►Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe announced its 2020-21 board of trustees, with a new board chair, Doris Johnson, and two new trustees, Mona Rankin and Dona Scott.
►Sarasota-based property and casualty insurer, FCCI Insurance Group, is expanding its geographic reach and will begin writing commercial insurance in the state of Pennsylvania as of Sept. 1.
►Centauri Specialty Insurance Holdings named Tom Brady vice president of claims.
►The New College Foundation raised $1 million to be invested in strengthening the organization’s fundraising infrastructure.
►Rafael E. Robles was appointed as the executive director of the Sarasota Military Academy Foundation, the nonprofit behind the Sarasota Military Academy.
►Larry Brzostek of Re/Max Alliance Group was awarded the At Home with Diversity certification from the National Association of Realtors.
►Network Installation Specialists leased 2,500 square feet of office, warehouse and outside storage yard, located at 6226 Clarity Court, Sarasota, from Pallet Dude.
►The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art named Metz Culinary Management its new on-site food service vendor.
►Barnes & Noble is scheduled to open a new store, in University Town Center, at 200 N. Cattlemen Road, Sarasota.
►Halfacre Construction Company, a Lakewood Ranch-based commercial construction company, broke ground on a new building for North River Church in Parrish.
►Gwen MacKenzie, former president and CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, was named CEO of First Step of Sarasota, a nonprofit alcohol and drug treatment and rehabilitation center.
►Graci McGillicuddy, the co-founder and board chair of All Star Children’s Foundation, announced that a $20,000 grant issued by the Sarasota chapter of the International Design Society will further empower All Star’s rich tapestry of education, therapeutic and clinical initiatives.
►The city of Sarasota’s development review committee is reviewing plans for Bayso, an 18-story, 150-unit building slated for the south end of the property at U.S. Highway 41 and Fruitville Road.
►FCCI Insurance Group, in Lakewood Ranch, will begin writing commercial insurance in Pennsylvania, it also named Christina “Cina” Welch the new president and CEO of the company.
►Jacksonville-based general contractor LandSouth Construction began construction on Summerhouse Apartments, an apartment community in Lakewood Ranch.
►Brendan Flores, a Lakewood Ranch resident and senior vice president at Bank of America, received the National Association of Asian Pacifics in Politics and Public Affairs’ Top 40 Political Operatives and Public Affairs Professionals Under 40 and WorldRemit’s Top 15 Most Influential Filipinos in America.
►Aqua-Tots Swim Schools is opening a new franchise location in at 3750 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota.
►Tampa-based land broker J. Michael Strahan of Eshenbaugh Land Company, represented the buyer in the sale of Mossy Back Ranch in Manatee County, for $4,600,000.
►Teakdecking Systems, a deck manufacturer in Sarasota, named Michael Hartline director of engineering and design.
►Halfacre Construction, a Lakewood Ranch-based commercial construction company, was awarded the contract to construct a new 21,000-square-foot building for Wimauma Elementary School in Hillsborough County.
►The Hermitage Artist Retreat in Englewood received a $40,000 grant from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation to be used to expand community programming, visibility, and engagement as the Hermitage launches its Hermitage North programs.
►Goodwill Manasota received a grant of $60,000 from the Ralph S. French Charitable Foundation in support of the award-winning GoodPartner Coach program.
►The developers of Lakewood Ranch’s Waterside Place announced three new tenants: Atria Café, CROPJuice and Duck Donuts.
