Catalyst

Policy & Advocacy

 

Renewal of Community Investment Tax (CIT)

 

The Tampa Bay Chamber continued to employ different avenues to raise awareness of the Community Investment Tax (CIT) and its economic impact in the region. 

Our Policy Advisory Council met at the Hillsborough County Emergency Operation Center for context on the many infrastructure items funded. The site visit provided council members with valuable information to share within their own circles of influence. Later in the month, Chamber President Bob Rohrlack spoke at the News Conference hosted by Hillsborough County Commissioner and Vice Chair Gwen Myers calling for the renewal of CIT on the November ballot. Joining them at the news conference were the Mayors of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace, each one highlighted the vital role CIT funding has played in their communities.  

Since the passage of CIT in 1996, Hillsborough County and the cities of Plant City, Tampa and Temple Terrace have been the beneficiaries of more than $2.3 Billion in CIT funding. These community projects funded by CIT include infrastructure, public safety, public utilities, parks, libraries, and schools, among other things. Our Chamber has made a deliberate effort in Q3 to be a resource for voters with content specific to how CIT funding has been used thus far in Temple Terrace, Plant City, and Tampa to public schools across Hillsborough County. The Chamber Board of Directors has voted unanimously to publicly support renewal of CIT. The half-penny sales tax enacted in 1996 for 30 years expires in 2026. In the upcoming general election, voters will decide whether to renew CIT for another 15 years. CIT-funded capital improvement projects include construction, renovation, replacement and expansion of existing facilities, assets and infrastructure. Capital equipment includes fire rescue and police vehicles. Approximately 50% of CIT funds help pay for critical transportation needs in Hillsborough County.

Proposed One Millage Property Tax Increase for Education Funding

After a legal battle between the Hillsborough County Public School System and the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners, the school system's proposed ad valorem tax will be placed on the November 5 ballot. The 13^th Circuit Court ruled in favor the School Board’s Emergency Petition. Judge Emily A. Peacock ordering the Board of County Commissioners and the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections office to place the school referendum on the November 5^th ballot. The BOCC appealed but the courts again sided with the school district, ordering county commissioners to "perform the ministerial act of calling for an election as directed by the School Board, including the date requested.”  In July, commissioners had voted not to place the school referendum on the November 5th ballot, reasoning that voters may not support two taxes given the current economic climate. The 2 taxes on the ballot will be the proposed ad valorem tax for the school district and the renewal of the Community Investment Tax. Read the full Court Ruling.

If approved by voters during the general election, it would increase the millage rate of property taxes to fund operational costs in the school district and help pay teachers a more competitive wage. HCPS is currently the 7^th largest school district in the nation and facing significant teacher and bus driver shortages. The Tampa Bay Chamber's legislative agenda supports the need for adequate education funding. We urge local leaders to work together and our Chamber continues to offer our support in that process. Hillsborough County residents are in this difficult position because our leaders have not been taking a long-term approach to problem solving and addressing the needs of our growing region.

2024 Political Hob Nob

The Tampa Bay Chamber hosted Hob Nob at the Glazer Family JCC July 31st. Held biennially to coincide with election cycles, the premier election event gave voters an opportunity to meet candidates for all elected positions, from Congress to county commission. More than 50 candidates participated, speaking with guests in attendance. The 2-hour straw poll provided guests with the opportunity to select their preferences for races in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. In the Sunday edition of the Tampa Bay Times August 4, we shared results of our Chamber’s straw poll.

 

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Policy Council Meeting with U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor

While in district, members of our Chamber had the opportunity to meet with Congresswoman Kathy Castor. As the voice of the business community, we believe regional collaboration leads to growth benefits that enhance the quality of life for businesses and residents. Our conversation covered a variety of topics to include federal investments in our region's infrastructure and transportation, helping employers address workforce shortages, and pay disparities that impact federal employees in the Tampa Bay region. The Chamber is advocating for the federal government to realign its “locality pay” in the region, to help mitigate recruitment and retention challenges at MacDill Air Force Base because of the high cost of living. Members in attendance were Ed Narain, 2024 Chair Elect BOD, Brian Butler, 2023 Chair BOD, Lorena Hardwick, Mattie Velasco, Christopher Yanes, Melissa Meshil and Jeff Chernoff, 2023 Chair LTA.

