Sarasota County welcomes two newly sworn-in Commissioners

Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC

SARASOTA COUNTY – The Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) recognized two newly elected representatives Teresa Mast, District 1, and Tom Knight, District 3, on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

Mast was born in Hastings, Michigan, and moved with her family to Sarasota in 1979. After graduating from Sarasota Christian School, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Eckerd College. Mast and her husband, Jon, a Sarasota native, have been married for 40 years and are proud parents of two accomplished daughters. She loves her role as Nana to her grandsons.

Mast has demonstrated a deep commitment to Sarasota County through her community service and professional work. She served for seven years on the Sarasota County Planning Commission and has been an active member of the Citizen Tax Oversight Committee.

Mast’s professional background includes more than a decade of service with Sarasota County in Planning and Development Services, Neighborhood Services, Community Outreach, and Business Relations. She is also the proud majority owner of a successful design company, which she has led for nearly four decades.

A longtime resident of Sarasota County, Knight moved to Venice with his family in 1973 and graduated from local schools including Venice High School and Manatee Junior College, now known as SCF. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Florida State University and a graduate certificate in public administration from the University of South Florida. He and his wife Tracy live in Venice and have two grown daughters.

Knight served in law enforcement for 34 years, including two years with the City of Sarasota and 20 with the Florida Highway Patrol, where he reached the position of Major with responsibility for a seven-county region of Florida. He was elected as Sarasota County Sheriff in 2008 and served the citizens in that position for 12 years before retiring. As Sheriff, Knight led the organization with 1,000 employees, a budget of $121 million, and large-scale operations.

Knight has been involved in numerous local, statewide, and national organizations as a member, advisor, fundraiser, and policy maker. He served for 10 years on the board of the YMCA of Southwest Florida and is a lifetime member of Leadership Florida. He advocates for the welfare and well-being of children and working families.

Additional photos from the ceremony can be found here. For additional information, please call 311, 941-861-5000 or visit scgov.net.