St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay: A New View

T

he St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce welcomes you to our vibrant part of the world. While the amenities of our region have long brought visitors from around the globe, in recent years those visitors have begun to make the Tampa Bay area their home. As a result, we’ve seen a substantial transformation, with the face of our commu-nity now reflecting a younger demographic whose new ideas and new industry are fueling our economy.

Today, St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area offer great opportunities for people from all walks of life. Whether you are raising children or growing a corpo-ration, our low cost of living, wealth of educational options, top-quality health care, and plenty to see and do make for an attractive lifestyle.

As the largest Chamber in the Tampa Bay region, we work to ensure that lifestyle thrives by dedicating ourselves to activities that strengthen job retention, expand business, develop the economy, and enhance our region’s standing as a premier vacation destination.

Within the pages of this book, you will find the story of St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area, our region’s unique connection to the water, and the reasons that it is such a popular place for millions of annual visitors and an increasingly popular place to call home.

You’ll see how well-deserved St. Petersburg’s nickname is—the Sunshine City— and how much residents and visitors alike enjoy our parks and our

hundreds of outdoor celebrations. In here, you’ll discover how our historical appreciation for beauty is reflected in our architecture. You’ll get a feeling for how much we love the water and how we encourageaquatic activities through amenities like the largest municipal marina in the Southeast. And you’ll get a glimpse of our more than 240 miles of shoreline as well as all the ways to spend a day or more along our waterfront, where you’ll find eclectic shopping, quaint eateries, cultural amenities, and hotels that are attractions in themselves. Take a tour of our city through the pages of this book. Then come get a feeling for why we think this is the greatest place in the world to call home.

Published by Riverbend Books in cooperation with the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce Riverbend Books is an Imprint of Bookhouse Group, Inc. 2166 Conyers Street SE Covington, Georgia 30014 800.562.8512 info@bookhouse.net www.bookhouse.net Printed in Korea

Front cover photo: skyline by Mario Morgado. Back cover photos: upper left, architecture by Lisa Means; upper right, statue by Lisa Means; bottom left, statue by Lisa Means; bottom right, St. Mary’s Catholic Church by Mario Morgado. Cover design by Laurie Porter, Compōz Design LLC.

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rob Levin PUBLISHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Levin ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Lorenzo, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bob Sadoski ST. PETERSBURG AREA CHAMBER LIAISONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John T. Long III, Bonnie L. Tefft, Peter T. Marra CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER . . . . . . . . . . . Renée Peyton ASSOCIATE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rena Distasio PROJECT DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheryl Sadler PHOTO EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jill Dible WRITERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rena Distasio, Grace Hawthorne, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Regina Roths, Gail Snyder COPY EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bob Land BOOK DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Compo-z Design JACKET DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Compo-z Design PREPRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vickie Berdanis PHOTOGRAPHERS . . . . . . . . . Lisa Means, Mario Morgado, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rod Reilly Copyright © 2008 by Bookhouse Group, Inc. Printed and bound in Korea All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying of records, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from Bookhouse Group, Inc.

Published by Riverbend Books an Imprint of Bookhouse Group, Inc. 818 Marietta Street, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30318 www.riverbendbooks.net 404.885.9515 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data St. Petersburg & Tampa Bay : a new view / editor, Rob Levin. p. cm.

Spine title: Saint Petersburg and Tampa Bay ISBN 978-1-883987-37-4 1. Tampa Bay (Fla.)—Pictorial works. 2. Saint Petersburg (Fla.)—Pictorial works. 3. Tampa Bay (Fla.)—Description and travel. 4.

Saint Petersburg (Fla.)—Description and travel. 5. Tampa Bay (Fla.)—Economic conditions. 6. Saint Petersburg (Fla.)—Economic conditions. 7. Business enterprises—Florida—Tampa Bay. 8. Business enterprises—Florida—Saint Petersburg. I. Levin, Rob, 1955- II. Title: Saint Petersburg and Tampa Bay. F319.T2S77 2008 975.963--dc22 2008044017

4 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

B

uilt in 1925, the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club is affectionately known as the Grand Dame of St. Petersburg’s waterfront. Originally known as the Vinoy Park Hotel, an opulent

seasonal playground for the rich and famous, the hotel prospered for many years before closing in the mid-1970s. Nearly two decades later, slated for demolition, the hotel underwent a $93 million renovation at the hands of Stouffer Hotels and Resorts, a hospitality group that shortly thereafter was sold to Renaissance Hotels International. Restored to its former grandeur, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the resort now boasts more than 350 guest rooms, a private marina, an eighteen-hole golf course, and multiple restaurants offering a variety of cuisine.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 5

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

6 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

Foreword

9

A New View

12

Featured Companies

92

Your journey through this beautiful region begins here.

Images build upon images, words evoke a time and place, and St. Petersburg’s story unfolds.

Learn about the companies, organizations, and individuals who helped make this book happen—and who play such an important role in St. Petersburg’s strength as a community.

CONTENTS Editorial Team

95

About the Publisher

96

The storytellers behind the storybooks, Riverbend’s acclaimed writers and photographers delight in capturing the essence of our nation’s communities.

Every day is a day of discovery for the team dedicated to crafting some of this country’s finest and award-winning pictorial books.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 7

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

T

here is just something magical about beaches and sunsets.

Perhaps that is why so many

natives and visitors find themselves at the Hurricane Seafood Restaurant around dinnertime. The Hurricane Watch rooftop deck is the perfect place for a great view

of the sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico.

However, if you prefer to linger over coffee and dessert, no problem: there is a view of the sunset from every table.

8 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

FOREWORD

T

he skyline of St. Petersburg is a point of envy for many communities. We have experienced

unparalleled business growth and diversity. The Tampa Bay region is fertile ground for business startups as well as highly experienced Fortune 500 companies. Capturing the essence of St.

Petersburg and the people who shaped our growth is in many ways an exercise in exclusion. We are going to miss some things and misplace emphasis on others. But what a joy it has been for all involved to discover the highlights of our region.

If there is one factor which differentiates today’s Chamber from the one formed more than one hundred years ago, it is the diversity and number of professional volunteers who serve the organization on so many fronts. The Chamber’s smaller, nimble, and reliable board of directors today oversees our creative foundation, our aggressive political action committee, and involvement in professional training and tourism. In addition, the board oversees development in areas such as small business, the local economy, community, networks, international business and relations, sports, leadership training and opportunities, and the growth of young businessmen and -women, and many other areas in which our organization has come to exert its influence.

I take particular pride in also thanking a very aggressive, creative, and professional staff which has helped carry out our important program of work in our region. Thanks to their own involvement in community affairs, along with professional development with our state and national associations, Chamber staff members are able to live up to the high standards set by their extraordinarily competent volunteer bosses. In the final analysis, our Chamber’s success (Top 3 Chamber in North America in 2008) has been created by the exceptional combination of superior volunteer leadership and highly professional executive leadership.

I invite all of our three thousand members and one million citizens and visitors to enjoy this book and reflect on how they can help to recruit and retain those who share our vision for a better community.

John T. Long III, CCE, CAE President and CEO St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 9

would not have been possible without the support of the following sponsors: Admiral Farragut Academy | Clearwater Grand Hotel | Don CeSar Beach Resort | Franklin Templeton Investor Services Inc. | Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park | International Center for Complete Dentistry | JMC Communities | Progress Energy | St. Anthony’s Hospital

10 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

L

ocated in Madeira Beach, Archibald Memorial

Beach is the perfect place for a stroll along the gulf. The half-acre property was conveyed to

the federal government in the early 1930s by Florida businessmen Albert B. Archibald and David Welch to be used as recreational area for residents and visitors. In the early 1970s, the beach became the property of the city of Madeira and remains one of the many thirty-five miles of beaches accessible to the general public.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 11

s From corporate luncheons to rehearsal

dinners, the Hilton’s outdoor patio can seat up to sixty guests and offers an elegant outdoor setting for any special meal.

Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park: Hospitality at Its Finest

W

hether the trip to St. Petersburg is for a business meeting, a social event, or a vacation to get away from it all, the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park is the place to stay in this waterfront city.

An oasis of hospitality in the midst of a bustling business district, the Hilton’s address in the

Gateway area makes it convenient to a number of major corporations and only minutes away from two international airports.

But the real difference in a stay at the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park is a standard of service far and above the norm. In fact, in only its second year of operation, the Hilton was awarded the Hilton Hotel Corporation’s Connie Award. Named in honor of renowned hotel

12 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park

magnate Conrad Hilton, the award is granted to

since a guest’s stay is only as successful as the

the hotel corporation’s top property based on

strength of the team.”

input from customer surveys. The Hilton St.

Luxurious amenities also make for a

Petersburg Carillon Park was recognized as best

comfortable and inviting stay at the Hilton. The

in virtually every area of the award’s measuring

hotel’s 227 rooms include 49 spacious suites

standards, from the helpfulness of the front desk

designed to accommodate the corporate

to cleanliness of the guestrooms to the overall

traveler needing extra space as well as the

today: “The team at the Hilton Carillon Park has

“The team at the Hilton Carillon Park has the passion and loyalty to make a successful visit happen.”

the passion and loyalty to make a successful visit

leisure traveler looking for room to get away

happen. From the time a guest checks in at the

from it all. Furnished with king or two double

front desk to the time our van driver drops them

beds, most suites also include a whirlpool garden

back at the airport, the guest will have

tub with combination or standalone shower. In

encountered nine to twelve different associates

addition, there are two-room Executive Suites

representing several departments throughout

complete with separate parlor and bedroom.

food and beverage experience.

At the awards ceremony celebrating the honor, district director of Heartland Hotels Greg Fernholz made a comment that still rings true

the hotel. This recognition speaks to the

Other amenities for the business traveler

dedication of the hotel’s two hundred associates,

include a business center with complimentary Continued on page 14

PHOTO BY ROD REILLY

s

The Hilton Carillon Park Hotel boasts contemporary grandeur and elegance behind the overflowing fountain and porte cochere entrance doors, which have opened to heads of state and renowned guests from around the world.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 13

Hilton | Continued from page 13

printing, Internet, fax machine, color copier, a notary ublic, and more. And every guest enjoys the hotel’s recreational options that include a pool, a twentyfour-hour fitness center, a jogging track, walking trails, and a billiard room in LUNA, the hotel’s restaurant and lounge.

LUNA also offers guests a phenomenal dining experience for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the midst of a creative, artistic atmosphere. LUNA features a full breakfast buffet complete with healthconscious selections; the lunch buffet offers selections for any appetite with choices ranging from tapas and salads to homemade soups to hot entrees, and the traditional dinner fare includes a la carte items like steak and seafood as well as freshly prepared lighter entrees.

Whether it is a corporate luncheon, a charity gala, or a convention, the Hilton can successfully execute any event that requires culinary or meeting planning expertise. The hotel’s twenty thousand square feet of meeting space includes the Picasso

s

Ballroom, seating 1,000 guests theater style or up to

Executive chef Charlie Shupe stands in the LUNA Restaurant and Lounge with some of the exquisite dishes prepared by the Hilton culinary team. The team’s unparalleled expertise ensures that every meal is executed to perfection, whether it is for a major social event or an intimate dinner for two.

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS PHOTO BY ROD REILLY

14 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

s

The Hilton has 227 rooms, including 49 suites, of which many have balconies overlooking the Lake Carillon Preserve and Tampa Bay. All of the contemporary guest accommodations include LCD televisions, free wireless Internet, and upscale amenities.

Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park

s Weddings are especially unforgettable in the Picasso Ballroom,

seating 650 guests for a celebration that is certain to create memories to last a lifetime.

650 guests for meals. There are also twelve breakout rooms including the Echelon

Board

Room,

which

can

accommodate small meetings for up to 12 attendees.

Weddings

are

especially

memorable at the Hilton, where the professional staff is ready to turn dreams into reality.

Whether it is the finest social event, a flawless convention, a leisurely getaway, or wedding memories to last a lifetime, the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park Hotel is “the place” to be in St. Petersburg.

d s

The temperature-controlled outdoor pool is the perfect place to cool down after a hard day’s work or to find a little relaxation during a leisurely weekend getaway. Weekday or weekend, it’s the place to be!

PHOTO BY ROD REILLY

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 15

BOTH PHOTOS BY LISA MEANS

Y

o-ho-ho and whole lotta fun for everyone is always in store during the three-day, pirate-themed John Levique Days, named after the man who discovered John’s Pass after the hurricane of 1848. Taking place at Johns Pass Village at Madeira Beach and sponsored by Johns Pass Festivals, proceeds from this buccaneer extravaganza promote hurricane awareness and support hurricane relief efforts. More than thirty thousand, often-costumed participants such as pirate kid, Alexander Cole, a visitor from the United Kingdom, arrive to engage in activities tailored to every age including a village-wide family treasure hunt, storytelling, and games, culminating in a pirate parade, invasion, and pillaging of the village. Adult pirates partake of the rousing entertainment available at the Pirates Ball, the Pirates Pub Crawl, and the Blokes & Wenches Auction.

16 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

BOTH PHOTOS BY MARIO MORGADO

S

t.

Petersburg’s

Science

Center,

established in 1959, soon became the

prototype

for

similar

facilities

throughout the United States. The center’s focus is explaining science to children through interactive classes and fun learning activities.

More than twenty-two thousand students visit the center each year, and why wouldn’t they?

