Visit Sarasota County announces board of directors for 2021 fiscal year

Four new members added

Christine Johnson is the chair of the VSC board of directors. Image courtesy Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast

Visit Sarasota County (VSC), the county’s tourism agency, has announced its newly elected Fiscal Year 2021 board of directors.

The executive committee comprises the following individuals, a news release says: Chair Christine Johnson, president of the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast; Vice Chair Nick Mavrikas, general manager of Embassy Suites; Secretary/Treasurer Lorrie Liang, chief operating officer of Sarasota Memorial Hospital; and Immediate Past Chair Steven High, executive director, of The Ringling Museum.

Returning general members of the VSC board are Sarasota County Commissioner Alan Maio; Gil Reyes, general manager of the Westin Sarasota; Lori Ruth, associate publisher of the East County Observer; Richard Russell, executive director of Sarasota Opera; and Sondra Guffey, marketing & business development specialist for the City of North Port, the release adds.

New appointments to the board are Ann Frescura, executive director of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce; John LaCivita, executive vice president of Willis Smith Construction; Rick Konsavage, managing director of resort & club at The Resort at Longboat Key Club; and Tim Self, financial adviser with Gulfside Investment Services.

The members began their terms on Oct. 1 and will continue in their roles through Sept. 30, 2021, “a period encompassing Sarasota County’s Centennial” and the 2021 Tourism Marketing Scope of Work for Sarasota County, the release points out.

“VSC will work closely with Sarasota County Centennial 2021 to celebrate and highlight our history throughout the year,” the release notes.

“The 2021 Scope of Work for Sarasota County Tourism is the second business plan and budget based upon the five-year Sarasota County Destination Strategic Plan (DSP),” the release explains. VSC built that plan in collaboration with representatives of the tourism community; the plan was approved by the Sarasota County Tourist Development Council and accepted by the Sarasota County commissioners, the release adds.

To view either the 2021 Scope of Work or the 2020-2025 DSP, visit www.SarasotaCountyLovesTourists.com.