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EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

 

 


Jamie Miller

Chairman


Jamie Miller


Jamie is married to Jennifer Bash. He is a passionate advocate for Sarasota County. He has been involved in numerous non-profits and community activities after first moving to Sarasota in 1998 (he moved back permanently in 2005 after a six-year hiatus in Tallahassee). He works in strategic planning and messaging and helps his clients navigate where community, public and government relations intersect. He prides himself in creating innovative strategic plans that meet short-term goals while preparing for long-term opportunities.


Richard Updated

President

Richard Pocker



I am a native New Yorker. I was a third-generation art dealer and picture framer. J.Pocker & Son was
founded in 1926 by my grandparents. It is still in continuous operation. I had a progressive hearing loss
from scarlet fever at the age of five and wore hearing aid aids until I suffered a sudden and total collapse
of all my residual hearing when I was thirty and ran my business while depending entirely on lip reading.

Beth and I moved to Sarasota in 2015. It was here that I discovered that the area was a center for cochlear
implants. I had simultaneous bilateral surgery in December 2015 and was active in January 2016, ending
35 years of total deafness. I went from zero speech comprehension to 85% and I was recently tested at
100%.

Since I was given the gift of hearing, my mission has been to mentor or assist profoundly hard of hearing
or deaf people out of the isolation of deafness. I have interacted with well over a thousand candidates in
the past eight years.



Adam Burnside

Treasurer

Adam Burnside



Adam Burnside is a native of Sarasota, a graduate of Riverview High School, a Bright Futures Scholarship recipient, and a graduate with Honors from Florida State University. In
2010 he earned bachelor's degrees in marketing and business administration, as well as a certificate from the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship.
 
Adam met his wife, Lesley, while in college, and they married in 2010. They are raising two wonderful daughters, Haley and Brooklynn. Adam grew up in the family business, Good News Pest Solutions. From technician to sales inspector, to sales manager, and now ambassador/business development manager, Adam has served Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte Counties as a trusted, lifelong local professional. In 2024, Adam earned his Certified Pest Control Operators License from the State of Florida. His entrepreneurial spirit drives him to think creatively and disruptively as he approaches tasks and challenges. His gifts as a "connector" are shared with his dad, Dean Burnside, and learned by emulating the company's founder and first ambassador, John Macy.
 
Adam is active in a wide variety of chambers, associations, alliances, business groups, non-profits, and foundations across the Suncoast. He volunteers in the children's program at his
local church and enjoys the camaraderie of his friends on the pickleball court and golf course.  

Brandi Furlan

Secretary


Brandi Furlan


Brandi Furlan has been married 29 years, mom of 2.  Originally from Las Vegas, NV and moved to Sarasota in 2004.  She has been in real estate for over 30 years and has a real estate team called The Furlan Group at Keller Williams Classic Group. 


 

 

BOARD MEMBERS

 




Tim Self Headshot 2021

Membership Chair


Tim Self

Tim has been active in the Sarasota business community since 1996. He currently serves on the boards of Visit Sarasota, Leadership Sarasota, First Step and the Sertoma Kids, Inc. Tim received the 2017 Action and Impact Award from Leadership Sarasota for his various community involvement. In 2016, he was elected to a 3 year term of the National Board of Sertoma Inc. 

 


1076-ChrisFulton.webp

Communications Chair

Chris Fulton


Chris Fulton, a Sarasota native, dedicated Residential Mortgage Loan Officer who is a veteran Army Field Artillery Officer. With a commitment to service ingrained in his DNA, Chris brings discipline and integrity to every client interaction.

Passionate about helping families and individuals achieve their homeownership dreams, he is a proud member of the Sertoma Club of Sarasota, where he continues to make a positive impact on the community. His goal is to help spread the word about Sertoma and

the amazing Sertoma Kids, Inc children's programs.



Angela.jpg

Socials/Happy Hour Chair

Angela Chang


Angela Chang is a licensed and Florida-registered Interior Designer specializing in Residential, Multi-Family, Commercial, and Hospitality design.


Born and raised in Taiwan, Angela moved to America for college. Angela received her Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Design – Spatial Experience.


Angela started her professional career in commercial design in Los Angeles. In 2020, Angela moved to Longboat Key, Florida and she expanded her love of design to residential, multi-family, and hospitality projects.


Angela enjoys traveling, cooking & baking, camping, and a long walk on the beach with or without a fishing rod in her hand