BUSINESS PEOPLE: Top Rotarian award goes to Child Protection Center director

 Douglas Staley, executive director of the Child Protection Center, recently received the Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Rotary Club of Gulf Gate. The award, the highest a Rotarian may receive, is given as a token of appreciation for contributing significant time and funds to the member’s local club.

The award was presented by Rotary President Sue McConnell.

Notable recipients of this award include former President Jimmy Carter, astronaut James Lovell, and Jonas Salk, developer of the polio vaccine.

Staley has dedicated his life and work to protecting the children of our community. He joined the Child Protection Center full time over 27 years ago and has been executive director for 12 years.

The Child Protection Center’s mission is to prevent, intervene in and treat child abuse.

The Florida Association of Teen Courts has appointed Yantee Hines, Manatee Teen Court/Teen Court Too program supervisor, to serve a one-year term on the FATC board of directors.

Since 1995, the FATC has served Teen Court programs across Florida by providing collaboration, support, resources and professional fellowship to reduce recidivism and provide a positive, safe environment for volunteers.

Since 1991, Manatee County’s Teen Court/Teen Court Too has prevented thousands of cases from entering the juvenile court system and saved Manatee County taxpayers over $54 million.

The program, overseen by the Office of Angelina Colonneso, Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, is a diversionary program designed to stop youthful delinquent behavior before a pattern is established.

The program offers first-time youth offenders, ages 10-17, a second chance while holding them accountable for their actions.

Hines has been the Teen Court/Teen Court Too supervisor since 2021. He has continued the success of the program and implemented new ideas, such as a community organization awareness program where speakers from outside agencies are invited to speak to the youth volunteers prior to court.

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The 2023 MYP Awards was held Feb. 16 at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, in Bradenton.

This event honored young professionals who have demonstrated initiative and excellence in their careers, contributed time and energy in serving the community, and sought to support others through leadership and advocacy.

It also honored an employer that implemented creative and intentional initiatives to attract and retain young talent to our region.

The awards were hosted by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. This year, there were 24 nominations, with five winners selected.

∎ Business Award: Jason Osborne, Bank OZK, Bradenton.

∎ Nonprofit Award: Jessica Ryherd, Feeding Empty Little Tummies, Palmetto.

∎ Entrepreneur Award: Kristin Hokanson, Fiorelli Winery & Vineyard, Bradenton.

∎ Employer Award: Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Club, Jeff Podobnik, vice president, Florida & Dominican Operations, Bradenton.

∎ MVP of the Year Award: Colbe Herr, IMG Academy, Bradenton.

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Sikora & Moore Insurance, of Venice, has named Luis Tirado as assistant vice president. Tirado will lead the agency’s marketing efforts as well as drive customer acquisition.

He has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement and is a licensed 220 agent.

Sikora & Moore is a full-service independent agency, owned and operated for eight years by Joe Sikora and Shirley Moore Sikora.

Employee Nawei Gu was recognized with the Built to Last Award at the annual staff awards ceremony of JMX Brands, the parent company of DutchCrafters Amish Furniture.

Vice President Linse Miller presented the Built to Last Award, which recognizes a veteran employee who steadily performs and demonstrates persistence, a solid work ethic, deep knowledge, and long-term contributions that improve the business.

Gu joined JMX Brands 16 years ago. Over the years, she has worn many hats — user interface designer, graphic designer, email marketing producer and research & development assistant.

In 2019, Gu was promoted to her current position, R&D project coordinator.

JMX Brands is a niche retailer, selling more than 15,000 products on a variety of websites, including its flagship Amish furniture site www.dutchcrafters.com.

JMX Brands also has a DutchCrafters Showroom in Sarasota.

Sean Altice, co-owner and chief operating officer of Sarasota-based Altez Vacations, was recently named Businessperson of the Year by the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce.

At age 26, he co-founded Altez Vacations, LLC, with a focus on luxury rental properties. His entrepreneurial journey began in predicting the exponential growth of third-party travel distribution companies, such as Airbnb and VRBO.

Altice has been an active member of the Siesta Key Chamber for over seven years.

He is a Business Observer 40 Under 40 recipient and a past chair of the Surfrider organization, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the waterways.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Rotarians present top award, chamber picks Businessperson of the Year