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Sarasota News Leader September 6, 2013 Page 70 COMMUNITY FOUNDATION VP SELECTED FOR LEADERSHIP FLORIDA Local nonprofit executive John Annis, who serves as vice president for community investment for the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, has been selected to join the 32nd class of Leadership Florida, the Foundation has announced. He is one of just 55 leaders in Florida "chosen to participate in a stimulating and thought-provoking eight-month educational program that consists of a series of five sessions held in cities throughout the state," a news release says. The culmination of the program will be the equivalent of a sixth session, where participants will join fellow Leadership Florida members at the organization's annual meeting, the release notes. "I am excited about the opportunity to learn and share with such an amazing group of leaders," Annis said in the release. "I've been fortunate to work with many Leadership Florida alumni and know how committed they are to our great state. And I'm grateful to the leadership of the Community Foundation for its support of my participation in this venture." In Annis' current role at the Community Foundation, he leads the team responsible for grants, scholarships and nonprofit services, including The Giving Partner, an online resource that helps to connect donors to nonprofits and causes they care about, the release continues. "His leadership has been crucial to engaging the Community Foundation in partnerships including Campaign for Grade Level Reading, which aims to ensure that all area school children are reading at grade level by the end of third grade, and the summer enrichment and career training program at Alta Vista Elementary School, to benefit students and their parents," the release notes. John Annis/Contributed photo "The Alta Vista program is inspired by Ascend at the Aspen Institute, a proponent of the 'two-generational approach' to lifting families out of poverty," the release points out. "I congratulate my colleague John Annis on being selected from a very competitive process for the Leadership Florida program," said Community Foundation President and CEO Roxie Jerde, a member of the Executive Leadership Florida class of 2012, in the release. "He is compassionate and cares deeply about this community — he will be a wonderful representative for Sarasota County and our organization in Leadership Florida." "Created in 1982 by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Florida builds a sense of statewide community by identifying and training individuals with the passion and commitment to help make great things happen," the release notes.