Ambassador Committee
The Ambassador Committee is a key component of our strategy of retention and customer service. Ambassadors assist new members to make the most of their benefits, helping leverage their growing network and identifying areas of programming and events that align with their interests. In 2023, Ambassadors participated in 42 ribbon cuttings and made 800+ calls to members celebrating the first year & five-year anniversaries with the Tampa Bay Chamber.
Professional Development & Networking
With over 180 events in 2023, business and professional development abound, but unlike other Chambers, we take the extra step of providing training in small group settings to enhance member’s networking skills and providing valuable professional development. In 2023, our Membership Department hosted 32 events that provided more than 53 hours of learning in public speaking and networking – a member benefit valued at nearly $100,000 in coaching.
Community Outreach Committee
Thanks to engagement by Chamber Members, our Community Outreach Committee continues to harness the passion of our members and staff to benefit the region. In 2023, we supported six outreach events hosted by Special Olympics, Meals on Wheels, Bookworks, Centre for Women, Lutheran Services of Florida, and Dawning Family Services.
Member Spotlight Series
In 2023, we launched our Member Spotlight Series to showcase member companies across our region. This storytelling helped members bring attention to their services and differentiate themselves from competitors in the Tampa Bay Region. They also helped build deeper connections with customers, suppliers and partners because the origin story of their business was a part of each profile.
287
New Members
1,424
Total Members
Gaston’s Culinary Service was among the celebrated Ribbon Cuttings of 2023.
Chamber Members and Ambassadors participated in Coffee Connection – a popular morning networking event held throughout the year and led by Ambassadors.
Networking 101 quickly puts members at ease with the fun and and interactive delivery of Sandler of Tampa Bay’s Clint Babcock, a nationally recognized trainer and Chamber Member.
VP Breakfast – A select group of new members were invited to breakfast for a meet & greet with the Chamber’s newly named Vice Presidents and learn more about our Vision 2026 strategic plan.
Our Community Outreach Committee recruited Chamber volunteers to cheer athletes on during the Special Olympics. One of several fun outreach events in 2023!
We hosted six New Member Orientations in 2023, helping participants connect with programming and member benefits.
Leadership Tampa is the third oldest leadership program of its kind in the U.S. and exclusive to the Tampa Bay Chamber. Started in 1970 by a small group of Chamber Members, its legacy of empowering generations of business leaders with a regional perspective and community engagement spans 52 graduating LT classes and 2,750 professionals to date. In 2023, Sponsors continued to fuel monthly LT Program Days, which provided a dynamic, profound look into our region’s infrastructure and economic engines. In Tallahassee, LT classes met with Tampa Bay’s delegation to learn about advocacy initiatives being considered in the Florida Legislature.
Leadership Tampa Class of 2023
- Ashly Anderson – InVision Advisors
- Jordan August – Carlton Fields
- Nicole Bandon – Bank of America
- Justin Bennett – Gunster
- Vik Bhide – City of Tampa
- Carolina Blanco – Hill Ward Henderson
- Melanie Brown – AdventHealth - West Florida
- Lonnie Bryant – The University of Tampa
- Terry Carter – Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay
- Jennifer Corinis – Greenberg Traurig
- Anna Corman – Hillsborough Education Foundation
- Eric DeFelice – Tampa Police Department
- David Delancy – One Day Came, Inc.
- Nikki Diaz-White – BayCare-St. Joseph’s Hospital
- Kadian Douglas – CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
- Brian Eastman – U.S. Air Force
- Jaree Ervin – University Area CDC
- Samantha Fiske – Tampa Bay Business Journal
- Graeme Fraser – Cottonwood Real Estate Advisers
- Chris Gstalder – Accenture
- Katie Guice – Tampa Electric
- Danielle Hernandez – DVH Law Group
- Gary Holland – Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority
- Lindsay Huban – Henry B. Plant Museum
- Sabrina Jackson – Ultimate Medical Academy
- Tina James – Florida Blue
- Clay Keel – Keel Farms, Inc.
