The 2026 Sandies Awards
In a region where community can be as important to business as a balance sheet, recognition carries particular weight.
By Edit Sarasota Staff
In a region where community can be as important to business as a balance sheet, recognition carries particular weight. The 2026 Sandies Awards will bring Lakewood Ranch’s business and civic leaders together for an evening devoted not simply to achievement, but to the people whose generosity, ingenuity, and steady work help shape the area’s future.
Presented by the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, the annual awards are chosen by peers—an especially meaningful distinction in a community where professional relationships often become partnerships, mentorships, and lasting friendships. The Sandies honor individuals whose accomplishments extend beyond personal success: people who demonstrate character, invest in others, and help create a stronger, more connected business culture.
That mission reflects the broader work of the LWRBA, which serves as a convener and advocate for Lakewood Ranch businesses and their employees. Through leadership, resources, and business development, the Alliance works to foster connections among companies while building productive partnerships with community organizations and governmental institutions. The awards give that work a human face, celebrating those who are not only advancing their own fields but also forging paths for others to follow.
The setting adds its own sense of occasion. Mote Science Education Aquarium, or Mote SEA, offers a fitting backdrop for a gathering centered on curiosity, collaboration, and stewardship. As an extension of Mote’s educational mission, the venue connects a celebration of local leadership with the wider life of the Gulf Coast—its waterways, scientific institutions, and culture of community-minded innovation.
There is also a practical dimension to the evening. With hundreds of potential customers, partners, and fellow professionals in attendance, the Sandies provides local businesses an opportunity to place their names before an engaged audience. Limited sponsorship opportunities remain, offering companies a way to support the Alliance’s work while aligning themselves with an event that celebrates the people helping Lakewood Ranch thrive.
The 2026 Sandies Awards will take place Friday, November 13, 2026, at Mote Science Education Aquarium, 225 University Town Center Drive. Expect an evening of recognition, conversation, and a reminder that the most consequential business stories are often written through service to the community around them.