EDC Investor Categories: Government

Vistra Communications

Vistra Communications LLC, (Vistra) is an SBA 8(a) and service-disabled veteran-owned small business providing integrated strategic communications, marketing and consulting services to corporate, government and nonprofit clients, with offices in Tampa, FL and Northern Virginia.  Vistra, founded in 2007, is an award-winning company comprised of a team of nearly 100 diverse professionals with varied experiences, backgrounds and training, producing exceptional results for clients in a variety of industries.




Maureen Butler

As Vistra’s Executive Vice President, Maureen is involved in all aspects of Vistra’s strategy, administration, operations and financial management. She served as CFO from the company’s founding in 2007 until 2016. Maureen was a key player in establishing Vistra’s administrative and financial operations including accounting, HR and contracting.

Maureen’s experiences as a U.S. Army Finance Officer, staff accountant with a property management company and small CPA firm, and consultant to small businesses and nonprofits have enabled her to contribute to the growth and development of Vistra. Maureen spent 4 years as an Accounting Professor at the University of South Florida and 9 years at The University of Tampa where she earned tenure prior to leaving academia to join Vistra full time in 2019. She is an Adjunct Professor of Accounting at The University of Tampa teaching Financial Management in their Nonprofit Management Program. She has published research in the areas of nonprofit management, defense contracting and outsourcing in the Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, the Journal of Business Research and the Journal of Accountancy.

A Certified Public Accountant licensed in Florida and Virginia, Maureen holds a B.S. in Accounting from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville. She is a member of the Hillsborough Education Foundation Program Oversight Committee and a current instructor, former board member and former board treasurer of the Nonprofit Leadership Center.

Maureen Butler
Executive Vice President

City of Tampa

 

 

The City of Tampa is the largest city in Hillsborough County, is the county seat and is the third most populous city in Florida. It is located on the west coast of Florida, approximately 200 miles northwest of Miami, 180 southwest of Jacksonville, and 20 miles northeast of St. Petersburg. The population of the city represents approximately one-third of the total population of Hillsborough County. Tampa’s economy is founded on a diverse base that includes tourism, agriculture, construction, finance, health care, government, technology, and the port of Tampa. Contributing to the success of our community is the way businesses, City government, and citizens work together to make Tampa a better place to live.




The Honorable Jane Castor

Jane Castor is the 59th Mayor of the City of Tampa. She was born and raised in Tampa, Florida, graduated from Chamberlain High and attended the University of Tampa on an athletic scholarship.

Mayor Castor is a 31-year veteran of the Tampa Police Department serving in nearly every capacity of the department and every area of the city. In October 2009, Mayor Castor became the first woman to be named Police Chief in the City of Tampa, serving for six years in that role. During her time as a senior staff member, Mayor Castor worked to reduce major crimes 70% citywide.

Mayor Castor continues to be very active in the community, serving on the Board of Directors for several organizations including Gracepoint Mental Health and Wellness; Starting Right, Now; RISE Tampa Police Foundation; Bike Walk Tampa Bay; and The Athena Society. She also serves on the GTE Financial Supervisory Committee and is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and a Police Foundation Fellow.

On a national and local level, Mayor Castor has been recognized for her leadership in both law enforcement and community involvement. She is the proud recipient of numerous awards including the 2015 University of South Florida President’s Distinguished Citizen Award, 2015 Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Lifetime Achievement Award, 2014 Tampa Chamber of Commerce Woman of Influence, Leadership Tampa Alumni Parke Wright III Leadership Award, 2014 Florida Holocaust Museum Lobenberg Humanitarian Award, 2013 Crisis Center of Tampa Bay Community Advocate Award, 2011 Tampa Connection Betty Tribble Citizen of the Year Award, 2010 University of Tampa Alumni Achievement Award, 2009 National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executive’s Law Enforcement Executive of the Year Award, 2007 Josephine Howard Stafford Memorial Award for Community Engagement, and a 2006 University of Tampa Athletic Hall of Fame inductee.

