Business Observer

+ Ronald Skipper elected as board member emeritus
J. Ronald Skipper, a shareholder in the law firm of Fergeson, Skipper, Shaw, Keyser, Baron & Tirabassi, P.A., which has offices on Longboat Key and Sarasota, has been elected as a board member emeritus for the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Skipper is one of nine founding directors of the Community Foundation and has served for 28 of its 30 years of existence.

“I am proud of my long affiliation with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the fact that its assets now exceed $160 million,” said Skipper in a prepared statement. “Last year grants were made in excess of $10 million, including scholarships to local students exceeding $1 million.”

+ Tennis pro Briana Harris joins the Longboat Key Club
Tennis professional Briana Harris has joined the Longboat Key Club and Resort. Harris earned a full scholarship at age 10 to attend the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy (IMG). She earned a full scholarship to Ohio State University where she was captain of the tennis team, a scholar athlete and top-10 player in NCAA Division 1 tennis. She competed in several WTA tour events and spent three years as the junior tennis director and tournament director at Celsius Tennis Academy, in Sarasota, before joining the Key Club.

+ Sahra’s Treasures celebrates its grand opening
Sahra’s Treasures, 23 N. Blvd. of Presidents, celebrated its grand opening Saturday, May 29. Micha and Sahra Schmeltzer opened the store in November and sell high-quality silver, pearls and watches imported from Switzerland. The grand opening raised money for the American Red Cross.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].