Greater Tampa REALTORS®

 

 

Greater Tampa REALTORS® (GTR) is the largest professional association of real estate brokers and agents in the Tampa Bay area, founded in 1911, representing over 15,000 members.

GTR provides exceptional professional development and networking programs, supports REALTORS® in accelerating their business with access to the best tools and resources in the industry, and is at the forefront of innovation and change to meet the dynamic needs of the real estate industry. 

GTR represents REALTORS® involved in residential salescommercial and investment sales, property management, and appraisals.




Jason Outman

Jason Outman
CEO

Ellison Companies

Ellison Companies comprises three separate though complimentary firms – Ellison Construction, Ellison Development, and Ellison Advisors. Ellison Construction is a leader in the high-quality construction of commercial, adaptive reuse, and placemaking projects in the Tampa Bay region. Ellison Development is an innovative real estate development firm dedicated to acquiring, developing, and constructing architecturally significant mixed-use projects. Embracing the essence of the local community, they create projects that stand the test of time, harmonizing with and elevating their communities. Ellison Advisors is an owner’s representation firm providing oversight and advisement throughout the design and construction process. Acting as a trusted partner with their owners, the firm uses its wealth of knowledge and experience to facilitate a smoother, more efficient project with high-quality outcomes.




Casey Ellison

Casey Ellison has over 20 years of experience in the construction and development industries. He is the CEO of Ellison Companies, a family of firms in the construction and development industry. Casey has extensive experience building and developing across all sectors with an emphasis on place-making hospitality projects. Casey has been a part of many of Tampa’s most impactful projects, including Oxford Exchange, Stovall House, Armature Works, Hotel Haya, and is a preferred partner for the Hillsborough County School Board, University of Tampa, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Casey holds leadership roles in Ellison Construction, one of Tampa Bay area’s leading construction management firms, and Ellison Development, an innovative real estate development company. Casey is civic-minded, serving as incoming Chair on the University of Tampa’s Board of Fellows as well as a sitting member of the Glazer Children’s Museum’s facilities committee. Casey is passionate about the future of business in the Tampa/St. Petersburg region and is currently developing a mixed-use project in St. Petersburg’s EDGE District.

Casey Ellison
CEO

Advent Health

 

 

The West Florida Division of AdventHealth has some of the nation’s brightest medical minds, making lifesaving breakthroughs with surgical pioneers, scientists and researchers using leading-edge technology and innovation to deliver our brand of whole-person care. Our network of care includes AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Connerton, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Heart of Florida, AdventHealth Lake Placid, AdventHealth Lake Wales, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Ocala, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wauchula, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, as well as seven freestanding offsite Emergency Rooms including AdventHealth Belleview ER, AdventHealth Brandon ER, AdventHealth Central Pasco ER, AdventHealth Four Corners ER, AdventHealth Palm Harbor ER, AdventHealth TimberRidge ER, and AdventHealth Westchase ER.

We are more than hospitals, as we have a robust system of care including specialty acute care, more than 200 primary care and specialty employed physicians, Express Care at Walgreens clinics, urgent care centers, wound care, physical therapy, home care, mobile mammography and more. AdventHealth is a faith-based, not-for-profit health care system with a mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. AdventHealth has hundreds of care sites and more than 50 hospitals across the United States. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com.




David Ottati

David provides executive leadership and oversight to all facilities and programs within the West Florida Division to develop strategic growth and expansion opportunities that bring the AdventHealth brand to more communities and build an integrated network of care that exemplify the service standards and high-quality care of AdventHealth.

David began his career at AdventHealth as a management resident and quickly advanced in the organization, serving in various leadership roles. Prior to his current role, David served as president/CEO for the Central Florida Division – North Region, which includes the six AdventHealth hospitals in Volusia, Flagler and Lake counties. Prior to that, he served in president/CEO roles for AdventHealth Waterman and AdventHealth Palm Coast. Earlier in his career, he served as vice president in AdventHealth’s Hardee and Highlands counties – which is part of the West Florida Division – where he was directly responsible for the daily operations of AdventHealth Lake Placid and AdventHealth Wauchula.

David holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, and Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance and Accounting from Washington Adventist University, formerly Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Maryland.

David is an active member of his community, serving on multiple boards throughout his career and currently serves as a member of the AdventHealth Tampa and Ocala Boards, Adventist Health University Board, American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board, the Tampa Christian Academy Board and Forest Lake Academy School Board.

David and his wife, Wendy, have four children. In his spare time, he likes to stay active through sports like soccer, tennis and ping pong, and enjoying time outside running, riding ATVs and spending time on the water.

David Ottati
President and Chief Executive Officer

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority

 

 

The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is a user-financed public agency led by a Board of local citizens. The dynamic transportation agency owns, manages, and operates the Selmon Expressway, Meridian Avenue, Brandon Parkway, and the Selmon Greenway. With over 200,000 daily expressway commuters and thousands of pedestrians utilizing THEA‘s urban trail networks, the agency is focused on serving and investing in the community to transform and excel with transportation options that enhance the quality of life. Using toll revenues and bonds, all tolls collected by THEA are reinvested back into projects in Hillsborough County.




Greg Slater

Greg Slater is the Executive Director/CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) – a dynamic transportation agency that owns, manages and operates the Selmon Expressway, Meridian Avenue, Brandon Parkway, and the Selmon Greenway. With over 200,000 daily expressway commuters and thousands of pedestrians utilizing the agency’s network of urban trails, Slater oversees an agency focused on adding value to the community and offering transportation options that enhance the quality of life.

Slater is a transportation leader committed to serving people with passion, integrity, and trust. He has over two decades of public service experience in various transportation modes, most recently serving as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). He oversaw 17,000 lane miles of highways, 2,500 bridge structures, and tolled facilities, including two tollways, two tunnels, and four major bridge structures: a local and commuter bus network, a light rail metro system, commuter rail, and paratransit services.

At THEA, he continues to serve the community and organization with the values that have guided him over the last 25 years of his professional career. Greg is committed to building a transportation system foundation for the next generation, a roadway of the future, and creating partnerships that make transportation in Tampa Bay safer and more efficient.

Greg Slater
Executive Director & CEO

Tiger Concrete & Screed (TCS)

TCS is a company that truly understands integrity and work ethic. From our office to our workers in the field, we strive to be honest, professional and a pleasure to work with. At TCS, we are passionate about what we do. From panel layout to panel adjustment, TCS has the experience and technology to deliver the highest quality craftsmanship in the industry. We work for our clients to understand their goals, foresee and overcome challenges, and earn their trust. We push ourselves to consistently deliver beyond what is expected.

We maintain a fast-paced and competitive work environment that challenges us to always exceed our client’s expectations. We pride ourselves on not just getting the job done right, but getting it done right the first time.




Sheylla Aceves

Sheylla serves as VP and General Counsel for Tiger Concrete and Screed, a tilt-up subcontractor serving the Southeast. She is responsible for the overall management and execution of daily operations within the company, as well as overseeing the financing and construction of each project. She also manages Tiger’s legal department which is responsible for labor and employment matters, contract review, negotiations, and all aspects of Risk & Compliance.

 

Sheylla Aceves
VP and General Counsel

Google

Google is an American multinational technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics.




Taylor Ferguson

Taylor Ferguson serves as Google’s Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy in the Southeast, United States. He brings nearly a decade of political, government and campaign experience. In this new role, Taylor focuses on protecting the technology company’s interests across a variety of issues related to advertising, social media and artificial intelligence.

Before joining Google, Taylor served as Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Parallel, the largest private medical cannabis company in the country. In that role he helped the company build relationships with state and local governments while navigating a maze of complex industry regulations.

