Printing partnership forms at Palm Printing

Partnering up

After a combined 37 years working for Spotlight Graphics Inc. Renee Phinney and Charles Zweil are now partners at Palm Printing.

“It definitely didn’t come easy and (it was) a decision not taken lightly,” Renee says. “I didn’t want to leave a project undone or without proper representation.”

Renee and Charles didn’t leave bad blood behind with their clients. Confident in the pair, many clients have followed them to their new home.

“'I’m coming with you. You are by far the best customer service rep I’ve ever dealt with,’ a client said to me,” Charles says. “It was a great compliment. I didn’t expect anyone to come (to Palm Printing) but they did.”

After all the work they have done for the nonprofits in town and the printing companies, Renee and Charles are happy to now be partners in ownership of a printing company.

“It was assumed I had ownership (at Spotlight Graphic, Inc.,)” Renee says. “I worked like I had ownership and felt like I had ownership, but I didn’t.”

“Hard to say no to that,” Charles says. “I’ve been in printing since I was a kid. When this offer came up, I couldn’t say no to ownership.”

The two agree that they make a good team because they bring different skill sets to the table.

“We love it, we are so grateful we have all been able to come together," Renee says. “We have a great partnership to collaborate and bounce ideas.”

It’s the people they interact with that make the job enjoyable for Renee and Charles.

“It wasn’t about the business, it was about the relationships Charles and I have and the ability to take projects and make them happen,” Renee says. “Even if there’s changes or last-minute details, we are on a deadline. It’s the way we do it and our clients have relied on us to come through. Even if that means we pack the car and do the delivery ourselves.”

Celebrities behind the bar

The Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation hosted their first Celebrity Bartending event on Jan. 22 at Made Restaurant. The event raised more than $3,000 with all funds going directly to the foundation.

“We are fortunate to have such compassionate and proactive supporters such as Shelly Glenn and Mimi Carlin who envisioned and orchestrated this inaugural and successful Celebrity Bartending event,” JAJF Founder and CEO, Jon Albert said. “The funds raised will adopt at least two families to go on a fully-funded prescribed timeout from their late-stage cancer. Mimi, Shelly and the many attendees believe in the importance of JAJF ... in the importance of family and the power of WOW! We are thrilled they enthusiastically want to do this again next year.”

JAJF’S mission is to treat families to WOW! experiences, which gives children who will lose their mom or dad to cancer a timeout to create memories as a family.

Calling all chefs

This year’s Asolo Rep’s Men Who Cook & Brew are still missing a few men. With only 11 out of 15 desired chefs, the Asolo Rep is still accepting applications. Men Who Cook & Brew will be held at a new location, Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens, which inspired the theme "Garden to Table."

For those gentlemen who are interested in applying to be a chef, there are a few steps involved with the application process. You will need to choose a garden-to-table-themed recipe, fill out a registration form and submit a headshot and bio along with the full recipe to Laura Stuart Wood at [email protected].

On the day of, the chefs will be responsible for covering expenses for their ingredients, prepare 30 portions of their recipe, purchase tickets to the event or organize a table and decorate your table for the table decor competition.

Tidbits

Surprise entertainment ... After cocktail hour, guests were greeted by Maestro Victor DeRenzi and Executive Director Richard Russell before a surprise performance of the Can Can by dancers from the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School. Happy birthday ... Harry Leopold chose to celebrate his 75th birthday at the Sarasota Opera Gala. When asked about his birthday, Harry said, "My wife told me I'm three quarters of a century old today, but I don't feel it!" A sincere gesture ... At the Visible Men Academy's IMPACT Awards Dinner, headliner guest Kevin Eubanks came down with the flu and was unable to perform his jazz set. To make up for it, he sent a video congratulating the honorees and the Visible Men Academy’s recent student academic gains.