I experienced one of the great honors of my life last week at the University of South Florida’s Commencement ceremonies, when President Rhea Law and Provost Prasant Mohapatra presented me with the Distinguished Citizen Award. Receiving such prestigious recognition from my friend and mentor, Rhea Law, was overwhelming. As she retires from USF as its eighth president, I am in awe of her contributions to the entire region over the course of the last four decades. Rhea is one of the chief architects of USF’s rise to the top ranks of American research universities, beginning with her services as a student, an employee, a founding member of the Board of Trustees, and the first alumna to be named President. She has chaired and served on countless regional nonprofit and business leadership organization boards, including ours. She championed the EDC’s spinout from the Tampa Chamber in 2009. And she accomplished all of these extraordinary leadership feats while running some of the state’s top law firms as her day job. Legends like Rhea – whose vision and wisdom have shaped Tampa Bay’s growth – deserve more thanks than we can possibly give them. And there I stood on stage at commencement, with this incomparable woman honoring me. Humbling doesn’t begin to describe it.
Reflecting on 2025, I am reminded of how lucky we are to have so many people who truly love this community and have dedicated their time, talent and resources to making it an even better place to live, work and pursue your dreams. Here at the EDC, I’ve had the privilege of serving with our board for nearly ten years. A good number of our board members have been with us since the EDC’s earliest days, and their commitment and enthusiasm for our mission is just as strong today as it was when we were a startup. Along the way, we’ve added many new Investors who have helped shaped the EDC with their fresh perspectives and desire to engage and help shape the future of Tampa and Hillsborough County. Whenever I ask these leaders for help, the answer is always yes. My team and I rely on them, and they are always there for us. For that, we are truly grateful.
My warmest wishes to you and your families for holidays filled with joy and precious time with your loved ones and friends.
Sincerely,
Craig
