of Sarasota Bay. Rising 18 stories along the waterfront, the project responds to its highly visible setting by bringing together everyday residential living and active public space, creating a place that feels distinctly grounded in its surroundings while remaining visually iconic within the skyline. The building is organized with a clear base-and-tower approach. Townhouse-style residences at the ground level activate the street and create a more comfortable, pedestrian-scaled experience. This lower level bridges the transition between the energy of the street and the vertical living experience above, reinforcing a sense of connection between the public realm and the private residences within the building. Above this base, the residential tower rises as a refined contemporary form with 86 luxury condominium residences. The design focuses on capturing expansive views of Sarasota Bay, downtown and the surrounding cultural and waterfront destinations. Its overall form and detailing are guided by proportion, simplicity and material quality, allowing the tower to stand as a clear and recognizable landmark along the southern edge of the bay. At street level, approximately 5,000 square feet of retail and active frontage bring life to the ground plane and strengthen walkability throughout The Quay district. Transparent storefronts and welcoming public-facing spaces create a more engaging and connected waterfront experience, linking nearby parks, promenades and cultural destinations. The project also includes more than 40,000 square feet of amenities, ranging from wellness and fitness spaces to resort-style outdoor areas and social lounges, all designed to support a comfortable, hospitality-inspired residential lifestyle.

80 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 80

8/12/26 6:25 AM

Residential Building

1776 DSD G ARCH I T ECTS

This contemporary mixed-use development presents a striking example of modern urban architecture that successfully integrates sustainability with elegant design. Rising prominently at the intersection of two primary City of Sarasota streets, Ringling Boulevard and Osprey Avenue, the building contributes positively to the surrounding urban fabric by combining residential and commercial functions within a cohesive structure.

The lower levels activate the pedestrian experience with transparent storefronts and inviting public spaces, while the upper residential floors provide expansive balconies and panoramic views. The building’s composition creates an intentional contrast between solid structural frames and transparent glass façades.

This contrast enhances the visual depth of the structure while emphasizing its clean geometric lines and open character. The modern aesthetic is reinforced through minimalist detailing, cantilevered balconies and expansive glazing that maximizes natural light.

The project contains 52 units and demonstrates how higher-density living can coexist with environmental responsibility and visual sophistication.

GOLD

Architect DSDG Architects; Civil Engineer Kimley-Horn & Associates; Developer PFI 721 Development, LLC; Photo Renderer DSDG Architects.

Residential Building

SUNSET BEACH SIESTA KEY MHK ARCHIT ECT URE

SILVER

The design concept for Sunset Beach Siesta Key, envisioned by MHK Architecture, represents a harmonious synthesis of coastal luxury and environmental stewardship. Situated on two-and-a-half acres of premier beachfront land, the primary challenge was to maximize the connection to the Gulf of Mexico while maintaining an intimate, low-density scale that respects Florida’s delicate ecosystem. The architectural solution is a sophisticated four-story structure housing 11 uniquely designed residences, ensuring that each homeowner experiences a distinct sense of place.

Innovation is expressed through the project’s spatial transparency, with 175 linear feet of pristine private shoreline serving as a focal point that draws the horizon directly into the living spaces. This connection is further enhanced by integrated, native-inspired landscaping and gardens that blur the lines between the built environment and the natural dunes. Functionality and privacy are central to the MHK vision.

Architect MHK Architecture; Contractor BCBE Construction; Mechanical Engineer Genesis Engineering Group, LLC; Structural Engineer B&W Structural Designs, LLC; Civil Engineer AM Engineering, Inc.; Developer David Lehrman, Sarasota Real Estate Company; Landscape Design David W. Johnston Associates, Inc.; Interior Design Inside Eye Design; Photographer Tannyr Davis; Photo Renderer MHK Architecture.

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 81

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 81

8/12/26 6:27 AM

Commercial Building

PLATINUM

SARASOTA CREW ROW HOUSE DSDG ARCHITECTS

Conceived as an architectural expression of motion, rhythm and discipline, the Sarasota Crew facility draws directly from the mechanics of rowing. Derived from the arc of an oar moving from catch to release, a singular sweeping curve defines the roofline, shaping the building’s massing and spatial identity through one continuous gesture. Beneath it, a calibrated structural grid reflects the alignment and cadence of an eight-person shell, embedding the discipline of rowing into the architecture at every scale. The design applies the logic of the sport itself, translating repetition, flow, control and teamwork into space, structure and movement. Positioned along the Intracoastal Waterway in Osprey, Florida, the building establishes a distinct architectural presence on the waterfront while remaining responsive to the scale and character of its coastal surroundings. The sweeping roof form creates a recognizable profile from both land and water, reinforcing the building’s relationship to the rowing course and broader bayfront landscape. Expansive glazing, shaded terraces and open-air gathering spaces orient daily activity toward the water and frame views across the site. The facility serves as more than a training center, acting as a civic anchor dedicated to mentorship, wellness and opportunity throughout Sarasota County.

Sarasota Crew uses competitive rowing to cultivate character, confidence, integrity and healthy lifestyles among youth and adults, with a particular commitment to supporting student-athletes. Organized to support both athletic performance and social engagement, the architecture balances openness and rigor through spaces that encourage discipline, resilience and collective achievement. Aspiring to become the preeminent rowing club in the country, Sarasota Crew positions itself as a national model for organizations that combine competitive excellence with meaningful impact.

Architect DSDG Architects Photo Renderer DSDG Architects

82 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 82

8/12/26 6:28 AM

Commercial Building

MICHAEL SAUNDERS & CO. WELLEN PARK WILLIS A. S MIT H CO N ST RUCT IO N

Though not serving as the corporate headquarters, the project was designed to make a bold statement for the renowned Southwest Florida real estate institution. Positioned between Downtown Wellen Park and the Atlanta Braves Spring Training stadium, the building was thoughtfully designed to capture attention from the street while showcasing the company’s real estate offerings through expansive glazing and a highly visible presence.

The interior takes full advantage of natural daylight through large windows and an open floor plan, creating a bright, welcoming and collaborative environment. Blending functionality with modern design, the project reflects the energy and growth of the surrounding Wellen Park community while reinforcing the client’s strong regional identity.

GOLD

Contractor Willis A. Smith Construction; Mechanical Engineer Engineering Matrix; Structural Engineer MBA Engineers, Inc.; Civil Engineer and Landscape Design Stantec.; Architect PRA Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP; Interior Design Angela Chang, ASID & NCIDQ; Photographer Ryan Gamma Photography.

BAYFIRST NATIONAL BANK SARASOTA

WASSERMAN DERMATOLOGY

SUAREZ ARCH I T ECT U R E

W I L L I S A . S M I T H CON ST RU CT I ON

Commercial Building

SILVER-TIE

The BayFirst Bank project presents a contemporary solution for one of the company’s financial headquarters in the Sarasota area while creating a visible landmark along U.S. 41. Conceived as both a client-focused building and a private workplace, the project maximizes openness and clarity through the development of a glass box punctuated by alternating solid volumes.

The project develops within a square-like footprint that creates a sense of verticality, allowing for double-height communal spaces and greater access to natural light through expansive fenestration.

Architect Suarez Architecture; Contractor Halfacre Construction Company; Project Manager Florida Concepts; Structural Engineer Karins Engineering Group.; Civil Engineer AM Engineering, Inc.; Mechanical Engineer Quest Design Group; Landscape Design David W. Johnston Associates, Inc.; Photographer Mark Borosch Photography.

Wasserman Dermatology is a new ground-up medical office building located within Mirasol Town Center in Nokomis, Florida. Designed to provide a modern, efficient and welcoming dermatology care environment for the growing community, the single-story facility is constructed with masonry, stucco and structural steel. The design balances durability, functionality and contemporary architectural character while complementing the surrounding requirements of the mixed-use development.

Contractor Willis A. Smith Construction; Civil Engineer AM Engineering, Inc.; Mechanical Engineer Genesis Engineering Group, LLC; Structural Engineer Snell Engineering Consultants; Architect and Interior Design PRA - Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP; Landscape Design David W. Johnston Associates, Inc.; Photographer Ryan Gamma Photography.

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 83

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 83

8/12/26 6:30 AM

Mixed Use Building

SARASOTA BATH & RACQUET CLUB PLATINUM

HALFLANTS + PICHETTE ARCHITECTS

The Bath & Racquet Club originally opened in 1969 and remains part of the shared history of the City of Sarasota. It is a place where people can linger and where their children and grandchildren can take classes. The club serves as a social gathering place and fulfills an important role for its members, due in large part to the variety of fitness and sports options available. The design of the Bath & Racquet Club takes advantage of the site’s future land use by creating a mixed-use community where residents can live, work and play. The program consists of 256 residential condominium units, including 27 affordable housing units, as well as offices, restaurants, 12 indoor pickleball courts, 17 tennis courts, two pools and retail spaces, all arranged around six courtyards. This combination of uses will create a lively and connected community. The design celebrates Florida’s warm climate by incorporating open breezeways and elevated public and private terraces. The public park extends through the main courtyard building, reconnecting the neighborhoods on either side of the site, while the courtyard circulation spans above the park. A onekilometer running trail encircles the entire site, further supporting the development’s live, work and play environment.

Architect Halflants + Pichette; Developer Silver Sky Global Capital; Contractor FT Construction LLC; Civil Engineer AM Engineering, Inc; Mechanical and Structural Engineer Genesis Engineering Group, LLC; Landscape Design Oasis Landscape Architecture; Renderer Halflants + Pichette

Mixed Use Building

GOLD

BALTIMORE ORIOLES PLAYER DEVELOPMENT COMPLEX FA W L E Y B R YA N T A R C H I T E C T U R E

The Baltimore Orioles Player Development Complex consolidates every element of high-performance training into one building, bringing together data, technology and athlete amenities under one roof. Performance is shaped by the environment that surrounds it, and this facility was conceived as an all-in-one destination where athletes and staff operate within a unified ecosystem dedicated to player growth. At the core of the facility are the indoor batting cages and biomechanics lab. The lab incorporates four distinct camera systems and two force plates, one each dedicated to hitters and pitchers. Thirty-five cameras capture movement from every angle, providing precise insight into mechanics, angles and response. The largest room doubles as a full-scale, turf-lined infield with four batting cages. Protective netting systems divide the cages, shielding onlookers and walls from stray balls, and can retract into the ceiling to fully open the field when needed. Outside, a marked turf agility field, covered eight-pack and visiting batting cages extend training capacity and provide additional fan viewing opportunities.

Architect Fawley Bryant Architecture; Contractor Tandem Construction; Civil Engineer, Landscape Design and Interior Design Kimley-Horn & Associates; Structural Engineer Bennett & Pless; Mechanical Engineer Osborn Engineering; Photographer Ryan Gamma Photography

84 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 84

8/12/26 6:36 AM

Commercial Interior Design

SUAREZ ARCHITECTURE/STUDIO SANTA MARIA OFFICES SUAREZ ARCHITECTURE

PLATINUM

The project is a third-floor remodel within a historic Sarasota School of Architecture building designed by Jack West for the offices of Suarez Architecture and Studio Santa Maria. Conceived as a collaborative workplace for architecture and interior design, it honors the clarity and openness of the original structure while reinterpreting it for a contemporary studio environment. At the center of the design is the studio itself, an open, lightfilled workspace intended to foster collaboration, creativity and connection. The primary gesture was the restoration of the building’s original spatial proportions through the removal of the drop ceiling and exposure of the poured-in-place concrete roof. This intervention reveals the full height of the historic glazing and reinforces the building’s original design intent: a seamless relationship between interior space and the surrounding landscape. Mechanical systems were strategically relocated to the interior edges of the floor plate, allowing the perimeter to remain unobstructed and maximizing daylight throughout the studio. Expansive glass walls, a restrained material palette and exposed structural elements create an atmosphere that is both refined and honest, balancing modern precision with the raw character of the existing building. The project reflects a shared belief that design is more than the manipulation of space; it is the creation of an emotional sense of place. Every element was considered not only for its functional performance but also for its ability to stimulate the senses and shape the experience. The resulting environment supports the practical needs of a studio while expressing a commitment to craft, atmosphere and human connection.

