- December 3, 2024
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Keith Pandeloglou, the owner of UTC Venture Group and President and CEO of Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, won the Best Rancher award at the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance's Sandies event Friday at the Grove.
Photo by Jay HeaterThe Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance's Sandies winners on Friday at the Grove are (back row) Kevin Cooper, Tieler Gittleman, Dennis Butt, Zoe Kasper, Kent Jimison, AnneMarie Graff and Skyler Betts; and (front row) Jorge Augero, Wayne Parrish and Keith Pandeloglou.
Photo by Jay HeaterKent Jimison of Easterseals Happiness House won the Above and Beyond Sandie award.
Photo by Jay HeaterWayne Parrish of Rite Technology lifts his Bull by the Horns award.
Photo by Jay HeaterDavid Otterness of Willis Smith Construction presented the Community Champion award to Mote Marine's Kevin Cooper.
Photo by Jay HeaterThe Networking King award went to HR Elements' Dennis Butt.
Photo by Jay HeaterZoe Kasper of Bekins Moving Solutions celebrates with the Networking Queen award.
Photo by Jay HeaterJorge Augero of Family Legacy Care addresses the crowd after winning the Ray of Sunshine award.
Photo by Jay HeaterSkyler Betts of Town Square University Parkway was awarded the Rising Star.
Photo by Jay HeaterNorthern Trust's Tieler Gittleman gives a fist pump after winning the Young Professional of the Year award.
Photo by Jay HeaterAnneMarie Graff of Bank OZK took down the biggest Sandies award by being named the Volunteer of the Year.
Photo by Jay HeaterLakewood Ranch Business Alliance Chair Erik Hanson and CEO and President Brittany Lamont celebrate a sold-out Sandies award program at the Grove in Lakewood Ranch.
Photo by Jay HeaterWhen Keith Pandeloglou was hired as the director of Lakewood Ranch Community Activities in 2017, he noted that he hoped to someday become known as Mr. Lakewood Ranch.
He loves Lakewood Ranch that much.
If he hadn't secured that title over the past six years, by running hundreds of community events and taking important roles on the boards of the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund and the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, he moved closer on Friday.
Pandeloglou was named the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance's Best Rancher at the annual Sandies awards held at the Grove.
The Best Rancher award goes to someone who "is the most dedicated and highly motivated member who has invited or referred the highest number of new Alliance members."
"I wouldn't have anything in Lakewood Ranch without the Alliance," Pandeloglou said after accepting the award. "This is the easiest thing in the world to refer people to,"
He said his connections with the nonprofit have been invaluable, and he also noted that he could not have won the award without his Lakewood Ranch Community Activities staff.
"You win these awards by standing on the backs of champions," he said.
The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance handed out 10 awards in total, with AnneMarie Graff of Bank OZK winning the top award, the Volunteer of the Year.
Volunteer of the Year goes to "a volunteer who has shown the most extraordinary dedication and commitment to the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance and its mission."
The other winners were Kent Jimison of Easterseals Happiness House (Above and Beyond), Zoe Kasper of Bekins Moving Solutions (Networking Queen), Wayne Parrish of Rite Technology (Bull by the Horns), Jorge Augero of Family Legacy Care (Ray of Sunshine), Kevin Cooper of Mote Marine (Community Champion), Skyler Betts of Town Square University Parkway (Rising Star), Dennis Butt of HR Elements (Networking King) and Tieler Gittleman of Northern Trust (Young Professional of the Year).