- Brenda Khoury – U.S. Special Operations Command
- Michael Kolcun – Adams and Reese LLP
- Lijah Lokenauth – Tampa General Hospital
- Shaylia McRae – Hillsborough County Public Schools
- Melissa Meshil – HCA Healthcare
- Scott Morrison – United Way Suncoast
- Shana Murrell – Alumni Advisors
- Paige Niehaus – Hillsborough Community College
- Brian Peterson – Skanska
- Heidi Pinner – Hillsborough Clerk of the Court & Comptroller
- David Singer – Older Lundy
- Meaza Stewart-Morrison – Morrison Advisory
- Avril Stinson – Tampa Bay Chamber
- Jay Taylor – LEVERAGE
- Brandon Thom – Give Kids the World Village
- Jody Thorson – Tampa Metropolitan YMCA
- Sandra Torres – ZooTampa at Lowry Park
- Andrew Tyner – Wells Fargo Bank, NA
- Susan Vadaparampil – Moffitt Cancer Center
- Jonathan Vaden – Hillsborough County Aviation Authority
- Julian Waits – Rapid7
- Amy Weber – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Sylvia Wilson Thomas – University of South Florida
Program Day Sponsors
This LT program day was focused on first responders.
LT Sports Day focused on the economic impact and community engagement of Tampa Bay’s sports industry.
For Agriculture Day, members of the LT ’23 class traded in their laptops for strawberry fields and green pastures!
LT ‘23 became the 52nd group to graduate since Leadership Tampa was launched in 1970.
The LT tradition continued with the kick-off ceremony for the LT Class of ’23!
LT Education Day featured the presidents of Hillsborough Community College, The University of Tampa and University of South Florida.
Leadership Tampa Alumni harnesses the passion of business and community leaders who have graduated from Leadership Tampa. This network of 550+ active, influential leaders from diverse industries supports our Vision 2026 strategic plan – nurturing an engaged, inclusive, and prosperous Tampa Bay region. Annual events include the LTA Reunion, Spring Fling, LTA Chair’s Choice and Behind-the-Scenes program day.
These are highlights of the many LTA events in 2023:
LTA Behind-the-Scenes
Sponsor: Tampa General Hospital
The camaraderie of LT’s trademark program days continues on a larger scale with LTA’s annual “Behind-the-Scenes”. Alumni gain new insights about the community in the chosen area. In 2023, the focus was on the criminal justice system.
LTA Chair’s Choice
Sponsor: IAT Inc.
Chair’s Choice is centered around a high-interest topic in the region. No two events are ever the same. In 2023, Chairman Jeff Chernoff chose the fascinating world of political campaigns.
LTA Connect with Coffee
Sponsors: Hampton Chocolate Factory; Rapid 7; Tampa Bay Wave; Willa’s
Year-round networking events exclusively for LTA members take alumni to dynamic member companies and organizations.
LTA Annual Meeting & Parke Wright III Award
Sponsors: Baker Barrios; The University of Tampa
A highlight of LTA’s Annual Meeting is the presentation of the Parke Wright III Award. The winner is a leader demonstrating great character, initiative, leadership, selflessness, and vision. In January, Mike Griffin (LT ’04) became the 21st honoree to receive the annual award.
Leadership Tampa Alumni Cabinet led by LTA Chair Jeff Chernoff.
Mike Griffin, awarded the Parke Wright III Award in January, donated the prize money to the Children’s Dream Fund.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park set the stage for LTA’s Spring Fling, which provided alumni the chance to recruit colleagues and friends for LT Class of 2024.
In 2023, LTA hosted 4 Connect with Coffee networking events, including this event at Willa’s, near Downtown Tampa.
LTA’s Behind-the-Scenes gave members a closer look at the criminal justice system with guest speakers and a guided courtroom tour by The Honorable Thomas Palermo, a graduate of LT ‘22.
Two former State Representatives shared the realities of campaigning and detailed the priorities that aspiring candidates should consider before running for public office.
In 2023, our Chamber experienced a 38% increase in event attendance, with engagements up at every level of membership. For the first time since 2020, we surpassed pre-COVID event attendance. We highlight seven events bringing Tampa Bay businesses together.
After 5
The evening networking events are held quarterly at Chamber Member companies in various industries
Business Around the Bay
Sponsor: BMO
Chamber Members in top Fit levels and Board Members are invited to these productive forums, discussing current challenges in the workforce and sharing intentional approaches to diversifying teams and boards.
Circle of Influence
Sponsor: Florida Blue
This breakfast series is offered exclusively to top-tier members three times per year and connects Chamber members with key influencers in the region.
Coffee Connection
The morning networking events are held quarterly at our Chamber office and hosted by the Ambassador Committee, helping guests make the most of their Chamber benefits.
