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9/11: Did We Forget?
15 years ago today, on September 11, 2001, the world woke up just like any other day. Millions of people got ready for work and made their way to the office. Thousands got on planes, expecting the same result as they had gotten hundreds of times before. They depended things to be as they had been in the past.
But as we know, this was going to be a day that would be remembered forever. Thousands of innocent lives would be lost. The United States of America would be under attack. And fear would reach new heights.
The world was glued to their televisions for days. We wanted to understand why such acts would be undertaken, and how such evil could exist on this planet.
Whether you're in America or another country, I'm sure you will always remember where you were when the news came that terrorism was taking place, and that lives were being lost. You will always remember how it made you feel. And everyone will remember the phrase that was born of this event "We will NEVER forget".
It is now 2016. So many things are happening everywhere we turn. We have a political debate between two candidates in which many American's are struggling to decide why EITHER should be the next president. We have fighting and debates occurring in multiple circles. We see people all over the world turning to social media to tell the whole world how they feel about EVERY situation that occurs. Social media has become very "UN-SOCIAL".
I've kept my silence as others have stood their position. I have remained tight lipped as many friends and social media connections have gone out of their way to show their support of one side or the other of a topic of debate. I've watched as the world abuses their freedom of speech by talking far too much about their stand on things.
On this day, I'm anxious to see the stand of those that make a significant influence in the world. I'm talking about famous actors, speakers, authors, and professional athletes. All over the world, fans are watching. Some are emulating and supporting their favorites. Some are embarrassed by them. Some are unsure how to react and/or respond.
I'm not here to judge anyone who takes EITHER side of a debate, a discussion, a political party, or a problem that we face. I'm looking at the facts at face value. My challenge to the NFL Quarterback that feels he will sit through the American National Anthem to show his protest for all the wrong in the world is this – "Sir, you are symbolizing your take on the events that are ruining this country and the world. YOU are SITTING DOWN and not taking a STAND". Honestly, it needs to be said. I don't make tens of millions of dollars in salary. I don't have a platform to stand on to address millions. My challenge to this arrogant athlete would be that I don't see him spending one penny of his extravagant salary to teach awareness to the next generation. I don't see him spending one penny to fund activities that could bring change in the world. This is because he is SITTING DOWN. He's out to make a scene for something he has much more power and ability to influence. I don't buy it, and I never will. I'm embarrassed for him. I'm embarrassed for the National Football League, and I'm embarrassed for the media and for America to let someone with such a tiny percent of compassion have so much power and authority.
Let us go back to our promise and commitment in 2001. Let us "Never Forget" what we have gone through as a country, and as a WORLD. Let us never forget that there is almost ALWAYS something more that we can do to create change for any situation we do not like.
Sitting down is not the answer.
Author Mike LylesPosted on September 11, 2016 September 11, 2016 Categories Current EventsTags 9/11/01, 9/11/2001, 911, America, football, Kaepernick, Never Forget, NFL, September 11, Twin Towers, USA, We Will Never Forget, World Trade CenterLeave a comment on 9/11: Did We Forget?
How Do You Want To Be Remembered?
How many of you watched Super Bowl 50 this year? For those that know me, I am a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, so I didn't have a favorite team. To me, I was just watching the game for the love of the sport.
When the day started on Superbowl Sunday, I did not expect to learn a valuable leadership lesson from the whole event. But I did.
Two things happened on this day. And both involved interviews with the QB from each of the two teams that were playing in the Superbowl. If you're not a football fan, the QB is the leader of the team on the field. They understand the plan for the game, and they work with the coaches to define the plays that they are going to execute in the attempt to win the game.
The first thing that I encountered was a pre-game interview with the Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning.
If you don't know this great QB, he has the most records in football than any other in that position – just a few of the records he holds are:
Most TD = 539
Single season TD record: 55
Most passing yards – season: 5,477
Most games 300+ yds: 86
Most passing TD in a single game: 7
Most games with a passing rating higher than 105: 92
Most games with a perfect passer rating of 158.3: 5
Most seasons with 350+ completions: 9
Most games completing 80-percent passing: 16
Highest completion percentage in a postseason game with 450+ yards: 81.8
Highest yards-per-game, season: 342.31
Most seasons passing for 4,000+ yards: 14
Most consecutive seasons with 25+ touchdowns: 16
One of two quarterbacks to ever beat all 32 teams
First quarterback to beat 31 franchises: 2007
Most Games Won by a QB: tied going into the Super Bowl and got it with the win
When you see someone like this be so successful, it's hard to believe that a person with this much success could be humble and respectful. But in this case, Peyton is one of those great players that fans of other teams hated to love. Football fans like me show their support for their team by despising the great players and star players from the other teams. But in the case of Peyton, he's one of those players that everyone respects, regardless of their selection of a favorite team.
In a pre-game interview, Peyton was asked the following::
What would be the legacy that Peyton Manning wants to leave behind?
His answer was inspirational:
Two of the most important things to me would be that my teammates said that I was a great teammate. That's important to me. And, I think, the coaches that I played with and I played against would say that they respected me. That would be important to me.
That's something that my dad always told me to strive for. Earn the respect of your teammates. Earn the respect of the coaches that you played for and that you played against. So that would be the most important thing to me from a football standpoint. I've worked hard for that and I hope that I can maintain that and keep that in tact.
On the other team was our star Carolina QB, Cam Newton. He's young, he's fresh, he's excited about football, and he has been quoted as saying that football has always been his life. While some players saw football as something they did, Cam saw football as something he 'was'.
After the Superbowl, the media flocked to both teams. They wanted to cover the responses by both the winning and losing teams. As Cam sat in the interview, he was visibly sad, depressed, and low. When asked questions about the game he responded with:
We got out played
They just played better than us
They made better plays than us – and that's what it came down to
We had opportunities – and we gave the game up
It wasn't anything special that the other team did
They scored more points than us
His interview lasted only a little more than 2 minutes. Many were upset at him for how he behaved. Many were angry that he would not sit there and take the questions and give the fans (his customers) what they wanted.
I'll be honest, my first reaction was disappointment in his behavior. How many of us get to walk out of our job when things are not going well? Have you been in a meeting where you are the center of the discussion, things were not going well that day, and you stand up, walk out without saying anything, and go home? Probably not. Yet this is the job of the players in football, and one of their stars did this very thing.
I then began to look back to the other QB, Peyton. I recalled many big games in which he lost, where he would give the media and his fans as much time as they wanted in the interviews after a game in which he lost. A few years ago, Peyton was in the Superbowl and he lost to another team, and this very thing happened.
But the story behind all of this is as follows – it took maturity and learning for a veteran like Petyon to handle the pressure, disappointment, and impact of losing a big game. Cam will learn from this loss. And hopefully he will be prepared for the interviews in the event he loses another big game.
How can we apply this to our own lives as leaders in our professional and personal lives? What is the lesson to be learned here?
The FIRST lesson is simple…
Great leaders are not defined by how they behave when things are going great. They are defined by how they handle situations when they are NOT so great.
Cam was well known for his celebrations during the game and the leadership he exhibited with a team that seemed unstoppable throughout this past year. He was always smiling, driving, motivating and giving direction to his teammates.
But when facing a team that came prepared with a strong defense that would shut down the aggressive attack of the Panthers, Cam was unable to handle it.
How many of you have had a 'bad day' at work in the last month? If you're a leader, it's so hard to keep your head up, and to motivate your team, your peers, and to keep pressing forward. But I challenge you today to keep going. There will be times when you are the only thing that will motivate someone else on your team. And being a leader is a big responsibility. But you can do it!
The SECOND lesson is about servant-leadership….
Servant leadership is an unselfish approach to leading others, giving direction, and being part of their success.
If you look at the statistics of this Superbowl, you will find that Peyton Manning did not have one of his STELLAR performances. While he holds almost every record you can imagine for a QB, it was not his performance that won the game.
It was the performance of his team as a whole. The performance of the defense that broke down the attack of the Panthers. And the performance of the players around Peyton that supported him and took his direction with unconditional trust.
You don't have to be the star of the team. You don't have to be the one making all of the big plays and doing all of the great work. But if you want to be a strong leader, you will find a way to drive your team with MOTIVATION, ENCOURAGEMENT, MENTORING, SUPPORT, and RESPECT.
It's amazing how we can learn something about leadership in almost everything we do, everywhere we go, and everything we see or hear in the world. My challenge to each of you is to let LIFE teach you how to grow and become a great leader. Look around you, enjoy the times you have, and seek to find a story, an example, and a lesson from what you are experiencing.
And if you do that…you just might get that interview at the end of your career…where you can say "I am respected by my peers, my teammates, my manager, and managers on other teams".
I wish you the best!
Author Mike LylesPosted on March 6, 2016 Categories Leadership & ManagementTags Broncos, cam, cam newton, carolina, Carolina Panthers, Denver, Denver Broncos, football, leader, Leadership, management, NFL, Panthers, peyton, peyton manning, QB, quarterback, super bowl, super bowl 50, SuperBowl, superbowl 509 Comments on How Do You Want To Be Remembered?
Who Will Win Superbowl XLVIII?
It's almost time for kickoff of Superbowl XLVIII (48 for those that are Roman Numeral illiterate). As the Denver Broncos take the field for the AFC and the Seattle Seahawks take the field for the NFC, many people will be gathering around the stadium in New York, as well as around their televisions to watch the event. Parties will be taking place, and fans of these teams will be happy or sad by the time the game is over. Fantasy football will be at it's peak, with the winners showing their pride in selecting the right team for their season.
But for me, it's one of the first times that I do not care who wins. In so many years past, I have either had a team there that I really wanted to see win the game, or, in many cases, there may have been a team I really did NOT want to win the game (that has happened a lot lately).
But as these two teams take the field, I see myself sitting back and just enjoying the game of football. I get to enjoy just watching two teams go head to head for the Vince Lombardi Superbowl Trophy, and be happy or sad based on who wins it. I have been known to be superstitious about the fact that I can control the win or loss of a team, simply by 'willing' the team to win or 'wishing against' the team I hope will lose. There are now some very funny commercials about football superstitions ("It's only weird if it doesn't work!").
I thought about this over the weekend, and it struck me as a great metaphor for how we should look at events in our day to day life. Too many times we position our lives as if it is the Superbowl and we are 'required' to pick a team we want to win or a team we hope will lose. We see events at work or in our personal lives as ones in which we must either win or lose – and there will be no room for a break even, or even a win-win situation.
My challenge to each of you, is to step back and examine how you approach each event in your daily life. Are you struggling with everything that is going on? Are you trying to drive things to a win at all costs? Are you subconsciously wishing for someone to lose? If so, think about the situation – is it truly important? Take yourself out 6 months, 1 year, 5 years and ask yourself if this is really important enough to be anxious, losing sleep, or worried about.
So as I sit back and relax with no tension for a team to win or lose, I ask you the following… what can you sit back and relax about tomorrow, this week? or this month? What things can you stop worrying about and let the 'game of life' take it's course. Focus on the important things. There are many things in which you MUST worry, and you MUST win at. But that list of things is probably much shorter than the one you are carrying with you right now.
Work the list. Everyday is a new kickoff and it starts off with 1st down and 10 yards to do. It's your decision how you plan the plays to be successful.
Enjoy your game!
Author Mike LylesPosted on February 2, 2014 February 2, 2014 Categories Current Events, Leadership & Management, Self-helpTags 48, AFC, Broncos, Denver, Denver Broncos, fantasy, fantasy football, football, game, kickoff, lose, losing, New York, NFC, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, SuperBowl, Superbowl XLVIII, Trophy, Vince Lombardi, win, winning, XLVIIILeave a comment on Who Will Win Superbowl XLVIII?
Playoffs? Don't Talk About Playoffs!!
Jim Mora says "Playoffs? Don't Talk About Playoffs!"
This weekend the NFL will be featuring the AFC and NFC Championships. Being a football fan, this is an exciting time, knowing that the two winners will be playing in Superbowl XLVII.
However, it's just not the same when your team is not in the race to NFL World Champions. Having the playoffs without your team in them is like going to the school dance without a date. It's exciting, fun, and you will have a good time. But it's better if you have someone there with you that you care about the most!
So let's talk about my team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. For those of you who don't know them well, they are the only team in history to have SIX Superbowl wins. They gave us such great memories in the 1970's and 1980's. From the "Steel Curtain" to "The Immaculate Reception", they have been a team to follow.
No, this is not an Emmitt Smith jersey!
So you may be asking "Mike, you were born, raised, and live in North Carolina. Why are you not a Carolina Panthers fan?". First of all, when I was growing up, we didn't have a team. But most importantly, I was raised to be a Steelers fan from the very start. My grandfather, Charlie Lyles, was one of the biggest fans of the Steelers. I spent many Sundays, with my grandfather and dad, watching our team play on TV. Those are memories I will never forget.
Me @ 11 yrs old
Growing up, I didn't know there was even an opportunity to be a fan of any other team. I watched the Steelers play their many rivals – the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns were the two that stood out as the one's to beat. When these teams were playing us, we would sit glued to the TV, cheering on our team to beat the opponent. My birthday parties were soon themed as Steelers Parties. And all my friends knew who I felt was the best team in the land.
So now I'm much older than I was during those Steelers birthday parties at 11 years old, but the tradition of Black & Yellow still holds. I've followed this team for life, and don't see it changing. I'm a die hard fan, and if you want some evidence, check out a few of my Steelers Notes below:
Didn't Know I Used to Play for Steelers?
In the 90's, I joined the Steelers Fan Club. The most memorable benefit of this membership was that you were granted one VIP pass to the Steelers training camp in Latrobe, PA. My brother and I packed up and took a trip to the camp, got to stand on the sidelines during practice, meet several of the players, and get autographs. I remember that our air condition broke on the car about fifteen minutes into the trip and we spent the rest of the trip in the heat, but I will never forget that trip with my brother
In 2002, I had the privilege to attend my first AFC Championship game. The Steelers were highly favored to win over the visiting New England Patriots. I remember it was uncharacteristically warm that day – when Pittsburgh saw weather in the 30's in January, this game was played with the temperature in the high 50's. The game didn't go in the Steelers favor, and the Patriots went on to win one of many superbowls in the early 2000's. (this is when I added the Patriots to my list of rival teams which I could never support).
My Son's First Steelers Game @ 7 Months Old
In 2003, my son, Wynston, was born, and in August 2003, the Steelers were visiting the Carolina Panthers. So my young son, at the time 7 months, got to experience his first Steelers game, in a full Steelers outfit, complete with a Steelers bib and bottle. Someday he can blog that his love of Steelers started at birth just like mine.
It's Only Weird If It Doesn't Work!
I have a t-shirt, which says "It's Not Just Football, It's Steelers Football". This old t-shirt gets washed in the offseason. Then, when the season starts, I wear it every game, and then hang it up, unwashed, until the next game. I've worn it to live games and at home, and I've came to believe that it helps them to win. It's a crazy superstition, but as the commercial says "its only weird if it doesn't work". I also have one of the famous Steeler "Terrible Towels", a small square yellow towel, that has never ever been washed, and I carry it with me for every game. It's traveled to many live games, and if it were ever lost, I don't think the Steelers could ever win again.
In January 2011, during the playoffs, I watched as the New York Jets defeated the New England Patriots, making the Steelers the host of the AFC Championship game. I called up my friend, John, and we bought two tickets, drove to Pittsburgh, and prepared for the game. It was 9 degrees on the field that night, but the game was one to remember, as the Steelers defeated the Jets and moved on to the Superbowl. Unfortunately, they were beaten by the Green Bay Packers that year.
So, as you can see, it's hard for me to watch the playoffs this year without my team there to cheer on. And two teams who always battle hard with the Steelers (the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots) play on Sunday. Who do I pull for in this game? Can I vote for both to lose? I guess not.
With that said, the playoffs these year have been so exciting so far. Close games, double overtime, and historical plays. We can only hope that this continues to happen in the AFC Championship and NFC Championship games as well as the Superbowl. But in the back of my mind, I'll always wonder 'what if the Steelers could have made it to the playoffs'. But unfortunately, we'll never know.
Whoever your favorite team may be, if they are playing this weekend, I wish you the best of luck. For all of the fantasy football fans out there, I leave you with my predictions – not sure it's worth much since I predicted at the start of the season that the Steelers would win the Superbowl – but here they are:
AFC Championship Game – Baltimore Ravens 35, New England Patriots 31
NFC Championship Game – San Francisco 49'ers 27, Atlanta Falcons 17
SuperBowl XLVII – San Francisco 49'ers 24, Baltimore Ravens 21 (in Overtime)
Author Mike LylesPosted on January 20, 2013 January 20, 2013 Categories Current EventsTags 49'ers, AFC, AFC Championship, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Browns, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Cowboys, Dallas Cowboys, don't talk about playoffs, Falcons, fantasy, fantasy football, football, Green Bay Packers, Immaculate Reception, Jets, jim mora, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFC, NFC Championship, Packers, Panthers, Patriots, pittsburgh, pittsburgh steelers, playoffs, prediction, predictions, Ravens, San Francisco 49'ers, Steel Curtain, steelers, SuperBowl, Terrible Towel4 Comments on Playoffs? Don't Talk About Playoffs!!


