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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!

Know someone who should be on the Leadership team? Nominate them here.

Executive Committee

Chris headshot Large

Chris Steinocher
President & CEO, St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce

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Jason Jensen
Chair, 2023-2024
Wannemacher Jensen Architects

sandra braham

Dr. Sandra Braham
Chair, 2021 - 2022
Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services

martha

Martha Boden
Vice Chair | Bay Area Chamber Foundation Committee
SPCA Tampa Bay

Brooks

Brooks Wallington
Chair | Public Policy Council
Hughes & Wallington Investment Management

owen lafave

Owen LaFave
Chair | Finance Committee
The Bank of Tampa

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James Dickson
Ex-Officio Legal Council
Adams and Reese LLP

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Roy Binger
Chair | Greenhouse/Business Navigation & Growth Committee
Pilot Bank

kkircshner (3)

Kelly Kirschner
Chair | Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Eckerd College

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Paul Carder
Ex-Officio, Strategy

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Scott Smith
Chair | Chamber Next Council
St. Anthony's Hospital

sarah artz

Sarah Artz
Ex-Officio, Communications
HSN

ToddGehrke

Todd Gehrke
Chair | Hospitality & Tourism Commitee
Davidson Hospitality Group

RyanQuinty

Ryan Quinty
Cyndeo Wealth Partners
Chair | Member Connect 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.

Board of Governors

jason spears

Jason Spears
2024 Incoming Chamber Chair
Peninsular Mechanical Contractors  Inc.

shameka jones

Dr. Shameka Jones
Florida Blue

tina gilmore

Tina Gilmore
Regions Bank

KathyWright

Kathy Wright
Valley Bank

DavidVetter

David Vetter
TD Synnex

SteveWestphal

Steve Westphal
St. Pete Hospitality Group

russ williams - pdi

Russ Williams
Power Design

JodiPerry

Jodi Perry
Raymond James

jeff baker - duke energy

Jeff Baker
Duke Energy

ANNE POLLACK

Anne Pollack
Fletcher Fischer Pollack P.L.

kerry oreilly

Kerry O'Reilly
Tampa Bay Times

mike thackery

Mike Thackery
Vine IT

john moore

John Moore
Bayfront Health

dontriel

Dontriel Lawson
Japosid

wilma norton

Wilma Norton
Community Foundation of Tampa Bay

MadelineMcCarthy

Madeline McCarthy Anderson
TJM Properties

christian hardigree

Christian Hardigree
University of South Florida - St. Petersburg

PatrickCausey

Patrick Causey
Vice Chair | Public Policy Council
Trenam Law

ValeriePowellStafford

Valerie Powell Stafford
HCA Florida Northside Hospital

manny bhuller

Manny Bhuller
Corporate Interiors Inc.

bill

Bill Walsh
Rays Baseball

cynthia johnson

Dr. Cynthia Johnson
Pinellas County

MarcusGreene

Marcus Greene
Truist

freddy williams

Freddy Williams
Boys and Girls Club

chris hackney

Chris Hackney
BayFirst

esposito

Michael Esposito
Merrill

tim coop

Tim Coop
Hancock Whitney

RoyJamesJr

Roy James Jr.
James Insurance Solutions

michelleTolan

Michelle Tolan
Your CBD Store

eric carver

Dr. Eric Carver
St. Petersburg College

jay miller

Jay Miller
Chair | Housing & Land Use Development (HLUD) Committee
J2 Developers

kim vogel

Kim Vogel
CodeBoxx

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Dex Fabian
I Love the Burg

patricia

Patricia Clynes
YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg

bob warchola

Bob Warchola
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP

jess simon

Jess Simon
Chair | St. Pete Young Professionals
Noble Family Wealth

ryan griffin

Ryan Griffin
Chair | Building Committee
Johnson Pope

jarrett

Jarrett Wolfe
Smart Choice Communications

alicia

Alicia Schulhof
Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital

melissa salamanca

Melissa Salamanca
First Horizon Bank

rosie meyer

Rosie Meyer
Harvey's 4th Street Grill

jessica icerman

Jessica Icerman
Vice Chair | Housing & Land Use Development (HLUD) Committee
Stearns Weaver Miller

steven granese

Steven Granese
Compass Productivity

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maggie

Maggie Knaust
Chair | Leadership St. Pete
Trenam Law

trenam law
john barkett

John Barkett
Chair | Transportation Committee
Barkett Realty

james corbett

James Corbett
City of St. Petersburg

kelly black

Kelly Black
BLK Accounting & Consulting LLC

vanessa williams

Vanessa Williams
The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club

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Sebastian Leon
TECO Peoples Gas

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