Taylor has held several positions within Florida politics and state government, as well as in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill. Taylor previously worked as the Legislative Aide to Florida Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, where he helped facilitate allocations for the state’s $100 billion balanced budget. He has also served as a Legislative Aide to former Hillsborough County State Representative Jake Raburn. During the 2018 election season, Taylor played an integral role in a key Florida State Senate race, which led to a landslide victory and secured a majority for the incoming Senate President.

Taylor is a Palm Beach native, now based in Tampa, and a graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University with a bachelor’s degree in political communication.

Taylor Ferguson
Head of Government Affairs & Public Policy Southeast, US

Tampa Bay Business & Wealth

 

 

Tampa Bay Business & Wealth (TBBW) magazine is the leading provider and trusted resource for business leaders affecting change in the Tampa Bay region. TBBW delivers in-depth reporting – with a distinct local perspective – on topics that make a difference in our community. Our wealth coverage will not only provide information for high net worth investors, but will also spotlight the emerging angel investor, venture capital, private equity and hedge fund ecosystem in Tampa Bay.

Unlike any other local publication, TBBW gives business decision makers a peek into the people behind the biggest deals – the whole story – from who they are, to what businesses to invest in, to cashing in on the growing tech hubs, to trends and analysis of Tampa Bay’s most important industries – and so much more. It’s must-see content expounding local, pertinent business strategies to help readers continue to experience and achieve success.




BDG Architects

BDG Architects, formed in 1994, is a 130+ person full service Architectural, Space Planning, Interior Design and Program Management practice providing creativity in design and production of architectural and interiors projects. Their headquarters is located in downtown Tampa, Florida in Rivergate Tower, with offices in Birmingham, Alabama, Charlotte, North Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida and remote staff in Miami and Memphis.

Licensed in 31 states, BDG Architects has built a practice based on producing creative architecture and interior design for a variety of clients and project types. In 2013, BDG Architects merged with Urban Studio Architects, a Tampa based firm formed in 1989 and PKA Associates in Birmingham Alabama enhancing BDG’s experience in interior architecture/space planning, corporate interiors,  multi-family residential and hospitality.

In 2020 BDG formed a strategic partnership with FleischmanGarciaMaslowski (FGM), founded in Tampa in 1972. The firms were brought together to utilize the strengths, experience and expertise that each has to offer to create a unique new firm structure capable of design and production for an expanded variety of project types and sizes. And most recently, in 2022 BDG forged a partnership with Sarasota firm Parker Walter Group (PWG) to enhance its ability to continue to serve the multifamily market and beyond.




Chris Kirschner, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

Chris Kirschner is President of BDG Architects with over 30 years of experience in providing professional architecture services on a variety of project types including sport and entertainment venues, retail, commercial office, hospitality, multi-family, and mixed-use. He is well versed in development considerations including long range planning, finance strategies and incentives, LEED and WELL design certification, and facilities planning.

He obtained his Architecture degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he spent a year in Rome, Italy studying urban planning, historic construction technology, and classical architectural theory. After founding BDG Architects in 2000, he has grown the company, including its subsidiary firms, to over 150 people and ten offices across the southeast.

Mr. Kirschner is actively involved in numerous civic and industry organizations including USGBC, AIA, ICSC, NFPA, CSI and serves as a board member and chair of the property committee for the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA.

Chris is currently licensed to practice architecture in multiple states, NCARB certified, a LEED Accredited Professional with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), and the principal partner of BDG Architects. He currently lives with his wife and two children in Tampa, Florida.

Chris Kirschner, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP
President

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Bradley is a national law firm with a reputation for skilled legal work, exceptional client service, and impeccable integrity. We provide business clients around the world with a full suite of legal services in dozens of industries and practice areas.

With 10 offices located in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, we have an extensive geographic base to represent clients on a regional, national, and international basis. We frequently serve as national coordinating counsel, regional counsel, and statewide counsel for clients in various industries.

Although Bradley is a large law firm with almost 600 lawyers, our clients still enjoy the personal attention, responsiveness, and deep relationships they would expect from a boutique firm. Our attorneys combine legal experience and knowledge with a sophisticated understanding of industries to find practical, strategic solutions specifically tailored to our clients’ business operations. Bradley lawyers use their talents, judgment, work ethic, and experience to go above and beyond expectations to help clients meet their goals.

Bradley’s Economic Development Experience

Bradley handles projects throughout the U.S., representing companies with a creative, proactive approach that is fundamentally multidisciplinary. The 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America includes nine Bradley attorneys listed for Economic Development and the firm is listed nationally for Economic Development Law.

We empower our clients by lending our experience to a project from any stage of the development. From the outset, we lead a process that leads to identifying the location that is most profitable for the company. We routinely assist the client’s site selection team, not only in connection with identifying and implementing the economic development incentives, but also in the many aspects of the new project or expansion, including real estate, tax, governmental, planning and zoning, environmental, permitting, financing, labor and employment, and construction.

We are also experienced and staffed to assist companies in connection with expansions and new projects that may be relatively small in terms of capital investment and job creation, but significant for the company.

Bradley has handled economic development deals in thirty-one states.  Our services include the following.

  • Our multidisciplinary efforts integrate experience in real estate and construction, utilities and environmental work, corporate and employment law, and tax incentives.
  • We routinely handle related tax matters at the federal, state, and local levels.
  • We provide experienced interaction with government developers at the state, county, and city levels, including economic and community development groups, chambers of commerce, industrial development boards, power companies, and utility providers.
  • We advocate for clients before governmental agencies in negotiating approvals for various incentives.
  • We have experience in large land assemblies for industrial parks; megasite programs; and all aspects of permitting, entitlements, land use, industrial development revenue, and municipal financing.
  • We help clients facing ongoing disputes in states with viable project sites resolve issues and maximize the number of options available during the decision-making process.

To learn more, visit www.bradley.com/economicdevelopment.




Ben Dachepalli

Ben Dachepalli has extensive experience negotiating and drafting construction-related agreements, and litigating complex construction claims regarding contract disputes, construction defects, design errors, surety bonds and construction liens. He is dedicated to understanding each client’s business to provide comprehensive strategies that go beyond legal issues, disputes or contracts.

Ben is board certified by the Florida Bar in Construction Law. He was selected as national coordinating counsel for a large, publicly traded REIT with projects all across the United States. In this role, Ben advised and counseled this client on matters that affect their multi-family apartment projects across their entire portfolio and addresses legal issues that are critical to executing the company’s strategic business goals.

As a former board member of the Construction Industry Licensing Board for the State of Florida, Ben is also experienced in licensing matters and disputes for contractors and subcontractors.

Ben Dachepalli
Partner

Verizon

With over 150 locations, Verizon is a global leader delivering innovative communications and technology solutions that improve the way our customers live, work, learn and play.

Founded in 2000, the company operates America’s most reliable wireless network and the nation’s premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated solutions to businesses worldwide. With brands like Yahoo, TechCrunch and HuffPost, the company’s media group helps consumers stay informed and entertained, communicate and transact, while creating new ways for advertisers and partners to connect.

 




The Florida Aquarium

The Florida Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to entertain, educate and inspire stewardship of the natural environment.




Roger Germann

Roger Germann is the President & Chief Executive Officer of The Florida Aquarium in Tampa, FL. He brings a strong history of leadership experience with 25+ years of experience in the private and public sector; Roger is widely recognized as one of the zoological community’s top leaders and strategists. Since joining The Florida Aquarium in June 2017, he is actively elevating the organization with several high-profile recognitions.

