Feb
26

Thursday, April 18, 2013 — Howard Baskin, Counselor to Business Tigers and Big Cat Rescue

Howard Baskin has been an equity participant and general manager in three companies, one of which he co-founded.

He worked with early stage and fast growing companies in the areas of strategic planning, finance and operations, and was Director of Strategic Planning for the Citicorp’s Commercial Real Estate Division.

Howard Baskin

When not talking with Tigers like TBTT people, Howard devotes his time to Big Cat Rescue and serves on its Audit Committee.

Other civic activities include serving three years on the Board of Directors of the Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce and serving as first Chairman of its Performance Oversight and Monitoring Committee and member of it External Relations Committee. He also is a past member of The Rotary Club of Tampa, serving as Chairman of the Community Service Committee and on the Board of Directors.

Howard received his B.S. cum laude from Union College, Schenectady, NY in 1972, his J.D. cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law in 1978 and his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1980.

If you have not received emailed invitations to previous TBTT events, please contact a TBTT board member and ask to be put on the invitation list or email board@tampabaythinktank.com with your business contact info.

When you have registered, we will look forward to seeing you at the charming Regency Oaks Town Hall around 5:30 PM, Thursday, April 18, 2013.  We will ask of you a $5 donation at the door to defray growing operating expenses.

Nov
02

Thursday, January 17, 2013 – Tammy Levent, Author and Whip-Wielding owner of Elite Travel

Tammy Levent

Be there — if you dare — as this notable Tampa Bay entrepreneur and professional trainer explores the question:

Did the recession shut down your business plans, or did life get in the way?

… and as she demonstrates the principle behind Her Whip!

Ms. Levent will tell us how Strategic Partnerships help us unleash our inner power and achieve our objectives — in any economy.

Her story will inspire you, her energy will motivate you, but most importantly, her tactics will show you how to accomplish your biggest goals and your bravest dreams. It doesn’t matter what challenges you face — you already have everything you need for success — and Tammy Levent will tell you how to use it.

Having overcome setbacks you’ll feel deeply daunting, she will inspire and motivate you — but most importantly, her tactics will show us how to accomplish our biggest goals, and our bravest dreams.

As we’ll learn — or be reminded — you already have everything you need for success, and Tammy will tell you how to use it, including:

• Immediately viable ways to start and expand your business that you might never have thought of before.

• An engaged, motivated workforce that knows the next steps to improving performance — and pursues them.

• Employees who spend less time generating leads — and more time increasing sales.

• Staff that shows initiative — as they take charge of their own success — and expands your success.

You may leave this TBTT session with at least one Strategic Partner — a major step towards reaching your goals, no matter how small, or how BIG.

In 1994, Tammy Levent lost her business and savings in a violent robbery. To keep her home and feed her family, she took a job as a telemarketer — selling anything to anyone — until her children, then aged nine and two, were involved in a terrible car accident. Her grandmother died at the wheel — and her two children suffered severe injuries — causing Tammy to quit her job.

At their bedsides in the ICU, Tammy saw everything she built her life around disappear within a few weeks. And as she thought about how to keep their home and pay the mounting medical bills, one of the ICU nurses asked her, “If it had nothing to do with money, what would you do?”

Tammy said the first thing that came to her mind, “I would travel the world.”

From that moment, she realized that was her passion and her goal. In 1995, with no assets, she leveraged strategic partnerships to launch Elite Travel, which has since skyrocketed into one of the fastest growing, most trusted travel groups in the nation.

Her story will inspire you, her energy will motivate you, but most importantly — she rose from financial ruin and personal tragedy to become CEO of her own company — using Strategic Partnerships.

Strategic Partnerships are what you need when you lack funding — and in this economy, many of us start with no outside funding.

Strategic Partnerships are not networking and they’re not a team-building exercise. They are some of the greatest resources available to help you advance your agenda — whether that’s starting a business, growing your business, learning new skills, cutting costs, or increasing sales. The best part is — they cost nothing!

Tammy’s principles will teach you how to build and expand your business — strengthen your brand — and increase your sales for success like you’ve never imagined.

And about that whip, she says, “I started playing with it. I’d practice aiming and whipping a single pen out of my pen holder. Whipping around office supplies requires focus, and more than a little coordination. It’s a small, silly thing, but when you feel like you have no control over the big things, finding that you have control over something small is significant.

“It’s easy to feel like your circumstances define you, but the truth I found — through whipping pens out of cups — is that we have Infinite Power to control our futures.”

Editor’s note: Wow! And maybe, “Stand back!”