There they can partake in all of the excitement provided by a six-hundred-gallon Marine Touch Tank, a replica sixteenth-century Indian village, the Spirit of Columbia Theater and Planetarium, and much more. The center also provides mobile outreach programs for schools, nursing homes, and other community organizations as well as onsite lecture series, events, and workshops.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 17

s Farragut cadets assemble in front of the

school during flag-raising ceremonies. The school’s tagline, “Look beyond my uniform,” provides insight into the many layers of the educational experience at the academy.

Admiral Farragut Academy Prepares Students for Success in College and Beyond

A

dmiral Farragut Academy (AFA) is a coeducational college preparatory school that serves students from prekindergarten through twelfth grade, with a boarding program for students in grades six through twelve. The academy’s goals are to educate students to become well-rounded, self-confident, disciplined, independent thinkers, ready to succeed in the nation’s finest colleges. The academy has produced two lunar astronauts (Alan Shepard and Charles Duke); national leaders in the areas of finance, business, philanthropy, and entertainment; as well as scores of military officers.

The curriculum emphasizes the STEM classes: science, technology, engineering, and math.The Upper School curricula also offers extensive course selection in the humanities, arts and social sciences. In addition, the school presents a unique series of elective classes, including 18 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Admiral Farragut Academy

scuba diving, marine science, aviation, Mandarin Chinese, and advanced computer, giving students a tremendous variety of opportunities.

A strong extracurricular program enhances the AFA cadet experience with numerous team participation opportunities in the gamut of sports.

America’s first and foremost Honor Naval Academy, Farragut observes the traditions of the U.S. Navy using a military model to develop leaders. “The founding members of Farragut Academy didn’t want to create a disciplinary school. They wanted to create a college preparatory school to teach self-discipline, integrity, and leadership, which combines with our belief in physical fitness and wellness,” says Captain Robert J. Fine Jr., headmaster.

A Farragut education is a lot more than just learning. “The military model that we use teaches leadership,” says Fine, adding that leaders are found in many areas of interest. “It puts the students in positions of responsibility of their peers, and they have to learn how to work

as a team, lead by example, and get through certain situations.” Beyond learning leadership, students experience a vast array of sports, electives, and community projects, all in a diverse setting among dedicated faculty and staff, many of whom live on campus.

The academy’s goals are to educate students to become wellrounded, self-confident, disciplined, independent thinkers.

A Farragut education means learning to understand people from all walks of life; on average, the student body comprises more than twenty cultures from around the world. The academy’s optional boarding component brings diversity to the school, promoting social understanding between backgrounds. The campus not only includes dormitory housing but also facilities such as a yacht basin, indoor rifle range, full-service dining facility, an infirmary, library, gymnasium, sports facilities, and an aviation ground school.

Continued on page 20

BOTH PHOTOS BY ROD REILLY

s

First-graders share the Earth Day posters they created with others in the classroom. Farragut serves students from prekindergarten through twelfth grade.

Military excellence is introduced in the sixth grade.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 19

s

A high school science teacher oversees students’ lab work during a marine science class, one of the unique electives offered at Farragut that give students a wide variety of learning opportunities.

PHOTO BY DEREK DUDEK PHOTO BY ROD REILLY

Farragut Academy | Continued from page 19

As for faculty, Farragut’s is dedicated to producing critical thinkers and societal contributors—providing guidance in the classroom, in athletics, and in residential life.

“In student surveys, the teaching staff consistently ranks as the number-one thing students say they enjoy about our school,” reports Fine.

Accomplishing its mission to produce successful young men and women is evidenced by Farragut’s college acceptance rate of 100 percent. “College recruiters consistently tell us our students interview extremely well because of the selfconfidence that they bring into the room and how articulate they are,” explains Fine.

Located on thirty-five acres next to Boca Ciega Bay, Admiral Farragut Academy is where education is about learning to be part of a greater community.

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20 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

s

Aviation has been taught at Farragut for years, and in 2008 the school formally introduced the Aviation Academy, a program that allows cadets to work toward their private license while attending core classes. In class, the aviation instructor uses a model airplane to teach principles of flight.

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

S

t. Petersburg has one of the

loveliest natural harbors on the

coast, and Tampa Bay and the Gulf

of Mexico are perfect for sailing. Just ask Doug Sparks, the COO of Offshore Sailing School, who is helming a Colgate 26 sailboat that he uses for the school’s sailing courses. The area around St. Pete is known as Florida’s Suncoast with thirtyfive miles of Gulf Coast shoreline that includes some of the nation’s top-ranked beaches.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 21

s From Ceridian Benefits Services’ beautiful,

high-tech modern campus, more than one thousand dedicated employees reach out to help businesses all across the country, as well as those communities and civic organizations closer to home in need of charitable support.

Ceridian Benefits Services: Serving People in Business and Beyond

G

ood business is about great people, always. Value, trust, and innovation are essential, too, of course. But Ceridian is certain that success in any business is always linked to the capabilities—and possibilities—of its people.

Ceridian Benefits Services, the St. Petersburg–based division of Ceridian Corporation, is a leading provider of employee benefits services that can help businesses tap into those capabilities . . . and beyond.

From a modern, 388,000-square-foot campus equipped with leading-edge technology and state-of-the-art call centers, the company’s more than one thousand employees reach out to large and small businesses all across the country to help employers maximize the value of their workforces.

A trusted partner worldwide for over seventy-five years, Ceridian provides human resources management to 110,000 companies in thirty countries, including to about 75 percent of the Fortune 500 and half of the Financial Times Global 500.

22 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Ceridian Benefits Services

The corporation’s comprehensive suite of services includes not only employee benefits administration, but also payroll and compensation services, HR administration, staffing, compliance, and productivity management.

Throughout a history of innovation— remarkable for such marketplace firsts as Webbased time and attendance services and integrated work-life and wellness programs— Ceridian has brought about great changes to the world of work.

Today, Ceridian Benefits Services is changing the world of business, too.

It helps its customers tackle head-on those business-critical issues that loom larger with every annual report, providing them with the quality resources they need to grow their businesses . . . and to create greater value for its own customers.

How? By eliminating time-suffocating administrative tasks so HR staffs can tackle highervalue work. By offsetting rising health-care costs through savings realized from tax-advantaged, consumer-driven health-care benefits programs.

By enhancing benefits packages to attract and retain high-performing people. And by helping businesses avoid costly fines and penalties by leveraging Ceridian’s vast expertise in compliance and regulatory issues.

Recognized as an industry leader in COBRA/ HIPAA benefits continuation services, Ceridian Benefits Services offers other tailored services as well—from the administration of pretax benefits such as Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Premium Only Plans, and tuition and

commuter plans, to health and welfare benefits administration and the management of employee assistance programs.

But as prominent as Ceridian Benefits Services is in the marketplace, the company also aptly reflects the unique diversity, energy, and friendliness found closer to home in the surrounding Tampa Bay area.

Its rich heritage as a service company and its internally shared values of honesty and integrity have given rise to a culture where “giving back” has become a natural extension of what Ceridian Benefits Services does.

Its employees remain dedicated to improving the quality of life where they work and live, continually fostering and supporting—together as one company—a variety of civic organizations and annual events that help strengthen the local community.

Because whether it’s in the world of business or in a neighborhood across town, Ceridian believes a successful, more beneficial way of working together is a possibility found within us all. In fact, Ceridian is certain of it.

A trusted partner worldwide for over seventy-five years, Ceridian provides human resources management to 110,000 companies in thirty countries.

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St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 23

24 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

ALL PHOTOS BY ALAN DILL

S

ince 1913, people have gathered for an annual

wintertime festival in St. Petersburg that was

originally designed to encourage seasonal residents

and visitors to show off their state’s pride. By the mid1950s, the Festival of States had grown into a celebration of local civic pride, which has evolved into the largest such event in the region. Clown Alley has been a part of the activities since 1972, offering a chance for kids and adults to learn the craft of clowning and demonstrate their talents in the festival’s multiple parades. Other activities include a 5K benefit run for the festival along the waterfront, a scholastic arts and writing competition, a black-tie coronation and pageant, and a musicfest featuring bands from around the region.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 25

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

Bayfront Health System Brings the Best in Health Care to the Community

B

ayfront Medical Center, St. Petersburg’s longest-standing hospital, founded in 1906, has a history almost as long as the history of the city it serves. Seven medical pioneers opened the hospital in a small bungalow with a mere 15 beds, and more than one hundred years later Bayfront Medical Center is an industry-leading medical center.

Today, the hospital is at the forefront of health care and civic leadership. The 502-bed, Joint Commission–accredited health-care facility is a private, not-for-profit acute-care hospital and academic teaching facility. Bayfront is a missiondriven organization that provides more than $20 million in charity care annually.

“We consider ourselves to be the area’s most responsive hospital and a fundamental partner within the community,” said Sue Brody, president and CEO. “We work hard to give back to

organizations that share our desire for a healthy community.”

Bayfront Health System is Pinellas County’s only trauma center and offers unsurpassed care in all areas of practice, including cardiology, orthopedics, cancer care, obstetrics and gynecology, rehabilitation therapy, and neurosciences.

More than twenty-four hundred employees and 570 physicians work at Bayfront. Bayfront Health System also includes Bayflite air-medical flight program, six convenient care clinics, Same Day Surgery, LLC, Bayfront Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center, Bayfront Rejuvenations, Bayfront Family Health Center, and Bayfront Home Health, LLC.

“We consider ourselves to be the area’s most responsive hospital and a fundamental partner within the community,” said Sue Brody, president and CEO.

d 26 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

T

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

he newly renovated Mahaffey Theatre at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts is a key element in the revitalization of downtown St. Petersburg. Progress Energy Florida’s support of the arts helps to

improve the quality of life that is so important to new and existing businesses in St. Petersburg and the surrounding communities.

F

lorida Governor Charlie Crist (left) and St. Petersburg Area Chamber of

Commerce

president

and

chief

executive officer John T. Long (right) are representative of the business and political leaders who join forces at progressive chamber events like the Florida Economic and Job Summit, which is a statewide event focused on Florida’s economy.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 27

s The Raymond James international

headquarters is located on approximately fifty-six acres within the Carillon office park in St. Petersburg and includes four main towers, along with a separate building that houses Raymond James Bank.

At Raymond James, Clients Have Always Come First

I

t’s right there in their mission statement: “Our business is people and their financial wellbeing.” In 1962, Raymond James was founded as a different kind of financial services firm.

While other companies simply sold stocks or mutual funds, Raymond James focused on financial planning for the individual. Financial advisors based their investment decisions on a full understanding of each client’s unique needs and goals.

That client focus remains. In fact, in July 2008, Raymond James ranked “Highest in Investor Satisfaction with Full Service Brokerage Firms in the J. D. Power and Associates 2008 Full Service Investor Satisfaction StudySM.” Today, the St. Petersburg–based company has grown into an international diversified holding company with more than twenty-five hundred offices offering financial services to individuals, corporations, and municipalities. The firm’s businesses include investment banking, equity and fixed-income trading and research, as well as asset management, banking, and a variety of other disciplines.

Raymond James is recognizable for more than its growth. The firm was included in Forbes.com’s 2008 Most Trustworthy Companies list, has been named as a BusinessWeek Customer Service Champ, and is regularly acknowledged for its equity analysts’ stock picking performance in such well-known publications as The Wall Street Journal.

28 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Raymond James

However, even with this growth in size and recognition, Raymond James’ roots are firmly planted in Tampa Bay. More than three thousand associates support the company’s businesses at the international headquarters here. And their impact is felt: the company and its associates are among the largest donors to the area United Way. In fact, a percentage of company profits is set aside for charitable purposes, including matching employees’ United Way gifts up to five thousand dollars per person.

Locally and nationally, the firm supports education through programs such as Junior Achievement, the Florida Council on Economic Education’s Stock Market Game, and Florida’s Partnership to Advance School Success.

In the arts, Raymond James is a major supporter of the Florida Orchestra, the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, and American Stage, whose new theater in downtown St. Petersburg is known as Raymond James Theatre.

Finally, the Raymond James name is closely tied with well-known local venues, including the seventy-thousand-seat Tampa stadium—

Raymond James Stadium—home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and site of the 2009 Super Bowl.

Whether offering financial planning and investment services to individuals, corporations, or municipalities, or supporting the arts, education, health, and well-being in the communities it serves, Raymond James is clearly about serving people.

In July 2008, Raymond James ranked “Highest in Investor Satisfaction with Full Service Brokerage Firms in the J. D. Power and Associates 2008 Full Service Investor Satisfaction StudySM.” The Wall Street Journal does not endorse, sponsor or approve the investment programs of Raymond James. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Raymond James, member SIPC, received the highest numerical score among full service brokerage firms in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Full Service Investor Satisfaction StudySM. Study based on responses from 4,528 investors measuring 19 investment firms and measures opinions of investors who used full service investment institutions. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in April-May 2008. Your experiences may vary. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Visit jdpower.com.

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s

Raymond James employs more than four thousand associates at its corporate locations in St. Petersburg and Southfield, Michigan, as well as internationally. In addition to the firm’s retail private client business in all fifty states, Canada, and Great Britain, the company includes asset management, capital markets, and banking divisions.

BOTH PHOTOS BY MARIO MORGADO

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 29

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

I

f escaping stress and everyday worries floats your boat, then sign up

for

one

of

the

numerous adventures exploring South Florida’s waterways. Whether on a guided photographic tour, an

eco-tour in a sea kayak, or paddling yourself and your canine on an individual adventure, a day on the water will provide plentiful views of local plant and animal life.

