The Hermitage Artist Retreat recently announced its 2026-2027 Curatorial Council: Mark Ronson, Academy Award- and nine-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer; Will Butler, Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated composer; Bill Rauch, Tony Award-winning artistic director of the Perelman Performing Arts Center; Ian Alteveer, Beal Family Chair of Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and Justin Torres, a National Book Award-winning author and Hermitage alum.

North Port Parks & Recreation recently received first place for its 2025 Impact Report in the event recap category and third place for its Pointsettia Parade & Festival in the social media category at the Florida Festivals & Events Association's SUNsational Awards.

 Michelle Bocock, a school counselor at Skye Ranch School, has been selected as the 2026-2027 Florida School Counselor of the Year by the Florida School Counselor Association.

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH) recently earned a spot on Forbes’ 2026 list of America’s Best-in-State Employers for the seventh consecutive year.

The Child Protection Center recently added Sarah Tar, a banking executive with PNC Bank, to its board of directors. 

Marie Selby  Botanical Gardens has elected four new members to its board of directors: Sondra Biller, Dr. Richard Mones, Elizabeth Moore, and Dr. Gail Morrison Morganroth.

All Faiths Food Bank has hired Christopher Reesor as the senior director of food and resources for its DeSoto Food and Resource Center.

Gulf Coast Community Foundation is pleased to announce the hiring of Melissa Ehrhardt as director, capacity building.  

The Sarasota Paradise recently announced the signing of five teenagers to USL academy contracts. They are Joshua “Aran” Spengler (18), Lucas Fredericks (19), Eeli Elovaara (17), Tristan Frederickson (18) and Michael McGurk (16).

Visit Sarasota County (VSC) received two statewide accolades at the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA)'s Golden Image Gala. VSC’s director of community relations and partnership, Hunter Carpenter, was named Member of the Year, for his service as vice president of membership on the State Executive Committee, and VSC earned an Award of Distinction for its integrated marketing campaign to elevate the 2025 USRowing Event Series.

Caring Collective recently announced its board of directors for FY 2026-2027: Barbara Coleman (president), Jeanne Armour (vice president and treasurer), Ann Olson (secretary), Nancy Lyon, Katie Kominos, Robert Harlan, Henry Decoo, Lisa Matthews, Lauren Tominelli and Sadie V. (STAR student representative).

Douglas Elliman has added realtor Brian Partie to its Sarasota team.