All Faiths Food Bank a high-ranked employer
All Faiths Food Bank was recently named one of Florida’s “Best Companies To Work For.” The annual “Best Companies” list ranks 100 companies in small, midsized and large employer categories.
All Faiths was ranked No. 20 in the midsized companies list and was one of only four nonprofits to make the cut in this category, comprising 41 employers.
To participate, companies or government entities were required to have at least 15 workers in Florida and to be in operation at least one year. The companies underwent an evaluation of their workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics.
The process also included a survey to measure employee satisfaction. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking.
The Best Companies program is managed by Workforce Research Group and Florida Trend and is endorsed by the HR Florida State Council.
Treating brain tumors with ‘tiles’
A tiny implant, about the size of a postage stamp, is bringing new hope to people with life-threatening brain tumors.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has begun the use of a novel technology, GammaTile Therapy, to target and treat malignant tumors inside the brain.
The first new FDA-cleared treatment for brain tumors since 2011, GammaTile was approved in 2018 to treat aggressive, recurrent brain tumors; the FDA expanded its clearance in 2020 to include newly diagnosed malignant brain tumors.
Sarasota neurosurgeon Dr. Peter Mayer, and radiation oncologist Larry Silverman, members of Sarasota Memorial’s Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, brought the new treatment to Sarasota Memorial Hospital this year. The hospital is one of about 100 treatment centers in the nation, and the first in Southwest Florida, offering GammaTile to select patients.
While the treatment is not recommended for all brain tumor patients, it may be appropriate for those with certain ones, such as gliomas, glioblastomas, meningiomas and brain metastases.
After removing as much of the tumor as safely possible, neurosurgeons implant one or more of the collagen “tiles” at the tumor site to eliminate any residual cancer cells that might be hiding in surrounding tissue.
Wedding Expo in Wellen Park
Wellen Park, in Venice, will host its first Wedding Expo at Solis Hall, the region’s newest waterfront venue, in Downtown Wellen on Sept. 16. The Wedding Expo will feature more than 20 local vendors in the wedding industry to help couples plan their big day.
Interested guests can register to attend one of two sessions taking place 9 a.m. to noon and 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person and must be purchased in advance at https://wellenpark.com/ events. Attendance is limited to 80 people per session.
The Wedding Expo will give those soon-to-be-married a chance to mix and mingle with a curated selection of local wedding industry vendors, including photographers, musicians, florists, wedding planners, bakeries, hair and makeup artists and stationery providers.
Guests also may explore Solis Hall’s indoor and outdoor venue spaces.
MMH recertified as stroke center
Manatee Memorial Hospital, in Bradenton, has achieved its recertification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center through the Accreditation Commission for Health Care.
To be certified health care organizations must demonstrate compliance with national standards. The certification is effective through 2026.
Certification by ACHC reflects a commitment to meeting standards that facilitate a higher level of performance and patient care.
In July 2023, MMH received the American Heart Association’s “Get With the Guidelines – Stroke GoldPlus” quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
PR chapter awarded
The Central West Coast chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association was recognized recently for excellence in public relations during FPRA’s 84th annual conference in Orlando.
The organization was recognized with President’s Awards for Community Relations and Sponsorship Development. In addition, five members earned awards during the prestigious Golden Image Awards Gala.
The Golden Image Awards competition is conducted annually by the Florida Public Relations Association to recognize outstanding public relations programs in Florida and to encourage and promote the development of public relations in our state.
The following local organizations and practitioners received awards in this year’s competition:
Division A – Public Relations Programs
Hunter Carpenter/First Watch earned a Golden Image Award and Judges’ Award in the Integrated Marketing category for “Sip, Sip, Hooray!”
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty and PHMG earned a Golden Image Award in the “Other” category for “Being Premier at Abbey Road Studios.” (accepted by Elise Ramer).
NAMI of Sarasota and Manatee Counties and KSC Inc. earned an Award of Distinction in the Integrated Marketing category for its entry, “2022 Giving Challenge” (accepted by Erin Hoffer).
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Marketing Department earned an Award of Distinction in the Community Relations category for “The Healing Power of Music” (accepted by Muffy Lavens).
Division B – Digital Tools of Public Relations
Florida Swimming Pool Association earned an Award of Distinction and a Judges’ Award in the Digital Promotion category for “FSPA’s Hurricane Ian Relief Fund Campaign (accepted by Alyssa Holcomb).
Podcast offers financial advice
Jared Motzenbecker, director of wealth services for Gulfside Wealth, a wealth management group affiliated with Gulfside Bank, and Beth Green, director of private banking for Gulfside Bank, have teamed up to host Gulfside Chats, a new financial advice podcast.
Each episode runs 20 to 30 minutes and focuses on a single financial topic with a conversation about real-world examples and personal stories that help relay the information in a way that is easy to grasp for nonfinancial experts.
Gulfside Chats is produced monthly and hosted on Buzzsprout. You can find each episode listed here: https:// www.buzzsprout.com/2126530.
Gulfside Wealth is based in Sarasota.