Under his leadership, some of the most recent successes and accolades include being recognized from USA Today as one of North America’s Top 2 Aquariums, growing attendance and operations by opening several world-class exhibits, including Moon Bay, only the fourth of its kind in North America, a unique moon jellies interactive touch experience and in 2018, the Aquarium’s second-largest exhibit, Heart of the Sea. Besides, these important successes have been the Aquarium’s huge step forward with its conservation initiatives which has focused on increasing the Aquarium’s commitment to saving wildlife, including the opening of a $4M sea turtle rehabilitation center and becoming the first organization to successfully reproduce Atlantic pillar coral in human care, and increasing revenue and philanthropic support of the Aquarium’s critical conservation, education and community initiatives.

Prior to The Florida Aquarium, Roger earned his strong business and conservation leadership reputation serving as Executive Vice President for more than 16 years at the world-renowned John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He began his career in television and worked in the public sector for the State of Illinois.

Roger is active in leadership roles on several local and national committees and non-profit boards. In 2019, Roger was appointed by Governor DeSantis to the Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and serves on the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, Visit Tampa Bay, and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. He has served in several national leadership positions, including a White House appointed member of the Great Lakes Advisory Council.

Beyond his work at The Florida Aquarium, Roger is heavily involved in the community. He dedicates his time in support of Mitchell Elementary School, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Bayshore Little League, along with mentoring students from underserved areas.

Roger and his family reside in South Tampa.

Roger Germann
President & Chief Executive Officer

The Southern Group

When The Southern Group was founded twenty years ago, our firm pioneered the lobbying industry in Florida and beyond. We were the first to offer a unique type of advocacy that was driven by aligning the best and brightest candidates from business, government, and politics, and establishing a network of offices that offer our clients unparalleled access to local and state government.

Over the last two decades we have cultivated and retained a strong team of experts who help our clients build winning strategies, navigate the pathways to power, and connect with decision makers—whether in government or business. We know how to navigate the halls of government because most of us already served in them.

Today, the sharp lines between government, business, and constituencies have blurred. Applying calculated influence demands dynamic strategies that keep pace with societal trends and economic outlooks. Survival of the smartest, fastest, and most connected is the new norm. While lobbying will always be our foundation, tomorrow has reshaped who we are and how we access, advocate, and influence.




Seth McKeel

Seth McKeel joined The Southern Group’s Tampa office as Managing Partner in 2014 after a long and distinguished career in public service. Seth has developed expertise in numerous areas, including economic and business development, energy, health care, land use and development, marine science, policy, public and private partnerships, telecommunications, transportation, and water.

Seth’s political career began in 1999 with his election to the Lakeland City Commission at age 24, its youngest member. This experience in municipal government allowed Seth to hone his expertise in achieving local consensus. Seth was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2006 and re-elected until the conclusion of his eight-year term limit in November of 2014. As a legislator, Seth tackled tough issues, including agriculture, energy, higher education reform, and natural resources policy. He chaired the Polk County and Hillsborough County Legislative Delegations for two consecutive years, as well as the larger nine-county Bay Area Legislative Delegation.

A strong commitment to fiscal responsibility earned Seth the trust of House Speaker Will Weatherford, who in 2012 tapped Seth to chair the Appropriations Committee, where he led the Florida House’s efforts to balance the $77 billion budget of the third largest state in the Union. Under Seth’s leadership, Florida maintained AAA bond rating and set aside more than $3 billion in healthy reserves.

Seth proudly serves on the Board of Directors of the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida. Seth is also the founding director of The Schools of McKeel Academy Charter School. Seth was recognized with the YMCA’s Servant Leadership Award and is a graduate of Leadership Florida, Leadership Lakeland, and a member of Florida Blue Key.

A graduate of the University of Florida, Seth was awarded the Presidential Medallion, one of the university’s highest awards, for his service to UF and higher education. Seth is among the fifth generation in his family to call Florida home. Seth and his wife, Kim, live in Lakeland with their two children

Seth McKeel
Managing Partner - Tampa Bay office

Helios Education Foundation

Helios Education Foundation is dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals in Arizona and Florida to achieve a postsecondary education. The Foundation’s work is driven by four fundamental beliefs in Community, Investment, Equity, and Partnership. Helios invests in programs and initiatives across the full education continuum – from early grade success through postsecondary education. In Arizona, where Latino students comprise the largest percentage of the K-12 public school population, the Foundation is implementing its Arizona Latino Student Success initiative focused on preparing all students – especially students in high poverty, underserved Latino communities – for success. Through Helios’ Florida Regional Student Success Initiative, the Foundation is helping underserved, minority, first-generation students from the state’s large population centers in of Tampa, Orlando, and Miami achieve a postsecondary education. Since 2006, the Foundation has invested more than $233 million in education programs and initiatives in both states.




Stacy Baier

Stacy has more than 25 years of experience in educational philanthropy. In her past role as CEO of the nationally recognized Pinellas Education Foundation, she led all development, program and administrative activities at the Foundation while cultivating a strong working relationship between the philanthropic, business and school communities. She has also served as president and CEO of the Florida Philanthropic Network (FPN) and as vice president and program director of College and Career Readiness for Helios. She has also served as executive director of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations.

Stacy received her doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of Florida and holds a Master of Education from Harvard University. Most recently, Stacy was recognized for the third time in Florida Trend 500 Most Influential Leaders in the category of nonprofits/philanthropy.

Stacy Baier
Senior Vice President, Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

Ultimate Medical Academy

 

 

Ultimate Medical Academy is a nonprofit healthcare educational institution with a national presence. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida and founded in 1994, the school has more than 40,000 alumni and offers content-rich, interactive online courses to more than 15,000 students as well as hands-on training to hundreds of students. UMA students have access to academic advising, one-on-one or group tutoring, resume and interview coaching, job search assistance, technical support and more. UMA is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).




Linda Mignone

Linda Mignone joined Ultimate Medical Academy in August 2018 and is responsible for overseeing UMA’s marketing, communications and admissions efforts. In this role, she helps to elevate the institution’s brand, engage new learners, spur adoption of new programs and technologies, and champion student outcomes.

Linda brings 25 years of experience to her role at UMA in strategic, brand, digital, and direct marketing in multiple industries—from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. These include higher education providers like Kaplan, Inc. and transportation and logistics companies like DHL.

Mignone has been a contributor to Fortune and CNN in the areas of leadership and management, and she serves as an advisor to Merci360 and other start-up and incubator organizations. She earned her BBA in Marketing and MBA from Dowling College in Oakdale, New York.

Linda Mignone
Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer

Amgen

Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics.This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.
 
Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people’s lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world’s leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.




Jennifer Negron

Jennifer Negron
Executive Director, Corporate Services

Valley Bank

As the principal subsidiary of Valley National Bancorp, Valley Bank is a regional bank with approximately $31 billion in assets. Valley is committed to giving people and businesses the power to succeed. Valley operates more than 220 branches across New Jersey, New York, Florida and Alabama, and is committed to providing the most convenient service, the latest innovations and an experienced and knowledgeable team dedicated to meeting customer needs. Helping communities grow and prosper is the heart of Valley’s corporate citizenship philosophy. To learn more about Valley, please visit www.valley.com.




David Ogburn

David Ogburn is a SVP and Market Executive for Valley National Bank in Hillsborough County.  He is responsible for all Middle Market and Business Banking lending in Tampa.  David is a 34 year commercial banking veteran all within the Tampa Bay market. He began his career as a Management Trainee and spent 15 years in commercial lending at First Union/Wachovia Bank.  He joined Colonial Bank as Tampa’s Commercial Banking Manager in 2002 and subsequently became the Professional and Executive Banking manager for USAmeriBank in 2010.  He has been with Valley Bank for 13 years via Valley’s acquisition of USAmeriBank.