 

Benchmarking Dallas 2024

Since June, our marketing campaign promoting this fall’s Benchmarking Trip to Dallas has included a series of testimonials highlighted the benefits of participating in the annual visits to other cities in the country for valuable insights and business innovation. Registration for the October 7-9 visit is ongoing and many thanks to Benchmarking Sponsor, The Beck Group.

 Our amazing set of “benchmarkers” who shared their testimonials included:

• Ryan Toth of The Beck Group
• Freddy Williams of Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay
• Dr. Courtney Young of Tampa General Hospital
• Michael Flores of JPMorgan Chase

Session announcements highlighting speakers and content: 

• Navigating the Road Ahead: Intersection of Transportation & Business
• Local Government: Leading Communities into the Future
• Shifting Landscapes: Changing the Demographics of Dallas
• Regional Impact of Professional Sports (with CEOs of Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars and Dallas Wings)

Workforce Development

Generative Artificial Intelligence Series

Our Generative Artificial Intelligence Series was launched August 20^th with session one setting the stage for learning the basics and what AI tools are being increasingly used in the business world. The 90-minute webinar was attended by more than 120 Chamber Members who benefited from the expertise of Bake More Pies, a Chamber Member company and 2023 Small Business of the Year Winner. Our presenters were Cordes Owen, Founder & CEO, and John Toner, Vice President of Artificial Intelligence, talked about the most common AI tools being leveraged by businesses, including their own. The information was intentionally delivered in layman’s terms and in a conversational manner to engage all participants, regardless of their comfort level with tech and AI. This resulted in more questions being sent in during the Q&A with our experts. Moderated by 2024 Chair Brian Adcock, this webinar series is the work of our Chamber’s Generative AI Caucus and is a resource for Chamber Members only.

Additional Generative AI learnings followed in September. They included September 4 State of the Workforce: Embracing Generative AI Innovations (in person event) and the September 18 Generative AI webinar.

AI experts on the September 4 State of the Workforce panel included Dr. Cameron Spears, Chair of Computer Science at Hillsborough Community College, and Dr. Vyas Krishnan, Associate Dean of the School of Computing, AI, and Robotics & Data Science at Saint Leo University. Our moderator was Debbie Green of Accenture Global Ecosystem Lead. The in-person event was sponsored by MUFG and Suncoast Credit Union, plus Hillsborough Community College and Wehr Constructors. On September 18, in part 2 of the GAI webinar series, we hosted 180+ webinar registrants. The focus was on "The Importance of AI for Small Businesses" with Ericka Washington, Lead Artificial Intelligence officer at Microsoft.

Inclusive Workforce Development 

The Workforce Development Committee hosted the "Inclusiveness in Workforce Development" panel, sponsored by Hillsborough Community College, MUFG, Suncoast Credit Union and Wehr Constructors. Experts shared strategies for hiring diverse talent and building inclusive workplaces to drive economic growth. Moderated by MEP 2024 Entrepreneur Dr. Monica Maybank, the panelists included Chamber Members Yvonne Fry, Greg Jones and Lina Cardinale, who highlighted workforce initiatives promoting an inclusive workforce. Among them was workforce training for high school students and hiring programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Inclusive Organization

Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay

Young Professionals Summit

 

Sold Out! – Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay partnered with Amplify Clearwater Young Professionals for this year’s Young Professionals Summit, hosted at The Florida Aquarium. The sold-out event brought together nearly 200 young leaders and was sponsored by Florida Aquarium and Regions Bank. Focused on environmental protection, the event included networking plus insightful discussions about conservation efforts, their impact on our region, and even learned about sharks from the Aquarium’s “Shark expert.” The annual event with young professional associations on both sides of the bay, strengthen the sense of regional unity and collaboration between our Chambers. 

