SWFBG Newsletter

Bill Laing, a Guild Founder, honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
A feature of the May general meeting will be the presentation of the Southwest Florida Business Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award to Bill Laing. Bill was a founding member of the Guild, served two terms on the Board of Directors and is a past president of the Guild. In addition Bill has actively participated in several other community service organizations.

At age 65, when many adults think of nothing more than relaxation and enjoying their "golden years", Bill began an undertaking that had been his long held dream; a retirement community of gay men and lesbians. After studying many parts of the country Bill decided the most welcoming and inclusive area would be the Sarasota/Manatee county community. This dream is now a reality called The Palms of Manasota. The last of the first twenty-one homes/homesites have now been sold and are either completed or occupied. The more are being completed for occupancy within the next ninety days.

For seed money for the project Bill took all his assets, his savings, waterfront home, boat, investments, retirement fund etc. and committed them to The Palms of Manasota and its success. Additional investors were brought in as the project progressed. Throughout the initial development program very little dept was involved. Now additional nearby property is being acquired to further expand the development.

The community will develop into one of the first and most unique of its kind in the world. All individual homes or villa's face the street with garages for two cars at the rear of each home, along with a patio. Community amenities include a swimming pool, tennis court and other recreational facilities. Also planned is an Assisted Living Care Facility with the possibility of a skilled nursing home eventually being a part of the ACLF.

Bill had completed a successful career as a Professor of Psychology in New York state prior to moving to Sarasota and starting a second career in real estate. The development of The Palms of Manasota serves as both a testament to Bill's dedication and his vision.

The Board of Directors of the Southwest Florida Business Guild is proud to name Bill Laing as the first recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award. Not only for his ground breaking role in the Guild's formation but for all he has done for the southwest Florida gay and lesbian community and his positive influence on the lives of so many within our community throughout the state and the nation.

Marlene Elliott is featured speaker
for May meeting.
Originally scheduled as our guest speaker for the March general meeting, Marlene returns! Marlene is known for her unique style, skill and humor which moves clients quickly towards their goals, making an imprint that places her among the nation's best coaches. Readers of The Professional Coach magazine voted her one of the Top Ten Coaches in America in 1997. Marlene has been interviewed by the BBC, various journals and was recently featured on CNN's Impact Show; a program receiving international exposure.

A sales/marketing executive for over 15 years, Marlene's experience includes sales and marketing management, new product introduction, business expansion, reorganization and budget planning, as well as organizing and leading workshops. This wealth of business acumen and her experience in training others has prepared Marlene to quickly discern what her clients needs are, where energies may be re-focused, and what actions need to be taken to help clients reach their goals.

With her well rounded and diverse background she is comfortable and effective in communicating with people of all levels of business, bringing the synergy of blending the best of each of us, to attain new levels of productivity, success and fulfillment in peoples personal and professional life.

A special Double Issue of the SouthWest Voice
Due to travel plans of our printer and deadline schedules, this is the print edition for May and June of the SouthWest Voice. An e-mail only edition will be issued the first week in June.

If you do not presently receive the online version of the SouthWest Voice, and wish to be placed on the distribution list, send your complete e-mail address to: SWFBG@aol.com . Members with AOL e-mail addresses receive the full version with graphics and color. Members using other ISP e-mail addresses receive a text only version.

June General Meeting a Celebration of Pride!
The June 19th meeting at the Big Kitchen will focus on the many successful achievements of both the Guild and other community based organizations during the past year. Included during the evening will be presentations by some recipients of the Guild's Student Assistant grants.

The meeting is planned to be a continuation of Pride Celebration of the month so plan to attend and invite friends and your business associates to attend with you.

Guild to be represented at Pridefest 2000
The Guild will have a major presence at Pridefest 2000 to be held Sunday, June 11th at the county fair grounds. We've committed for a combined 40 ft of exhibition and entertainment space within the Business Expo portion of Pridefest. Along with general information on the Guild, Guild members not taking an individual booth to represent their business will be offered one-hour time periods within the Guild space. A time reservation request for members wishing to represent their business in the Guild general space will be found at the top of the member roster, page 3 of this newsletter.

Gulf Coast Men's Chorus
will present a special Pride concert Sunday, 11 June
Sarasota's own Gulf Coast Men's Chorus will be joined by the Tampa Bay Men's Chorus and Crescendo for the musical celebration of Pride, Touching Hearts-Changing Lives, Sunday evening 11 June at seven in the evening. CGMC will also be making history with the venue selected for this event - The Sarasota Opera House.
Tickets to this very special concert are $20.00 at the Opera House box office or from chorus members. They are selling fast! For more information or to reserve tickets, contact the GCMC info line at 941/358-9082.

