Sarasota Young Professionals gather at annual summit

The Sarasota Young Professionals group is busy throughout the year, with members participating in a number of programs and meetups that encourage professional growth and networking opportunities. 

The Sarasota Chamber group's largest event every year though is the Young Professional Summit, a half-day affair that brings dozens of members together to listen to a number of speakers and connect for future endeavors. Members met early Friday for coffee and breakfast before sitting to be welcomed by Sarasota Chamber Programs Manager Sarah Rachon, who thanked the assembled audience. 

The day's program continued with a segment from keynote speaker Mitch Lomazov, of EXCELLence Performance, who discussed the importance of seizing opportunities when they present themselves. 

It was then time for the presentation of the annual Young Professional of the Year award, which was given to Zack Holzworth of Willis Smith Construction Inc.

Attendees broke off to mingle and later participate in learning sessions about understanding self worth, building confidence and overcoming the fear of the first step.

Read more: Young leaders: Overcoming fear of the first step is crucial to work and life success