Aug
01

Thursday, November 1, 2012 – Speaker – Ron Laker – CEO – Next Century Studios

Please join us to welcome speaker Ron Laker to our Quarter 4 – 2012 event.

The event will be begin at 5PM on Thursday, November 1, 2012.

Ron Laker

Ron Laker is a natural entrepreneur, business leader and mentor with a passion to help other entrepreneurs succeed. With over 30 years of Trading, Commercial and Executive Leadership experience, he recently retired as President and CEO of Trademark Metals Recycling (TMR), the largest full service scrap metal processing company in the Southeast.

Early in his career with The David Joseph Co. (DJJ), the Nation’s oldest and largest scrap metal brokerage firm, Ron developed a keen understanding of the scrap market’s fragmented industry dynamics. In his role as a District Trading Manager, while doodling on a placemat at dinner one evening, Ron penned a vision of a very large, full service scrap processing company. With that vision TMR was born, and within 10 years of inception, Ron led the organization to become the 20th largest privately held company in Florida, generating $700 Million in sales and employing 650 people.

Under Ron’s leadership at TMR he created an enviable corporate culture having improved the employee favorable rating from 47% to 97%, with his “All for One – One for All” philosophy.

TMR is headquartered in Tampa and has grown from its original three locations to twenty-one within the State of Florida. In 2008 TMR and its parent company, DJJ, were acquired by Nucor Steel for $1.5 Billion.

Ron takes an active role within the CEO Council of Tampa Bay. He is passionate about sharing insights on the Industry, his company’s growth, overcoming challenges along the way, and developing a leadership team and culture that enabled TMR to be such a success.

After 30+ years in the corporate world Ron is beginning the next chapter of his life. His newest venture will allow him to share his life lessons through Internet television, public speaking and professional seminars focused on assisting Entrepreneurs to develop the leadership skills necessary to reach success in all walks of life.

Ron is now the President and CEO of Next Century Studios, LLC ( NCS.tv). NCS produces, edits and distributes web television and HD video attraction marketing tools. He is the host of his own web TV show Everyday Success TV.

“The transition from the low tech Scrap Metal industry to the high tech Digital Media industry is one of the most exciting transitions of my life. “

A native of Batesville, Indiana, Ron is an Indiana Hall of Fame athlete and was a scholarship basketball player for Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the proud father of two sons; Scott is a Doctor in Denver and Michael, a Harvard grad, works as an analyst with McKinsey Consulting in Palo Alto California.

Apr
05

July 19, 2012 – Speaker – Rebecca Smith – A. D. Morgan

We welcome speaker Rebecca Smith to our Quarter 3 – 2012 event.

The event will be held on July 19, 2012.

Hail the return of a TBTT Rock Star! On Thursday July 19, we will be treated to a big new story by Rebecca Smith, Founder and Owner of The A. D. Morgan Corporation, a significant construction company.

Rebecca leads a hard-working bunch of builders who break up concrete and hang sheet rock, among all those things you know a construction contractor must do right. She’ll also tell us some of what we don’t know about the construction business now and in the future.

Rebecca founded The A.D. Morgan Corporation on April 1st, 1989, at the age of 29, with the help of a $10,000.00 loan from her father. In 2008, A. D. Morgan revenues hit $89 Million. Revenues are now down significantly from there, for well-known reasons.

Please join us at 5 on 7/19 at the lovely Regency Oaks community in Clearwater to learn what this brilliant businesswoman is doing to continue success in today’s construction market.

Prior to starting her own company, Rebecca worked for a multi-million-dollar construction firm for 5 years where she earned her way up to a position with management responsibility for complex projects with costs exceeding $30 million. Rebecca is a class “A” certified general contractor and is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and a Master of Science degree in Building Construction.

Rebecca has gained a reputation as a leader in business. In 1996 Rebecca appeared on the CBS THIS MORNING program in New York to discuss female entrepreneurs in non-traditional fields followed by an appearance on CNN Financial News network in 1999. She has written magazine articles and also addressed a number of business and entrepreneurial organizations around the country on the topic of business development and operations. Awarded the “Entrepreneur in Residence” from Univ. of New Orleans, she has been invited to speak at a number of college campuses around the country to address business and MBA students on the same topic.

Rebecca has been recognized and has received a number of awards for her entrepreneurial success including: Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 1998 for Construction/Real Estate (Florida), Working Woman Magazine – Top 500 Woman-owned Businesses, Tampa Chamber Small Business of the Year 1998, The Fastest Growing Company in Tampa Bay 1998, and the Second Largest Woman-owned Business in Tampa Bay 1998.

