Alliance hires marketing director

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Dan Sidler looks at ease in a conference room at the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, while sitting next to the alliance’s executive director, Heather Kasten.

The two, both formerly of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, are coworkers once again.

Sidler started last month as the alliance’s communications and marketing director, a new position.

“I’m still getting my feet wet,” said Sidler a month into his new role. “There’s a lot rattling around my head that’s on my to-do list.”

But Sidler is ready for action. As he settles into his job, developing and implementing marketing strategies and communicating the organization’s goals and initiatives to members and the community, he’s also preparing for change.

He and Kasten plan to roll out new marketing initiatives and other efforts early next year.

“We’re looking at everything and doing a complete inventory of what we’ve done and where we could take it,” Sidler said.

As the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance heads toward its 10th anniversary, it already has 500 members.

But, Kasten notes, the organization is still in its infancy compared with the roughly 93-year-old Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and 125-year-old Manatee Chamber of Commerce.

“When you look at the growth opportunity, this is the heartbeat of economic development, truly, for both counties,” Kasten said. “Bringing on a professional like Dan — that gives us someone dedicated full-time to communicating the vision for the organization, for the area, for Lakewood Ranch, and positions us as an organization for the growth that exists and the growth to come.

“He really is going to be our mouthpiece,” she said.

Sidler, 28, most recently served as marketing specialist for The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce; he first joined that organization as an intern in 2011.

Kasten said she knew Sidler from her job at the chamber, where she served as vice president of membership until joining the alliance in May. However, she did not recruit him for the job. Sidler heard about the new position, which was not advertised, applied and emerged as the top applicant from about 30 other résumés the alliance received.

“When he submitted his résumé, I was pretty excited,” Kasten said. “When we wrote this job description, I could have put his name at the top of the list.”

Sidler, a tech-savvy, movie-loving, social media guru, calls the change a logical next step.

“The potential is enormous here,” he said.

Kasten said the alliance historically has been powered by volunteers, as it will continue to be. However, having a dedicated staff will help the alliance promote and implement directives and programs for members, especially because volunteers and board members change from year to year.

She will continue to seek out new members and work with local agencies, such as the other chambers and economic development councils, while Sidler focuses on marketing and communication with members.

Although the alliance acts as a connector for local businesses, Kasten said she and Sidler will show members and the community that the alliance is the go-to organization for businesses, whether they seek demographic data or statistics on the area or hope to lobby the government for pro-business initiatives.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].