Community Foundation of Sarasota County Board of Directors Elects Officers, Adds New Members

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s board of directors recently elected officers for its 2025-2026 fiscal year and appointed three new members. Paul Hudson, the market leader/senior managing director at Northern Trust, will serve as board chair, while Circuit Court Judge Charles Williams will take on the role of vice chair. Rounding out the board’s new slate of officers, Mercedes Soler, the co-owner and president of Solmart Media, will serve as secretary and Laura Mattia, a senior vice president and financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement, will serve as treasurer.

The trio of new board members, each of whom will serve a three-year term, includes Erik Arroyo, Renée James Gilmore, and Jeff McCurdy.

“The Community Foundation board of directors is honored to welcome Erik, Renée, and Jeff as members,” said Paul Hudson, the organization’s new board chair. “All three have devoted significant portions of their lives to giving back and serving others, and each is deeply committed to the place they call home. Their knowledge and experience will help guide the foundation as we work together to create a community where everyone can thrive.”

Erik Arroyo is the former mayor of Sarasota who, when sworn into that position in 2021, became both the city’s youngest mayor ever and its first Hispanic mayor. A managing partner at the law firm Arroyo McArdle, Arroyo specializes in business and corporate law, as well as estate planning, with a particular focus on family foundations. Raised by a single mother in the Dominican Republic, Arroyo was the first person in his family to graduate from high school, and he later earned an associate’s degree from State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota; a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from the University of Florida; and a juris doctor degree from Florida A&M University’s College of Law. He has won numerous awards for his leadership and was appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to the board of CareerSource Florida in 2022.

Renée James Gilmore is a longtime business and community development advocate who has served in leadership roles for multibillion-dollar agencies and initiatives. A fourth-generation Sarasota native, she started her career at ABC7/WWSB (formerly channel 40/WXLT) before earning a master of business administration degree from Clark Atlanta University. The 30-year career that followed earned her a reputation as an innovator and thought leader, and she was recognized nationally by the U.S. Department of Labor and the White House for her expertise in workforce development public policy and programming efficiencies. Today, she operates the Saja Group, a consulting firm she founded to guide businesses through the strategic planning process, using data to inspire innovation and outreach to untapped consumer populations. She is also the host of ABC7’s Empowering Voices, a show that explores people and topics of interest in underrepresented communities. A recipient of many honors and awards, Gilmore serves on the board of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and on advisory committees for Sarasota National Cemetery, the Boxser Diversity Initiative, and Florida Studio Theatre.

Jeff McCurdy is the founder and principal of Guardsman Private Capital Management, a boutique investment consulting firm. With more than 30 years of experience in investment and wealth management, he advises ultra-high-net-worth families and nonprofits across all aspects of their investment portfolios. In addition to his advisory work, he serves on the boards of several private companies. Before beginning his career in finance, McCurdy earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master of business administration degree from Duke University. He also served as a U.S. Army officer and aviator, including service in the Gulf War. McCurdy currently co-chairs the Community Foundation’s investment committee and impact investment committee and previously served on its board of directors from 2012 to 2021.

Continuing their duties as Community Foundation board members are Andrew Stultz, Dan Denton, Erin Duggan, Dr. Karen Hamad, Mitzie Henson, David Joyner, Patricia Mathews, Jeff Troiano, Dr. Janet Taylor, and Terri Vitale.