Tickets Now Available for the 2015 Women of Influence Luncheon
The Journey of Sword & Plough: From Kickstarter to Kandahar and Beyond
Join us for the 2015 Women of Influence Luncheon on Thursday, April 2, 2015 featuring Emily Núñez Cavness and Betsy Núñez, co-founders of Sword & Plough. Ranked by Forbes as two of the top social entrepreneurs in the country, the Núñez sisters are recycling and repurposing
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military gear with a fashionable touch. These young professionals have turned one idea into an up-and-coming fashion brand that empowers veteran employment, reduces waste and strengthens civil-military understanding. Join us and hear their story firsthand and learn why they were named one of the 20 Most Inspiring Companies of 2014.
The Chamber is also accepting nominations for the 2015 Dottie Berger MacKinnon Woman of Influence Award, which will be presented at the luncheon to an exceptional woman who exemplifies outstanding professional values, demonstrates the ability to go above and beyond the normal expectations of a leader, and serves as an inspiration to the community. Click here to download the official nomination form. The deadline to complete the nomination form is March 2. Questions about the award or nomination process? Please contact Anne Timmel at atimmel@tampachamber.com or 813-276-9440.
Sponsorships and corporate tables for the luncheon are currently available for sale by contacting Staci Fraser at 813-276-9453 or sfraser@tampachamber.com. Individual tickets are now on sale! Click here to purchase.
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Local Leaders Launch "GO Hillsborough"
Starting this week, residents, businesses and organizations throughout Hillsborough County have multiple opportunities to actively participate in creating transportation plans in their neighborhoods and the broader community. Known as GoHillsborough, this countywide public engagement effort is intended to understand citizens' transportation issues, explore ideas and approaches that may bring value to them, and find consensus among the widely varied needs of the entire community.
GO Hillsborough includes more than 36 workshops, with displays and stations arranged to facilitate meaningful discussions between members of the community and local government leaders and staff. Public workshops began Feb. 17 and will run through May. All of the workshops are from 6 - 8 p.m. The next scheduled meeting is tonight, February 19, at the Town 'n Country Regional Public Library from 6 - 8 p.m.
For more information on how to get involved with GO Hillsborough and a schedule of workshops, visit GoHillsborough.org.
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Startup Scholars Feature: PikMyKid
 When Pat Bhava sold his business, he had more time on his hands. He spent his days doing household chores and running errands, including picking up his daughter from school. "The traffic jams seen around 2:30 p.m. at any of our schools are legendary," he said. "I figured that there has to be a better way."
After an intense 6-month research period, Bhava started PikMyKid, a mobile app that helps schools manage the dismissal process while providing parents peace of mind. "There is no secured system for dismissal, no real-time updates for bus riders, no car pool management system... The only technologies schools use to manage this process today are 'loud hailers,' sticky notes, clipboards and walkie-talkies. We surely can do much better than that as a community in today's tech savvy world." Read more...
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Tampa Bay Trade & Protocol Council Announcement
Electric Supply Inc. hosted Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and Assistant  U.S. Trade Representative Omar Khan to showcase the major contributions that Tampa Bay makes to the United States economy through exporting. The group toured Electric Supply Inc. to discuss how Tampa Bay stands to gain from the current U.S. trade agenda, especially through unprecedented trade deals that are being negotiated with countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the European Union. Tampa Bay is one of the top 50 metropolitan area exporters in the United States. President Obama's trade agenda will break down barriers to three of Tampa Bay's top five export markets: Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom.
Electric Supply Inc. is a family owned business and independent distributor of electrical and data communications products. The company serves both local and international markets, including the Caribbean as well as Latin and South America. Electric Supply recently completed a 35,000 square foot expansion that will allow them to consolidate two pre-existing facilities and add space. Following the tour, the mayors and U.S. Trade Representative Khan joined George Adams and his team to cut a ribbon and celebrate the company's growth.
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Member Highlights: February 15 - 21, 2015
Click here to view more details on this week's member highlights including:
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- GrayRobinson Shareholder Begins Term on the Board of Directors of the Westshore Alliance
- Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Partner Robert C. Rasmussen Re-elected as Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa Board Chairman
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Want to include your organization's news in Member Highlights? Send a brief description of your news or event to news@tampachamber.com. |
Now Accepting Nominations for the 35th Annual SBOY Awards
Deadline to Submit a Nomination is Friday, March 6
Who represents the best of the best in Tampa's small business community? Nominate your favorite company today for the Chamber's annual Small Business of the Year Awards, which recognizes outstanding companies for their achievements in financial success, community involvement and ethical business practices. The awards will be handed out on Friday, September 18 at the Small Business of the Year awards ceremony.
All nominations must be received by Friday, March 6. Click here to complete the online nomination forms and get complete details on eligibility, categories and evaluation criteria (click the "Register" button to submit your nomination form). Questions about nominations and sponsorship opportunities should be directed to Staci Fraser at 813-276-9453 or sfraser@tampachamber.com.
