Our June 2024 Meeting Speakers
June 12, 2024 Speakers - Lourdes Ramirez and Joe Neunder
Wednesday, June 12, 2024, America First Southwest Florida Caucus Keynote speaker was Lourdes Ramirez, former Sarasota Republican Women’s Club President and current President of the Siesta Key Preservation Group.
Also, we had the candidates for State Committeewoman, Terry Angley and Audie Bock and State Committeeman, Joe Nuender and Duff Smiley speaking.
Our May 2024 Meeting Speakers
May 8th Speakers - Michelle Martin and Alexandra Coe
Join us on May 8, 2024 to hear Michelle Martin and Alexandra Coe speak.
Michelle Martin is the Deputy Director of Grassroots & Regional Director (FL), for Citizens for Renewing America,
With two terms on the Sarasota County Charter Review Board under her belt , Alexandra Coe has officially announced her candidacy for Sarasota County Commission, District 1.
Our April 2024 Meeting Speakers
April 10th Meeting Speakers - Michelle Pozzie and James Buchanan (James was a no-show.)
James Buchana is currently the State Representative District 74.
Michelle Pozzie is the candidate for State Representative District 74.
Our March 2024 Meeting Speakers
Sheriff Kurt Hoffman and Neil Rainford
Come to our March meeting to hear our speakers Kurt Hoffman, and Neil Rainford. Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is the current Sarasota County Sheriff. Neil Rainford is the Sarasota County Commissioner.
Tom Knight will be our February Guest Speaker
Tom Knight was our February 2024 Guest Speaker
Tom Knight is running for Sarasota County Commission District 3
- Tom Knight was the first Sheriff in Sarasota County to deport criminal illegal aliens from our community
- Moved to Venice in 1973, graduate of Venice High School
- 34 years in law enforcement with the Sarasota Police Department, Florida Highway Patrol and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
- As Sheriff from 2009 through 2020:
- Led an agency with 1,000 employees and a $121 million budget
- Drove crime down in Sarasota County by more than 50 percent
- Received a national ASTOR award for protecting children from online predators and human traffickers
- Managed costs and prevented the need for a $100M+ county bond for a new jail and administrative offices
Ron Turner was our January 2024 Guest Speaker
Ron Turner - Supervisor of Elections in Sarasota County
Ron Turner was elected Supervisor of Elections in Sarasota County in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. Supervisor Turner began his career with the Sarasota County elections office as chief of staff, serving from 2011 until his election. He currently serves as president of the Florida Supervisors of Elections statewide association (FSE).
In addition to his work as an elections administrator, Turner has extensive governmental and nonprofit leadership experience. Turner began his public service career at the age of 23 as a city council member and deputy mayor for the City of Arcadia and later served as supervisor of elections for DeSoto County, Florida.
A native Floridian, Turner earned a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Missouri’s Truman School of Government and Public Affairs. He is an alumnus of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he completed its Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government, and is a nationally Certified Elections/Registration Administrator (CERA) through the Elections Center.
Turner is a proud veteran of the United States Army and a member of the Disabled American Veterans.
Ron Turner -Supervisor of Elections in Sarasota County