- May 14, 2025
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(From left) Kelly Finch, Dr. Jennifer Swanson and Dr. Anna Soendker work for Lakewood Ranch OB-GYN.
(From right) Grant Hamilton and Susan Hamilton of Lakewood Ranch and Harold Murtz and Kathy Murtz of Sarasota pose with Bandit, a 7-year-old Shih Tzu. The Murtzes said they want to get involved in the community.
(From left) Garrett Shinn of Central Park, Ron Beck of Lakewood National and Tim Self work for Carr, Riggs & Ingram, Gulfside Bank and Gulfside Investment Services, respectively.
Josie Parr (left) and Bryan Parr of GreyHawk Landing came to the event to support the LWRBA and local businesses.
David Egrie (left) and Jennifer Egrie of University Park came to the event because Jennifer is a business professor at Keiser University who was looking for business partners.
Ed Wyatt (left) works for Hancock Whitney Bank, while Kristi Hoskinson is an independent contractor. Hoskinson is also the incoming chair of the LWRBA Board of Directors.
Bill Bertran (left) and Karen Bertran of Lakewood National came to the event because Karen works for Keiser University.
(From left) Shelly Van Dusen of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Lisa Kirkland of Blake Medical Center and Melissa Ferlazzo of Big Brothers Big Sisters came for networking. Kirkland is the chair of the LWRBA board of directors.
(From left) Kristina Pajevic, Xavier Pajevic, Izabella Pajevic, Juniper Sanchez and (front) Dakota Sanchez represent Crystal Clean Green Cleaning, which serves Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota.
(From left) Amanda Jordan, Kim Niemann, Shaelina Holmes and Zoe Wieneck represent Harvest House, a nonprofit that develops affordable housing in Manatee and Sarasota counties.
(From left) Brian Schnelzle of Spectrum, Bob MacDonald of Custom ComTek and Mark Kowalski of Purmont and Martin, all of which serve Lakewood Ranch, came to the event for networking.
(From left) Andrea Lowes, Meredith Mitchell, Jean Ward, Cindi Chiumento and Brigette Davis are searching for volunteers to work at Children First. Based in Newtown, Children First works to help low-income kids and their families.
(From left) Donna St. Jean of Andrews Insurance Agency, April Pyle of Alliance Print Services and Dana Scott of Custom ComTek came to the event for networking. Pyle wore a tiara to mark her title as the "printcess."
Players Centre for Performing Arts CEO William Skaggs (left) and Donna DeFant, the chair of the board of trustees, came to the event because the Players Centre is an LWRBA member.
(From left) Debbie Shaffer, Kenneth Bannister and April Pyle came to the event for networking. Shaffer and Bannister work for Cool Today, an energy and plumbing company that serves people from Tampa to Naples.
Dianne Kopczynski (left) and Stacia Deitrich work for Mauldin & Jenkins in downtown Bradenton. Kopczynski said it was the first event she had been to during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizations are finding creative ways to host events that go beyond the virtual realm during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance is no different, hosting its Open Air Showcase business trade show Thursday evening at Nathan Benderson Park. Vendors from Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Sarasota and more turned out with tent displays that offered information, merchandise and in some cases, appetizers.
The trade show was a chance for businesses and their employees to connect with each other, as well as for the community to show support for local businesses. Some said it was the first event they'd been to since the pandemic started, while others just wanted a chance to get out in the fresh air.
