IN THE PUBLIC EYE: Cheryl Gaddie

Age: 55
Hometown: Grand Forks, N.D.
Family: She lives with her dog Jouji. She has a son and two grandchildren in Grand Forks.
Education: B.S. Business Administration; currently enrolled in a graduate program at Academy of Art
University Occupation: Interior Designer

The interior design of Cheryl Gaddie’s newly built 3,000-square-foot home, which is a dolphin’s leap from Siesta Key Village, can best be described as classic contemporary.

Contemporary designs can be a bit cold, she explained during a July 17 interview with the Pelican Press. Perhaps, not as cold as the frigid temperatures she left in Grand Forks, N.D. six years ago.

She added hints of warmth, moving it in a classic direction. Maybe not quite as warm as the welcome she received from the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce upon her arrival — the same warmth she shows in turn to Siesta business new comers.

But, that’s her style. “I’ve always found that working alone isn’t nearly as much fun (as collaboration),” she explained.

In fact, a partnership with Siesta architect, civic leader, and humorous polemic Mark Smith led to the construction of her new home. Gaddie wasn’t sold on Smith’s tongue-in-cheek wit in the beginning, but said their styles, represented by Siesta companies Smith Architects and Cheryl Gaddie Designs, have melded seamlessly. “Having somebody that’s honest with you, and that you can be honest with, and that you trust, and trusts you,” she said. “If you can build a partnership out of that, you can create some pretty amazing stuff.”

Relationships can also be heartbreakingly short. Charlie Valentine, who was the executive director of the Siesta Chamber when Gaddie arrived, and encouraged her to join the organization’s board of directors, passed away in 2009. “It was devastating for everyone,” she said.

It was the early relationships, especially that with Daiquiri Deck Raw Bar co-owner and Siesta key Village Association President Russell Matthes, that now has Gaddie often in the public eye to help organize some of the island’s biggest events, including the Siesta Key Crystal Classic sand-sculpting competition in November.

The pair made it their mission to strengthen bonds between the Siesta organizations: the Siesta Chamber, SKVA, and the Siesta Key Association. The overlap between the organizations in event planning, spans from island trash pick-ups to the Light Up the Village holiday parade.

It seems like most big events on Siesta come with even bigger headaches. For example, the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce often scrapes together the $35,000 for the Fourth of July fireworks show in the week prior to the event. There’s also law enforcement, parking, and traffic to coordinate. Any Siesta civic leader would tell you that to get those bombs to burst in air it takes some big boots doing the ground work.

That probably seems like crumb cake for Gaddie. She did face two big recessions as an interior decorator — the often-overlooked first casualty of real-estate depressions. And when “The Flood of The Century” rose out of Red River in Canada 15 years ago, her hometown of Grand Forks suffered hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. Gaddie lost her business, but rebuilt it in time, she explained.

But, Gaddie wasn’t involved with that explosive event this year, she has already been digging deep into the planning process of the Crystal Classic, which will take place from Nov. 9 to Nov. 12. It generated more than $2 million in economic impact for Sarasota County and brought greater than 100,000 people to Siesta beach last year. With streamlined transportation plans, Gaddie wants the event to generate more bucks this year — for charity.

“Siesta is definitely one of the best communities I have ever been involved with for participation, desire, and pride in their businesses and charity,” she said.


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