Canandaigua National Trust Company of Florida (CNTF) is delighted to share four distinguished women and directors at CNTF, have each been honored by the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW). The annual “Women in Power” luncheon honors powerful women in the community whose life achievements have supported the priorities of the NCJW including: Advancing the Well-being and Status of Women; Advance the Well-being of Children and Families; Enhancing the Quality of Jewish Life; Ensuring and Advancing Individual and Civil Rights; and Supporting a Secure Israel and the Well-being of All Its People. The Sarasota-Manatee Section of NCJW has continued this tradition for 36 years, honoring 120 women. This annual event continues to celebrate women who are compassionate, courageous, and powerful; women who are leaders in their fields; women who inspire and empower other women; and women who make a real difference in the Sarasota-Manatee community.
Nelle Miller, a 2018 honoree, serves on the Board of Directors for Canandaigua National Trust Company of Florida. Miller is co-founder of BizTank LLC. She was co-founder and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of PlanetResume.com, and before that a partner and CFO in the software & hardware development company, Software House. Miller earned her B.A. in Anthropology from Brandeis University. Miller is past President of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and is now a lifetime trustee. She also serves on the boards of: All Faith’s Food Bank, The Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the Glasser Schoenbaum Human Services Campus, and All Children’s Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Christine Jennings, Sue Jacobson, and Bernice (Bunny) Skirboll, directors on the CNTF Board, are past NCJW recipients and have also earned this prestigious recognition. “We are thrilled to work with these exceptional women, who not only add value to our community but the Trust Company as well,” states Paul Tarantino, Vice President and Wealth Advisor at CNTF.
Christine Jennings, a NCJW honoree in 2000, has worked as the Chief Executive Officer for the WestCoast Black Theatre Troupe. She developed a strategic plan to help stabilize the organization and worked to recruit a new Board of Trustees and advisory board. Jennings was founding president of Sarasota Bank. In her 14 years she held titles of President, CEO, Chairman of the Board, and Director. Jennings has also served as chairwoman of the Sarasota Democratic Party and has run twice for U.S. Congress against Vern Buchanan, losing to him by very narrow margins.
Sue Jacobson, originally from Elmira, New York, was honored by the NCJW in 2017. She began her law career as a Confidential Law Research Assistant to the Justices of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division. After living and practicing law for many years in Rochester, New York, Sue moved to Sarasota in 1999. She continued to practice law in Sarasota until 2012, when she retired. Jacobson’s community involvement includes: past Chair of the Board of Directors of Jewish Family and Children’s Service of the Suncoast, Past President of the West Coast Florida Region of American Jewish Committee, the Board of Trustees of Pines of Sarasota Foundation and a member of the Board of Directors of the New College Foundation.
Bernice “Bunny” Skirboll was also a 2017 honoree. Skirboll founded Compeer 40 years ago in Rochester, NY. In 1975, she recruited 12 volunteers to join “Adopt-A-Patient,” later changed to Compeer. In 1979, Skirboll received funding from the New York State Office of Mental Health to expand Compeer within the state. Compeer was chosen as a national model in 1982 by the National Institute of Mental Health and the program has since grown to 50 cities, internationally, with over 5000 volunteers. Skirboll served as executive director since Compeer’s inception. Under her leadership, Compeer grew from a small program to an internationally recognized mental health agency. Skirboll also serves on The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee the board of directors.