Goodwill Manasota VP selected as finalist for Tampa Bay Business Journal's 2015 BusinessWoman of the Year Awards

Veronica Brandon Miller, vice president of the Goodwill Manasota Foundation, has been selected as one of the finalists in the annual Tampa Bay Business Journal’s BusinessWoman of the Year Awards. There were more than 200 nominations for the award; Miller is one of four finalists in the Nonprofit category and the only one in the Sarasota/Manatee area.

Miller manages the Foundation and leads the fundraising and cause-marketing efforts for Goodwill Manasota. During her four years with the organization, she has helped grow the organization’s volunteer base by 800 people, increased philanthropic dollars, rebranded the organization, increased marketing by 1,000 percent, and helped to make Goodwill Manasota a household name in our community.

“Veronica has had a huge impact on our organization and our community since coming to Goodwill Manasota,” said president and CEO Bob Rosinsky. “Her skills and experience in marketing and fundraising have raised the bar significantly for us, and her passion for the cause and dynamic personality have brought hundreds of new friends to our case. She is most worthy of this recognition and all of us at Goodwill are pulling for her to win.”

Miller has more than 25 years of experience in development and cause marketing. She moved to Sarasota eight years ago from Washington, D.C., where she finished the completion of the capital campaign for the Museum of the American Indian for the Smithsonian Institution, helped to raise significant funds for the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft for the Navy League of the United States, and facilitated the opening of the Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouses nonprofit -- the Home Safety Council. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Boston University in marketing and graphic design, and her MBA from the University of Maryland.

In addition to receiving many awards for marketing, she has been featured as one of Biz(941) magazine’s “25 People to Watch in 2009,” Biz(941)’s “Enterprising Women,” SRQ Magazine’s “Women in Business,” and Scene Magazine’s “Women on the Scene.”

She is an active community volunteer. Currently, Miller serves as vice-chair for the Child Protection Center, on the board of Ave Maria Preparatory School, co-founder of the Business Women Alliance Group, past chair of the board for Project 180 and is a member of the Sarasota Women’s Alliance.

The 2015 Awards Dinner takes place in downtown Tampa on Friday, August 28. This is the eleventh year of the BusinessWoman of the Year Awards, which aims to celebrate the achievements of successful women throughout Tampa Bay.

PHOTO ID: Veronica Brandon Miller, vice president of the Goodwill Manasota Foundation

About Goodwill Manasota
Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading, 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that changes lives through the power of work. With the sales of donated goods and philanthropic donations, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities and other barriers to employment by providing job skills training and employment opportunities. In 2014, Goodwill Manasota served more than 16,000 people, placed 680 people in jobs and assisted 520 veterans as they reintegrated back into the civilian workforce. Goodwill Manasota’s economic impact back to the community is worth $81.3 million. Goodwill is one of the pioneers of the reduce-reuse-recycle movement and this past year diverted 39 million pounds out of the landfill. We accomplish our mission through a network of Good Neighbor Centers in Sarasota, Manatee, Hardee and DeSoto counties and our Mission Development Services (MDS) around North America. Goodwill Manasota is accountable to a local Board of Directors. Goodwill Manasota in essence belongs to this community, and is not owned by any individual or company. For more information, visit www.experiencegoodwill.org.

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