The Leadership Charlotte Class of 2026 wanted to create an award that would be carried on by future classes.
Their idea was to make a Community Impact Award that each year would honor an individual whose “leadership, service, and dedication have made a lasting difference in the lives of others and strengthened the Charlotte County community.”
When the committee began meeting, names were bandied about.
One name kept popping up — over and over.
Mike Riley.
The longtime employee of the Charlotte County Public Schools and founder of the BoogieMen band accepted the award recently at the Leadership Charlotte 2026 class graduation.
“I was floored,” he said of the recognition Thursday. “I told them ‘I didn’t do anything.'”
Members of the class disagreed.
In a letter, the class said the award would forever honor those who built the community and nourished its growth.
They were looking for people who:
• Show up.
• People who care.
• People who give of themselves expecting nothing in return.
• People who touched a lot of lives.
• Those who created opportunities for others.
• People who offered encouragement.
Riley, himself a member of the Charlotte Leadership Hall of Fame, was humbled by the honor.
“I said I know I do stuff but I am no better than any guy I pass on the street,” he said.
“Earlier this year I got an award from the (Charlotte County) Sheriff’s Office for community service. There were like 500 people there and I looked out on the crowd and there were so many people there more deserving than me.”
Riley is known for his work with kids from his days as a coach in schools on up to his tenure as the school district’s public information officer.
He is also well respected for dozens of free concerts his band played to help local nonprofit charities.
“It was hard work,” he said of managing and performing with the band. “But I had a riot doing it.”