On Oct. 21, Lynn University President Kevin M. Ross announced that the Christine E. Lynn University Center
will be built through a $15 million challenge grant from board of trustees chair Christine E. Lynn.
The building will encompass the Hannifan Center for Career Connections, the Center for Learning Abroad,
campus store, mailroom, coffee shop, student affairs offices and collaboration spaces.
The university center is expected to be completed in 2018. Lynn’s gift is the largest
in university history. To learn more, visit www.give.lynn.edu.
Rendering provided
By Christine Davis
The Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce congratulated its 2015 Luminary Gala Awards winners Oct. 9 at the Delray Beach Marriott. They are: Lifetime Achievement award winner, Virginia Snyder; Business Person of the Year, Terra Spero; Business of the Year winner, Delray Medical Center; Saltwater Brewery as the New Business of the Year winner; Non-Profit Organization of the Year winner, Milagro Center; Retailer of the Year winner, Two Fat Cookies; Restaurant of the Year winner, Caffe Luna Rosa; and Ken Ellingsworth Community Service Award winner, Scott Porten.
The Delray Beach Initiative, a volunteer organization that aims to enhance the lives of local children, named Allison Turner its new chair. Turner, CEO of Business Consultants of South Florida, follows former chair Chuck Halberg, president of Stuart & Shelby Development, who founded the group in 2013.
Through Delray Beach’s new virtual hotline for local small businesses, entrepreneurs and business owners can email requests for assistance and questions directly to smallbizhelp@delraybeach.com to get help with their challenges.
Along with the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce’s staff, the hotline is served by representatives from local economic development organizations, including the Office of Economic Development, Community Redevelopment Agency, Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative, Downtown Development Authority and West Atlantic Redevelopment Coalition. For information, visit www.WeHeartSmallBiz.org or call the Office of Economic Development at 243-7054.
The Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative and Marina del Rey Convention & Visitors Bureau won an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Destination Marketing Association of the West for their successful “Beach Buddies” cross promotion. Launched in September 2014, the partnership was inspired by their shared “del rey” name and coastal chic similarities, presented through the eyes of their mascots: Marty the Pelican and Delray’s local favorite, Swinton the Turtle.
In September, the International Festivals & Events Association recognized the Delray Beach Garlic Fest, Delray Beach Bacon & Bourbon Fest, Delray Beach Wine & Seafood Fest and Delray Affair. These events are managed and produced by Festival Management Group, which received a total of 17 awards.
Also this month, the Festival Management Group’s executive director, Nancy Stewart-Franczak, and assistant executive director Sarah Vallely received their professional designations as certified festival and event executives.
Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa received a first-place ranking in Condé Nast Traveler 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards. Completely renovated by Jonathan Adler in 2014 with a Capri-meets-Santorini-meets-Palm Beach vibe, the 320-guest room resort has amenities such as the Forbes five-star 42,000-square-foot spa, four restaurants, three Har-tru tennis courts, two pools, and child and teen clubs and programs.
The Spirit of Giving, founded by Boca Raton resident Barbara Schmidt in collaboration with the Junior League of Boca Raton, was honored for its service at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties’ inaugural Martens Award Luncheon in October. A collaborative nonprofit South County organization with more than 60 member organizations that share resources, the Spirit of Giving’s alliances and programs such as community volunteer training; screening and placement; annual Back to School Bash, annual holiday gift guide; nonprofit technical alliance; a community nonprofit calendar, and community involvement campaign.
The Martens Award is named for the late Marie Graber Martens, a Boca Raton philanthropist who gave a $15 million bequest in 1990 to the Community Foundation, doubling its assets at that time.
Gov. Rick Scott appointed licensed cosmetologist and educator Rhonda L. Griffis, an instructor for Palm Beach State College’s Cosmetology program, to the state Board of Cosmetology.
The Institute for Regional Conservation was awarded a New York Life Foundation Volunteers for Good Individual Grant in the amount of $1,000, recognizing the volunteer service of Boynton Beach’s John Campanola.
Kae Jonsons recently joined Hanley Center Foundation as CEO. She oversees the foundation’s efforts to provide substance abuse prevention and education programs for parents, caregivers and school-age children, and she works with board committees to manage the new granting process for scholarships for patients who cannot afford access to addiction treatment.
Also, she oversees the foundation’s board and donor relations, fundraising events and fund development strategies.
Boca Raton resident Shawn Sherlock has gone from reporting, to dancing for the Miami Heat and Prince, to publishing. Recently, she launched Spotlight Families magazine, “so other moms just like me could get inspired as I had, become informed about something they never knew, or hear a story about a fearless mom ‘doing her thing’ on a day-to-day basis,” Sherlock said.
Spotlight Families magazine can be found at local schools, restaurants and doctors’ offices. Also, check out its upcoming event listings at www.SpotlightFamilies.com.
Manalapan resident Howard Parker and his son, Derek, have launched HAP Realty, a full-service real estate firm specializing on the barrier island of Manalapan. “As a resident, it’s easy to see the benefits of extended waterfronts and complimentary club memberships, but by staying out of the spotlight, the benefits of the town could go unnoticed by potential home buyers. Derek and I are excited to share our love of Manalapan with the real estate industry and surrounding communities,” said Howard Parker, president and CEO of HAP Realty. For information, call 585-1315 or visit www.haprealty.com.
