We met Bill at the Blind Tiger – One Tampa City Center for a visit about everything Tampa.
Bill's team supports organizations battling cancer to live events and the entertainment industry - from microscopes to mega speakers, they move it all.
He has planned moves with nearly every large company in Tampa Bay – each one unique needs. Imagine giant Busch Gardens warehouse props from Howl-o-scream and Christmas Town traveling down the highway with police escorts! Then there was Jabil’s huge headquarters move, Raymond James’ expansion into Buildings 5 & 6 and the new Moffitt McKinley Hospital project, just to name a few.
He’s an artist and a fundraiser in his spare time. Keep reading to learn about BIll’s leadership in action with Real Men Wear Pink and his favorite boating hangouts off the beaten path!
Name: Bill Benner
LT Class Year: LT 2020
Company Name: First Class Moving Systems
Interview by: Laura Frost and Amanda Jacobson
Tell us, why LTA?
I have wanted to do LT for quite some time and was originally informed about the program, some 15 years ago, by Karen Arnold, prior to her appointment as the Chamber’s COO. It became a combination of having the time to commit to the nine-month timeframe and a company that supported me in my efforts and commitment. Once both of those were in place, I made it a priority to apply and move forward with LT. Now the commitment has shifted to LTA and expanding my network among other LT program graduates.
For you, what separates LTA from other business leadership programs?
The rich history of the program alone and how it was envisioned and put into action by the leaders of Tampa over 50 years ago. This combined with the unique and in-depth look into our city’s history and the challenges/opportunities that lie ahead.
Describe a time when the LTA experience impacted your life or career?
During my LT experience, one of the women in our class was diagnosed with breast cancer. This led to several of us getting involved to raise money and awareness for breast cancer awareness/research. The last 2 years, myself, and Kris Knox (fellow LT’20 classmate), have been a part of Real Men Wear Pink and have put together an annual pub crawl to raise money for the American Cancer Society/Breast Cancer Awareness. Many of my classmates and LTA members have come out in support of these efforts. The pub crawl wraps up with a raffle of some great items donated by many LTA members and I am always overwhelmed by their generosity. Over the last 2 years the Tampa Chapter of Real Men Wear Pink has raised over $250,000! Since I mentioned the pub crawl, that makes me think about beer, which makes me ask the question…hey LT’17, when is the next GOAT Beer event happening? (Shots fired!)
What is a LTA benefit you wish everyone knew about?
Well, I don’t think it’s a secret and everyone knows that LTA is an extension of your LT experience. You are part of a larger community, and you need to take advantage of all LTA has to offer. While you would expect to have great friends from your specific class, I have met some amazing people through LTA that have become personal friends as well. Whether you’re making new friends or new business contacts, you should stay involved.
Describe how the leadership journey will continue to shape you?
Having so many peers, both from my LT’20 class and in LTA, to be able to reach out for information, referrals and even guidance or support is truly a blessing. The cross-section of people and companies is so diverse, and it is great to be able to contact others and see how they are handling various topics in their workplace. Myself, being in a more sales-related position, it is always interesting for me to hear how companies are forecasting their growth, especially post-Covid, where our workplace continues to evolve around the hybrid of work-from-home and being in the office.
Fun Facts About Bill Benner:
- Latest movie? The last movie I saw in the theater was John Wick 4 with my 19-year-old son. Nothing like a 3-hour continuous fight seen with Keanu Reeves for some quality father/son bonding time!
- Favorite spot to meet friends/colleagues for coffee, lunch or happy hour-----I will have to go with the obvious choice of Splittsville. My LT classmate, Kris Knox, is the Managing Director and we had about 95% of our debriefs there after a program day. In fact, we have a happy hour planned there soon. Belgian Feather Bowling and the cheese fries for the win. #iykyk
- For staycation in Tampa Bay…My wife and I have the good fortune to live on the Alafia River, so our staycation is usually our backyard. Taking the boat out in the Bay and dropping anchor at Fantasy Island or docking for lunch at one of the restaurants along the river or downtown.
- When out of town guests are visiting..Getting out on the boat with visitors is always fun, but depending on the time of year, Tampa has so much to offer. I have season tickets to the Bucs, which is always a good time with friends and what can compare to a Lightning game? My wife recently took some of the kids (30, 28 and 24 years old) on the Bay Rocket, unfortunately, I had another commitment, but that is definitely on my to-do list.
- Any hidden treasures/recent discoveries you’d like to share?!
The Tiki Docks (in Riverview off of 301) have finally added docks! They have been open on the river for 3 years and didn’t have dock access. We made it a point to stop by this past weekend and we were very happy with the food/service. You can get there by car too, although it’s a bit of a drive coming out of Tampa.
