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New
Lifetime Member
Thank You!
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Sam Somboonwit (XXV), Assistant Professor at USF Health, Division of Infectious Diseases in Tampa
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One hundred and thirty (130) Leadership Florida members have chosen to become "Lifetime Members" by making a pledge of $6,000 to the Leadership Florida Membership Endowment Fund. When their gift has been paid in full, the member is no longer responsible for paying dues to the organization. "It’s the privilege to be part of LF family. Leadership Florida inspires me to reach beyond my potential; it gives me a sense of place in my new home away from home," said Sam Somboonwit about making her commitment to become a Lifetime Member. "Also, thanks to John (Sinnott) who assured me this is the best thing to do."
The entire gift is tax-deductible and strengthens the health of Leadership Florida, allowing it the sound financial footing it needs to continue to fulfill its mission and serve its members. Pledges can be paid all at once (there is a 10% discount for gifts paid in one lump sum) or through a payment plan up to five years.
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For more information on becoming a Lifetime Member or making a contribution to Leadership Florida, please contact Chris Lucas at
(850) 521-1235.
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100% of each contribution is received by Leadership Florida Statewide Community Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit foundation. Leadership Florida holds registration SC-04988 with the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800) 435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
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Leadership Florida's
2008 Annual Meeting
will be held at
The Westin Diplomat
in Hollywood,
June 26th - 29th, 2008.
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Member Services
Survey
We want your input!
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With your feedback we will be able to host the kind of “must-get-there” events that build on that special class program mystique and keep you coming back for more. The "we" in this equation is this year’s Member Services Committee -- a new batch of Leadership Florida members eager to transform your fresh ideas into events that add lasting value to your LF experience.
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complete the survey!
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Please take a few minutes to tell us how we can refine our approach for not only engaging our members but embracing their zest for lifelong learning and unapologetic drive for excellence.
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Kathy Jackson (XXV), senior vice president at Access Health Solutions in Sunrise, joined a distinguished list of healthcare scholars as a contributing author to the book, Eliminating Healthcare Disparities in America: Beyond the IOM Report. Kathy authored Chapter 16 of the book entitled "Access Health Solutions: A Minority Physician Network Model that Works." All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Minority Health Institute (MHI), a non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of healthcare disparities.
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Revised and updated in 2007, Take The Fear Out of Asking For Major Gifts by Jim Donovan (I), president of DMI, has been a best seller at AFP International Conferences since its original publication in 1993. This how-to guide has aided thousands of professionals at many of the nation’s colleges, universities, hospitals, museums, social service agencies and national associations such as the American Society of Association Executives.
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College Leadership Florida Class I member Chris Dorworth was recently elected to the Florida House of Representatives. Chris represents District 34 in Seminole County.
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Robert Agrusa (CLF IX) recently announced his candidacy for the Gainesville City Commission At-Large 2 seat. Robert participated in the College Leadership Florida program last August and will graduate from the University of Florida in December. He is currently the Senate President for the University of Florida's Student Government. |
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Connect Florida:
2007 Recap and 2008 Outlook
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| Connect Florida has been growing in leaps and bounds throughout 2007. The organization is making an impact locally and statewide through its projects and partnerships. |
Statewide Annual Meeting
In September, young professionals from around the state gathered in Tampa for the second annual conference. A lot was crammed into the attendees' time together, with presentations about Florida, the challenges and opportunities we face as a state, and a lot about individual communication styles as well.
The keynote address was delivered by Leadership Florida Class XI member and Publisher of the Florida Trend, Lynda Keever. Lynda's address was one of two highest rated events of the conference. For more details on the conference and electronic copies of the presentations and handouts - check out the Connect Florida website's Annual Conference webpage with presentation downloads and more.
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"Psycho-Geometrics was the best presentation I have ever seen at a conference. The "Ybor City" tour was awesome, it was a lot of fun to get to know the other Connect members on a personal level."