Day Pitney LLP law firm, with attorneys in Boston, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington, will merge with the Chapin, Ballerano & Cheslack firm, which has offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. “Being able to collaborate with the attorneys in Day Pitney’s various practices will allow us to deliver our combined knowledge and experience more effectively to our clients,” said James A. Ballerano Jr.
Jeffrey A. Weissman, principal of marital and family law firm Gladstone & Weissman, P.A., was named 2016 Lawyer of the Year in Family Law, Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area, including Boca Raton and Delray Beach, by the Best Lawyers in America, a distinction he has earned since 2007. It is based on voting averages received during peer review assessments. His firm’s main office is at 101 Renaissance Centre, 101 N. Federal Highway, Suite 702, Boca Raton.
The Delray Beach Housing Authority recently honored Christel Silver, owner of Silver International Realty, with an award for her eight years of service on the board.
The totally rehabbed house at 101 N. Atlantic Ave., Lantana, has had moments of shadiness (if you recall, Robert Van Winkle, aka Vanilla Ice, was arrested and charged in February for taking stuff from the house next door; “It’s a misunderstanding,” VI said at the time), but it’s also had (and still has) its day(s) in the sun, as the featured estate for season five of DIY Network’s Vanilla Ice Project.
Offered for sale for $5 million, this “one-of-a-kind, dream house, waterfront mansion” can be yours, said agent James Arena, of Arena and Company, who is marketing the home for Vanilla Ice.
“The house even has a pirate-ship splash pad for kids in the backyard. It’s like Disney World,” Arena said. To take a look, check out www.TheDreamHouse.info; to book a tour, call Arena at 572-8888.
The Indulgence charity event benefiting the Achievement Centers of Children & Families, held at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts at Old School Square, helped raise nearly $160,000, which will be used to assist low-income children and families.
Mark your calendar for the Palm Beach Poetry Festival’s public events. “Narrative Poems Revisited” with John Childrey will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 12:30 p.m.
Local poets and poetry fans with an interest in music are invited to attend the festival’s “Song Writing and Musician’s Showcase” at noon on Nov. 14.
Local label-signed recording artists will discuss their personal lyric writing process and play original music. They include Bill Hartmann, Stephen Minotti, Shawn Mallon, Aymber Daniel, Cassidy Diana, Kristen Spencer, Eric Muniz and others to be announced.
“It’s family-friendly, so children are welcome, and you’ll be able to meet the artists. Their CDs will be available for sale and signing after the showcase,” said the festival’s director of community outreach, Blaise Allen.
The free workshop will be held at Old School Square’s Crest Theatre, Ocean Breeze Room, 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach. For questions or to RSVP, contact Allen at drblaiseallen@aol.com.
At the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce’s fourth annual Delray Beach Wine & Seafood Fest, Nov. 7-8, enjoy a leisurely stroll on A1A while enjoying a glass of wine or a plate of seafood. Check out the work of artists and crafters, and then, head to the main stage, where music, wine and beer are offered.
Event goers will expand their knowledge of wines at food and wine pairing seminars led by vintners from Napa Valley’s Cakebread, Plumbjack, Silver Oak and ZD Wineries, Sonoma’s Chalkhill Winery and Italy’s Castello Banfi Winery. Admission is free.
This Veterans Day, Hair Cuttery, and those who join in, will recognize former service men and women through its Share-A-Haircut program. For every adult haircut purchased Nov. 11, a free haircut certificate will be donated to a veteran in the community where the haircut was purchased. To find a Hair Cuttery, visit www.haircuttery.com.
The Greater Boynton Beach Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Harvest Fest will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 14 on the east side of the Boynton Beach Mall. There will be activities for children, craft vendors, local food trucks, live music, and a People’s Choice Award Car Show.
On Nov. 28, shop and dine locally in downtown Delray Beach for Small Business Saturday. Ninety-three percent of merchants there are small business owners, many of whom have had their doors open for more than 15 years and some, like Hands Office & Art Supply, for more than 80 years. Visitors to downtown that day will receive small gifts and refreshments.
Also, during November, visit Downtown Development Agency’s www.facebook.com/DelrayDDA and get to know the people behind the counter through its Meet the Merchant program.
The Naoma Donnelley Haggin Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach will host its 13th annual holiday trunk show from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 2-3 with a preview party and cocktail reception on Dec. 1, at the Seagate Hotel & Spa, 1000 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. The show, which is free and open to the public, will feature specialty vendors offering a variety of gift items. Tickets to the preview party cost $85 and can be purchased at www.bgcpbc.org or at the door.
The event co-chairs are Susan Mullin, Michele Ramirez, Kari Shipley and Lynn Wilkins. This year’s gold sponsors include The Seagate Hotel & Spa, Lang Realty, Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart and Shipley, Attorneys at Law, and the Mark Gerretson Memorial Fishing Tournament.
All proceeds from the holiday trunk show will help support programming for the children who attend the Boys & Girls Club.
Executive Women of the Palm Beaches is calling for nominations for its 33rd annual Women in Leadership Awards, honoring women with outstanding accomplishments in the volunteer, private, public and nonprofit sectors. Nominations will be open until 5 p.m. Feb. 12. For criteria and submission information, visit www.ewpb.org/about_wila or call 868-7070.
Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.
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