Congressman Vern Buchanan presented the 1st Presidential Award at the Inaugural Pat Glass Leadership Dinner

Pat Glass. 91, was elected to the Manatee County Commission in `1978. Her tenure as a Commissioner ended in 2006 therein she served 28 years.

Ten years ago, Pat Glass had a vision to start the Tiger Bay Club in Manatee County, allowing issues to be presented in a non-bias forum.

Congressman Vern Buchanan, District 16, was the recipient of the first Presidential Award. Representative Buchanan was first elected to Congress in 2006.  A self-made businessman is a respected leader in Florida Business Community. In 1995 he purchased Pelican Ford renaming it Sarasota Ford.

Under his ownership changed the landscape in the industry by allowing African Americans to become salesmen and saleswomen; this opened up other areas for African Americans to purse, like Sales Managers and Finance Managers.

In addition, Congressman Buchanan is a dedicated philanthropist through the Buchanan Family Foundation. He has committed himself to diverse community causes, too.

Buchanan grew up with five siblings in blue collar household in a small town near Detroit, Michigan. He served six years in the Air National Guards and worked his way through college.