SRQ Daily: A New Chapter of Leadership Unfolds

The following guest column by Gulf Coast Community Foundation appeared in the Saturday, July 15, 2023 edition of SRQ Daily:

A new chapter of leadership is unfolding at Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast). Along with new President | CEO Phillip Lanham taking the helm of the foundation, we elected a new Board of Directors Chair (David Sessions), new Vice Chair (Anand Pallegar), and three new Board members (Pete Petersen, Keith G. Johnson, Frank Martucci) in June. We sat down with Board Chair David Sessions to get his perspective on the future of Gulf Coast.

Q: What inspired you to lead Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Board? Why now?
Sessions: “Leading Gulf Coast’s Board of Directors was an incredible opportunity that was presented to me in my fourth year on the Board. I am both honored and humbled that my fellow Board members considered me to lead this year. I’m grateful for the opportunity and ready to get started on transforming our region through bold and proactive philanthropy. This is not something I take lightly, especially with all of the exciting opportunities ahead for our region. It’s the beginning of the next chapter in leadership for Gulf Coast.”

Q: It’s an exciting time at Gulf Coast Community Foundation with new President | CEO Phillip Lanham recently completing his first 30 days. What are you most excited to partner with him on in his first year?
Sessions: “The number one thing I want to ensure is that I am a constant resource to Phillip, supporting him wholeheartedly in his first year at Gulf Coast. It is our job, as a Board of Directors, to set a direction, get out of the way, and let leaders lead. In Phillip’s first 30 days, he’s taking a drink from the firehose, so to speak, getting to know the lay of the land in Sarasota and meeting our invaluable nonprofit and philanthropic partners. I value his passion for Gulf Coast’s mission: Together with our donors, we transform our region through bold and proactive philanthropy. I also appreciate Phillip’s hands-on management style with the team. Right now, he’s like a sponge absorbing everything, processing information, and determining the future direction for the great ship of Gulf Coast. He will continue to listen, meet our community, and absorb information as he is in the early stages of developing his vision for Gulf Coast.”

Q: You have worked on many important, long-lasting projects for our community. What makes you passionate about Gulf Coast Community Foundation?
Sessions: “I’ve spent 35 years building a business in this community, and I’ve been very fortunate along the way. Now I am thrilled to take some of that experience and use it in the philanthropic world. I’ve been associated with Gulf Coast for 15 years. I am fully honored to now serve and lead the Board, and to really look at Gulf Coast’s mission, as we have very aspirational visions to solve our region’s priorities. For me, it’s exciting to strategize as a Board and collaboratively with the team to determine what we choose to tackle in our community. That is much different than what I’ve done in the business world, and I’m looking forward to learning a lot more about the community along the way.”

Q: What do you see for the future of Gulf Coast Community Foundation?
Sessions: “Gulf Coast has a great opportunity to serve and address our regional priorities. The Board, team, and philanthropic partners use philanthropy to help realize the real opportunities of our community.”

Q: What does leadership mean to you?
Sessions: “Leadership means to boldly go out there, even if it is outside of your comfort zone, and strive to do something tremendously impactful. You learn more from going after something boldly, than just hitting status quo every time.”

David Sessions is Chair of the Board of Directors of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. He is also Owner and CEO of Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc., a Sarasota-based construction management firm. Sessions has had more than 40 years of multi-disciplinary experience in educational, healthcare, religious, green sustainable, industrial, and commercial construction. Sessions currently serves on numerous community boards, including the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation and The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature. He is past Chairman of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County. Additionally, Sessions is past Chairman of StartUps, past Chairman of Sarasota County Education Foundation, and a member of Leadership Florida, Class of 2011-12. Sessions is a graduate of the University of Florida Rinker School of Construction Management. He highlights that the most rewarding part of his life has been giving back to our community.