Additionally, Rebecca has been awarded the Distinguished Alumnus award from the University of Florida College of Building Construction, Executive Woman of the Year, The Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 40 under 40 award, Woman of Distinction Award and many other honors which recognize her outstanding contributions as a woman in the business world not only as a role model for women pursuing non-traditional careers but as a successful business entrepreneur living the “American Dream” of building success on the shoulders of hard work and extraordinary commitment while maintaining the highest standard of integrity and both business & personal ethics.

As a responsible business owner Rebecca has served in many civic capacities in both her local community and at the state and National level. She was on the Board of Governors for the Tampa Chamber of Commerce, the National Board of Directors for the Better Business Bureau, the West Coast Florida Board of Directors for the Better Business Bureau, Chairman-The Variance Review Board for the City of Tampa, member of Florida’s Construction Industry Licensing Board, Board of Trustees for the “Spring”, a spouse abuse safe haven facility, and the Board of Directors for the Florida Education Foundation. She also served as the chairman of the Governor’s Council for Small and Minority Business and is currently a member of the Governor’s Board for PRIDE (Prison Rehabilitation Industries Development Enterprises) and is a graduate of the Leadership Tampa and Leadership Florida programs.

On the International front, Rebecca is a very active member and on the Board of Director’s of D.O.C.A., The Defense Orientation Conference. With this organization, she travels world-wide to our Allied Countries to learn more about the inter-relations of Political, Economic and Military operations between their Countries and the United States. Rebecca feel very strongly about the need for strong, well directed leadership at all levels of business and certainly at all levels of Government. To understand more about these international, macro-scale issues, is to understand more about leading an entrepreneurial business team.

Mar
26

April 19, 2012 – Kelly Crandall and Jamie Harden – Creative Sign Designs

We welcome speakers Kelly Crandall and Jamie Harden – Creative Sign Designs to our Quarter 2 – 2012 event.

The event will be held on April 19, 2012

Kelly Crandall

Kelly Crandall

Kelly Crandall is Co-Owner and Director of Sales, Creative Sign Designs

Responsibilities: Provides consultative advice and sales for clients in the development of signage programs, including ADA compliance, interior and exterior wayfinding and custom fabricated signs specializing in rebranding, healthcare and educational campuses.

  • Previous Position: Market Executive with Bank of America, Pinellas County, Florida
  • Previous Responsibilities: Consumer Market Executive and SVP responsible for over 350 employees in managing the operations, sales and business goals of 40 local Bank of America retail banking centers in North Pinellas County.
  • Career History/Industry Experience: Bank of America from 1991 through 2004, held multiple leadership positions including Market Executive for Business Banking and Professional and Executive Banking, Private Banking Executive, and Consumer Market Executive in the Suncoast, Pinellas and Tampa Bay area. Responsible for sales and business development, operational excellence, human resources and employee development throughout career as a leader in the local financial market with the largest market share bank in Tampa Bay.
  • Education: Graduated with Honors from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, majored in Finance. Alumni member of Florida Blue Key and Sigma Kappa Sorority.
  • Fun/Interesting Fact: I enjoy spending time with my family at the beach but my favorite get away is on a cruise ship to anywhere!
  • Awards/Organizations: Member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Florida Healthcare Engineering Association (FHEA) and Florida Educational Facilities Planners Association (FEFPA).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jamie Harden

Jamie Harden

 

 

 

 

 

Jamie Harden is President and CEO of Creative Sign Designs and Creative Mailbox & Sign Designs (together, “Creative”). The combined companies employ more than 70 people throughout the state of Florida with the majority based at its Tampa headquarters.

Creative Sign Designs (“CSD”) is one the fastest growing architectural sign companies in the United States. CSD provides consultation, design, project management, fabrication, and installation services for a full range of interior, exterior and digital signage products. CSD successfully manages local, regional and national projects.

Creative Mailbox & Sign Designs (“CMSD”) is the largest turnkey residential streetscape company in the Southeastern United States. CMSD provides mailboxes, street signage and monument signage to builders, property management firms and homeowner’s associations.

In the midst of celebrating its 25 year anniversary, Creative has recently won several important accolades including:
• Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year
• US Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Small Business
• Gulf Coast Business Review Top 500 Companies
• Joined Inc 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America
• Sustainable Business Award from EarthCharterUS
• Website has won awards from Horizon Interactive and Interactive Media
• Projects have been internationally recognized by Signs of the Times Magazine, Sign Builder Illustrated and United States Sign Council

The desire to establish permanent roots in the Tampa community, paired with the goal of acquiring and running a local business led Mr. Harden and his family to return to Tampa in April 2005. Prior to that, Mr. Harden was Senior Vice President and Commercial Banking Group Market Executive for Bank of America. He served in this role from 1999 to 2005 in various locations including Los Angeles, Dallas and Kansas City. Prior to these positions with Bank of America, he was a Commercial Banking Group Team Leader in Tampa for NCNB/NationsBank from 1990 to 1999. While at Bank of America, Mr. Harden achieved a Six Sigma Green Belt.

