John Harshman has lived in the Bayview Heights Neighborhood for 40 years. John arrived in Sarasota 52 years ago, at 18, after hitchhiking into town with $20 in his pocket. He grew up in Oakwood, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio. He was attending college in Northwest Georgia when he decided to take a road trip to visit his sister and her future husband, who were students at New College. John immediately fell in love with Sarasota, and the next day, he secured two jobs. He worked construction during the day and washed dishes at Zinn’s restaurant at night. He put himself through USF by taking on a variety of jobs, including waiting tables at the original Walt’s restaurant. After graduation, he found a career in real estate and, driven by his entrepreneurial spirit, founded his own commercial brokerage firm, Harshman & Company, located in downtown Sarasota.

Harshman realized early on that being part of a community meant giving back, and he dedicated himself to a wide range of causes over the years, including Girls, Inc., the Ballet board, Pines of Sarasota, and The Ringling. He became an engaged leader in numerous professional and business organizations and served on many city and county advisory boards, including the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Oversight Committee, the Sarasota County Public Facilities Finance Advisory Board, the City of Sarasota Community Redevelopment Advisory Board, and the City of Sarasota Tree Advisory Committee.

 John, who achieved a fifth-degree black belt, taught Tae Kwon Do to hundreds of local students and adults over a 25- year period. He also won a national championship in sparring. He still receives messages from former students thanking him for the positive impact he made in their lives by teaching them focus and discipline.

Virginia moved to Sarasota from Chicago 20 years ago. She grew up in a small town in Indiana and earned an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, followed by master's degrees in Human Environmental Science from the University of Alabama and in Museum Studies from Harvard. She and John met 17 years ago, when she was working for the Chamber of Commerce, and he was a member. It was love at first sight, as they bonded over their shared love of Notre Dame football. John surprised Virginia by proposing at Notre Dame after an Irish victory over Michigan State. The two were married on Sarasota Bay, in the backyard of their home. An orchestra played the Notre Dame Victory March as the recessional.

The Harshmans love traveling together and have taken multiple trips to the mountains in the US and Canada for hiking and climbing. They love being outdoors and the balance of exercise and relaxation their Florida lifestyle affords them. John is a tennis player, and Virginia loves power walking in road races. She has completed the Chicago Marathon twice. John is a voracious reader and collector of great literature, while Virginia is more inclined to read about health, wellness, cooking, and art.

The couple says they love having a project to work on together, especially one that lets each of them capitalize on their unique strengths. One such project was building a new home. John originally purchased a small home on the lot where they now live. He built a lovely home, and when it came time to discuss aging in place, they decided they needed a different style of house. With an emphasis on safety and resiliency, they designed their current home. “We started construction just as Covid was ramping up,” said John. “Virginia did an excellent job on the interior design, and they were able to order all materials up front.” Their builder, Brista Homes, completed the project in 14 months because craftsmen were available who couldn’t work on other projects due to Covid restrictions.

At the end of 2025, John retired after a 45-year career in commercial real estate. The Harshmans looked forward to more travel, tennis, boating, and relaxation. John, who has always been deeply involved in city politics and has been a frequent speaker at City Hall since 1996, became increasingly aware of the issues facing his beloved Sarasota. A glaring lack of leadership, out-of-control spending, and inattention to keeping our city clean and safe prompted him to consider a run for City Commission. He embarked on a 45-day listening tour, meeting with leaders from neighborhoods, the arts, nonprofits, environmental groups, and business. Repeatedly, he heard that citizens felt the commission or city staff were not listening to them. The strong support he received from the community helped him decide to run. The election will take place on August 18, 2026.

The Harshmans believe that serving others is a great gift to oneself. They want to inspire others to become engaged in their neighborhoods and city, leaving a legacy of altruism and civic service. John and Virginia love living in Bayview Heights, and John looks forward to serving as your next Sarasota City Commissioner, At Large.