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La Sétima
March 2013 Newsletter
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Voting Closes Friday

Just a reminder that the ballot for the Chamber's 2013-14 Officers & Board of Directors is due back by the close of business this Friday, April 5th.

 
Click on the link below to cast your vote. Remember, only one ballot per member company.

Your new officers & directors will be announced at our April Membership Luncheon and formally installed at our May Luncheon.

Upcoming Events 

   

   See Chamber Happenings

For More Details

A Special Welcome To New Members

 

Gulf Coast Commercial

Scott Dobbins

1600 East 8th Avenue, Suite A 106

Tampa, FL 33605

 

The Tampa Reperatory Theatre

C. David Frankel

217 W. Powhatan Avenue

Tampa, FL 33604

 

Thank You To Renewing Members

 

1st US Volunteer Cavalry, Rough Riders

Carol Grabowski

P O Box 75892

Tampa, FL 33675

 

Elliott Wheeler Architect

Elliott Wheeler

1510 E. 8th Avenue

Tampa, FL 33605

 

Italiano Insurance Services, Inc.

Carla Wuenschel

3021 W. Swann Ave.

Tampa, FL 33609

 

Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research, Inc

Jason K. Woody

1410 N. 21st Street

Tampa, FL 33605

 

 

Click on a highlighted company name to learn more about your fellow members.
spotlight

Ybor Chamber

Member Spotlight

 

The Ybor City Chamber is very fortunate to have many great, involved members, especially within the hotel business. The downtown Howard Johnson Plaza Tampa is no exception. Director of Sales, Lisa Reilly and her staff can be seen at our monthly luncheons, counted on to promote Chamber events, and always ready to donate hotel room nights for one of our silent auctions.

 

The Howard Johnson Plaza Tampa, affectionately called HoJo's by friends and family, is located in the heart of downtown Tampa next to the Dave A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts and on the Tampa Riverwalk. You can walk to downtown restaurants and bars and catch the TECO Line Streetcar to Ybor City at Whiting & Franklin.

 

HoJo's has just completed a $1 million "refresh" including four IKEA designed suites. Their in-house restaurant, the Waterworks Bar & Grill, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers daily happy hour specials, including $4.00 Greygoose Martini night on Mondays.

 

On several occasions, Tom and I have enjoyed a play at the Straz and then walk a few steps to HoJo's to stay the night. It makes for a great and stress-free evening.

 

- Michele Keating

 

Lisa Reilly

Howard Johnson Plaza

111 W. Fortune St.

Tampa, FL 33602

813-223-1351

www.tampahjp.com 


Upcoming Conventions 
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April 7-14
International Cemetery Cremation And Funeral Association Annual Conference
Estimated Attendance: 1,200  
HQ Hotel: 
Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina

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April 21-29 
Estimated Attendance: 1,400
HQ Hotel: Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina

Andrea Gonzmart Chair 4C

Message From The Chair


ˇHola Ybor!

 

Spring time has officially sprung! Flowers are blooming & the baby chick population in Ybor will be at an all time high before we know it!!   Spring & Ybor City are synonymous with my favorite Chamber event of the year - Aficionado Days! I can't believe it has been seven years since the first Aficionado Days. To most, a two-day event can be over-whelming, but no worries, I am going to share with you the best way to go about it and get the most out of your Aficionado Days experience.

Day One - Tapas Trail and After-Party. I cannot stress to you enough, that the Tapas Trail is not a race! There is no prize for hitting all eighteen restaurants that fill the trail, so take your time... Pick your favorites, or do what I do, visit the spots you've never been to. Get the drink special & split it with a friend, or do what I do, and enjoy it by yourself! I promise you, it will make your experience that much better because it'll slow you down and allow you to enjoy the scenery, and most of all, your fellow "trailers." The After-Party is a great way to finish off your evening - raffle prizes, spirit samples, desserts and more, so don't miss it! Congratulations, you have survived day one, so you are in the home stretch because Day Two is a piece of cake.