Architect Suarez Architecture; Contractor Wolff Construction; Interior Design Studio Santa Maria; Photographer Mark Borosch Photography

Hospitality Space

PLATINUM

KURŌ SUSHI TWO ARCHITECTS

Kurō Sushi is an interior restaurant build-out that transformed two adjacent commercial units on Lakewood Ranch’s Main Street into a cohesive sushi bar and intimate dining experience. The word Kurō, meaning “black” in Japanese, inspired a simple material palette that uses natural materials in shades of black contrasted with soft wood tones. Situated on the opposite side of the restaurant, the sushi and cocktail bar allows chefs behind the counter to maintain an unobstructed view of their guests. The textured boxed ceiling of the dining room contrasts with the smooth, cantilevered wood ceiling, highlighting the energy and craft taking place behind the bar. Lighting is thoughtfully layered into these finishes to provide general, accent and spot lighting as needed. Mechanical grilles and fire sprinklers were also carefully considered within the design, either concealed within the boxes or aligned with the recessed joints of the woodpaneled ceiling, paying homage to the craft and care of Japanese cuisine.

Architect and Interior Design TWO Architects; Contractor Southern Cross Contracting; Developer Umami Hospitality Group; Mechanical Engineer Crawford Williams Engineering; Photographer Ryan Gamma Photography.

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 85

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 85

8/12/26 6:38 AM

Hospitality Space

GOLD

CORONA CIGAR H OY T A RC H I T ECTS

Corona Cigar is conceived as a destination-driven retail and hospitality environment that transforms the traditional cigar lounge into an elevated lifestyle experience. Located in downtown Sarasota, the project reflects the city’s emergence as a luxury-oriented urban destination, attracting nationally recognized hospitality and retail concepts that reinforce the sophistication and evolving identity of the downtown market.

Designed by HOYT Architects, the project is centered around atmosphere, experience and social interaction. At street level, transparent storefronts and outdoor seating activate the pedestrian environment and contribute to the energy of the surrounding streetscape. The project is intentionally designed to engage both the public realm and a more exclusive hospitality culture, creating a layered environment that balances public engagement with privacy and exclusivity.

Inside, the architecture emphasizes warmth, richness and comfort through carefully curated materials, controlled lighting and specialized environmental systems tailored to cigar hospitality. A sophisticated air filtration and ventilation system is integrated throughout the building to maintain interior air quality while supporting the lounge experience. The layout accommodates a range of social settings, from casual retail interaction to extended private hospitality experiences, with premium whiskey offerings, dedicated member storage lockers and hospitality-focused gathering spaces.

Architect HOYT Architects; Mechanical Engineer Quest Design Group; Structural Engineer Bliss & Nyitray (BNI); Developer Jeff and Tanya Borysiewicz; Contractor Ritz Construction Corp.

Hospitality Space

BIRD KEY YACHT CLUB DSDG ARCHITECTS

SILVER

Currently underway on the barrier island of Bird Key, the new Bird Key Yacht Club is more than a new structure. The project represents an investment in the future of the club, the neighborhood and Sarasota’s waterfront legacy. Designed as a coastal landmark, the new clubhouse is centered around community, hospitality and recreation. Surrounded on three sides by single-family homes and bordered on the fourth by an active marina, the project presented the challenge of designing a commercial facility that responds sensitively to the architectural style and organization of the surrounding residential neighborhood. Rather than competing with adjacent properties, the building reinforces the character of the established community through materials commonly found in nearby structures, including coral stone cladding, plasterfinished surfaces and standing-seam metal roofing. The result is a façade that feels familiar, appropriately scaled and respectful of its surroundings. The result is a forward-looking yacht club that redefines the modern coastal social experience. Designed to strengthen community, celebrate Sarasota’s waterfront identity and endure for generations, the project will serve as an impactful civic and social destination along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Architect DSDG Architects; Contractor Tandem Construction; Developer David W. Johnston Associates, Inc.; Civil Engineer Pape-Dawson; Structural Engineer Karins Engineering Group; Mechanical Engineer Genesis Engineering Group, LLC; Landscape Design J. Banks Design; Renderer DSDG Architects

86 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 86

8/12/26 6:39 AM

Master-Planned Communities+Models

PLATINUM

BRIGHTMORE AT WELLEN PARK M AT TA M Y H O M E S

The Brightmore amenity center was envisioned as the vibrant heart of a 55+ community, designed to foster connection, movement and everyday enjoyment. Spanning 11 thoughtfully planned acres, the concept blends resort-style luxury with intentional programming to create a place where residents naturally gather, engage and build meaningful relationships. Innovation is expressed through both design and activation.

A dedicated tournament pickleball court with tiered spectator seating creates a unique focal point for events, while flexible gathering spaces support everything from daily social interaction to large-scale community programming. The integration of food and beverage offerings, wellness spaces and social hubs ensures the amenity center functions as more than a destination; it becomes part of residents’ daily routines. The result is a dynamic, welcoming environment that elevates the resident experience and embodies Brightmore’s core promise: a lifestyle where connection, activity and joy are part of everyday life.

Photographer Brian Swartzwelder, Grey Street Studios

GOLD

THE PINDARI II JOHN CANNON HOMES

The Pindari II Model by John Cannon Homes was conceived as a refined interpretation of Modern Farmhouse architecture infused with subtle Mid-Century influences, designed to complement the relaxed luxury lifestyle of Wild Blue at Waterside. Positioned within one of the region’s most prestigious waterfront communities, the home was envisioned as a seamless blend of sophisticated architecture, livable comfort and resort-inspired outdoor living. The design emphasizes clean lines, layered textures, expansive glazing and warm organic materials to create a residence that feels both elevated and welcoming. The Pindari II ultimately represents a forward-thinking approach to luxury home design, combining timeless architectural character, innovative functionality and exceptional craftsmanship to create a home equally suited for relaxation, entertaining and multigenerational living within the evolving landscape of Lakewood Ranch.

Architect, Contractor and Renderer John Cannon Homes; Landscape Design Brand New Landscapes, Inc.; Interior Design Clive Daniel Home; Developer Stock Development; Structural Engineer Young & Hendrick Engineering, LLC; Photographer Matthew Steeves, Kidago Creative, Inc

SILVER

THE OULINA MODEL JOHN CANNON HOMES

The Oulina Model by John Cannon Homes was envisioned as a bold architectural statement that would redefine luxury residential design within Lakewood Ranch. As the first modern flat-roof luxury home introduced in the community, the Oulina challenged the conventions of traditional coastal architecture by embracing a clean-lined contemporary aesthetic rooted in simplicity, openness and seamless indoor-outdoor living. The design concept centered on creating a sophisticated yet livable environment that merges dramatic architectural form with the warmth and functionality expected of a custom family residence.

Functionality was equally critical to the home’s design. The floor plan was developed to support both large-scale entertaining and everyday family living through interconnected gathering spaces, private retreats and a seamless transition between interior living areas and outdoor amenities.

Architect, Contractor and Renderer John Cannon Homes; Landscape Design Artistree Landscape Maintenance and Design; Interior Design Clive Daniel Home; Design Consultant Guy Peterson; Structural Engineer Young & Hendrick Engineering, LLC; Photographer Plot Photography - Jon Masciello

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 87

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 87

8/12/26 6:41 AM

Public Building | Space

PLATINUM

MOTE SCIENCE AND EDUCATION AQUARIUM (MOTE SEA) W I L L I S A . S M I T H CO N ST RU CT I O N

The Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA) redefines public architecture as a dynamic vessel for discovery, embodying Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s mission of “Oceans for All.” Designed by TVS Design and completed in 2025, the 146,000-square-foot landmark across from Nathan Benderson Park serves as an education-forward gateway to marine science and conservation. Inspired by the movement of marine life and the form of a vessel at sea, the aquarium’s striking boat-like architecture features angled bow and stern profiles wrapped in faceted white metal panels reminiscent of fish scales and schooling fish, creating a highly visible landmark along I-75. Positioned on an artificial peninsula formed with more than 140,000 cubic yards of fill, the building appears to float above the surrounding lake, strengthening its connection to the water and natural environment. Inside, visitors are guided through a vertical journey of discovery beginning with visible STEM classrooms and research laboratories, continuing through multilevel exhibits anchored by a 400,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico habitat and culminating in rooftop open-air environments. Housing more than one million gallons of aquatic habitats, the facility integrates public engagement with active science and research, advancing ocean literacy through immersive educational experiences. The project required significant coordination and engineering expertise, including heavily reinforced structural systems designed to support more than 4,300 tons of saltwater habitats while achieving the building’s complex curved forms and radius-shaped concrete aquarium walls. Additional innovation is showcased through permanently integrated cranes, hoists and specialized animal movement systems, including a water-displacement lift within the manatee habitat designed to safely transport and care for marine life. Mote SEA stands as a visionary public destination that inspires stewardship of the world’s oceans while enriching Sarasota’s cultural landscape.

Contractor Willis A. Smith Construction Architect and Interior Design TVS Florida, Inc. Architecture Mechanical Engineer EXP U.S. Services Landscape Design LandDesign, Inc. Structural Engineer Walter P. Moore & Associates Civil Engineer Water Resource Associates, WRA Engineering Photographer Ryan Gamma Photography

88 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 88

8/12/26 6:42 AM

Public Building | Space

HERRIG CENTER FOR THE ARTS WJ A R C H I T E C T S

The Herrig Center for the Arts is located in the heart of Bradenton’s urban core, just off the main artery of 9th Street West. It sits among a variety of nearby destinations, including museums, a performing arts center and the Bradenton Riverwalk, which is just a five-minute walk to the north. This places the site within an area of active pedestrian traffic, and the design of the new arts center uses its location to introduce passersby to artists and create new opportunities for community interaction. The new arts center sets the physical structure back from the street, opening an Artist’s Plaza along 9th Street West. This green space serves as a catalyst for artist exposure, functioning as an outdoor market where artists can present their work to passing pedestrians and create opportunities for conversation and commerce. The plaza leads directly to the building’s main entrance, which opens into the Instructor’s Gallery, a linear core of visual transparency that connects the building’s other spaces. The building’s form is inspired by the idea of dichotomy. Two distinct masses define the structure: one is organized linearly and contains the studio workspaces, which are designed to support the specific needs of each form of artmaking. The other is a curved, molded vessel containing the gallery spaces and inspired by the process of sculpture. The workspaces are oriented around the gallery to support its form.