Seems crazy to deep fry anything in the summer when it is so HOT! But I have found myself wild about fried chicken this summer and craving childhood flavors in the heat. So garlic rich friend chicken it is!
Making a big batch ensures you have some for lunch the next day and it is succulent cold. If you like wings, like I do, replace half the thighs with 15 wings and you will be good to go.
1-In a mortar and pestle or food processor, pulverize the peeled garlic. Add coriander seed, cilantro roots and stems, and white pepper and pound the mixture into a smooth paste.
2- Transfer the paste to the container of chicken. Add fish sauce, and knead it all together well with your hands. Put the lid on and marinade it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, overnight, or freeze to use another day.
3-Place each piece of chicken in the paper bag of arrow root powder and shake it until it is lightly coated. Do this with each piece of chicken and set aside.
4- In an iron skillet heat the lard to medium heat. Carefully slide the chicken into the oil. Cook each side for 15-20 minutes, a bit more if you want to really crisp them up. The wings will cook faster than the thighs. The chicken will turn rich brown and be nice and crispy. Remove from oil, serve with a generous side of thai cucumber salad and enjoy!


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The OSA Telegraph
Art+Music
Poetry Horoscopes
Drama Qu33n
Internet Sparkles
The Mosaic Project is Changing The Game
"Working towards a peaceful future by uniting children of diverse backgrounds, providing them with essential community-building skills, and empowering them to become peacemakers through listening, empathy, and assertiveness. Working with youth and adults not only supports our youngest peacemakers, and enables us to reach wider communities through schools, community-based organizations, and the workplace."
-- Lizette Navarro
How one Bay Area project is changing the world for our future generations: The Mosaic Project.
Having the ability to participate in Mosaic as a fourth grader myself, I am able to be more open-minded and loving to those around me because Mosaic taught me that you need to treat those how you want to be treated. Years later, I had the opportunity to return as a Cabin Leader and help support the fourth-and-fifth graders going through what I did.
The Mosaic Project has several programs for everyone. The Outdoor School Project is a profound weeklong outdoor "school" in the Felton mountains, similar to a camping experience. There is also the In-School Project where Mosaic goes into schools to create a more loving community within the classroom. They have is the Mosaic Counseling Project where they do team building activities to create a more inclusive work environment. Another project is the Family Camp where they teach families how to resolve conflicts and create better skills with one another in the Outdoor School. The last project, and my absolute favorite is the Youth Leadership Project where high school and college students work as mentors to the children during the Outdoor School.
Furthermore, the Outdoor School Project is a program for fourth-and fifth-grade students. During the duration of five days and four nights, students are exposed to diverse settings and experience racial integration firsthand. The program focuses on community and building self-esteem. Working towards a peaceful future by uniting children of diverse backgrounds, providing them with essential community-building skills, and empowering them to become peacemakers through listening, empathy, and assertiveness. Working with youth and adults not only supports our youngest peacemakers, and enables us to reach wider communities through schools, community-based organizations, and the workplace. Coming to Mosaic as a fourth grader from International Community School, I have lived through the experience as a child and as a Youth Leader several times as well.
Being a Youth Leader for such a fun and life changing non-profit program, I have not only helped improve the lives of the students, but also myself. Every session I attend, I am forced to rethink my priorities and put my choices into perspective as I share my own experiences with both--my cabin and sharing group. The Mosaic Project breaks this cycle of inequalities and stereotypes by reaching youth before negative attitudes surrounding differences become entrenched and enabling them to live with, learn from, and befriend others with whom they would not normally interact. Breaking this cycle is crucial because our children are growing up with little to no exposure to those different from themselves which leads to ignorance, fear, prejudice, violence, and more.
What do other parents think about how Mosaic has affected their children:
"I appreciated that he was given the chance to explore the differences between families in a safe and positive way. Mosaic has a CD of songs which reinforce the lessons learned, and he played the cd constantly and sang along with the lyrics. I will definitely send my younger child when it's his turn."
"When my daughter attended as a 5th grader, I didn't realize until years later how much and how positively that first week at Mosaic had influenced her. I'm not sure if she herself knew. Looking back, I think it took a couple of years for the experience to sink in and understand how much she had learned about herself and her communication with others. That amazing experience led her, and many other former participants, to come back as a cabin leader."
"Mosaic is awesome. I can't say it any plainer than that."
"She learned about herself, her relationships with others, came home with a lot of skills for conflict resolution, which I think is critical as our kids grow. She also developed an ability to have insight."
"The kids at our school had a great time. Even the kids who had not done sleep away camps or many sleep overs before. The staff, counselors and cabin leaders were professional and warm to all the children. They themselves were from diverse backgrounds."
The Mosaic Project is teaching children to create a diverse, inclusive world to demonstrate that peace is possible, and inspire action. They do so through the support of fun and easy to learn songs written and performed by members of the Mosaic Project, including Brett Dennen, known as the Children's Songs for Peace and a Better World. Their album has received a Children's Music Web 2004 Award as well as a Parent's Choice 2004 Approved Award. Songs from the CD have been aired on the KFOG and KPFA radio stations. Music has been a way of bringing people together for decades.
Read more for Mosiac's full ablum.