D

on’t suffer in traffic when you can breeze past gridlock as a

pleased passenger on the Looper Downtown Trolley. With service offered every fifteen minutes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and extended weekend hours, the Looper eliminates all of the hassles of driving and parking. Named for its circuitous route linking visitors, residents, and workers with shops,

galleries, restaurants, museums, the Pier, and Baywalk, the Looper invites everyone to discover downtown while taking a balmy ride. So hop on board for only twenty-five cents per trip and see the sights.

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

30 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

PHOTO BY ROD REILLY

S

egue from the beaten path

and explore downtown St. Petersburg’s waterfront on

a motorized Segway. “By the end of a tour, the automatically balanced Segway is like an extension of your body,” says David Boston, tour guide. Here, Alan Dobrzeniecki leads Jean Wise and Mary Wise on a smooth and effortless glide along a St. Petersburg downtown marina.

H

istory

galore

is

connected to Snell Isle, but at the moment

James P. Verhulst and his dogs are more interested in taking a walk and getting some exercise. For history buffs, here are the facts: In 1899, C. Perry Snell traveled throughout Europe and developed a taste for luxury living. When he returned to St. Petersburg, he purchased a lot of waterfront property. Snell Isle was a 1928 gift of land to the local Women’s

Club,

which

was

instrumental in getting a bridge built over Coffee Pot Bayou. The bridge, which opened in 1931, made the area more accessible to visitors and residents like James.

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 31

s The dedicated Chamber staff works on

behalf of its more than three thousand members to promote activities that vitalize the local economy for the benefit of all residents. The staff is presented its award for being selected as one of the Top 3 Chambers in North America in 2008. The presentation was made at a celebration party.

St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce: Experience More

F

rom its home near one of the nation’s most spectacular waterfronts, the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce has been a vibrant voice for activities that have shaped the business and community landscape for more than a century.

Noted as the Sunshine City for its record number of sunny days, St. Petersburg annually averages 360 sunny days, with temperatures hovering around seventy-three degrees. With 60.9 square miles of land mass, the highest elevation in the state, the largest municipal marina in the Southeast, and more than 240 miles of shoreline along Tampa Bay, Boca Ciega Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and intracoastal waterways, St. Petersburg is a special kind of paradise for residents and visitors alike.

In this spectacular setting, the largest Chamber in the Tampa Bay region dedicates its efforts to aiding and promoting job retention, business expansion, economic development, tourism, and community enhancement.

For its more than twenty-eight hundred members, organizations, and professionals from all sectors of the business community, the Chamber is a networking and information resource and an active voice for business advocacy bolstered by its engaged public policy committee. Among its

32 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce

programs designed to strengthen the business climate are the state’s only Entrepreneurial

In addition to its emphasis on business and bettering community, the Chamber acts as the

Academy, Leadership St. Pete, the second-oldest leadership program in the nation, and the St. Pete

single best resource for tourism information, touting its city title to home of one of the nation’s

Young Professionals.

The Chamber also partners with public

top-ranked beaches at Fort De Soto Park, one of more than 137 parks set amid some twenty-three

and private organizations to support initiatives that help make this great city even better. For

hundred acres of public land dedicated to recreation. Other public attractions include the

instance, the Chamber was instrumental in preserving the city’s waterfront parks, one of the largest systems in the nation.

That’s quite an accomplishment for a city of nearly 250,000 residents and a region of 1 million people. The median age here is thirty-eight years, and the median household income of just under $35,000 makes St. Petersburg the wealthiest metro area in the state. Yet St. Petersburg remains an affordable city with existing and new homes averaging around $169,000 and $239,000, respectively.

award-winning Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, the historic Sunken Gardens, and the Kopsick Palm Arboretum. Or there is the magnificent St. Petersburg waterfront, one of the many enjoyments that make this city a great place to visit or to call home.

For its more than twenty-eight hundred members, organizations, and professionals from all sectors of the business community, the Chamber is a networking and information resource

d PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

s

Every year, the Chamber recognizes top-performing Pinellas County companies in six categories with its Outstanding Business of the Year Award, a prize that often generates greater exposure and opportunity for growth for its recipients.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 33

PHOTO BY ROD REILLY

T

he upscale, contemporary lobby of the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park is

where guests from around the country gather on their way to visit companies

in Carillon Park, which is nestled in the center of the Gateway District of St.

Petersburg. The hotel’s location makes it a premier choice for corporate lodging as well as for social gatherings of every size and scope. Business travelers also appreciate the hospitality they find at the Hilton, a factor that garnered the Hilton Hotel Corporation’s Connie Award for the hotel. Carillon Park is a multiacre office and residential area that is home to major corporations like Raymond James Financial, Fidelity National Information Services (FIS), Jabil, Valpak, Home Shopping Network, Danka Business Systems, AEGON, Franklin Templeton Investments, Catalina Marketing, and PSCU Financial Services.

34 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

W

ith more than one hundred thousand registered pleasure boats on its rolls, Tampa Bay is a paradise for those who love the sea. The

bay’s marinas include the largest in the state, and its nine boat ramps

are open year-round. Because this shallow stretch of water is shared by day cruisers and cargo ships alike, and is home to one of the world’s most active trade ports, navigating the bay requires an attentive crew. Smaller boats are advised to give a wide berth to commercial vessels, whose dimensions require a harbor pilot to safely guide them to port.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 35

St. Petersburg Times: Preserving Independent Journalism

H

eading toward its 125th birthday, the St. Petersburg Times is Florida’s largest newspaper. To preserve its independence, owner Nelson Poynter, who died in 1978, left the newspaper to a not-for-profit school for journalists, now called the Poynter Institute for Media Studies.

For the Times, journalism quality and business success go hand-in-hand. The paper has won six Pulitzer Prizes and numerous awards for outstanding journalism. The Times also publishes a free daily tabloid, tbt* Tampa Bay Times, and reaches a digital audience far beyond Florida through tampabay.com. Other business lines produce consumer shows (Times Events), mail advertising (Tampa Bay Direct), and an upscale magazine (bay).

The Times company takes its role as

For the Times, journalism quality and business success go hand-in-hand.

s Founded in 1884, the St. Petersburg Times is Florida’s largest

newspaper and one of the largest and last independent newspapers in the nation. It is owned by the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, a not-for-profit school for journalists. The paper has won six Pulitzer rizes and numerous awards for outstanding journalism, so it just makes sense that the Times is where readers go for their daily news, whether they like turning pages or logging on to tampabay.com.

corporate citizen seriously. The St. Petersburg Times Fund Inc. gives nearly $1 million yearly in grants to the arts, social services, and education. Most notable are the annual Barnes scholarships—up to fifteen thousand dollars a year for college— for four area students with outstanding academic records who have overcome difficult odds.

With marketing sponsorships, the Times has put its stamp on the St. Pete Times Forum, a major events arena, International Plaza shopping and entertainment mall, and the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team.

The St. Petersburg Times is a leader in its community, in the state, and in the newspaper industry.

“We have a big stake in the success of the Tampa Bay area, and we do anything we can to enhance its future,” said Paul Tash, the editor, CEO, and chairman of the company.

d 36 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

I

n business since 1925, Derby Lane is the world’s oldest continuously operating greyhound track. Owned nearly since its founding by the Weaver family, the track and its clubhouse have been host to celebrities and sports icons over the years.

In addition to the track, touted as the fastest in the nation, Derby Lane amenities include a six-story clubhouse with multiple

restaurants and the always-relaxing Hearts Martini Bar. Derby Lane is also home to one of the area’s largest poker rooms, featuring live action and tournament play.

E

very year, more than one hundred thousand spectators imagine the thrill of putting the pedal to the metal at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg where “street racing is legal” at least during the three-day event. “This is a 1.8 mile, fourteen-turn track, set on a waterfront circuit through the streets of downtown St. Petersburg,” explains Tip

Nunn, event publicist. Professional drivers and fans alike are gearing up for the fifth anniversary event in 2009, when the Grand

Prix is the opening competition in the Indy Racing League calendar. Owned and operated by Andretti Green, the occasion is accompanied by other crowd-pleasing events including the American Le Mans Series Race, airshow performances, concerts, and drifting exhibitions. The St. Petersburg Area Chamber presents the annual “Yellow Flag” luncheon for sponsors and drivers to kick off race week.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 37

JMC Communities Covers the Pinellas Waterfront: Beautiful Homes in Spectacular Locations

W

ith nearly 587 miles of coastline—including thirtyfive miles of powdery white beaches—Pinellas County offers a personality, an ambience, and a view for every mood. For thirty years JMC Communities has been building awardwinning luxury waterfront condominium communities to match every temperament.

Two distinctly different JMC communities highlight the diversity of its shores and the scope of JMC’s offerings— though each shares the same excellence in design, construction, service, and attention to detail.

In-Town Tropical Luxury. Ovation is an architecturally stunning addition to downtown St. Petersburg. This urban tropical paradise brings together arts, restaurants, academics, a yacht club, an airport, green space, and commerce—all amid exotic banyan trees, swaying palms, and the sparkling waters of Tampa Bay. Ovation commands center stage along coveted Beach Drive in this cosmopolitan center. With just thirty-eight half-floor estate residences, four full-floor penthouses, and three charming city homes, Ovation is an elegant fit for those who are ready to simplify their lives with the convenience and style of city life, but want to retain the space and privacy of a single-family home, while enjoying magnificent views.

Homes feature private elevator lobbies, ten-foot ceilings (twelve feet in the penthouses), grand kitchens with premium appliances (Sub-Zero and Wolf), and spa-like master suites. Spaciousness and graciousness expand further in such community gathering s

The curvilinear design of the twenty-sevenfloor Ovation community, Center-Stage on Beach Drive, in downtown St. Petersburg opens a 180degree vista for residents of the half-floor homes and a 360-degree view for the owners of its four full-floor penthouses. With private elevator entrances, an activity-rich amenity level, and street-level retail shops, Ovation stands for the good life.

38 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

JMC Communities

areas as the grand salon and clubroom, fitness center and spa, and lavish pool and outdoor area that overlook the yacht club, marina, and park.

Old Florida Seaside Gentility. Capitalizing on a markedly different waterfront setting, Sandpearl Residences claim seven hundred feet of award-winning Clearwater Beach, with homes that epitomize relaxed sophistication. These stunning two- and threebedroom condominium homes boast ingenious space planning, expansive owners’ retreats, deep-set terraces, upgraded appliances, and exquisite finishes.

Amenities include elegant club rooms with catering kitchen and billiards, lushly landscaped waterfront pool and spa, and poolside fitness center.

Just next door, the companion five-diamondcaliber Sandpearl Resort invites residents to tap into an array of exclusive services—from the mundane

(housekeeping, car detailing, home repairs) to the magnificent (room service, personal chef, spa

Two distinctly different JMC communities highlight the diversity of its shores and the scope of JMC’s offerings. treatments, and more). These privileges are available nowhere else along the Suncoast.

Each of these communities boasts state-of-the-art construction techniques and a commitment to forward-thinking environmental policies. In fact, Sandpearl is on track to become a LEED-certified resort, with eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and environmentally sound elements built in from the ground up.

Continued on page 40

s

Sandpearl Resort and Residences brings glorious getaway accommodations and luxury living together along seven hundred feet of Clearwater Beach.

Resort guests may choose among five-diamond-caliber rooms or luxury suites. Diversions include spa, beach club, gulf-side restaurants, and shopping. The tower Residences and City Homes boast utter opulence, combining resort amenities, spectacular sunsets, and retail shopping.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 39

s Anchoring Clearwater Beach’s acclaimed renaissance

JMC Communities | Continued from page 39

district, Belle Harbor is a two-hundred-home community that includes captivating City and Marina Homes, as well as condominiums in two stately view-stretching towers. Morning vistas of Clearwater Harbor and sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico complete a long list of amenities, including clubhouse, fitness center, and boat slips.

JMC leads the way in Pinellas County home building in many other ways as well—always anticipating the needs of homebuyers. JMC helped pioneer the renaissance of Clearwater Beach with Mandalay Beach Club and Belle Harbor, and downtown St. Petersburg with Ovation’s neighbor, Florencia. Other awardwinning communities include Meridian and The Grande on Sand Key, The Bellamy on Bayshore in Tampa, and Minorca and Seacrest on New Smyrna Beach.

For more information on JMC Communities, please visit the jmccommunities.com Web site.

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

d

40 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

s

With traditional family homes (complete with front porches) and spacious condominium residences nestled side by side, the community of Dolphin Cay invites residents to become true neighbors. Eighty-eight waterfront acres with protected wetlands, clubhouse, pools, pavilion, tennis courts, boardwalks, and fishing pier offer ample opportunities and venues for gathering.

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

J

ust like all of the doctors and staff at the International Center for Dentistry, Dr. Glen DuPont and his assistants attend to a patient as though she were the practice’s sole customer. DuPont, who attended the University of South Florida on a basketball scholarship for the Bulls, is also one of the team dentists for the Tampa Bay Rays.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 41

CASA: Envisioning Safe Homes, Safe Communities

A

lthough domestic violence can impact an entire community, in south Pinellas

County, there is help. CASA is an organization dedicated to creating peace at home through programs and services geared toward ending domestic violence. Every year, some fifteen thousand men, women, and children turn to CASA for its life-saving services.

Core among these are shelter and transitional housing, helping victims of abuse find refuge, advocacy, and intervention when home is an unsafe place. Through individual or group counseling, CASA also offers work and life skills training, assistance with mental health or substance abuse conditions, safety planning, and personal development. And through community-based advocates, CASA offers cell phones, emergency response, legal advocacy, and more.

