Forecast 2012: Sarasota-Manatee

Mark Becker, Hyatt Regency Sarasota
Downtown Sarasota
Region: The job and housing outlooks are two areas Mark Becker constantly mines for data, and he worries about what he sees going into 2012. “Like everyone else, I'm concerned about the economy in the short-term,” says Becker. “You just can't have unemployment levels like this and be successful in any industry.” Still, Becker isn't convinced government's response to unemployment has helped make things much better. “I'm not sure the emphasis is on the right areas,” Becker says.