On Monday, December 12th, 2022, the South Lake Chamber of Commerce welcomed the 2023 Officers and Board of Directors at the Annual Trustee & Board Luncheon. During this event, the Chamber reflected on a prosperous year where we vigorously engaged our members and expanded our organization to more than 800 members. 2022 accomplishments include:
- Assisting hundreds of members in connecting to new customers and strategic partners through events, social media, and daily referrals.
- The Chamber staff has partnered with all of our South Lake communities by attending, sponsoring, and promoting their events and programs.
- The Chamber welcomed 168 new members and conducted 41 ribbon cuttings.
- The Chamber had record attendance at monthly events including Business After Hours, First Friday Chamber Connection, Let’s do Lunch, and Chamber Breakfasts.
- Our very successful Signature events were: the South Lake Business Awards, Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, Hob Nob, Sips & Salsa, Taste of South Lake, and Golf Tournament. These events welcomed more than 10,000 attendees.
- In 2022, we developed new programs including South Lake Women in Business Series, the Business Accelerator Series, and the Veterans Oasis Business Expo.
- We hosted our first internship through the SkillBridge program, designed to accommodate transitioning military members into the civilian workplace.
2022 was certainly a year of high member and community engagement. Thanks to the efforts of our Board, Trustees, and Chamber staff, we served the growing needs of our members and remained financially strong.
The Chamber welcomed the 2023 officers approved by the Nominating Committee. They are as follows:
- Chair – Thom Kieft, Lake-Sumter State College
- Vice-Chair – Sheri Olson, Orlando Health South Lake Hospital
- Treasurer – Jamie Lowe, Lake Catherine Farms
- Secretary – Donna Kirtland, Live Well Foundation of South Lake
- Immediate Past Chair – Aimee Stanley, Optima One Realty
David Colby, President of the South Lake Chamber of Commerce, honored Aimee Stanley with a plaque and thanked her for serving our South Lake community as our 2022 Board Chair.
The Chamber also recognized the following outgoing board members for their service:
- Ben Homan, Skillful Antics
- Joe Reyes, South State Bank
- Kathy Smith, Community Foundation of South Lake
- Pat Caracciolo, Pat the Dog Pet Resort, served since 2015 and served as Board Chair in 2020 and 2021.
During the Trustee & Board Luncheon, the Chamber welcomed the newly elected 2023 Board of Directors:
- Amanda Hansen, Seacoast Bank
- Chuck Gainsford, Gainsford Insurance
- Jenna Emerson, CEMEX
- Mary Lou Burdette-Wieloszynski, Granny Nannies
- Helen G. Sneed, Drive the Goal
- Jean Gallagher, Walt Disney World Resort
- Regina Cruz-Morales, Keller Williams Elite Partners III Realty
- Zach Decker, JeBailey & Co.
- John Quiceno, Expert Home Service
The following individuals will continue to serve on the Chamber Board:
- Bridgette Bennett, Bennett Law Center
- Daniel Whitehouse, Whitehouse & Cooper
- Jeff Osterman, Montverde Academy
- Jeff Powell, Powell Studio Architecture
- Kathy Judkins, SECO Energy
- Kristin Jamieson, The Kristin Jamieson Mortgage Team
- Nancy H. Cummings, Cummings Collaborative, LLC
- Otis Taylor, Give A Day Foundation
- Rebekah Hurd, AdventHealth
- Rick Saborido, Dunkin’
- Donna Kirtland, Live Well Foundation of South Lake
“The Chamber is grateful for the leadership and guidance Aimee Stanley provided in 2022, and we look forward to another prosperous year under the direction of our 2023 Board Chair, Thom Kieft of Lake-Sumter State College,” said David Colby.