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
Dr. Sandra Braham
Board of Governors Chair, 2021 - 2022
Chris Steinocher
Chamber President & CEO
Martha Boden
Vice Chair | St. Pete Chamber Foundation
Jason Jensen
Chair-Elect
Brooks Wallington
Vice Chair | Advocacy
Owen LaFave
Vice Chair | Treasurer/Secretary
Ryan Griffin
Past Chair
Kelly Black
Vice Chair | Member Connect
Roy Binger
Vice Chair | Business Navigation
Kelly Kirschner
Vice Chair | Diversity & Inclusion
James Dickson
Ex-Officio Legal Council
Scott Smith
Ex-Officio, Chamber Next
Sarah Artz
Ex-Officio, Communications
Paul Carder
Ex-Officio, Strategy
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
Ex-Officio Members
Dr. Cynthia Johnson
Pinellas County
J.P. DuBuque
St. Petersburg EDC
John Harrison
Brown & Brown Insurance
Lindsay Petty
Pyper Inc.
Michelle Tolan
Your CBD Store
Jay Miller
J2 Developers
Alison Barlow
St. Pete Innovation District
Terry Marks
St. Petersburg Arts Alliance
Watson Haynes
Pinellas County Urban League
Jason Mathis
St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership
Debbie Turner
Leadership St. Pete Alumni Assocation
Freddy Williams
Boys & Girls Clubs
Karmika Rubin
Esq. Rubins Law
Dean Tom Frazer
USF St. Pete Marine Sciences
Dean Gary Patterson
USF Muma College of Business
Eli Gonzalez
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Pinellas County
