November 13th eView

 

 
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Catalyst

 

 

 

The week we have all been anticipating is finally here! On Thursday the Small Business of the Year Award will be presented to one finalist in each of five categories. Last Thursday our finalists gathered together for a private reception, hosted by The Bank of Tampa, to celebrate all of the work that has led them to this point.

 

Our esteemed finalists met or exceeded a rigorous set of criteria to reach this point, of which they should all be proud. We look forward to seeing everyone at the awards ceremony this Thursday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa to celebrate small business in Tampa Bay and to crown our 2023 winners!

 

Special thank you to our presenting sponsors, Adcock Financial Group and Vistra Communications.

 

In the meantime, learn more about our finalists below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week we held our final Public Policy Roundtable of 2023, discussing the topic of Healthcare Affordability. Our panelists included Sherry Hoback, President & CEO at Tampa Family Health Centers, Bree Rizzo, Legislative Relations Specialist at Florida Blue, and Kipp Snider, National Vice President, State Policy at PhRMA. The discussion was centered around why U.S. adults across the financial spectrum struggle to pay for their healthcare and what can be done to ease some of the financial stress. Following the discussion, the program concluded with an audience Q&A session.

Thank you to our panel for sharing insights on this hot-button issue that impacts millions of Americans, our moderator Alexis Muellner, of Tampa Bay Business Journal, and to our 2023 Public Policy Roundtable Presenting Sponsor, Verizon!

 

 

 

 

 

Last week we held our final Work Redefined Series event of the year discussing how business leaders and hiring managers can discover and hire hidden talent that many times is overlooked. Our expert panel included Kristen Bracy – Founder of I Rise FL, Sashy O’Conner – Director of Operations at The Grow Group, and Dave McAleer – Veteran and Military Family Representative at CareerSource Tampa Bay. They shared that one of the main reasons that employers overlook great candidates is due to the increased dependance on technology in the hiring process and the workplace environment. Panelists also shared how companies can explore outside the traditional sources of talent and encouraged employers to take advantage of opportunities to partner with local organizations and businesses to identify candidates they might not otherwise connect with. The results not only alleviate talent shortages, but they also raise productivity and strengthen team building.

 

Thank you to John Flanagan, Chair of the Workforce Development Committee and President & CEO of CareerSource Tampa Bay, for moderating the discussion and Brian Mann, Hillsborough Community College Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, for joining us.

 

Special thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, Hillsborough Community College, and our Investor Sponsors, Feeding Tampa Bay, Suncoast Credit Union , and Wehr Constructors, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

Forty-six Chamber members came together last Wednesday for our Coffee Connection networking event. It was a hub of vibrant networking and meaningful conversations, led by our Chamber Ambassadors. They shared their experiences as members, giving firsthand accounts of how they leveraged their Chamber memberships to achieve business goals. It was valuable insight to guests working in various industries.

 

 

 

 

Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay is currently seeking mentors for the 2024 Mentor Protégé Program Mentor Protégé Program and would love to have you be a mentor this upcoming year. Returning mentors are welcome as well!

 

Mentor applications are now open and will close on December 14, 2023.

The Emerging Leaders team will work on matching protégés and mentors through the beginning of 2024. On February 27th, we will have our official Mentor Protégé program kick off and mentors and protégés will be formally assigned.

 

If you are interested in being a mentor, please fill out the Mentor Application.

 

Inclusive Organization

 

 

This holiday season we are partnering with Metropolitan Ministries to collect non-perishable food items for our neighbors in need. If you would like to donate, you can leave an item at the Chamber office. Most needed items.

 

 

 

The Chamber’s Minority Empowerment Program is seeking sponsors for 2024!

 

The Minority Empowerment Program (MEP) is an initiative of the Chamber designed to bring Black and Hispanic owned and led businesses and nonprofits into the community conversation. MEP participants achieve this through Chamber memberships, which benefits the business community overall by increasing an inclusive environment for growth throughout the region. Along with the benefits of a Tier 3 Chamber Membership, participants also receive quarterly specialized programming, as well as invite only special sessions and networking events with the Chamber’s Minority Business Accelerator participants.