On January 1, 2025 the Tampa Bay Chamber will enter its 140th year of service in the region. Started in 1885, our Chamber continues to adapt, pivot, and respond to the changing needs of our business community and the community at large. Our thanks to the Tampa Bay Times for helping us share the stories of our members decade after decade. As you look ahead to the new year, we invite our members to engage with our Chamber on a deeper level in 2025. Members are the heartbeat of this organization, a moving force behind our programming. Year round, Chamber Members help military families, advocate for key issues impacting our region, support women's programming & leadership development at the Chamber, and more. If you're reading this and currently not a Chamber member, join us! Experience the power of belonging - making a difference in your community, your business sector and future generations.
A special thanks to the people who gave so much of their time, treasures & talents in 2024! (year 139 of the Tampa Bay Chamber & year 8 of our 10-year strategic vision plan, Vision 2026!)
Ronald Christaldi, Esq. - 2024 winner of the H.L. Culbreath Jr. Profile in Leadership Award - Recognized nationally in his field and named among the "Best Lawyers in America", Ronald Christaldi's is a Tampa Bay leader shaping the region over the years. Among his many accomplishments are helping to expand access to healthcare, improve transportation, and attract investments that created a significant number of jobs in the region. From L to R: 2025 Chair Edwin Narain, Esq. - Tampa Bay Chamber Board of Directors; 2024 Chair Brian Adcock; Mr. Christaldi, 2015 Chair of the Board of Directors and 2024 Culbreath Award Winner and Gregory Celestan, CEO of Celestar & 2023 Culbreath Award Winner. Read News Release of 139th Annual Meeting of the Tampa Bay Chamber.
Congratulations to the members of the Minority Business Accelerator 2026 Cohort, to be led by Chair Michael Eubanks of The Bank of Tampa. These 8 business owners will begin their 2-year program in January 2025!
- Tarolyn Buckles & Karen Burton of the A/E Collaborative, LLC.
- Keleisha Carter of the KC Capital Group
- Natalie Freeman of Edward Jones Investments - Office of Natalie Freeman
- Lisa Hernandez-Williams, Bay Bay's Burgers
- Johnny Nunez, E2E Cleaning Services, Inc.
- Evelyn Ruiz, Wave Tax & Financial Solutions
- Maria Rumlin, M&R Catering
- Roberto Torres, Blind Tiger Coffee Roasters
Tampa Bay Buccaneers announce new million dollar hurricane relief fund for small businesses to be administered by 8 chambers of commerce in the region! Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Chair of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation & Glazer Vision Foundation with representatives of all 8 chambers of commerce they've selected to help administer hurricane relief fund. The partnering chamber organizations are: St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Amplify Clearwater, Pinellas Beaches Chamber of Commerce, Tampa Bay Beaches, Manatee Chamber of Commerce, North Tampa Chamber of Commerce, South Tampa Chamber of Commerce and our own Tampa Bay Chamber. Learn more about the Glazer Family Small Business Fund.
Chamber Member Arnie Bellini, at left, delivered the surprise of the day during the 139th Annual Meeting of the Chamber. Bellini, who is a sponsor and champion of our Collegiate Leadership Program, surprised everyone - including Chamber President/CEO Dr. Bob Rohrlack, with his pledge of $500,000 to workforce development efforts! Bellini is the visionary behind the USF Muma College of Business' Bellini Center for Talent Development. He goes down in Tampa Bay history as the creator of the region's very first software company - ConnectWise.
At the microphone is Kathy Times, Chamber Member and entrepreneur in our Minority Empowerment Program's 2024 Cohort. Times was selected by the National Association of Black Journalists to create the curriculum of NABJ's 2024 - 2025 Leadership Academy. The curriculum on networking, storytelling and branding will serve journalists and media professionals nationwide who are members of NABJ and the ABC News Group. Read more about Times' project with the National Association of Black Journalists.
Chamber Member Gaston Merideth is the Founder & CEO of Gaston’s Culinary Services, named Small Business of the Year in 2024 (5-20 Employees Category). Earlier this year, he was recognized by the American Culinary Federation during the association’s national convention in Phoenix, Arizona. Merideth was awarded the prestigious Cutting Edge Award for mentoring culinarians on behalf of the ACF. Learn more.
Chamber Member Wendy Ross is the 2024 Chair of the Leadership Tampa Alumni (LTA) Association. Ross is a Broker & Shareholder at Florida Executive Realty and a graduate of the Leadership Tampa Class of 2014. During the Chamber’s Annual Meeting December 6, she shared what happened within the ranks of LTA during this year’s Hurricane Season: “Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused major damage to the homes and businesses of LTA members. In those moments, LTA members stepped up to help each other and entire neighborhoods in the aftermath of the hurricanes. They didn’t wait for someone else to organize it or call a meeting, they saw a need and jumped into action! That’s the LTA way! As Chair, I couldn’t be prouder!” Learn more about LTA.
Passing of the Gavel - From L to R: 2024 Chair of the Board of Directors Brian Adcock, President of the Adcock Financial Group and 2025 Chair Edwin Narain, Vice President of External & Legislative Affairs for AT&T and a former State Representative. Both Chairs have a passion for advocacy. Click to hear Adcock’s iHeart Radio interview done in Q1 2024 during the campaign that secured the return of millions in transportation dollars to Hillsborough County.
Chamber Member Company, Mad Bear Productions, is led by Glenn Zimmerman, Founder & Owner. Heidi Marks is the Creative Director and Director of Video & Broadcast. Longtime members of the Chamber, engaged in Leadership Tampa, the Leadership Tampa Alumni (LTA) Association, Zimmerman and Marks were the creatives behind the innovative storytelling of this year's video debuted during the 139th Annual Meeting. A look back at 2024 accomplishments by Chamber Members across our programming, Mad Bear's team brought statistics & data to life in the 4 minute video being shared by our member companies across the region. Click here to see Mad Bear Productions Video – Tampa Bay Chamber 2024 Year in Review.
At center, the Tampa Bay Chamber Executive Leadership team: President & CEO Dr. Bob Rohrlack with (from L to R) Katie Lopez, Vice President of Advocacy; Avril Stinson, Vice President of Economic Inclusion & Leadership Programs; Michelle Ciudad Real, Vice President of Member Engagement; and D'Andrea Carey, Controller.