Palm Beach County Perspective

PALM BEACH COUNTY, like the rest of the country, is faced with a number of important decisions as they go to the polls this November. The general election offers voters candidates for president with sharply different views of our road forward. The down-ticket races are also very important to the governance process. Today’s episode offers listeners an opportunity to hear from two candidates vying t...

PALM BEACH COUNTY relies on its residents to provide intelligence and leadership at all levels of governance. Be it their Condominium or HOA board, volunteering on a committee or advisory board or taking the step of seeking public office. The task of campaigning can be daunting and it’s not for the weak of heart. My guest on this episode, Peggy Gossett-Seidman has served our community as a commiss...

PALM BEACH COUNTY residents are taking the time to educate themselves on the candidates vying for their vote and on trying to understand the rationale behind the ballot questions. The cheerleaders for the Democrat and Republican parties are its Committeemen and Committeewomen. I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak with the newly elected Committeeman (Joe LaFauci) and Committeewoman (Jodi S...

PALM BEACH COUNTY residents are voting! Vote by Mail ballots our out, Early Voting begins on October 21st and the General Election will be on November 5th. In this Episode we take a look at one of our “local” races - School Board District 5. We talk with Gloria Branch. The School District of Palm Beach County is the 10th largest district in the USA with over 170,000 students speaking multiple lang...

PALM BEACH COUNTY residents are preparing for the upcoming General Election. In Episode 100 we focused on the ballot questions being presented to voters for an up or down vote. Six potential amendments to the Florida Constitution and, in Palm Beach County, one local initiative to extend the 1/2 penny sales tax for schools. In this Episode we take a look at one of our “local” races - County Commiss...

Palm Beach County is preparing to go to the polls as the General Election approaches. First, let me say it’s good to be back as we record our 100th episode. During my hiatus, I mounted an unsuccessful campaign to challenge our incumbent Member of Congress. It wasn’t meant to be but the experience was quite educational and I will say more about this in the future. In Episode 100 we focus on the bal...

Episode 99 is an opportunity to continue our celebration of the arts. Last month Arlene Herson and Shari Upbin, two well known members of our community with a deep sense of purpose in ensuring the Arts gets its due, spoke about the National Society of Arts and Letters and its mission of assisting promising young artists through competitions, financial assistance, master classes, mentoring and prov...

Episode 98 is a celebration of the arts. While we continue to emphasize STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), no less important to a well rounded education is the inclusion of the Arts (STEAM). My guests for this episode are Arlene Herson and Shari Upbin, two well known members of our community with a deep sense of purpose in ensuring the Arts gets its due as we teach ou...

Episode 97 is an opportunity to bring back my loving life partner as she discusses her, just published, book. Pamela Weinroth is the proud author of "Steal the Style," a virtual "how-to" for people looking for champagne fashion on a beer wallet. As many of you know, we are out and about on a regular basis to attend events in Palm Beach County to support the many nonprofit agencies doing their best...

Episode 96  is a mixed bag of topics. Pamela Higer-Polani is my guest. During today's conversation we touch upon several subjects including estate planning, community volunteerism and Israel. Pamela is an attorney, licensed to practice in the United States and Israel (where she and her Israeli born husband lived and started their family). We talk about the terrorist attack of October 7th and the r...

Episode 95 is my opportunity to talk with my former City Council colleague, Constance Scott, to catch up with her and her associate, Karen Corcoran, as they embark on a new initiative addressing mental and physical wellbeing. The maintenance of balance in one's life is essential to a feeling of well being and happiness. Constance is a former AFAA certified fitness instructor and personal trainer a...

Episode 94  provides an opportunity to take a step back and consider retirement and ways to ensure adequate financial planning provides for lifetime security. My guest, Tom Archer, has for over  37 years, served as a trusted financial advisor to the nation's most affluent families. His clientele boasts numerous Fortune 500 families, including an impressive roster of 25 billionaires, as well as ren...

