Positions Taken

Al Roach, chief operating officer, and Mike Callahan, president of retail operations, VenVest. (jpg of Roach available)

Jack McClure and Erica Muncy, investment officers, Northern Trust Bank of Florida, N.A. (2 photos Muncy available)

Leslie Fishman, chairman, Executive Service Corps of Manasota, Inc.

Mark Flannery, vice president of retail intelligence services, National In-Store.

Mary Ann Servian, general manager, LandMark Mortgage of Florida, L.P. (photo available)

Shelley Whiteside, director of marketing; and Rachel B. Neves, executive sales manager, the Sarasota Business Center. (photo available)

Millard Laney, statewide marketing manager, First Fidelity Title.

Leisa Weintraub, promoted to vice president of development, Neeal Communities. (photo available)

Barbara Williams, local sales manager, Clear Channel Radio Sarasota.

Frank McCarthy, new home consultant, Rutenberg Homes at Heritage Harbour. (photo available)

Darrell Queen, cabling division manager, MCS Business Technologies.

Laura J. Haw, workforce and entrepreneur resource manager; and Scott Moore, investor relations manager, Sarasota County Committee for Economic Development. (jpg of Haw available)

Marjorie Komisar, purchasing agent, and Angie Lyons, executive assistant, John Cannon Homes.

Stephanie Grosskreutz and Richard Dear were appointed to the Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors. James E. McManemon Jr. was appointed for the board alternate position.

Accolades

G.WIZ-The Hands-on Science Museum has received a three-year $501,000 matching grant from the Julius Brandenburg Fund of the Bank of America Client Foundation for use with the museum's exhibits.

General Electric Appliances has donated $21,644 to the Lakewood Ranch/East Communities Charitable Fund, representing one percent of the money earned from appliance sales in Lakewood Ranch in 2003. (photo available)

Yellow Strawberry Global Salon partnered with Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center for their annual "Day of Beauty" fund raiser.

Michael Saunders & Company exceeded $2 billion in sales in 2003, an increase of 44 percent over 2002.

New College president Mike Michalson was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Leroy Collins Institute for Public Policy.

Dr. Mary Katherine Wainwright, Manatee Community College professor of language and literature, is named in the 2004 edition of Who's Who of American Women.

Anders Nilsen, MCC director of financial aid, has been named chair of the Florida Community College Financial Aid Directors Commission.

Bruce Myers of Coldwell Banker was number one agent for the most homes and condominiums sold on Longboat Key in 2003.

Jean-Luc Taulere was named Best Young Chef for the Southeast region in a culinary competition sponsored by La Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs. He goes on this month to compete for the national title in San Francisco.

Neal Communities donated $5,565.50 to The Child Protection Center to develop safety education materials for children. (group photo available)

Lowe's Charitable and Education Foundation has awarded Construction Technology Careers $10,000 for a pre-apprentice training program for high school juniors and seniors. (group photo available)

Wendy Reed, a Manatee Community College sophomore, is one of 13 students statewide receiving a honorable mention in the 17th Annual Florida College Student of the Year competition. 

Moving and Opening 

Roger Finnigan and Charter One have opened Bayou Bleu, an authentic New Orleans themed restaurant in downtown Sarasota. Ken Hornbeck is manager. (2 photos available)

Fleming's T Steakhouse & Wine Bar has opened at the northeast corner of Siesta Drive and U.S. 41.

The Golden Apple Dinner Theater announced plans to open a 250-seat dinner theater at the new San Marco Plaza at Lakewood Ranch. (photo of San Marco Plaza available)

Also at Lakewood Ranch, the Sarasota Film Society announced plans to open an eight-screen movie theater at the Main Street complex.

LandMark Bank has opened a fourth Sarasota branch at the Sunnyside Village retirement community at Bahia Vista Street and Honore Avenue.

Coastal Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. has opened its new North Port office at 7052 Glenallen Blvd.

Veterinary Neuro Sciences LLC has opened a new office at 3900 Clark Road, Suite M-4.

Habiilitate, offering a complete selection of patented Z-CoiL (Susan, the L is capitalized; this is not a typo) footwear, has opened at 16 S. Orange Ave. in downtown Sarasota.

Exit Realty has leased 4,400 square feet at 8181 S. Tamiami Trail from Orion Bank.