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Get to know the faces behind Charlotte State Bank & Trust
At Charlotte State Bank & Trust, we pride ourselves on providing friendly service that you can trust in.
That's why we're always ready to help with your financial needs, in branch or over the phone.
Customer Engagement: 888-624-5454
Automated Telephone Banking: 800-407-6791
You can also visit our Contact Us page for additional ways to connect with us.
Craig DeYoung
Heavily involved in the banking industry in Charlotte County since graduating from Charlotte High School in 1980, Craig DeYoung joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust as a commercial real estate lender in 1994. He successfully advanced to Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer before becoming president in 2006.
During his tenure as president, Craig oversaw the expansion of the bank, a opening full-service branch in North Port in 2017, in addition to a satellite office at South Port Square in Port Charlotte in 2016 and loan-production offices in Lee and Collier counties in 2015 and 2016, respectively. He also supervised numerous advances in products and services designed to make banking more convenient and rewarding to customers, including a home-based, locally staffed Trust and Investment Management Services division.
cdeyoung@csbtfl.com
Lory Weisensee
Executive Vice President, Director of Trust and Wealth Management
Lory manages the Trust and Investment Management Services division to help coordinate the diverse services provided. She has been involved in banking and finance since 1990. Her management and operations experience gives her the resources necessary to lead a team of professionals offering banking and trust products and services with a high degree of personal attention.
Lory is a graduate of:
Florida Bankers Association's Graduate School of Banking, University of Florida, Gainesville
Florida Bankers Association's Trust School, University of South Florida, Tampa
Leadership Charlotte Class of 2003, sponsored by the Charlotte County Chamber Of Commerce
In addition, Lory has earned both the Florida Certification and National Certified Guardian designations. She serves on the Executive Committee for the Florida Bankers Association's Trust and Wealth Management Division, volunteers with Tidewell Hospice and serves as a member of the Military Heritage Museum.
lweisensee@csbtfl.com
Bryan Pennybacker, CPA
Bryan started his career in 1980 employed by a public accounting firm located in West Virginia and working within the audit department. Part of his responsibilities included full scope audits over financial institutions, specializing in SEC work, creating Bank Holding Companies and preparing corporate income tax returns. He joined the Crews Banking Family in September of 2005 as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President for Charlotte State Bank & Trust.
Now serving as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President for three of the banks in the Crews Banking Family (Charlotte State Bank & Trust, Englewood Bank & Trust, and Crews Bank & Trust) Bryan's responsibilities include management and oversight of accounting processes, preparation of financial statements and preparation of annual operating budgets.
Bryan graduated from West Virginia University in 1980, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant as well as a licensed Chartered Global Management Accountant. He is a member of the AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants), West Virginia Board of Accountancy and West Virginia Society of CPAs. He has served as the Treasurer for the "Relay for Life" and served on various school committees. He currently serves as Treasurer on a local HOA (Homeowners Association).
bpennybacker@csbtfl.com
Jake Crews
J.W. "Jake" Crews, IV is part of the fourth generation of family leadership for Crews Banking Corporation, a four-bank holding company providing local financial services for more than 90 years. He serves as CEO and Chairman of all four holding company banks (Wauchula State Bank, Crews Bank & Trust, Charlotte State Bank & Trust, and Englewood Bank & Trust). After earning a finance degree from Washington State University, he served as a bank examiner in Florida during the Great Recession in the early 2000s. He later joined the family business and at 32 years old was one of the youngest bank presidents in Florida. Jake continues to build upon his family's heritage through his passion for technology and dedication to customer relationships.
Connie Ritchhart
Senior Vice President, Residential Lending
Connie has been involved in residential lending in Charlotte County since 1977 and has helped thousands of people obtain mortgage financing over the years. She started with Charlotte State Bank in 1995 and is now Senior Vice President of Residential Lending. She is a three-time winner of the Charlotte Sun newspaper's Readers' Choice Award as Best Mortgage Officer.
A native Floridian, Connie was raised in Punta Gorda and graduated from Charlotte High School. She is a member of the Punta Gorda - Port Charlotte - North Port Association of Realtors, Women's Council of Realtors and The Executive Network of Charlotte County. She is also a graduate of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Charlotte program, Class of 2001.
When asked what she likes best about her job, Connie always says, "Helping people achieve their dreams of owning their own homes."
Connie is happy to assist anyone with their home financing needs.
critchhart@csbtfl.com
Kelly Louke
Vice President, Residential Lending and Retail Banking Officer – North Port
Vice President Kelly Louke joined the Charlotte State Bank & Trust's residential lending team in 2016. She was approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Registry and carries a unique identifier (NMLS#795290), as do each of the bank's residential lenders.
Kelly grew up in Fort Myers and graduated from Riverdale High School there. She worked in retail and insurance until she began her banking career in 1995 as a Customer Service Representative. She joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust in 1998, starting out as a Personal Banker and working her way up to Assistant Branch Manager, then Branch Manager, all at the bank's Murdock office. She was named an assistant vice president in 2013.
As a Residential Lender and Retail Banking Officer, Kelly is now based at the bank's North Port office. A two-time winner of the North Port Sun Readers' Choice Award as Best Mortgage Lender, she is the president of the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce, serves as an executive board member of the chamber, and chairs its Member Retention Committee.
A graduate of the Leadership Charlotte Class of 2008, Kelly has served on the board of Drug Free Charlotte County. She was an ambassador of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, member of the United Way Impact Panel and vice chair of the Charlotte County Chapter of the American Red Cross. She is a member of the advisory board of the Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club, serving North Port and surrounding areas.
klouke@csbtfl.com
Holly Selders
Vice President, Residential Lender - Punta Gorda
Prior to joining Charlotte State Bank & Trust in 2014, Holly served in executive positions at lending institutions in Virginia and Michigan, gaining experience as a Marketing Manager, Office Manager/Processor, Vice President, Mortgage Loan Auditor, Operations Manager and Senior Vice President. She understands the intricacies of loan origination, pricing, loan calculation, contracts and closing documents.
While serving as Senior Vice President and Operations Manager of Secondary Marketing for a Virginia-based home funding firm, she supervised oversight of contracts, all aspects of licensing, and federal and state reporting requirements, among myriad other duties.
She is based at Charlotte State Bank & Trust's Punta Gorda office and is a winner of the Charlotte Sun newspaper Readers' Choice Award as Best Mortgage Officer. She has served as President and Co-President of the Business and Professional Women of Charlotte County and is a longtime member of the Women's Council of Realtors and a Tidewell Hospice House volunteer.
hselders@csbtfl.com
Todd Rinehart
Senior Vice President, Senior Lender
One of Southwest Florida's leading business bankers, Todd joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust in March of 2019. He has experience in all aspects of the banking industry, earning a reputation for providing exceptional service to his clients.
Todd started his banking career in 1978 while still in high school in Cape Coral, working part time as a high school cooperative education student while attending school full time. His positions have ranged from branch manager to senior vice president and senior lending officer. He has a thorough working knowledge of lending fundamentals, credit analysis, interest rate risk, and financial regulatory management and reporting.
Todd graduated from the Florida School of Banking at the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1991 and the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado in Boulder in 1997. He earned a bachelor's degree in business management at Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida, in 1999.
A former chairman of the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce, Todd serves as scholarship director for the Southwest Florida Junior Golf Association. He has been a board member of the Rotary Club of Cape Coral and a Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Southwest Florida volunteer.
trinehart@csbtfl.com
Cristin Madden
Vice President, Commercial Lender
Cristin was already a familiar figure in banking and commercial lending in Collier and Lee counties when she joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust in 2016. She began her career as a credit analyst at a bank in Bonita Springs in 2000, was promoted to credit manager a year later, and became a vice president and commercial lender in 2004. That's the same position she holds at Charlotte State Bank & Trust.
At her first bank, Cristin helped grow the bank's loan portfolio from $50 million to $130 million in a little over four years. She also served as a sales and service officer, portfolio manager and business banking relationship manager at banks in Collier and Lee counties.
Cristin earned a bachelor's degree in public health at the University of Massachusetts and an MBA in finance at Florida Gulf Coast University. An underwriting specialist in commercial real estate and other fields, she has completed a variety of courses offered by the Risk Management Association (RMA) and Lorman Educational Services (LORMAN) pertaining to loan documentation, accounting and construction law.
Cristin is an active member of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women), CCIM SWFL chapter, NABOR (Naples Area Board of Realtors) and serves on the NABOR commercial committee and is the incoming Vice Chair, 2022. Cristin graduated from the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce Leadership Collier program in 2016. She has served as a board member, board Vice President, and board Treasurer for the Bonita Springs Lions Eye Clinic. Cristin has been a Junior Achievement volunteer as well as a member of the Bonita Springs Kiwanis Young Professionals and Reading Rocks at Bonita Springs Elementary.
cmadden@csbtfl.com
James Coalwell
James began his banking career in 1994 while still in high school. After accumulating nearly two decades of experience in lending and finance, James joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust in October of 2020. He filled similar positions locally and in his native Minnesota. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and an associate degree in management at Minnesota State University in 2001. Prior to moving to Florida in 2006, he spent time at a pair of firms in Minnesota, serving as a senior home equity representative, senior retail credit analyst, and lead underwriter.
In Florida, James held leadership positions as a Senior Vice President, Chief Credit Officer, and Vice President of Commercial Lending prior to joining Charlotte State Bank & Trust. A graduate of Leadership Charlotte Class in 2009, James education also includes graduating with honors from the Florida School of Banking in Gainesville in 2011 and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University in 2014, the same year he completed the Farr Leadership Institute.