CASA is an organization dedicated to creating peace at home through programs and services geared toward ending domestic violence.

The smallest victims of domestic issues also

s CASA advocate assists the needs of a woman

who has called the twenty-four-hour crisis line.

More than ten thousand survivors of domestic violence call CASA’s crisis line each year.

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

receive help through programs like visitation centers, where children can visit nonresidential parents estranged as a result of separation or divorce, and the residential youth center, where kids can begin to heal, with the help of youth advocates, from the pain of witnessing violence in their home.

CASA’s efforts to deter violence include annually training more than ten thousand professionals and community members to recognize signs of abuse and become advocates for victims and survivors. The organization also reaches out to thousands of students through school programs designed to end violent behaviors, teach acceptance, and deter harmful relationships.

More than ninety CASA professionals in three locations serve an area of some 1 million residents. Working alongside hundreds of volunteers, and aided by the community’s monetary and in-kind support, CASA continues to work toward its mission of making home a safe place.

d

42 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

CASA | PARC PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

PARC: Turning Disabilities into Capabilities

S

s PARC Discovery Learning Center

ince 1953, PARC has been helping

roughly five hundred volunteers from the

individuals with disabilities exercise their

community, annually giving some ten thousand

independence and live life to the fullest.

hours of their time.

Started as a small school by a group of parents

Individual and corporate donors, whose gifts

looking for education and support for their own

have topped $3.8 million in a single fiscal year, also

children with disabilities, PARC has become the

ensure that PARC is able to continue providing

area’s premier social service agency serving both

services.

children and adults. Every day more than seven hundred individuals participate in activities ranging from therapies and life skills training to recreation and job training. PARC’s residential and supported-

staff member Jeri holds baby Clarie.

The center’s preschool services help children as young as two months and with developmental or physical challenges learn the skills they need to reach their greatest potential.

PARC has become the area’s premier social service agency serving both children and adults.

living programs assist adults residing in group homes and help individuals with developmental disabilities acquire the skills needed to own their own homes.

PARC’s comprehensive programs aid people

Anyone can help PARC in its mission to offer opportunities through

for

independence.

contributions,

in-kind

Whether donations,

with a wide variety of challenges, but what

community fund drives, or special events like

differentiates PARC is the dedicated staff: four

PARC’s Black Tie Gala, golf tournament, and Mardi

hundred full- and part-time personnel, more than

Gras celebration, members of the community have

90 percent of whom are responsible for direct

a chance to help their neighbors live full, productive

care. Alongside these caring professionals are

lives.

d

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 43

BOTH PHOTOS BY ROD REILLY

D

owntown St. Petersburg also

provides

excellent

opportunities for shopping

and a variety of dining experiences, whether it is elegant or grabbing a beer

after the game.

44 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

T

ampa Bay is the lifeblood of St. Petersburg, offering residents

and visitors opportunities to enjoy the Florida weather.

Whether fishing from a pier, walking along the water’s edge,

spending family time at play, or attending any of a number of public events, St. Petersburg’s bayside parks provide the ideal settings for fun and relaxation.

BOTH PHOTOS BY MARIO MORGADO

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 45

s Designed in a lavish Moorish/Mediterranean

style by Indianapolis architect Henry Dupont and named after the hero of William Vincent Wallace’s opera Maritana, the Don CeSar exemplifies its founder’s grand, romantic vision. It is also an engineering marvel. To avoid the high costs of sinking hundreds of pilings into the shifting sand, the contractors devised a floating concrete pad and pyramid footings to stabilize the massive structure— which remains rock solid to this day.

46 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

The Legendary Pink Palace Offers Guests the Royal Treatment

S

ituated on a pristine, seven-mile stretch of sugar white sands on the Gulf shores of St. Pete Beach, the Don CeSar Beach Resort, A Loews Hotel, is one of Florida’s most famed properties. With a history that reads like an adventure novel and more comebacks than a cat with nine lives, the Don CeSar retains all the romance of a bygone era while offering the best in world-class service and accommodations.

Florida real estate entrepreneur Thomas Rowe built the Don CeSar as an homage to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel on Waikiki Beach. When it opened in 1928, the distinctive “Pink Palace” was pure Jazz Age extravagance, and it quickly became the resort of choice for dignitaries, movie stars, and high-society members from around the world.

Don CeSar Beach Resort

With Rowe’s death in 1940, the Don fell into the hands of its founder’s estranged widow, who eventually sold the property to the U.S. government. It served first as a convalescent center for World War II airmen and later as the Veterans Administration’s head offices. In 1967, unable to keep up with expenses, the VA abandoned the hotel.

In 1971, a group of locals enlisted the aid of local real estate developer William Bowman Jr. to save the Don from the wrecking ball. Two years and half a million dollars later, the property was restored to its former glory. In 2003, it was purchased by Loews Hotels, under whose management it continues as an internationally renowned hotel/resort.

“The Don was built as a monument to Rowe’s love of life,” says Don CeSar’s marketing director Chris Bracken. “It’s one of the things that makes the hotel so unique. Everyone who stays here feels this incredible sense of history.”

Located thirty minutes from Tampa airport, guests arrive at a scenic, unspoiled island locale.

With its top-tier service and amenities, Four Diamond–rated cuisine, on-site shopping, and proximity to golfing, deep sea fishing, sailing, and other regional attractions, the Don is more than just a place to stay; it’s an unparalleled luxury vacation experience.

With the opening of the eleven-thousandsquare-foot Spa Oceana in March 2008, the Don is also poised to become a leader in luxury spa services. Its host of innovative rejuvenation treatments includes massages, mineral glows, nourishing, therapeutic baths, makeup and skin care, and a full-service hair salon.

“The Don was built as a monument to Rowe’s love of life,” says Don CeSar’s marketing director Chris Bracken.

Decidedly family friendly, management and staff go out of their way to ensure that children feel just as welcome as grown-ups. Families can relax together beachside or by one of the hotel’s two Continued on page 48

s

Blending European grandeur, two heated pools, sugar sand beaches, and spectacular sunsets, the romantic legend exemplifies the grandness of America’s traditional beach resorts and is the only historic resort on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 47

Don CeSar| Continued from page 47

outdoor pools, book a fishing trip, rent a variety of watercraft, or play a round of tennis or golf at nearby Isla del Sol. If parents want to get away for a spa treatment or romantic dinner, their kids can enjoy their own brand of fun at the hotel’s on-site activities center for ages four through twelve, Camp CeSar. Accommodations are available at the Don’s 277 guestrooms and suites, or at the nearby Beach House Suites, whose seventy apartments are perfect for group and extended stays.

A marvel of architectural grandeur, the Don naturally attracts those who seek a special locale for life’s big achievements. Twenty-two thousand square feet of indoor function space, sixteen thousand square feet of creative outdoor space, two ballrooms, stateof-the-art electronic equipment, and an expert event planning and catering staff have made the Don a top choice in the region for meetings, conferences, and special events. Each year, over four hundred couples exchange vows inside the hotel’s beautiful Grand Ballroom, outside on the beach, or in the scenic gardens.

s

s

As the Don’s signature four-diamond restaurant, the Maritana Grille is renowned for chef Eric Neri’s inventive Floribbean cuisine, which centers on seafood and steaks grilled to perfection over cherry and pecan wood. Selected by Epicurean magazine as One of the Top 100 Restaurants in Florida, the Maritana also features an extensive list of over 140 wines.

48 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Loews Hotels completed the Don’s most recent renovations at a price of $2.3 million, sparing no expense in restoring the hotel to its original glory, including the complete rejuvenation of the lobby with its piano bar and view-framing windows.

Don CeSar Beach Resort “The Don has always been about creating memories,” says Bracken. “It is most definitely a special occasion hotel, and a place our guests come to time and again to celebrate the important moments of their lives. Everyone who works here feels like they’re part of a great big family, and they extend that feeling to our guests. We all look forward to a whole new era of memories.”

d

s

s

With its picture-book setting, it’s no wonder the Loews Don CeSar Beach Resort is the site of over four hundred weddings each year. Whether a couple dreams of an elegant affair for four hundred guests, or an intimate, beachside exchange of vows, the Don’s professional staff of wedding specialists will capably handle all the details.

s

Couples massage room at Spa Oceana

Each of the Don’s guest rooms and suites include luxury bedding, flat-screen HD televisions, wireless high-speed Internet service, mini-bar, ironing board, hair dryer, and luxury bath products. The Beach House Suites by the Don CeSar offer fully equipped kitchens, separate living room with sofa bed, and an additional bedroom area, making them perfect for families or extended stays.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 49

I

n 1995, American League Champions, Tampa Bay Rays, and the city of St. Petersburg signed a thirty-year contract for the team to play home

games at the ThunderDome. One year later the field was renamed

Tropicana Field. Tickets to opening day in the new arena sold out within seventeen minutes, and the rest is history. Here the Rays play the Boston Red Sox in Tropicana Field, the world’s only professional sports facility featuring an aquarium of cownose rays and the only field combining an artificial surface with all-dirt base paths. The 1.1-million-square-foot arena

offers interactive areas for kids, such as the Rays Baseball Carnival, and for kids-at-heart with popular attractions such as Left Field Street, where fans can play stickball in a realistic New York street alley.

50 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

ALL PHOTOS BY MARIO MORGADO

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—Leading the Way in Sports Tampa Bay Rays 2008—American League Champions Tampa Bay Lightning 2003-2004—Stanley Cup Champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers January 2003—Super Bowl Champions Other Sports Highlights • Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg—Downtown Street Race • St. Petersburg Bowl—College Football • St. Anthony’s Triathlon—Downtown St. Petersburg • Transitions PGA Championship—Copperhead golf course in Tampa Bay • Major League Baseball Spring Training—Tampa Bay

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 51

s Tech Data’s TDSolutionsCenter is a

fifty-five-hundred-square-foot, hands-on, proof-of-concept lab that demonstrates the latest technology products and solutions at the company’s Clearwater headquarters.

Tech Data Corporation: Hometown Business with Worldwide Reach

I

n Clearwater, overlooking Old Tampa Bay, is the worldwide headquarters for Tech Data Corporation, the world’s second-largest IT products distributor. With more than eight thousand employees throughout North America, South America, and Europe, this $23.4 billion company is the largest publicly traded corporation in the state by revenue, ranked 105th on the Fortune 500.

Tech Data has more than one hundred thousand IT reseller customers in over one hundred countries. It distributes products from more than three hundred vendor partners, among the Who’s Who of the industry, including leaders like Apple, Cisco, HP, IBM, and Microsoft. Every day, Tech Data plays a vital role in the IT industry, distributing $90 million worth of products and services that businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies of all sizes rely on to grow their businesses, operate more efficiently, and deliver greater levels of service. Helping to ensure all that technology is deployed on time and accurately is something very 52 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

few companies in the world can match, and Tech Data does it right more than 99 percent of the time.

But Tech Data does much more than ship products. The company provides its customers with a wide range of services designed to help them grow their businesses. For example, Tech Data offers resellers a wide array of sales and technical support; an e-business infrastructure that rivals most Internet leaders; billions of dollars in credit each year; and the fifty-five-hundred-square-foot TDSolutionsCenter, a hands-on, proof-of-concept lab for testing the latest IT products.

Helping to ensure all that technology is deployed on time and accurately is something very few companies in the world can match, and Tech Data does it right more than 99 percent of the time.

d

BOTH PHOTOS BY ROD REILLY

R

ight in the middle of St. Petersburg, Ovonne and Ronald G. Wooten have found the perfect place to

slow down and smell the flowers as they stroll through the Sunken Gardens, St. Pete’s oldest living museum. The grounds were originally carved out of a large sinkhole and shallow lake

by George Turner in 1924. The gardens opened officially in 1934 and were run by the Turner family until recently.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 53

St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport: Your Tampa Bay Gateway!

A

s the closest airport to Pinellas County’s award-winning beaches, St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport’s (PIE) location is very popular with passengers and consistently receives accolades for its friendly staff, convenience, and ease of use.

With commercial airlines, cargo, military, corporate, and private aviation operations, PIE has it all.

The airport was originally a military flighttraining base, and after World War II the property was given to Pinellas County.

Maintaining its military roots, it is home to the world’s busiest Coast Guard Air Station and a U.S. Army Reserve facility.

St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport is also part of a rich aviation history in Tampa Bay. The first ticket for scheduled air travel was sold by the St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line in 1914, and this historic flight piloted by Tony Jannus, from St. Petersburg to Tampa, marked the world’s first commercial flight. A replica of the Benoist amphibious airplane is on display at the airport. Each year PIE cosponsors the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Award, which honors an individual for outstanding contributions to commercial aviation and awards college academic scholarships.

The airport’s two thousand acres are about half airfield/terminal and the other half

54 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

s

An Allegiant Air flight arrives at St. Petersburg– Clearwater International Airport (PIE). Leisure travelers enjoy the low-cost, nonstop flights, the friendly atmosphere, and the convenience at PIE.

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport

commercial real estate. “One of the significant things that sets us apart is our diversity of operations,” said airport director Noah Lagos.

“We have two major business divisions: aviation and real estate. On the aviation side, we provide passenger service, fixed base operations, military, and cargo. On the real estate side we have hotels, restaurants, a business park in a foreign trade zone, and AIRCO, a public golf course.”

PIE offers leisure travelers low-cost, nonstop domestic and international flights to popular southern, midwestern, northeastern, and Canadian destinations. Allegiant Air, PIE’s numberone passenger airline, markets the Tampa Bay area as one of its focus tourism destinations.

