This isn’t just another awards lunch; it’s an Englewood tradition that brings everyone together to celebrate the people and families who helped build this community. The Secret Society of Smoked Mullets announced this year’s Smoked Mullet Award winners, along with new recipients of the Englewood Legends’ Award. The winner for 2026 is Larry VanTilburg and the Dignam Family who received The Legends Award.

This year, Eric Fogo served as the Master of Ceremonies, and the speakers included Nancy Willie and Esther Horton. They provided an event filled with significant memories and a real sense of belonging.

A quick bit of history: Nita Cole founded the Secret Society of Smoked Mullets back in 1996. She wanted to honor the unsung heroes of Englewood; the people whose hard work shaped the town but rarely got recognition for it. In Nita’s words, “The intention is to honor people from the past who helped create the Englewood we have today—people who probably have never been recognized with an award for their hard work and dedication.”

A look at past Smoked Mullet Award recipients tells the story: Dr. John Flower, Mac Horton, Leah Lasbury, Pat Fitzgerald, Ferold Davis, Don Platt, Eunice Albritton, Tom Dignam, Billy Davis, David Dignam, Joe Czerwinski, Denny Girard, Bill Stiver, Sr., Larry Nicol, Charlie Hicks, Diana Harris, Esther Horton, Fred Beck, Rex Rowley, Gary Schroeder, Mel Kugler, Nancy Wille and Eric Fogo, Carolyn Pope, Leo Pfliger, and Mike Looney.

In 2017, organizers launched the Englewood Legends Award to recognize the historic families that shaped the region. Past winners include the Bass, Tate, Goff, Ainger, Pope, Scott, Wiley Hicks, and Lampp families.

Nita Cole, speaking with the Englewood REVIEW about the origins of this event, said, “This is our 29th year. When I started back then, there were already plenty of awards for business people. But Englewood’s deeper history kept coming up in conversations, with stories about folks who worked quietly behind the scenes but never got public thanks. I figured, let’s create an award for those people who went above and beyond; people who made Englewood what it is today and seldom got noticed.”

She smiled, adding, “They even call me the Mother Mullet. For the first few years, I’d show up in a fish costume. When we chose the first recipient, Dr. John Flower came to mind, as he provided his dental services to Englewood when the town really needed them.”

The big question is how they came up with the name for the award? Nita explained, “We kept asking ourselves, what do we call this award? I sat there, trading ideas with the old-timers, and someone pointed out that Englewood is known for smoked mullet. They had to eat it back when there was no refrigeration, so it’s been a part of the area’s story. That’s how the ‘Smoked Mullet Award’ got its name.”

How did the Secret Society aspect begin? Nita explains, “At first, each year’s winners were usually older folks, wonderful people, but it didn’t make sense to have them run the committee for the next year. We needed fresh energy, so I suggested winners could pick a younger person to be their ‘secret’ member and help carry the torch. We did that for four or five years, but haven’t kept up that part for about a decade now.”

Nita never imagined that the tradition would last this long. She reflected, “Englewood truly is a gem on the West Coast. We started as the lemon tree town, but after a hurricane wiped those out, the town depended on groceries brought by schooner from Tampa. People gathered down at the docks. There’s so much history, and at this luncheon, we get to share those stories. A lot of business people come now, and many have no idea how their community got started. That’s why this day matters.”

Attendees thoroughly enjoyed the event, the opportunity to support the legacy, meet the people who keep Englewood’s spirit alive, and a lunch full of stories and friendship. The tradition continues.

The post The Smoked Mullet Society Honors Englewood’s Biggest Legends appeared first on Englewood Review.