Mr. Ogburn is very involved in the community as evidenced by his current Board membership in the Corporation To Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. and University Community Ministries, Inc.  He has served in various capacities at each organization including Board President, Secretary and Treasurer.  He has been an active volunteer and Board member for each organization over the last 25 years.

David is married to his wife Becky of 25 years and has two adult children, Megan (23) & Ryan (21).  He enjoys boating, fishing and other outdoor activities.

David Ogburn
SVP and Market Executive

New York Yankees

 

 

Named after one of the most iconic owners in sports history, George M. Steinbrenner Field is one of Tampa’s leading special events facilities and spring home to the 27-time World Champion, New York Yankees.  Under the leadership of the Steinbrenner Family for over four decades, the New York Yankees have long been viewed as one of the most successful franchises in sports history and one of the most iconic brands in the world. Yankees Spring Training draws fans from around the country and is an impactful economic contributor to the greater Tampa Bay area.  Additionally, the Yankees organization is proud of its support of local non-profit organizations through the New York Yankees Tampa Foundation. Present in Tampa since 1989, the Yankees recently completed a $40 million renovation project at George M. Steinbrenner Field and the Himes Player Development Complex, while extending their commitment to Hillsborough County through 2047.




Tony Bruno

Tony Bruno became Chief Financial Officer of Yankee Global Enterprises upon its creation in 2004, having previously served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the New York Yankees.  He has worked with the Yankees organization since 2000 and has played an instrumental role in the financial, and day-to-day operations of Yankee Global Enterprises, the construction of the new Yankee Stadium, the formation of Legends Hospitality and the transaction between 21st Century Fox and the YES Network.  Tony is an active supporter of the local community having served on the Board of Trustees for the Suncoast Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for ten years, the Board of Trustees for St. John’s Episcopal Day School, and currently serving as an honorary board member for The Matty Fund, which helps children and families touched by epilepsy. Additionally, he serves as a Director for the Yankees Foundation in both Tampa and New York.

Tony Bruno
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Diamond View

 

 

Diamond View is a five-time Emmy Award-winning video agency headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Since 2007, Diamond View has been recognized as a leader in purpose-driven video production and is on a mission to use video as a force for good, connecting brands and communities alike. Diamond View also specializes in virtual production and houses one of the largest LED volumes in the world at their studio, Vū, featured on the TODAY Show.




Tim Moore

Tim Moore is a five-time Emmy award-winning Director and author of ‘Sold on Purpose’. As a curiously driven entrepreneur, Tim has become a leading expert in purpose-driven marketing over the last 10 years and has developed emotionally compelling campaigns for brands all around the world. He is an outspoken advocate of transformative advertising, which uses advertising as a force for good, allowing brands to make a real difference in the world. He was also featured on the TODAY Show as a leader in virtual production.

Tim Moore
CEO

Haneke Design

Haneke Design is a custom software development firm focused on delivering user-centered solutions for connected devices. Our core services center on iOS and Android mobile application design and development and website/web application design and development.Haneke Design has been designing and developing mobile applications since the iOS and Android platforms were first made available, and has been designing interactive digital user experiences for the web for over fifteen years. The Haneke Design team is comprised of a cohesive, creative and dedicated group of designers, developers, and project managers all collaborating in our downtown Tampa office. Haneke Design completes all design and development work on-site so team members can work closely during all project phases to ensure open and constant communication. This not only fosters our iterative approach, but it ensures that industry best practices are considered, discussed and applied to ideas, business objectives and project deliverables throughout the entire project lifecycle. The Haneke Design client base ranges from start-up companies, to small-to-medium sized organizations, to Fortune 500 companies. The common denominator across that base is a client looking to deliver high quality, enterprise applications and turnkey solutions that meet, and often exceed, the expectations of their end users.




Jody Haneke

Jody Haneke is the President & Founder of Haneke Design in Tampa, FL. A graduate of Ringling College of Art & Design, he has always had a passion for all things design. Since then, Jody Haneke transformed the graphic and interactive design agency he established in 2002 into a full-service custom software development company. Jody now employs more than 23 full-time staff developing custom digital solutions from its downtown Tampa studio. Jody plays an integral role in keeping the technology community in Tampa thriving by partnering with the American Marketing Association and Tampa Bay Technology Forum. In addition, he is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Tampa Entrepreneurship Center and recently joined the Chairman’s Board of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation. Haneke Design has won over 50+ design and user experience awards throughout the years and continues to expand its business solutions with a core commitment to process and innovation.

Jody Haneke
President & Founder

Strategic Property Partners

 

 

Strategic Property Partners, LLC (“SPP”) is a full-service commercial real estate developer, owner and operator based in Tampa, Florida. With a thoughtful long-term approach to real estate, the firm is focused on creating enduring, sustainable and high-quality experiential places. SPP’s first project, Water Street Tampa, is being developed on 74 acres of land in downtown Tampa. The phased Water Street Tampa development project commenced vertical construction in 2018 and is revitalizing a currently underutilized tract of land into an urban, mixed-use waterfront district consisting of approximately 9 million square feet of new office, retail, residential, hospitality, cultural, entertainment, and educational uses, totaling over $3.5 billion in private investment from SPP. Integrating principles of walkability, sustainability, connectivity, design quality, and wellness, SPP intends to own and operate this new world-class neighborhood in Tampa for the long-term, while also working to elevate the city’s national prominence. The company is owned and capitalized through a partnership between Cascade Investment LLC, and Jeff Vinik. For more information on Water Street Tampa, visit www.waterstreettampa.com.




David Bevirt

David Bevirt serves as Executive Vice President of Corporate Leasing & Strategy for Strategic Property Partners and the lead for all office leasing efforts. Encompassing up to 9M square feet of office, residential, hotel, retail, educational space and public realm, Water Street Tampa is backed by Cascade Investment and is one of the largest mixed-use developments in the country. Mr. Bevirt is a 38-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry. Prior to joining SPP in 2018, Mr. Bevirt was Senior Vice President with Brookfield Properties where he was responsible for all leasing and marketing efforts for the portfolio’s 25 core and opportunity fund assets in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, totaling 8 million square feet.

 

David Bevirt
Executive Vice President – Corporate Leasing & Strategy

Florida Trend

 

 

Florida Trend business magazine is read by 270,000 influential business executives, civic leaders and government officials each month. Its award-winning reporting covers regional and statewide business news, industry executives and the business sectors they represent, as well as information on Florida‘s lifestyle, arts and culture scene. FloridaTrend.com offers eNews alerts, covering daily morning and afternoon breaking news; Business Beat, a weekly video newscast highlighting Florida’s top business news stories; and weekly eNewsletters providing information, insight and details on Florida‘s growing industry sectors including health care, education, real estate, small business and movers and influencers. FloridaTrend.com attracts nearly a million pageviews and over 140,000 unique visitors each month.




David G. Denor

David is the publisher of Florida Trend, the highly regarded statewide magazine and website read and visited by business executives, government officials and civic leaders. As publisher, David’s responsibilities include direct oversight of Trend’s editorial, sales, marketing, digital, audience development, creative, production and business operations. He leads the company’s continued growth in the areas of new digital products, audience development efforts, specialty annual supplements and the ongoing curation of custom content. David also serves on the board of directors for Florida Trend and Times Publishing Company.

