Horizon Mortgage Corporation has led the way in commercial mortgage banking on the West Coast of Florida since 1979. With a milestone of 40 years to celebrate, the Sarasota-based enterprise’s SRQ BrandStory looks back on Horizon Mortgage’s humble beginning and its upwinding success as a father-daughter powerhouse—grown to be one of the most trusted and sought-after mortgage lenders in the region.

With four decades of building contacts, market insight, operative leverage and customer relations in the financial marketplace, Horizon Mortgage Corporation remains a force as a full-service real estate advisory group at its core. Having developed the ability to secure loans not typical of what most banks offer, which are inclusive of land loans, mezzanine or second mortgage financing, portfolio loans, equity raises, construction financing and more, it continuously pioneers what it means to be a mortgage broker in such a fluctuating and variable market. Horizon’s invaluable capability to close any type of commercial transaction can be ascribed to the unique background and story of President/Founder N.J. Olivieri and daughter Kelly Gilliland, Executive Vice President. Together, they’ve created a collaborative balance in business, using both their strengths to excel as a household name in the industry. From genuine customer service and taking the time to understand every client’s personal and financial situations as well as their goals, to their tireless focus on eliminating risk, and providing intuitive expertise in underwriting both the asset in question, as well as the credibility of the borrower and the marketplace, customers find themselves in caring and capable hands at Horizon Mortgage.

READ HORIZON’S BRANDSTORY ONLINE

We had a blast at the 2019 Best of SRQ Local TGIF Party! On Friday, April 5 the SRQ MEDIA team and 250+ foodies and local enthusiasts gathered at ALoft Sarasota to taste signature dishes and cocktails courtesy of fifteen winning restaurants from this year’s Best of SRQ Local competition.

Celebrating the best locally owned establishments in the region, every year SRQ MEDIA asks our astute readers to vote for their favorite local eats, shopping, arts, luminaries and hotspots culminating in the buzzworthy special “Best of SRQ Local” awards feature published in the April magazine. This year, to celebrate SRQ Magazine’s 20th anniversary, the Best of SRQ Local feature and TGIF party shared a 90’s theme. DJ Rus Deep kept 90’s throwbacks spinning throughout the evening giving guests the opportunity to rekindle their love for the decade of Ace of Base, Nirvana, and TLC.

A very big thank you to our awesome food and drink vendors who served up some seriously delicious tastings: Patricks 1481, OfKors Bakery, Pazzo Southside, JPan, Calusa Brewery, El Toro Bravo Restaurant, Zildjian Catering & Consulting, The Overton, Duval’s Fresh. Local. Seafood., State Street Eating House, Five-O Donuts, Mattison’s, CROP, Ophelia’s On The Bay, and Element: Modern Mediterranean Grill.

Thank you to our amazing host, ALoft Sarasota and a big thanks to Mojo Photo Booth for the fun photo ops and DJ Rus Deep for keeping the 90s soundtrack rolling during TGIF. Click HERE to see more photos from the event. To view the full list of Best of SRQ Local winners, check out the April feature online HERE.

Getting into some Summertime planning? Check out SRQ Magazine’s new edition of RocketKids. Now available to view online, RocketKids is your family’s ultimate guide to Summer 2019.

Explore the latest summer camp options and family programs scheduled at destinations in the Sarasota-Bradenton area. We’ve created an all-in-one guide to local camps and activities for children of all ages. Summertime will be here before we know it – check out the exciting opportunities that our region offers and register soon to join the fun!

Check out the magazine HERE

FEATURE:

• BEST of SRQ LOCAL: It’s been 20 years since SRQ Magazine first hit Mailboxes in the (941) and beyond, and the sunshine’s only gotten sweeter since–as evidence each year with the annual best of SRQ Local competition, giving mad props to the bangin’ local businesses that make each season better than the last. This year, we celebrate the here and now with a little trip to the way back when, to where it all started, to that weird and wonderful superunknown we remember simply as the ’90s. Hold on Hella tight and stay frosted, this trip ain’t for scrubs. #LOVELOCAL #SRQ20 

SRQIST: Local Heart & Soul Stories About the People, Places and Experiences that Define Our Hometown

• Pig Pen: Local humorist and author Lee Volpe finds her favorite book character in Officer, the mini pig.
• Darwin’s Theory of She-Volution: Descended from circus artists and international magicians, Erika Cain was naturally selected to become an inveterate performer.
• Whisked Away: The Ringling Museum hosts an exclusive choreographic ceremony of Chanoyu to learn the Japanese mastery of matcha. 

CULTURE CITY: Arts + Culture, Performing and Visual Arts, Portfolio, In Studio, Art-sheet

• Building a Movement: The women of Moving Ethos Dance Company make it personal at Ringling Residency with girlwoman.  
• Regarding Henry: The lost art of Post-Impressionist artist Henry St. Claire finds its way to Sarasota.
• With Attitude: Artistic Director Janet Eilber on the future and philosophy of the Martha Graham Dance Company.
• Colors of Exploration: In the lab with the gladdest mad scientist in Sarasota. Andrea Dasha Reich. 
• Modern Day Medici: An interview with Sam Alfstad on the gallery game.

AGENDA: Insight on Politics, Government and Business

• Golden Opportunity: What will consolidating University of South Florida campus mean for Sarasota–Manatee?

CARGO: The Goods, Design Dossier, Retail Therapy, Antique Story, Nest, Books

• Top of the Morning: Size daybreak’s early hours with goods that get you rewed and going.
• Fashion Runway: Our favorite fashion runway trends of Summer 2019.
• Modest Modern: Firmo Construction and architect Lunardi invest in a new model in historic Indian beach–sapphire shores.
• Mining Magic: McCarver and Moser celebrates 40 years with the inclusion of Robert Procop’s Exceptional Jewels Collection.

