Bank OZK's Lisa Lawler and Kate Mulligan, executive director of the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation, are among those who dressed in Western attire for the 36th annual Hob Nob Oct. 29 at the Lakewood Ranch Library.
Photo by Madison Bierl
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Dom DiMaio, the vice president of commercial services at Suncoast Credit Union, is no stranger to the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance's Hob Nob networking event.
For the last 15 years, DiMaio has grown an appreciation for the Western-themed dress and camraderie that the event presents.
"It's one of the best business events in terms of seeing folks you might not have seen throughout the year," DiMaio said. "The Alliance is all about bringing people together. It's all about relationship-building and making friends."
DiMaio served as president and CEO of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance for two-and-a-half half years before current CEO and President Brittany Lamont took over.
Lamont noted the Hob Nob was taken over from the Bradenton Economic Development Corporation in 2023.
She said her favorite part of the event is matching businesses together to build partnerships. The event at the Lakewood Ranch Library was attended by 400 people with 40 featured businesses.
Ryan McIntyre, a partner at McIntyre Elwell and Strammer General Contractors, has attended the Hob Nob more than a dozen times and said his company has been part of the event for over 20 years.
He said the event provides a casual atmosphere to talk about both business and personal items.
"It's a great time of year, and it's always right before the holiday season starts," McIntyre said. "The Business Alliance has done a great job taking the traditions that the EDC had set up and building upon those."
Florida Blue's Jasmine Morton, a sales consultant and Andre Curry, a senior field marketing manager, appreciate the opportunity to build relationships at the Hob Nob.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Courtney De Pol, deputy county administrator of the Manatee County government and Stacey Crawford, a financial consultant for Capstan Financial Consulting Group, give their best "yee haw" pose.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Frank Verdel, a community ambassador for Lakewood Ranch brings
Marybeth Grenier as his guest to the Hob Nob. Grenier says she owns horses and couldn't decide what western outfit to wear.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Bank of America's Jamie Kahns and Stephenie Whitfield greet
Heather Koester, a United Way Suncoast disaster resilience officer, with excitement.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Jen Forsythe of the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center unexpectedly matches hats with Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance's Brittany Lamont (President and CEO) and Janeth Gonzalez (events and programs manager).
Photo by Madison Bierl
Jasmin Nieves of Bank OZK and Shawna Hicks-Cranston of PostNet of Lakewood Ranch were unexpectedly twinning with their sparkly boots. "Everything's better with a little bling," Hicks-Cranston says.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Melissa Weiman, director of business development at Trademark Roofing and
Krista Brock, owner of Oh What Fun Party Co, pose in front of one of the signs Brock made for the Hob Nob event.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Diana Wolff, Mike Monaghan, Miriam Carpenter and Charles Hasiak represent Key Glass and McIntyre Elwell & Strammer General Contractors, Inc.
Photo by Madison Bierl
The Southest High School Culinary Club, including Joseantonio Velazquez,
Christian Feliciano and Efrain Santis, make pulled pork grilled cheese sandwiches to showcase their program.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Seacoast Bank's Diana Correa, Jennifer Dagostino and Tish Murphy say Gary Houseworth of Gulfside Bank is "friendly competition."
Photo by Madison Bierl
Sydney Schunk, Landyn Park and Toni Perren of the Observer Media Group sport a bandana and cowboy hats.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Stacey Crawford, Dom DiMaio, Wayne Parrish and Nick Feather mingle with friends new and old at the 36th Annual Hob Nob.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Nancy Snyder, owner and travel advisor at Cruise Planners, Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance President at CEO Brittany Lamont and Juantele Nadeau of Blue Ribbon Transportation pose for a photo together.
Madison Bierl is the education and community reporter for the East County Observer. She grew up in Iowa and studied at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University.