David joined Florida Trend as associate publisher in July of 2016, was promoted to deputy publisher May 2017 and announced publisher January 2019. Prior to joining Florida Trend, he spent two-years as vice president, business development for Hanson Dodge Creative, a full service digital agency in Milwaukee, WI. Before returning to his home state of Wisconsin in 2014, David spent nearly 15 years overseeing the business and sales operations (print, digital, events and custom content) for Crain’s Chicago Business, the nation’s preeminent weekly business to business publication and website. Prior to Crain’s Chicago Business, David spent 5 years as a senior account executive with the Milwaukee Business Journal.

Throughout his career, David has participated and been actively involved in numerous organizations, associations and non-profits, and has continued those endeavors in Florida.

David is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he earned his bachelor of science, majoring in criminal justice. David and his wife Jessica, an elementary education teacher at Plato Academy, St. Pete, have four adult children. Their oldest son, an executive at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, their daughter, a neonatal nurse at John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Pete, their second youngest son, a young executive with the Sherwin-Williams Corporation lives in Ocala and their youngest son, a small business owner and entrepreneur in Naples. David and Jessica reside near the Indian Rocks Beach area.

David G. Denor
Publisher

Lions World Vision Institute

Lions World Vision Institute is a nonprofit organization committed to honoring vision as a basic human right. Our work extends around the globe and includes donor family and recipient support, advanced tissue preparation for transplant cases, innovative research and technology development, eye bank and surgeon training programs, pediatric vision services, and community-based education in local and international communities for those who are visually impaired. With our worldwide ecosystem of eye banks, surgeons, and research leaders, we work tirelessly to honor a donor’s gift by protecting and supporting sight restoration for hundreds of thousands of people—transforming lives around the world…. So the world can see.

Our cornerstone services include:

  • Donation and Transplant Services: We are a global leader in transplant facilitation, working closely with donor families, transplant recipients, hospitals, and surgeons to provide hope and healing through cornea and tissue transplantation.
  • Research & Innovation: Our medical innovations and research breakthroughs are designed to streamline cornea transplant procedures for surgeons and improve clinical outcomes for patients.
  • Prevention & Education: Our nationally recognized community programs provide thousands of children free access to eye care every year – protecting their right to clear sight




Jason Woody

Jason K. Woody serves as the President and CEO of Lions World Vision Institute. He and his dedicated team have helped bring the “gift of sight” to over 130,000 men, women and children around the world. His true commitment to help those blind or visually has been demonstrated by his over 25 year tenure with the Lions World Vision Institute. Woody serves on multiple boards and committees such as the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, University of Tampa Board of Fellows, and the Executive Committee of the Eye Bank Association of America and Donate Life America as the Vice-Chair. Woody also serves on the Organ and Tissue Education Panel for Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to represent the interests of the public with regard to increasing the number of organ and tissue donors within the state.

Jason Woody
CEO

UBS Global Wealth Management

 

As one of the world’s leading wealth management firms, UBS Global Wealth Management has the resources and solutions to help clients pursue their most important goals. But their culture of consistently putting client needs front and center is what truly cultivates successful financial advisor and client relationships.




Greg Kadet

Since 2009, Gregory Kadet has served as UBS’s Managing Director, Market Head – Greater Florida. He joined UBS in 1997 and has held various sales management positions over the course of his tenure.

Kadet holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Arizona State University and has completed several UBS training programs, including the Key Talent Leadership Program in Zurich, Switzerland, the Management Development and Program, and Private Coaching through Right Management Consultants.

Active in the community, Kadet serves as a board member with the Tampa Hillsborough EDC, chair of Tampa General Hospital’s Planned Giving Committee, board member of the Tampa Downtown Partnership, board fellow of the University of Tampa, youth soccer coach, and was a member of the Leadership Tampa class of 2013.

Please visit our website at http://financialservicesinc.ubs.com/wealth/E-maildisclaimer.html for important disclosures and information about our e-mail policies. For your protection, please do not transmit orders or instructions by e-mail or include account numbers, Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, passwords, or other personal information.

Greg Kadet
Managing Director, Market Head – Greater Florida

ReliaQuest

 

 

ReliaQuest is the force multiplier of security operations. Our security operations platform, GreyMatter, automates detection, investigation and response across cloud, endpoint, and on-premises tools and applications. GreyMatter is cloud native, built on an open XDR architecture and delivered as a service any time of the day, anywhere in the world. With over 700 customers worldwide and 1,000 teammates working across six global operating centers, ReliaQuest is driving outcomes for the most trusted enterprise brands in the world. ReliaQuest is a private company headquartered in Tampa, Fla., with multiple global locations. For more information, visit www.reliaquest.com.

 




Kim Hill

Kim Hill is a communications leader with experience in higher education, business and media. As Chief of Staff and Head of Corporate Communications and ReliaQuest, Kim manages strategic priorities for ReliaQuest CEO Brian Murphy, in addition to executive communications, internal communications, corporate PR and community partnerships. She previously served as Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Communications at the University of South Florida. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in journalism from the University of Florida and an MBA from the University of South Florida.

Kim Hill
Chief of Staff and Head of Corporate Communications

USAA

 

 

The USAA family of companies provides insurance, banking, investments, retirement products, and advice to over 12 million current and former members of the U.S. military and their families. Known for its legendary commitment to its members, USAA is consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee well-being and financial strength. USAA membership is open to all who are serving our nation in the U.S. military or have received a discharge type of Honorable – and their eligible family members. Founded in 1922, USAA is headquartered in San Antonio.




Keith O’Malley

Keith O’Malley is the Regional Site Director for USAA’s offices in Tampa, Florida.  Keith’s primary area of responsibility is serving as the Chief of Staff to the Regional Vice President.  He also works to strengthen USAA’s brand and reputation in the community, promote a safe work environment and enhance campus operations through strong leadership, communication, and integration.

 

Keith has nearly 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, with all but three of those years with USAA. Throughout his career, he has held a variety of leadership positions and has lived in several cities across the USA to include Virginia Beach, VA, Phoenix, AZ and Tampa, FL.

 

Keith is a graduate of Old Dominion University with a B.A. in Business (Economics) and is a proud Navy brat.  He is an active member of the community and enjoys volunteering his time.  Keith enjoys spending time with his wife Lisa and their four children.

Keith O’Malley
Regional Site Director

Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation

 

 

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has operating facilities and data centers around the world, and through its subsidiaries, DTCC automates, centralizes and standardizes the post-trade processing of financial transactions for thousands of institutions worldwide. With 40 years of experience, DTCC is the premier post-trade market infrastructure for the global financial services industry, simplifying the complexities of clearance, settlement, asset servicing, global data management and information services for equities, corporate and municipal bonds, government and mortgage-backed securities, derivatives, money market instruments, syndicated loans, mutual funds, alternative investment products and insurance transactions. In 2012, DTCC’s subsidiaries processed securities transactions valued at approximately $1.6 quadrillion. Its depository provides custody and asset servicing for securities issues from 131 countries and territories valued at $37.2 trillion. DTCC’s global trade repositories record more than $500 trillion in gross notional value of transactions made worldwide.