GOLD

Architect and Interior Design WJArchitects; Contractor NDC Construction Company; Landscape Design Placemaker Design Studio, LLC.; Civil Engineer Kimley-Horn & Associates; Structural Engineer Master Consulting Engineers; Mechanical Engineer VoltAir Consulting Engineers; Photographer Milt Mounts - Essential Images Photography

Public Building | Space

SRQ AIRPORT TERMINAL EXPANSION DEANGELIS DIAMOND

SILVER

The $100 million SRQ Airport Terminal Expansion represents a defining investment in the future of Southwest Florida’s air travel infrastructure, requiring as much ingenuity in its execution as in its design. The project encompasses a new five-gate Ground Boarding Facility (GBF), an expanded Central Energy Plant (CEP), escalator and hold room upgrades and site utility relocation, creating a comprehensive transformation of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport for the region’s growing community. The project demanded creative problem-solving from the outset, a challenge met through close collaboration with Gresham Smith. Rather than relocating critical underground utilities before breaking ground on the GBF, a sequence that would have added months to the schedule, the construction and design teams engineered a solution that allowed the building to be constructed around and above the active utilities.

New infrastructure was routed outside the building footprint, allowing construction to proceed in parallel and saving several months on the project timeline. With 60,000 cubic yards of earthwork, a fully rebuilt chilled water system and new terminal facilities designed to serve passengers for decades, the SRQ Airport Terminal Expansion is a model of collaborative, solutions-driven construction, delivered on an active airport campus without missing a beat.

Contractor DeAngelis Diamond; Structural Engineer, Civil Engineer and Landscape Design AECOM Technical Services; Architect and Interior Design Gresham Smith; Mechanicl Engineer TLC Engineering Solutions.

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 89

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 89

8/12/26 6:43 AM

Future Project

PLATINUM

NATHAN BENDERSON PARK WJ A R C H I T E C T S

The new two-level facility at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida, will be a transformative addition to the existing park, designed to support high-level athletic competition and training. At 202,121 square feet, the facility will establish the site as a premier destination for regional and national sporting events, with a primary focus on serving athletes, teams and sports organizations. Central to the facility are eight full-size basketball courts and multiple volleyball courts, all designed to meet competitive standards and accommodate flexible event use. These courts will support structured practices, athlete development programs and large-scale tournaments across youth, collegiate and professional levels. Surrounding these spaces are dedicated performance and recovery zones, including strength and conditioning areas, training rooms and athlete support facilities. A defining feature of the project is the expansion of the existing boathouse, which supports the park’s established rowing programs. The upgraded facility will include expanded boat storage, fully equipped locker rooms and athlete amenities, all with direct access to the water. These improvements will enhance the park’s capacity to host major regattas and provide a higher level of service for competitive rowers.

Architect, Interior Designer and Renderer WJArchitects; Developer Benderson Development; Mechanical Engineer Emerald Engineering; Structural Engineer Snell Engineering Consultants; Landscape Design Vickstrom Engineering Services; Civil Engineer WRA Engineering

Future Project

BRADENTON RIVERFRONT REDEVELOPMENT GOLD

H OY T A RC H I T ECTS

The Bradenton Riverfront Redevelopment reimagines the former City Hall site as a transformational mixed-use waterfront district that reflects the city’s long-term vision for a more active, connected and economically vibrant downtown. Located along the Manatee River in the heart of Bradenton’s urban core, the project builds upon the City’s decision to reposition this 3.9-acre civic property as a catalyst for private investment, public access and riverfront activation.

The development program integrates residential apartments, condominium residences, a full-service hotel, ground-floor retail, structured parking and enhanced public realm spaces within a cohesive urban framework. This mix of uses reflects the city’s intent to introduce new downtown housing, hospitality offerings and destination-oriented retail that strengthen the Riverwalk and extend pedestrian activity deeper into the site. A defining feature of the concept is its direct relationship to the Bradenton Riverwalk system, creating seamless connectivity among public open space, retail activation and the Manatee River’s edge. The plan emphasizes walkability and permeability, ensuring the riverfront remains accessible while supporting a dense urban development pattern consistent with the approved vision for the site.

Architect and Renderer HOYT Architects; Developer L&L Development

90 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 90

8/12/26 6:44 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 91

8/12/26 5:23 AM

Historical Preservation

THE BELLE HAVEN H OY T A RC H I T ECTS

PLATINUM

The Belle Haven Redevelopment represents the restoration and reactivation of one of downtown Sarasota’s most recognizable historic structures. Originally constructed as an apartment building near Sarasota Bay, Belle Haven had fallen into severe disrepair before undergoing a comprehensive restoration led by HOYT Architects as part of the larger waterfront redevelopment transforming the surrounding district. The project presented a unique challenge: preserving the identity and architectural integrity of a deteriorated historic landmark while positioning the building for long-term contemporary use within a rapidly evolving urban environment. The restoration was also directly tied to the approval of adjacent high-rise developments, making Belle Haven a critical component of the area’s broader redevelopment strategy. HOYT Architects led the rehabilitation of the exterior envelope and historic architectural features, including extensive stucco repair, restoration of wood trim and ornamental detailing, replacement of the roof, repair of cast stone elements, restoration of historic stair systems, installation of a new ADA-compliant elevator and replacement of deteriorated windows with historically compatible systems that maintained the original proportions and grid configuration. While the exterior and core systems were restored, the interior remained largely unfinished, creating an opportunity to reimagine the structure for a new generation of use. HOYT Architects was recently reengaged by the building’s new ownership team to complete the next phase of redevelopment, transforming the interior into a flexible office and retail environment designed to support long-term activation within downtown Sarasota. The project balances preservation with adaptability, demonstrating how historic structures can evolve to meet contemporary needs while continuing to contribute to the cultural identity and urban fabric of the city.

Architect HOYT Architects Contractor Bruno General Contractor Developer Quay Venture, LLC Mechanical Engineer Global Sanchez Landscape Design Stantec Structural Engineer Snell Engineering Consultants Photographer Ryan Gamma Photography

92 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 92

8/12/26 6:46 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 93

8/12/26 5:24 AM

Renovation Redevelopment

SDMC SOAR N4 WI LLI S A . S M I T H CON ST RU CT I ON

PLATINUM

The renovation of the existing space at the Sara Scott Harllee Center Campus transformed nearly 5,000 square feet into an immersive, hands-on learning environment designed to inspire creativity, exploration and early childhood development for young learners throughout Manatee County. The complete interior renovation reimagined the space as a vibrant educational hub featuring a makerspace lab, art studio, quiet room, Big Build and Little Build labs, multiple interactive sensory and tactile learning walls and creative display features tailored to support a wide range of learning styles and developmental needs. Every element of the project was thoughtfully designed to encourage imagination, problem-solving, collaboration and interactive play within a safe and engaging environment. Bright finishes, flexible learning areas and tactile experiences work together to create a dynamic space where children can actively engage with their surroundings through exploration and discovery. Beyond the physical transformation, the project represents a meaningful investment in the local community and the future of early childhood education.

Contractor Willis A. Smith Construction; Architect BWAS Design PLLC; Mechanical Engineer Me3 Consulting Engineers LLC; Photographer Mark Odell.

REALTOR ASSOCIATION OF SARASOTA AND MANATEE NORTH OFFICE

Renovation Redevelopment

SUAR E Z ARCH I T ECT U R E

This project reimagines an existing commercial structure as a contemporary headquarters that reflects professionalism, community presence and modern functionality while responding carefully to strict site and zoning constraints.

The design approach focused on transforming an outdated building into a cohesive architectural composition that feels both civic and approachable, balancing commercial identity with residential-scaled warmth. The architectural expression combines contemporary commercial design with subtle residential influences requested by the client.

Horizontal siding panels, refined proportions, articulated entry canopies and controlled material transitions soften the building’s institutional scale and create a welcoming character. Large areas of glazing increase daylight and transparency while strengthening the connection between interior functions and the public realm. The result is a modern, highly functional facility that successfully merges renovation and new construction into a seamless whole. The project demonstrates how adaptive reuse, thoughtful massing and contextual materiality can transform constraints into defining design opportunities.

GOLD

Architect Suarez Architecture; Contractor Halfacre Construction Company; Structural Engineer Karins Engineering Group; Mechanical Engineer Quest Design Group; Interior Design Studio Santa Maria; Landscape Design DWY Landscape Architects; Photographer Mark Borosch Photography.

94 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 94

8/12/26 6:46 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 95

8/12/26 5:24 AM

Renovation Redevelopment

BRADENTON AREA CONVENTION CENTER FAWLE Y B RYA N T A RC HI T ECT U R E

SILVER

The renovated and expanded Bradenton Area Convention Center repositions the campus as the largest event venue between St. Petersburg and Naples. Supporting gatherings of up to 3,800 attendees within 95,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, the facility is equipped to host everything from regional conferences to multiday exhibitions. Seven configurable meeting rooms, an 800seat ballroom and a 4,000-square-foot outdoor plaza broaden programming options and create multiple scales of experience, from keynotes and breakout sessions to informal networking. A climate-controlled connector enhances the guest experience by providing seamless access to the adjacent Palmetto Marriott Resort and Spa. A 15,000-square-foot addition on the north side anchors the transformation, contributing to a total of 32,000 square feet of new and renovated space. Inside, expanded prefunction areas and reworked circulation improve wayfinding and relieve congestion, accommodating both intimate gatherings and peak attendance between sessions. Together, these improvements modernize performance, comfort and appearance, creating a unified, state-of-the-art complex that enhances Bradenton’s ability to host major events and supports the region’s tourism and hospitality economy.

Architect and Interior Design Fawley Bryant Architecture; Contractor Manhattan Construction and DuCon, LLC; Civil Engineer and Landscape Design Stantec; Mechanical Engineer TLC Engineering Solutions; Structural Engineer Walter P. Moore & Associates; Photographer Mark Borosch Photography.

JUDGES

KEITH NELSON

STEPHEN CHARLES SMITH

Keith Nelson brings to TruexCullins a keen understanding of the design, project management and construction process with a focus on hospitality and single-family residential. “My focus on engaging, appropriate and sustainable design is balanced with successful project management strategies and attention to detail. I find it important to be active in all aspects of the design process and utilize a community of resources to foster collaboration with owners, design consultants, the construction trades and the end users which maximize the creative process and build lasting working relationships that are beneficial to inspired solutions. I approach projects and people with an open mind which facilitates a discourse that challenges convention and encourages innovation. My affinity for the natural world and influence by the arts and applied science is reflected in a desire to make good buildings that express our time and place within the built environment.

Bachelor of Architecture, High Honors, Wentworth Institute of Technology, LEED Accredited Professional, Building Design + Construction

Stephen Charles Smith is a Registered Architect in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island, a Certified Interior Designer, a LEED AP and has been an active member of the AIA community. At AIA CT, Stephen was Chair of the Emerging Architectural Community Committee, served on the Intern Task Force and was a member of the Board of Directors. Prior to starting his own practice, Stephen was a Designer, Architect and Project Manager at several leading architecture firms for over 10 years, including Rafael Vinoly Architects in New York, NY and Silver/Petrucelli + Associates in Hamden, CT. He has extensive experience across a broad range of building types and scales: private residential, multi-family housing, restaurant design, tall building design, retail, mixed-use, historic preservation, commercial interiors, cultural facilities, government offices, banks, libraries, schools and educational buildings, fire/emergency response, corporate headquarters, hotels and furniture design.

TruexCullins Principal, LEED AP BD+C

Stephen Charles Smith Architects, Principal, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

96 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

FEATURE_SEPT26_4WALLS.indd 96

8/12/26 6:49 AM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 97

8/12/26 5:25 AM

culture city LOCAL PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS+CULTURE

WHERE STORIES GET THEIR START

Urbanite Theatre’s Modern Works Festival has become a pipeline for new work from female playwrights. Dylan Campbell THE BEAUTY OF A STORY IS THAT IT CAN TRULY COME FROM ANYWHERE. Stories come from happiness, they come from heartbreak, that spark of creation arising from both life’s most special moments and the most mundane. The act of storytelling is intrinsic to who we are as human beings—just as we harbor the need to eat, sleep and breathe, so too do we use stories to make sense of our world.

In Sarasota, there is a building on the corner of 2nd Street and Lemon Avenue. In that building is a small black box theater, no more than 1,500 square feet. For the past 11 years, some of Sarasota’s most special stories have been told in that space. Founded in 2015, Urbanite Theatre has made a name for itself not just in Sarasota’s crowded theater scene, but nationally as an incubator for new voices within the industry. Committed to producing contemporary, diverse plays, Urbanite frequently stages world and regional premieres, championing the work of emerging playwrights. Seven years ago, co-founder and producing artistic director Summer Wallace added to the organization’s creative ecosystem when she launched the annual Modern Works Festival.

98 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

CULTURE CITY_SEPT26.indd 98

8/12/26 3:46 AM

This spread, left to right: The 2026 Modern Works Finalists are playwrights Joz Vammer, Stacey Isom Campbell and Mantra Radhakrishnan.

“Female playwrights are still underrepresented,” says Wallace. “The festival grew out of me wanting to ensure that we have more plays written by women in our season. In our first year of the festival, we were still a new company and paving our way in the industry.”

Since its debut, the festival has grown into a two-week celebration of female playwrights and theater makers.

A solo show headlines the first week of the festival— 2026’s is slated to be Erika MacDonald’s Tea Time—and a guest speaker will address festival goers. This year’s is award-winning playwright and dramaturg Jacqueline Goldfinger; past years have included acclaimed playwrights such as Bess Wohl and Lauren Gunderson and Nan Barnett, executive director of the National New Play Network. “We’ve had incredible guest speakers that have been a part of the festival,” says Wallace. “It’s been great for providing a platform for women in our industry to talk about who they are and what they do.”

At its heart, the Modern Works Festival is a haven for new play development. Wallace and her team of readers receive over 300 submissions from female playwrights across the country. Of those 300, three are chosen as finalists—an endeavor that entails a full week of play development and two fully staged readings of each play to the public, replete with professional actors, a director and production team.

“Once we get down to that last round of submissions, I try to put together a selection of plays that are different from each other and that need some development.

I also want to make sure that it’s not just a festival of experienced playwrights, but we also have emerging playwrights represented as well,” says Wallace. “I want it to truly be a celebration of female playwrights and theater makers as a whole.”

For Wallce and her team at Urbanite, the production process behind the festival is immense. Wallace gives each chosen playwright a final deadline for the script— revisions are often made after the initial submission— before going into the casting process. “We like to find a mix of out of town directors and actors as well as local directors and actors. It’s important to us at Urbanite to support our local artists, so the playwrights know that it’s a combination of that,” says Wallace. “I want the playwrights to be happy, so I always ask, ‘is there a director that you want to work with?’ Because the festival includes so many human beings, we have our additional support staff to help with housing check-ins, travel bookings and an assortment of administrative stuff.”

So what does the Modern Works Festival actually look like, and perhaps more importantly, what can it do for the three plays selected to be a part of it?

For the playwrights, casts and directors, it’s a lot of work. There is about 15 hours of rehearsal prior to the public readings. During this period, playwrights can make changes to their script, be it as small as tweaking a

IMAGERY COURTESY OF URBANITE THEATRE.

CULTURE CITY_SEPT26.indd 99

line of dialogue or as sweeping as adding a flurry of new scenes. Those changes are welcome—Wallace stresses that the Modern Works Festival is geared toward supporting the development of these works, rather than just entertaining audiences. While there is an “Audience Favorite” award, there is no one “winner” of the festival. It is the rehearsal process, the reading and the audience’s reaction to each play, which is—in addition to a stipend and a per diem for each playwright—the prize in and of itself. “What you can tell from a reading is really strong writing and relationships,” says Wallace.

“At a reading the audience has to use their imagination, so when a play truly elicits an emotional reaction from an audience member, that’s when a playwright knows that their play is working. Ideally, the festival gives the opportunity for a playwright to know what worked and didn’t work from it being read by professional actors in front of an audience.”

In terms of what the festival can do for a play, the proof is in the pudding. Within the theater industry, a play is often read and developed at multiple festivals and or theaters, before being produced. Plays come to the Modern Works Festival at all different stages—some have been tested at other festivals, while others have only been read in the playwright’s living room. Afterwards, playwrights might submit their plays to other festivals or to other theaters to pick up. Some plays have even been picked up by Urbanite for production. Katie Douglas’s The Apiary was a part of the 2022 Modern Works Festival, and went on to an off-Broadway premiere before Urbanite produced it in its 2025-26 season. Brenda Wither’s Westminster was crowned the victor of the 2023 Modern Works Festival and made its world premiere at Urbanite later that year. “If plays are right for us, then we obviously want to produce them,” says Wallace. “Other times there are plays that have been a part of the festival that aren’t right for us, but I’ll send it to other theaters that might be interested in it. Having that development and being a finalist in the festival helps other theaters invest in the plays.”

For Wallace, the Modern Works Festival is about cultivating a creative ecosystem for female playwrights, an underrepresented sector within the industry. In her “dream of dreams”, the festival would grow to encompass six, seven or even eight new plays, with theater companies from across the country attending to scout new work. For Urbanite Theatre, the festival is a testament to the power of storytelling. A spark turns into a story, a story turns into a submission, a submission into a staged reading and a reading into a produced play—all of which feeds the creativity of the future playwrights in the audience. SRQ 2026 Modern Works Festival, September 1727, Urbanite Theatre, 1487 2nd St, Sarasota

srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 99

8/12/26 2:35 PM

culture city

FAMILIAR TREASURES Sarasota Art Museum’s Something Borrowed, Something New brings together contemporary art of local collectors. Dylan Campbell

WHEN VIRGINIA SHEARER TOOK OVER AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SARASOTA ART MUSEUM (SAM) IN 2021, SHE STEPPED INTO A LEADERSHIP ROLE OF AN ORGANIZATION ON THE BRINK. Not of collapse, but rather the precipice of something special. SAM had

opened a mere two years prior—Sarasota’s only museum dedicated to contemporary art. In a city with a cultural history defined by arts and entertainment, SAM was becoming a pillar in continuing that legacy. What Shearer quickly learned was that the legacy left behind by John Ringling, Paul Rudolph and the mid-century boom of the Sarasota Artist Colony, was alive—not just in the myriad of arts organizations in the region, but in the homes of collectors around the region. “I was invited into different supporters of the museum and art collectors’ homes,” says Shearer of her introduction to Sarasota.

“They wanted to talk about the future of the museum, but also wanted me to see what they’d collected. As I had these visits, I began to note these extraordinary works of art that these people lived with.”

CULTURE CITY_SEPT26.indd 100

8/12/26 3:47 AM

This spread, left to right: Keith Monda and Vernonica Brady pose in front of works from their collection from Louise Bourgeois, Robert Longo and Alex Katz. Stanton Storer sits in front of his two pieces from Katsutoshi Yuasa, “Life Is Good and Good For You, I” and “Life is Good and Good For You, II”.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.

CULTURE CITY_SEPT26.indd 101

8/12/26 3:47 AM

culture city Thus began the spark that became Something Borrowed, Something New, an exhibition of works from some of the foremost modern and contemporary artists, all drawn from private collectors across the region. Curated

by SAM’s former senior curator Rangsook Yoon, Something Borrowed, Something New is a carefully chosen amalgamation of mediums spanning from paintings, prints and mixed media works to bronze, ceramic and glass sculpture. The work of modern icons such as Richard Serra, Robert Mapplethorpe, Chuck Close and Alex Katz are juxtaposed with 21st century trailblazers like Ai Weiwei, Hank Willis Thomas and Katsutoshi Yuasa in an exhibition so eclectic, so layered that it interrogates the very premise of why we look at contemporary art. “The through line is that these are exceptional, world-class works of art that speak to the last 40 years or so of art making in contemporary practice,” says Shearer.

The other through line is that the works, often unbeknownst to the collectors, are in conversation with one another. On one wall sits a series of papercuts from Chinese contemporary artist and activist Ai Weiei— The Papercut Portfolio, from collector Stanton Storer—adjacent to another work of Weiwei’s, Coca-Cola Vase from the Mark and Donna Salzberg Collection. Weiwei’s critique of the Chinese government and commentary on consumerism within communism seem to speak aloud to one another.

Part of what makes Something Borrowed, Something New unique is the fact that art is inherently personal. These collections reflect the personalities of collectors within the region—not just of what they’re drawn to, but of what art means to them. “Much of my collection has to do with the underdog,” says the St. Petersburg-based Storer. “I have quite a few works by African-American artists,

by Cuban artists who have struggled living on the island. I have a number of works by artists that speak to me and hopefully others in regards to racism, to war, to dominance.”

Amongst Storer’s pieces in Something Borrowed, Something New are works from American conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas—including the striking sculpture of two adjoining arms, Loving Day (Marble No. 2)—and Palangre (reclusion), a depiction of the horizon using oil, nails and fishhooks on canvas that cries of desperation.

For collectors Warren and Marie Colbert, their contributions to the exhibition reflect a visceral approach to collecting art, often influenced by technical innovations by the artist. In the case of the visually striking print The Long Road from Ethiopian photographer Aida Muluneh, the chance to explore the genre of afrofuturism photography was too good for the Colberts to pass up. “We found Aida’s work at Art Basel six years ago,” says Warren. “This piece was visually arresting and part of a series that reflected on social troubles the subjects were going through. This work in particular was inspired by the Underground Railroad and documented folks in the past, present and future coming out of that experience.”

The Colberts were drawn to the work of pioneering 20th century African-American printmaker Dox Thrash in large part due to Thrash’s technological advancements in his field. Thrash is credited as the co-founder of the carborundum mezzotint printmaking process. His print Untitled (Boat Workers) from the 1940s-50s evidences this groundbreaking technique. “It is supposedly the most important printing process, second only to the lithograph,” says Warren. “That printing process takes a softer tone to the black and white images he creates. They become very figurative.”

For lenders such as the Colberts, the exhibition as a whole was a reminder of just how alive this enthusiastic community of fine art collection is here on the Gulf Coast. “It’s a great feeling to see part of our collection here because the presentation is just exceptional,” says Marie. “You have these vignettes, so it feels as if you’re walking through all of these different galleries within one gallery space. All of these different art forms are just so special—additionally, these are the collections of our neighbors, so some of these works we’ve seen before because we’re close friends with the lenders.”

