Business Inspiring Kindness, Inc.
Business Inspiring Kindness was established to continue the legacy that the Oceanside Business Association began when they launched the Vero Beach Farmers Market.
Our mission is to create exposure, economic growth, and educational opportunities for the benefit of small businesses and nonprofit organizations throughout the Vero Beach community.
Vero Beach Farmers Market
The Farmers Market was launched in 2008 as an initiative of the Oceanside Business Association, and has been managed since 2009 by our Vice President and Secretary, Brittany Swartz.
In 2022, the OBA decided to refocus on their original mission of promoting their member businesses on the Vero Beach Barrier Island. They chose Business Inspiring Kindness, Inc. to continue their legacy, trusting us to keep the market a thriving, community focused, Saturday morning tradition.
The farmers market supports small businesses, local farms and artisans by providing a low cost booth space to promote their products and support their economic growth. Many businesses who began as market-only businesses have expanded into brick and mortar locations and attribute their growth to their success at the market. We also reserve a free weekly space at the market for non-profit organizations to come out and educate the public on how they serve our community, give them the opportunity to fundraise, and grow their supporter base.
We are proud of our ability to host the Vero Beach Farmers Market, and we are always on the lookout for other ways to promote small business and local nonprofit organizations in our community. Please reach out if you have ideas or would like to partner on events that fit our mission statement. We'd love to hear from you!
Board of Directors
Rodel Anthony Reyes
President
Rodel Anthony Reyes received a doctorate in the field of Medicine from De La Salle Health Science Institute and his bachelors in Molecular and Microbiology from the University of Central Florida. He is currently a medical professor who involves his students in a variety of hands-on, inquiry-based learning, problem-solving and technology-infused activities that provide his students with opportunities to shine in their future careers.
Rodel's current projects include running Business Inspiring Kindness, Inc., volunteering at a non-profit healthcare facilities which offer free healthcare to those without medical insurance, and working on medical research with associate professors from Nova Southeastern University and Florida International University. He has published a journal article on Familial Marfan Syndrome, July 2018, in “The Consultant,” which aims to bring an informed editorial and debate to the healthcare sector in areas currently underserved by good quality medical journals. He also has another research article to appear in “The Consultant” on, “Acute Care and Long Term Treatment of Truncus Arteriosus with a Bicuspid Truncal Valve: A Case Report.”
Michael Henschke
Treasurer
Michael Henschke is a highly effective financial analyst with over a decade of experience in business and financial analytics. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics from the University of Central Florida. Since his graduation from UCF he has gone on to finance operations and trade relations that resulted in cost savings of upwards of 3 million dollars annually, prepared and managed the budget for Specialty Pharmacy Segment with revenue up to 3.5 billion dollars. Michael specializes in preparing complex models to produce accurate estimates, forecasts and manage risk.
When he's not at work, Michael is home with his wife Victoria, daughter, and newborn baby. He speaks fluent German, volunteers for multiple nonprofit organizations and is committed to the success of Business Inspiring Kindness, Inc.
Brittany Swartz
Vice President / Secretary
Brittany Swartz is an entrepreneur who specializes in events, marketing and graphic & web design. She has been in Vero Beach since 2008 and has coordinated multiple fundraising events for nonprofit organizations as well as community events including The Taste of Vero, the Sunset Saturday Concert Series, and the Farmers Market. Under her leadership, the market was voted 11th in the nation by Clean Eats Magazine for their review of green markets nationally.
During the Covid 19 pandemic state-wide shut down, market vendors without brick-and-mortar locations lost their only revenue streams. Brittany used her background in web design to create a marketplace for vendors to sell their products on pre-order, and she coordinated delivery of those market products to the Vero Beach community. This website featured over 800 products from more than 30 vendors, required 15 delivery drivers and was fully deployed in under two weeks. Her success with this business model was then replicated by multiple markets and managers around the state of Florida.
Outside of event management, Brittany enjoys traveling, spending time with her 3 fur babies, her fiancée Steven, and she is currently expanding into the field of personal development coaching. She recently graduated with awards from the Elite Mentorship Forum for her exemplary participation in the course.