 




Marie Chinnici-Everitt

Marie Chinnici-Everitt is Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer with responsibility for DTCC’s global marketing and corporate communications functions, including overseeing the firm’s global corporate image and positioning, business marketing, and branding initiatives, as well as internal and external communications for DTCC, its subsidiaries, and their respective business lines. She is a member of DTCC’s Operating Committee and serves as Vice Chair of DTCC’s Diversity & Inclusion Council. Additionally, she serves as head of DTCC’s Tampa office, where she oversees the day-to-day operations of the site across all businesses and support functions. Chinnici-Everitt sits on the Board of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and represents DTCC at the Tampa Bay Partnership. She has over 25 years of marketing and communications experience in the financial services industry. Prior to DTCC, Chinnici-Everitt served as managing director and head of international business planning and enterprise events at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where she led international business planning across all marketing and corporate affairs disciplines in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Marie Chinnici-Everitt
Managing Director

Tampa Bay Times

 

 

The Tampa Bay Times is widely considered one of the Top Ten newspapers in America and has won nine Pulitzer Prizes. It is Florida’s largest newspaper, with an average circulation of 355,853 Sunday and 299,985 daily (AAM FAS-FAX September 2013). The Times is produced by the Times Publishing Company, which also publishes TampaBay.com, Tampa Bay’s largest local news website with 2.1 million unique visitors each month (Nielsen NetView six-month average for 8/13-1/14). Additionally, the company publishes the free daily tbt*, an edition of the Tampa Bay Times, tb-two*, a free paper written by Tampa Bay area students distributed to students, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning website, PolitiFact.com; and produces special events, specialty publications and targeted advertising programs. The Times and all of its brands continue to contribute meaningfully to the growth and prosperity of the region by providing trusted and authoritative news to readers while helping advertisers convey their messages to consumers in traditional and innovative ways. The Times has been part of the Tampa Bay community for nearly 130 years.




Bruce Faulmann

Bruce Faulmann is Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Tampa Bay Times and a member of the Times Board of Directors. He served as Publisher of Florida Trend, a Times affiliate publication, from November 2008 to October 2009. Before joining the Times Publishing Company, Faulmann spent 24 years in the daily newspaper business. He is a member of many nonprofit boards, including Leadership Florida Regional Council, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Hillsborough Education Foundation, the Glazer Children’s Museum, as well as the Tampa Hillsborough EDC. Faulmann graduated from the University of Florida where he earned a bachelor’s in advertising.

 

Bruce Faulmann
Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Shumaker

 

 

Founded in 1985, the Tampa office of Shumaker has experienced tremendous growth since its inception. Shumaker is the largest business law and government affairs firm on the west coast of Florida, with over 120 attorneys and 20 government relations specialists. A difference maker in the Tampa Bay community, Shumaker helps our clients navigate the legal, political, and community landscapes to achieve success.




Ron Christaldi

Ron Christaldi is the Managing Partner of Shumaker’s Tampa office, the President/CEO of Shumaker Advisors Florida, and the Secretary/Treasurer of the Tampa Bay EDC. A hardworking and intensely prepared attorney, Ron is known for connecting and building relationships within the community. He has a broad practice comprised of both transactions and complex litigation; colleagues and clients alike describe Ron as an indispensable part of their team when they want to get a big deal done, prevail in complicated litigation, or solve a complex problem. Ron is proud and honored to give back to the community he loves and has served a variety of organizations in a leadership capacity.

Ron Christaldi
Managing Partner

Regions Bank

Regions Financial Corporation is a member of the S&P 500 Index and one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, trust, securities brokerage, mortgage and insurance products and services. Through its subsidiary, Regions Bank provides the backing of a top U.S. financial institution and the local focus of a community hometown bank. This means customers receive the quality services of a financial industry leader in addition to the confidence and convenience of banking with people at a neighborhood company they know. Their company mission reflects what customers say they want from a bank — simple, easy, reliable. While Regions’ financial solutions will help customers get more from their money, it is their purpose to help them get more out of life. As a company that has been around since 1856, Regions knows that banking relationships are founded on trust.




April Grajales

April currently serves as the Tampa Bay Market Executive and Commercial Banking Manager for Regions Bank Commercial and Industrial Banking Team (Commercial, Middle Market, Institutional / Not-for-Profit). She is responsible for ensuring the seamless delivery of the broad suite of products, services and capabilities of Regions Financial Corporation in support of their commercial clients, stakeholders, employees and communities.

April Grajales
Tampa Market Executive and Commercial Banking Leader

Wells Fargo

 

 

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $2.0 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,300 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 263,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2017 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.




James M. Themides

Jim Themides is the regional vice president for the Wells Fargo Tampa Bay/Gulf Coast Regional Commercial Banking Office (RCBO).  A 30 year financial services veteran, Jim is responsible for a team of professionals who serve middle market businesses with annual revenue greater than $25 million.

 

Prior to his current role, Jim served as Wells Fargo’s area business banking manager in Southwest Florida, where he was responsible for leading seven business banking teams and one credit analyst team throughout the Greater Gulf Coast Region and the Treasure Coast.  In addition, Jim has served as regional president in two markets, Tampa Bay and Baltimore, and was responsible for the overall success of all lines of business in each region.  Before assuming the regional president role in Baltimore, Jim served at Wells Fargo predecessor Wachovia as the commercial banking executive for the Mid-Atlantic Region.  He started his career with Wachovia in 1986.

 

Jim holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in business administration from Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina.   He also completed an executive leadership program with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

Active in the community, Jim serves on the Boards of Directors of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and the Tampa Downtown Partnership.

 

 

James M. Themides
Executive Vice President, Commercial Banking

Fifth Third Bank

 

 

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Established in 1858, the company has $130 billion in assets and operates 17 affiliates with 1,311 full-service banking centers and 2,605 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest, and as of December 31, 2013, they had $302 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $27 billion for individuals, corporations and nonprofit organizations. The Tampa Bay affiliate operates 48 banking centers throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties.




Cary Putrino

Cary Putrino
Regional President, North Florida Region

University of Tampa

 

 

The University of Tampa is a world-class institution of higher education, offering dynamic opportunities for all learners. Celebrated scholars from around the globe and 7,500 students from all 50 states and 136 countries join in the daily rigors and rewards of an innovative curriculum focused on students’ success. A medium-sized, private university in the heart of downtown, UT offers 150 areas of undergraduate study, 12 graduate programs and ample opportunities for continuing education. The University’s 105-acre residential campus in downtown Tampa provides a historical and cultural setting for learning both on and off campus. With its emphasis on academic excellence, personal attention and real-world experience, UT is ranked as one of the best environments in the country to live and learn.




Ronald L. Vaughn, Ph.D.

Ronald L. Vaughn has served as President of The University of Tampa since January 1995. During his tenure, University of Tampa’s enrollments has nearly tripled, new enrollment records have been set in each of the last 17 years, and academic programs have been expanded to more than 150 areas of study, including 12 graduate programs with nine concentrations in the fields of business, nursing, education, writing and exercise science. Vaughn came to The University of Tampa in 1984 as the coordinator of the marketing department and holder of the Max H. Hollingsworth Endowed Chair of American Enterprise. He also served as director of the MBA program, dean of the College of Business and Graduate Studies and co-chief academic officer. Vaughn has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s of business administration from Indiana State University, as well as a doctorate in marketing from the University of Georgia.

Ronald L. Vaughn, Ph.D.
President

Moffitt Cancer Center

Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 50 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt is a Top 10 cancer hospital and has been nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report since 1999. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. With more than 6,500 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.5 billion.




Merritt Martin

Merritt Martin has worked for Moffitt Cancer Center since 2008 and currently serves as the Chief of Staff for their CEO, Dr. Patrick Hwu. In the last decade at Moffitt, she has been the Director of Public Affairs in the Government Relations Department. Her responsibilities include advocating for Moffitt and cancer patients before the Legislature, Cabinet, and local government offices. She also works diligently to increase Moffitt’s awareness in the community and state.

Prior to her role at Moffitt, Ms. Martin worked for the Florida House of Representatives as a legislative aide for State Representative Bill Heller. She also managed his successful re-election campaign in 2008.

