In our weekly list of business people on the move, we highlight Palm Beach County professionals who are making a difference. These are people from across the spectrum of public and private endeavors, those working in charities, court houses, private practices and beyond. They are moving up within their industry, advancing their careers and standing out for their services within our community.
Here are this week’s professional standouts:
Jones Foster attorney elected HomeSafe board president
Jones Foster, a 100-year-old full-service commercial and private client law firm headquartered in West Palm Beach, with offices in Palm Beach and Jupiter, recently announced that shareholder Roberto M. Vargas has been elected president of the board of directors at HomeSafe. The local nonprofit provides comprehensive programming to assist victims of child abuse and domestic violence. As board president, Vargas will facilitate and preside at board meetings, guide board members in strategic decision-making and assist in fundraising initiatives that will support HomeSafe’s lifesaving programs. Vargas is a longtime advocate of HomeSafe and was first elected to the board in 2009.
Jones Foster attorney recently named a “Lawyer of the Year”
Jones Foster recently announced that The Best Lawyers in America has named chairman Scott G. Hawkins as a 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” in environmental litigation and land use and zoning litigation for the West Palm Beach metro area. The Best Lawyers in America is a prestigious legal peer-review publication that recognizes the top 6% of practicing lawyers in the nation.
Palm Beach County Food Bank appoints culinary director
The Palm Beach County Food Bank has appointed Doug Barg as its new culinary director. A Royal Palm Beach resident, Barg will use his culinary expertise to oversee the food bank’s community kitchen. The newly opened 24,000 square-foot expansion is projected to feed up to 10,000 hot, nutritious meals a day. In his role, he will systematically launch all of the food bank’s culinary programs to prepare children and senior meals and lead its culinary-training programs, as well as host event spaces and culinary social enterprises. The food bank procures food from grocery stores, farmers, food distributors, wholesalers and other sources to almost 200 local partners, including food pantries, soup kitchens and residential housing programs. Its programs reach families, children and seniors, and connect those in need to available benefits and resources. Partner agencies distribute the products received, including culturally appropriate food and necessities such as household products. This process ensures families have access to food when they need it most.
Two Comiter Singer attorneys named “Lawyer of Year” in respective fields
Palm Beach Gardens-based Comiter Singer recently announced that two of its attorneys, Andrew R. Comiter and Keith B. Braun, have been recognized as the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers® in their respective fields in West Palm Beach. Comiter has been named the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” for tax law. He is also listed in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for corporate law. Braun has been honored as the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” for trusts and estates.
Alzheimer’s Community Care names president, CEO
David Franklin has been appointed president and CEO of Alzheimer’s Community Care, Florida’s leading provider of dementia-specific services. Franklin joins the organization with over 30 years of experience in the nonprofit space. He most recently served as lead communicator and teacher at Advent Church. Alzheimer’s Community Care is a 501(c)(3) local nonprofit that has been providing care and resources to families in South Florida coping with Alzheimer’s disease and related neurocognitive disorders for more than 20 years.
Junior League of Boca Raton annual luncheon to be held Nov. 1
The Junior League of Boca Raton’s 37th Annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon will be held on Nov. 1 at The Boca Raton. Kelly Woods Fleming has been named honorary chair and Meryll Bangsil and Khrisna Kellerman will serve as event co-chairs, as announced by league president Nikki Stelzer. The Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon celebrates outstanding women in the community nominated by nonprofits throughout Palm Beach County and northern Broward County for their dedication and expertise as volunteers, as well as the work they do to further the missions of the organizations they serve. Proceeds benefit the Junior League of Boca Raton. The much-anticipated event includes a runway fashion show by The Boca Raton, the iconic resort and private club.
Three local execs to chair American Heart Association walk in West Palm Beach
Three local executives are teaming up to chair the American Heart Association’s 2024 Palm Beach County Heart Walk. This event, which aims to increase CPR education and raise funds for heart and brain health, will be chaired by TBC Corp.’s Megan Filoon, Thomas Bean of NextEra Energy and Gunster’s Bill Perry. The event, set for Nov. 9 at the Meyer Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, will bring families, friends and colleagues together to participate in heart-healthy activities and enjoy a 3.1-mile walk along the water. This year’s campaign is particularly special because it’s taking place during the American Heart Association’s centennial year. The association is a force for a world of longer, healthier lives. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for a century.
Palm Beaches marketing firm CEO becomes Destinations International board trustee
Discover The Palm Beaches is excited to announce the appointment of Milton Segarra, a distinguished certified destination management executive and president & CEO of Discover The Palm Beaches, to Destinations International’s Foundation as a board trustee for the 2024-2025 term. As the leading voice for tourism marketing in Palm Beach County, Segarra’s appointment underscores his commitment to advancing the industry on a global scale. Discover The Palm Beaches is the tourism marketing corporation for the collection of 39 cities and towns known as The Palm Beaches in Southeast Florida, stretching from Boca Raton to Jupiter.
After three decades, U.S. Sugar executive to retire in Oct.
U.S. Sugar recently announced that Judy Clayton Sanchez, the company’s longtime senior director, corporate communications and public affairs, will retire Oct. 31. “For more than 30 years, Judy Sanchez has done an extraordinary job in managing U.S. Sugar’s Communications efforts and has acted as corporate spokesperson with integrity and grace,” President and CEO Kenneth W, McDuffie said. McDuffie said Clewiston resident and current director of corporate communications Ryan Duffy, who has been working alongside Sanchez for the past seven years, will assume her role and responsibilities.
If you are looking for more insight into the movers and shakers operating in the Palm Beaches, subscribe to our real estate newsletter, The Dirt, keep an eye out for stories and perspective from veteran reporters Kimberly Miller and Alexandra Clough. If you have an announcement for Business People on the Move, please send it to Pbbusiness@pbpost.com.
Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Best businesses, professionals, business people in Palm Beach County