 

Day Two- All you have to do is get dressed in your Sunday bests & enjoy brunch at the Columbia... Leave all the work to the four Finalists of the Tapas Cooking challenge and the three celebrity judges - cheer them on while enjoying the traditional Spanish brunch while sipping on a mimosa or glass of Sangria. Aficionado Days is as easy as that... and yes, it is that much fun, I promise!  

 

It's less than two weeks away, so be sure to purchase your tickets before they sell out! For further questions or to purchase tickets, please contact the Visitor Information Center at 813-241-8838 or at info@ybor.org.  Tickets are also available online at www.ybor.org. Until next time...

 

ˇVivaYbor!

 

Andrea Gonzmart

 


Chamber Happenings

April 9- Ybor City Chamber Monthly Membership Luncheon,  Tues. 11:45AM- 1:15PM-  Mark your calendars and take a break from your regular schedule and attend what members are calling "the best luncheon to network." This month find out more on about the Tampa Tribune's new ownership transition directly from the paper's President & Publisher, Bill Barker. 813.248.3712 x 22 

During the Tapas Trail, stroll the streets of historic Ybor City while you sample tapas, hors d'oeuvres, antipasti and mesa at over a dozen of Ybor's top restaurants.  Unwind at the After Party & Smoker at the Italian Club. Enjoy music, premium cigars, desserts, café con leche, and samples of rum, wine and beer.   On Sunday, enjoy a Silent Auction with great prizes, live jazz, a lavish buffet & the Tapas Cooking Challenge at the historic Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. 813.241.8838  

 

May 13- 7th Annual Ybor City Chamber Golf Tournament, Mon. 11AM-  The Ybor Chamber will once again be spending a day out on the green with our member golf players in a shot gun start, four person scramble at Emerald Greens Golf Resort & Country Club. By participating in this event you will be introducing your company to many local professionals as well as supporting the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce and its HCC Scholarship Fund.  For more details call 813.248.3712 x22  

Events and Announcements by Tom Favata 


Click on the highlighted event name for more information.  

Now thru April 20- Small Business Entrepreneurship Workshop-  HCC's Institute for Corporate & Continuing Education is offering a workshop designed to help participants develop a solid business plan as a first step in  ensuring the success of any business venture. 813.253.7982  

Now thru April 26- 39th Annual HCC Juried Student Art Exhibition- The Ybor School of Visual and Performing Arts Gallery on Hillsborough Community College's Ybor Campus invites you to see some of the best works produced by their students during their annual juried art exhibition.  813.253.7674

April 6- Art on 19th Street Charity Art Raffle, Sat. 10AM- 4PM- This month's edition of Art on 19th will benefit Quest Training Center.  Visit Singing Stone Gallery & Studio  to get your raffle tickets to win art produced by David Sigel, Robin Lewis and Graciela Flores.  813.728.4325

April 7- 16th Annual Festa Italiana, Sun. 10:30AM- 6:30PM-  Everyone's favorite Italian festival is right around the corner.  Mark your calendars now. Get more details at www.festaitalianatampa.com or by calling 813.342.3630

April 11- The Art and Soul of Academy Prep: First Annual Center of Excellence Art Gallery, Thurs. 5:30PM- 7:30PM- Showcasing the work of Academy prep students and featuring guest artist Henry Stinson. Coffee, tea and sweets served. Select artwork available for sale. 813.248.5600

April 12- Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of Yo Boys Frozen Yogurt, Fri. 5PM-  Self serve frozen yogurt is now open in Ybor and you are invited out to help make it official. 813.330.0452

April 20- Community Yard Sale, Sat. 10:00AM- 4PM- Sentry Self Storage is throwing a Yard Sale at their property.  A portion of the proceeds raised will benefit the March of Dimes. 813.248.6569

April 20- 12th Annual 5K Roar Through Ybor, Sat. 6:30AM- The Race for Sight raises funds to make sight-saving corneal transplants possible and to support those in our community who are visually impaired.  There will be an after race celebration, cool prizes, t-shirts, goodie bags, and  awards for top male and female in 11 age divisions.
813.289.1200 

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As a special member benefit this month, member business Unlimited Printing & Copying is offering 10% off your next order when you let them know you are a chamber member now thru April 30th 2013.