People to watch in 2016: Susan Phillips

If you’re involved in anything on Longboat Key, chances are you know Susan Phillips.

The busy assistant to the town manager is also president of the Longboat Key Garden Club and chairwoman of the scholarship committees of both the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key and the Garden Club.

“I feel so blessed to live and work here, and I just want to give back,” Phillips said. “I love building a better community and building relationships and support for community issues and projects. I just get a kick out of that and seeing some positive results for the town I love so much.”

Last year, with Phillips at the helm, the Kiwanis Club awarded $66,500 in scholarships to 35 local students, and the Garden Club awarded $10,275 to three students.

 “I’m so proud of helping our future, which is our children,” Phillips said. “It is a huge undertaking to raise the funds and administer the scholarship process. I plan to work with both the Garden Club and the Kiwanis Club to raise funds and award record numbers of scholarships to local students and grants to nonprofit organizations this year.”

As president of the Garden Club, Phillips looks forward to its many upcoming community events, including the Taste of the Keys and Fashion Show Jan. 27 and the 40th annual Home & Garden Tour March 5.

In April 2015, Phillips chaired the first ever combined event between the Garden Club and Kiwanis Club. The Dinner and a Movie, a drive-in event on the Longboat Key Club Islandside golf course, raised $7,000 for scholarships for both clubs. It will be held once again on April 30.

“My personal accomplishments define who I am and reflect my passion for community service,” Phillips said.

Professionally, Phillips plans to continue finding ways to further better the community.

“We strive to provide exceptional service to our citizens, and I believe we make a positive difference every day,” she said. “I’m excited about our management team completing many projects we have worked on so diligently over the past year and moving forward with new initiatives of high priority to the Town Commission.”

Phillips moved to Longboat Key in 1998 and has sat through more Longboat Key Town Commission meetings than any commissioner. She has served as assistant to two town managers, Dave Bullock and Bruce St. Denis.

One of Phillips’ proudest accomplishments of 2015 combined both her professional and personal life with the future Bayfront Park. Both the Kiwanis Club and Garden Club raised money for it, and she has worked behind-the-scenes at Town Hall.

“Bayfront Park demonstrates how our community comes together to support a common cause,” Phillips said. “It will commence soon and once completed will be an exceptional community park, exceeding everyone’s expectations. I expect a ‘wow’ response from our community.”