Fixed-base operators Signature Flight Support and SheltAir Aviation Services provide hangars, maintenance, and a variety of amenities for private guests and flight crews. Pilot training, aircraft maintenance training, jet charters, and fractional ownership are also offered at PIE.

St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport’s pursuit of excellence continues with its commitment to improving its facilities and customer amenities. Currently, the airport is undergoing major renovations to add passenger loading bridges, improve passenger amenities, redesign ticketing areas, and improve passenger flow. PIE is updating its look and, in partnership with Pinellas County Cultural Affairs, is including a public art signature glass wall to be installed as part of the renovations.

Experience the difference of St. Petersburg– Clearwater International Airport, Your Gateway to Tampa Bay! For more information, visit www.Fly2PIE.com.

“One of the significant things that sets us apart is our diversity of operations,” said airport director Noah Lagos.

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St. Petersburg–Clearwater International is a full-service commercial airport with a restaurant and lounge, newsstand and gifts, duty-free shopping for international passengers, on-site rental cars and taxi service, and visitor information in its baggage claim facility.

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 55

56 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

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atching giant fireworks over the city’s exploding skyline is just one of the many exciting ways people in St. Petersburg celebrate Independence Day. Along the waterfront, numerous celebrations

invite every member of the family to come out and enjoy the fun. Whether it’s a

picnic at a park, a kids’ event or concert at the Pier, or a friendly competition between local athletes, a whole day of activity is planned every Fourth of July. For up-to-date visitor information, call the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce information center at 727-821-4069 or visit 100 2nd Avenue N., Suite 150, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, and use the 24/7 Information Touch Screen.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 57

s AEGON is one of the leading life insurance

and investment organizations in the world. The AEGON companies in St. Petersburg are located lakeside at Carillon Parkway. Western Reserve Life Assurance Co. of Ohio (WRL), Transamerica Asset Management, Inc., and InterSecurities, Inc. (ISI), employ over one thousand associates who daily apply the company’s core values of respect, quality, transparency, and trust.

AEGON: Respect, Quality, Transparency, and Trust

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lthough you may not be familiar with the name, AEGON is one of the leading life insurance and investment organizations in the world. Its core values of respect, quality, transparency, and trust reflect not only the industry the company is in (financial services), but also clearly indicate how the organization conducts business and the priorities of its associates.

The AEGON companies located in Florida are excellent examples of the company’s core values in action. Located lakeside at Carillon Parkway in St. Petersburg, Western Reserve Life Assurance Co. of Ohio (WRL), Transamerica Asset Management, Inc., and InterSecurities, Inc. (ISI), employ more than one thousand people.

Respecting people translates to respecting the environment as well. The AEGON companies print their product and fund prospectuses on disc, reducing paper consumption by five thousand pounds each year. In addition, the AEGON companies are leaders in the Tampa Bay Clean Air

58 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

AEGON

Partnership, with their encouragement of carpooling and alternative transportation.

Another aspect of respecting people is clearly evident in the thousands of hours the associates donate to support and improve the community.

In its Florida location, the AEGON companies have an ongoing Employee Association Committee that coordinates charitable contributions, activities, and events throughout the year. Members of the committee help schedule events and organize resources to provide people and financial support to local organizations serving children and education, arts and culture, and health and civic concerns, including the Pinellas Education Foundation, All Children’s Hospital, Morton Plant Mease Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Florida Blood Services, Habitat for Humanity, the Humane Society of Pinellas, Ruth Eckerd Hall, and the Arts Center, to name just a few.

Awards also tell the story. United Way of Tampa Bay has recognized the AEGON companies as a Cornerstone Company because associates have given over one hundred thousand dollars annually

to the nonprofit for more than ten years. The AEGON companies also received the St. Petersburg Mayor’s Top Apple award for partnering with Rio Vista Elementary School’s mentor program, and received the Community Service Foundation’s Partner of the Year award.

Also notable is the fact that the Transamerica Asset Management Inc. customer service team has won the Dalbar Award for outstanding service to shareholders eight of the last twelve years.

The AEGON companies provide their customers, representatives, and clients with outstanding financial products and services, while also supporting the community of St. Petersburg and the greater Tampa Bay area with equal zest and zeal.

Its core values of respect, quality, transparency, and trust indicate how the organization conducts business and the priorities of its associates.

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In its Florida location, the AEGON companies have an Employee Association Committee whose members coordinate activities and events throughout the year in which AEGON associates can participate.

Local organizations serving children, education, arts/culture, health, and civic concerns benefit from volunteers and charitable contributions.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 59

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

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ou can tell just by looking at her smile that eight-year-old Kalyna Chmielinski is having a great

time. She and her family joined lots of other St. Petersburg residents enjoying an afternoon at the North Shore Pool. The pool has been completely refinished with a pebble-tech surface, and it’s heated so visitors can swim in all weather. Lots of swim teams use the pool, so the best time to swim laps, or just have a good time, is in the morning or early afternoon.

60 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

BOTH PHOTOS BY LISA MEANS

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ood, fun, shopping, and more await visitors to the Pier, an inverted pyramid extending a quarter mile out into Tampa Bay from the St. Petersburg

downtown waterfront. Visitors can spend the day perusing the Pier’s five stories of specialty shops, dining at a variety of restaurants, or learning about the world’s sea creatures in the Pier Aquarium. Other activities at the Pier include fishing, riding bikes, chartering a cruise, or attending any of the numerous events that take place year-round. Henry, and his owner Woody, also offer carriage rides through the city streets for up to six passengers at a time. For additional information, contact the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce information center at 727-821-4069.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 61

Progress Energy Florida Provides Affordable, Reliable, Clean Power

s Progress Energy Florida’s line

technicians maintain about fifty thousand miles of transmission and distribution lines and more than 1 million utility poles.

“

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hen you flip the switch, you expect the power to come on; no questions asked,” said Jeff Lyash, president and chief executive officer of Progress Energy Florida.

“We understand, and we’re committed to providing affordable, reliable, environmentally responsible power for our customers.”

That’s exactly what the company has been doing since 1899. Today their service area covers more than twenty thousand square miles, including St. Petersburg, where its headquarters are located, as well as Clearwater and the Central Florida area surrounding Orlando. It is the largest investor-owned utility in the Tampa Bay area.

62 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Progress Energy

Projections forecast that demand in the area will increase by more than 25 percent over the next decade. To prepare, Progress Energy is investing in state-of-the-art plants to generate electricity as well as sponsoring renewableenergy and energy-efficiency programs.

“We’re proud that Progress Energy leads the nation in energy-efficiency programs,” said Lyash.

“Our Save the Watts education campaign provides simple, low-cost suggestions to reduce energy and energy bills. We also have several programs that encourage customers, businesses, contractors, and builders to use electricity more wisely and to adopt renewable energy technology.

Since 1981, our customers have saved over $900 million in energy costs and eliminated over 7 million tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of removing almost 2 million cars from our roads.”

The company invests in alternative energy technologies, such as solar and biomass.

Progress Energy is partnering with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and

the Florida Solar Energy Center to combine energy production from solar panels installed at K–12 facilities with interactive learning opportunities. Progress Energy also has plans for state-of-the-art generation facilities, including a possible carbon-free nuclear plant in Levy County.

“We understand, and we’re committed to providing affordable, reliable, environmentally responsible power for our customers.”

Progress Energy is the first utility to receive the prestigious J. D. Power and Associates Founder’s Award for customer service and the industry’s highest national honor, the Edison Award. The company was also named Corporation of the Year by the Florida Minority Supplier Development Council and is listed by Site Selection magazine among its Top Utilities Continued on page 64

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Jeff Lyash, president and CEO of Progress Energy Florida, says, “Customer demand for electricity continues to grow, and we have an obligation to ensure that our supply remains as reliable in the future as it is today.”

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 63

Progress Energy | Continued from page 63

for Economic Development.

Progress Energy and its employees are dedicated to their communities. Employees, with matching funds from the Progress Energy Foundation, donated more than five hundred thousand dollars to charities in Pinellas County over the past five years. In addition, the company contributed more than $6 million to nearly seven hundred projects throughout Pinellas County. A few examples include donations to K–12 and higher education initiatives, including the University of South Florida, Eckerd College, and Pinellas Education Foundation. Progress Energy also sponsors major exhibits at the Salvador Dali Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Florida International Museum. Additional support goes to the Tampa Bay Rays, and Progress Energy Florida was an associate sponsor for the annual Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in 2008, which brings world-class auto racing, concerts, and family activities to downtown St. Petersburg.

Clearly Progress Energy is closely tied to the community and will continue to supply clean, reliable, affordable energy and support both today and tomorrow.

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Progress Energy Florida has strengthened the electric system that serves its customers, including significantly increasing the number of pole replacements and targeting highrisk areas for increased tree trimming.

64 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Progress Energy Florida began construction in December 2006 to repower or change the fuel at their Bartow Power Plant in Pinellas County from oil to natural gas. For the duration, the project will bring approximately five hundred high-quality construction jobs to the county, and the repowered, more efficient plant site will help keep electric rates low and add to the local tax base.

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alk to any of the locals who live in and around St. Pete

Beach, and they’ll probably

have a Don CeSar story. They’ll tell you about the thrill of watching the legendary “pink lady” being built. Of movie stars arriving in limos at its doors. Of families enjoying vacation time on the beach. Of intimate dinners with husbands and wives. Still others will talk of their despair at the hotel’s possible destruction and then the jubilation when an entire community rallied to its rescue. Almost everyone here has a Don CeSar memory, and new ones are being made every day as the Don CeSar Beach Resort, A Loews Hotel, is providing visitors from around the world with the luxury vacation experiences of a lifetime.

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he revitalized downtown core of St. Petersburg draws more than 10 million people yearly

with more than nine hundred sports, arts, theatrical, and musical events. Shops, restaurants,

and

the

gamut

of

entertainment possibilities make for action-filled days that spill into the romantic wee hours. But occupants of this glowing coach don’t have to worry about turning into pumpkins at midnight.

They can take in the city lights and sights while being treated like royalty. The hospitality and the accommodations of this waterfront city make anyone feel like Cinderella or her Prince Charming, and better yet, glass slippers are optional.

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 65

s The hotel’s beautifully remodeled lobby is

as distinctive as its service and amenities.

Designed with elegance as well as comfort in mind, it features marble floors, relaxing sitting areas, and a beautiful, custom-made stainedglass entry that bathes the room with color and light.

Enjoy Your Stay at the Clearwater Grand Hotel

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eisure and business travelers seeking a home away from home trust the Clearwater Grand Hotel to provide the best in modern comfort and convenience. Formerly the Radisson Hotel Clearwater Central, this newly independent hotel retains its reputation

for personalized service, top-notch amenities, and genuine warmth and hospitality.

The hotel’s 114 rooms and 34 suites are spacious and thoughtfully outfitted. After a long day of travel, guests can relax with a soak in the spa tub, a cocktail in the lounge, and a leisurely

dinner at the on-site restaurant. A good night’s rest comes courtesy of the hotel’s Sleep Number beds. In the morning, guests will appreciate starting their day with a complimentary newspaper and plated hot breakfast. Additional on-site amenities include an outdoor swimming pool,

66 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Clearwater Grand Hotel

children’s pool, twenty-four-hour fitness center,

the hotel, access to audiovisual equipment,

and room service.

banquet facilities and catering, a ballroom, and

Located just off the Courtney Campbell

meeting rooms.

Causeway, the hotel is the perfect spot from

Today’s guests require more than just a place

which to enjoy the area’s many recreational

to lay their heads after a day of business or leisure.

opportunities. Clearwater Beach, with its white

They seek hotels that, like the Clearwater Grand,

sands and azure Gulf waters, is only eight miles

excel at meeting and anticipating a myriad of

away. Its marina’s Pier 60 is another two miles

traveling needs . . . and, in so doing, make

down the beach. And for those who want to do

everyone feel right at home.

some

shopping and restaurant hopping,

downtown Tampa is only a quick twenty-minute car ride. A knowledgeable and friendly concierge is available daily to answer questions and assist with travel plans.

For business travelers or those needing a convenient venue for a meeting or special event, the hotel features a full-service business center, wireless high-speed Internet access throughout

After a long day of travel, guests can relax with a soak in the spa tub, a cocktail in the lounge, and a leisurely dinner at the on-site restaurant.

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Each of the Clearwater Grand Hotel’s thirty-four suites provide guests with the ultimate in comfort and convenience.

Traveling families especially appreciate the separate sleeping and living areas, which offer the kind of privacy not available in a regular hotel room.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 67

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n its Florida location, AEGON’s Employee Association Committee coordinates activities and

events throughout the year. Employees at the AEGON companies in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area give thousands of volunteer hours and charitable contributions to various good causes in

their local communities to support children, education, arts/culture, health, and civic concerns.

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ach year in April, the annual St. Anthony’s Triathlon gives athletes from around the world the chance to test their mental and physical limits while raising money for worthy causes like the Challenged Athletes of Florida Foundation and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Established in 1983 by St. Anthony’s Hospital, the event has gained recognition as a premier multisport event that attracts high-caliber athletes from around the world. The Olympic-distance race kicks off with a 1.5K swim in Tampa Bay, is followed by a 40K bike race through downtown St. Petersburg, and ends with a 10K run to the finish line.

68 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

PHOTO BY MARIO MORGADO

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amed America’s Top Beach in 2008 by the TripAdvisor online travel network,

Fort De Soto Park features white sands, clear waters, and plenty of ways to

spend the day. Located at the mouth of Tampa Bay, Fort De Soto’s

recreational options include boating, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, fishing, and more.

