Longtime businessman files for Sarasota City Commission

A fourth candidate has announced his candidacy for an at-large seats on the Sarasota City Commission. Local business leader and community advocate John Harshman will join incumbent Jen Ahearn-Koch and two other challengers for two seats on the five-member commission, one being vacated by one-term commissioner Debbie Trice, who is serving as mayor this year.

In addition to Ahern-Koch, he joins a field that includes Flo Entler and Rob Rominiecki. Two other candidates who filed to run, Sherman Baldwin and Michael Bennett, have withdrawn their candidacy.

Like the commission's three district seats, at-large commissioners serve four-year terms. 

In 1989, Harshman founded commercial real estate firm Harshman & Co..

“I fell in love with Sarasota and have built my career and life here,” said the 70-year-old Harshman, who arrived here at age 18, in a news release. “It would be my privilege to serve all members of our community on the city commission.”

Harshman touts his decades of local business experience for his expertise in the intricacies of land use and the importance of fiscal responsibility.

According to the release, Harshman has served in a range of volunteer leadership roles including the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Association of Downtown Commercial Property Owners, Downtown Sarasota Alliance, Girls Inc., The Pines of Sarasota, Sarasota County Public Facilities Finance Advisory Board, Sarasota Community Redevelopment Advisory Board, Sarasota County Environmental Lands Oversight Committee, city of Sarasota Tree Advisory Committee, National Estuary Program volunteer, Sarasota Ballet board, and more.

Harshman is a graduate of University of South Florida and an honorary alumnus of New College. He is also a fifth-degree Taekwondo black belt who has competed nationally. 

According to the news release, he decided to run for office after a 45-day listening tour that included meetings with neighborhood, business, arts and government leaders, as well as environmental-advocacy groups.

“The encouragement that I received from this very diverse group convinced me that my decades of living, working and volunteering in the Sarasota community have prepared me for serving the citizens of the town I dearly love,” Harshman said in the release. 

In the event of more than three candidates, a primary election will be held Aug. 18, with the top three vote-getters advancing to the general election. Deadline to file for City Commission is June 12.

This story was updated to correct John Harshman's age.