FORAGE: At the Table, Foodarama, Restaurants, Foodie Life

• Subterfuge and Flavor: Umbrellas 1296 catches the eye, but its really after your belly.
• Feeling Hungary?:  A bevy of European bakers and chefs bring Old World comfort and cuisine.

WANDERLUST: Florida Staycations and Weekend Getaways

• Treasure in the Keys: Reclaiming the Florida keys from Hurricane Irma with an extensive renovation of Hawks Cay Resort on Duck Key.

Get in on all the goodness and pick up a copy of this month’s edition today!

-The SRQ team

CLICK HERE to access the pages of the APRIL 2019 SRQ digital edition.

SRQ MEDIA was pleased to host the 2019 SMARTgirl Leadership and Mentoring Summit at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota on Friday, March 15, 2019. Powered by the SRQ MEDIA Women in Business platform, SMARTgirl is an innovative program designed to engage girls in 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades in imagining their future careers and creating the tools they will need to succeed through mentorship, soft skills training and hands-on workshops with some of the community’s top women leaders.

The crowd of SMARTgirls arrived to the Hyatt Regency Sarasota bright and early– ready for a day of engaging, empowering programming. The guests were welcomed by two workshops designed to spark creativity: a Mythic Story Station and a Superhero Team Station. Facilitated by the SMARTgirl Class of 2019 Mentors and SRQ staff, the activities were great icebreakers that encouraged team building.

The SMARTgirl Class of 2019 Mentors helped facilitate the next part of the program- the Dream Career Incubator. Nearly thirty volunteer mentors who represented a wide variety of professions each ran three mini-mentor sessions. The team of SMARTgirl mentors offered direction and advice to the girls, asking questions about what their interests are and where they can see themselves in the future. Our mentors also offered the young leaders insight into the professional world and encouraged the girls to follow their passions and dreams.    

The 2019 SMARTgirl Leadership and Mentoring Summit luncheon began with a welcome by Mark Smith of The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art followed by inspiring remarks by the 2019 SMARTgirl Keynote Speaker, Roxie Jerde of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Encouraging the audience of SMARTgirls to demonstrate curiosity, comradery, and collaboration in their everyday lives, Jerde noted that, “Everyone in this room has the potential to impact a cause, another person, and our community.” Jerde described the impact that her experience as a former Girl Scout had on the way she views collaborative thinking and shared, “All of us are smarter than one of us.”

Next, SMARTgirl Partner Alumni Speaker, Britney Guertin of Visit Sarasota County addressed the audience and recalled how the encouragement and support she received through the Boys & Girls Club helped provide a foundation to achieve her potential. She encouraged the young audience to follow their passions and to participate in the Bright Futures Scholarship program.

To kick off the program’s final workshop, the audience learned how prevalent bullying is in each SMARTgirl’s experience at school. 3.2 million students are bullied each year and over 70% of young people say that they have witnessed bullying first hand. The 2019 SMARTgirl Leadership and Mentoring Summit ended with a dynamic anti-bullying workshop led by Blair Bloomston of Game On Nation. Through group activities that promoted connectivity, empathy, and confidence, Bloomston stressed the importance of finding common ground and “laughing with” instead of “laughing at.”

Bloomston encouraged young women to find strengths in one another and to become active in their communities. By the end of the workshops, laughter resonated throughout the room as all in attendance harnessed Bloomston’s spirit of play.

SRQ MEDIA would like to thank the sponsors who made the 2019 SMARTgirl Leadership and Mentoring Summit possible: Career Edge, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, New Balance of Sarasota and University Park, New College of Florida, Sue Ellen’s Floral Boutique, and The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Thank you to host sponsor Hyatt Regency Sarasota, audio visual sponsor PSAV, and to our 2019 Participating SMARTgirl Partner Organizations: Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota County, Girls Inc., Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, and the YMCA.

We are grateful for our fantastic SMARTgirl Class of 2019 Mentors for taking time out of their busy day to share their wisdom and their stories with our SMARTgirls: Mireya Eavey, Gabriele Harris, Shauna Donahue, Susan Moseley, Joy Randels, Katy McBryer, AJ Lee, Ph.D. Kendra Simpkins, Jeannie Perales, Carol Danisi, Alyson Goldy, Jennifer Caraviotis Simms, Lyndsy McDonald, Liz Brookins, Bernadette DiPino, Laurie Pike, Leymis Bolanos-Wilmo , Kameron Hodgens, Ph.D., Paige LeMay, Morgan Gerhart, Tammy Kovar, Erin Watson, Angelica Brady, Casey Siljestrom, DVM, MPH, Major Sherri Sanders, Nadia Kemel, Lee-En Chung, Rochelle Nigri and Nikki Taylor.

And lastly, we thank our 2019 SMARTgirl participants for joining us. You are our community’s next generation of leaders and we look forward to watching you learn, grow, and thrive!

Click HERE to view more photographs from the program.

Don’t forget to save the date for the next Women In Business Program: the SRQ Women in Business Hear Me Roar Leadership and Awards Luncheon, taking place at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota on Thursday, May 2, 2019 Click HERE to purchase your online tickets. Tickets are now available for $75/per person. Sponsorship tickets for a Table of 10 are available for $850 and and sponsor tickets for a half-table of 5, $425. We look forward to celebrating our fabulous presenters and award recipients at this year’s Hear Me Roar Program with you!