Leadership Tampa Class of '25

 

Leadership Tampa Class of ‘25 announced with much fanfare! The Tampa Bay Business Journal was the first to reveal class members, and an interview with LT ’25 Class Chair Kerry O’Reilly, a graduate of LT ’15. To date, the LT program has graduated 53 classes of professionals, now totaling 2,800 individuals. 

Collegiate Leadership Tampa Bay 

Collegiate Leadership’s Class of 2025 has been seated and recruitment for the Class of 2026 has begun. New this year, is an informational video of the program created by a member of our Chamber’s Emerging Leaders program, Josh Wilson of JJ & The Lens. The video is being shown during tabling events at partnering universities – Saint Leo University, The University of Tampa and University of South Florida. Applications for the Class of ’26 runs August – December. Meanwhile, program days for CL Class of ’25 begin this fall, led by Chair Yvette Segura, 2021 Chair of the Chamber Board of Directors, and Class Vice-Chair Antoine Richards, 2023 Winner of the Deanne Dewey Roberts Emerging Leader of the Year Award and Emerge Member

Leadership Tampa Alumni 

Parke Wright III Leadership Award winner Tampa Fire Chief Barbara Tripp selected the PACE Center for Girls of Hillsborough County to receive her LTA prize money. Chief Tripp presented the ceremonial check from the Leadership Tampa Alumni Association to PACE Executive Director Davia Lerebours. 

Military 

 

Military Bay USA in the National Spotlight 

   

POWER UP Magazine showcased the Tampa Bay Chamber's Military programming and advocacy efforts. Reporter Bob Bertsch’s interview with Chamber Vice President Katie Lopez was part of the extensive 4 - page special report titled “Coming Together to Support Families in Military Bay, USA”. Excerpt below. 

"Tampa, along with nearby St. Petersburg and Clearwater, is part of a large, fast-growing metropolitan region, but Katie Lopez from the Tampa Bay Chamber says the average Tampa citizen still feels connected to service members and their families. “It looks different than it might in a community that's more rural where the largest economic driver is that installation,” Lopez says, “but I would argue that there's no less of a sense of acceptance and community support for those families.”  In 2022, the Tampa Bay Chamber trademarked the moniker, Military Bay, USA™, as a way of capturing the community partnerships and initiatives supporting military families under a single “brand.” Tampa’s claim to the title of Military Bay, USA™ is supported by the number of military and veteran organizations in the Tampa metro area."  

Special Delivery: Welcome Bags for Military Families 

Thanks to the Walmart Foundation Grant in Advocacy, the first Thursday in July, August and September the Chamber’s Military Families Welcome Bags were distributed at MacDill Air Force Base! During the last three months, 100+ welcome bags were distributed to military families. Each bag is valued at $50+ and contains household cleaning supplies and basic toiletry items these families have to purchase with each move. Karrie Melendez at MacDill told us these Military Family Welcome Bags have become the highlight of her monthly Newcomers’ orientation! Thanks to the generous support of Walmart, these Welcome Bags have helped offset some of the financial impacts to active duty service members and their families. Earlier this summer, Tampa Bay Chamber members helped assemble the bags. 

Hope Florida Veteran Roundtable

                                

The Tampa Bay Chamber hosted over 80 community leaders across three days for roundtable discussions with Hope Florida | Florida Department of Veterans Affairs about how we can work together to connect veterans and their families to community resources. While Hope Florida is available for all Floridians, when a caller identifies as a veteran, they are then directed to a Hope Navigator who will work with them one-on-one to connect them to available resources. Navigators can help veterans access housing, medical treatments, education, legal assistance, childcare, finance & budgeting, employment, transportation, substance abuse treatment, utility payment assistance, VA benefits, and more. If you know a veteran in need please share the Hope Florida line: (850) 300-HOPE(4673). 

