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Leadership Tampa

LEADING THE WAY FOR TOMORROW
Since 1971, Leadership Tampa has been introducing its class members to major facets of the greater Tampa community through an intensive nine-month course. Founded by the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Tampa’s members participate in educational sessions, tours and candid conversations with community leaders. Topics including law enforcement, education, social services, the environment, economic development and the arts – to name a few – challenge members to see their community as they never have before.

Members of Leadership Tampa are business/professional people who hold mid-to-upper level management positions within their companies or organizations. Additionally, they have demonstrated a concern for community issues and volunteered their time with service organizations, from Boy Scouts and Little League to church activities and professional organizations. The selection process is rigorous and competitive for each of the 50-60 seats available in each class. 
 
The Leadership Tampa year begins in September and concludes in May. Members meet every other week for briefings, tours, seminars and hands-on learning. In addition, the class participates in an Opening Retreat and a Leadership Development Retreat in March. The Leadership Tampa program agendas bring in top-level business, civic, and government leaders for discussion and question and answer sessions.

Applications for the Leadership Tampa are accepted in the spring.  If you have questions about the program please contact Kelsey Bokor, Director of Leadership Tampa Programs, at (813) 276-9445 or email kbokor@tampachamber.com.
 

LEADERSHIP TAMPA CLASS OF 2011
The Chamber is proud to announce the members of the 2011 Leadership Tampa Class.  The Class Chair is Jeffrey Mount, president, Wright's Gourmet House. Steven Burton of Broad and Cassel was selected as the Chair of the 2012 class.

Jeffrey Ames, Vice President - Operations, Tampa Steel Erecting Co.
Carla Armstrong, Director of Corporate Giving & Sponsorship, David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.
Amanda Bennett, Shareholder, Bush Ross, P.A.
David Bly, Director of Risk Oversight, TECO Energy, Inc.
Todd Brandon, Senior Vice President/Managing Director, UGL Equis
Lorie Briggs, Communications & Marketing Officer, University of South Florida
C. Graham Carothers, Jr., Attorney, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
Jason Carroll, Director of Sales & Events, The Florida Aquarium
Mandelyn Cloninger, Director of Development, Tampa General Hospital Foundation, Inc.
Steve Cona, III, Chief Operating Officer, Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc.
Kami Corbett, Associate Attorney, Foley & Lardner LLP
Janene Culumber, Vice President/CFO, Moffitt Cancer Center
Douglas Draper, Vice President, Florida Bank
Bryan Durkin, Sr. Project Manager, Skanska USA Building Inc.
Jeffrey Eakins, General Director of Federal Programs, School District of Hillsborough County
Tara Elia, Assistant Vice President, Aon Consulting
Ann Giles, Senior Vice President, The Bank of Tampa
Paul Hays, Principal, LarsonAllen LLP
Carl Himes, Director, Financial Services, TECO
Jay Hlavay, Director of Finance, Sweetbay Supermarket
Lisa Hodgdon, Of Counsel, Broad and Cassel
Adam Horn, Vice President, SunTrust Bank
Robyn Huber, Vice President of Business Development, Home Theater Gallery
Richard Huckaby, Partner, Pender, Newkirk & Co., CPAs
Juliane Iannarelli, Director, Global Research, AACSB International
Rebecca Jacobson, Owner & CEO, Ravensun Holdings LLC
Tiffany Jaycox, Vice President - Global Mergers & Acquisitions, Citi
Margaret Jones, Director of Assisted Housing, The Housing Authority of the City of Tampa
Scott Kelyman, Sr. Director Building Ops., Tampa Bay Rays
Karen Kress, AICP, Director of Transportation & Planning, Tampa Downtown Partnership
Meg Lashley, Business Development Manager, S&ME, Inc.
Caleb Lewis, Broker, Bishop & Associates, Inc.
Les Lloyd, Associate VP & CIO, Saint Leo University
Orlando Lopez-Isa, A.I.A., Principal - Division Vice President, Gresham, Smith and Partners
Kimberly Madison, Attorney, Adams and Reese LLP
Andrew McIntosh, Shareholder, Fowler White Boggs PA
Lori Nissen, Partner, KPMG LLP
Ryan Nugent, Wealth Management Specialist, Raymond James & Associates
Lisa Pizarro-Yob, Chief Operating Officer, Creative Recycling Systems, Inc.
Kelley Prince, President/Behavior Analyst, Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay, Inc.
Shannon Reid, Director, Raymond James Financial
Bill Reinhardt, Associate Director of Resource Mgmt, Ernst & Young LLP
Alberto Romero, Attorney, Mason Black & Caballero PA
Amanda Sansone, Associate, Carlton Fields, P.A.
Sarah Schneider, Director, Warehousing & Distribution Services, Mosaic
Kelly Shafer, Principal, The North Highland Company
Marc Spencer, Senior Vice President, US Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Mgmt.
Steven Stanford, President & Owner, PLANTZ
Scott Swenson, Director of Creative Services, Busch Gardens & Adventure Island
Debbie Torres, Local Sales Manager, Viamedia
Brian Weiss, Luxury Suite Sales, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rebecca White, Walters Chair & Director, The University of Tampa
Grace Yang, Shareholder, GrayRobinson, P.A.
Adele Yunger, Business Manager, Joshua A. Halpern, MD, PA


History of Leadership Tampa
It was 1970, and Parke Wright III gathered the members of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce's Executive Committee along the shoreline.  As Chairman that year, he had tasked the group to help solve a major water pollution problem in the bay.  The director of the Environmental Protection Commission was to take them by boat to the source of the problem - the City of Tampa's sewage discharge point. This group of Tampa's elite - a dozen or more - stood in disbelief, as Roger Stuart pulled up in what looked like a 12-foot boat.  In order to fit, everyone stood precariously as they motored slowly over to where the sewage was being dumped into the bay.
 
At one point somebody nervously joked about who would be left to run the city if the boat capsized. Parke Wright III chuckled, until a sinking feeling set in. There was no one under 50 in this elite group. Where was the next generation of civic leaders? Convinced that training tomorrow's leaders was critical for Tampa's success, he worked quickly to develop a program. Within a matter of months, Leadership Tampa was up and running.


Leadership Tampa Tuition Assistance

For those seeking tuition assistance, some scholarship opportunities are being offered. The Dr. Ike Tribble Minority Scholarship, given to minority applicants who demonstrate a commitment to community involvement; The Leadership Tampa Alumni Non-profit Scholarship, awarded to candidates who work in the Non-profit sector and need tuition assistance; and the newly established Parke Wright III Leadership Scholarship, given to candidates who exhibit exemplary leadership abilities are all available. Requests for tuition assistance must be made prior to the application deadline. 

Our mission is to serve our members and enhance our community by building business success.