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Chamber members must login when registering to take advantage of discounted member pricing for Chamber events.
Forgot your login? Click here to have your credentials sent to you.
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SOLD OUT! Competitive Edge Series: How to Communicate as a Leader
Tuesday, February 24, 2015 | 11:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, 201 N. Franklin St., Suite #201
This month's Competitive Edge Series features Rick Gallegos, CEO of Dale Carnegie Tampa Bay.  As a leader in your organization, you must be able to communicate your ideas in meetings and in front of large groups. Your communication skills can help you motivate, inspire and quickly move up and gain more responsibility. Join Dale Carnegie Training to learn how to take your presentation skills to the next level.
This event is SOLD OUT! To be added to the wait list, please contact Jessica Hohman at 813-321-6873 or hohman@tampachamber.com. Thank you to our presenting sponsor Verizon. FREE for FITs One, Two and Three; $35 for all other members; $50 for non-members.
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The Young Professional's Guide to Time Traveling: Optimize Your Time Management 
Tuesday, February 24, 2015 | 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
HCI Group, Inc. 5300 W. Cypress Street, Suite 100
Join Emerge Tampa Bay for the first 2015 professional development event! Through the use of better time management and creating routines we are able to create a better balance of our work/personal life. Vince Cassidy, CEO, Majesty Title Services, LLC and Holly Tomlin, President, Tomlin Talent Solutions will provide their tips and tricks to achieving better work/life balance. Click here to register. Thank you to our sponsor, HCI Group, Inc.
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SOLD OUT! 2015 Military Appreciation Banquet 
Wednesday, February 25, 2015 | 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
TPepin's Hospitality Centre, 4121 N. 50th Street
The 2015 Military Appreciation Banquet, honoring our community's military personnel, will feature a keynote address from Florida Governor Rick Scott. This event is SOLD OUT! Thank you to our presenting sponsor Bright House Networks!
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Business After Hours 
Thursday, February 26, 2015 | 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Painters on Demand, LLC , 3201 N. Florida Avenue
The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce invites you to Business After Hours hosted by Painters on Demand. Join us for complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a cocktail while networking with your fellow Chamber members. FREE for members, $15 for non-members. Click here to register. |
The University of Tampa Fellows Forum
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 | 7:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Straz Center, 1010 North W.C. MacInnes Place
The annual University of Tampa Fellows Forum brings together a distinguished panel of CEOs to share their perspectives with the Tampa Bay business community on issues of importance.
Fellows Forum Speakers:
- Kenneth Feld, Chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment, Inc.
- Harmut Liebel, President and CEO of iQor
- Robert Livingston, President and CEO of Dover Corporation
For more information, please contact:
Laura Randall, Director of Community Relations
The University of Tampa
813-253-6200 or lrandall@ut.edu
Tickets: $20 for active Chamber members and $40 for all others. Upon purchase, ticket will be mailed to you on February 25. Please ensure during registration that you accurately complete the address field. For more event details and speaker information, visit the UT website at www.ut.edu/fellowsforum. The Chamber is a sponsor for the UT Fellows Forum. Click here to register.
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Pearls of Wisdom
Bridging the Confidence Gap: Making it Happen for You
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 | 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Mise en Place, Inc., 442 W. Kennedy Blvd. Suite 110
The theme of this year's International Women's Day is "Making It Happen." Join your friends and
colleagues to launch this year's celebration and explore practical approaches you can apply to your career that will help you bridge the confidence gap, increase your visibility, enhance your leadership voice, and boost your effectiveness. Applying these approaches will make you more confident in who you are.We will also explore what all of us can do within our organizations to make women's careers happen. Enjoy hors d'oeurves and cocktails while learning from and networking with influential women at our quarterly Pearls of Wisdom event.
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Get Connected
Monday, March 9, 2015 | 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 
Westin Tampa Harbour Island, 725 S. Harbour Island Blvd.
Get Connected is a facilitated networking program designed to give members the opportunity to make 25+ new business connections in less than an hour! Think of it as "speed networking." Each person is seated at a table with fellow participants and given two minutes to introduce their product, organization or service to the small group. FREE for FITs One & Two; $15 for all other Chamber members; $30 for non-members. Click here to register. Hosted by Westin Tampa Harbour Island.
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Emerge Tampa Bay's The Buzz
Thursday, March 12, 2015 | 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 
Holiday Inn Tampa Westshore, 700 N. Westshore Blvd.
Join Emerge Tampa Bay for The Buzz, a monthly networking event for young professionals at a Tampa location. This month's event will be hosted by the Holiday Inn Tampa Westshore. Drinks and light appetizers will be provided. This event is FREE for Emerge Tampa Bay members and $10 for potential members. The Holiday Inn will host "Buzz Bingo" starting at 6:00 p.m. There will be fantastic prizes for winners! You don't want to miss this! Click here to register.