When it came to accruing the 10 pieces for Something Borrowed, Something New from the collection of Keith Monda and Veronica Brady, it was something of an inside job for the team at SAM. Monda, who has been collecting contemporary art for the past four decades, was on the founding board of SAM. Brady is a current member of SAM’s Advisory Committee. The 10 pieces represented in the show range in size and medium from the

very small—Yoko Ono’s palm-sized plastic box, A Box of Smile—to the gargantuan, such as Richard Serra’s 79 x 152 in Untitled, a twopaneled piece of screenprint and Paintstik on coated paper. Serra’s work, two massive, textured black rectangles placed adjacently with a small crack of white canvas peeking through, displayed Monda’s love of black and white and carried emotional heft. The piece is complex work to mount on the wall, so much that whilst Monda and Brady were moving, it was in storage at The Ringling. “It had last been on view at The Ringling in 2018,” says Brady. “It is hung with magnets—there are magnets embedded in the art and then magnets have to be embedded in the wall—so it’s quite complex to hang. The sad part of this is that Richard Serra passed in 2024, between when it was in storage at The Ringling and displayed at SAM. The fun part for us was to actually be able to see it again.”

“He was a terrific artist,” says Monda. “He was incredibly creative in terms of his ability to create art.” Part of the fun for Monda and Brady is seeing connections between their collection and that of other lenders featured in Something Borrowed, Something New. Their collection features two works from American figurative artist Alex Katz, Impatiens and Brisk Day II. Also present in the exhibition is another work from Katz, Nicole, a lithograph, woodcut and screenprint from 2016, drawn from Storer’s collection. “I was fascinated by his commitment to his art and ability to be creative in a flat, human space,” says Monda.

The pair also had a history with Nicole, which was published by Graphic Studio. “We had actually seen that piece at Graphic Studio at the time that it was being pulled and it’s just a fabulous work,” attests Brady. “I love how Rangsook did this juxtaposition of three works

by Katz.” SRQ Something Borrowed, Something New, April 19-September 27, Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

102 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

CULTURE CITY_SEPT26.indd 102

8/12/26 2:35 PM

V2_SRQ1155_SRQ_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 103

8/12/26 5:25 AM

forage LOCAL EPICUREAN ADVENTURES AT THE TABLE

INGREDIENTS COME FIRST

Inside Villani & Co., a seafood and steakhouse in Wellen Park, where Chef Mike Leopold designs composed plates for the curious and a steakhouse menu for everyone who’d rather choose. Sarah Emily Miano

FORAGE_SEPT26.indd 104

8/12/26 3:58 AM

This spread, left to right: A recent special: Faroe Island salmon with beet, pistachio and blood orange couscous; Villani & Co.’s oyster selection sets them apart. Villani & Co., 19790 Wellen Park Blvd, Suite 101, Venice, 941-584-4434,villaniandcowellenpark.com.

A SHUCKING KNIFE SPLITS OPEN A BOTTLE ROCKET OYSTER, OUT OF DUXBURY, MASS, A SHELL NO BIGGER THAN A THUMBNAIL. The brine

tastes like the tide just came in. Six or seven oyster varieties rotate through most nights at Villani & Co., opened to order from the raw bar. Villani got here first, before Wellen Park’s lakefront plaza and pedestrian streets filled in around it. Inside, the dining room feels sleek and yet easygoing: giant abstract canvases against stone walls, gray velvet stools at the marble bar, a single stem in a bud vase at every table.

Executive Chef Mike Leopold, CIA-trained, spent five years in Seattle before settling in Venice, where he helms the kitchen for longtime partner and restaurateur Tommy Villani, whose name hangs over the door.

Leopold just nudged the menu toward composed plates, roughly eight in total, a shift from a primarily à la carte format where diners created their own combos from a list of proteins and sides. “The ingredients are the stars of the show,” Leopold says. “When you’re looking at a plate of food, it should be interesting to you before you even take a bite of it.” The kitchen works the waterfront: Key West pink shrimp, mussels two ways, Manhattan-style chowder. “Our oyster selection is something that sets us apart,” Leopold says. The boats determine the lineup, hauling in from Atlantic and Pacific waters alike.

“We always try to keep PEI oysters on because they really are the best as far as being perfectly balanced,” he says. “Small shell, big meat.”

Two composed plates show what lies beyond ice. The bone-in Cheshire pork chop, a North Carolina heritage cut, arrives grilled and slathered with red onion bacon jam, goat cheese melting over top. “We tried it one way, and realized how good it is,” Leopold says. “All those flavors together just work perfectly.” He isn’t overselling. The roasted red potatoes with rosemary and garlic keep turning up caramelized crunches. A knife slides through the thick chop like butter.

Sweet meets tangy, and the meat stands firm without disappearing behind either.

The Korean Salmon eats lighter: cucumber marinated in soy and sesame oil, a gochujang barbecue sauce over Faroe Island fish and steamed basmati. The pickle answers heat with sour and snap, while the salmon gives way in juicy flakes rather than resisting.

“Just typical flavors of Korean food,” he says. Modest, from a chef who can turn out gochujang glaze as easily as hollandaise.

Villani has taken on what Leopold refers to as “the steakhouse vibe,” and it’s full-on: offering hand-cut bone-in ribeyes, filets, PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.

FORAGE_SEPT26.indd 105

sirloin, NY strip or Porterhouse for two, with a choice of a side and a sauce. Get a Bearnaise, horseradish aioli or a gorgonzola crust, and throw in a lobster tail and garlic parmesan fries, if you fancy.

The bill comes with no apology: scallops, dry-packed out of the Northeast, run roughly $230 for an eight-pound bucket, because the cheap ones hold water and steam instead of searing. Standards kitchen-wide. Nothing enters from a can or a freezer; nothing leaves wasted. Trim from steaks gets ground for burgers. The newest menu turns leftover beef tips into a Steak Tips Diane with mashed potatoes and a creamy pan sauce. “I’ve always liked doing classical, old-school things,” Leopold says. Old-school like his dad’s sirloin back in Chicago, marinated in Italian dressing, a recipe he still makes.

Leopold never really clocks out from cooking. His fiancée asks if he ever gets sick of it; he doesn’t. “I don’t turn that part of me off ever, because that’s what interests me,” he says, looking to chefs like Rick Bayless and Alice Waters for how they treat ingredients. A recent menu special, featuring couscous with beets and blood orange, was inspired by a Moroccan cook on TV demonstrating a couscous technique.

“I wanted to see if I could do what she was doing. And I thought, well, I’m gonna make a dish around that,” he says. “That’s definitely where my inspiration comes from, and it’s definitely not cuisine-specific.”

Mondays belong to ramen, an improvisation from the gastropub that stuck. Leopold and Villani have a history of those: they built Irma’s tacos out of a first response to the hurricane blackout. Ramen was tossed on the menu as an afterthought till it picked up enough steam to travel with the team. A broth that starts with chicken feet and aromatics, developed slowly, is ladled over fresh noodles, with shrimp and pork belly. “I don’t know if I’d say it’s super traditional as far as Japanesestyle ramen,” Leopold says, “but it’s ours, and people seem to like it.”

Villani & Co. draws a full room even on weeknights. Behind the marble bar, a rolling library ladder climbs to the upper shelves of bourbon and scotch, one of the largest selections in southwest Florida. As Wellen Park evolves, so does the partnership. Villani opened VCo Pizzeria in Sarasota this July.

Leopold, for his part, thinks ahead. “To stay relevant, you’ve got to change things up once in a while,” he says. “It always makes sense to do it seasonally.” SRQ srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local | 105

8/12/26 2:37 PM

STORIES FROM OUR PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY

giving coast

THE WORK OF KINDNESS No One Heals Alone and Beth Bradburn is happy to support the efforts. Barbie Heit

106 | srq magazine_ SEPT26 live local

GOODHERO SEPT26.indd 106

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ROBERTS.

8/12/26 4:08 AM

giving coast BETH BRADBURN, ORIGINALLY FROM THE CHICAGO AREA, BEGAN HER CAREER IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE IN 1983. Her nine years of military service, which included deployments for Desert Storm and Desert Shield, took her to areas such as California, Turkey and Texas. Following her time in the military, she relocated to Florida, where she attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg and established a successful career in the homebuilding sector, culminating in her most recent role as Chief Operating Officer at Homes by WestBay in the Tampa Bay area. She and her husband, Tony, made Sarasota their home after Beth left the military in 1992. Her parents were already living in the area, and her mother retired to help care for the couple’s children. “While I work in Tampa and have for over 20 years, my heart is in Sarasota,” Bradburn shares. Today, she and Tony enjoy living in Sarasota and spending time with their daughters, sons-in-law and seven grandchildren.

Bradburn and Homes by Westbay share a commitment to Resilient Retreat, a local nonprofit dedicated to aiding those affected by trauma and abuse. For several years, they have actively supported the organization through various avenues, including event sponsorship, regular attendance and dedicated volunteer days. Beth has been a vocal advocate, speaking to large audiences about Resilient Retreat’s vital mission and the critical work it performs for trauma survivors, helping professionals and first responders within the community.

Because Homes by WestBay is a local company, the business has chosen to partner with local charities where it can truly make a difference within the community. “We don’t just build homes, we strive to deliver a better way of life to homebuyers in Tampa Bay. We give back monetarily to the local community with every one of our home closings,” explains Bradburn. “We chose Resilient Retreat as one of those organizations because it is special to several of our executive committee members. Most of us have experienced some type of trauma in our lives, or we are close to someone who has experienced trauma or works with trauma victims. We have seen how it affects people in their daily lives and we want to help support their healing.”

A quote by Mariska Hargitay comes to mind when Bradburn thinks of the work Resilient Retreat does: Healing takes time, and asking for help is a courageous step. “No one heals alone, which is why organizations like Resilient Retreat are so important for the community and that is why several of our team members have spent many hours volunteering at Resilient Retreat, and why our Division Manager in Sarasota and Manatee, Dee Crescini, has been asked to join the board of the organization,” Bradburn adds. Deeply engaged in community service beyond her involvement with Resilient Retreat, Bradburn is actively involved with the Urban Land Institute and sits on the Board of Directors for A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay. This organization, which Homes by WestBay has supported since 2017, also aids trauma survivors by offering a safe, caring environment for children removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect. A key goal is to keep siblings together. Additionally, Bradburn contributes to the work of several other local nonprofits.

“My Christian faith tells me that the source of our strength and the ability to give back comes from the Lord. He is the one who provides all we need; therefore, everything we have is a gift that deserves to be shared. Giving back is just one way to share those gifts,” says Bradburn.

While she is honored and blessed to be recognized, Bradburn knows that without the support of Homes by WestBay, she would not be in the position she is today to be able to give back as generously as she and her husband have done over the years. She is hopeful that her actions and recognition serve as an inspiration for others to share their time, talents and treasures and says, “The needs are great in our community

GOODHERO SEPT26.indd 107

and we need Good Heroes!” Bradburn’s advice for those interested in philanthropy is to first understand their own passion and the specific difference they or their organization aims to make. They should then seek out organizations whose values align with their own. She emphasizes that it is acceptable to “start small,” as involvement takes time and needs to be integrated into an organization’s culture. With focus and dedication, philanthropic efforts can develop organically over time. Bradburn notes, “You would be amazed at the good things you can do with that mindset.” Maya Angelou once said, You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. “I firmly believe this to be true,” says Bradburn.

“I hope my actions reflect this sentiment.” SRQ Beth Bradburn was honored as a Good Hero by SRQ Magazine in December, 2025.

