BUSINESS OBSERVER

+ Kepecz-Hays attends global summit
Judy Kepecz-Hays, of Coldwell Banker Previews, recently attended a global summit in Half Moon Bay, Calif., where she was honored for being the No. 1 sales associate in 2011 with Coldwell Banker Florida.

She reports that she networked with top-notch brokers and colleagues from around the world and returned to Sarasota and her islands “fresh and full of brilliant ideas for marketing her clients’ properties here in paradise.”

+ Tom Roberts named Five Star Wealth Manager
Tom Roberts, owner of A New Approach Financial Planning, was recently named a Sarasota-area Five Star Wealth Manager for the second year. Fewer than 4% of wealth managers in the area qualify for the award, and Five Star Professional chooses winners based on 10 criteria, including credentials, favorable regulatory and complaint history, client retention, education and designations. 

+ DWELL Real Estate adds new Realtors
DWELL Real Estate recently announced the addition of Realtors Beth Lancaster and John Wilcher to the company’s downtown office. Lancaster has been an agent in Sarasota/Bradenton since 2000, and she holds a degree in accounting from Burdett School in Boston.

Wilcher has 10 years’ experience as a Realtor in the Sarasota area, which gives him knowledge of the various locales and lifestyles in the area, and he has earned awards for top production at his previous company. John is also a former police officer and a combat veteran who served in Afghanistan.

+ Sarasota Memorial receives new surgical robot
Sarasota Memorial Hospital was the recipient of a new $2 million Next Generation da Vinci Surgical Robot Monday, Oct. 29. The robot, which boasts the latest features, is the hospital’s third robotic system, and following testing, it will be put into work within the next two weeks.