Leadership & History
Leadership
The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce is focused on building a sustainable organization with a keen focus on our members, advocating at every level for those issues that change and protect the way we do business and lead on efforts to start new business, expanding those already here and attracting those who can contribute to our shared vision to grow smarter.
All while providing a warm welcome to those who visit the Sunshine City every day!
Executive Committee
Our History
Since the group’s origination, the Chamber and its Board of Governors has been one of the most influential organizations of St. Petersburg’s economic growth and development.
In addition to promoting the city continuously and countrywide, the Chamber has successfully advocated municipal improvements and organized local civic clubs and social groups for visiting vacationers for over a century.
1888
The city of St. Petersburg is formed. “Marketed from the start as a destination to improve health, St. Petersburg boosters took care to preserve the natural and recreational amenities of the city including the waterfront park system.”
1899
The Board of Trade is created.
1903
William Alexander Holshouser, one of the twelve original founders of the St. Petersburg Board of Trade, serves as its first president.
He was an enthusiastic advocate of promoting patent medicines and advertising the benefits of living in his beloved Tampa Bay town. The gist of his message was that the Pinellas Peninsula was indeed exactly what Dr. Van Bibber, a late nineteenth-century physician, had claimed it to be: “the healthiest place in the country.” His message was spread around the country through postcards and leaflets that his own customers mailed to friends up North. He also printed thousands of booklets and came up with clever schemes to further publicize his beloved city.
1920
The Board of Trade formally changes its name to St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce.
1920s - 1945
The Sunshine City’s population increases from 14,237 in the 1920s to more than 100,000 in 1945, partially due to the continuous nation-wide promotion of the city’s charming features.
In the 1920s, it was Holster’s board of trade that would take a leap of faith and hire John Lodwick, the ambitious Ohio sportswriter, as the first public relations person for any American city. He is credited with generating millions of dollars of free publicity for St. Petersburg in magazines, newspapers and films.
1948
"To relate the activities of the Chamber since 1920 would be like repeating the history of the city." - Karl Grismer, author of The Story of St. Petersburg (1948)
1956
"St. Petersburg was built on printer’s ink.” - Former chamber manager, William Davenport Sr.
Voting Members

Clint DeRonda
PNC Bank

Chris Lopez,
Teco

Kathy Wright,
Valley Bank

Shaun McClung,
CBIZ

David Vetter
TD Synnex

Juliet Kyes
ActionCOACH

Jeff Baker
Duke Energy

John Moore
Bayfront Health

Kimberly Berfield
Johns Hopkins

Manny Bhuller
Corporate Interiors Inc.

Bill Walsh
Rays Baseball

Marcus Greene
Truist

Roy James Jr.
James Insurance Solutions

Dr. Shameka Jones
Florida Blue

Steve Westphal
St. Pete Hospitality Group

Anne Pollack
Fletcher Fischer Pollack P.L.

Wes Bryan
Moore Resources

Dontriel Lawson
Japosid

Madeline McCarthy Anderson
TJM Properties

Jason Spears
Peninsular Mechanical Contractors Inc.

Todd Gehrke
The Don Cesar

Patrick Causey
Trenam Law

Valerie Powell Stafford
HCA Florida Northside Hospital

Michael Esposito
Merrill

Tim Coop
Hancock Whitney

Tina Gilmore
Regions Bank

Russ Williams
Power Design

Skylar Hunt
Trulieve

Jodi Perry
Raymond James

Kerry O'Reilly
Tampa Bay Times

Mike Thackery
Vine IT

Wilma Norton
Community Foundation of Tampa Bay

Brooke Beeler
Thrive DTSP

Lowell Beckner
CP Communications

Irv Cohen
CodeBoxx

Ryan Quinty
Cyndeo

Dex Fabian
I Love the Burg