8/12/26 4:08 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 29

8/12/26 6:07 AM

LAKEWOOD RANCH AND BEYOND | LIVE LOCAL. LOVE LOCAL.

PUBLISHED BY SRQ MEDIA | 2026 FALL EDITION

LIVING LAKEWOOD

TM

ALLSWELL WATERSIDE | BLACK JACK MUSSELS

AUTUMN COMFORT

SRQLWR-SEPT26_Cover.indd 4

8/12/26 6:57 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 3

8/12/26 6:00 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 1

8/12/26 6:00 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 2

8/12/26 6:00 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 3

8/12/26 6:00 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 4

8/12/26 6:01 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 5

8/12/26 6:01 AM

LIVING LAKEWOOD

INTERVIEW BY BARBIE HEIT | PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN

REX JENSEN, BRITTANY LAMONT AND KEITH PANDELOGLOU SHARE THEIR VIEWS ON WHAT SETS THE MULTIGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY KNOWN AS LAKEWOOD RANCH APART FROM ALL OTHERS.

Leading the Way LAST MONTH, THREE OF LAKEWOOD RANCH’S LEADING VOICES GATHERED for a candid conversation about the issues shaping the

community—from its greatest opportunities to its most pressing challenges. Here are a few highlights from the discussion.

LAKEWOOD RANCH HAS EXPERIENCED TREMENDOUS GROWTH SINCE IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1994. FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ITS CONTINUED SUCCESS? JENSEN: Bear in mind that we have 80,000 residents right now compared to 58,500 in Sarasota and 55,000 in Bradenton. I would say the central thing that’s contributed to our success is the appeal directly to the consumer. There are a lot of people who voted affirmatively with a big major move in their lives by coming to Lakewood Ranch when they could have gone to either one of the other alternatives. Why did they join us? I think there’s a simple answer, which is that what we’ve offered is directly appealing to those consumers because it did appeal to them precisely. People have choices and they made them, and that ought to say something about what we’ve done.

LAMONT: The vision of the overall master plan is something that is not replicated in many places. The intentionality between creating a commerce center in Lakewood Ranch, where businesses could thrive with Professional Parkway and all of the businesses there, the lifestyle, the residential options and I think the overall harmony. I would say it’s a smalltown feel with big-town amenities. There are parades on Main Street and many events–it’s an all-American town that people strive to be able to live in, but then also it has these amenities, like UTC, that are not typically found in a small town. Obviously, COVID and the growth that came after 2020 to Florida itself did not hurt the situation, but I think what has made people specifically find Lakewood Ranch is the quality of life it offers.

PANDELOGLOU: The patience and foresight that the developers have taken while continuing to invest in amenities, parks, schools, businesses and programming long after the first homes were built. Growth is exciting, but our goal is to make sure people don’t simply live near each other; they actually know one another.

6 | srq magazine_ LIVING LAKEWOOD FALL 2026 live local

FEATURES-LWR_SEPT26.indd 6

8/12/26 2:38 PM

REX JENSEN, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SCHROEDERMANATEE RANCH (SMR) Rex Jensen

was promoted to President of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch (SMR) in August 2002 and was chosen to become Chief Executive Officer in February 2005.

In that capacity, Jensen oversees all the businesses of SMR, including agriculture, aggregate mining and real estate development on its 30,000-acre land holding in Manatee and Sarasota counties. The company’s award-winning development, Lakewood Ranch, a fully integrated, master-planned community is ranked in the top 10 fastest selling in the United States from 2011 through 2017 and has remained so ever since.

In 2018, Lakewood Ranch rose to the fastest-selling multi-generational community in the United States. Jensen is a pro-active leader known for setting the entitlement, green building, transactional and financial framework for Lakewood Ranch as well as a number of public/private partnerships with school boards, local, regional and state governments and innovative business approaches to difficult private and public sector issues. Jensen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History, Economics and Political Science from Michigan State University (with high honors, 1976) and received a degree of Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan (with honors, 1979).

srq magazine_ LIVING LAKEWOOD FALL 2026 live local | 7

FEATURES-LWR_SEPT26.indd 7

8/12/26 2:39 PM

LIVING LAKEWOOD BRITTANY LAMONT, PRESIDENT/CEO, LAKEWOOD RANCH BUSINESS ALLIANCE

The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance is a 600+ business organization focused on supporting businesses in the Manatee and Sarasota region. Before her current role, Lamont spent over a decade at the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. Starting as an intern, she worked through various positions leading to the Vice President role focused on membership retention, engagement, events and communications.

She graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Marketing and Management. Brittany is an active member of the community serving as a Board Member for the Early Learning Coalition, Take Stock in Children Sarasota County and the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation. She is a past Board Member of the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals, the Florida Public Relations Association and the American Advertising Federation. Brittany’s most rewarding role is being a mother to her three children–Payton, Harper and David. Her weekends are spent enjoying time with family and friends.

REX, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS OR INITIATIVES CURRENTLY UNDERWAY THAT RESIDENTS SHOULD BE EXCITED ABOUT? JENSEN: I’m very excited about a community being done by Erickson Communities, a sort of an aging in place/ independent living/assisted living community, which we’ve needed in Lakewood Ranch for a long time, because as you age and you’re established in a community, just because your circumstances change, why should you be forced to leave when you need more care to continue your life? I think that the scale of this community of 250 such units will serve a lot of people. It’s an important demographic that we’ve, until recently, been unable to serve as fully as I would like to. The other exciting project is stepping up the medical care side of things. Orlando Health is getting ready to go through a planning exercise to put a medical

campus in Lakewood Ranch and that will up the game in terms of health care considerably.

Some other things that I’d like to do is to get Moffitt Cancer Center out here. We’ve had some dialogue and I don’t know that this is necessarily going to happen, but I’d like to get it done. If I could ever increase the presence of Sarasota Memorial out here, that would be great. Plus, it’s also good for employment and all the other things that I think contribute to a good community.

BRITTANY, WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING AMONG BUSINESSES RELOCATING TO OR EXPANDING WITHIN LAKEWOOD RANCH? LAMONT: There is a whole side of the business community that is not brick and mortar. The remote gig economy—I’ve been at the Alliance just shy of five years and that was probably one of the first conversations when I came from the

Sarasota Chamber–people don’t move to Lakewood Ranch necessarily to retire. They might be setting up their second gig in life, or now there’s more remote work. Trends that I see are businesses moving here but never opening up a brick-and-mortar space and businesses getting out of the cities to come east to attract their workforce is another thing that I definitely see a lot of as well. And when you have a high median income as we do, why would you not want to do business here? So even if you’re a corporation moving, it’s an attractive place to do business.

COULD YOU SHARE A KEY PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROWTH OF LAKEWOOD RANCH? LAMONT: I think you have to have a partnership with both counties when you’re an unincorporated non-municipality and a part of the county. Lakewood Ranch is not its own

8 | srq magazine_ LIVING LAKEWOOD FALL 2026 live local

FEATURES-LWR_SEPT26.indd 8

8/12/26 5:50 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 9

8/12/26 6:01 AM

LIVING LAKEWOOD KEITH, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE LAKEWOOD RANCH RESIDENTS? HOW HAVE YOUR EVENT PARTICIPANTS CHANGED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS? PANDELOGLOU: Our residents come from all walks of life, many states (and countries), and our programming needs to match who we have living here and who we expect to live here in the future. They are all people who are excited about their new hometown and show that pride by showing up, whether it’s for an event, a committee or to give back. The major change I’ve experienced over the last decade is that new residents are starting to attend events and get involved before they even close on their home. It’s great to see people so excited about their decision that they want to get plugged in before closing day, so much so that many even choose to rent in LWR while their future home is being built so they can get right to getting connected.

KEITH PANDELOGLOU, PRESIDENT & CEO, LAKEWOOD RANCH COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Keith

is dedicated to being a connector and ambassador for the local community. He has a focus on connecting with residents and the business community via his work as President & CEO of Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, a 501c not for profit dedicated to building community in the number one ranked Multi-Generational Master Planned Community in the USA. In addition, he serves his community as Board Chair of the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation, as well as his role as a Board Member and Co-Chair of the Small Business Collaborative for the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance.

city and so you have to make sure that outside of Lakewood Ranch, you have the assets to bring it into Lakewood Ranch. The counties manage the infrastructure into Lakewood Ranch and so to teeter both counties, I think it has been a strong partnership with Manatee and Sarasota Counties. Because it’s not a municipality, it has to rely on the services of Manatee and Sarasota County school districts, fire, police and county infrastructure and so I think Lakewood Ranch itself, SMR, has done a very good job of making sure that the needs of Lakewood Ranch residents are at the forefront for both counties. JENSEN: I’m most proud of all of the partnerships that we have had over the years and I’m especially proud of the partnership we’ve had with the Manatee County School Board. We have a ton of schools here in Lakewood Ranch and it’s basically rooted in that partnership that we formed seven years ago with the school board where we’ve gone arm-in-arm to try to help them have the resources to build and staff schools throughout the county in general, but also in in this area to get away from the typical situation where you’re two schools behind before you can build the school that you need. We’ve got schools that may be up to capacity, but we are certainly not two schools behind any longer, and we used to

be when we started. PANDELOGLOU: The long-standing collaboration between the developer, builders, businesses, nonprofits and resident volunteers has allowed us to grow into a community that is attainable by people at every level of their life, whether a new graduate, beginning family or those more established and retirees.

REX, HOW HAS THE VISION FOR LAKEWOOD RANCH EVOLVED SINCE ITS EARLY PLANNING STAGES? JENSEN: There’s a limitation to vision. There’s a fine line between hallucination and vision. We have tried to plan for a general buildout sort of volume and adjust the plan somewhat as we began individual phases and pieces of it. You try to do that with more current knowledge rather than the knowledge of 35 years ago. There have been limitations on the specificity of the plan, but not limitations on how many trips of traffic you need to deal with, how much water you need or how much sewer capacity you need.

Those have all been baked into the equation for a long time. The market changes over the course of time and consumer taste changes with the course of time, and you just need to do that with a more current mindset. So, we’ve kind of blended general planning and specific planning as appropriate as we move forward.

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PROGRAMS ARE CENTRAL TO THE LAKEWOOD RANCH EXPERIENCE. HOW HAS ENGAGEMENT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? PANDELOGLOU: The largest shift we saw over the past decade came in 2020.

At a time when the country was being told to stay inside and isolate, we had to pivot quickly as an organization. From that experience, we introduced our Parks & Recreation programming in Summer 2020, which has expanded to what it is today with more than 600 programs happening year-round.

The engagement post-COVID was further enhanced by having more opportunities for residents to meet on a regular basis via small groups, park programs and clubs, and not just during larger-scale events.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACING LAKEWOOD RANCH OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS? JENSEN: First of all, I think the challenge is to finish the job that we’ve started. I don’t have any more government approvals to go through, so it’s more a matter of execution. I think what we need to do is finish the infrastructure that is necessary for the complete development, and do that on time and appropriately and to me, that means do it ahead of development so that people don’t live in a perpetual construction zone. I think the challenges have largely been met with maybe two more years’ worth of infrastructure construction. We’ve got about

10 | srq magazine_ LIVING LAKEWOOD FALL 2026 live local

FEATURES-LWR_SEPT26.indd 10

8/12/26 5:52 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 11

8/12/26 6:01 AM

LIVING LAKEWOOD

12,000 more homes to do, but we’ve done 27,000 already. PANDELOGLOU: One of the greatest opportunities we have is to continue to improve the things that have made us such a desirable community, as the bar is constantly getting raised, and we’ve done a great job meeting that challenge. An example of a

businesses is maybe they had multiple offices– one in Tampa, one in Sarasota, one in St. Pete, whatever. Lakewood Ranch is a really desirable place to put an office. Our biggest role is just to make sure we’re advocating for businesses.

