Happy Birthday, LAI FL Suncoast Chapter!!!

 On October 16, 2025 celebrates its first birthday! Wow, what a year!!!!

Image courtesy of LAI

At the Lambda Alpha International (LAI) Annual Gathering in Phoenix, LAI Global President Kathy King announced the LAI FL Suncoast Chapter (Chapter) charter at the Awards Dinner on October 16, 2024. Chapter Board Member Jay Brady accepted the chapter charter; in his remarks, Jay emphasized the local and global teamwork that culminated in developing a chapter.  

Chapter President Holly Elmore, Earth Impact (Ei) Founder & CEO, remained in Sarasota due to damage from Hurricane Milton. 

At 8:30 pm on October 9, Milton made landfall on the southern portion of Siesta Key, one of Sarasota's barrier islands, as a Category 3 storm; landfall was a mere 7 miles from Holly's home. The Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) Magazine article, Hurricane Trilogy, describes the devasting impact of three hurricanes within 65 days on the FL Suncoast.

The IMPACT article, Announcing the LAI FL Suncoast Chapter, celebrates the chapter charter as well as showcases the keys to success.

About LAI

LAI is the honorary global network for thought leaders 

in all fields related to the preservation and sustainable development of land.

LAI is a growing network of chapters in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Asia. Each chapter offers a wide variety of programs with industry leaders, discussion forums, community service projects and networking events.

Membership is highly selective through a nomination process initiated by an LAI member. Nominees for LAI membership must demonstrate ten or more years of experience in their fields, professional distinction, and outstanding contributions to the community in their field of endeavor.

LAI is committed to excellence and high professional standards to make a difference. A value to members is knowing you are someone who helped make that difference.

An ACTIVE Chapter
The Founding Chapter Board committed to oversee and lead an active chapter and succeeded! In the first year, the Chapter hosted four well-attended meetings, two with more than 50 attendees:

• 

  Official Chapter Emcee John McCarthy
  at the June 25 meeting
  photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images
  
  

  SRQ: an economic driver, November 21, 2024
• 2025 Suncoast Economic Forecast, January 30, 2025
• Benderson Development: tremendous influence on the Sarasota-Bradenton commercial landscape, April 2, 2025
• Transforming Places, Inspiring Lives, June 25, 2025

Thanks to generous sponsorships the four meetings were free to attend with lovely receptions and cash bars. 

The next meeting on November 18, A hundred years of excellence - honoring the past, shaping tomorrow, is sponsored by Florida Power and Light (FPL) and features a presentation by Devaney Iglesias, FPL Area Manager and Immediate Past Chair of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County. Registration is open at this LINK.

Additionally, the Chapter hosted a much appreciated summer happy hour.

In the spring, the Responsible Communities Committee (RCC) began meeting at least once a month, usually in person. The RCC was the impetus for hosting the February 25, 2026 Water Challenges, Economics, and Nature-Based Solutions LED (Land Economics Dialogues). With Committee support, Chapter member John Taylor will open the LED with the Coastal Water Dynamics presentation. Refer to a later article section for details on the LED.

The Workforce Housing Taskforce met in the early summer with fifteen prominent community leaders attending the in-person meeting. Over the winter, the Taskforce will reconvene with renewed leadership.

Strong Membership
As documented in the November 2023 IMPACT article, The Power of LAI Comes to Florida, there were fourteen active members when the Chapter officially embarked on achieving the coveted chapter charter. Less than a year later, the Chapter boasted 22 members when Jay accepted the Chapter Charter in October 2024.

As the first-year anniversary, the Chapter is 38 members strong, only 12 shy of the 50-member longer-term goal.

Global LAI Participation

In addition to her Chapter President responsibilities, Holly co-chairs the Global Water-Land Series Group (Group) with Golden Gate Chapter member Jim Musbach. Chapter members Tim Rumage and Michael Barbour serve on the Group. The RiA Magazine article, Water Security, a pending to realized crisis, introduces the Group and substantiates Ei's Water Security platform.

LAI Executive Director Sheila Novak
& Incoming President Craig Binning
@ the Montreal Awards Banquet

photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

Chapter member Bob Bunting, Climate Adaptation Center CEO, was the lead speaker on the September 4 Resiliency around the Globe: Local Responses to Hurricanes, Sea Rise and Sudden Flooding global webinar. At Holly's request, the first part of Bob's presentation explained in a simple scientific manner how rising global temperatures are the catalyst for the extreme weather scenario.

The main portion of Bob's presentation focused on Florida’s Trifecta & The Path to Adaptation, the same hurricanes reference in the article-intro copy. The RiA Magazine article, Resiliency around the Globe: Local Responses to Hurricanes, Sea Rise and Sudden Flooding, gives an overview of Bob's excellent presentation.

In September, Holly represented the Chapter at the 2025 Montreal Gathering. The IMPACT article, 2025 Montreal Gathering: a personal perspective, showcases the personal and professional value LAI brings to its members.

One-by-Land, Two-by-Sea Tours
The LAI SemiQ East Coast Tours: Land Use & History (1776-2026) celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a series of tours hosted by the seven Eastern Region chapters: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, FL Suncoast, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. The One-by-Land, Two-by-Sea Tours (Tours) hosted by the Chapter is the first tour in the series.

On February 25 – 27, 2026, the Chapter welcomes distinguished land economics professionals from across the globe to the Sarasota/Bradenton area during the prime winter season. Due to bus limitations, the One-by-Land, Two-by-Sea Tours is limited to 45 out-of-town guests; local chapter members will participate via their own transportation.

As detailed in the Tours Itinerary, the tours consist of an opening reception, two days of tours filled with prominent speakers including a two-hour Sarasota Bay History Cruise, and finishes with a Closing Dinner Reception (pending sponsorship.)

The Tours is open to Global LAI members and a guest. 

REGISTER HERE - early bird registrations ends October 20, 2025

Sponsorship opportunities are detailed HERE.

Water Challenges, Economics, Nature-Based Solutions LED
As a precursor to the February 25 – 27, 2026 One-by-Land, Two-by-Sea Tours, the Chapter hosts a Land Economics Dialogues (LED) event on Wednesday, February 25 from 9 am – 4 pm. The LED focus is on local Water Challenges, Economics, and Nature-Based-Solutions.

An LED is an FL Suncoast-event series where prominent LAI members from around the globe provide expertise and advice on land- and water-related issues.

The LED agenda consists of four morning speakers followed by a brainstorming session during lunch. Morning presentation topics include Coastal Water Dynamics, Surface Water (Sarasota Bay, Gulf, Inland Waters), Extreme Weather, and Local & Regional Economics. The afternoon is dedicated to an empowering strategy session. A formal report will document the LED presentations, strategy session, and recommended nature-based solutions.

Land and water economics are the common thread within the LED–strategy points.

The LED is open to Global LAI members.

REGISTER HERE - early bird registrations ends October 20, 2025

Sponsorship opportunities are detailed HERE.

With a hugely successful first year as a chapter, the LAI FL Suncoast Chapter is staged to soar! The Chapter will bring tremendous value to the members as well as the community.