Sarasota Opera has announced that longtime artistic director Victor DeRenzi, who held the position for 44 years, will step down May 2026. The opera's general director, Richard Russell, will assume the artistic director role at that time.

The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies have awarded Marie Selby Botanical Gardens the 2025 American Architecture Award for Phase One of the gardens' three-phase Master Plan.

Frank Morgan has been promoted to president of Sarasota Memorial Hospital's Sarasota campus.

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center was recently named a Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group.

Achieva Credit Union has named Ryan Cooke as market president for Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties.

The Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners recently selected Ron Cutsinger, District 5, as chair, and Mark Smith, District 2, as vice chair for calendar year 2026, effective Jan. 1. Teresa Mast, District 1, will serve as pro tem. 

Andy Harshman of Sarasota High School was named the 2026 Sarasota County Teacher of the Year by Sarasota County Schools. Kelly Lile of Garden Elementary received the district's Innovation Award.

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County recently partnered with the Center for Effective Philanthropy to prepare a Donor Perception Report based on anonymous survey data collected from foundation donors. The foundation scored 6.55 out of a total of 7 in overall donor satisfaction, a figure that ranks in the top 3 percent of community foundations nationwide. 

Resilient Retreat has named Carla Malachowski and Bonnie McIntyre to its board of directors and hired Robert Dalton as director of leadership giving.

The Manatee Literacy Council has appointed Marisol Garcia to its board of directors. 

Samara Williamson, general manager at Lake Club in Lakewood Ranch, was recently named "Community Manager of the Year" at the Lakewood Ranch Community Appreciate Awards. 

The Elling Eide Center has named Lee Amos as director of land management and environmental programs.

Child Protection Center case coordinator Alexis Davis was recently awarded a Civilian Citation by the Venice Police Department for Davis' pivotal role in a complex child abuse investigation.

The Sarasota Paradise soccer club recently announced the signing of midfielders Jørgen Pettersen and Sander Roed, and announced that defender Roberto Burlew will be returning to the club for the upcoming season.

B&I Contractors recently announced that its chief financial officer Brian Kelly has been appointed chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1.

Elizabeth Bornstein, an oncology counselor with Sarasota Memorial’s Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, was recognized by the by the HealthCare Chaplaincy Network her dedication and care to cancer patients.