Advocating for infrastructure projects– appropriation dollars for infrastructure–

“I think the execution of that plan has been at a high above-therim sort of level, and we have also put in place a number of measures to see that the community is cared for over geological time so that it gets better and better rather than declining with age.”

—Rex Jensen challenge we may face is continuing to provide the level of amenities and programming residents expect while navigating changes in Florida’s economic and policy environment.

LAMONT: The greatest opportunity will be the full buildout of Lakewood Ranch. I always say in my line of business, I haven’t even met some of my future members yet. Companies haven’t come into Lakewood Ranch yet—businesses have yet to open. As for challenges, I think there are political challenges in Lakewood Ranch right now. Because we are still a community that isn’t fully built out yet, some of the decisions that are made at the county and state level government still have the opportunity to impact. You saw it last year when words like building moratorium were used. Those types of things can be quite a challenge to a community that is still building out. And so I think at times, Lakewood Ranch gets blamed for non-master plan community problems. And so sometimes you just call it East County development—too much development in East County without saying that there’s very mindful and planned development in Lakewood Ranch. However, other parts of East County do not have that.

HOW DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION CONTRIBUTE TO MAINTAINING LAKEWOOD RANCH AS A DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND DO BUSINESS? LAMONT: That’s our role—the doing business part in Lakewood Ranch. My sister organizations each have their carvedout role. For us, it’s having a thriving business community, making sure that it’s an attractive place to open and build a business. One of the biggest trends that I see when I speak to

that allow the business community here to continue to thrive. JENSEN: I think you stop and think of three things. First of all, we’ve planned it according to some very high standards. I think the execution of that plan has been at a high above-the-rim sort of level, and we have also put in place a number of measures to see that the community is cared for over geological time so that it gets better and better rather than declining with age like many other areas of the county that I could point to. I don’t think you can say that the first neighborhoods we’ve done in Lakewood Ranch have really declined. They haven’t. They look good. Summerfield, for example, looks even better now than it did when it was started in 1994. You look at it today and it’s mature; the landscaping is really fleshed out and the homes have been kept up by the residents. The community has lots of amenities and lots of activity. You drive through it after work or on a weekend and you see people using the parks and trails, kids out there playing. It’s what it was meant to be, only it looks better. And I think that is symptomatic of the entirety of the community. It’s gotten better with the passage of time rather than run down over time. PANDELOGLOU: Our contribution is helping turn neighbors into a connected community. People can go anywhere to buy a house, but in Lakewood Ranch, we help you build your lifestyle by providing hundreds of opportunities each year for connection, meaning and recreation via our programming.

BRITTANY, HOW HAS THE LAKEWOOD RANCH BUSINESS ALLIANCE EVOLVED TO SUPPORT THE AREA’S RAPIDLY

EXPANDING BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN THE PAST YEAR? LAMONT: It is an election year, so that always has us pivot a little bit—a lot of our activities have been very centered around advocacy awareness. We actually just had all of our state delegation here to do a panel and talk about this past session. Property tax is obviously a huge thing, so our advocacy efforts have probably been where we’ve stepped up the most. We are now actually partnering with Manatee County to host their Manatee Days in Tallahassee, bringing groups of businesses and public officials to Tallahassee as well. So, in a year like this, advocacy is really important for us. As for continued growth, I feel like we’re a welcome mat for people moving in. If you’re being relocated for your business or you’re moving here, how do you make friends? Maybe your kids’ school, maybe church and a lot of times it’s through work. We take seriously as well that there are families moving in and how we can help integrate them not only professionally but personally into our community.

REX, AS THE MASTER DEVELOPER, HOW DOES SMR BALANCE CONTINUED GROWTH WITH PRESERVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT RESIDENTS VALUE? JENSEN: One way we do that is by building the infrastructure, not two lanes at a time; you need to build a four-lane road. You need a park; build a park. You need a school; build a school. That’s what we’ve done. You don’t have to drive five miles to go to work.

You can go to work, shopping, a restaurant or a doctor’s appointment all inside the community. You don’t have to leave.

WHAT DOES SUSTAINABLE GROWTH MEAN TO SMR, AND HOW IS THAT PHILOSOPHY REFLECTED IN FUTURE PLANNING DECISIONS? FOR EXAMPLE, HOW IS LAKEWOOD RANCH NAVIGATING STORMWATER AND FLOODING MANAGEMENT? JENSEN: Sustainability to me is a multi-layer cake, as the Nvidia president likes to talk about AI. Fifty percent of what we’ve done is open space. Nobody else has done that. I think sustainability is: have you built your infrastructure either ahead of development or with development? We have.

Have you included a variety of uses, or are you just one use? If we were all houses and no employment, no shopping, no restaurants,

12 | srq magazine_ LIVING LAKEWOOD FALL 2026 live local

FEATURES-LWR_SEPT26.indd 12

8/12/26 2:41 PM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 13

8/12/26 6:02 AM

LIVING LAKEWOOD

no parks—that wouldn’t work. We’ve done that. I built more roads than two counties put together. You could take from here to Atlanta and stretch out all the roads that we’ve done, and that’s how long they would be. So that’s what sustainability is actually—not just planning, but implementing the plan and doing it, building the infrastructure—that’s in the plan. We have reduced groundwater pumping to probably 15% of what it used to be under agriculture. That’s sustainability.

So I would say that sustainability is trying to minimize the impact per home and do the best you can with it. When it’s materially different here by being better than it is elsewhere, I think we’ve succeeded.

door and saying, “Okay, gang, let’s go jogging today.” You really have to create a community that does that itself as opposed to needing it done for it. So I would say that setting up the institution and the culture of engagement has been my role more than anything.

PANDELOGLOU: Meaningful community engagement means creating opportunities. At Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, we do that for residents in ways such as volunteering at an event, serving on a committee or leading a community group or club. We help to foster this engagement by always listening to residents when they are looking for a program, group, or club that does not currently exist, and helping to get one started.

BRITTANY, HOW DOES THE BUSINESS ALLIANCE HELP SMALL BUSINESSES, ENTREPRENEURS AND LARGE EMPLOYERS CONNECT AND THRIVE? LAMONT: Anywhere from ribbon cuttings and connections, welcoming them to the community, making sure people are aware—I always say for somebody starting a business, this is their Super Bowl. This is a dream they’ve probably had their entire lives to open their business. We just had a ribbon-cutting for a local gym and he brought his whole family and it was just so great to see. Celebrating businesses and their accomplishments is obviously huge for us.

We also bring in speakers and offer educational opportunities. A lot of these companies still have to make payroll on Friday and they need to know what tax changes are coming, what tariffs will affect them and things like that. We do try to stay on top of feeding them the most up-to-date information.

BRITTANY, LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT INDUSTRIES OR ECONOMIC SECTORS DO YOU BELIEVE WILL PLAY THE BIGGEST ROLE IN SHAPING LAKEWOOD RANCH’S FUTURE ECONOMY? LAMONT: Healthcare science and professional services–those are really big industries and you’re going to see a lot of it. High-wage jobs are an asset to Lakewood Ranch and Manatee and Sarasota Counties. With something like Orlando Health coming in, that brings not only the workforce physicians, but then spinning off services, they need things and then their vendors show up.

It’s very similar to some of the stuff you see happening at the airport.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS OFTEN CITED AS A KEY STRENGTH OF LAKEWOOD RANCH. WHAT DOES MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LOOK LIKE IN YOUR ROLE, AND HOW DO YOU FOSTER IT? JENSEN: I try to foster mechanisms for community engagement because I can’t talk to 80,000 people every day; nobody can, so I’ve tried to create a culture of engagement. We’ve basically set up the institutional framework where these things can happen and work well, kind of with their own energy and their own momentum as opposed to sending Julie from The Love Boat out knocking on every

WHAT ISSUES OR TOPICS ARE AT THE TOP OF YOUR MEMBERS’ LIST OF PRIORITIES? LAMONT: We just did a business survey about this with our members, mostly looking at issues ahead of the political season. The largest thing we are seeing is about land use and the pace of development. I don’t think that is a surprising thing. Infrastructure workforce and affordable housing do continue to be top of mind. I also believe everybody, in some capacity, is talking about property tax.

Whatever side you sit on, from a business perspective, we don’t want to see more fees and more cost of burden shifted to businesses.

Obviously, quality of life is important too.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST POPULAR EVENT? PANDELOGLOU: A parent can never choose their favorite child, or in my case, event, but I will say that the popularity of our Community Campout never ceases to amaze me. To

see hundreds of residents gathering under the night sky, connecting and not over an electronic device, makes my heart so full.

WHAT IS ONE MESSAGE YOU WOULD SHARE WITH CURRENT RESIDENTS AND THOSE CONSIDERING MOVING TO LAKEWOOD RANCH? PANDELOGLOU: Find a way to get involved or connected within your community! Whether attending a group meeting, event or volunteering, there are ways for everyone to feel a part of their community.

A couple that I would highlight would be our Parks & Recreation programming and our Seed to Soar program. With Parks and Rec, we’re able to provide programming at all age levels, across various parks in the community, matching residents’ interests. For Seed to Soar, this program allows a resident to start their own community group or club, with assistance, logistics, space and promotion provided by the LWRCA team, helping residents turn an idea into an active club that continues long after it begins. We are so excited by the growth in the community, the upcoming enhancements at Premier Sports Campus and furthering our opportunities for connection by continuously working with new residents, new businesses and community partners to bring even more programs, groups and clubs to our residents, ensuring that even as Lakewood Ranch grows, it continues to feel like a place where people know their neighbors. JENSEN: When you make a move like this, you’re looking for more than just a house to sleep in at night; you come to a new area to live, to work, to raise a family, to retire, whatever it might be. But the point of it is there’s a much bigger goal that you have in mind when you’re buying a home. And you’ve got choices. You can go buy a home somewhere, and it’s a home, and that’s all it is. Or you could do it in a place where that home helps you facilitate the larger goals that you have in life and that’s Lakewood Ranch. To be engaged, to have places of worship next door, to have schools next door, to have your employment next door—if you live in Parish or Northport, you’re driving miles for your job, parking on I75 twice a day. You don’t have to do that here.

I think that this is a true community, and the others are legitimate choices, but I don’t think they’re as good a choice as Lakewood Ranch is if you really want your broader goals to be thrown into the equation and met. LL

14 | srq magazine_ LIVING LAKEWOOD FALL 2026 live local

FEATURES-LWR_SEPT26.indd 14

8/12/26 2:42 PM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 15

8/12/26 6:02 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 16

8/12/26 6:03 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 17

8/12/26 6:03 AM

LIVING LAKEWOOD

WRITTEN BY SARAH EMILY MIANO | PHOTO BY WES ROBERTS

Standards

AT WATERSIDE, ALLSWELL DOES GASTROPUB WITH TANDOORI DUCK CONFIT, BANANA-INFUSED BOURBON AND A CANNING MACHINE AT THE BAR.