Episode 93  takes a look at how the State of Florida, and in particular, Palm Beach County, has taken steps to make the inner workings of government more transparent and ethical. Our guest today, Dr. Peter Cruise, teaches ethics at Florida Atlantic University and is an appointed member of the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics. When individuals do not trust the veracity of their public officia...

Episode 92  is an opportunity to address the continuing waves of anti-semitism, especially as the war in the Middle East brings those sentiments to the surface. My guest is  Eric Rozenberg. He is a Belgian-born American citizen, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and podcaster. From organizing projects for Fortune 500 companies in over fifty countries to volunteering to protect the Jewish community in...

Episode 91 Episode 91 is an opportunity to, again, highlight the entrepreneurial spirit of many within our community. Often this has resulted in residents establishing what I like to call, "home grown nonprofit agencies." We have, and will continue to, shine the spotlight on these endeavors. However, today's guests have turned their "entrepreneurial spirit" into businesses generating jobs and inco...

Episode 90 focuses on how our non profit agencies work together to help our community's most vulnerable. Today's conversation focuses on the Fuller Center and the Rotary Club of Boca Raton Sunrise. Ellyn Okrent is the CEO at Fuller Center. She has been a guest previously discussing the services they provide as a source of childcare and early education for many within our community who work each da...

Episode 89 focuses on how the changing demographic in South Florida over the past decades has provided opportunities for shared experiences. It was not too long ago that South Florida was viewed as the place people went to retire and live their "golden years." This is, of course, a wonderful place to retire but many families have relocated to South Florida to enjoy the wonderful weather, recreatio...

Episode 88 offers our listeners an opportunity to hear about the services available in our community to address mental illness. Mental illness is NOT a dirty word. Years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Rita Thrasher, a champion for starting a conversation about mental illness. She recognized the need to take the issue of mental illness out of the shadows. My guests , today, are on the front line...

Episode 87 is an opportunity to hear our guest, Nina Presman, share her journey to self actualization and enlightenment, and how she uses quantum energy and metaphysical phenomena to heal childhood abuse, PTSD, and debilitating conditions in men, women, and children. Nina discusses her journey from Russia, surviving multiple abusive relationships, to establishing a state of the art institute to he...

Episode 86 takes a look at how our community is governed and by whom. One of the important qualities of Florida is the concept of "Home Rule." The concept is addressed in the Florida Constitution and reserves to the cities, towns, villages and counties the responsibility to enact rules and ordinances for their residents in a way that a federal or state legislature cannot. My own entry into the pol...

Episode 85 takes a slightly different direction than past conversations. We have repeatedly emphasized the fertile business environment in South Florida (and especially Palm Beach County). But, the question for many within our community is how to exploit those opportunities. My guest, Victoria Salem, is a p rofessional development coach who  focuses on communication, public speaking and networking...

Episode 84 may feel a bit like déjà vu. Several weeks ago we had the pleasure of visiting with the president and president-elect of the Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton. As we mentioned then, Boca Raton is so committed to "Service Above Self" that we have multiple clubs. The "original" club was established in 1957. That club, the Rotary Club of Boca Raton, boasts over 80 community minded business l...

Episode 83 introduces our listeners to another of our local nonprofit agencies. Scholastic achievement is a critical need for our children as they prepare to take their places in a world economy. Emphasis, of late, has been on STEM ( an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). These four fields share an emphasis on innovation, problem-solving, and critical thinking. However, as our...

Episode 82   brings us back to my favorite topic, giving back (especially within a community where, too often, we are judged as "self-absorbed" and too concerned with our own well being). As regular listeners of this podcast know, I am an unapologetic cheerleader for the many residents in our community who give of themselves to "pay it forward." Granted, the "Boca'' lifestyle offers glitz and glam...

Episode 81 highlights the close ties between South Florida and our neighbors in South America. Our guests, Mary Sol Gonzalez and Claudia Nichols introduce our listeners to the  Hispanic Entrepreneurs Initiative (HEI) Florida, founded by entrepreneurs who embody the unique characteristics of being immigrants from Latin America, and doing business in the United States. Their mission is to foster eco...