Hundreds of representatives from the Tampa Bay business community gathered last night at the Opal Sands Resort on Clearwater Beach for AMPLIFY Clearwater’s Annual Meeting & Winter Gala on February 15th. This event convened key stakeholders from all corners of the Bay to celebrate the organization’s 2022 achievements, install new board leadership, and unveil the highly anticipated Mr./Ms. Clearwater Award winner.
AMPLIFY’s CEO, Amanda Payne, highlighted their 2022 accomplishments and looks forward to continuing to build on the organizational successes in 2023. 2022 Board of Directors Chair, Sheri Heilman of Bob Heilman’s Beachcomber, announced the organization’s 2023 Board of Directors and passed the gavel to 2023 Board Chair, Lou Galdieri, Co-COO of Morton Plant Hospital.
The 2023 Board of Directors include:
· Paul Andrews, Shephard’s Beach Resort
· Sheri Aguilar, BayStar Restaurant Group
· Brian Aungst Jr., Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen, PA
· Jeff Baker, Duke Energy
· Richard G. Buschart, Bollenback & Forret, P.A., C.P.A.’s
· Susan Crockett, Ruth Eckerd Hall
· Miguel Diaz, Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach
· V. Raymond Ferrera, ProVise Management Group, LLC
· Lou Galdieri, Morton Plant Hospital/BayCare Health System
· G. Scott Goyer, YMCA of the Suncoast
· Dr. Tashika Griffith, St. Petersburg College
· Josh Guest, Mercedes-Benz of Clearwater
· David Habib, Yo Mama’s Foods
· Camille Hebting, WestCMR
· Sheri Heilman, Bob Heilman’s Beachcomber
· Dotti Overton, The Bank of Tampa
· Dominic Provenzano, Sheraton Sand Key Resort
· Trisha Rodriguez, The Tropics Boat Tours
· Mike Sutton, Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas & West Pasco Counties
· John Timberlake, Phillies Florida/Clearwater Threshers
· Eric Waltz, Sandpearl Resort
· Tracy West, Valspar Championship/The Copperhead Charities
· Andrew Winkler, Cliborne, Winkler, Wright & Associates/Merrill Lynch
· Javier Zuniga, PDR CPA’s & Advisors
The final order of business for the evening was announcing the winner of the highly coveted Mr./Ms. Clearwater award. “It is the organization’s highest honor, reserved for recognizing lasting impacts and ongoing service”, said Judy Mitchell, chair of the award committee. The recipient of this year’s award is R. Carlton Ward.
Mr. Ward received a B.S.A. in 1970 and a J.D. in 1973 from the University of Florida. A native of Tampa, Florida, Mr. Ward has been involved in many professional and community activities since moving to Clearwater, having served on organizations, including the Clearwater Bar Association, the American Bar Association Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Division, American Bar and Florida Bar Young Lawyers Divisions. Mr. Ward is a former President of the Pinellas Real Estate Law Council and Past Chairman of the Greater Clearwater Chamber of Commerce, the Pinellas County United Way and the United Way of Tampa Bay. Mr. Ward also served as chairman of the Clearwater Homeless Intervention Project and voted one of Tampa Bay’s Top Lawyers by Tampa Bay Magazine. His practice includes real estate, corporate, condominium, commercial, banking, wills and trusts and general law. In the 80s, Carlton helped establish ClearPAC as he recognized the importance of involvement in local elections.
Via a press release from AMPLIFY Clearwater.
