‘A huge loss’ for Manatee County. Educators and politicians mourn loss of Paul Sharff

Paul Sharff, a politically connected businessman and well-known leader in early childhood education, has died at the age of 63.

Sharff served on numerous committees, nonprofit boards, law enforcement organizations and parent-teacher groups. But over the past decade, he was known most for his work at the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County.

“It’s a huge loss, not just for the Early Learning Coalition, but for the whole Manatee County community,” said Darrell King, a leader at the coalition. “We’ve just been trying to recover from it as best we can. We’re going to try and carry on Paul’s legacy.”

Friends and colleagues said Sharff, the coalition’s CEO, succumbed to recent heart issues on Jan. 12. And though a handful of controversies marked his time in real estate and politics, Sharff’s dedication to Manatee County youth became his ultimate legacy.

That legacy began in 2008, when then-Gov. Charlie Crist appointed Sharff, a vocal supporter of the governor, to Manatee’s Early Learning Coalition. The government-funded organization invests in child care, literacy and other programs that help local kids prepare for kindergarten and beyond.

Sharff hired King, now the interim CEO, about six years later. Together they launched NEXTGEN Family Magazine to feature the work of local nonprofits and schools, to honor community leaders, and to list valuable resources for parents.

King and other education leaders credit the magazine for giving the Early Learning Coalition newfound reach in Manatee County. Thousands of copies are distributed in elementary schools and businesses, giving the coalition a larger platform, and the advertising revenue goes back into its programs.

The 50th edition is scheduled to publish in August.

“It’s really sad for me that he’s not going to be here to see that,” King said.

The Tampa Bay Business Journal also honored Manatee’s Early Learning Coalition at least four times under Sharff’s leadership.

And after years of promoting the coalition, Sharff helped to increase its budget — a mixture of federal, state and county grants, along with smaller private donations — to more than $29 million, making it one of the biggest nonprofits in Manatee County.

He had big plans for the future, too. In the weeks before his death, he met with education leaders about bringing a children’s museum to Manatee County.

Sharff also spoke with county commissioners about moving the child care licensing process to Manatee County instead of going through the Department of Children and Families in Tampa. The hope was to empower local staff to review and respond to safety concerns quicker.

“He was an amazing guy,” King said. “He always had ideas and he was so driven to do more for this community.”

A celebration of life, he said, will take place at Christ Episcopal Church, 4030 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton, at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Sharff’s beginning in Manatee County

Sharff, a West Virginia native, moved to Bradenton in 1988 and spent decades building a name in real estate and politics.

Bill Galvano, a Bradenton attorney and Florida’s Senate president from 2018-20, said he met Sharff about 30 years ago, when Sharff ran an unsuccessful campaign to become Manatee County’s next property appraiser.

“I met him as someone who was involved in politics locally, and so many aspects of the community as a whole,” Galvano told the Bradenton Herald. “We hit it off very well. He was a very approachable person and someone that you could befriend quickly because he was genuine, he was interested and he loved people.”

They became close friends and Sharff later introduced Galvano at his first campaign event, before Galvano was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2002, followed by the Florida Senate in 2012.

Sharff supported the people and causes he believed in, Galvano said, recounting a time when they both served as leaders with Stewart Elementary School’s parent-teacher organization, and Sharff’s regular appearances at the Phil Galvano Golf Classic — an annual event that raises money for public schools.

He enjoyed hosting an annual prayer breakfast, including the most recent event in October, which honored first responders and raised money for the Cradle to College Foundation.

And during Sharff’s time as chair of the Manatee County Republican Party, the attendance, engagement and fundraising at events often reached new heights, said Galvano, a fellow Republican.

“He loved the community and he loved being involved,” Galvano continued. “I think he thrived on that.”

Past controversies

Sharff’s time in business and politics was not without controversy. He twice filed for bankruptcy between 2009 and 2010, listing more than $26 million in liabilities.

During that process, in an attempt to block Sharff from discharging his debt, a former business partner accused him of being deceptive about a real estate venture, mishandling millions of dollars and spending lavishly in his personal life.

The former partner also said in a court filing that Sharff treated Gov. Crist’s campaign staff to a four-day, three-night vacation in 2006, when he sent them to Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas.

And in 2011, several years after Crist appointed Sharff to the Early Learning Coalition’s board, a writer for the St. Petersburg Times — now known as the Tampa Bay Times — described Sharff as a “once-bankrupt real estate investor who has no particular education experience.”

He shed that label, however, and Manatee County leaders from different political backgrounds and educational institutions now commend Sharff for his work in early childhood education.

During his time in Tallahassee, Galvano said he often saw Sharff advocating for the Early Learning Coalition.

He was also involved with the Manatee 100 Club, the Police Athletic League and the Sheriff’s Advisory Board, along with the Hernando DeSoto Historical Society, the Manatee Education Foundation, the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority and the Manatee County Tourist Development Council.

“You can’t make changes or be involved at the level he was involved — not just politics, in many different aspects of life — without some controversies,” Galvano said. “But I always found him to be a good man. Someone with a large heart and someone who did a tremendous amount for many people and organizations in the community.”

A lasting legacy

Mary Glass, president of the Manatee Education Foundation, said she watched Sharff grow into a powerful advocate for Manatee County children and schools.

Sharff, who served on the foundation’s board for more than a decade, was always prepared with not only ideas, but also the resources and determination to make them a reality, she said.

The same was true for his leadership at the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County.

“He was so enthusiastic and passionate about education,” Glass said. “When he first came on board with the coalition, he took it to another level.”

Cynthia Saunders, superintendent for Manatee County schools, said Sharff was invaluable in the push to expand and improve prekindergarten programs.

He launched a data sharing agreement between the school district and the coalition, allowing them to track progress among students at both public and private pre-K centers.

That led to more support for early education after the data pointed to greater success among students who completed a voluntary pre-K program, Saunders said.

Sharff and Saunders also converted a school bus into a mobile classroom that brought science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics lessons to students throughout the county.

“The superintendent and I have a motto that if you can’t make it to get your education and come to us, we’ll bring it to you,” Sharff said at the time.

That was typical of Sharff, the superintendent said after his passing. He was always dreaming, collaborating and uplifting those around him.

“He was someone you would love to be your next-door neighbor,” Saunders said. “He was full of life, very positive, and he loved Manatee County.”

This story was originally published January 20, 2022 at 5:00 AM.