BUSINESS PEOPLE: Sarasota Chamber CEO picked for Leadership Florida
Heather Kasten, president/CEO of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, has been selected as one of the 55 professionals from across the state of Florida to join the next Leadership Florida class as part of the Cornerstone Class.
Leadership Florida focuses on identifying and educating individuals who show promise to be leaders in their areas and works to create a statewide community. Over a nine-month period, participants will engage in educational programming to cultivate business and relationship growth.
Kasten has lived in the Sarasota region for over 12 years and has worked as the Sarasota Chamber President/CEO for three, overseeing a membership of close to 1,200 businesses.
Before coming to the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, she was the president/CEO of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance for five years.
Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Iowa in business administration. She also has an MBA from Webster University in management/marketing.
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Erin Silk, a Certified Economic Developer and the vice president of Business Development Services for The Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, has been appointed to the Florida Workforce Development Association board.
FWDA is a statewide organization that traditionally comprised the CEOs of all 24 CareerSource chapters in Florida. CareerSource Florida is Florida’s workforce policy and investment board.
Recently, however, the association expanded to include economic development professionals, recognizing the value of their voices in conversations about meeting the current and future needs of Florida’s employers and economy.
Silk will be working closely with CareerSource Suncoast, the local CareerSource chapter. Her work with The EDC of Sarasota County allows her to interact directly with local businesses, which can be useful in this new role.
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Williams Parker attorney Michael J. Wilson has been appointed to serve as director at-large of the Florida Bar Tax Section for the 2022-2023 year and will serve on the Directors’ Committee and the Executive Council of the Florida Bar Tax Section.
Wilson, a member of Williams Parker’s management committee and the firm’s president, practices tax, corporate and business law. He serves as outside general counsel to businesses of varying sizes in many different industries.
He is certified as a tax specialist by the Florida Bar and handles federal, state and international tax planning matters.
Williams Parker, of Sarasota, offers one of Florida’s largest trusts and estates practices, as well as accomplished real estate, tax, employment, corporate, health care and litigation practices.
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Five members of Sarasota-based law firm Bentley Goodrich Kison have been chosen for the 2022 Florida Super Lawyers list. The attorneys are Morgan R. Bentley, Brian D. Goodrich, Amanda R. Kison, Jennifer L. Grosso and David A. Wallace.
Only 5 percent of attorneys in Florida receive this distinction.
In addition, out of approximately 100,000 attorneys in Florida, Bentley was named in the top 100 for the second year in a row.
Bentley, BGK managing partner, is board certified in business litigation by the Florida Bar. He has been named to Florida Trend’s Legal Elite list and named in Best Lawyers of America numerous times. Bentley concentrates his practice on litigation involving business and real estate disputes.
Goodrich, a BGK partner, has been recognized as a Super Lawyers magazine Rising Star in business litigation since 2017 and he was recently named to Florida Trend’s Legal Elite list.
In 2021, Goodrich was selected by his peers for inclusion in the inaugural edition of “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” for his work in commercial litigation. He handles business and real estate disputes as well as trust, estate and general civil litigation.
BGK partner Amanda R. Kison is board certified in business litigation by the Florida Bar. She has been recognized as a Rising Star in business litigation by Super Lawyers magazine since 2018 and has twice been named to Florida Trend’s Legal Elite list.
Kison concentrates her practice in commercial litigation involving business and real estate disputes, handling both trials and civil proceedings.
Grosso was again named a Super Lawyer in estate and trust litigation. She was recognized in Florida Trend’s Legal Elite list for the third time this year, after being recognized as a Legal Elite Up and Comer in 2019.
Grosso concentrates her practice in the areas of medical negligence defense, estate and trust disputes, and general business disputes.
Wallace was recognized by Super Lawyers for his work in appellate law. He was recently given the Judge John M. Scheb Professionalism Award by the Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court. Wallace is a board-certified specialist in appellate law and a Florida certified mediator. His practice includes appeals and civil litigation in state and federal courts.
Selection for the Super Lawyers list is based on independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast’s board of directors recently elected Randall Woods as chair for a two-year term beginning July 1.
Woods, who succeeds Don Patterson as chair, has served four terms on the board. During his tenure, he has been a member of the Executive Committee and the Audit and Finance Committee.
Other current officers include Chair-elect Michael Nachef, Treasurer Susan Flynn and Secretary Nikki McCain.
Woods served as vice co-chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s Nationwide Leadership Council.
He is the senior director of sales for the Florida Blue West Region.
Other members of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast’s board of directors for the 2022-2023 fiscal year are Anthony Baldo, Richard Burtt, Karly Christine, Jessica Hardy, Perry Korszen, Sandi McDonald, Tim Parker, Don Patterson, Frank Spinola and Michael Tennant.
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Heather Mess, MarineMax Sarasota marina manager, was recently named to Boating Industry’s 2022 Women Making Waves, featured in the launch of their summer issue.
Mess stood out among more than 120 nominations submitted for the annual program, which recognizes women in the recreational boating industry who make contributions to its success, propel its growth, and lead their organizations and peers into the future.
She oversees the MarineMax Sarasota Marina Membership Experience, focused on anticipating client needs before they ask and implementing additional services to help take care of their boat — freeing up more time to enjoy the water. She was integral in overseeing the multimillion-dollar remodel project, which allows much larger boats to be sold and stored.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Chamber CEO picked for Leadership Florida, marina manager making waves
