Pat Robinson, who is retiring as Sarasota Deputy City Manager and Public Safety Director on May 26, has been appointed director of SafeSRQ, the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee announced.
Robinson, a former high-ranking Sarasota Police Department official, will succeed Tom Baugher, a former FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force supervisor who built the program over four years into one of the most comprehensive community security operations in the U.S.
Over a 25-year career with the city, Robinson – a Sarasota native and Riverview High graduate – rose from homicide detective to Deputy Chief and led the local Joint Terrorism Task Force. He has served six years as Deputy City Manager and Public Safety Director, overseeing multiple city operations, including police, Emergency Management, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Public Utilities, and Information Technology.
SafeSRQ is a specialized security initiative of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee designed to protect local Jewish institutions and community members. Baugher established a regionwide security committee spanning every Jewish organization and trained more than 2,300 community members across a range of security disciplines, according to the Federation.
“Pat is one of the most dynamic and respected law enforcement professionals in ourregion,” Federation CEO Shepard Englander said. “SafeSRQ is already a national model.Pat’s servant leadership and renowned problem-solving will make sure it reaches evenfurther.”
The program’s reach was evident when the Federation’s October 7 commemoration hosted Israel’s former Defense Minister under presidential-level security.
“I grew up in Sarasota and have spent more than 25 years keeping this community safe –as a uniformed officer, a detective, and leading teams through natural disasters,” Robinson said in a press release. “Safety is the building block of everything we value about where we live. … and I am deeply honored to help carry that mission forward.”
Sarasota law firms merging
Syprett Meshad P.A. and Eastmoore Crauwels & DuBose recently announced an agreement to merge, uniting long-established Sarasota-based law firms under the name Syprett Meshad & DuBose.
Founded more than 50 years ago, Syprett Meshad provides representation across multiple practice areas, including personal injury litigation, commercial litigation, family law, real estate, probate, and criminal defense. With a history dating more than 35 years, Eastmoore Crauwels & DuBose has built a reputation for handling personal injury, medical malpractice and legal malpractice cases throughout the region.
“With this merger, we are bringing together two of Sarasota’s most established and recognized firms,” said Scott Westheimer, partner at Syprett Meshad P.A. and past president of the Florida Bar. “Both of us have long histories in this community, and we share the same commitment to providing high-quality legal representation while remaining a locally focused firm.”
Project Pride leadership
The Project Pride SRQ board of directors has named Justyn Hunter-Ceruti as the organization’s interim executive director; board member Jessica Maxon-Berrier will assume Hunter-Ceruti’s role as board president.
Hunter-Ceruti brings a combination of nonprofit governance leadership, operational expertise, and community-rooted service to the interim executive director role. He became involved with Project Pride SRQ as a volunteer in 2022, joined the board of directors in 2023, and has served in key leadership roles.
“I’m honored to step into this role at an important moment for Project Pride SRQ,” Hunter-Ceruti said. “I care deeply about this organization, its mission and the community it serves, and am honored to steward Project Pride through my term – and beyond.”
FourThought partner honored
Scott Pinkerton, managing partner at Venice-based FourThought Private Wealth, has been named to the 2026 Barron’s Top 1500 Financial Advisors and the 2026 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors lists.
Both lists involve independent, rigorous evaluations based on factors such as assets under management, client retention, compliance records, years of experience, and best practices.
Pinkerton is a lifelong resident of Venice. He holds a B.A. from Wittenberg University and has completed executive education programs at the Wharton School of Business and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His professional designations include CFP, CIMA, and CPWA.
New director of communications
Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation recently named Sarah Crittenden as director of communications and philanthropic engagement.
Crittenden previously served as senior director of events and engagement at Ringling College of Art and Design, leading strategic communication and engagement initiatives supporting the college’s fundraising and capital campaign efforts.
“Sarah brings an exceptional combination of strategic communications experience, donor engagement expertise, and event leadership,” said Stacey Corley, president of Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation. “Her background in building meaningful relationships and creating mission-driven experiences will help us continue to grow awareness and support for Sarasota Memorial.”
Crittenden earned a Master of Arts in mass communications from the University of Florida. She also holds a BA in advertising and public relations from the University of Central Florida.
Freedom Village executive director
Freedom Village of Bradenton recently named Brandon Bornstein as its new executive director, succeeding Scott McAlister, who is retiring after six years.
Bornstein, who offers more than a decade of experience in Life Plan and Continuing Care Retirement Communities, most recently served as a CCRC executive director with Brookdale Senior Living, where he led community operations and strategic initiatives focused on performance, culture, and resident experience.
McAlister’s retirement concludes a meaningful tenure at Freedom Village, where he played a key role in supporting residents and staff while strengthening the community’s reputation for excellence.
Ritz-Carlton pastry chef
The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota recently appointed Randy Nielsen as executive pastry chef. With more than 20 years of experience in luxury hotels and resorts, Chef Nielsen will oversee all pastry operations across the resort, including banquets, in-room dining, and signature outlets such as Jack Dusty, Rufa, Ridley’s Porch, The Club Lounge, and The Golf Club Grille.
Nielsen most recently served at The St. Regis Longboat Key, where he was part of the resort’s opening team, helping build the pastry program and lead a team focused on consistency and attention to detail.
“My style is modern and rooted in a sense of discovery,” Nielsen said. “I actually fell into pastry early in my career and quickly became drawn to the creativity and precision it requires. What excites me most is creating those moments for guests.”
Nielsen plans to introduce desserts centered on fruit, seasonality, and contrast, with layered textures and unexpected flavor combinations inspired by the surrounding landscape and local Florida ingredients.
Around and about
· Michael Saunders & Company recently celebrated the grand opening of its new Wellen Park office. The 5,000-square-foot office at 19750 S. West Villages Parkway was designed by PR Architects and built by Willis Smith Construction, with interior design by Angela Chang Design Studio.
· Body and Sol Spa & Wellness has opened UPSTAIRS – a collaborative endeavor involving massage, yoga, boutique shopping, and local art – at 9805 Gulf Drive in Anna Maria. Wash Construction completed the project.
· Grasons, an estate sale and business liquidation company and member of Evive Brands, has opened a new franchise, Grasons of Sarasota-Venice. The Sarasota-Venice franchise is owned and operated by Nicole and Jakob Gutierrez, a husband-and-wife team who bring a combined 20 years of experience in marketing and strategic partnerships across multiple industries.
· Sarasota-based SmartHouse Integration hired Bryan Vidovich to serve as a projectmanager. Vidovich brings more than five years of low voltage project management experience, including security, data, communications, and audio-visual systems.
· Pines of Sarasota Foundation has appointed Lisa Keverian-Press, a managing director and senior investment consultant with Robert W. Baird & Co., as chair of its board of trustees and also named Jonathan “Mason” Askew and Matt Hess to the board.
Compiled from press releases
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Longtime Sarasota city official Pat Robinson to lead SafeSRQ
Reporting by Special to the Herald-Tribune, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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