Competitive Edge
This series sparks courageous, insightful conversations, helping members with professional development, employee relations, and the realities of entrepreneurship.
Get Connected
This interactive speed-networking event has Chamber members deliver their 2-minute elevator pitch to other guests in attendance in a fun, supported environment.
Tampa Bay @Sunset
Hosts: AVE Tampa Riverwalk; Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar; Lions World Vision Institute; Saint Leo University; Tampa Convention Center; The Victory Ship
These unique gatherings happen six times per year and are exclusively hosted by Chamber member companies and organizations.
12,600+
Attendees
180+
Events
Business Around the Bay session led by 2023 Board Chair Brian Butler, brought together business leaders from various sectors.
Circle of Influence sponsored by Florida Blue – June sold-out event featured Greg Holland, the newly appointed President & CEO of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
Get Connected in December was the last of 6 speed networking events in 2023.
Coffee Connection – These quarterly events are hosted by the Chamber’s Ambassador Committee.
Competitive Edge: The Entrepreneur Experience in April featured business owners of Bay Food Brokerage, Ortega Custom Cabinets, and Willa’s.
Tampa Bay @ Sunset in April brought members together at Saint Leo University’s Tampa campus inside this former cigar factory in West Tampa.
The Chamber’s annual Small Business of the Year Awards celebrate the entrepreneurship, innovation and economic impact of small businesses in the Tampa Bay Region. Annually, winners are selected in five categories after a nine-month evaluation process that involves the time and talents of 50+ judges and members of the SBOY Committee.
Presenting Sponsors
The 43rd Annual Small Business of the Year Awards were held on November 16 at the Seminole Hard Rock & Casino Tampa and presented by Adcock Financial Group and Vistra Communications, both former SBOY winners.
In 2023, the Chair was Samantha Abraham, CEO of My Paper Pusher bookkeeping company, and 2018 SBOY Winner (5 – 20 Employees Category).
2023 Small Business of the Year Awards at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.
BoylenPoint Contender Dealership – Startup Business of the Year.
Paragon Cyber Solutions – Small Business of the Year (5-20 Employees).
Bake More Pies – Small Business of the Year (21 – 50 Employees).
MidFlorida Armored & ATM Services Inc. – Small Business of the Year (51-250 Employees).
Bob Clark, President of Tampa Steel Erecting Company – Outstanding Business Leader.
Presenting Sponsor
Our Signature Events culminate in December with the Chamber’s Annual Meeting, celebrating accomplishments and recognizing the people at the heart of these successes: dedicated program participants; Chamber members volunteering their time & talents on committees and our Board of Directors; and sponsors ensuring programming that produces results benefiting the region.
Completing its seventh year in 2023, our Vision 2026 plan was foundational to the successes experienced across Chamber programming and committees.
- In the top 2% of chambers in the U.S. rated 5-Stars
- Global recognition for the Minority Business Accelerator
- Surpassed pre-Covid event attendance for first time in three years
- SBOY received approximately 400 nominations.
December 14, the 138th Annual Meeting was held at the J.W. Marriott and presented by TECO. Guests shared in the ceremonial passing of the gavel from Brian Butler, 2023 Chamber Chair, to 2024’s Chair, Brian Adcock.
Following tradition, the Annual H.L. Culbreath Jr. Profile in Leadership Award was presented to a leader making a lasting, positive impact in Tampa Bay. Congratulations to Gregory Celestan, recipient of the 2023 award.
This candid moment was captured as Brian Butler thanked our team for all the support during his tenure as Chairman of the Board.
TECO Vice President of Energy Supply with special guests from across the region.
At capacity, the JW Marriott ballroom seated 660+ guests.
A proud moment for our leadership team congratulating members of the first cohort to be seated after the MBA program received global recognition.
Advocating for the return of millions in transportation dollars, we launched our letter writing campaign to the Florida Legislature. 220+ guests signed on-site, while others used this QR code.
A tradition at Annual Meeting, guests donated toys to Metropolitan Ministries for its annual holiday outreach helping local families in need.
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Welcome to Tampa Bay! Situated along Florida’s Gulf Coast, this region boasts an enviable quality of life with year round sunshine, a unique cultural heritage and a diverse business climate. For both individuals and companies alike, Tampa offers accessibility, affordability and opportunity.
We encourage you to visit the sites of many of our partners for more detailed information on economic development and Tampa’s quality of life.
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