Military Spouses Program

Tampa Bay Chamber Military Spouse Program was a big success, offering a comprehensive day of support and resources for military spouses navigating life transitions. From building resilience and finding community to exploring local housing markets and employment opportunities, attendees gained valuable insights from a diverse panel of experts. The program covered crucial topics such as childcare resources, educational support for children, and civic engagement opportunities. Speakers from organizations like Operation Healing Forces, Blue Star Families, and Hiring Our Heroes shared their expertise, while local officials from Hillsborough County Public Schools and the Clerk of Court provided essential information on navigating regional systems. This event equipped military spouses with practical tools for their transitions and also fostered a sense of community and empowerment. This programming is part of our Chamber’s year round commitment to supporting military families here in Military Bay, USA!  

  

Minority Business Accelerator

Recruitment for the Chamber's Minority Business Accelerator 2026 Cohort intensified leading up to the September 18 deadline to apply. Our marketing efforts included weekly advertising in the Tampa Bay Business Journal from August 16 – September 13 editions. New this year, our Chamber included a deliberate Spanish language radio strategy with SolMart Media and its network of Spanish language radio stations: WTWD-FM 102.1, WTWD-AM 910, WTMY-FM 99.1, and WTMY-AM 1280.  SolMart is a Fit4 Chamber Member company with coverage spanning Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Sarasota and southwest portions of Orlando. In addition to weekly 30 second radio spots on the accelerator program, we facilitated interviews with current or prior MBA participants and advisors. Said interviews 5- 8 minutes in total aired weekly on SolMart radio stations, directing listeners to the online application form on the Chamber MBA webpage. 

 

WFLA TV Daytime spotlighted this year's recruitment for the Minority Business Accelerator's 2026 Cohort. Host Maggie Rodriguez interviewed Ed Narain, Chair Elect of the Tampa Bay Chamber Board of Directors, and Michael Flores, Chair of the 2024 Cohort and executive with JPMorgan Chase. The accelerator is designed for Black and Hispanic owned businesses in five counties of the Tampa Bay region - Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk and Manatee. The curriculum spans nearly two years and covers key subjects, from accounting to human resources to legal.

 

Q3 also brought added media opportunities and exposure for accelerator participants. With each recognition and media interview, the accelerator story was shared with new audiences. 

  

• MBA ’24 Cohort Member Monica Hernandez Featured in Forbes Magazine - featured MAS Global Founder Monica Hernandez. In the article, Transforming Data Into Revenue with MAS Global’s Latino Tech Strategy, the expert in data as well as artificial intelligence, described this as a “new era of innovation.”  
• MBA ’24 Cohort Member Carl Chaisson was honored by the  Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association. The international organization named him among the top 40 young professionals (under the age of 40) in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM). 

 

Hub For Business

Small Business of the Year Finalists Announced

The Tampa Bay Chamber proudly presents the 2024 Small Business of the Year Finalist! For more than 40 years the Chamber has recognized local businesses with 250 employees or less, plus an Outstanding Business Leader of the Year. The announcement of finalists in all categories is part of a 9 month application and judging process, which involves the work of more than 50 Chamber volunteers and members of the Small Business of the Year Committee. Leigh Harting, 2024 SBOY Committee Chair & Owner of 3 Daughters Brewing telling finalists “Out of more than 400 nominations, you’ve been narrowed down to this select group. You are on your way to the premier awards program for businesses in Tampa Bay.” 

