Biz(941) presents the 20 innovators who are changing our world in sports, retail, health, real estate and more.

Susan Burns

What do Timothy Hearon of Boomerswork, Paul Woods of Algenol and Mark Pentecost of It Works! Global have in common? They—and the 17 other business and civic leaders who comprise this year’s Biz(941) People to Watch—are risk-takers, problem solvers and innovators with a seemingly endless supply of Big Ideas.

In industries as diverse as sports, science, tourism, technology, law, retail, finance and real estate, the 2014 People to Watch are impacting our region in ways large and small, from the man spearheading IMG’s multimillion-dollar expansion to the attorney dynamo who is bringing in new hope and enterprise to Newtown. Each one of them is shaping our communities with new energy and jobs, and by helping to put Sarasota and Manatee on the map.

We take pride in compiling this annual list of dreamers, movers and shakers (with the help of dozens of readers, who send us their submissions). These are the region’s influencers, the people whose names you’ll want to keep in your contact list.

Also in this issue, you’ll meet the developers behind downtown Sarasota’s resurging building boom. And you’ll glean useful ideas for your small business from one of Florida’s most successful big companies, Publix.

Inspiring? You bet.