Manatee Movers and Shakers, 9/20/12

Tampa Bay Business Journal Honors Manatee District For Wellness Efforts

The Tampa Bay Business Journal has recognized the School District of Manatee County as one of healthiest employers in the Tampa Bay area.
The Manatee District was among 40 employers recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal for emphasizing wellness programs that help employees lead healthier, more productive lives.

 “The Healthiest Employer Finalist award confirms that HealthVantage, the School District's employee wellness program, is recognized by industry-leaders as a viable, effective, and productive program that makes a positive impact on the health and productivity of our staff and their families,” said Kristi Bracewell, Wellness Coordinator for the Manatee County School District. “Our employee wellness program provides a variety of health management services to encourage our employees to embrace a healthy lifestyle characterized by a balanced approach to proper nutrition, physical activity, and stress management. It also helps lower healthcare costs for our employees resulting in financial savings for our District.”

All of the employers honored by the Tampa Bay Business Journal for their wellness efforts were recognized at a special luncheon held at the Renaissance Vinoy St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club on Thursday, September 13, 2012.

SBEP Bay Guardians To Plant Natives At Perico Preserve

The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) Bay Guardian volunteers will plant native plants at Perico Preserve on Saturday, October 6. SBEP, Manatee County Natural Resources and Around the Bend Nature Tours will work with the adult and student volunteers to plant Florida native plants beginning 9am. Lunch will be provided to the volunteers following the morning project. People interested in volunteering can sign up online through the SBEP website at sarasotabay.org.
The Bay Guardian volunteers will include students from Martha B. King Middle School in Bradenton. The local school was the recipient of a SBEP Blue Dolphin Award earlier this year. The annual awards acknowledge local champions of Sarasota Bay. The school was honored for its ongoing support of community environmental programs including the Bay Guardians volunteer program.
Perico Preserve is the newest preserve in Manatee County located across Perico Bayou from Robinson Preserve. The 176-acre property was originally farmland and the extensive mangrove fringe is currently undergoing restoration to become another natural habitat within Manatee County’s coastal preserve system. Plans include the construction of a lagoon to support seagrass growth and a bird rookery island. During construction, public access is only permitted through sneak peek tours hosted by Manatee County Natural Resources or volunteer workdays.

The outing to Perico Preserve is the fifth Bay Guardian volunteer outing this year in Manatee and Sarasota County. Prior outings were held at North Lido Beach Park, Emerson Point Preserve, North Water Tower Park, and Quick Point Preserve on Longboat Key. Many of the local parks and preserves are visited annually by the Bay Guardians to build on prior efforts. Most of the projects focus on planting Florida native plants and removing exotic plants or trash and debris.

The Sarasota Bay Guardians is a family-friendly program that SBEP manages in partnership with Around the Bend Nature Tours. New volunteers receive a blue tee shirt featuring the Bay Guardians logo. Each outing features environmental education and a picnic lunch. Join the Bay Guardians for a single project or as an ongoing commitment. Local school, scout and church groups interested in volunteering can contact Sara Kane at sara@sarasotabay.org.

Florida Real Estate Attorney Lisbeth Bruce Receives AV Rating

Blalock Walters today announced it has received notification from LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell that Lisbeth Bruce has received a Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating.

Lisbeth Bruce was given an “AV” rating from her peers, which means that she was deemed to have very high professional ethics and preeminent legal ability.  The Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings evaluates lawyers based on the anonymous opinions of members of the Bar and the Judiciary, including both those who are rated and those who are not.

LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell conducts secure online Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings surveys of lawyers across multiple jurisdictions and geographic locations, in similar areas of practice as the lawyer being rated. Reviewers are instructed to assess their colleagues' general ethical standards and legal ability in a specific area of practice.

Lisbeth Bruce’s law practice focuses primarily on real estate related transactions and real estate development.  She represents individuals and companies in purchasing, selling, leasing, and developing real estate.  She received her J.D., summa cum laude, from University of Miami School of Law in 1992.

“Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings were created in 1887 as an objective tool that would attest to a lawyer’s ability and professional ethics, based on the confidential opinions of other lawyers and judges who have worked with the lawyers they are evaluating,” said Mike Walsh, President and CEO, U.S. Legal Markets at LexisNexis.  “The Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings have remained the most prestigious and widely respected lawyer rating system in the world for over a hundred years.”

New Directors at Manatee Glens

Manatee Glens announces the addition to its executive team of Katherine Robinson as director of human resources, Stacey Carollo as director of marketing and Sondra Guffey as director of public relations.   Robinson is charged with strategic oversight of human resource support of 450 employees at the fifteenth-largest employer in Manatee County.   Carollo will concentrate on new business development and marketing for Manatee Glens Hospital and Addiction Center and outpatient practices which have experienced 20% growth over the last two years.   Guffey will continue to expand the visibility of the award-winning mental health and addictions services at Manatee Glens in local, regional and national markets.   

“Manatee Glens has a goal of increasing access to mental health and addictions treatment and that requires recruitment and retention of a top notch clinical staff.  Katherine is the person to lead us there,” stated Manatee Glens President/CEO Mary Ruiz.  “Stacey and Sondra are a dream team combining a passion for our healthcare mission and a proven track record in their fields.”

Robinson was previously Human Resources Administrator with the City of Cape Coral (FL) and was Resource Management Manager with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in Jacksonville, FL.   Her immediate goals are to continue development of the wellness employee health plan with Generations HP which has saved Manatee Glens more than $350,000 in two years.  Manatee Glens Employee Assistance Program is partnering with Generations HP to make this plan available to other local employers.

Carollo was Director of Communications at Manatee Sarasota Eye Clinic and a founding partner in a sports licensing firm, Delmar Collegiate Group.  She will be utilizing her more than 17 years of experience in the marketing field to link physicians seeking responsive behavioral health care to Manatee Glens medical staff.  

Guffey has owned a PR and marketing firm and will continue to serve as editor of a local magazine.  She was VP of Communications at Lakewood Ranch and a journalist at Bay News 9 Television, Hillsborough Television and WTSP Channel 10.   Her emphasis will be on creating the right message that tells the Manatee Glens story and strengthens relations with patients, referral sources, donors and supporters.

For more information about Manatee Glens, or to schedule an interview with Mary Ruiz, President/CEO, please call 941-782- 4320 or e-mail Sondra.guffey@manateeglens.org or visit www.manateeglens.org.

SWAT Networking Bradenton Chapter selects Woman of the Month

Congratulation goes out to Jeannie Brantley of Water’s Edge Senior Living for being selected as Woman of the Month in our Bradenton Chapter - SWAT Networking - Successful Women Aligning Together.

Jeannie has worked hard to promote Water's Edge and was recognized for her efforts.

SWAT Networking has meetings in Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch and Manasota. For more information go to www.swatnetworking.com