Meet Heather
Heather Carruthers has a history of public service in the Keys. As a member of the Board of Directors of Fair Insurance Rates in Monroe (FIRM) she continues to work with and on behalf of citizens throughout the Florida Keys. This grassroots consumer effort effectively demonstrated that Windstorm rates in Monroe County were excessive and ultimately resulted in a rate reduction benefiting thousands of Florida Keys residents. As a member of the Media and Strategy Committees of FIRM, Heather has had the honor of representing the group before Governor Bush and his Cabinet in April 2006 and she continues to represent FIRM in Tallahassee.
In response to her achievements with FIRM, in 2007 Heather was appointed to Florida’s Task Force on Citizens Property Insurance Claims Handling and Resolution. State Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty described her as “a forthright citizen and strong advocate for Florida’s insurance policyholders” when he appointed her to this Task Force.
Ms. Carruthers is a leader in many capacities. She is a former Chair of the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and a former president of the Key West Business Guild. Heather is a graduate of the Key West Ambassador Academy and Leadership Monroe County (Class XI) and was named Leadership Monroe’s 2006 Leader of the Year.
Ms. Carruthers has made many contributions to our community. In 2004, she founded the Southernmost Women’s Invitational Non-Profit Golf (SWING) Tournament, an important annual fundraiser for the health clinic WomanKind, Inc. Heather is a member of the Key West Chamber of Commerce and has served on the boards of Sculpture Key West and the Key West Symphony Orchestra. Additional community involvement includes singing with the FKCC Keys Chorale and the vocal quartet, Swing Low. Heather has been a featured soloist with the Key West Pops and Island Opera Theater, performing in their premiere production as well as their finale.
Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in American History from Wells College, Aurora New York and pursued graduate studies at The Juilliard School, New York, NY and at SUNY Purchase, White Plains, NY. Prior to her arrival in the Keys, she sang professionally with choral ensembles in venues from Milan to Manhattan to Mexico City.
Heather’s business background includes direct marketing, publishing and advertising with companies such as Meredith Corporation, Bantam Doubleday Dell and Ogilvy & Mather, New York, NY. For nearly a decade, Heather has been the co-owner of Pearl’s Rainbow, a 38-room multiple award-winning guesthouse for women in Key West.
This is not Heather’s first foray into electoral politics. She was a candidate for
Key West City Commission District V in 2003; she was narrowly defeated in the run-off by eight votes after winning the primary election among a field of five candidates.
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Insurance advocate runs for county seat
BY MANDY BOLEN
Citizen Staff
The contest to replace Monroe County Commissioner Sonny McCoy heated up Tuesday, when businesswoman and insurance activist Heather Carruthers announced her bid for the District 3 seat.
Carruthers said she is seeking transparency and fiscal responsibility in government.
"Part of what's been missing from the County Commission is a real, open and deliberate dialogue that has been missing for quite a while," she said.
Carruthers' name became familiar in Monroe County after Hurricane Wilma's 2005 devastation and the subsequent spike in property insurance rates. An early member and current board member of Fair Insurance Rates in Monroe, she lobbied state officials and the group eventually effected a rate reduction.
As co-owner of Pearl's Rainbow, a Key West guesthouse for women, Carruthers also has served as president of the Lodging Association of Key West and the Florida Keys. She was president of the Key West Business Guild and was named the 2006 Leader of the Year by her Leadership Monroe class.
Originally from New York, Carruthers began vacationing in Key West in 1989, and moved here permanently in 2000 when she bought the guesthouse.
Her business background includes marketing, publishing and advertising, while her spare time is filled with singing in the Keys Chorale, golf and serving on several local arts boards and committees.
"The main issue in the county right now?" she repeated The Citizen's question. "Hey, it's money. We're in a budget crisis and we need to ask whether we're spending money on things that taxpayer money should be spent on.
"But I think another overriding issue is trust," she said, envisioning more open dialogue among commissioners during public meetings, and more communication between the commission and the public.
Carruthers previously ran against Jose Menendez for the Key West City Commission District 5 seat in 2003, and lost by a narrow margin.
In her current bid, Carruthers faces Sloan Bashinsky and Carlos Rojas.
"I keep hearing that [McCoy] is going to run again as well," she said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the incumbent had not filed any paperwork with the local elections office or announced his candidacy.
