2026 Annual Pat Glass Leadership & Scholarship Awards Dinner
Before we celebrate the remarkable individuals being recognized as our 2026 Pat Glass Honorees, we pause to remember the extraordinary woman whose life, leadership, and commitment to public service inspired this annual celebration.
Patricia “Pat” Glass was more than a public servant—she was a trailblazer, a consensus builder, an advocate, and a woman whose work helped shape the Manatee County we know today.
In 1978, Pat Glass made history when she became the first woman elected to the Manatee County Commission. What began as a groundbreaking election became an extraordinary 28-year career in public service, lasting until her retirement in 2006. During her tenure, she served as chair of the County Commission seven times and opened doors for generations of women who would follow her into public leadership.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Pat and her husband, Hank, moved to Sarasota County in 1954 and later made Manatee County their home in 1960. Pat earned a master’s degree in Behavioral and Social Sciences from the University of South Florida and served as chief of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council’s Division of Aging before entering elected office.
Her education and professional background helped shape a leadership philosophy centered on people—particularly children, seniors, families, and residents who too often found themselves without a voice.
Throughout her years on the County Commission, Pat championed causes that touched nearly every corner of community life.
Her passion for health care and human services helped leave a lasting mark. In the early 1980s, she lobbied the Florida Legislature for funding to establish the nonprofit hospital that became Manatee Glens, later part of Centerstone's behavioral health and addiction services. Following the sale of county-owned Manatee Memorial Hospital in 1984, she helped direct proceeds toward a trust fund supporting indigent health care.Her advocacy continued into the 1990s, when she created the AIDS Council of Manatee County and helped establish what became the Michael Bach Clinic. She also served on the Committee to End Chronic Homelessness, worked closely with the Bradenton Housing Authority, and helped establish the dedicated Children’s Services millage, creating an important source of funding for programs serving Manatee County's children.
Pat understood that building a strong community also meant protecting the place generations would inherit.
She served on the Southwest Florida Water Management District Board of Governors, chaired the Environmental Action Commission, and was a founding member of the Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay, and Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Programs. She helped shape environmental policies protecting county parks and treasured natural areas, including Duette, Emerson Point, and Robinson Preserves, and led efforts to acquire and preserve the historic Powel Crosley Estate
Her influence can also be seen in major public facilities developed during her years in office, including the Manatee County Administrative Center, Public Safety Center and Detention Center, as Manatee County worked to accommodate tremendous growt
Yet Pat Glass's legacy cannot be measured simply by buildings, programs, policies, or years in office. Her greatest legacy was the way she served
She developed a reputation for bringing people together, finding common ground, and turning conversation into meaningful action. She demonstrated that leadership could be strong without losing compassion and that public service was ultimately about improving the lives of the people one was entrusted to serv
Her impact remains so deeply woven into Manatee County that, in 2018, the Manatee County Commission chambers were officially named “The Honorable Patricia M. Glass Chambers” in recognition of her historic service and lasting contributions. Today, county government continues to conduct the people's business in chambers bearing her name
Pat Glass left behind more than a record of accomplishments
She left a standard of leadership.
A standard rooted in service.
A commitment to community.
A willingness to break barriers.
And a belief that leadership should leave the community stronger for the generations that follow.
It is in that spirit that the Manatee Tiger Bay Club Annual Pat Glass Leadership & Scholarship Awards Dinner celebrates individuals whose leadership, service, vision, and commitment continue to make a meaningful difference throughout Manatee County.
Celebrating the 2026 Pat Glass Honoree
This year, we proudly recognize an exceptional group of leaders whose contributions reflect the spirit of service and community impact embodied by Pat Glas
We cordially invite you to join us on Thursday, November 19, 2026, for the Annual Pat Glass Leadership & Scholarship Awards Dinner as we come together to celebrate leadership in Manatee County, recognize this year's distinguished honorees, and continue a legacy that reminds us of the difference one person's commitment to service can mak
Come celebrate the leaders who serve, inspire, advocate, and help move Manatee County forwar
Because leadership is more than a title—it is the impact we leave behind.