James' dedication to his profession and community is illustrated by his involvement in various organizations:
Florida School of Banking, Instructor and Education Council board member
Charlotte County Economic Development Partnership, board member and two-term board president
Habitat for Humanity volunteer
Team Punta Gorda board member
Charlotte County Industrial Development Authority board member
jcoalwell@csbtfl.com
Nick Worden
Assistant Vice President, Commercial Lender
Nick has been involved in banking for a dozen years, serving as a commercial lender in Charlotte, Collier, Lee, and Sarasota counties. He also has experience in branch management, underwriting and credit management, and portfolio management.
Nick attended Edison Community College (now Florida SouthWestern State College) and held Florida state licenses in life and health insurance, variable annuities, and securities Series 6 and 63. He also completed his first year of the Florida School of Banking curriculum and participated in Omega Performance's commercial lending training.
Committed to community involvement, Nick served as president of Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class 2016 and is chairing the 2022 class. He also serves on the boards of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Charlotte County and North Port Area Little League. He currently chairs the Community and Economic Advisory Board for the City of North Port and is a board member of the Charlotte DeSoto Building Industry Association.
nworden@csbtfl.com
Nate Halligan
Originally from Fairfax, Virginia, Nate moved to Fort Myers 10 years ago. He earned a Bachelor's of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, and an MBA from University of Tennessee. He has more than a decade of banking experience, serving as a branch manager, wealth management specialist, small business and retail lender and commercial lender.
Nate is an active member of REIS (Real Estate Investment Society) of SWFL and serves on the board of directors and finance committee for the Early Learning Coalition of SWFL.
Married for 12 years, Nate and his wife have one son. When not at the office, he enjoys coaching youth soccer, spending time at beach and fishing.
nhalligan@csbtfl.com
Sarah Mack
Sarah earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska Omaha, where she studied Finance, Business, Entrepreneurship and Banking. Originally from Rochester, New York, she lived in Nebraska and Illinois before moving to Cape Coral. She has been in banking for more than 10 years, serving as a credit analyst, underwriter, commercial lender and business portfolio manager.
While in Illinois, Sarah served on board of the Commercial Finance Association and volunteered with Fellowship Housing, a nonprofit organization providing social services and subsidized housing for families in need. She currently lives with family and her dog in Cape Coral. She is a certified group and personal athletic trainer, ran the Chicago Marathon raising funds for homeless pets and has competed in Olympic weightlifting.
smack@csbtfl.com
Scott Evans
Scott, whose extensive banking career includes commercial lending and managerial experience, is a Vice President, Commercial Banker for Charlotte State Bank & Trust.
Originally from Smyrna, Georgia, Scott moved to Punta Gorda in 1983 with his family. He graduated as Valedictorian from Charlotte High School and earned an Associate of Science degree from Edison Community College (now Florida SouthWestern State College). He went on to graduate from the University of South Florida with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration.
An active community member outside of work, Scott has served as a finance committee member of Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity and as a board treasurer of Visually Impaired Persons of Charlotte County.
On the weekend, you could find him supporting his favorite sports team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, spending time with family or expanding his movie knowledge.
sevans@csbtfl.com
Tracy Mathieu
Mortgage Loan Specialist
Tracy Mathieu works as a Mortgage Loan Specialist at Charlotte State Bank & Trust's Peachland branch.
Tracy earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Penn State University, but later changed directions receiving a Master of Business Administration, MBA, from Fitchburg State University. She brings with her over 20 years of management and lending experience.
When not at the bank, Mathieu jokingly remarked that she enjoys "just about anything that gets me out of home chores." More specifically though, Mathieu spends her time with family while traveling, boating, and going to concerts.
tmathieu@csbtfl.com
Elizabeth Hernandez
Vice President, Branch Administration Manager
Elizabeth joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust in 2003, starting as a Teller, then steadily climbing the ladder to her current position. Elizabeth supervises the bank's branch managers and is responsible for maintaining all processes, equipment and software on the retail side of the bank.
Originally from West Hartford, Conn., Hernandez served as a customer service representative in that state for American Airlines, the Hartford Courant newspaper and other companies prior to moving to Charlotte County in 2001.
At Charlotte State Bank & Trust, Elizabeth went from Teller to Head Teller in four months. She became a Personal Banker in May of 2004 and moved into bookkeeping a year later. She spent time as a Bookkeeping Specialist and Supervisor for eight years before entering retail operations.
ehernandez@csbtfl.com
Alyson Burch
Vice President, Retail Banking Officer - Punta Gorda
Alyson joined the Hometown Bank in 1999 as a Customer Service Representative and worked as the Branch Manager in Punta Gorda before being promoted to Branch Operations Coordinator in 2004. She was made a vice president in 2012, when she returned to the Punta Gorda office as Retail Banking Officer.
A New Jersey native, Alyson entered banking while still in high school, working part time at a bank in her home state. She continued her career after graduating in 1988, serving customers at First Fidelity Bank in New Jersey prior to moving to Port Charlotte in 1991. She was with another Charlotte County bank until being wooed away by Charlotte State Bank & Trust.
Alyson served as President of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce in 2016 and remained on the chamber's Government Affairs Committee. She was a Leadership Charlotte Graduate in 2002 and received the Punta Gorda Rotary Service Above Self Award in 2015.
She is a director and board secretary of C.A.R.E. (the Center for Abuse and Rape Emergencies), Vice President-Elect of the Punta Gorda Rotary Club, and a member of the Public Safety Appreciation Night Committee.
aburch@csbtfl.com
As a Residential Lender and Retail Banking Officer, Kelly is now based at the bank's North Port office. A two-time winner of the North Port Sun Readers' Choice Award as Best Mortgage Lender, she is the incoming president of the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce, serves as an executive board member of the chamber, and chairs its Member Retention Committee.
Jacqueline Benjamin
Assistant Vice President, Retail Banking Officer - Parkside
Jacqueline was raised in Miami and moved to Charlotte County in the early 1970s. She attended Punta Gorda Junior High, Charlotte High School, and Manatee Community College. She entered banking on Florida's East Coast in 1980 and continued her career in upstate New York before returning to Charlotte County and joining Charlotte State Bank & Trust in 2006 as a personal banker at the Murdock office. She was named retail banking officer of the Parkside location later that same year and was made an assistant vice president in 2016.
Active in the community, Jacqueline is a director of the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce and chairs the chamber's Membership Committee. She is a member of the executive committee overseeing the renovation of the Parkside Community Redevelopment Area and a member of the Punta Gorda Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. She also serves on the boards of the Fred Lang Foundation and Friends of the Port Charlotte Public Library.
Jacqueline is a former treasurer of the Arts & Humanities Council of Charlotte County and served on the Cultural Center of Charlotte County's 50th anniversary committee in 2011. She has mentored young students with the Take Stock in Children program through the Charlotte Local Education Foundation and with VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). While living in New York, she started a reading club for children over five years of age.
jbenjamin@csbtfl.com
Sara Perri
Assistant Vice President, Retail Banking Officer - Peachland
Sara joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust as a Teller Specialist at the Murdock office in 2002 and quickly rose to the position of Head Teller. She cross-trained as a Personal Banker and helped maintain operations of the branch retail staff while managing the many facets of teller operations.
In 2017, Sara was named Retail Banking Officer as well as becoming an Assistant Vice President. She completed the Dynamics of Supervision Series I and II classes at the Florida Gulf Coast University Office of Continuing Education in Punta Gorda. The series covers the roles and responsibilities of a supervisor, improving communication and coaching skills, time management, conflict resolution and more.
Originally from St. Petersburg, Fla., Sara spent much of her youth in Texas, where she graduated from White Oak High School and attended Kilgore College for two years. She returned to Florida in 2000, living in Charlotte County working in retail as a cashier, assistant manager and customer service representative until joining the bank.
A member of both the Charlotte County and Punta Gorda Chambers of Commerce, Sara has participated in fundraising walks for the American Heart Association and the Alzheimer's Association.
sperri@csbtfl.com
Margie Vazquez
Retail Banking Officer - Murdock
Margie joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust in June 2022, bringing with her decades of banking experience and a dedication to addressing customer needs.
A life-long banker, Margie began her baking career in 1985 with a community bank in New Jersey. Starting off as a part-time teller, Margie strengthened her banking knowledge earning an associate degree through the Institute of Financial Education with a focus in Banking and Finance.
Margie is experienced in working at banks of all sizes and is looking forward to continuing her career in Port Charlotte. In her new position, she provides leadership to maintain an engaged, high performing team dedicated to serving the bank's consumer and business customers.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and practicing her sewing skills. While living in New Jersey, she was an active member of the Mercer County Hispanic Association.
mmvazquez@csbtfl.com
Trust and Investment Management Services
In addition, Lory has earned both the Florida Certification and National Certified Guardian designations. She serves on the Executive Committee for the Florida Bankers Association's Trust and Wealth Management Division, volunteers with Tidewell Hospice and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Military Heritage Museum.
Samuel Kiburz
Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer
Samuel manages the individual investment holdings of his clients, including individuals, families, foundations, and institutions throughout the state of Florida. He has been involved in banking since 1996 and has more than 20 years experience working in wealth management.
Samuel's education includes:
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida, Gainesville
Degrees in Finance and Insurance with a Minor in Economics
Master of Business Degree from Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers
Concentration in Finance, graduated Cum Laude
He has held the following licenses:
Series 7 – General Securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds)
Series 6 – Investment Company / Variable Contracts
Life, Health, and Variable Annuity License in Florida
Samuel is a member of the Punta Gorda Police Officers' Pension Board and the Charlotte County Estate Planning Council . He is an Eagle Scout and serves as Scoutmaster for Troop 95 of the Boy Scouts of America.
