MARCH 7

Manatee Chamber of Commerce Spring Fling Business Expo, 4-7 p.m. at the Manatee Chamber Lakewood Ranch office at the McClure Center, 4215 Concept Court. Networking, entertainment, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, auction. For details, visit manateechamber.com.

 

MARCH 9

Englewood Cape Haze Area Chamber of Commerce Business & Leisure Expo, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Englewood Event Center, 3069 S. McCall Road, Englewood. Details at englewoodchamber.com.

 

MARCH 12

Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County Renaissance Luncheon, “Redefining Balance,” with keynote speaker Anne-Marie Slaughter, author of Why Women Still Can’t Have It All. $95. Tickets at thewomensresourcecenter.org or call (941) 366-1700.

 

MARCH 13

Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Membership Luncheon, “Op-PORT-unity Manatee,” featuring Port Manatee executive director Carlos Buqueras. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Fete Ballroom at Polo Grill, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch. $25 for members; $35 for nonmembers. To register, visit lwrba.org.

 

APRIL 13

Boot Camp for Women Entrepreneurs, presented by the Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County and moderated by Biz(941) editor Susan Burns, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Lido Beach Resort, 700 Ben Franklin Drive, Sarasota. $25 includes lunch and materials. To RSVP, call (941) 366-1700 or visit thewomensresourcecenter.org.

 

APRIL 17

The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Mega-Mingle, a networking event for nonprofits and business leaders, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. $5. For details, contact Morgan Gerhart at (941) 556-4031 or [email protected]. To register, visit sarasotachamber.com.

 

TRENDSPOTTER

Is Your Wallet Fatter?

Americans’ incomes—including wages, interest from investments and government payments like Social Security —rose 3.5 percent in 2012, surpassing the income level before the 2007-2009 recession.

SOURCE: U.S. Census, report released Feb. 1, 2013.

 

READER METER

Pres. Obama is proposing to ease the path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Are you in favor or opposed?

In favor: 47.54%

Opposed: 39.34%

Only if we have tougher law enforcement: 13.11%

Source: Biz(941) Daily Reader Poll