(LONGBOAT KEY, FLORIDA) Michael Riter, co-owner of Ross Riter Marketing, has been elected to a three-year term on the Board of Directors for the Longboat Key, Lido Key, St. Armands Key Chamber of Commerce. This is the second time Riter has served on the Chamber’s board of directors, the first time in 1985-1988, during which he served as chairman of the Government Affairs Committee.

(Longboat Key, Florida) Ross Riter Marketing principals Kimberly Ross and Michael Riter joined forces with 80+ area residents and members of Sarasota Bay Watch May 8 to clean up Sister Keys, a collection of islands just off the coast of Longboat Key in Sarasota Bay on Florida’s Gulf coast. Volunteers spent the morning combing the four islands that comprise Sister Keys, which is designated as a nature preserve. Nearly one ton of trash, including crab trap buoys, old beer cans and bottles, lots of Styrofoam, cooler tops, fishing line, plastic bags and detritus from vessels was removed from Sister Keys during the morning roundup.

Following the clean up, Ed Chiles, president of the Chiles Restaurant Group, treated volunteers to lunch and refreshments at the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub, one of three waterfront restaurants the Group owns on Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island. The Town of Longboat Key provided a marine police officer for additional safety.

Rusty Chinnis, former president of Sarasota Bay Watch and organizer of the Sister Keys Clean Up event, was thrilled at the turnout and was also very pleased that not as much garbage was collected compared to last year’s effort. “This tells us that people are becoming more aware of taking care of their own trash and not throwing it overboard. This year’s Clean Up was a great success and we thank everyone who was involved!"

(LONGBOAT KEY, FLORIDA)Michael Riter, co-owner of Longboat Key, Florida-based RossRiterMarketing, recently personally raised over $400 as part of Team Euphemia Haye in their support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Team Euphemia Haye raised over $13,000 and over $350,000 was raised during the recent “Walk To Cure Diabetes” held at Siesta Key, near Sarasota, Florida.

(LONGBOAT KEY, FLORIDA) Longboat Key-based RossRiterMarketing assisted the Longbeach Village Association in the coordination of a special dedication ceremony to honor John "Dutch" Arends and his wife, Patrizia, for their many years of service to the Town of Longboat Key and the Association.

Dutch Arends served two terms as president of the Village Association from 2002 to 2004. He also served as Treasurer and President of the Longboat Key Garden Club, and has volunteered his time at the Longboat Key Center for the Arts.

Pat Arends served as Town Clerk for the Town of Longboat Key from 1986 until her retirement in 2001. She is a past President of the Florida Association of Town Clerks, and was elected Chariman of the Advisory Board to the Institute of Government at Manatee Community College. Pat also served on the District 2 Advisory Committee for the Manatee County Commission. She was Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Manatee County and a member of their Board of Directors. Pat received numerous awards during her professional career, including Eckerd's 2002 Woman of Distinction Award.