Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight presented the agency’s first Community Partner Award to Mike Quillen, co-owner of Gecko’s Hospitality Group.

On Jan. 7, Quillen became first to receive the Community Partner Award, which was created to recognize a company, organization, or individual for their contributions in support of the Sheriff’s Office’s mission and the citizens of Sarasota County. Quillen serves on the sheriff’s advisory board and is credited with working with other local business owners to create the SCSO Charitable Foundation. The goal of the nonprofit is to assist individual employees of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office who are experiencing extraordinary personal or family need. Since its inception a few years ago, the foundation has helped several Sheriff’s Office members through personal and financial loss, and major medical expenses due to serious illness.