Startup of the Year: Crumbl Cookies - Tampa, Hampton Chocolate Factory, Harbour Business Law and The William Stanley CFO Group

Small Business of the Year (5-20 employees): Brick Media, Gaston's Culinary Services, Home Dental To You, Mijan Construction and Weber CPA

SBOY (21 – 50 employees): Blind Tiger Coffee Roasters, DCE Productions, Integrated Security Consultants, Mega Service Solutions, PFS Signature Wealth and Salon Halo

SBOY (51 – 250 employees): EMS Consulting and Southern States Toyotalift

Outstanding Business Leader of the Year: David Habib/Yo Mama's Foods, Danny Persaud/MidFlorida Armored and ATM Services and Micha Seal/Watermelon Swim

 

Ambassador Committee & Ribbon Cuttings

There was no shortage of ribbon cuttings in June and July – occurring almost weekly. From multi-level parking garages to coffee shops, Ambassadors were busy participating in the events, making them extra special for Chamber member companies. Here are some highlights! 

 

Gasparilla Festival of the Arts unveiled its 50-foot mural outside the Pam Iorio Municipal Parking Garage in Downtown Tampa. The work commissioned by GFA was done by local artist and UT Graduate Nneka Jones and was a collaboration with fellow Chamber Members - the Tampa Downtown Partnership and the City of Tampa's Mobility Parking Department. 

Blind Tiger Coffee Roasters opened its West Tampa location, on the campus of St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital – BayCare Health System, which is also a Chamber Member. Owner Roberto Torres is a member of our Minority Empowerment Program 2024 Cohort. 

George F. Young, Inc – This land development company founded by a St. Petersburg engineer and surveyor more than 100 years ago opened its newest location in the Tampa Bay region with help from our ambassadors. The employee-owned Florida company serves clients in Florida, Alabama and the Caribbean.

Member Spotlight Series 

For a second year in a row, our Chamber produced a Member Spotlight Series profiling diverse member companies across sectors and member levels. Launched this summer, we added a new component, the Member Spotlight 2.0 stories. These brief or short updates have allowed us to supplement the lineup of new stories into Q3 and Q4.  The stories are shared across our Chamber’s media platforms – first on our website, then eView Newsletter, and social media. 

 

1. Member Spotlight (New) – Feeding Tampa Bay  
2. Member Spotlight (New) - Select GCR
3. Member Spotlight (New) - Bank of Central Florida 
4. Member Spotlight (New) - Grow Financial Credit Union
5. Member Spotlight (New) – The Motor Enclave
6. Member Spotlight (New) – Creative Contractors

 

 

Event Highlights 

• Registrations for events that have occurred to date: 8,400+
• Registrations for all 2024 events to date, including those in the future: 9,800+

Fireside Chat with New President of The University of Tampa

Fireside Chat with UT President Dr. Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg – Top-tier Chamber Members and business leaders gave a warm welcome to the University of Tampa’s new president, Dr. Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg on August 30. Among her first public events with the region’s business community, she shared her leadership journey, her vision for UT, and what it’s like to be the first new President at U.T. in nearly 30 years.  Dahlberg’s academic career dates back to 1994, when she pivoted from a successful engineering career with IBM Corporation in North Carolina. Starting as a visiting professor in computer science at Winthrop University, she moved up the academia ranks at UNC Charlotte, Syracuse University and Texas Christian University. Notably, she co-founded the National Science Foundation Alliance for Broadening Participation in Computing in 2006, engaging with students at more than 50 colleges and universities. Our Partner level Chamber Member, ABC Action News, spotlighted Dahlberg in an exclusive, sit-down interview by News Anchor Deiah Riley. Click here to see interview.

2024 Cannon Fire & Cocktails 

The Chamber’s annual season preview presented by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continues to grow! The August 27 event at Armature Works included three high-profile players: Quarterback Baker Mayfield, Wide Receiver Mike Evans and Safety Antoine Winfield Jr! Joining them on-stage were Head Coach Todd Bowles, Team Owner and Co-Chairman Bryan Glazer, and Bucs General Manager Jason Licht. Our thanks to TD Bank and Bay Food Brokerage, our Red Zone and Pewter Zone sponsors respectively!  With a regional approach in focus, our Chamber collaborated with several MOUs to bring the NFL experience to their members as well. Our thanks to our partners at the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, North Tampa Bay Chamber, South Tampa Chamber, Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber, and the Westshore Alliance. Click here to read news release.