Project Pride SRQ has named Tom Edwards as the organization’s new executive director. 

Embracing Our Differences has named Michaela Stockhill its new engagement director. 

HCA Florida Englewood Hospital has been nationally recognized by the American Heart Association for its commitment to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care for stroke and diabetes patients.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital recently received the federal government’s highest quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Rep. Vern Buchanan recently hosted his annual 15th Congressional District Law Enforcement Awards at the Manatee Performing Arts Center. Local honorees included Officer Chris Bennett (Holmes Beach Police Department), Deputy Leonel Barboza, Deputy Stephen Cook, Deputy Michael Davis, Deputy Jackson Dugmore, Deputy Robert Pereyra Jr., Detective Randall Walker, Captain Mark Morie, Captain Araseli Stanley,  Deputy Judd Beckwith, Deputy Lashonda Bowden, Deputy Colin Caldwell, Deputy Brian Fullbright, Deputy Adrian Harrison, Deputy Micah Osornio, Deputy Erika Perez-Ramos, Deputy Luis Rivera-Lopez, Deputy James Workman and Deputy Javier Zuniga-Mejia (Manatee County Sheriff’s Office), Major Anthony Williams, Captain Darin Bankert, Sergeant Salvatore Levita, Detective Charles Butler, Detective Darryl Davis, Detective Mark Pearson, Detective Garrick Plonczynski, Detective Michael Smith, Detective Justin Warren and Sergeant Jeremy Liddell (Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit), Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Resource Assistance Program (RAP Unit), Chief Melanie Bevan and Sergeant Michael Kriebel (Bradenton Police Department), Sergeant Todd Freed, K-9 Officer Michael Wall, Officer Steven Bembry, Officer Jordan Miller, Officer Aaron Smith, Officer Connor Horsley, Acting Sergeant Jeff Beckley, K-9 Officer Nicolas Leeman, Officer Enzo Rovira, Officer Brett Heagney-Sciamatore, Officer Marisol Valente and Officer Maddie Johnson (Bradenton Police Department Crime Reduction Team), and Detective James Curulla and Officer Deana McNeal (Bradenton Police Department Elder Fraud Unit).

Sarasota Opera has announced leadership updates and appointments to the
company’s board of trustees and guilds. Arthur Siciliano has been re-elected chair of the board of trustees, Katherine Benoit has been re-elected vice chair of the board, and Lynn Blackledge has joined the board as a new trustee. Ron Archbold and William Tompkins have been appointed emeritus trustees. Sherry Wheeler will serve as president of the Sarasota Opera Guild, and Elizabeth Aversa will step into the role of president of the Manatee Opera Guild.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed attorney Mallory D. Osteen to the 12th Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission.

Bliss Dermatology + Wellness, which has locations in Venice and Englewood, has been named one of Florida Trend's "Best Companies to Work for in Florida."

Premier Sotheby’s International Realty has announced that the following global real estate advisors have affiliated with the company’s Sarasota area sales gallery locations:  Lana Cordier (downtown Sarasota), Martin Dimovski (Lakewood Ranch), Emily Fitzpatrick (downtown Sarasota), Michael Fitzpatrick (downtown Sarasota), Faith Railey (downtown Sarasota), Morgan Stepien (Venice), and Bonnie Stein (downtown Sarasota).

Next-Mark recently earned a Golden Image Award and Judges’ Creativity Award from the Florida Public Relations Association for its strategic work on Fresh Fridays, a monthly downtown Sarasota event series.

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall was also honored with four awards at the Golden Image Awards: an Award of Distinction and a Judges’ Creativity Award for its Beetlejuice promotion in partnership with Hamlet’s Eatery and an Award of Distinction and a Judges’ Award in the Collateral of Public Relations Division for its midseason brochure.