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Competitive Edge: Conflict Negotiation
Tuesday, March 17, 2015 | 11:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, 201 N. Franklin Street, Suite 201
Join the Chamber for our monthly Competitive Edge Series featuring Bruce Napier, Senior Administrator, Assessment and Organizational Development, for TECO Services Inc.
Workplace conflict is unavoidable, but there's a way to allow it to nurture rather than ruin your business. This interactive workshop will provide attendees with the necessary skills to diffuse workplace conflict and determine how to strengthen an organization from the inside. Attendees will learn how to: - Realize that conflict is inevitable and good for us
- Determine the costs, causes, and approaches to conflict
- Prepare for conflict
- Assess needs and fears
- Value asking questions
Click here to register or for more information. Thank you to our presenting sponsor Verizon. FREE for FITs One, Two and Three; $35 for all other members; $50 for non-members.
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Coffee Connection
Wednesday, March 18, 2015 | 8:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, 201 N. Franklin St., Suite 201
Coffee Connection is held every other month. This event focuses on Chamber members within their first year of membership. It is designed to help engage new members and build relationships. The program is facilitated by Ambassadors who are volunteers and will serve as your contact! This free event is recommended for first-year members, but is open to all Chamber members. Click here to register.
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Emerge Tampa Bay Tour at Port Tampa Bay 
Friday, March 20, 2015 | 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Port Tampa Bay, 1101 Channelside Drive
Join Emerge Tampa Bay for a FREE tour of Port Tampa Bay and learn about Florida's largest and most diversified seaport. Port Tampa Bay's longstanding supremacy among Florida ports is based largely on its leadership in handling of bulk and break-bulk cargos, including phosphate, steel and petroleum, as well as in the shipbuilding industry. Port Tampa Bay over the past decade has impressively advanced its container-handling capabilities and seen a rapid growth in regional distribution facilities. Click here to register.
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Emerge Tampa Bay General Membership Meeting
Monday, March 23, 2015 | 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, 201 N. Franklin Street, Suite 201 
Are you a new member of Emerge Tampa Bay or have you been around for a while but have not found your niche? Join us for the Emerge General Membership Meeting. You will hear from representatives from the Emerge Leadership Team who will be on hand to give you information about the organization. Click here to register. You must be a member to attend. If you are a non-member and interested in joining, click here.
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Business After Hours
Thursday, March 26, 2015 | 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 
Big Sur Technologies, Inc., 4631 Woodland Corp Blvd., Suite 110
The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce invites you to Business After Hours hosted by Big Sur Technologies, Inc. Join us for complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a cocktail while networking with your fellow Chamber members. FREE for members, $15 for non-members. Click here to register.
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Leadership Tampa Information Sessions
Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, 201 N. Franklin Street, Suite 201
The Leadership Tampa selection process is rigorous and competitive for the 50-60 seats available in each class. Come find out how to be a successful Leadership Tampa candidate while learning about the history and benefits of the program at these FREE upcoming informative sessions.
- Session 1: Wednesday, April 1, 2015, 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Click here to register.
- Session 2: Monday, April 6, 2015, 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Click here to register.
- Session 3: Tuesday, April 7, 2015, 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Click here to register.
- Session 4: Wednesday, April 8, 2015, 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Click here to register.
- Session 5: Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Click here to register.
PLEASE NOTE: We encourage anyone with an interest in Leadership Tampa to attend an information session, however, you must be a Chamber member to apply. To inquire about Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce membership information, please contact Rosanne Versaggi at 813-280-1456 or rversaggi@tampachamber.com.
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2015 Women of Influence Luncheon
The Journey of Sword & Plough: From Kickstarter to Kandahar & Beyond
Thursday, April 2, 2015 | 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. 
A La Carte Event Pavilion, 4050 Dana Shores Drive Suite B
Ranked by Forbes as two of the top social entrepreneurs in the country, Emily and Betsy Núñez are recycling and repurposing military gear with a fashionable touch. These young professionals have turned one idea into an up-and-coming fashion brand that empowers veteran employment, reduces waste and strengthens civil-military understanding. Join us and hear their story firsthand and learn why they were named one of the "20 Most Inspiring Companies of 2014." This event is $75 for members and $90 for non-members. Sponsorships and corporate tables of 10 are also available. Click here to register. Thank you to our presenting sponsor, PNC Bank.
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2015 Chamber Challenge Golf Tournament 
Monday, May 4, 2015 | 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club, 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.
Combine your Chamber networking with a healthy dose of competition! Don't worry if your skills aren't up to par - there's a chance for everyone to go home a winner with our raffle and on course activities. Tournament proceeds benefit the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which supports the Chamber's educational and leadership programs. Limited space available so click here to register today! Sponsorships are available now! Your contribution to the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization, is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Thank you to our presenting sponsors, BBVA Compass Bank and Skanska.
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