Jamie is married to Jennifer Bash. He is a passionate advocate for Sarasota County. He has been involved in numerous non-profits and community activities after first moving to Sarasota in 1998 (he moved back permanently in 2005 after a six-year hiatus in Tallahassee). He works in strategic planning and messaging and helps his clients navigate where community, public and government relations intersect. He prides himself in creating innovative strategic plans that meet short-term goals while preparing for long-term opportunities.
OUR BOARD
Executive Board Members
Jamie Miller
Chairman
Richard Pocker
President
ABOUT RICHARD
Richard is a native New Yorker and a third-generation art dealer and picture framer. J.Pocker & Son, founded by Richard’s grandparents in 1926, remains in continuous operation to this day. Richard experienced progressive hearing loss due to scarlet fever at the age of five, relying on hearing aids until the age of thirty when a sudden and complete loss of residual hearing occurred. During this time, Richard managed the business entirely through lip reading.
In 2015, Richard and Beth relocated to Sarasota, where Richard discovered the area’s reputation as a hub for cochlear implants. In December 2015, Richard underwent simultaneous bilateral cochlear implant surgery and became active in January 2016, marking the end of 35 years of total deafness. Speech comprehension improved dramatically, progressing from zero to 85%, with recent tests showing 100%.
Since regaining the ability to hear, Richard has been dedicated to mentoring and assisting profoundly hard-of-hearing or deaf individuals to overcome the isolation of deafness. Over the past eight years, Richard has interacted with more than a thousand candidates in this mission.
Brandi Furlan
Secretary
ABOUT BRANDI
Brandi Furlan has been married 29 years, mom of 2. Originally from Las Vegas, NV and moved to Sarasota in 2004. She has been in real estate for over 30 years and has a real estate team called The Furlan Group at Keller Williams Classic Group.
Board Members
Tim Self
Membership Chair
ABOUT TIM
Tim has been active in the Sarasota business community since 1996. He currently serves on the boards of Visit Sarasota, Leadership Sarasota, First Step, and the Sertoma Kids, Inc. Tim received the 2017 Action and Impact Award from Leadership Sarasota for his various community involvement. In 2016, he was elected to a 3-year term of the National Board of Sertoma, Inc.
Chris Fulton
Communications Chair
ABOUT CHRIS
Chris Fulton, a Sarasota native, dedicated Residential Mortgage Loan Officer who is a veteran Army Field Artillery Officer. With a commitment to service ingrained in his DNA, Chris brings discipline and integrity to every client interaction. Passionate about helping families and individuals achieve their homeownership dreams, he is a proud member of the Sertoma Club of Sarasota, where he continues to make a positive impact on the community. His goal is to help spread the word about Sertoma and the amazing Sertoma Kids, Inc children’s programs.
Angela Chang
Socials/Happy Hour Chair
ABOUT ANGELA
Angela Chang is a licensed and Florida-registered Interior Designer specializing in Residential, Multi-Family, Commercial, and Hospitality design.
Born and raised in Taiwan, Angela moved to America for college. Angela received her Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Design – Spatial Experience.
Angela started her professional career in commercial design in Los Angeles. In 2020, Angela moved to Longboat Key, Florida and she expanded her love of design to residential, multi-family, and hospitality projects. Angela enjoys traveling, cooking & baking, camping, and a long walk on the beach with or without a fishing rod in her hand