He has held the following non-profit positions:
Board of Directors of the Charlotte County YMCA
Vice Chairman and Investment Committee Chairman of the Cape Coral Community Foundation
Executive Board of Directors and Finance Committee Chairman of the Lee County YMCA
Board of Directors of the Endowment Committee for the YMCA of the Palms
Board of Directors of the Naples Area Board of Realtors Commercial Committee
Board of Directors of the Charlotte Community Foundation
skiburz@csbtfl.com
Gregory Thomas
Vice President, Portfolio Management Services
Greg manages the investment holdings of clients via their trusts, IRAs, or individually titled accounts. He also manages assets for private foundations and nonprofit organizations throughout the state of Florida.
Greg graduated from Mercy College in New York with a bachelor's degree in government in 1988. He began his career in computer and internet technology in New York City and operated his own consulting and support firm in the early 2000s. He entered financial management in 2009.
Greg's professional background includes:
Practice Management Development (PMD) Graduate
Associate Team Leader, Whole Foods Market, Westport and Greenwich, CT
Owner-operator, Westchester Computer Systems, Peekskill, NY
In addition, Greg has held the following licenses:
Series 66 – Uniform Combined State Law for securities agent and investment advisor representative
Life and Health Insurance sales in Florida and North Carolina
Greg is an active parent volunteer in the Punta Gorda Youth Baseball and Cub Scout Pack 13.
gthomas@csbtfl.com
Brittney Anderson
Brittney joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust in 2008 and acquired a wealth of banking and financial experience in a variety of positions involving operations, investment management, and retail and customer service.
Brittney was promoted to Vice President, Client Services in early 2022. She assists in managing individual investment holdings of clients and works with the Investment Management Team to monitor market conditions, identify objectives, preferences and circumstances to develop specific investment policies for investors. Brittney provides oversight and monitors managed model portfolios to reflect significant change in any or all relevant variables as well as assisting in business development activities.
Brittney has an Associate Degree in Business from the University of Central Florida, specializing in Accounting and Finance. She has earned the American Bankers Association Trust Officer designation and is working toward achieving her Certified Trust Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation. Brittney is a native of the Port Charlotte area and is actively involved in the local community through autism awareness associations and performing arts enrichment programs.
banderson@cbstfl.com
Christine Hause
Christine utilizes her extensive financial and estate planning experience to develop new client relationships and works with them on estate and investment planning, including Revocable Living Trusts, IRA Rollovers, Investment Management Services and charitable giving strategies.
Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management from Siena College in Albany, NY
The SunTrust University in Trust
Florida Bankers Association Trust School, University of South Florida
Florida Bankers Association Graduate Trust School, University of South Florida
In addition, Christine has held the following:
Series 7 - General Securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds) Representative License
Series 66 - Uniform Combined State Law for securities agent and investment advisor representative
Life, Health and Variable Annuity licenses in Florida and New York.
Christine is a past member of the Florida Bar Grievance Committee, a past president of the Business & Professional Women of Charlotte County, and past interim president and treasurer of the Charlotte Estate Planning Council. She is a former member of the board of directors of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, the Visual Arts Center's Executive Committee and the Development Committee of the Charlotte County Jazz Society.
chause@csbtfl.com
Rich Emch
Vice President, Trust Administrative Officer
Rich utilizes more than 30 years of experience in banking, finance, and investment management to help ensure his clients achieve their desired financial objectives for themselves and their heirs.
Associate of Liberal Arts, Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, OH
Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH
Master of Business Administration (MBA), Baldwin-Wallace College, Berea, OH
CFP Professional Education Program, College for Financial Planning,
Graduate School of Banking, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Leadership Institute, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Venice, FL
Enrolled Agent, EA Certification Program
Raymond James Advisor Mastery Program
Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor Program
Leadership Englewood Class of 2008, founding chair, sponsored by the Englewood Chamber of Commerce
In addition, Rich has held the following:
Series 7- General Securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds) Representative License
Series 9 and 10 - General Securities Sales Supervisor License
State of Florida Insurance: Life, Health and Variable Annuities
Rich is a past president of the Economic Development Council of Charlotte County, Port Charlotte Toastmasters, Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity and the Rotary Club of Murdock. Contact: 941-624-1956
remch@csbtfl.com
Angie Misner
Vice President, Trust Officer
Angie has more than 10 years of banking and financial experience. She has worked in the real estate industry and has experience in retail and trust operations. She has completed all three years of Trust School through the American Bankers Association and is pursuing her certification as a Trust and Financial Advisor.
Angie works with new and existing clients, serving as a point of contact, ensuring that trust and investment management is properly administered to her client's wishes. Her responsibilities include trust administration, retirement planning, investment management, developing asset protection strategies, addressing tax and estate planning issues, and implementing plans to reach clients' goals.
Angie volunteers on behalf of many organizations, including Give Kids the World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
amisner@csbtfl.com
Shirley Osuba
When Shirley joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust in 2019, she brought 25 years of experience in Trust and Finance to her new role as a Vice President and Trust Officer. She began her career as a probate paralegal for a prominent Sarasota, Fla., Law firm, then served as a Personal Trust Specialist a Trust Officer for a pair of major financial institutions.
Education and certifications:
Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Millersville University, Millersville, PA
Cannon Trust School for Trust I, II, and III
Graduate Trust School
Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA)
Shirley grew up in the Philadelphia area and moved to Florida in 1989. She is a Foundation Board member and Operating Board member of Easter Seals of Southwest Florida, also known as Happiness House.
sosuba@csbtfl.com
Angie Parsons
Angie, who has more than 13 years of wealth management experience, works closely with clients to manage their investments in trusts, IRAs, or individually titled accounts. A proven success in asset management, she has a genuine passion for helping clients achieve their financial goals via comprehensive investment plans.
Angie earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance degree from the University of South Florida, graduating summa cum laude. Before joining Charlotte State Bank & Trust, she worked as an investment consultant and senior financial consultant, earning numerous accolades for proficiency in attracting and maintaining clients. She also mentored, trained, and developed interns, assistants, and consultants and conducted educational seminars for clients and future clients.
She has held the following licenses:
Series 63 – Uniform Securities Agent State Law
aparsons@csbtfl.com
Dotti Giradi
As a Trust Officer, Dotti works with new and existing clients to serve as a point of contact to ensure that trust and investment management documentation is properly administered and that her clients' wishes are carried out.
A native of Cambridge, Mass., Dotti moved to Florida in 1989 and joined Crews Bank & Trust as a member of the Trust and Investment Management Services team in 2019.
Graduated with honors from Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management with a minor in Marketing
Cannon Trust School Graduate, 2001
Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA), Florida Bankers Association
Series 7 (General Securities - stocks, bonds, mutual funds- Representative License)
Series 31 (Managed Futures Funds license)
Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent license)
Series 65 (Registered Investment Advisor)
Dotti is active in the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. She has two adult children and one grandchild. Contact: 941-223-6096
dgirardi@crews.bank
Kerry Hunter
Trust Business Development Officer
An experienced member of the Trust and Investment Management Team at Crews Bank & Trust, Kerry is responsible for developing new client relationships, assisting those with Living Trusts, IRA Rollovers, Investment Management Services and Charitable Giving Strategies.
Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ.
Graduate of Florida Bankers Association's Trust & Wealth Management School.
Graduate of Leadership Englewood.
Has held Life, Health, and Variable Annuity Licenses in Florida.
Kerry served as Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager for a Sarasota bank from 2003 to 2006, then joined Englewood Bank & Trust as a Retail Banking Officer at the bank's Boca Grande office.
Well known for her active, volunteer spirit, Kerry served as Treasurer and two-term President of the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce, and Treasurer of the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce. She has chaired the Boca Grande Chamber's Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament, the Boca Grande Christmas Walk, and the Englewood Bank & Trust United Way Committee. Contact: 941-473-3629
khunter@ebtfl.com
Chris Eckstrom
Chris joined our team in early 2021 as a portfolio manager in the Trust and Investment Management Services division. Originally from Jamestown, N.Y., Chris spent 13 years in Charlotte, N.C., before moving to Florida in 2007.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a concentration on finance and accounting, St. Bonaventure University in New York
Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautics, with a concentration on management, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Served as a vice president and senior fixed income portfolio manager for a major financial institution.
Demonstrated an expertise in asset management of tax-exempt and taxable securities for institutional and high net-worth clients
Former Treasury Analyst for Sarasota County
Chris and his family reside in Lakewood Ranch near Sarasota. Contact: 941-248-7131
ceckstrom@ebtfl.com
Mark Uebelacker
Mark joined the bank in 2022, bringing experience in financial advising, financial planning, estate planning, and insurance sales.
His education includes:
Bachelor's degree in management with a minor in communications at the University of South Florida Muma College of Business
MBA with a dual concentration in finance and marketing at the University of Tampa Sykes College of Business.
He has held the following certifications and licenses:
Security Industries Essentials (SIE) certification
Series 7 - General Securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds)
Life, Health and Variable Annuities License
A Lake Suzy resident, Mark serves as the financial secretary with the local Knights of Columbus Council and is a member of the Port Charlotte Sunrise Kiwanis Club. He spends his free time with family while fishing, golfing, and cheering on his favorite sports teams, the New York Mets and Giants. Contact: 941-624-1952
muebelacker@csbtfl.com