Kelly Morrell, Operations Manager, The Florida Philanthropic Network
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The great energy created from bringing all the local young professionals groups together helped Connect Florida form partnerships and foster communication between these groups. This led to two regional annual meetings, the most recent was in Destin hosted by ECEL (Emerald Coast Emerging Leaders). That event featured a Best Practices panel moderated by Connect Florida Treasurer and ECEL member Matt Walker, senior accountant at O'Sullivan Creel, LLP in Destin. |
Kids Voting Project
On November 9th, Connect Florida members joined more than 200 high school students from throughout Broward County at Pompano Beach High School for a morning filled with information about civic engagement. The event was hosted by Kids Voting Broward and coordinated by Connect Florida.
This first annual student forum focused on voting and civic responsibilities. Speakers included district school board members, representatives from the Broward County Supervisor of Elections office, local and state government officials, as well as Connect Florida member, Amanda Ghaffari. Amanda is an advocate associate for the Florida Association of Counties in Tallahassee and is currently chair of the Kids Voting initiative for Connect Florida.
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Realizing that its target membership base, the 21-35 age group, is the demographic with the historically lowest voter turnout, Connect Florida members from Tallahassee visited Broward to observe the event, and help bring a similar program to the Leon County Kids Voting Chapter. Statewide, Connect Florida has chosen Kids Voting as their project of choice, with the goal of expanding Kids Voting programming statewide and increasing voter turnout among young professionals.
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Bylaws and Governance
The combined efforts of Leadership Florida General Counsel Jeff Wahlen (XXI), an attorney and shareholder at Ausley & McMullen in Tallahassee, and Connect Florida Chair Vinette Godelia, an attorney with Hopping Green & Sams in Tallahassee, has culminated in official bylaws, articles of incorporation and numerous other necessary formalities to solidify Connect Florida. You can view a roster of the Board of Governors by clicking here. |
Regional Events
Connect Florida has divided itself into seven regions, aligning with Leadership Florida's existing regions. The difference is that Connect combines Calusa and Southwest into one region, and Gulfstream and Gold Coast into one region. All regions have held at least one event introducing themselves to the local young professional groups, and some Connect Florida members have attended Leadership Florida regional events.
The Southeast region has been exceptionally active under the leadership of Ana Maria Rodriguez, government & community relations specialist at Baptist Health South Florida in Miami. The group held a very successful kickoff event, followed by a volunteer opportunity with Hands on Miami, and most recently an art and networking event titled "A Night At the Fire Haus Project".
The Calusa and Southwest region partnered with The Young Professionals of Sarasota to host a lunch focusing on leadership. Leadership Florida Class XVIII member Dianne Jacob, senior vice president of marketing at Tampa Bay and Company, was the keynote speaker for that event, which was coordinated by Connect Florida Regional Chair Andrew Foley, owner of Sarasota News & Books.
The Northwest region held a kick-off reception earlier this fall in partnership with the local group Access Tallahassee. Regional Chair Justin Day , director of cabinet affairs for the Florida Democratic Party based in Tallahassee, coordinated a December membership event, "Martinis & Macanudos," that more than 100 young professionals attended. In early 2008, the Northwest Region is partnering with Tallahassee 25 on its annual spring gala.
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Coming Up in 2008
Connect Florida has numerous projects going on in the regions, and two of the statewide projects are the first annual Young Professionals Statewide Survey (results released at June's annual meeting) and a Young Professionals' Day at the Capitol on March 25th. Connect Florida will again share a venue and some activities with Leadership Florida by "piggy-backing" its June Annual Meeting with Leadership Florida's Annual Meeting, June 26-28 at the Diplomat in Hollywood.
