Gulf Coast Community Foundation, of Venice, has selected 29 participants from across the region for its 2023 Gulf Coast Leadership Institute.

Through this annual initiative, the foundation provides intensive, high-quality leadership training designed to identify, develop and connect a diverse and growing group of aspiring community leaders. The result is growing a network of skilled, action-oriented leaders who are committed to using their new skills to help transform their communities through service.

Class members will take part in six training sessions from May through June conducted by the nationally recognized Leadership Development Institute at Eckerd College. Gulf Coast provides all training and resources at no cost to participants in exchange for their commitment to use their new skills to benefit the community.

The 29 participants selected for the 2023 Gulf Coast Leadership Institute are:

Jasmine Akins, CAN Community Health; Charlene Altenhain, Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center; Uzi Baram, New College of Florida; Emilie Campos, Harvest House; Kecia Carroll, KC Roberg; Chris Collins, Ability to Include, Inc.; Misty Daniels, community volunteer; Grier Ferguson, Church of the Redeemer; Marlene Hauck, Lee & Bob Peterson Foundation/Sunshine from Darkness; and Megan Howell, Second Heart Homes, Inc.

Ashley Jimenez, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens; Jessica Johnston, SPARCC; Cynthia Keaton, Prescott HR; Amber Lamerson, The Bay Park Conservancy; Will Luera, Florida Studio Theatre; Cole McHargue, Merrill Lynch; Michael Meerman, CareerSource Suncoast; Anne Miller, Operation ECO Vets; Sarah Miller, NAMI Sarasota and Manatee Counties; and Nan Morgan, Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.

Steven Pajevic, Crystal Clean Green Cleaning; Karen Pharo, Children First; Mark Royce, Bayside Sod Inc.; Evan Samson, DMSI International; Tiona Settles, Centerplace Health; Lauren Stroman, Sarasota Ballet; Kiarra Womack, William G. and Marie Selby Foundation; Earl Young, Take Stock in Children/Booker Promise; and Lisa Zachary, SunCoast Blood Centers.

This is the 17th year that Gulf Coast Community Foundation has offered Gulf Coast Leadership Institute. In all, about 400 community members have completed the training provided through this leadership-development initiative.

For more information on the program, visit https://www.gulfcoastcf.org/gcli.

Scott Pinkerton, managing partner at FourThought Private Wealth, has been selected by Barron’s as one of the top 1,200 financial advisers in the United States for the 14th time.

This recognition is based on data sourced from over 6,000 financial advisers nationwide, including factors such as assets under management, revenue produced for the firm, regulatory record, quality of practice and philanthropic work.

Pinkerton, a lifelong resident of Venice, has worked in the financial services industry for more than 30 years.

He received a bachelor’s from Wittenberg University, CIMA (Wharton School of Business executive ed) and CPWA (Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago exec ed).

Pinkerton holds professional designations including Certified Financial Planner, Certified Investment Management Analyst and Certified Private Wealth Advisor, and is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary.

FourThought Private Wealth is in Venice.

Icard Merrill Director of Administration Kathy Miller has been appointed to the Certified Legal Manager Program of the Certification Committee for the Association of Legal Administrators.

Miller attended the ALA’s 2023 Annual Conference and Expo in Seattle. The conference includes a full lineup of guest speakers, educational opportunities, and networking with peers and business partners from across the world.

The Certification Committee serves to review, revise and manage the CLM program. Its primary responsibilities include revising test items, writing new test items, working with the testing contractor to evaluate and improve the assessment process, working with staff in overseeing the administration of the program and recommending needed changes in prerequisite and recertification requirements.

Miller will serve a four-year term on the committee. She has been a member of ALA since 2009 and earned her CLM in 2011.

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The International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association recognized master hypnotist Dr. Arthur B. Emrich with a lifetime achievement award at its annual Hypno Expo in Orlando on May 18.

Emrich was recognized for his outstanding accomplishments and devotion to the art and science of hypnosis. Every year he makes presentations on what he has learned in the previous 12 months, much of it from his clients.

Emrich is the founder of U-Solutions, LLC, in Sarasota. He helps young clients who are not scoring well on tests, clients headed for surgery, those who have anxiety about their recovery, athletes who want to perform at their highest level and others who have habits or negative emotions that keep them from enjoying life.

Emrich is a graduate of the University of Maryland Global Campus with a bachelor’s received in Tokyo after he returned there from a tour of duty in Vietnam. He also has an MBA and a doctorate in behavioral science.

Emrich operates a school of hypnosis in Sarasota that is approved by the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association, and he is a Life Fellow of that organization. He was awarded Hypnotist of the Year in 2014.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Aspiring leaders picked for Leadership Institute