We highlight appearances by the main cast of the TV shows Star Trek (TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager and Enterprise), Stargate (SG-1 and Atlantis), Farscape and Babylon 5. This convention may have other guests not listed here. Please check the convention website for additional actor appearances and information.


Wordfest is proud to have brought many talented artists to the festival over the last 20 years. Each one of these remarkable artists has contributed their wordy ingenuity to create lasting memories with the Wordfest community.
Thank you for attending Wordfest!


text:
Q: Calculating center of mass integral I have a few problems with the calculation of the center of mass of this curve,

Can someone explain me the first two steps?
Thanks

A: The length of this curve is the quarter of  circle perimeter $$=\frac {2\pi R}{4}=\frac {\pi R}{2} $$
mass=density x length.
$$M=\rho .\frac {\pi R}{2} $$
the abscisse of a point $M $ in the curve is
$$x=R\cos (\theta )$$
where $\theta $ is the angle $(\vec{Ox},\vec {OM}) $.
For $y_G $, you will have
$$\frac {1}{M}\int_0^R \rho R\sin (\theta)Rd\theta $$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. and NURVE, Inc. (Head Office: Chiyoda City, Tokyo, President: Hideki Tada, hereinafter "NURVE") today announced a new technology to experience JAL`s premium cabin environment via virtual reality to help increase corporate sales for the overseas market.
JAL and NURVE have conducted demonstrations at overseas airport stations providing customers an opportunity to virtually experience JAL`s premium cabin seats in order to stimulate the sales of seat upgrades at the airport. For corporate sales, the enhanced VR experience includes JAL`s premium seat products, as well as inflight meals and select cabin services. This new technology allows corporate travelers to experience a service that was only available via brochures in the past.
NURVE`s newest VR goggles are built slim and lightweight, enabling JAL to demonstrate the product at corporate offices and exhibition halls across the globe.
JAL and NURVE will continue to take on challenges to promote new services through technology.


text:
<?php

namespace App\Controls;

use Nette\Forms\Form,
	Nette\Utils\Html;

class ColorPicker extends \Nette\Forms\Controls\BaseControl {

	private $color = '#000000';

	public function __construct($label = NULL)
	{
		parent::__construct($label);
		$this->addRule(__CLASS__ . '::validateColor', 'Color is invalid.');
	}
	public function setValue($value) {
		$this->color = $value;
	}
	/**
	 * @return DateTime|NULL
	 */
	public function getValue() {
		return $this->color;
	}
	public function loadHttpData() {
		$c = $this->getHttpData(Form::DATA_LINE);
		$this->color = $c ? $c : '#000000';
	}
	/**
	 * Generates control's HTML element.
	 */
	public function getControl() {
		$name = $this->getHtmlName();

