Tampa, Fla. – It’s a 24-year tradition and going strong. The Tampa Bay Chamber will host the 2023 Military Appreciation event on May 4th to honor service men and women stationed throughout the Tampa Bay Region. With USAA as the presenting sponsor for a sixth year in a row, the Chamber partners with the local business community in support of active-duty service members.
Annually, Mac Dill Air Force Base and affiliated mission partners have a $3 Billion impact to the local economy. “The contribution of service members and their families in our community goes far beyond the financial,” said Bob Rohrlack, President & CEO of the Tampa Bay Chamber. Year-round, the Chamber leads military initiatives in the region and advocates for local military families at the state legislature and in Congress. “They are fueling growth and innovation in our region,” said Rohrlack. “They are the faces behind the growing number of success stories that have come from collaborative efforts by local businesses and organizations.”
Retired Marine, Leo Damiron, is the Chair of the Chamber’s Military Advisory Committee. Serving eight years of active duty from North Carolina to Okinawa, Japan, Damiron says the annual military appreciation event is deeply appreciated by each service member. “This event goes beyond the typical ‘Thank you for your service’ that you get when you’re walking down the street and someone passes you by,” explained Damiron. “From personal experience, I assure you that’s appreciated but this gathering brings that demonstration of gratitude to the next level. And as a civilian, being able to have that 1 to 1 connection with a service member and their family is an extraordinary feeling.”
The gathering at The Florida Aquarium is set for Thursday, May 4. During the 2022 event, the business community donated nearly 40 prizes raffled exclusively among active-duty service members in attendance. Each year, tickets and sponsorships by the civilian community make it possible for the Chamber to host every active-duty service member and a family member for free. Right now, the Chamber is actively seeking the support of more local businesses for sponsorships. For more information contact Staci Fraser.
About the Tampa Bay Chamber and Military Advisory Committee
The Tampa Bay Chamber has been serving the community for 138 years, founded as the Tampa Board of Trade in 1885. Today, the Chamber serves more than 1,200 member companies and an estimated 15,000 total individual members. Committed to building business success, the Chamber’s initiatives include a focus on Workforce Development, Small Business, Women’s Programming, Policy & Advocacy and Military. The Chamber’s Military Advisory Committee, and overall Chamber initiatives, advocate for quality-of-life issues for military families and connect the Tampa Bay business community with military affiliated talent to address workforce needs. For more information, visit TampaBayChamber.com