From the Corner Office

Cheryl Kunkle was named CEO of youth financial literacy nonprofit Junior Achievement in Fort Myers in January. Prior to this role, she held leadership positions for health care and medical nonprofits, including the ALS Association and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. And prior to getting into nonprofit work, Cheryl was a teacher. On this episode of From the Corner Office, Cheryl and Business Ob...

Kevin Gillen has been in the banking industry for some 40 years, and a Tampa Bay and Sarasota executive for Synovus Bank since 2020. On this episode of From the Corner Office, Kevin and Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon talked about the power — and perils — of AI in banking and other sectors, and some of the trendlines Kevin sees in the region’s economy the rest of 2026. They also talk...

Rebecca is an ADHD and executive function coach, and founder of Mindful Communication. Based in Sarasota, Rebecca is a speech language pathologist and author of the book, “The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction.” She has been studying listening behaviors and activities for more than 25 years. On this episode of From the Corner Office, Rebecca and Business Observer Ma...

Dev Iglesias has been with FPL for nearly a decade, working her way up from a marketing and communications role. Well-known in the Sarasota-Bradenton community for being one of the faces of FPL’s storm and outage response teams, Dev got into this field after initially chasing a career in sports communications and marketing. On this episode of From the Corner Office, Dev and Business Observer Manag...

Naomi Kent has been working helping senior executives and leaders find the right company boards to sit on, and then be engaged and productive board members while there. She’s worked overseas and in New York and Chicago, and is now based in Naples. On this episode of From the Corner Office, Naomi and Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon talked about the themes and patterns she has seen in...

Owen LaFave has been with The Bank of Tampa for 13 years and in the banking industry for more than 20 years. He also hosts The Bank of Tampa’s The Money Market Podcast. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Owen talked about how he got into banking, his key leadership lessons — they revolve around the three Hs: humor, humility and honesty — and why being a dependable l...

Rick was with Tupperware for nearly 30 years, including stints as president, CEO, chairman and chairman emeritus. He was also an executive with Avon Corp., in Europe and the U.S.. He recently teamed up with leaders at Rollins College in Orlando to launch a new executive education institute: The Rick Goings Institute for Management and Executive Leadership. On this episode, Business Observer Managi...

Jessica is the general manager of the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. She has more than 20 years of experience in full-service hospitality, including sales, events and hotel operations. She’s been with the Hyatt brand since 2008. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Jessica talked about her start in hospitality — it includes answering a pay phone in her family’s upstate New Yo...

Rick has been the Executive Director of Samaritan Counseling Services, based in Sarasota, since 1999. A native of Tampa, he earned a master’s in Divinity and a master’s in Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. He was ordained into the ministry in 1986. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Rick talked about how and why he got his start in...

Matthew is a senior vice president of partnerships and events for The Real American Beer, based in Tampa. Prior to Real American Beer, he worked for several companies and brands, including Yaymaker, Groupon and CitySearch. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Matthew talked about the value of great storytelling in leadership and what truly makes for an authentic leade...

Jeff has been a leader at two family-run homebuilding businesses in the Sarasota-Manatee market. The first was Eslinger Homes, which operated from 1991 to 2010. In 2017, he co-founded E/M Custom Homes. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Jeff talked about the leadership lessons learned in shutting down one company, when the housing market collapsed in 2008-2010 and l...

Jack Cox has been with Sarasota-based Halfacre Construction since 1985 and is now president and owner. He’s also chairman of the board at Lakewood Ranch based-FCCI Insurance. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Jack talked about Halfacre’s long history of projects in the Sarasota-Manatee region and his role in continuing the company’s legacy. He also talked about wha...

A nationally recognized workplace expert, Linda, based in Sarasota, is the architect of the Spectator-Free Workplace methodology, which fosters shared ownership of performance and revitalizes engagement, productivity and morale. Linda worked in journalism and corporate communications, with GE and AlliedSignal, before starting her own firm. Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Linda ta...

Michael Arrieta founded Garden City Equity after working in Silicon Valley for tech companies, including a stint as a global vice president and chief of staff to the CEO at DocuSign. Garden City, he says, is dedicated to making people-first investments in family and founder-owned businesses in the Southeast. One of its recent investments is in Venice-based outdoor aluminum and pool cage material m...

Aakash Patel founded Elevate Inc. in 2012. The firm provides community relations, targeted networking, and social media consultation. Aakash is also on the board of Hillsborough College and the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Aakash talked about his unique backstory in launching his company and his tricks and tips...

Bruce Cassidy has owned the Concession Golf Club in east Manatee County since 2009. The Concession has been in the news lately, as it is hosting the 2026 Senior PGA Championship in April. Prior to the Concession, Bruce ran global manufacturing and mining businesses in Ohio. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Bruce talked about how he ended up owning a golf course —...

Chuck Wolfe has been CEO of the Chiles Group since 2018. The company oversees several assets, including the organic Gamble Creek Farms in Manatee County. The company previously owned and operated three waterfront restaurants in Manatee. Prior to hospitality, Chuck was in politics and strategic planning, including a 12-year stint as CEO for the Victory Fund, a national advocacy group supporting LGB...

Toni founded her fractional CEO firm, The C Society, in June 2025. One of her goals is to bring high-level leadership to restaurant and hospitality companies with the overhead. She was previously president of restaurant brand Perkins and managing director for Little Ceaser’s Pizza, Canada. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Toni talked about her career, both with la...

Jon Kaupla was appointed to run the Center for Executive and Leadership Education at the USF Muma College of Business last July. The center is designed to deliver practical, high-impact learning experiences for current and emerging leaders. Prior to USF, Jon spent nearly a decade leading the Center for Professional & Executive Development at the Wisconsin School of Business. On this episode, B...

Ronde is one of the most recognized professional athletes in Tampa Bay, having played 16 seasons for the Buccaneers in a Hall of Fame career that included a Super Bowl win. Ronde has remained active in the region’s sports and philanthropic communities since his 2012 retirement, and is general chairman of Copperhead Charities, which puts on the Valspar Championship PGA Tour event every March. On th...

Craig Albernaz was named manager of the Baltimore Orioles — who host spring training in Sarasota — last October. Craig played college baseball at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg and then in the minor leagues for eight seasons, including seven with the Tampa Bay Rays. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Craig talked about his rise in baseball, from working in the min...

Lee Wetherington founded Lee Wetherington Homes in Sarasota in 1981. He has since moved the company, one of the largest-builders in the Sarasota-Manatee region, to Lakewood Ranch. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Lee talked about the ups and downs of being in the homebuilding business in Florida for more than 40 years, and the key decisions he had to make — in bot...

Debbie LaPinska has been chief people office of CabinetWorks Group, based in Michigan, since November 2024. Prior to CabinetWorks, she worked at Venice-based window and door manufacturer PGT Innovations for 31 years, rising to chief human resources officer, and after that, chief customer officer. She joined several other former PGT executives at CabinetWorks Group. On this episode, Business Observ...

Nicci Bucher was named CEO of the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg in late 2025. Prior to this role, Nicci spent 20 years in the YMCA network, most recently as COO of the YMCA of Central Florida, where she oversaw a $51.6 million operational budget. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Nicci talked about her leadership styles and principles and how she creates a strong...

Jake Haulsic has some 15 years of experience in technology sales, with Velosio and Tribridge. He founded Trofeo, a fast-scaling cloud consultancy specializing in Microsoft Azure, in 2024. On this episode Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Jake talk about how he built his company, not only around product and service, but culture. He also talked about some early decisions at Troefo th...