HOLMES BEACH – This year’s Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island and Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce annual business awards ceremony was a celebration of community and resiliency in the wake of last year’s devastating hurricanes.
The Rotary and Chamber award winners were announced during the AMI Chamber’s annual members gala at the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach on Nov. 20.
Anna Maria Island Resorts General Manager Katy Demick won the AMI Rotary Club’s 2026 Business Person of the Year award.
Joann Baker won the Chamber’s new and first-ever Ambassador of the Year award.
The Palma Sola Botanical Park Foundation was named the Chamber’s 2026 Non-Profit of the Year.
The Cool Beans A.M.I. coffee shop in Anna Maria was named the Chamber’s 2026 Small Business of the Year.
The Holmes Beach-based HSH Collective interior design firm was named the Chamber’s 2026 Medium Business of the Year.
The Freckled Fin Irish Pub in Holmes Beach was named the Chamber’s 2026 Large Business of the Year.
Many of the speeches given by the award presenters and the award recipients reflected on the Anna Maria Island business community’s initial and ongoing recovery from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The Thursday evening event also included the presentation of the Chamber’s 2026 board members that included four-year chairperson Katy Demick passing the gavel to the board’s new chair, Anna Maria Island Real Estate Corporation owner and broker Bill Romberger.
Rotary award
The award presentations began with Slicker’s Eatery owner, Rotarian and past award winner Bob Slicker presenting the AMI Rotary Club’s Business Person of the Year 2026 award to Anna Maria Island Resort General Manager Katy Demick. Anna Maria Island Beach Resorts operates the Tortuga Beach Resort and the Tradewinds Beach Resort in Bradenton Beach.
When reflecting on the aftermath of the 2024 hurricanes, Slicker said, “We just went through the worst year of lives businesswise.”
He noted the Anna Maria Island Resorts team spent a couple of days in Cortez assisting residents and businesses before they were able to return to the Island to check on their resorts.
When reading aloud a written statement from Anna Maria Island Resorts co-owner Marlene Sobol Masson, Slicker said, “Your dedication to Anna Maria Island Resorts and the pride you take in your work have made a tremendous impact on our success. You’ve always impressed me with your work ethic, your heart, the way you pour yourself into every single task you do. It’s truly been a pleasure having you on my team and watching you grow and achieve so much. We are all incredibly proud of you. This is an honor so well-deserved.”
When accepting the award, Demick said, “Thank you to everybody. I’ve made such great connections through this Chamber and this community. You all are amazing and you all do a great job.”
Chamber awards
When presenting the Ambassador of The Year award to Baker, Chamber President Terri Kinder said, “Your dedication to the Anna Maria Island Chamber and its members is so appreciated.”
As a Chamber ambassador, Baker follows up with new members and introduces them to other members during the Chamber’s networking events. Baker is a banker with the United Community Bank.
Salon, Salon owner and stylist Nakita Fosmore served as the Chamber’s Business Award Committee chairperson and the panel of judges included SERVPRO of West Bradenton/Anna Maria Account Manager Kellie Spring, Salty Mermaid Real Estate & Vacation Rentals owner and broker Liz Blandford and Cedar Cove Resort Manager Eric Cairns.
Before presenting the business awards, Fosmore said, “The hurricanes last year tested us in ways we could not have imagined. Many of you had to rebuild and we all had to adapt and we kept going – not because it was easy, but because our community depended on it. What we saw, what we witnessed, was resilience, unity and strength, and that was because of you. Thank you for showing up, supporting one another and helping our community rise up.”
When presenting Non-Profit of the Year award, Spring said the citizen-led Palma Sola Botanical Park Foundation protects 10 acres of land near Robinson Preserve in west Bradenton and offers interactive educational experiences and a serene environment to explore landscapes, while hosting community events, providing free trees and more.
Executive Director Beverly Burdette and Office Manager Jenny Gunter accepted the award on behalf of the foundation.
“We strive to be a wonderful community resource,” Burdette said. “In December, we have a four-night, free admission fundraiser. The whole park is lit up with Christmas lights. We have Santa, hot cider, vendors, food trucks and live holiday music – all free. We strive to be the premier botanical gardens in Manatee County. We really appreciate this award.”
The Winter Nights Under the Lights event Burdette mentioned is Thursday, Dec. 18 through Sunday, Dec. 21 at the botanical park at 9800 17th Ave. N.W.
Cool Beans A.M.I.
Before presenting the small business of the year award to Cool Beans A.M.I. owner Morgan Bryant, Blandford said, “The vision for this small business began long before it opened its doors. Its owner grew up dreaming of creating a business that captured the warmth, connection and sense of community she felt in the neighborhood coffee shop she loved as a kid. That nostalgia became the foundation for a space built on joy, intention and togetherness. Starting small, they listened closely to their customers and curated a menu focused on quality and wellness, serving only organic coffee and using reverse osmosis water.
“Their impact reaches far beyond great coffee. They provide a supportive, understanding environment for their team, give back to locals whenever possible and serve as a platform for local artists by offering a space to share and sell their work. Even while rebuilding themselves, they continued to show up for their community,” Blandford said.
When accepting the award, Bryant said, “Thank you so much. This is such an honor. We’ve all been through so much this last year. I’m a coffee shop owner. It’s something I wanted to do my whole life. I love health food and to be able to bring organic coffee to the Island and it’s so important what we put in our bodies every single day.”
HSH Collective
Senior Interior Designer Bridgette Latessa accepted the Medium Business of the Year award on behalf of HSH Collective founder and principal interior designer Jessica Holmes Holiday.
When presenting the award, Fosmore said, “This year’s Medium Business of the Year honoree is built on two pillars: exceptional design and deep community connection. Led by a talented interior designer, this business has flourished – not just because of her creative vision, but because of the team that she has built: a collective of moms, wives and creatives who are encouraged to grow both professionally and personally while doing the work they truly love. “Guided by one simple philosophy for the future: keep growing and stay grounded. Their impact goes beyond design. They are strong supporters of The Center, Pace Centers for Girls and they give back to the community whenever possible. What sets them apart is their belief that they’re not just designing houses. They’re helping people create homes, strengthening community and building something larger than themselves,” Fosmore said.
When accepting the award, Latessa said, “I work with a beautiful team. We create beautiful spaces. We’re so lucky to have such an incredible collective and be a part of this beautiful community. Thank you.”
Freckled Fin
Before presenting the Large Business of the Year award, Cairns said, “All of you here tonight are survivors of what transpired last year. It was very difficult for all of us I know and I’m so glad to see all of you here this evening. Thank you for being here.”
He then said, “This year’s winner is a place many locals consider they’re home away from home and they extend that same warm welcome to every visitor who walks through their doors. A lively and innovative place to be, they blend the charm of traditional tavern with the released spirit of our Island’s beach culture. Their journey has not been without challenges, relocation, natural disasters, even a pandemic, but time and time again they arise stronger than before.
“They never say no to a fundraiser, they continuously support local causes and they have built a reputation for exceptional food, entertainment, hospitality and heart. The business doesn’t just serve the community, they help make our slice of paradise even better,” Cairns said.
When accepting the award, Freckled Fin General Manager Steve Shannon said, “This really means a lot. It’s nice to be rewarded for your hard work. Thank you to our great staff. We wouldn’t be here without them and their great dedication. This award doesn’t just go to me; it goes to everybody at the Freckled Fin. Thank you,” Shannon said.