Comprising five interconnected islands encompassing more than eleven hundred acres, this public park welcomes on average some 2.7 million visitors each year. Portions and accoutrement of the fort for which the park was named remain a part of the site’s points of interest.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 69

s James LaPolla, MD, positions the arms of

the da Vinci S 3DHD robotic system in preparation for a minimally invasive operation at St. Anthony’s Center for Robotic Surgery. The hospital’s robotic technologies allow surgeons to perform procedures that require shorter hospital stays, better outcomes, and quicker recovery times.

St. Anthony’s Hospital: A Tradition of Care and Innovation

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rom its humble beginnings as a fledging hospital rescued by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany in the midst of the Great Depression, St. Anthony’s has grown into one of the finest medical facilities in the Southeast. But more than a place of quality health care, St. Anthony’s has earned a reputation as a hospital for the community.

Offering quality, comprehensive health services for the people of St. Petersburg and neighboring communities, St. Anthony’s has built a reputation for delivering compassionate care in an environment of dignity and respect. It is a philosophy of caring built on the steadfast determination of the founding Sisters and carried over by a dedicated team of physicians, nurses, staff, and volunteers who believe their responsibility and privilege are to deliver exceptional service.

70 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

St. Anthony’s Hospital

Premier among St. Anthony’s programs is a complete complement of diagnostic, medical, interventional, and surgical services through the hospital’s Vascular Center. From medical therapies and nonsurgical treatments to surgical repair of blocked arteries and veins, the center’s team and technologies combine to provide answers for patients with vascular conditions.

St. Anthony’s has always been a forerunner in innovation, securing tried-and-true technologies for the benefit of patients. The first to introduce St. Petersburg to the revolutionary da Vinci® S HD Surgical System, the hospital made it possible for surgeons to turn major operations into minimally invasive procedures through incisions no larger than a thimble.

St. Anthony’s programs for women include the Susan Sheppard McGillicuddy Breast Center, where a relaxed setting serves as the backdrop for services ranging from care coordination and counseling to diagnosis and treatment. Using two digital mammography units, ultrasound imaging, a

bone density unit, and computer-aided diagnostics, the center’s team addresses the specific needs of patients with breast health concerns.

St. Anthony’s is also home to the Center for Intestinal Continence, providing surgical alternatives for colorectal diseases or other conditions that deprive patients of their ability to live carefree. The center offers patients a chance at a restored quality of life when other treatments have failed.

When persistent wounds from circulation

St. Anthony’s has built a reputation for delivering compassionate care in an environment of dignity and respect. problems, ulcers, infections, and other issues inhibit patients, St. Anthony’s Wound Healing Center provides treatments such as oxygen flow Continued on page 72

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

PHOTO BY ROD REILLY

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St. Anthony’s team member Sunrise Rhymes takes Vercina Miller to admissions.

The people of St. Anthony’s believe it is their privilege and responsibility to deliver quality, compassionate care for the people of St. Petersburg and neighboring communities.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 71

St. Anthony’s Hospital | Continued from page 71

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monitoring, pulse evaluation, state-of-the-art dressings, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and more.

Patients dealing with problems arising from sleep issues can also get help through St. Anthony’s Sleep Disorders Center, offering testing, diagnosis, and treatment for everything from insomnia to sleep apnea.

Bringing care closer to the community are St. Anthony’s outpatient facilities, the Carillon Outpatient Center, the Physicians Surgery Center, and the Tyrone Imaging Center. Along with state-of-the-art imaging technologies, these outpatient centers offer services such as physical and occupational therapies, rehabilitation and sports medicine, diabetes management, nutrition counseling, and fitness programs.

A not-for-profit organization, St. Anthony’s relies on the generosity of donors to sustain its mission of delivering quality care using the latest advances in medicine. Supporting this mission is St. Anthony’s Hospital Foundation, working hard to ensure that the giving continues through campaigns and special events like an annual gala and a Healthy Future for Women Luncheon, which features a keynote speaker on specific health topics.

BOTH PHOTOS BY ROD REILLY

72 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

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(Left to right) Claudia Bundschu, MD, co–medical director of the Susan Sheppard McGillicuddy Breast Center at St. Anthony’s Hospital, reviews digital breast images with radiologist Matthew Rahaim, MD. The center’s tranquil setting enhances care delivered by dedicated professionals using the latest technologies.

Larry Williams performs surgery on a patient at St. Anthony’s Vascular Center. The center’s specialists offer a full complement of services for the specialized needs of patients with vascular issues, from medical treatments to minimally invasive procedures to surgical repair of arteries and veins.

St. Anthony’s Hospital

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

s Virginia Russell, attendant at the information desk in St. Anthony’s

main lobby, is the smiling face and cheerful voice who first greets patients and visitors. St. Anthony’s team members have enhanced its reputation as the community’s hospital by continuing the tradition of caring first delivered by the hospital’s founding Sisters.

St. Anthony’s Hospital also offers one of the nation’s largest multisport events, the St. Anthony’s Triathlon. Since 1984, this racing event has grown to become a global competition and qualifier for the Ironman Triathlon World Championship, attracting triathletes from all over the globe.

St. Anthony’s gives to the community from which it receives through funds, inkind donations, and hands-on support to other organizations that help neighbors in need. This spirit of giving and the drive to make a difference have earned St. Anthony’s a beloved reputation as the community’s hospital.

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Elisabeth Witzel receives instruction by physical therapist Zoltan Bouwhuis during an outpatient rehabilitation session held at the St. Anthony’s Carillon Wellness Center.

PHOTO BY ROD REILLY

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 73

ALL PHOTOS BY MARIO MORGADO

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he world’s most comprehensive collection of works by the renowned Spanish surrealist can be found at the Salvador Dali Museum, where

thousands of pieces created by the artist from 1914 to 1980 are on permanent and rotating display. The museum holds the private collection of Ohio industrialist A. Reynolds Morse and his wife Eleanor Reese, who were close friends of Dali and his wife Gala. In addition to its Dali exhibits and changing displays of works by other artists, the museum serves as a resource for educators

and offers a variety of lectures, workshops, and special events.

74 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

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he Florida Holocaust Museum is one of the largest such museums in the country. It was

made possible by local businessman and philanthropist Walter P. Loebenberg—who escaped

from Nazi Germany in 1939 and served in the U.S. Army during World War II—working

with a group of businesspeople and community leaders. In the museum’s first year in its new downtown location, it drew more than sixty-five thousand visitors.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 75

s As part of the comprehensive liberal arts

college prep curriculum at Shorecrest Preparatory School, working artist and upper-division fine arts teacher Charla Gaglio helps one of her students master the tricky skill of throwing a bowl on a pottery wheel. In addition to pottery, fine arts courses include everything from performing arts to playwriting, digital photography, and sculpture.

Shorecrest Preparatory School: Expect the Best “Shorecrest is like my second home, and I’m part of a big extended family.”

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ou’ll hear statements like that frequently from current students, and alumni as well. Since its founding in 1923, Shorecrest teachers and staff have taken pride in creating a culture that is centered on knowing, caring about, and challenging each and every student.

Situated on twenty-eight lush acres, Shorecrest is a coeducational, college preparatory school serving students from pre-K through high school. Shorecrest recently built a new high school, Landy Hall, and began construction on a new seventh- and eighth-grade academic center.

The school’s philosophy encompasses a comprehensive liberal arts college prep curriculum while encouraging students to develop a sense of their responsibility as leaders in school and community programs.

76 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Shorecrest Preparatory School

One of the distinctive features of Shorecrest is the college counseling department.

Counselors begin the college search process with students in their freshman year. They work to match students with colleges for the best fit.

Students and their parents are guided through the application, scholarship, and financial aid processes.

“One hundred percent of our graduates go to college, and our students receive millions of dollars in scholarships each year,” said Diana Whittle, director of communications and marketing. “We want to prepare our students for the world beyond Shorecrest, so that they are successful in college and also in life. Many of our alumni credit Shorecrest’s stellar faculty, our close-knit community, and our character development emphasis for their success.”

Colleges these days are looking for wellrounded students, and Shorecrest definitely produces them. The offerings are too numerous to list, but here are some interesting highlights.

Teachers who are working artists teach fine arts courses, which include everything from performing arts to playwriting, digital

photography, and sculpture. Students excel in the Spanish, French, and Latin programs. Twenty-four Advanced Placement (college-level) courses and an array of honors-level courses are available. The school fields forty-two competitive athletic teams.

Technology is embedded at all levels, and fourthgraders are blogging around the world. All students volunteer in the Service Learning program, which not only gives countless hours to the community, but also explores the learning aspect in such projects as building a house for Habitat for Humanity, pet rescue, or environmental reclamation.

Perhaps the best endorsement for Shorecrest comes from students who are quick to say they love to go to school there. Who could ask for anything more?

“One hundred percent of our graduates go to college, and our students receive millions of dollar in scholarships each year,” said Diana Whittle, director of communications and marketing.

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Shorecrest Preparatory School, which opened in 1923, is the oldest independent day school in Florida. It is a coeducational, college preparatory school serving students such as these two middle school pupils who are hard at work researching a project for their social studies class. The student population ranges from pre-kindergarten through high school.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 77

s Dr. Tedder performing an arthroscopic

shoulder stabilization procedure.

BaySports Orthopaedics Specializes in Sports Medicine

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t’s the perfect serve, the brilliant assist, the winning run, the impossible first down. Tampa/St. Pete is perfect for sports year round. But putting forth the ultimate effort to be a weekend superstar can sometimes result in knee or shoulder injuries. That is where BaySports Orthopaedic Specialists and Dr. Jeffrey Lee Tedder come in.

Dr. Tedder is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who is fellowship trained in orthopaedic sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery. His services include the treatment of sports injuries to the knee, shoulder, hip, back, foot, ankle, and elbow. With a main office in St. Petersburg and a branch in Tampa, BaySports Orthopaedic Specialists is a center for the evaluation and treatment of all sports medicine injuries. When surgery is called for, arthroscopic surgery plays a key role in Dr. Tedder’s treatment plan. While sports medicine is a major part of Dr. Tedder’s practice, he sees a variety of patients of all ages with a plethora of injuries and disorders. He also performs a variety of surgeries that include hand surgery, surgery for trauma, and joint replacement. His practice takes most all types of insurance and also accepts patients who have been involved in industrial accidents.

“There was a time when sports medicine was thought of mainly as repairing athletes’ traumatic injuries,” said Dr. Tedder. “However, now sports medicine is recognized as a medical

78 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

BaySports and Orthopaedic Specialists

science that is expanding the understanding of the body’s response to all forms of physical activity.

Although I do see professional and intercollegiate athletes in my practice, I can also help anyone who plays sports prevent and recover from injuries such as strains, sprains, dislocations, ligament ruptures and cartilage injuries.”

Dr. Tedder is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is also an active member of the Arthroscopy Association of North America. He received his bachelor of science degree from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He then attained his M.D. degree at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Dr. Tedder performed his surgical internship at Cornell University and completed his orthopaedic residency at Einstein School of Medicine in New York City. He was awarded a Sports Medicine fellowship at the renowned Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama, where he trained under the internationally known James R.

Andrew, M.D., and William G. Clancy, M.D. Dr. Tedder has been practicing in the Tampa Bay area since 1993. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons and is on the attending staffs of many local hospitals and surgery centers. He sits on the Board of Trustees of one of these local hospitals. He also provides orthopaedic team coverage for several local schools.

He is a past member of the board of directors of the American Heart Society and is an annual contributor to the United Way and the Humane Society. Dr. Tedder sponsors a local softball team named the “Tedder Bears.”

While sports medicine is a major part of Dr. Tedder’s practice, he sees a variety of patients of all ages with a plethora of injuries and disorders.

s Jeffrey Lee Tedder, M.D.

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Dr. Tedder’s cheerful staff members are always ready to care for your sports injury.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 79

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he Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg reflects the vision of

founder Margaret Acheson Stuart

to share outstanding art in an elegant setting, increase art appreciation, and protect precious works. The building, designed by architect John Volk, with its carpeted galleries and gracious gardens, evokes a quiet, welcoming ambience inviting guests such as Sonny Glatting (left) and Marcel Seamples to stay awhile and view a collection extending from antiquity to present including paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, watercolors, photographs, and ceramics. The museum hosts special music events and exhibitions throughout the year and offers an exquisite facility—the Marly Room—for catered events.

BOTH PHOTOS BY LISA MEANS

80 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

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ince 1977, American Stage has promoted interest in the theatrical arts for people in the Tampa Bay area. In addition to six main-stage productions

each season, the theatre group performs in area schools and offers a summer camp for kids. In 1986, the group

launched its American Stage in the Park program, featuring ten free outdoor performances every spring.

(Right) B. J. McNally and Gisela Ritter take a break from the highly acclaimed 2008 American Stage in the Park production of The Pirates of Penzance. Despite the generosity of supporters and its ability to annually attract thousands of attendees, the theatre struggled to find a permanent home until it entered into partnership with St. Petersburg College to build a new theatre in downtown St. Petersburg in 2009. The new location will also host the corporate offices of the Florida Orchestra.

BOTH PHOTOS BY ROD REILLY

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 81

s The Franklin Templeton tower is one of

five buildings on the company’s nineteenacre corporate campus in the Carillon Business Park. Conveniently located between downtown St. Petersburg and Tampa, the setting is not only relaxed but it also makes for a quick commute from the nearby interstate. The campus serves as Franklin Templeton’s primary East Coast call center and administrative services facility.