		/*

			<input type="hidden" class="colorInput"/>

		*/

		return Html::el('div')
			->class('colorPicker')
			->id($name)
			->add(
				Html::el('a')
					->class('color')
					->add(
						Html::el('div')
							->class('colorInner')
					)
			)
			->add(
				Html::el('div')
					->class('track')
			)
			->add(
				Html::el('ul')
					->class('dropdown')
					->add(
						Html::el('li')
					)
			)
			->add(
				Html::el('input')
					->type('hidden')
					->name($name)
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	public static function validateColor($control) {
		return true;
	}
}


Dictionaries give different definitions of freedom, but all of them are common in the fact that it is the right of people to behave as they want without harming other people. But the main thing is how we interpret this concept. For some individuals liberty means just to have no engagements or simply circulate freely. For others liberty is the ability to exist without being coerced or forced to do something they don't want.
In my opinion, we have to make a start from the concept that the liberty is the respect for individual rights and thoughts, as well as understanding that all forms of aggression are unacceptable. So, as long as a free human being doesn't commit any form of aggression (physical or mental) on another person, he or she could feel free to live his or her life as they please.
We – our essay writing service – produced this article and hopes that it will be a good example.
Liberty is also married to the concept of personal responsibility. Indeed, we should be ready for it. Everything in our life takes its roots from us, from our consciousness. The events we experience in present do not happen accidentally, they are the products of our choice in the past.
Thus, liberty is something that is hidden inside of us. We have the right to use our mind and body to produce what we need, and to own and use what we produce. Only you have the right to decide what is good for you. Liberty gives us a vital opportunity to make this unique choice. It determines our future. That's why liberty is essential for experiencing happiness and self-fulfillment. In order to have liberty we are to be ready for it.


Scott Lynch The artist Aiko at work on the famed wall at Houston and Bowery.
The Times profiles Ben Shaoul, the developer who makes regular appearances on The Local. (You know, he's the landlord behind several controversial rooftop additions in the neighborhood, as well as the closing of the Cabrini nursing home, for starters.) Mr. Shaoul, who dropped out of community college at 19 to get into real estate, admits that he's made a few mistakes in his successful career. Specifically, he wishes he hadn't sued the Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence for protesting against him. "I wish we had not filed a lawsuit against them. I wish we had handled things differently. The tenants were in the wrong for the situation they created for themselves. That being said, they were living there," he said.
DNAInfo scored a tour of the under-construction (and much-delayed) Nevada Smiths, and boy does it sound like the soccer bar is in for a major upgrade. Fans will be treated to three stories of football on 20 televisions and two gargantuan projection screens. The basement will even have a low-key wine bar. With a plan this ambitious, it's hard to believe there won't be some fireworks at next week's Community Board meeting.
Zagat editor Kelly Dobkin talked with Michael White about his new restaurant, Nicoletta on NY1.
Lastly, the group N.Y.U. Faculty Against the Sexton Plan posts a cheeky picture claiming that even the trees are opposed to N.Y.U. 2031.


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Leave No Woman Behind – Situation of Women and Girls with Disabilities Africa Report 06 de marzo de 2021
Download the report as PDF here.
The focus of this report is the multiple discrimination experienced by women and girls in Africa, examined through evidence gathered in Ghana, Kenya and Mali, and the voices and demands of women and girls across the region. It forms part of the GCAP Leave No Woman Behind programme of work being undertaken with GCAP partner organisations working globally, regionally and nationally to raise awareness and promote structural changes. The objective is to ensure that the rights of women and girls with disabilities are fully realised in line with the Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the realisation by 2030 of the Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals.
Leave No One Behind is the underlying principle of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and is the central thread which weaves together its 17 Goals and 169 targets. No group could be further behind than the women and girls with disabilities in Africa, who carry multiple burdens of discrimination, now intensified by the lockdowns and controls in place due to Covid-19.
Multiple disadvantages of women and girls with disabilities
Women and girls with disabilities in Africa carry a multiple burden of discrimination, by virtue of their age, gender and their disability. People with disabilities, both female and male, make up about 15% of the world's population, one billion people. 80% of persons with disabilities live in developing countries and women and girls with disabilities represent more than half of all persons with disabilities worldwide and almost 20% of all women. Women have higher prevalence than men, 19.2%, compared to 12%. Compared with men with disabilities, globally, women with disabilities are three times more likely to have unmet needs for health care; three times more likely to be illiterate; two times less likely to be employed and two times less likely to use the Internet. Among those employed, women with disabilities are two times less likely to work as legislators, senior officials or managers.
Voices of women and girls with disabilities
The experiences recorded in this section of the report provide a vivid picture of the barriers encountered by women and girls with disabilities in their everyday lives. The section highlights both their demands for political action and their desire to be able to participate and for their voices to be heard. Key to change is confronting prejudice and stigma. Invisibility, stigma and marginalisation of women and girls with disabilities are exacerbated by age, gender and type of disability, leading to multiple discriminations and violence, often perpetrated by those closest to them. In the three countries studied in detail for this project – Kenya, Mali and Ghana – approximately one in five of the poorest people have a disability. Poverty and marginalisation are compounded when gender, age and disability intersect, contributing to extreme vulnerability. Even where there are laws that supposedly provide support for women and girls with disabilities, the intensity of stigma and negative attitudes toward disability often makes them ineffective. Focus group participants told how people with disabilities are still believed to be cursed and to embody bad omens for their families. They are treated as outcasts, as bad luck in the family, and even forced to leave the home.
Overcoming barriers to essential services and to social protection is linked to overcoming stigma. The report describes how in all three countries women with disabilities had difficulties in accessing the services they were entitled to, including health because information about their entitlements was not available or because the offices they needed to visit were not disabled-friendly. In Kenya it has been reported that almost three quarters of PWDs living in informal settlements in urban areas are less likely to have adequate access to health services, due to stigma and infrastructural limitations. In all three countries, despite legal provisions to social protection, defective design, inaccessible pay points, poor access to information on entitlements and problems of coverage and adequacy effectively exclude women and children with disabilities from their entitlements. Exclusion from education – due to high costs, few schools with access or facilities for disabled children, and high drop-out rates – leads to lack of opportunities for employment. In all three countries poor or non-existent education for women and girls with disabilities means they find it difficult or impossible to get work and, when employed, they find that few allowances are made for them. Political participation, as political influencers and voters, is highlighted as very important for change, but in all countries the lack of finance combined with discriminatory attitudes, as well as the poor design of public buildings, are effective barriers to political participation. Political opponents can and do cite disability to justify discrimination.
Stigma, invisibility, and exclusion from services and social protection come together in violence and abuse. Women and girls with disabilities are at greater risk of violence and sexual abuse than women without disabilities. Women with disabilities are at two to four times higher risk of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) than women without disabilities. In the words of the chairwoman of a disabled persons association in rural Kenya, "Most people do not respect us as people who deserve to be treated with dignity, when something happens to a disabled person, it is not taken as seriously compared to when something happens to a nondisabled person. This is not only by the community, even the police, the hospitals, the schools, the churches, parents, everybody …., what do you say when a parent takes 200 shillings (USD $2.00) and agrees to close their eyes when their daughter has been raped?" The scale of the violence against women and girls with disabilities in Africa is evidence of the wider societal issue of truly dangerous and unhealthy attitudes towards women, which can be internalised by women themselves, and disabled women and men. Serious effort must now be invested in changing these attitudes and at the same time law enforcement agencies and the courts must begin to take gender-based violence seriously and prosecute the perpetrators.
The Covid-19 pandemic has intensified the overlapping difficulties faced by women and girls with disabilities. The lockdowns and controls imposed to contain the spread of the virus have, in the words of UN Women, facilitated a shadow pandemic of violence against all women – a shadow pandemic which, as our evidence shows, has particularly affected women and girls with disabilities. Lockdown measures have confined them to their homes, increased their vulnerability, isolated them from friends and their support networks and made them even more dependent on immediate family. Impacts also include reduced access to health services, including maternal health; the burden of caring for the sick; and loss of income without compensation as opportunities for work in informal sector dry up.
GCAP partners have been collecting information and making recommendations to governments as the pandemic has developed. The overriding concern is how already poor and marginalised women and girls with disabilities obtain information, hygiene, health and income support to enable them to live safely in the midst of lockdowns and to have redress against the discrimination and hostility which has been heightened by fear of the pandemic.
Poor data is a consequence of and driver of invisibility, lack of voice and human rights abuses. As this report shows, civil society, academics and persons with disabilities themselves have provided plentiful evidence of the difficulties that women and girls with disabilities face in their daily lives, but timely statistical data on the numbers of people living with disabilities is sorely lacking. 'Leave No One Behind' challenges all governments to include all groups and sectors on an equal basis to achieve the SDGs. To do this, as the 2030 Agenda recognises, accurate disaggregated and timely data is needed to determine whether all those in danger of being left behind have been identified and action taken to include them. Target 18 of Goal 17, the penultimate paragraph of the SDGs, embracing all the goals and targets that precede it, calls for support to developing countries, "to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts." Tools needed to gather these data are available: the Washington Group questions on functioning, are increasingly being used in national censuses and surveys. The Malawi example shows how using these questions can provide a proper picture of disability in a country or particular population to support policy change and budget provision.
Upholding and acting on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
The rights of persons with disabilities are supported by overarching human rights frameworks, derived from the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the subsequent body of international human rights law. All the three countries in the report, and countries across Africa, have ratified the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, agreed in 2018, promises in its Article 17, to "promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human and people's rights by all persons with disabilities, and to ensure respect for their inherent dignity", with specific provisions for women and girls. All countries of Africa are signatories to the Sustainable Development Goals which have specific commitments for disability inclusion in Goal 4 (Education), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Social Protection), Goal 10 (Inequalities), Goal 11 (Built Environment) and Goal 17 (Partnerships and Data).
The way forward
To sum up, the obligations of government to women and girls with disabilities are not in doubt, and the voices of women and girls with disabilities express clearly what they expect and want.
• Voices of women and girls with disabilities to be heard and taken into account
• Equal opportunities to contribute fully to their communities and countries.
• Inclusive policies that enable, rather than prevent, development and contributions.
• To be fully involved as equal participants in developing and implementing policies on disability, gender equality, social development, environmental sustainability and humanitarian programmes.
• Meaningful representation of women with disabilities in national regional and international political processes and within organisations of the United Nations and multilateral bodies.


