Joe “Joey” Rassett grew up on a golf course in a rural part of central California. After completing his senior year of high school he went on to attend Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma on a full golf scholarship. He established himself as a top competitor in the college and amateur ranks and after completing four years of college Joe quickly set his sights on competing professionally. After competing for 12 years, four of which he sat out to injury, he ended his playing career in 1995. He quickly adjusted to the working side of the golf business and later that year became the Director of Golf at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Florida. He has been in the business of golf for over 25+ years and “everything I have learned and accomplished” has given me the opportunity to join the River Strand team. Joe and his wife Sue have lived in Bradenton for 17 years, been married for 35 years and have two children and two grandchildren.

Ed is a licensed CAM who lives in Bradenton with his wife Laura. He relocated from New York three years ago where he worked as a Maintenance Manager for the largest health care system on Long Island. Ed cut his teeth in property management as part of the management staff that built out a 550-unit retirement community in Manorville Long Island. From there he worked in the retail industry as a district manager in charge of multiple big box warehouses. Ed is skilled in Community Management, Operations and Budgeting, Compliance, Maintenance and Construction, Safety and Security to name a few. One of Eds biggest attributes is customer service. Ed believes he is here to facilitate the needs of the River Strand community with integrity while facilitating the needs of its residents and staff.

New to the Sunshine state, Sheila is a Licensed CAM who lives in Sarasota. She relocated to Florida by way of Atlanta, where she raised her three young adult children. Sheila has 20 years of experience in Financial Services and comes to River Strand from Icon Property Management where she served as the Community Association Manager at Lakewood National Golf Club. Sheila is focused on providing unparalleled service, accountability and the ultimate lifestyle experience.

Responsible for overseeing maintenance, repair and upkeep operations of River Strand’s facilities. Terry provides day-to-day leadership to the maintenance team to ensure operations run smoothly and common areas are well-cared for. A hands-on problem solver, Terry optimizes the maintenance strategy to solve unique property maintenance issues. A United States Army veteran, Terry brings more than 15 years of experience in facilities maintenance, repairs and remodeling. He has worked for many different industries, such as non-profits, healthcare and residential properties. Terry was born in Texas and raised in Florida, and currently resides in Sarasota, FL, with his wife Alice, daughter Nina and a lucky rescued yellow lab named Leeroy.

Brian is a Class A Certified Professional in Golf Operations with the PGA of America. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience spanning 20+ years. He was born and raised in Cincinnati where he received his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Cincinnati while playing on the golf team. Brian moved to Florida in 1998 to live the dream of playing golf year-round and became the Head Golf Professional at Crescent Oaks Country Club. From there he went on to serve 9 years as the General Manager/Director of Golf at Plantation Palms Golf Club in Tampa, 4 years at Legacy Golf Club and most recently 6 ½ years at The Eagles Golf Club.

Robby Boyd, comes to us with over 12 years of experience in golf course maintenance. He is a class A member of the GCSAA. Robby came from TPC Prestancia where he did a complete turn around and worked very close with management and members. He truly cares what the member’s desire and exceeds beyond expectations every time. He came to Florida from Texas in 2019, Timarron Country Club and from there, Shady Valley Country Club, Hawks Creek Golf Club and did an internship at Boot Ranch Country Club. Through the years, he has overseen and grown in golf course renovations such as greens, fairway, tees and bunker renovations. Robby has volunteered at PGA tour events and hosted many USGA qualifiers. He had a love for golf at very young age and followed his dreams. Robby prides himself on consistent course conditions and developing strong golf course maintenance teams. He is happily married with two beautiful daughters and is very excited to join River Strand.

Tony Acosta joined the River Strand family as Director of Racquet Sports in August 2022, spending the last 15 years as Head Tennis Pro at Laurel Oak Country Club. Tony was certified with the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and is currently certified with the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR). His tennis career has included working in country clubs, tennis resorts, government run facilities and is best known for developing and expanding junior programs and as a junior development specialist. Tony has been a 4-time Nationally ranked tennis player with a serve that has been known to reach 130 mph, ranked #15 Nationally in singles (1999) and ranked #1 in doubles (1999) in the Men’s 35 Division, USPTA Grand Prix Circuit. Tony is also a U.S. Navy and Gulf War veteran.

Chef Matthew Lewis discovered his passion for food and cooking at a very early age. He attended the Art Institute of Colorado for Hospitality and Culinary Supervision and worked his way through college at various Bistros, Cafes, Restaurants and hotels in Denver before landing his first Executive Chef position at the Carambola Golf Course in St. Croix, U.S.V.I. Prior to joining River Strand, Matthew was the Executive Chef at TPC Prestancia Golf and Social Club. Matthew is married to Nicole and they have two boys; ten-year-old Ethan and 9-year-old Evan. Matthew is excited to be a part of the River Strand team and looks forward to meeting you all.

Kellie has extensive experience in Event planning, Marketing and the Food & Beverage Industry. She comes from an exceptional background in business development and management. Originally from Rhode Island, her career started when she was working for a Floral, Greenhouse and Gift shop. Her passion for flowers gave her the drive she needed to become a high style floral designer specializing in Weddings and special events. She continued her career as a Social and Corporate event coordinator in Hollywood, FL. With over 20 years in the industry, Kellie is joining us from St. Petersburg Yacht club where she excelled as the Banquets and Events Manager before coming aboard at River Strand Golf & Country Club. She is excited for the opportunity to create fun activities, events, social outings, and lifestyle for the River Strand Community.

Nancy became part of the River Strand Golf and Country Club family January 2023. Prior to River Strand she was the Director of Human Resources at Palm Aire Country Club for 26 years. Nancy is a member of the Society of Human Resources and is always looking to improve in her role as HR. When not at work she can be seen volunteering, paddleboarding, and working on crafts. Nancy has two grown children and looking forward to grandchildren in the future.

Erika is a rare born-and-raised Bradenton native. Having always been the numbers one in her family, she got her undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) and later her Masters in Accountancy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. After spending a few years in Chicago, she moved back home where she got her CPA license and worked as an auditor for 8 years, with a focus on CIRAs and 501(c)(3) organizations and most recently spent over 3 years as a club controller at a property management company. Erika and her husband, Andrew, have 2 young daughters, Billie and Magnolia, and fur babies, Penelope and Gravy.