⊲ Ocean Prime Sarasota, the acclaimed seafood and steakhouse from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, opened at the Quay Sarasota, offering fresh seafood, prime steaks, handcrafted cocktails and stunning waterfront views in a 9,513-square-foot, two-level space, with more than 355 seats. (Rendering above)
⊲ Ian Black Real Estate, a Sarasota commercial real estate brokerage firm, hired Kevin McQuaid as sales associate.
⊲ Michael Saunders & Company, the residential market leader in Southwest Florida, is joining Forbes Global Properties, an international network connecting buyers and sellers to luxury properties, and will officially represent the brand for $2 million-plus homes in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties.
⊲ The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art announced “Mid-Century Modern Astro-Futurism,” an exhibition by the South Sarasota Modern Quilt Guild, featuring quilt art inspired by 1950s and 1960s design and culture, on view at The Ringling’s Community Gallery, in the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Center for Asian Art.
⊲ Van Osborne, vice president of sales for the Naples-based Ronto Group, announced that Julie Guirguis (above), a Sarasota resident for over 20 years and former director of luxury sales with the LRM Group at Douglas Elliman, has been named sales associate for Rosewood Residences Lido Key, joining broker associate Jama Wyatt.
⊲ Manatee County Utilities launched a virtual tour of its Lena Road Landfill, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the County’s solid waste management operations with a focus on sustainability, innovation and community stewardship.
⊲ Constellation Culinary Group has named Chef Peyton Leffingwell as the new executive chef at Bistro at the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design, where he oversees all food and beverage operations, including the Bistro’s menu and special events catering.
⊲ Children First was named Bank of America’s 2024 Neighborhood Champion for Sarasota/Manatee, receiving a $50,000 grant to strengthen families and create pathways for economic advancement.
⊲ Kris Watts, whose son is a combat veteran and who has a love for dogs, secured a $5,000 scholarship through Neal Communities’ Plan for Giving to provide a service dog for a veteran with PTSD and other disabilities.
⊲ The Climate Adaptation Center is collaborating with Guy Carpenter, Florida International University, UC Santa Cruz and the University of Michigan on a research initiative exploring a community-based parametric reciprocal exchange to address wildfire and hurricane risks in Florida, California and beyond.