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I wanted to make a simple SCADA setup for a Gas Company, (SNGPL) for which i travelled off to another city to their SCADA base, Mango automation stopped working at the very initial stage, both on my main machine and on the backup i had with me.
3 sensors, 1 relay >>>> GE-FANUC 90-30 PLC >>RS 232 >> MOXA USB to serial converter >>usb port >> Laptop sony, 64 bit core i3.
and modbus rtu data source module.
COMPORT0 available in the data source editing page.
NOW when I attached my plc, ge fanuc 90-30, as plc>rs232>com port>usb port.................and polled for data there was no responce.......... i would attach pictures.to show the config.
after about 10 minutes, the data source page got hung up....with no response....... then when i reloaded the page, it showed the loading hourglass....but never loaded up. restarting the instance. no use. restarting pc no use.
i moved on to my backup pc...the same happened there............ the command prompt showed : DENYING ACCESS TO SECURE PAGE...........data sources........etc etc.. ill attach pictures.
As stated in a private email to you if you can send me a zip of the Mango folder I will see if I can recreate the issue.
One note is that you want the JAVA_HOME Environmental Variable set to your JDK install location.
You can remove the data base from MA and then restart so it starts with a clean database and see if you still have issues with the Data Source page. This is definitely does not sound like a Mango issue so we need to look at the overall configuration.
It's good to use a second modbus tool on the same computer to insure that your serial adapter and configuration is ok. In Mango you can use the modbus tools to make sure you are reading the PLC and the correct registers. More than likely it's a settings issue with the PLC or a RS-485 issue.
For more detailed diagnosing of modbus rs-485 communication issues you need two computers with rs-485 adapters and use the second one to listen to and record the serial traffic so you can see where the issues lies. There are many factors that can mess up a RS-485 network.
If you send me the mango installation I'll have a look and see what I can find.
Yes I appreciate the quick responce.
After some troubleshooting I figured out the unavailability of internet connection made the DATA SOURCE page stuck. It would have been much much better if just a dialog box popped up to say Mango does not function without Internet always on. The reason my pc was disconnected was because the proxy server used port 8080 and I did not want any conflicts.
I hoped the software had not broken down on the loading page..
Currently the Mango instance is functioning, with an always on internet connection.
One problem still remains where MODBUS ASCII is available, but MODBUS RTU is not available in the data source creation page....seems purely a configuration problem, which i havent been able to figure out yet.
Im attaching image of the console which said Denying access when data source page was getting stuck.
Mango doesn't not require an internet connection to be used so I'm not sure what the issues is.
Are you using a Modbus Serial or IP data source? The modbus serial has a selection for ASCII or RTU under the data source create page. Both serial and IP have a character encoding option for the data points but it depends on the modbus data type drop down list.


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My photos won't match the wonderful Killeen's.
My breakdown of the Loge box cost index will pale next to Orel's.
Orel ready for his American Eagle modeling gig.
But I was there, man, at a one-of-a-kind SoSGy spectacular, courtesy of our friends THE DODGERS. And it was a joyous night filled with mediocre baseball and the only standing ovation Brandon League will ever see in LA. Besides putting the SoSG succession line at risk, the Sons and Award-winning Team Killeens lived like kings last Wednesday.
We wielded our UNLIMITED POWER.
Though as the sole Android user in the bunch, D.E.L.I.N.O was the only one who actually needed it as my phone died about two innings into the epic battle.
We ordered from the heavily redacted menu.
One of us decided that their smuggled pistachios belonged on an otherwise spotless floor.
There were heartbroken Ryu fans.
And heart-breaking loaded hot dogs.
Most of all, it was a chance for the disparate hooligans and degenerates of the SoSG staff (and poster artistes) to come together as one.
Thank you to the Dodgers for giving us a glimpse of the Loge Box life, and F Brandon League.
For the record, I am the laziest of the Sons.
Damn, I need a new face.
We kept getting confused for each other.
"I got the tools, and I got the talent"


text:
Corruption Charges
From Lawfuel:
Hollywood Police Officers Kevin Companion, Jeffry Courtney, Thomas Simcox and Stephen Harrison were charged in a complaint unsealed today with extortion and narcotics charges, announced R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office. Specifically, the complaint charges the defendants with conspiring and attempting to commit extortion under color of official right by accepting bribes to protect and facilitate what was represented to be a wide range of criminal activities, including the sale and interstate transportation of stolen property, a crooked high stakes gambling operation, cargo theft, and the transportation of a multi-kilogram load of heroin, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951. The defendants were also charged with conspiring and attempting to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, for their roles in protecting a heroin shipment.
The charges against these four Hollywood Police Officers arose from a two-year undercover investigation jointly conducted by the United States Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to the complaint, Companion, a 20-year veteran of the Hollywood Police Department, Courtney, a 15-year veteran of the Department, Simcox, a 24-year veteran of the Department, and Harrison, an 8-year veteran of the Department, provided a variety of illegal services to a group of individuals who represented themselves to be part of a New York-based criminal organization which was looking to recruit police officers to protect and facilitate their illegal operations. In reality, however, these individuals were FBI undercover agents, and the purported criminal activities were all staged operations done as part of the investigation.
In exchange for cash payments, the defendants were involved in the following criminal activities: Companion protected the collection of an illegal gambling debt and the fencing of stolen watches; Companion and Courtney protected a sale of $400,000 worth of stolen diamonds, and personally delivered $400,000 worth of stolen bearer bonds from Florida to New York City; Companion, Courtney, Simcox, and Harrison all participated in providing protection for a high-stakes rigged poker game staged on a yacht; Companion, Courtney, and Simcox delivered $1,000,000 worth of stolen diamonds from Florida to Atlantic City, New Jersey; Companion, Courtney, Simcox and Harrison all protected the theft of a tractor-trailer load of cigarettes; Companion and Harrison delivered a load of valuable stolen artwork from Florida to Atlantic City; and finally, Companion, Courtney, Simcox, and Harrison provided a security escort for the transportation of a multi-kilo load of heroin from Miami Beach to Hollywood, Florida, for further delivery to the criminal organization up north. The defendants would be paid in cash at the conclusion of each criminal episode in which they participated, and as a result of their criminal activities, they received the following approximate total amounts: Companion – $42,000; Courtney – $22,000; Simcox – $16,000; and Harrison – $12,000.
Continue Reading.
It's an interesting development, and one sure to grab headlines. It sounds almost too far-fetched to be real. I found the charges of transporting artwork particularly interesting. It's an example of mob ties to art theft. A number of claims are thrown about regarding organized crime and stolen art, but there is not a lot of hard evidence to support the claim. Here is some evidence, though it seems the far more serious violations were in regards to extortion and drug smuggling. One of the reasons given for a stronger criminal response to the illicit trade in cultural property are reports like this, which link stolen art to drugs and other more serious crimes.
You can read the press release from the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida here.
Author Derek FinchamPosted on February 26, 2007 Categories UncategorizedTags Art Theft, FBI, Organized Crime, Stolen Art
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Photos taken of late actor Gary Coleman in the hospital – and one of after he died – are being shopped around to the media. An anonymous photographer reportedly approached at least once gossip site attempting to sell photos of the former Diff'rent Strokes star on his deathbed.
The funeral for late actor Gary Coleman will not take place this weekend as planned due to a battle between his ex-wife and parents over his remains. Coleman died last week from a brain hemorrhage after allegedly falling in his home.
Former child actor Gary Coleman's death Friday at the age of 42 shocked his estranged parents, Sue and William Coleman. Although they had not spoken to their son in 10 years, Coleman's parents want to know exactly what happened to the former Diff'rent Strokes star.