Sustainable Florida Forum - Sarasota 

We are excited announce our next Forum will be held in Sarasota for sustainable professionals from the Southwest, Heartand and Tampa Bay area! The focus for this summit will be on water quality and quantity. And we are delighted to announce that Ringling College of Art and Design will be our host and sponsor.

We will follow our usual format with a light continental breakfast beginning at 8:30 am, presentations by three outstanding professionals in the water arena, a lunch and tour of one of the new LEED-certified spaces on campus,. our usual Mastermind Sessions and Report Out and conclude with social networking 3:30-5 pm. 

For planning purposes, we will have continental breakfast available at 8:30 AM, program begins at 9 AM, Lunch at Noon and reception around 3:30 PM. 

SPEAKERS

Florida's Blue-Green Challenge - Dr. Tom Frazer, Chief Scientist, Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis, Dr. Frazer was appointed to head the Florida Blue-Green Algae Task Force which first met in early June in Tallahassee. After the crazy outburts of blooms last summer, Tom is charged with leading the effort to control and prevent future events.

Resiliency: A Southwest Florida Water Management District Perspective - Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Executive Director Brian Armstrong, P.G.

 The Southwest Florida Water Management District is charged with protecting our water resources, minimizing flood risks, and ensuring the public’s need are met. Brian will provide an overview of the District’s projects designed to address water quality and quantity.

Brian Armstrong was appointed as the executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District in June 2016.

Armstrong had previously served as the District’s assistant executive director where he provided daily oversight of three Divisions and more than 400 staff. As the assistant executive director, Armstrong introduced Six Sigma principles to the District creating a program to successfully reduce waste and unnecessary processes, saving money and time; introduced SMART goals to the District’s employee evaluation system, establishing quantifiable metrics for employee performance; oversaw the development of the District’s first Business Plan using a balanced score card approach to establish key performance indicators and metrics to define verifiable operating and resource requests, and served as District negotiator for the successful development of the Polk County Regional Water Cooperative, involving Polk County and 17 separate municipalities. 

Restoring Florida's River of Grass - Shannon Estenoz, Chief Operating Officer, Everglades Foundation

 There is no more major conservation efforts underway than the attempts to balance federal and state roles to restore the flow of the Everglades. With more than a billion pledged to attack the challenges, we will get an up to the minute update from one of the projects major advocates.

Shannon is currently the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Policy of The Everglades Foundation.  Shannon’s Everglades career spans twenty-two years during which she served as the Executive Director of the Environmental and Land Use Law Center, the Everglades Program Director for the World Wildlife Fund and the Sun Coast Regional Director for the National Parks Conservation Association.  Shannon served three terms as the National Co-Chair of the Everglades Coalition, including during the authorization of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).  Shannon served on Governor Lawton Chiles’ Commission for a Sustainable South Florida and Governor Jeb Bush’s Commission for the Everglades.  In 2007 Governor Charlie Crist appointed Shannon to represent Broward County on the Governing Board of the South Florida Water Management District where she served as Vice Chair of the Board, Chair of the Water Resources Advisory Commission, founding Chair of the Broward Water Resources Task Force, and a member of the Broward County Water Advisory Board.

In 2010 Shannon was appointed by the US Department of the Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, as the Department’s Director of Everglades Restoration Initiatives where she served as the Secretary’s senior representative in Florida coordinating the Department’s restoration programs and served as the Executive Director of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force.

Shannon is a fifth generation native of Key West, Florida. She holds degrees in International Affairs and Civil Engineering from Florida State University.  Shannon and her husband Richard Grosso have lived in Broward County for 24 years and have two sons - Nick, a junior at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA; and Spencer, a junior at Nova High School in Davie, Florida.

 

Water, Climate and Resiliency, Jennifer Baugher, Sustainability Manager, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida (Coke Florida)

Jennifer Baugher of Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, also known as "Coke Florida," will discuss the multi-faceted and comprehensive sustainability efforts that the local Florida bottler is undergoing to address water stresses, climate impacts and resiliency. Serving a worldwide brand to nearly 50 counties in Florida, the locally-owned and privately held bottler based out of Tampa, Florida needs a sustainable water supply and resiliency plan for its business to survive in the 21st century. Bringing back the concept of "brought to you by your local bottler," Jennifer will share Coke Florida's story, challenges and successes as it strives to be a sustainable local business.

Ringling is All About Design - Viron Lynch, Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management

The Ringlig College of Art & Design is an amazing campus with distinguished alumni. Viron will highlight some of the exciting developments on campus including a special tour of the Silver LEED--certified Goldstein Library.

Viron Lynch, Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management (FM), joined Ringling College of Art + Design (RCAD) in July 2018. Viron and his team at RCAD are responsible for the construction, maintenance, and repair of all RCAD facilities and grounds. Viron also chairs the sustainability committee for RCAD, which includes member from all area of the campus.

Viron’s career has spanned over 29 years in higher education Facilities Management and include stops at Weber State University, Portland State University, and Tennessee State University. During his career, Viron has had a variety of responsibilities including maintenance and operations, project management, energy management, sustainability, and information and technology. 

Viron earned his MBA and Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Technology form Weber State University.

LUNCH

MASTERMIND GROUPS

A mastermind group is a peer-to-peer mentoring concept used to help members solve their problems with input and advice from the other group members.  The concept was coined in 1925 by author Napoleon Hill in his book, The Law of Success, and described further in his 1937 book, Think and Grow Rich.  The idea of a mastermind is two or more people coming together in harmony to solve a problem.

Social Networking Event - Anna Maria Oyster Bar - Landside - 6906 14th Street West (941) 758-788

Included in the Forum is a closeout social hour to provide networking at a great neraby locally-owned eatery - the Anna Maria Oyster Bar - Landside. John Horne and his team do a great job with their food and serve delicious beverages, too. Over food and drink we will recap the day, exchange business cards, and share what you will be working on when you return home. 

Register Now!