Franklin Templeton Investments: “Gain from Our Perspective”

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enjamin Franklin said that a “penny saved is a penny earned,” but he also said “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” In 1947, the legacy of Franklin’s proven wisdom persuaded Rupert H. Johnson Sr. to name his new company Franklin Distributors Inc., and its first line of mutual funds, Franklin Custodian Funds, was designed to appeal to most investors. Knowledgeable management and strategic acquisitions combined with a conservative culture enabled the company to go public in 1971, and by the 1990s the acquisition of Templeton, Galbraith & Hansberger Ltd. expanded its reach into Europe and Asia.

82 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Franklin Templeton Investments

Today, Franklin Templeton Investments, headquartered in San Mateo, California, operates offices throughout the United States and in twenty-nine countries. The organization provides investment solutions for individuals, pension plans, trusts, partnerships, and other clients in more than 150 countries through their Franklin, Templeton, Mutual Series, Bissett, Fiduciary Trust, and Darby Overseas brands.

Franklin Templeton is recognized as a premier global investment management organization. The company’s growth has been built upon the organization’s core values that mandate putting clients first, building strong and enduring relationships with clients and partners, focusing on quality, and working with the highest integrity.

The company is committed to providing programs and services that attract and retain quality employees. Their comprehensive benefit offerings, along with a work/life balance philosophy, allow Franklin to offer a very

attractive package. Some of these include comprehensive health plans, generous time-off benefits, tuition assistance, Resource & Referral and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), onsite fitness centers and game rooms, and

The organization provides investment solutions for individuals, pension plans, trusts, partnerships, and other clients in more than 150 countries. retirement planning tools.

Franklin Templeton also believes that it has a responsibility to make the communities in which it operates stronger and more vibrant places to live, work, and do business. Through direct contributions and employee volunteerism, the company works with over three hundred nonprofit organizations and schools and supports causes that are important to employees with the Continued on page 84

BOTH PHOTOS BY LISA MEANS

s

Two on-site workout rooms support Franklin Templeton’s work/life balance philosophy, offering employees the opportunity to unwind in a healthy way with cardio and weight training machines, free weights, and areas for classes such as aerobics and yoga. A paved pathway around the campus lake is a favorite of walkers, joggers, and rollerbladers.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 83

Franklin Templeton | Continued from page 83

Employee Matching Gifts Program. Employees share their time and talent to address critical needs in local communities around the world— from park restoration to tutoring, serving meals to building low-income housing. The St. Petersburg office, for example, in a partnership with the Doorways Mentoring Program, works with at-risk youth, providing donations to the program and pairing employee mentors with local middle school students. Funds from golf tournaments and other activities coordinated by volunteers fund college scholarships for Doorways graduates.

Franklin Templeton Investments has grown from being recognized as one of the best small companies in America to being considered a premier global investment management organization. The company offers clients a valuable perspective shaped by its six decades of experience, investment expertise, and growing global reach.

d

s In addition to numerous amenities, employees can choose from two

on-campus cafés, or they may opt to eat lunch outside in one of the shaded seating areas surrounding the central courtyard fountain. Here employees walk from the Tower toward the Courtyard area.

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BOTH PHOTOS BY LISA MEANS

Equipped with videoconferencing capabilities, Franklin Templeton’s 127-seat auditorium provides the perfect venue for all-company meetings or department gatherings.

The sales team meets here to discuss industry trends and strategies.

84 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

O

tis Howard takes a break

on his porch in historic

Kenwood. Located west

of the downtown area, historic Kenwood is one of more than one hundred St. Petersburg neighborhoods listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The neighborhood’s streets are lined with more than one thousand homes, many dating back to the 1920s and built in a bungalow design. Residents of historic Kenwood are proud of their neighborhood, and it shows—in annual events like the BungalowFest home tour, a founder’s day celebration, and an Easter egg hunt.

ALL PHOTOS BY MARIO MORGADO

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 85

s Each of the eleven private treatment

rooms at the ICFCD offices provides a bird’seye view of St. Petersburg’s waterfront and bay. The open and bright environment takes the edge off of a doctor’s visit, and patients may even enjoy a complimentary smoothie during their appointments.

International Center for Complete Dentistry: A Healthy Smile and a Smoothie by the Bay

S

ometimes the wishes of a young delivery boy on a bike actually do come true. Such is the case with Peter E. Dawson, who envisioned his own building on the bay as he pedaled along St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront in 1943. Dr. Dawson never forgot that vision as he completed his dentistry degree at Emory University in Atlanta. Returning to St. Petersburg, he focused on building his practice and finding funds for the multipurpose plaza skyscraper that he had long imagined, finally breaking ground in 1977 on 1st Street and 2nd Avenue NE. He had a dream of developing a complex with offices, shops, and restaurants, a place that would revive the waterfront, and he made that dream a reality with the sixteen-story Plaza Tower building. It was really a starting point for the downtown area and is still standing today.

On the eleventh floor of the Plaza Tower is the home of the International Center for Complete

86 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

International Center for Complete Dentistry

Dentistry (ICFCD), where Dr. Glenn DuPont, Dr. DeWitt Wilkerson, Dr. Kenneth Grundset, Dr. Kimberley Daxon, and Dr. C. Jeff Scott continue Dr. Dawson’s legacy.

Dr. Dawson, now retired, founded the practice along with Pete Roach, DDS, and went on to become a prominent educator, clinician, and author. He also founded a postgraduate teaching facility, the Dawson Academy, which is adjacent to the dental practice. Today dentists from around the world come to the Dawson Academy to learn, from him and ICFCD doctors, some of the best dental procedures using the Concepts of Complete Dentistry.

This philosophy encompasses studying the whole mouth for harmony and examining the complete structure of a person’s chewing system including jaw joints, teeth, bone health, and surrounding tissue and muscle. This approach has resulted in a worldrenowned practice that not only solves complex problems but prevents them.

ICFCD makes a visit to the dentist a comfortable, relaxing environment with amenities

such as Tempur-Pedic dental chairs, warm hand mitts, soups, and even smoothies. Patients enjoy a panoramic view of the city and bay front from each of eleven private treatment rooms. A collaborative group of dentists, a prosthodontist, and an on-site dental lab provide the convenience and expertise that set ICFCD apart. The culture is designed for patients to feel warm and welcome and for their visits to be positive personal experiences.

The practice invites all patients, from those needing preventive care to those with challenging

ICFCD makes a visit to the dentist a comfortable, relaxing environment with amenities such as Tempur-Pedic dental chairs, warm hand mitts, soups, and even smoothies. complex dental concerns. The dental practice’s reputation for quality care and knowledge attracts U.S. and international patients who hear about Continued on page 88

BOTH PHOTOS BY MARIO MORGADO

s

A visit to the dentist isn’t usually a day at the beach, but the doctors and staff at ICFCD aim to alter that with relaxing amenities that put patients at ease. Warm hand mitts, eye masks, soft blankets, warm or cool scented hand towels, massaging neck pillows, and stereo headphones for radios or CDs are a few of the thoughtful elements that change a dentist visit to a spa experience.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 87

ICFCD | Continued from page 87

the practice primarily through word of mouth from satisfied patients and other dentists or physicians. The ICFCD team also enjoys helping out-of-town patients locate the right accommodations, restaurants, and fun spots around the city. This generosity extends to community services—the staff volunteer regularly for the Ronald McDonald House, participate in Give Kids a Smile campaigns, and donate hair to Locks of Love—but their service also reaches beyond America’s borders. Each year since 2004, doctors and staff take their skills to Romania, where many people have never received dental care.

The most current technology, education, and experience and a group of dental professionals who offer general as well as specialty health care bring ICFCD to the forefront in the dental field, but according to the staff, the most important element of their care is the lifelong relationships they nurture with each and every patient by “leading the way to innovative professional care.”

d

patients but allows on-the-spot changes to dental work such as shading adjustments while the customer waits. Here, only the newest porcelain materials are used for building crowns with no unsightly metal understructures, and the lab technician can work with the patient and staff directly to ensure satisfaction.

s

BOTH PHOTOS BY MARIO MORGADO

s An on-site lab with state-of-the-art technology not only saves time for

88 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

At the ICFCD, devoting personal time with every patient makes for a calm and informative experience. Here a team of doctors discusses a patient’s CT scan in one of the facility’s comfortable consultation rooms.

Though thoroughly equipped to care for complex- needs patients, the center also provides routine preventive dental health care.

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS

O

K, when you live in or visit a city with an average of 360 days a year of sunshine, what is the one thing you

should not be without? Absolutely, an umbrella. And

although this one is meant to provide shade on a sunny day, you might want to have a small umbrella for the five days a year when the skies aren’t clear. It’s no wonder that St. Petersburg, nicknamed the Sunshine City, is such a popular destination site for vacationers from Europe and all over the United States. Originally, the city was also a popular place to retire, but in recent years the demographics have shifted to a younger population where the average age is now thirtyeight years old.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 89

s The Conax Florida Class 10,000 Clean

Room is required to clean and put together sensitive valve assemblies used in numerous aerospace applications. Conax Florida Corporation supplies its specialty valves to NASA, as well as the domestic and international satellite communities. The Space Shuttle and the Mars Surveyor are just two examples of the programs that Conax Florida Corporation products support.

Conax Florida: In the Business of Building Trust

A

s a designer and manufacturer of high-tech emergency life support systems, Conax Florida Corporation provides peace of mind to clients across the globe working in the military,underwater, commercial aviation, and aerospace industries.

Founded in 1949 in Buffalo, New York, as the Stored Energy Division, the company relocated to St. Petersburg in 1983 and was renamed Conax Florida Corporation. Today it is a business unit of Cobham plc, a global organization engaged in the development, delivery, and support of leading-edge aerospace and defense systems. With annual revenues exceeding $5 billion, Cobham employs over ten thousand individuals on five continents and serves customers and partners in over one hundred countries. Conax Florida itself currently supports over two hundred highly skilled professionals at its St. Petersburg facility.

Conax Florida’s heritage in the spaceflight industry goes back to the early 1950s with its development of electro-explosive devices. It pioneered the very first metal-to-metal seal pyrovalve, which was first used in the Mercury space program. Because this technology substantively

90 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Conax Florida

eliminates the necessity to utilize O-rings for sealing purposes, they ensure the greatest level of safety possible in aerospace flight. As a result, Conax Florida’s pyrotechnic systems are utilized on the majority of today’s major launch vehicles and satellites, and on the Space Shuttle.

In addition, its life support systems are found in nearly every industry in which workers face potential peril, whether on land, under the water, or in the air. These include lightweight, low-profile, water-activated life preservers; rugged harnesses and restraints designed for easy on and off; egress lighting; and parachute restraints.

For the aerospace industry, their pyrotechnic actuators and cutters, propulsion pyrovalve, service valves, stored gas systems, and parachute releases are second to none. In fact, with proprietary or patented technology on the majority of its systems, Conax is the sole source of choice for many of its customers.

As a fully ISO9001:2000 and AS9001:2004 certified facility, Conax also specializes in designing solutions to specific and unique customer problems, building highly complex and tight-

toleranced products to exacting customer print specifications.

Its specialized capabilities include an extensive in-house environmental laboratory that provides the ability to fully accomplish onsite qualification and lot-acceptance testing in a wide variety ofconditions. Furthermore, its state-of-the-art Class 10,000 Clean Room includes Laminar Flow work areas for production, assembly, and contamination control on sensitive products, while a precision machining and model shop affords unique flexibility and rapid response in product design.

When you spend your day working in the service of others, it helps to know someone is looking out for your interests as well. For the millions of men and women employed in the military, avionics, underwater, and aerospace industries, that someone is Conax Florida.

Conax Florida’s pyrotechnic systems are utilized on the majority of today’s major launch vehicles and satellites, and on the Space Shuttle.

d BOTH PHOTOS BY ROD REILLY

s

Conax Florida Life Support equipment for military pilots is either man-mounted (part of the individual pilot’s equipment) or seat-mounted (part of the ejection seat).

Seat-mounted components demand careful integration with many ejection seat configurations on a variety of aircraft. The U.S. military as well as numerous foreign governments use Conax Life Support equipment to maximize pilot survivability in the event of over-water ejections.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 91

Featured Companies Admiral Farragut Academy

School—Preparatory (p. 18-20)

501 Park Street North St. Petersburg, Florida 33710 727.384.5500 www.farragut.org

Admiral Farragut Academy is a coeducational, college preparatory school that observes the customs and traditions of the U.S. Navy. The school serves students from prekindergarten through twelfth grade, with a boarding program available starting in grade six. In academics, emphasis is on four key areas: science, reading and writing, technology, and foreign language. Unique electives include sailing, marine science, aviation, scuba diving, riflery, and Mandarin Chinese.

AEGON

Insurance and Investment Company (p. 58-59)

570 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 727.299.1800 www.aegonins.com

AEGON is one of the world’s leading life insurance and investment organizations, employing approximately thirty thousand people worldwide. The AEGON companies of Florida are located in the Carillon Parkway area of St. Petersburg and employ a local workforce of more than one thousand people.

Bayfront Health System 701 6th Street Health Care—Hospital System (p. 26) South St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 727.823.1234 www.bayfront.org

Among the Top 100 Best Companies to Work For and the recipient of numerous awards such as the Best Nursing Team in Florida and the Above and Beyond Award, Bayfront Health System and Bayfront Medical Center meet the mission of “Quality healthcare for all we serve.” Such accolades and a century of superior service from doctors and nurses give confidence and comfort to patients that their health will always be in the best of hands.

