Since 2001, The Tampa Bay Chamber has taken an annual Benchmarking Visit to other states to investigate programs and initiatives in cities similar to our community or to regions facing a particular issue of shared interest. Now in their 22nd year, Benchmarking trips give Tampa Bay business and community leaders the opportunity to study other great cities and work with our Chamber to help adopt best practices and innovations that meet the needs of our Tampa Bay region. In 2023, The Chamber's Benchmarking Trip was to Boston, Massachusetts and the Benchmarking Program Chair was Stuart Brown, Senior Managing Director of Accenture.
On Monday, October 9th, meetings centered around driving change through innovation, developing community partnerships, and collaboration with educational institutions to build a healthcare innovation ecosystem. Participants of these important discussions included representatives from Accenture's Boston Innovation Hub and its Senior Managing Director based in Tampa. Exploring how both Boston and Tampa Bay are capitalizing on all aspects of a seaport, from containers to cruise ships, the discussions also included the unique perspectives of Massachusetts Port Authority and Port Tampa Bay. Day one of the benchmarking trip also included meetings with The Longwood Collective - a 501c3 serving one of the largest concentrations of medical institutions in the country. Known as the Longwood Medical and Academic Area (LMA) it is comprised of 22 medical, academic and cultural institutions spanning 213 acres. The collective provides direct services, advance infrastructure improvements, design creative programs and respond to other area needs. Serving as the moderator and speaker on healthcare innovation was John Couris, President & CEO of Tampa General Hospital. That panel included representatives from Harvard Medical School, Mass General Brigham, USF Health, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
A huge thank you to the sponsors of the Monday program sessions, Accenture, USF Health, Tampa General Hospital, and Verizon.
On Day 2 of Benchmarking, the delegation kicked it off with a packed room for Boston City Council President Ed Flynn, followed by a fireside chat with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor led by Brian Butler, 2023 Chair of the Tampa Bay Chamber's Board of Directors. Panel sessions on October 10th also included leaders from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Boston business community who discussed how they make an impact on public policy in their region and state, workforce development initiatives, and employer engagement. The Tampa Bay delegation learned about the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership and how their organizations are expanding access to apprenticeship programs and workforce training opportunities, bringing the business community together to develop pathways to economic mobility. Benchmarking participants said that hearing success stories directly from apprenticeship graduates was "the icing on the cake". They included graduates of Accenture's Apprentice Program, Bank of America's Be Mass Competitive program, and the Liberty Mutual Apprenticeship Network.
The packed schedule on day 2 was made possible thanks to sponsors Tampa Electric, Bank of America, and Baker Barrios Architects.
(Pictured here: Monday in the Bornstein Amphitheater at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. Group photo taken between sessions of the Longwood Collective Developing Community Partnerships and Collaborative Solutions for Healthcare Innovation.)
Chamber President & CEO Bob Rohrlack and Board Chair Brian Butler, President & CEO of Vistra Communications played pivotal roles during the delegation’s meetings with Boston area officials. Our thanks again to the above-named sponsors for making it possible to enhance the experience for guests during the intense 2-day Benchmarking schedule, plus Suffolk Construction and The Florida Aquarium which sponsored the activities on Sunday evening, October 8th.
In 2024, the Chamber will mark its 23rd year of benchmarking trips. The location has already been determined and will be announced during the 138th Annual Meeting of the Tampa Bay Chamber on December 14th!
(From L to R: Tampa Bay Chamber's Senior Director of Events Meaghan Gelinski, Program Manager Emily Manco, Events Manager Caroline McCabe and Vice President of Membership Engagement Katie Lopez)
Accenture’s Boston Innovation Hub during breakfast. In photo: Roger Germann, President & CEO of The Florida Aquarium; Jason Woody, President & CEO of Lions World Vision Institute; Bob Rohrlack, President & CEO of the Tampa Bay Chamber; Robin DeLaVergne, Senior Vice President of External Affairs of Tampa General Hospital; and Van Ayres, Interim Super-Intendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools.