SARASOTA, Fla. – Jimmy Patronis, the chief financial officer of Florida, will be the keynote speaker for the 66th annual installation and awards dinner for the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange (GCBX), a not-for-profit construction industry trade organization.
On Thursday, Feb. 1 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota, Patronis will discuss the financial health of Florida and other important issues for the business community. A native Floridian, Patronis oversees the state’s accounting and auditing functions and unclaimed property, monitors the investment of state funds and manages the deferred compensation program and risk management program for Florida.
During the dinner, John Miller, founder of Aqua Plumbing & Air, will be honored with the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award. A master plumber with extensive expertise in commercial, residential and new construction, Miller founded Aqua Plumbing & Air in 1974. Today, the company is the area’s largest full-service plumbing company, employing over 130 people.
The GCBX’s Lifetime Achievement Award is granted to members in recognition of a lifetime of distinguished service and contributions to the GCBX, the commercial contracting industry and the community.
During the event, GCBX chairman Kevin Hicks, CEO of Gator Grading & Paving, will pass the gavel to incoming chairman Brian Leaver, senior vice president for Tandem Construction. The Chairman’s Award will be presented to Ed Hunzeker, the Manatee County administrator, and a surprise Membership Recruitment and Volunteer of the Year award will also be given out.
Tickets are $175 for members and $225 for non-member attendees and can be purchased at www.gcbx.org or by calling 941-907-7745.
About The Gulf Coast Builders Exchange
The Gulf Coast Builders Exchange was established in 1952 and is a not-for-profit corporation operating as a trade organization under the guidance of a volunteer board of directors as representatives of the industry. The not-for-profit organization represents a broad cross section of the building industry, including contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and others from affiliated industries.
The GCBX membership is comprised of close to 400 companies in Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties. It includes some of the most respected contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, service providers and businesses in construction‑affiliated industries. GCBX’s advocacy efforts on behalf of the building industry are conducted in Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties. For more information, visit www.GCBX.org.