BaySports and Orthopaedic Specialists

Medical Practice (p. 78-79)

Administrative Office 5015 4th Street North St Petersburg, Florida 33708 727.522.8838 www.flasportsdoc.com

BaySports and Orthopaedic Specialists is headed by Dr. Jeffrey Lee Tedder, a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who is fellowship trained in orthopaedic sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery. His services include the management of a wide range of care including treatment of sports injuries to the knee, shoulder, hip, back, foot, ankle, and elbow.

CASA

Nonprofit (p. 42)

P.O. Box 414 St. Petersburg, Florida 33731 727.895.4912 www.casa-stpete.org

CASA is an organization dedicated to creating safe homes and communities through programs and services for victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

Ceridian Benefits Services 3201 34th Street South St. Petersburg, Florida 33711 727.864.3300

Human Resources Company (p. 22-23)

800.729.7655 www.ceridian.com

Ceridian Benefits Services is a division of Ceridian Corporation, a global business services company that helps its customers maximize the power of their people, lower their costs, and focus on what they do best. The company’s suite of innovative managed human resource solutions includes employee benefits administration, payroll and compensation, staffing, compliance, HR administration and employee assistance programs, work-life, health and wellness, and productivity management solutions.

92 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Clearwater Grand Hotel

Lodging—Hotel (p. 66-67)

20967 Highway 19 North Clearwater, Florida 33765 727.799.1181 www.clearwatergrand.com

Formerly the Radisson Hotel Clearwater Central, this newly independent 148room hotel is designed to provide business and leisure travelers with every comfort and convenience.

Conax Florida

Manufacturing—Emergency Life Support Systems (p. 90-91)

2801 75th Street North St. Petersburg, Florida 33710 727.345.8000 www.conaxfl.com

Devoted to the design, development, qualification, and manufacturing of hightech emergency life support systems, Conax Florida provides millions of men and women working in the military, underwater, aerospace, and commercial avionics industries with invaluable peace of mind.

Don CeSar Beach Resort, A Loews Hotel

Lodging—Resort (p. 46-49)

3400 Gulf Boulevard St. Pete Beach, Florida 33706 727.360.1881 www.loewshotels.com

Franklin Templeton Investments

Known as the legendary Pink Palace, the Don CeSar Beach Resort, A Loews Hotel, was completed in 1928 and became one of the era’s most celebrated luxury hotels. After years of neglect, it reopened in 1973 to its former glory, and in 2003 came under the management of Loews Hotels. Located on a beautiful stretch of white sand beach, the Don CeSar caters to a new generation of visitors seeking a luxury vacation experience and a place to create a lifetime of memories.

Financial Institution—Investment Services

(p. 82-84)

100 Fountain Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716-1205 800.632.2350 www.franklintempleton.com

For six decades the representatives of Franklin Templeton Investments have invested the money of clients as though it were their own. Guided by Benjamin Franklin’s advice of frugality and integrity, the firm has grown to become a worldwide investment solutions strategist that focuses on the best results for every client. With offices around the globe, the specialists at Franklin Resources provide personalized service with a foundation of international market knowledge.

Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park

Lodging—Hotel

(p. 12-15)

The Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park is the perfect place to stay for any 950 Lake Carillon Drive business or leisure trip. The hotel features luxurious rooms and suites, LUNA St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 727.540.0050 restaurant and lounge, business and recreation amenities, and meeting space www.hiltonhotelstpete.com for gatherings of every size and scope. The hotel received the Hilton Hotel Corporation’s Connie Award for its standards of hospitality.

International Center for Complete Dentistry 111 2nd Avenue NE Suite 1104 St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 727.821.4433 www.icfcd.com

Cosmetic and Restorative Dental Practice

(p. 86-88)

Whether providing general care or solving complex dental problems, the doctors and staff at the International Center for Complete Dentistry (ICFCD) strive to make every patient’s visit a pleasant and positively memorable experience. With specialists on-hand and an on-site laboratory, patients receive the quality care, comforting amenities, and timely service that have earned ICFCD a worldwide reputation as a premiere dental health facility.

JMC Communities

Real Estate—Builder

2201 4th Street North Suite 200 St. Petersburg, Florida 33704 727.823.0022 www.jmccommunities.com

What could be more exhilarating than stepping onto your own terrace each morning to watch seabirds soaring overhead, waves lapping at the shore, and boats drifting on the horizon? For thirty years, JMC Communities has brought just such tableaux to more than four thousand Florida homeowners, primarily in Pinellas County. And, as a well-managed, conservatively paced hometown builder, JMC looks forward to sharing its love of the local landscape with families for generations to come.

(p. 38-40)

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 93

PARC

Nonprofit (p. 43)

3190 Tyrone Boulevard North St. Petersburg, Florida 33710-2919 727.345.9111 www.parc-fl.org

PARC is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to exercise their independence, enjoy an enhanced quality of life, and experience life to the fullest.

Progress Energy

Utility—Electric (p. 62-64)

299 1st Avenue North St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 727.820.4729 www.progress-energy.com

Since it was founded in 1899 as the St. Petersburg Electric Light and Power Company, Progress Energy Florida has been providing customers with clean, reliable, affordable energy. Today its service territory is more than twenty thousand square miles, including St. Petersburg, where its corporate headquarters is located, as well as Clearwater and the Central Florida area surrounding Orlando. It is the largest investor-owned utility in the Tampa Bay area.

Raymond James

Financial Institution—Investment Services (p. 28-29)

880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 727.567.1000 www.raymondjames.com

Raymond James, a St. Petersburg–based company, is an international diversified holding company with more than twenty-five hundred offices offering financial services to individuals, corporations, and municipalities. Subsidiary companies include investment banking, equity and fixed-income trading and research, as well as asset management, banking, and a variety of other disciplines.

Shorecrest Preparatory School

School—Preparatory (p. 76-77)

5101 1st Street NE St. Petersburg, Florida 33703 727.522.2111 www.shorecrest.org

Shorecrest Preparatory School, which opened in 1923, is the oldest independent day school in Florida. Situated on twenty-eight lush acres, Shorecrest is a coeducational, college preparatory school serving students from pre-K through high school. Shorecrest enrolls approximately one thousand students each year.

St. Anthony’s Hospital

Health Care—Hospital System (p. 70-73)

1200 7th Avenue North St. Petersburg, Florida 33705 727.825.1100 www.stanthonys.com

St. Anthony’s Hospital was founded with a mission—to build a hospital that always puts the patient first. It is a tradition of caring more that, for more than seventy-five years, has earned the hospital recognition as one of the area’s most respected and technologically advanced medical facilities. St. Anthony’s is one of nine hospitals in the BayCare Health System, employing 495 physicians, offering a comprehensive list of services, and operating centers of excellence in cancer care, cardiac, surgical services, stroke, emergency services, and vascular care.

St. Petersburg Times

Communications—Newspaper (p. 36)

490 1st Avenue South St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 727.893.8277 www.tampabay.com/publication

The St. Petersburg Times is Florida’s largest newspaper, one of the last independent papers in the nation. The Times reaches a total weekly audience of 1.4 million through the daily newspaper; tbt* Tampa Bay Times, a free daily tabloid; its Web site tampabay.com; Times Events, producer of consumer shows; Tampa Bay Direct, a direct mail business; and the upscale bay magazine.

St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce

Business Resource—Chamber of Commerce (p. 32-33)

The Chamber Building 100 2nd Avenue North, Suite 150 St. Petersburg, Florida 33731 727.821.4069 www.stpete.com

The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce for more than a century has been an advocate for activities that foster business and community betterment.

The largest Chamber in the Tampa Bay region, the St. Pete Chamber is dedicated to aiding and promoting job retention, business expansion, economic development, tourism, and community enhancement.

94 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport 14700 Terminal Boulevard, Suite 221 Clearwater, Florida 33762 727.453.7800 www.fly2pie.com

Airport

(p. 54-55)

As the closest airport to Pinellas County’s award-winning beaches, St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport (PIE)‘s location is very popular with passengers and consistently receives accolades for its friendly staff, convenience, and ease of use. With commercial airlines, cargo, military, corporate, and private aviation operations, PIE has it all.

Tech Data Corporation

IT Products Distributor

5350 Tech Data Drive Clearwater, Florida 33760 727.539.7429 www.techdata.com

Tech Data Corporation (NASDAQ GS: TECD) is one of the world’s largest distributors of technology products from leading IT hardware and software producers. Tech Data serves more than one hundred thousand IT solution providers in over one hundred countries. Every day, these value-added resellers depend on Tech Data to cost-effectively support the technology needs of end users, including small and medium businesses (SMB), large enterprises, and government agencies. Ranked 105th on the Fortune 500, Tech Data generated $23.4 billion in net sales for its fiscal year ended January 31, 2008. To learn more, visit www.techdata.com.

(p. 52)

EDITORIAL TEAM Rena Distasio, Writer, Tijeras, New Mexico. Freelance writer Rena Distasio contributes articles and reviews on a variety of subjects to regional and national publications. She also edits two regional magazines covering travel, entertainment, and lifestyle in the Four Corners region. In her spare time she and her husband and their dog enjoy the great outdoors from their home in the mountains east of Albuquerque.

Grace Hawthorne, Writer, Atlanta, Georgia. Starting as a reporter, she has written everything from advertising for septic tanks to the libretto for an opera. While in New York, she worked for Time-Life Books and wrote for Sesame Street. As a performer, she has appeared at the Carter Presidential Center, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, and at various corporate functions. Her latest project is a two-woman show called Pushy Broads and Proper Southern Ladies.

Regina Roths, Writer, Andover, Kansas. Roths has written extensively about business since launching her journalism career in the early 1990s. Her prose can be found in corporate coffee-table books nationwide as well as on regionally produced Web sites, and in print and online magazines, newspapers, and publications. Her love of industry, history, and research gives her a keen insight into writing and communicating a message.

Gail Snyder, Writer, Woodstock, Georgia. Snyder is a writer and editor with twenty years of experience in corporate communications and publishing. She has edited or written articles focusing on corporate management strategies, published articles in a number of trade magazines and journals, and edited both fiction and nonfiction books. Gail enjoys explaining material to an audience in a way that reveals how any subject can be interesting. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Georgia State University, where she went on to complete her master’s in communications. Currently she works as a freelance and contract writer and editor.

Lisa Means, Photographer, Dallas, Texas. Lisa graduated from East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas, and attended the University of London at Chelsea College. She worked as a staff photographer for DLM Inc. before starting her own company in 1989. She freelances with both national and local magazines, direct clients, and advertising agencies across the country. Lisa’s specialty is working with people on location. She lives with her son and their two dogs in Dallas, Texas. More of Lisa’s work can be viewed on her Web site at www.lisameans.com.

Mario Morgado, Photographer, Greenwich, Connecticut. Morgado was born in Cuba and somehow managed to have a happy childhood while growing up in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He spent his formative years at the Guggenheim Museum and the right-field bleachers of Yankee Stadium.

His work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Vermont Life, New York magazine, and Boston magazine.

Rod Reilly, Photographer, Atlanta, Georgia. Since 1979 Reilly has used his training at Carnegie Mellon School of Design and Rochester Institute of Technology to create compelling environmental portraits on location of people as they live and work. His clients include Home Depot, CocaCola USA, United Parcel Service, Cox Communications, and McGraw-Hill. Starting his career as a staff shooter for Georgia Pacific, Rod has owned his own studio, Reilly Arts & Letters, for the last twelve years, and travels often on assignment. He is a member of ASMP and the father of three. His work can be seen at rodreillyphoto.com.

St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View 95

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View was published by Bookhouse Group, Inc., under its imprint of Riverbend Books. What many people don’t realize is that in addition to picture books on American communities, we also develop and publish institutional histories, commemorative books of all types, contemporary books, and others for clients across the country.

Bookhouse has developed various types of books for prep schools from Utah to Florida, colleges and universities, country clubs, a phone company in Vermont, a church in Atlanta, hospitals, banks, and many other entities. We’ve also published a catalog for an art collection for a gallery in Texas, a picture book for a worldwide Christian ministry, and a book on a priceless collection of art and antiques for the Atlanta History Center.

These beautiful and treasured tabletop books are developed by our staff as turnkey projects, thus making life easier for the client. If your company has an interest in our publishing services, do not hesitate to contact us.

Founded in 1989, Bookhouse Group is headquartered in a renovated 1920s tobacco warehouse in downtown Atlanta. If you’re ever in town, we’d be delighted if you looked us up. Thank you for making possible the publication of St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View.

H

umans seem to have an endless fascination with sunset. There are places where people gather to drink a toast at that magical

moment when the trailing edge of the sun disappears below the

horizon in the west. For those technically inclined, the shades of red and orange are caused by sunlight scattering off dust particles. And if you’ve ever wondered why sunsets are more colorful than sunrises, that’s because there tends to be more dust in the lower atmosphere at the end of the day. Then there is the green flash that sometimes occurs immediately after sunset. There’s a long explanation for that, too, including facts about refraction of light, prisms, atmosphere, and the curvature of the Earth—or you could just believe that it’s magic.

96 St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay—A New View

Banks ✮ Prep Schools ✮ Hospitals ✮ Insurance Companies ✮ Art Galleries ✮ Museums ✮ Utilities ✮ Country Clubs ✮ Colleges ✮ Churches ✮ Military Academies ✮ Associations

PHOTO BY LISA MEANS