MCC Church of the Trinity 'Community and Friends Sunday', 18 June
MCC Church of the Trinity plans a special day of celebration entitled "Catch the Spirit" for the Sunday following Pridefest 2000, Lunch and an afternoon of entertainment on the church campus will follow the one service of the day at 11:00 a.m. Featured during the church service will be Rob Nicewarmer, gospel singer and presentations by PFLAG/Sarsasota and ALSO More more details contact the church office at 941/355-0847.

FINANCIAL PLANNING
WATCH THE BUSINESS CYCLE FOR CLUES TO INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Business activity tends to go in cycles, and understanding the starges of a business cycle can provide clues that may help you identify favorable investment opportunities. While some stocks tend to be immune to economic swings, others perform better or worse during different stages of the business cycle.
The business cycle can provide insight, but it is important to realize that the U.S. economy rarely follows this cycle precisely, and that the amount of time spent in each stage of the cycle varies. In addition, the economy does not always expand to its fullest levels, nor does it always dip into recession. It does, however, tend to proceed through six typical stages. Here are some general guidelines to which market sectors are inclined to benefit in each cycle.

Stage 1: Economic slowdown
In a period of economic slowdown, utilities and financial company stocks usually react favorably as it becomes clear to investors that the economy is sluggish. Long-term interest rates peak, and shorter rates begin to fall as the Federal Reserve implements strategies to stimulate the economy. Thus, investors often buy interest-rate sensitive stocks. Utilities, which generally have high debt levels, benefit as rates decline. Financial companies also benefit as rates (and therefore their cost of funds) decrease and loan demands increase.
Stage 2: Anticipated recovery
With anticipated economic recovery, consumer stocks typically rise, as low interest rates encourage consumers to spend more. Stock prices are generally generally very low during this stage of the economic cycle.
Stage 3: Mid-cycle recovery
In a mid-cycle recovery, interest rates begin to go up, and early signs of inflation emerge. At this stage, stocks generally perform better than bonds. Industrial companies, such as electrical equipment, machinery and construction come into favor.
Stage 4: Full expansion
During the full expansion stage of the business cycle, interest-rate sensitive stocks generally peak by the time the cyclical expansion is fully under way. Opportunities may appear among companies that benefit during higher inflation and in higher interest-rate environments, such as chemical, technology and energy stocks.
Stage 5: Economic peak
At the economic peak of the cycle, the major stock market indexes may dip below their 12-month moving averages. Basic materials companies (including chemicals and metals) and energy stocks are often favored by investors since inflation is probably peaking during this cycle.
Stage 6: Economic decline
When the business cycle reaches economic decline, investors attempt to protect their portfolios as the economy slows by moving back into "early-cycle" stocks, beginning with consumer noncyclicals, which are companies that sell products and services whose demand is not tied to the economic cycle.

The Cycle Is Not Precise
While tracking the business cycle can be a useful barometer for investors, keep in mind that the business cycle is not precise. In addition, pinpointing particular stages of economic activity is not always easy, and sometimes even economists cannot agree on exactly where the economy stands in any particular cycle.
FINANCIAL PLANNING is a monthly feature presented by Turner C. Moore of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, 240 South Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, FL 34236. 941/957-5500

This article does not constitute tax or legal advice. Investors should consult their tax or legal advisors before making any tax- or legally related investment decisions. This article is published for general informational purposes and is not an offer or solicitation to sell or buy any securities or commodities. Any particular investment should be analyzed based on its terms and risks as they relate to a specific investor's circumstances and objectives.

Red Ribbon AIDS Walk 2000 Planning Progressing.
Volunteers are still needed.

Turner Moore and David Foster are representing The Guild on the Red Ribbon AIDS Walk 2000 general planning committee. This event for all in the Sarasota/Bradenton/Osprey/Venice area is to be held November 18th.

The event will require a significant number of volunteer's both for advance planning and work, but on the day of the event as well. To find out more of how you can assist with this project call Turner at 941/957-5540, David at 941/954-4443 or the Guild at 941/943-8419.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, May 14th: Mother's Day
Monday, May 15th: General Meeting
Marlene Elliott speaker
Wednesday, May 18th: Full Moon
Monday, May 29th: Memorial Day observed
Sunday, June 11th: * PRIDEFEST 2000 www.gaysarasota.net/pridefest
* GCMC PRIDE Concert
Monday, June 12th: Guild Board Meeting
Friday, June 16th: Full Moon
Sunday, June 18th: * Father's Day * Community and Friends Cook Out, MCC Church of the Trinity
Monday, June 19th: General Meetingthe PRIDE continues
Tuesday, June 20th: First day of summer