She received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master’s of Public Administration degree from the University of South Florida where she serves on the Foundation Board and is the immediate past Chair of their Alumni Board of Directors. Ms. Martin has been named the Young Professional of the Year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal, “40 under 40” by the Business Observer, a Tampa Bay “Up and Comer” and “Business Women on the Year” in 2018. She is a graduate of Leadership Tampa, Leadership Florida, and Moffitt’s Leadership Academy.

Merritt Martin
Chief of Staff, External Affairs

Tampa Bay Rays

 

 

The Tampa Bay Rays have proudly represented Major League Baseball in the Tampa Bay region since 1998. The organization and its foundation are committed to building a strong community bond through meaningful interaction and charitable contributions. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig calls the Rays a “model organization,” and the organization is widely recognized as being “best-run, most symbiotic” in baseball. Over the past six years, the Rays have won more games than any other MLB team except the New York Yankees. The team’s streak of six consecutive winning seasons is the longest ever among Tampa Bay’s major sports franchises. ESPN has long recognized the team’s fan-friendly approach and attention to customer service. It ranked the Rays in fan affordability in each of the past seven years among all MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA franchises. Through grants and other contributions, the Rays Baseball Foundation has invested over $3 million in the Tampa Bay region over the past six years.




Rafaela A. Amador

Rafaela A. Amador Fink joined the Rays in June 2014 and was promoted to Chief Public Affairs and Communications Officer in December 2021. She leads all public affairs efforts and serves as the club’s government affairs liaison. Additionally, she works across departments to ensure consistent and effective communication of business issues and manages all crisis communications.

Prior to joining the Rays, Rafaela served as an account director at a public relations and public affairs firm, was vice president of public affairs and communications at the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, worked in local politics and taught high school English. She received a 2009 Ford Foundation Fellowship for Regional Sustainable Development through the American Chamber of Commerce Executives and traveled to various cities in the U.S. and China throughout her course of study.

Amador holds a bachelor’s in international studies with a Spanish minor from the University of South Florida. She serves on the board of directors for Community Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, and is a member of the Tampa Bay Partnership’s Racial Equity Task Force, the Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations, and USF’s Women in Leadership and Philanthropy. She was also a founding board member of the New Leaders Council Tampa Bay chapter and served as an Honorary Commander at MacDill Air Force Base. She lives in Tampa with her husband, Jason, son, Maddox, and their rescue dog, Gonzo.

 

 

Rafaela A. Amador
Chief Public Affairs & Communications Officer

Tampa Bay Lightning

 

 

The Tampa Bay Lightning, the leasehold rights to the Tampa Bay Times Forum and approximately six acres of adjacent land were purchased by an entity controlled by Jeff Vinik in March 2010. Vinik later added the Tampa Bay Storm to his portfolio and commenced a complete transformation of the sports and entertainment business, highlighted by a more than $60 million renovation of the Times Forum, an extensive charity campaign highlighted by a $2 million annual giveback to Tampa Bay nonprofits through the Lightning Community Heroes program, and redesigned identities for both teams. The Lightning, led by Hockey Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman, are now recognized as one of the leading franchises in the National Hockey League, while the Storm, with future NFL Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks at the helm, are emulated throughout the Arena Football League.




Jeff Vinik

Jeff Vinik purchased the Tampa Bay Lightning in March 2010, promising a comprehensive transformation of the franchise and aiming to secure its place as a leader in the community. Vinik pledged to make the organization “world-class,” creating a first-rate fan experience while putting together a team of which local sports fans would be proud, on and off the ice. Vinik and his wife, Penny, made an impact on the local community by pledging more than $10 million to be donated through the Lightning Foundation over five years to the Lightning Community Heroes program. They both served as the chairs of the American Cancer Society’s 2012 Cattle Baron’s Ball, and the family has extended its charitable giving in the community as well. Vinik graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s in engineering and economics. He went on to earn his master’s of business administration from the Harvard Business School. Vinik was awarded Duke University’s Distinguished Young Alumni Award in 1994 and serves on the Duke University Board of Trustees.

Jeff Vinik
Chairman and Governor

Tampa Bay Business Journal

 

 

The Tampa Bay Business Journal (TBBJ) is one of more than 43 weekly business newspapers across the country owned by American City Business Journals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Advance Publications. Advance boasts “sister” titles such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, the New Yorker, Architectural Digest, GQ and Condé Nast Traveler. Additionally, they own approximately 24 daily newspapers as well as Bright House Networks. They are the largest, privately held publishing company in the world. The TBBJ is best known for local, breaking, business news and information that cannot be gotten anywhere else. They are a daily, and often a minute-by-minute, news organization that posts updates on their various social media channels. ACBJ employs more business journalists than any other organization in the country, and they rely on local business leaders to continue their success.




Ian Anderson

Ian Anderson is Market President and Publisher of Tampa Bay Business Journal. A Business Journal veteran, Anderson most recently joined the TBBJ in January 2018 from its parent company, American City Business Journals in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he oversaw the development of ACBJ’s digital platforms and products supporting 43 US cities. In his time at ACBJ’s corporate headquarters, he held roles managing ACBJ’s digital product development pipeline, and most recently served as Director of Digital Advertising, where he was tasked with guiding digital strategy and revenue growth for thirteen of ACBJ’s local publications.

 

Prior to joining ACBJ’s corporate offices, Anderson was market president and publisher of Albuquerque Business First, also an American City Business Journal property. During Anderson’s tenure as publisher, Albuquerque Business First grew at a rapid rate during a time of change in the media industry, with revenue, audience and Web traffic all increasing by double-digit percentages on an annual basis. Anderson joined American City Business Journals in 2007, as an Account Executive for the Tampa Bay Business Journal, quickly rising to Director of Audience Development for the publication.

 

A native of Rochester, New York, Anderson later moved to Boston, where he graduated from Northeastern University. He and his wife, Nicolette have two young children; Lachlan and Evangeline.

Ian Anderson
Publisher and Managing Partner

Truist

 

 

Are you ready for a better banking experience? BB&T and SunTrust have combined to bring you even greater access to your finances while maintaining the personal support and advice you’ve come to know. Truist is dedicated to transforming tomorrow for the people we’re so proud to serve. We want to build a better future for our clients, employees and communities. Here’s what we’re doing to make sure we deliver on those promises.

 




Lindsay August

Lindsay August is a long-time commercial banker who has worked with countless Tampa Bay businesses over the past 17 years. She takes a collaborative, pragmatic approach with her clients, finding creative solutions to meet their goals and objectives. Lindsay works with businesses and not-for-profits to provide strategic credit, cash management, capital markets, retirement services, risk management solutions, and much more. BB&T now Truist’s community banking model, coupled with its “big bank” capabilities, allows Lindsay to provide comprehensive solutions and exceptional service.

Lindsay August
Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties Market President

Greenberg Traurig

 

 

Greenberg Traurig, P.A. (GT) is an international law firm with approximately 2,000 attorneys and governmental affairs professionals in more than 38 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.  GT provides integrated, business-focused legal services for clients ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to innovative start-ups, with a focus on efficient, effective strategic advice and legal services.  Their multidisciplinary team includes lawyers who have been the chief legal officers at major multinational companies and have spent years solving real-world problems in the business, political, and legal arenas.  GT’s Central Florida practice, which includes offices in Tampa and Orlando, provides a broad array of services, including corporate law, federal & state taxation, health care, labor & employment, intellectual property & technology, real estate, land use & zoning, environmental, construction, bankruptcy & creditors’ rights, and a broad range of civil and criminal litigation, trial and appellate practice in state and federal courts.