The Honorable Jane Castor
Mayor

City of Temple Terrace

The City of Temple Terrace, Florida, was founded in 1925 and was originally was promoted as “Tampa’s most beautiful suburb. Named for the Temple orange grown locally in one of the world’s largest orange groves, Temple Terrace also is home to one of the nation’s first master-planned golf course communities. The city-owned, privately leased golf course is on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places.

Today, with a population of more than 26,000, Temple Terrace is one of three cities within Hillsborough County. With some of the most scenic vistas of the Hillsborough River, more than a dozen parks and fun, creative community events, Temple Terrace retains an abundance of small town charm that is now combined with access to the big city amenities.

Temple Terrace is governed by a Mayor and City Council and boasts independent Police and Fire Departments. The staff  who work at City Hall and other municipal facilities are dedicated to excellence and committed to an innovative approach to high-quality, customer-centered services. Efforts currently are underway to revitalize the City’s downtown area to add more retail and residence options and big changes are expected in the next two to three years.

Located just north of Tampa between three major interstate highways (I-4, I-75 and I-275), the City is ideally situated close to the Tampa/St. Petersburg metro areas, but also within a short driving distance to Orlando and the Sarasota beach areas. Adjacent to Temple Terrace is the University of South Florida, the second-largest university in the Southeast. Temple Terrace residents also have convenient access to the region’s finest medical facilities, cultural activities and sporting events.

Temple Terrace:  Close to everything, but nowhere else comes close.




Andrew "Andy" Ross

Andrew “Andy” Ross was elected to the Temple Terrace City Council on Nov. 8, 2016. Mr. Ross retired as a captain from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and then served as deputy chief of police at Tampa International Airport. He currently is president of Innovative Training and Consulting, LLC, a local security consulting firm. He also is an adjunct professor at Saint Leo University.

Prior to his election to the City Council, Mr. Ross served as chair on both the Temple Terrace Municipal Code Enforcement Board and River Watch Task Force. He currently represents the City on the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board and is council liaison to the Municipal Code Enforcement Board and River Watch Task Force. Mr. Ross has a master’s degree from Saint Leo University and is a graduate of the prestigious Southern Police Institute’s Administrative Officers Course at the University of Louisville. He is a member of numerous professional community associations. Mr. Ross and his wife have three children.

Andrew "Andy" Ross
Mayor

Hillsborough County

 

 

Located midway on the west coast of Florida along beautiful Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County is a thriving, diverse community. Fully grounded in a rich history yet embracing all the opportunities of the technical age, the County’s boundaries embrace a modern skyline, major tourist destinations, world-class entertainment venues, a nationally-recognized airport, one of the largest shipping ports in the country, major educational institutions, a bustling agricultural industry, professional sports teams and more. A wide range of lifestyles offers residents the ability to live in high-energy urban environments, suburban planned communities or rural landscapes. Huge national and international events, including four Super Bowls, NCAA competitions, the Republican National Convention and the International Indian Film Academy’s 2014 Awards, bring global attention and many visitors to Hillsborough’s doorstep. People of all ages from all walks of life and companies representing a vast array of industries choose to make Hillsborough County their home.




Ken Hagan

County Commissioner Ken Hagan is a native and lifelong resident of Hillsborough County. He is the ranking member of the Commission, first elected in 2002. Always an effective and well-liked public servant with a strong record of accomplishments, he was returned to his home district in 2018. As a fiscal conservative and reasonable, common-sense voice on the Commission, he has been chosen by his peers to serve in leadership positions on multiple occasions including as Chaplain, Vice Chairman, and an unprecedented six times as its Board Chairman. Throughout his career, he has been a well-respected advocate for District 2 and Hillsborough County at large.

Commissioner Hagan also serves as the Board of County Commissioners’ representative on key economic development boards including Visit Tampa Bay, Tampa/Hillsborough Expressway Authority, and the Tampa Sports Authority, as well as the Florida Association of Counties and the Hospital Authority. In addition, Commissioner Hagan has been Hillsborough County’s leading voice for a Tampa Bay Rays ballpark in Ybor City.

Ken Hagan
Chair, Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners