- December 4, 2025
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High school junior Jack L. said he was reserved and soft-spoken when he started with Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties in the eighth grade.
However, as he took to the stage to share his story, he credited the organization, for which he serves as a board member, with the growth he experienced, noting his participation in multiple programs.
"I'm lucky enough to to be in a position where I can give back to an organization that has given me so much," he said.
On Sept. 5, the 19th Annual IPG (Intertape Polymer Group) Leadership Breakfast, held at the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club on Sept. 5, celebrated the organization's mission while honoring two community leaders with the 2025 Leadership Award.
The honorees were Larry Thompson, president of Ringling College of Art and Design, and Heather Kasten, president and CEO of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.
President of the college since 1999, Thompson formerly held roles that include the founding and executive director of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Ohio, and the CEO of Flint Cultural Center in Michigan.
A former chair of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design, he serves on its board as well as on boards of other organizations.
The 2025-2026 school year will be his last year as president, with his tenure set to end in May 2026.
He told attendees that leadership is "not about titles, or accolades or being the smartest person in the room," but about showing up and listening, to help others realize their potential.
"That's what we strive to do Ringling College, and that's exactly what the Boys and Girls Club does every single day with these young people, and that's why this award means so much to me, because it comes from a group whose mission and impact are not only aligned with my values, but also aligned with the values of the college," he said.
He noted that Ringling College continues its engagement with the organization, which includes bringing up to five Boys & Girls Clubs members to participate in various studio classes in the college's summer pre-college program.
Prior to joining the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce as president and CEO in 2019, Heather Kasten served in the same roles at the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance.
She has also long been involved in the region and community, serving on boards and advisory councils that include CareerSource, United Way Suncoast, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County.
She also received nationwide recognition when she joined the 2025 Class of Certified Chamber Executives.
Kasten said when she thinks about the impact of the club in the community, she is reminded that leadership is a daily choice rather than a title.
"Today's teens face pressures that most of us adults have never had to navigate: constant comparison, non-stop noise, and the sense that one mistake can follow you forever," she said. "That's why places like this club matter. It gives young people something rare and valuable: a safe, steady place to figure things out and to practice being the person that they want to become."
