COASTE | TAKE FIVE
the assignment.”
When you’re not governing Sanibel 60 hours a week, what do you do? I’m the owner of three financial companies. In 1990, we formed a firm to help provide equipment financing, representing 13 banks. In 2003 a subsidiary of US Bank purchased us and at the time, we were the fifth largest company of our kind in the country. In 2004 my wife Doreen and I moved to Sanibel to retire, but I really failed at retirement miserably. So I had an opportunity to get back into direct financing in 2006. Four years later we bought our company back, and have since added a third company to provide both operational as well as capital services. Who’s doing the work? I have three partners, and Doreen is vice president of operations for all our companies. The other partners probably still struggle a little bit with the time I invest in this job. ( He laughs .) 2 1 Are you and others working on a vision for Sanibel’s future? Sanibel is 40 years old this year as a city, and we realize we have a lot of issues regarding redevelopment. A lot of our non-profits have come together and said: we need more space, we need better facilities. Everyone loves the beach, but there are so many other attributes of the islands that are just as culturally outstanding. With that in mind, we’ve come up with a vision to create a civic and cultural center that would allow a public-private partnership to achieve a couple of very important goals. First and foremost, to give the citizens what they’ve asked for: a better quality of life. Secondly, to have less dependence on vehicular movement. We’re hoping to create an environment where you can park your car and literally walk to a variety of attractions, events and facilities. You’ve been mayor during some challenging times in Sanibel’s history. That’s true. When I was elected mayor in 2010, there was algae on the beach. Then a month later, we had the Deepwater Horizon crisis. The economy at that time was still very weak and of course, those events didn’t help matters. More recently, we’ve been focused on working to find solutions to Lake Okeechobee releases — it’s vital we protect our water quality — and the potential flood insurance disaster that would’ve hit many homeowners here with rate hikes so high, they would’ve been driven out of their homes. I didn’t imagine I’d be testifying in front of the State Legislature and Congress, but you do what needs to get done. I’m glad to say we’re on the plus side with those issues. Sort of the right person for the right time; do you feel almost chosen for this position? I’m a big believer in fate, and I came to Sanibel two weeks before Hurricane Charlie and when Charlie hit, I raised my hand and got involved. I really look at this as being prepared. I think that’s the opportunity each of us have: to be prepared and ready to give your best, whatever the assignment. I’ve been blessed to work for this community and to actually be able to give back and help this community evolve and progress. In the end, I came here 10 years ago and my son was in fourth grade — so that’s what I’m about, to help the next generation live here and have it be everything they want it to be. How many more years are you willing to do it? I have three years left on my term. Every year we go through a process where City Council gets to elect a mayor and a vice mayor. I’m proud to have served this community for the last four years. April 1 will be that anniversary which will be my fifth year. We’ll see if I’m re-elected. I hope I am. As I said, it’s been an honor and a blessing to lead my community today, and help lead my community into tomorrow. ( Editor’s note: Mayor Ruane was re-elected unanimously. ) 3 4 5
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