Mr. Harden is a graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. He is married to Melanie Turner Harden, also a Florida State University graduate. The Hardens have three children, John Battle (age 10), Ellee (age 7) and Turner (age 7). They reside in the Beach Park area of Tampa.

Mr. Harden has been involved in numerous community and business associations over his business career. He currently serves in leadership roles as a member of the Finance Committee of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, a member of the Finance Committee of Tampa Bay & Company, a member of the Sustainability Committee of the International Sign Association, the regional advisory board of AvMed, the Board of Directors of the CEO Council of Tampa Bay and the Sustainable Business Coalition. He is also a member of Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club and the Tampa Bay Professional Alliance.

Jan
02

Bob Swick – Tampa Bay Think Tank – January 19, 2012

Bob Swick will be our evening’s speaker on January 19, 2012.

May
19

Bevv Beirl – Tampa Bay Think Tank – October 20, 2011

Bevv Beirl

Bevv Beirl

Bevv Beirl, Founder and CEO of Bay Area Business Magazine, LLC, dba, BABM Business Group will be our guest speaker for fourth quarter 2011. BABM’s mission is to educate, support and inspire small to midsize business owners and emerging entrepreneurs. Bevv’s personal passions are empowering people to become all that they can be, inspiring the brave and talented to take control of their destination, and creating a ground swell of powerful entrepreneurs who will ensure free enterprise and capitalism in our communities and nation.

Join other invited, distinguished executives and business owners/leaders on Thursday, October 20, 2011 at Regency Oaks.

Details and registration is available at the following link Register

Tampa Bay Think Tank Mission Statement: Providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and initiatives among business owners and executives in order to enhance the success, profitability and growth of Tampa Bay businesses.

• Are you ready to hear a compelling story about an effective approach to life?
• Would you like to spend an evening with other like-minded individuals without a “formal networking” feel?
• Is it new inspiration you seek to drive you to be willing to adapt and change in life and business?

If so, this is your invitation to RSVP to TampaBayThinkTank.com for the event.

May
19

Susan and Barbara McCarthy – Tampa Bay Think Tank – July 21, 2011

Susan and Barbara McCarthy, owners of Sun Country Cleaners have a great story to tell about developing a business. Join other invited, distinguished executives and business owners/leaders on Thursday, July 21, 2011 at Regency Oaks.

Details and registration is available at the following link Register

Tampa Bay Think Tank Mission Statement: Providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and initiatives among business owners and executives in order to enhance the success, profitability and growth of Tampa Bay businesses.

• Are you ready to hear a compelling story about an effective approach to life?
• Would you like to spend an evening with other like-minded individuals without a “formal networking” feel?
• Is it new inspiration you seek to drive you to be willing to adapt and change in life and business?

If so, this is your invitation to RSVP to TampaBayThinkTank.com for the event.

Download our event flyer.

Apr
14

Small Steps from Maja Kazazic

Maja Kazazic

Maja Kazazic

Maja Kazaic, CEO of Vela Business Solutions, Palm Harbor captivated our Tampa Bay Think Tank (TBTT) members, as guest speaker at our second quarter meeting (April 21, 2011). Maja currently has a creative and thriving company that offers business solutions, including website and software development, branding and BPM. That’s already an accomplishment in today’s economy. English wasn’t her first language though. She learned by watching the Cosby Show and other American television programs during her teens.

Those of you who know Maja, or who were lucky enough to be in attendance know that a language and culture barrier were not the largest hurdles to success in her new homeland and in business. The biggest key to her success and in her life is her positive outlook, and the fact that she allowed others to provide help. I’m jumping to the end of the story a little, but her message is really what she would want you to focus on while reading.

Maja always had an interest in playing soccer and being independent. She was raised in Mostar in Bosnia-Hercegovina until age sixteen, two years after the Bosnian genocide and the start of two wars. On July 14, 1993, a  mortar shell fell in her courtyard, critically injuring her and killing six of her friends. Her legs were shattered, her face and arm were peppered with shrapnel. Cared for in a makeshift basement hospital, her left leg was eventually amputated below the knee without benefit of anesthesia. Without proper medication, her other injuries, including the massive injuries to her right leg festered in the mid-summer heat. She lay close to death when she was selected to be one of three children evacuated to Croatia, then Germany and eventually, to the United States. One year later, as a resident of a small Maryland town, Maja taught herself English and was enrolled in high school, determined to pick up the remnants of her shattered life.