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| Florida State University Student Body President and CLF Class IX member Joe O'Shea became one of the 32 U.S. college students selected as Rhodes Scholars this year. An FSU Honors Program student with majors in philosophy and interdisciplinary social sciences and a 4.0 grade point average, Joe rose to the top of an extraordinary field of finalists during a grueling application and interview process that demands months of preparation and practice. |  |
Tom Luzier (XXIV), a shareholder with the law firm of Dunlap & Moran, P.A. in Sarasota, is chairing the CEO search committee for Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. The committee is comprised of community leaders representing board and outside interests and is anticipated to spend at least nine months on the search, which will be national in scope. Tom was also recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the 2009 Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee, which is the local entity comprised of Tampa Bay area community and business leaders charged with coordination of and fundraising for the '09 event in conjunction with the NFL.
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 | | Collier County’s newest inductees into the Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s Business Leadership Hall of Fame were honored as role models last month. Gerri Moll (XVII), Bank of America Southwest Florida president, joined the likes of Barron G. Collier, Sr. and Myra Janco Daniels, among other past honorees, chosen for being exemplary role models as visionaries and business leaders. |
Aakash Patel (CLF VII) was appointed to the board of directors of Voices for Children of Hillsborough County. Voices for Children is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide the volunteer guardians the financial means necessary for Guardian ad Litem to continue this vital service to children.
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Former Leadership Florida Chair Alex Sink (IV), CFO for the State of Florida, has appointed Meg Lowman (XVI) as her science adviser on matters related to climate change. Meg is director of environmental initiatives at New College of Florida in Sarasota.
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Florida High Tech Corridor Council President
Randy Berridge (VI) has been named one of the most influential people in the technology and entrepreneurial industry in the Southeast by TechJournal South. Randy was nominated by venture capitalists, tech organizations and entrepreneurs to become part of "25 of the Most Influential People in Southeast Tech."
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Turner Tree and Landscape, owned by Leadership Florida Class XXIII member Darrell Turner, was honored as an Outstanding Corporate Sponsor at a recent National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon, held by the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Four hundred community leaders gathered as part of the 22nd Anniversary of National Philanthropy Day, celebrated by over 100 AFP chapters across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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 | | Gov. Charlie Crist recently appointed state Rep. Wilbert “Tee” Holloway (XVIII) to serve on the Miami-Dade County School Board for District 1. Tee, who was facing term limits, will leave his legislative seat early and serve on the School Board until the term expires November 17, 2008.
Irela Bagué (XXV), president of the Bagué Group in Coral Gables, was chosen to be one of this
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| year’s honorees for the Valor Awards. The award recognizes citizens who have made a significant difference in South Florida through their leadership, commitment and dedication to the community. |
City of Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina (XXV) was named Public Official of the Year by the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Sunshine Awards aims at honoring the best in South Florida Businesses with 13 awards. |
 | | Busch Entertainment Corp. is relocating to Orlando. Anheuser-Busch turned the whole operation over to Jim Atchison (Executive V), SeaWorld Orlando's general manager, who becomes president and chief operating officer of Busch Entertainment. Another Leadership Florida member and the company's board chairman, Keith Kasen (Executive II), has assumed the additional role of chief executive officer, a new position. |
Broward Times publisher and CEO Robert Beatty (XIV) joined Adorno & Yoss, the nation’s largest, certified minority-owned law firm. Robert will remain publisher of the Broward Times, one of the largest African-American and Caribbean newspapers in Florida. At Adorno & Yoss, he will work as partner-in-charge of Florida operations and co-chair of the law firm’s National Business and Corporate Law Group.
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Greater Baltimore Committee’s President and CEO Donald C. Fry selected Adriel A. Hilton (CLF VI)
as its first Public Policy Fellow. The GBC Fellowship Program in Public Policy is a highly competitive program designed for college graduates and postgraduate students who wish to use their academic skills to work for the GBC. More than 15 candidates applied for the inaugural fellowship position. Adriel will work closely with policy advisors at the GBC to research, develop and advocate a |  |
public policy project related to the organization’s work on issues.
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WilsonMiller Senior Vice President and Principal Mike Bell (XXV), was recently appointed manager of the firm’s Port Charlotte office. He is overseeing the expansion of the office to the entire second floor of the M&I Bank building on Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte.
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