Below: left to right: Casino-style mussels with crusty ciabatta for scooping; blackened ahi tuna salad paired with a summer pilsner.

Allswell Craft Cocktails and Kitchen, Mon-Wed 11 am-11 pm, Thurs 11 am-12 am, Fri 11 am-1 am, Sat 10 am-1 am, Sun 10 am-11 pm, 7500 Island Cove Terrace, Suite 102, Sarasota

BEFORE SERVICE, TORY DELANY SCRAWLS THE DAILY MENU ON THE CHALKBOARD: Black Jack Mussels, $18.95. Behind her, prohibition-era light fixtures glow over dark wood, teal walls papered with Irish postage stamps. Handcarved birds, perched on twin posts, watch over the dining room. Delany left Dublin in 1998 with grit and a one-way ticket. After years working her way through New York restaurants, she opened the first of her own at a Greenwich Village spot in 2007. She and her husband and business partner, Darren Shore, built the Malt House taverns and Mezcali, a mezcal-and-tequila bar in Manhattan. Allswell Craft Cocktails and Kitchen, the couple’s Florida debut, just marked its first anniversary at Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch. “There’s no job in here that’s above or below me, because it’s my place,” says the onetime hostess turned proprietor. “If I don’t set the standard…,” she pauses, her Dublin accent undiminished by decades stateside. “You set a tone, and that’s the tone. The level of expectation. We don’t dip under that.” Whether it’s pre-lunch Monday or late-night Friday, that means receiving deliveries, clearing tables and greeting regulars by name. Plenty meet “Tory” at the door.

18 | srq magazine_ LIVING LAKEWOOD FALL 2026 live local

FEATURES-LWR_SEPT26.indd 18

8/12/26 2:44 PM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 19

8/12/26 6:03 AM

LIVING LAKEWOOD

The Black Jack mussels come smothered in golden casino butter and diced bacon, a toasted herb crumble on top, with ciabatta for scooping.

Executive chef Nils Tarantik, classically trained with Swedish and German roots, has a résumé that includes Duval’s and Element in downtown Sarasota. He creates home comforts filtered through classical cooking and unexpected spice. “European, Eastern European, a bit of Southeast Asia,” he says.

The tandoori duck leg confit is slow-cooked in oil and aromatics, then flash-fried until the skin crackles and dusted with tandoori spice.

Browned zucchini tossed with a cucumber raita tempers the curry between bites. “The gamegame, no pun intended, is ongoing and growing over here,” Tarantik says. “Duck is the door, and then you’ve got pheasant, quail, things I grew up eating. To get everyone to enjoy what we all grew up on, that’s really why we do food.”

The blackened ahi tuna comes piled over bibb lettuce, with cabbage slaw, sliced avocado and jalapeños. Blackening spice hits first, then the tang of ginger-lime dressing. A beet and burrata salad looks almost too simple for how gorgeous it eats, orange-infused white

Below: Allswell’s beet and burrata salad with an orange-infused balsamic vinaigrette, fresh mint and sliced almonds.

balsamic vinaigrette cutting through the cream, scattered with mint and almonds. The bespoke bar keeps the same standards. The taps deliver Allswell Ale alongside craft picks like Allagash White, and Guinness for diehards.

The cocktail list changes three times a year, says General Manager Vicky Henderson, who worked with Delany back in New York. “I base specialty cocktails around what’s in season,” she says. A lavender-lemon sangria for summer; a pumpkin-spiced espresso martini for fall. Banana-infused bourbon anchors the Banana Bread Old Fashioned, with walnut liqueur, oloroso sherry and chocolate bitters.

The Strawberry-Basil Mule mixes strawberry and basil-infused vodka with fresh lime and ginger beer. “If you fancy a really delicious proper cocktail, not some B.S. off the shelf with all the mixes, you get it here,” Delany says.

There’s a party trick you won’t find anywhere else, perfect for a walkable neighborhood, Henderson says: a canning machine that turns draft prosecco and beer, even fresh-squeezed cocktails, into branded cans. Order a drink at the outdoor bar, it goes straight into a can, sealed on the spot. “You can go home with an espresso

martini or one of these awesome banana oldfashioneds,” Delany says. “Isn’t it cool?”

After 10 p.m. on weekends, Allswell shifts.

Dining tables get pushed to the perimeter, a DJ sets up and a well-dressed crowd between 25 and 55 fills the floor. The kitchen stays open until 1 am, turning out mini smash burgers and buttermilk fried chicken tenders. “We’re definitely getting a name for ourselves,” Delany says, “as a late-night destination place, as well as a dining destination.”

Weeknights are no snooze, either. Mondays bring half-price wine bottles; Tuesdays, Adult Happy Meal (complete with a take-home toy); Wednesdays, trivia. “Get dinner and a nice cocktail and chat to my bestie for under 30 bucks,” Delany says of Thursday’s $29 girl dinner: Caesar, truffle parmesan fries, specialty cocktail. Bottomless brunch fills the weekends, not to mention Sunday roast. Delany and Shore recently opened Delany’s Public House on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch, a traditional Irish pub with “a lot of genuine, from Ireland, accented people” on staff and a menu designed by the same kitchen bringing “quality and intention.” In other words: standards. LL

20 | srq magazine_ LIVING LAKEWOOD FALL 2026 live local

FEATURES-LWR_SEPT26.indd 20

8/12/26 2:44 PM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 21

8/13/26 3:26 PM

LIVING LAKEWOOD

WRITTEN BY BARBIE HEIT | IMAGE COURTESY OF LAKEWOOD RANCH MEDICAL CENTER

Tower of Care

Below: With the new patient tower, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is raising the bar for exceptional care.

LAKEWOOD RANCH MEDICAL CENTER IS EXPANDING WITH THE ADDITION OF A NEW FIVE-STORY PATIENT TOWER.

WHEN THE NEED ARISES FOR HOSPITALIZATION, it’s reassuring to know exception-

al, state-of-the-art care is available close to home at the new $120 million inpatient bed tower at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. Since first opening its doors in 2004, the hospital has strengthened the community through high-quality care, job creation and expanded specialty services. That commitment continues with the addition of the new patient tower, a significant investment designed to meet the growing healthcare needs of a rapidly expanding region.

“This year has marked an exciting new chapter for our hospital and for the Lakewood Ranch community we proudly serve. In April, we broke ground on our new patient tower–a major milestone in our long-term plan to expand access to high-quality care close to home,” says Philip Reber, COO. “In May, we welcomed our first patients into the new space, adding 60 much-needed beds as part of a new Critical Care Unit and Progressive Care Unit. We also added a new pharmacy, outpatient testing and lab services and a more comfortable surgery waiting area for families. These additions strengthen our ability to deliver exceptional care when our community needs it most.”

Reber notes that the hospital’s growth is not limited to the new tower. “We are actively working on important updates to our current Emergency Department to enhance patient flow and improve the experience for those seeking emergency care. And toward the end of this year, we will take another significant step forward with the opening of our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” he explains. “This will allow families to stay close to home during some of their most vulnerable moments, supported by highly trained specialists and advanced technology.”

The new patient tower increases the hospital’s licensed bed capacity from 120 to 180, helping meet the region’s growing healthcare needs. A future second phase will add another 60 beds, bringing the total to 240 and doubling the hospital’s previous capacity.

Designed with both patients and families in mind, the tower features advanced medical technology, specialized care units and patientcentered amenities that support comfort,

healing and high-quality care. “Lakewood Ranch continues to grow rapidly, and we are committed to growing with it. Every project we undertake—from the new tower to the upcoming NICU—reflects our mission to meet the evolving needs of our neighbors with compassion, innovation and excellence,” adds Reber. “I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and energized by what’s ahead.” LL lakewoodranchmedicalcenter.com

22 | srq magazine_ LIVING LAKEWOOD FALL 2026 live local

FEATURES-LWR_SEPT26.indd 22

8/12/26 2:45 PM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 23

8/12/26 6:04 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 24

8/12/26 6:05 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 25

8/12/26 6:06 AM

LIVING LAKEWOOD

WRITTEN BY OLIVIA FANDERS | IMAGES COURTESY OF LAKEWOOD RANCH

NEW ATHLETICS & AQUATICS CENTER IN LAKEWOOD RANCH FEATURES AN OLYMPIC-SIZE POOL.

Diving Into A New Era

Below: Lakewood Ranch’s new Athletics & Aquatics Center marks a major milestone in the community’s continued growth—creating even more opportunities for residents to stay active, connect and thrive.

FOR JOHN LINXWILER, MANATEE COUNTY’S DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY CAPTAIN, the construction of the new Athletics & Aquatics Center on Post Boulevard is a huge step in Lakewood Ranch’s development. As a lifelong swimmer and coach, Linxwiler says the complex is much more than just a new place for recreation. “I was a competitive swimmer myself—but I was also a coach for 25 years,” Linxwiler explains. “The most satisfying thing for me was coaching and teaching these kids and just seeing them grasp some of these techniques and applying them in competition and watching their confidence grow.”

This emphasis on helping young athletes is at the core of what motivated the construction of the $44.2 million expansion to the Premier Sports Campus. The campus will now be divided into north and south, with the north side being dedicated to the new Athletics & Aquatics Center, which will feature an Olympic-size swimming pool, a warm-down pool for athletes, locker rooms and a geothermal yard. “This is huge. We’re going to have room for all the high schools, for all the area swim teams and for college swim teams,” Linxwiler highlights. “It’s a very special campus that we’re getting, and I couldn’t be more excited.”

The south side of the Premier Sports Campus, completed in 2011, has already gained a lot of traction for its large-scale sports events.

According to Manatee County, the 2023 Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) President’s Cup event brought 10,000 athletes and 22,000 spectators to the area and generated $18 million in economic impact. With the new Athletics & Aquatics Center, Manatee County hopes to expand this impact.

“We’re partnering up with local area swim teams—they want to host age group championships, Florida championships, possibly senior state championships, the high school state meet, regionals—you name it,” Linxwiler says. The facility’s draw for these events is its 50-meter Myrtha pool, specially designed for elite and Olympic-level competitions. Linxwiler explains that accommodating such a pool means having the right support and foundation.

“We thought, in designing and having this kind of Myrtha pool, that it deserves to have a geothermal system so we can control the water temperature—if we did not have that, the water would not be conducive to competitive swimming,” he says. “It’s just another way to attract big competitions because we can ensure that the water temperature will be somewhere between 78 and 82 degrees as required for some of these major competitions.”

However, the facility wants to stay grounded in the community.

“There is nowhere out east for residents to enjoy recreation quite like they will at this location,” says Molly White, Manatee County’s Director of Sports and Leisure. “The quality and the flexibility of the entire complex is going to be meaningful to the community, for all ages to have a social place that is safe and maintained.”

For both Linxwiler and White, the value of the Athletics & Aquatics Center lies in the memories that people can create there. As construction continues, anticipation is building for what people hope will be a place where families can connect, athletes can compete and new opportunities can be developed. LL 5895 Post Blvd, Lakewood Ranch

FEATURES-LWR_SEPT26.indd 26

8/12/26 2:47 PM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 27

8/12/26 6:09 AM

V2_SRQ1155_LivingLakewood_0826_Compiled Ads_0805.indd 28

8/12/26 6:07 AM