Speaker Bios We’ve Received for June 21
Cindy Spray
Cindy Spray is an Indiana “Hoosier” who attended Indiana University where she studied Psychology and later changed her career goals to Accounting at Indiana Business College while working as the Assistant Bookkeeper in her hometown of Kokomo (Howard County). She collaborated closely with the Senior Bookkeeper as she continued her education and supporting her family needs.
She excelled in the accounting field and became the assistant bookkeeper, and she served as a co-chair in researching software programs to integrate a new bookkeeping system to meet the needs of the business. She was instrumental in implementing the employer’s 401K program that employees past and present have benefitted from.
She later focused on new endeavors utilizing her skills in other areas and landed in the manufacturing field with PepsiCo working at Frito Lay. She worked in other departments including purchasing, payroll, Logistic Maintenance, Manufacturing Maintenance, HR and Safety.
She volunteered in the high school mentorship program to assist senior students as they explored opportunities in the manufacturing field for career prospects of Engineering, Logistics, Maintenance and Project Management opportunities.
She became a tutor with the library literacy program teaching Hispanics to speak and read English to support the diversity in her community.
She later used her tennis talents as the Assistant Coach of the Frankfort Varsity and Jr Varsity teams. She later became the Head Coach at the Rossville high school for both the boys and girls teams, taking the boys Varsity Team to all conference in the division.
With the desire to be near family members in Florida, when the opportunity became available through her history with PepsiCo, she was allowed to transfer to Bradenton in 2008 as the Bookkeeper at the Tropicana Federal Credit Union. (Since dissolved). She ended her career with PepsiCo after 20-years of service to spend time traveling with her husband and more time with her family.
Cindy is also the author of Crying Without Tears, an Amazon bestseller that depicts her journey of being raised in a family of poverty and child abuse where she entered the state’s foster care system as a teenager. Through her faith, she shares her story in an effort to help those who were victims of abuse and does speaking events at local churches and organizations.
She has become a strong advocate in the Manatee County foster care system. She is the Vice President of the Manatee County Foster & Adoptive Parent Association, a Board Member of Guardian Angels of Southwest Florida that builds homes for foster siblings to remain together as much as possible. She networks with community leaders and organizations to support the most vulnerable during a time of separation of the home.
Susan Agruso
Dr. Susan Agruso grew up in a working class family. Her father, a navy veteran of World War II, was a truck driver. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom until most of her children were in school and then she took a job outside the home. They instilled in their children the importance of education and hard work. Susan got her first job at the age of 10, delivering the morning newspaper to her local community before school. She met Jim, the man who would become her husband, while in college.
Her forty-year career in public education began in a science classroom teaching high school physics and earth science. Eleven years later, Susan aimed for the stars and was selected as a state candidate for the Teacher in Space Program. Though she didn’t make it onto a space shuttle, the experience presented other opportunities.
She was asked to be a science specialist for the New York State Education Department where she developed course standards and state tests working with teachers all across the state. After earning her Ph.D. at the University at Albany, Dr. Agruso served as the Assessment Director for the South Carolina Department of Education and then as an Assistant Superintendent in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, North Carolina.
She moved back to New York to accept a position as Superintendent of Schools. After retiring, Susan and her husband moved to Bradenton in 2015.
Continuing her service in public education, Susan volunteered to serve on the School District of Manatee County Audit Committee and has been a member of that committee for more than six years, two of them as Chair.
Additional local organizations Dr. Agruso volunteers with include:
• Kiwanis
• Dive Into Reading
• Her neighborhood HOA’s Architectural Review Board
• Manatee Sail & Power Squadron where she is currently the Executive Officer
• AARP Tax-Aide (2017-2020)
Jason Bearden
Jason Bearden is a candidate for Dist 6 Manatee County Commissioner, the seat currently held by Carol Whitmore. An accomplished entrepreneur, national non-profit leader, speaker and Iraqi combat veteran, Jason served in the United States Marine Corps for over eight years and completed his service as a Marine Corps Scout Sniper Team Leader and Staff Sergeant (E-6). Jason also holds an Executive MBA from the University of South Florida.
Jason’s father is a thirty year career Marine and his mother is an immigrant. Because of his parents’ experiences and Jason’s upbringing, he developed a profound appreciation for America, an unwavering belief in our founding principles and a dedication to serve that kindled in him. After leaving active duty, Jason started his family and found his permanent home in Florida where he has launched several successful businesses and collaborated with key individuals to start and foster a national Christian business organization.
Jason and his wife, Katie, are the proud parents of two children. Together, they serve their community with Jason holding the title of National Vice President and Local President of the Full Gospel Business Gatekeepers Organization and Katie holding an Advisory position at CareNet Manasota.
Jason’s reach in Manatee county has rapidly grown alongside his and others’ belief in putting God first and following the foundations our fore fathers established at the onset of our beautiful nation; he has the same concerns that any parent, father or business owner would have about the quality of our schools, our quality of life, and ensuring that our children and grandchildren enjoy the same freedoms we do in this country we love.
Jason believes the challenges we face today are not hard, but they do require leadership. He believes that making change requires taking responsibility when the responsibility is yours and anticipating a problem before it becomes a calamity. In the Marines these truths became his moral code and they’re what he lives by today. He’ll use these engrained truths to protect Manatee County because he’s dedicated to doing what’s RIGHT, not what’s easy. It’s the kind of Marine he was. It’s the kind of commissioner he’ll be.
