Stephan "Steve" Sachkar

NORTH PORT - Stephan "Steve" Sachkar, a former North Port Sun publisher and North Port Area Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame member, died Sept. 4 at the age of 78.

He was a longtime and respected member of the North Port and Venice communities, where he lived for more than 40 years.

His wife of 52 years, Karen Sachkar, died in 2017.

He is survived by his three children, Patrick Sachkar, Kevin Sachkar, and Amanda Sachkar; daughter-in-law Kate (married to Patrick) along with his grandchildren, Kevin David Sachkar, Austin Sachkar, Rafe Sachkar, and Lexi Sachkar; and his great-grandchild, Steele Talon Sachkar.

His daughter, Amanda, spoke to The Daily Sun about her father.

"He was just amazing. He loved his family," Amanda Sachkar said."He was known for his kindness, humor, and generous spirit, and he treasured the many memories made with his family."

He also loved fishing, gardening, golfing, his Michigan Wolverines along with his work with The Sun and the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce.

Sachkar worked at the Sun for more than 40 years, and he took great pride in his work and all of the connections he made.
"Steve loved North Port," said David Dunn-Rankin, former president of the Sun Coast Media Group, which owned the North Port Sun and other newspapers in the region. "To him, local businesses weren't just advertising customers; they were partners in helping North Port grow and thrive.

"His door was always open for the city of North Port and so was his heart. To work with Steve was to know that you belonged to his extended family.

"When Steve became publisher in North Port, the population was one-fifth of what it is today. Wellen Park wasn't even a vision in anyone's mind yet and North Port was really just a retirement community and commuter community for people who worked in north Sarasota. He always believed North Port would be the biggest city in Sarasota and we should plan for it. He was disappointed when we acted like we were just a disorganized small town without a plan, and he expressed those thoughts with passion always wanting the best for North Port."

Longtime North Port Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bill Gunnin said Sachkar was "just so incredible."

Sackhar, like another iconic local, the late Gene Matthews, could also be called "Mr. North Port," Gunnin said.

Gunnin said Sachkar would "get in trouble" for things he was not necessarily supposed to do because "he loved the community so much."

Gunnin said Sachkar was inducted into the Chamber Hall of Fame for all he had done.

"He's very special to us," he said.

Gunnin said himself, Sachkar, and former North Port City Commissioners Fred Tower and Jim Blucher would all hang out and tease one another with friendly banter.

After playful, sharp jabs at one another, they would talk about North Port, Gunnin said. Sachkar also talked about his wife Karen all the time.

"His heart was totally behind North Port," Gunnin said. "He was genuinely just a good guy. We always had such a blast."

Gunnin said the likes of Sachkar and the others in the group are his "idols." They helped the city become what it has today.

"We're here because of them," Gunnin said.

Jill Luke, a former North Port commissioner and active member of the Chamber, agreed with Gunnin.

Sachkar, she said, was "tremendous." He supported the Chamber after the Great Recession.

Luke said he did all he could to help the city and chamber bounce back, improve and grow.

"He built North Port up," she said.

"Sachkar always used his position at the Sun to help the businesses in the chamber and the city as a whole," Luke said. "He had a great smile and sense of humor and a pleasant way about him."

Toward the end, he was not around as much, but the appreciation for him never went away, according to Luke.

"We have always appreciated and loved Steve," Luke said. "Always."

The family has not yet set a time for services. Farley Funeral Home of Venice is handling the arrangements.