Lakewood Ranch resident plans a new path

Lakewood Ranch’s Peggy Kronus doesn’t need rose colored glasses. 

When the event planner sat down with the East County Observer, she had just come from looking at an event venue. 

“My eyes ...,” Kronus said, “... everything was just sparkly. I think I look through glitter.”  

Kronus spent nearly 10 years coordinating events and marketing for Willis Smith Construction before starting her own business, PK Events & Services, in September. 

The logo is her initials, PK, tucked into one side of an infinity symbol because Kronus aims to create memories her clients will never forget.

“I will always have that imprint on someone’s life,” she said. “They might not even know me, but that’s okay because it makes my heart happy.”

Giving back also makes her heart happy. Kronus was adopted and she said people have given to her since birth, so it only makes sense to give back to others.  

By virtue of her work with Willis Smith and as a longtime member of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, Kronus has worked with countless nonprofit organizations. 

However, she named three “primary” nonprofits she supports — Easterseals, Sisterhood for Good and Feeding Empty Little Tummies. Then, she named two more: The Child Protection Center in Sarasota and the Med G Classic Charity Golf Tournament. 

No matter what Kronus does, she is all in and gets everyone around her to be all in, too. 

Willis Smith has built a lot of fire stations. Accordingly, Kronus has built a lot of incredibly elaborate cupcake stands and donut walls that looked like fire trucks and included working lights and sirens. 

“(CEO David Sessions) would cut the wood for me,” Kronus said. “You never know who’s going to help — my brain, their tools.”

Now, Kronus works from home. When asked what her garage looks like, she quickly responded, “Hobby Lobby.” 

She also rents a 10-foot by 20-foot storage unit to keep all her builds, which include balloon backgrounds and walls to serve champagne, donuts and whatever else a client could want. 

One of her favorite ideas that came to life was “a diva.” 

“I built her,” Kronus said. “She had a ball gown. She was stunning, and she was a cupcake stand. The cupcakes were high heels with jewels and pearls, and they were phenomenal.” 

The diva was built for a Galentine event. Rolled wafer cookies served as the high heels for the cupcake shoes. 

Kronus can make a vision come to life, but her business is called PK Events & Services because she does more than plan parties and build one-of-a-kind props. 

Kronus can plan an event and market it. In addition to her catering and floral vendors, Kronus has a web vendor, Veronica Brandon Miller, who specializes in search engine optimization and web creation. 

Kronus has partnered with several female business owners. 

Sarah Rogers is the owner of Mystic Blooms. Kronus relies on Rogers to create “magical” floral arrangements even when Kronus doesn’t know the scientific name of the flower she wants to use. 

Rogers will understand. Kronus said collaborations like that are what make her events so memorable, and the multitude of partnerships Kronus has built over the years makes her business a “one-stop shop.” 

Kronus goes above and beyond to deliver flawless events, but not everything is within her control. 

During a wedding at ZooTampa, the bride and groom wanted to pose with a llama. All Kronus could do was pray the llama didn’t spit on the happy couple. Luck was on her side that day, and the llama behaved.  

Ironically enough, luck was not on her side when Sisterhood for Good partnered with the Sarasota Polo Club to host “Vegas Comes to the Ranch” in 2021. Kronus created a glowing casino in the polo field, and rain drove the event inside. 

“The field was illuminated from the heavens, and we were inside the clubhouse,” she said. “To overcome the obstacles that get put before you, you have to be outside the box, and I think I’ve always got one foot outside the box.”