She provided some staggering statistics such as 279,000 people killed (6.3% of the population), horrifying stories such as daily cutting away of infected skin, fear for the lives of her friends and family, and needing to say quick and painful goodbye when opportunity came for survival. What struck me most was that she never lost hope and never thought about how close to death she came until an adult. She presented her story to provide perspective, but stressed that she doesn’t consider herself a hero – just a person who embraces life.

Maja has had over 100 surgeries and could not walk for two years. She progressed with her artificial legs from rails, to walker, to cane, to a marching band. Her story also involves another local survivor, Winter the Dolphin, who lost part of her tail in a crab trap. Maja enjoyed visiting Winter at the Clearwater aquarium and observed that with her prosthetic, she swam perfectly. Using her resourcefulness and initiative she contacted Hanger Orthotics and Prosthetics, the company that designed for Winter. Within ten days Maja had a comfortable, great fitting prosthetic which let her be pain free. She ran her first marathon (Gasparilla) earlier this year.

Maja gives back to many individuals and organizations who have provided help to her, and who provide opportunities to others who are living with amputation. Just that evening, TBTT members donated an unprecedented $650 to Maja’s chosen charity – Camp No Limits. NoLimitsFoundation.org, their website, was re-designed by Maja’s company, and includes more details on the mission - To educate and empower young people with limb loss to discover and develop a healthy, happy and independent lifestyle.

Read Maja’s full story in her own words. It is truly amazing. She never gave up, and always considers herself lucky. Her family is also safe and now living in America. Her lesson on any success or project is threefold. 1) Break it down into small steps; 2) Maintain a positive attitude; 3) Ask for help.

We reviewed Maja’s presentation during our roundtable discussions and felt that the hardest of the three is to ask for help. Maybe it’s pride, independence, lack of trust or any number of reasons, but Maja is an example of the benefit. She continues to receive mentorship on her business from friends and colleagues, and hires outside contractors and employees who are expert in their field.

TBTT appreciates the story, lessons, and friendship of Maja Kazazic. Visit TampaBayThinkTank.com to learn more about our group, and to join us at future meetings.

Apr
01

Maja Kazazic – TBTT 11 Speaker – April 21, 2011

Join other invited, distinguished executives and business owners/leaders on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at Regency Oaks.

Register

Tampa Bay Think Tank Mission Statement: Providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and initiatives among business owners and executives in order to enhance the success, profitability and growth of Tampa Bay businesses.

• Are you ready to hear a compelling story about an effective approach to life?
• Would you like to spend an evening with other like?minded individuals without a “formal networking” feel?
• Is it new inspiration you seek to drive you to be willing to adapt and change in life and business?

If so, this is your invitation to RSVP to TampaBayThinkTank.com for the April 21st TBTT Event!

The Bosnian War was raging in Mostar in the early 1990’s. The citizens of Mostar had been managing the best they could. Foraging for food, hauling water from the river, helping each other get through dark nights filled with gunfire. As though living with a war being fought outside her front door wasn’t challenge enough, Maja’s life changed forever in the summer of 1993. A mortar shell fell in her courtyard, critically injuring her and killing six of her friends. Her legs were shattered, her face and arm were peppered with shrapnel. Cared for in a makeshift basement hospital, her left leg was eventually amputated below the knee without benefit of anesthesia. Without proper medication, her other injuries, including the massive injuries to her right leg festered in the mid?summer heat. She lay close to death when she was selected to be one of three children evacuated to Croatia, then Germany and eventually, to the United States. One year later, as a resident of a small Maryland town, Maja taught herself English and enrolled herself in high school, determined to pick up the remnants of her shattered life. In rapid succession she joined the marching band, put herself through college and now runs a successful web development company. In the process, she has also learned to windsurf and to play tennis and golf, despite the obvious challenges these pastimes present to a below the knee amputee. Maja travels the country telling her story in a simple, compelling way. She is a living testament to the resiliency of the human spirit and the value of determination and tenacity.  Imagine how she will inspire you!

Tampa Bay Think Tank Tuesday, April 21, 2011 Event Agenda:
5:00 PM: Registration/Networking. Appetizers and beverages will be provided courtesy of Regency Oaks.
6:00 PM: Maja’s introduction, her story and the sharing of ideas and inspiration for personal and business success.
6:45 PM: Questions & Answers and additional thoughts
7:00 PM: Donation collection for charity of Maja’s choice and close of event

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