SRQ Magazine formed the Women Who Roar Initiative as a year-round program engaging the participants in the annual Women Who Roar Competition to create highly-dynamic personal networking that catalyzes community leadership through the science and art of mentorship. Every year, we host the Together We Roar Leadership and Awards Luncheon recognizing the past years’ Women Who Roar Leadership Circle Class and announcing the honorees of the current year’s Women Who Roar Competition comprising the new inductees to the Leadership Circle. We celebrate the nominees, honorees and judges of the competition in the December edition of SRQ Magazine in a special awards section. Programs powered by the Women Who Roar Initiative include SkillSHARE: Mentorship at the Speed of Life and SMARTgirl: Mentorship Summit and Luncheon.
SAVE THE DATE
2026 WOMEN WHO ROAR LEADERSHIP & AWARDS LUNCHEON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2026
10 YEARS AGO, ASHLEY GRANT CAME TO US WITH THE IDEA FOR THE WOMEN WHO ROAR EVENT AND WE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE IDEA AND JUMPED ATTHE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE TITLE SPONSOR.
10 years ago, Ashley Grant came to us with the idea for the Women Who Roar event and we fell in love with the idea and jumped at the opportunity to be the title sponsor. The event was such a success our sponsorship has continued for the past decade. I have met so many incredible professionals over the years who are doing amazing things. The annual Trailblazers who have spoken at these events have represented some of the most powerful & accomplished women in Corporate America and have offered inspiring stories.
I have been in the workforce for a long time and success does not come easy, for anyone. And I have had great respect for the women who have faced the additional challenges women had to face. As a father of two professional daughters this event has opened my eyes wider to those challenges that women still face in the workplace and given me insights to help advise them appropriately.
Over my career as a community banker, I have always felt a personal responsibility to do what I could to help make this town a great place to live, and I see that same value represented in the people & work at SRQ Magazine. I have enjoyed our partnership immensely and look forward to continuing to work together to keep Sarasota, our hometown, the finest place to live.
“I also think it is fitting to recognize the women in the workforce that have helped to make this community one of the finest in the world to live, work, and raise a family.”
1561 Main Street | Sarasota, Florida 34236
941.487.1026 | Steve_Altier@ucbi.com
UCBI.ORG
MICHELLE GRIMSLEY SHINDANO
MANATEE COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
“Women Who Roar reflects the truth that women’s leadership, especially when they build together, can change a community for generations.”
AS CHAIR OF BOTH THE MANATEE HABITAT BOARD AND THE WOMEN BUILD INITIATIVE, MICHELLE LEADS A MOVEMENT THAT BRINGS TOGETHER WOMEN FROM EVERY BACKGROUND— professionals,community leaders, mothers, students, and volunteers—around a shared mission: lifting up a local single mother through homeownership. While Women Build is a homebuilding effort, it is also a celebration of the strength, resilience, and collective power of women to transform communities.
Michelle’s leadership is shaped by her own lived experience and years of service, from supporting families at Manatee Elementary School to advocating for vulnerable residents through nonprofit and legislative work. Those experiences gave her a firsthand under-standing of the challenges many women face: economic barriers, caregiving responsibilities, and the persistent gap in access to affordable housing. Women Build, she believes, is a platform for women to lift one another and to show what is possible when they unite with purpose.
Michelle Grimsley Shindano: A Homegrown Leader Building Homes and Hope for Women. Michelle Grimsley Shindano believes that when women come together, entire communities rise, and she’s spent her life proving it right here in Manatee County. A third-generation Bradenton native, Michelle has spent her career advocating for equitable opportunities and strengthening the systems that support local families. Today, she channels that lifelong purpose into one of Manatee County Habitat for Humanity’s most inspiring annual campaigns: Women Build. Manatee County Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build campaign is a powerful movement that empowers women from all walks of life to come together and provide a single mother and her family with a safe, affordable place to call home.
Under Michelle’s guidance, Women Build continues to grow, inspiring hundreds of women to donate, volunteer, fundraise, and champion Habitat’s mission. Her vision is clear: empower women to take action, deepen their sense of community, and help create lasting change one home at a time. We proudly recognize Michelle Grimsley Shindano, a leader who embodies service, compassion, and the unwavering belief that women, working together, can build the future.
Women across Manatee County are invited to get involved and join this powerful movement at: manateehabitat.org/ womenbuild.