David Weinstein

David Weinstein has an active civil and white-collar litigation practice, with an emphasis on business, environmental, real estate, health care, and other challenging matters. Weinstein has significant “first-chair” trial experience in jury and non-jury trials, as well as arbitrations. He is listed in Band 1 of Chambers USA Guide, which describes him as “a really fabulous lawyer . . . well-liked by clients . . . the kind of guy you would want leading the charge if you had a problem.”  He is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America, The Legal 500 United States, and Who’s Who Legal.  Florida Trend magazine—which inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2010 recognizes David as one of “Florida’s Legal Elite.”  The Tampa Bay Business Journal selected him in 2005 for its “Who’s Who in Business in the Tampa Bay Area.”

Weinstein has a long record of service to the community, including serving on the boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, and WEDU.  A fourth degree black belt, he served as the senior instructor of Tampa Moo Duk Kwan, a not-for-profit martial arts club.

David Weinstein
Managing Shareholder

Tampa Bay Chamber

 

 

The Tampa Bay Chamber is a nonprofit business membership organization dedicated to providing its members with innovative leadership, influential advocacy, inside access and increased opportunities The Chamber works to ensure the success of businesses and the economic vitality of the community through educational and networking opportunities, leadership development programs and government advocacy to protect and advance the interest of Tampa Bay’s business community. Through their strong volunteer leadership and unique partnership with the cities, county and members, the Chamber has had an enormous impact on the community for more than 125 years.




Bob Rohrlack

Bob Rohrlack serves as the President and CEO of The Tampa Bay Chamber, the voice of business for the Tampa and Hillsborough County area. He leads the Chamber’s mission to “Serve our members and enhance the community by building business success,” overseeing the daily operations of the Chamber. He began in this role in April 2009. He has over 27 years of experience in the Chamber of Commerce and economic development profession, having worked at the local and state level. Previously, he was the Senior Vice President for Enterprise Florida, the state’s public-private partnership for economic development. His experience in the Chamber of Commerce industry includes program and financial management, incubator development, technology transfer, economic development and international trade. He also led the first Chamber of Commerce to be an Accredited Economic Development Organization in the State of Florida.

Bob Rohrlack
President and CEO

Florida Blue

 

 

Florida Blue is a leader in Florida’s health industry. Since 1944, their members have counted on them to continuously develop better solutions that promote more affordable health care across the state. Florida Blue’s mission to help people and communities achieve better health is central to all that they do. Helping people in their pursuit of health reflects Florida Blue’s commitment to ensuring affordable plans, providing personal support for health and wellness, and building strong communities that enable health and wellness for all. Florida Blue has approximately 4 million health care members and serves 15.5 million people in 16 states through its affiliated companies. Florida Blue is a nonprofit, policyholder-owned, tax-paying mutual company. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., it is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.




David Pizzo

David Pizzo is Florida Blue’s Market President, West Florida Region, overseeing operations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Sarasota, Manatee, Lee and other western counties south to Collier. Prior to this role, Pizzo served as Florida Blue’s Vice President of advertising, brand management and market communications since 1997. Prior to joining Florida Blue, Pizzo served as Senior Vice President for Commonhealth, the world’s largest health care marketing communications firm. In addition to being involved with the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and serving as Chairman in 2013, he currently works with the following organizations in various capacities: Tampa Bay Partnership Council of Governors, MacDill AFB Honorary Commander, The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, CEO Council of Tampa Bay, Museum of Science and Industry, United Way Suncoast, American Cancer Society and the Eckerd College President’s Associates. Pizzo holds a bachelor’s in pharmacy from Rutgers University and a master’s in marketing and international business from NYU’s Stern Business School.

David Pizzo
Market President, West Florida Region

ChappellRoberts

 

 

ChappellRoberts was founded in 1978 as a Tampa-based public relations firm. In 1992, the company acquired a local advertising agency and began the process of building one of the region’s first integrated agencies. In 2002, Colleen Chappell joined the agency and developed the Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) service offerings. Their expanded services include proprietary brand discovery and development, comprehensive marketing, sales and social media strategies and full digital capabilities. Today, the agency continues to build on its 35-year history with more than 30 talented professionals delivering branding, advertising, marketing, public relations and digital strategies to a diverse client roster. ChappellRoberts is located in Historic Ybor City and has a strong reputation for its work with regional and national clients as well as service to the Tampa Bay community.




Colleen Chappell

Colleen Chappell’s mantra, “Leap and the net will follow,” came to life when she left corporate America to transform a local ad agency. A decade later, ChappellRoberts is one of the largest advertising agencies in Tampa Bay with a national client roster. In 2012, Chappell was awarded the coveted international Bronze Stevie Award for Business Services Female Executive of the Year. She was also named 2010 Businesswoman of the Year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Today, she proudly serves on the American Marketing Association Global Headquarters Professional Chapters Council. Leveraging nearly 25 years of experience, Chappell specializes in brand development, integrated marketing, advertising, public relations, pricing strategies and distribution channel launch and growth. With a bachelor’s in mass communications from the University of South Florida, Chappell also completed business courses at Dartmouth College, is a Dale Carnegie graduate, and is accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America.

Colleen Chappell
CEO

Bromley Companies

 

 

Since its founding in 1972, The Bromley Companies has built a diversified portfolio of real estate across the country. Their senior management team, with collectively over 120 years’ experience at the firm, have successfully collaborated on a broad range of property investments, development and dispositions. With their sharp focus on developing compelling tenant spaces and highly personalized service, Bromley has developed many loyal relationships with both global Fortune 500 enterprises as well as individual residential tenants. Through the years, their financially conservative investment style has generated consistently superior returns for their financial partners and long term value to the communities in which they operate.




Nicholas Haines

Nicholas Haines is Chief Executive Officer at Bromley Companies, a national real estate owner and developer focused on mixed use, office, retail and college housing. As CEO he has overseen over $1 billion of development and investment transactions, including the 20 acre, 1.7 million square foot Midtown Tampa development. In addition, Nick has led the leasing of over 1 million square feet of office, retail, and residential projects in New York, Florida and Illinois.

Previous to Bromley, Nick ran marketing and business development at Vaultus, a mobile software company. He served as a founding member of Merrill Lynch’s Principal Investment Group and was an investment analyst at Brown Brothers Harriman. He received an MBA from Stanford University and a BA from Duke University.

Nick is a member of the Executive Committee of the Tampa Economic Development Council, the Real Estate Board of New York, the Executive Committee of the Union Square Partnership, and Executive Board of Tampa Urban Land Institute.

 

Nicholas Haines
CEO

BayCare

 

 

BayCare is the leading, not-for-profit health system in Tampa Bay and West Central Florida area with more than 30,000 employees and a network of 16 not-for-profit hospitals and hundreds of locations connecting patients with a complete range of preventive, diagnostic and treatment services. BayCare is the area’s largest provider of behavioral health and pediatric services, and its provider group, BayCare Medical Group, is one of the largest in the region. BayCare’s diverse network of ambulatory services includes laboratories, imaging, surgical centers, BayCare Urgent Care locations, wellness centers and one of Florida’s largest home care agencies, BayCare HomeCare. Its Medicare Advantage insurance plan, BayCarePlus, serves more than 13,000 people.




Kimberly Guy

Before being promoted to the expanded role of Co-Chief Operating Officer, Guy was president of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa and had been senior vice president and market leader for Hillsborough, East Pasco and Bartow. She and her fellow Co-Chief Operating Officer work collaboratively to lead the operations, strategic planning and clinical integration of BayCare’s 16 hospitals, dozens of ambulatory care locations and behavioral health services.

Kimberly Guy
Co - Chief Operating Officer