Selfless Leaders

This year, the Chair’s Cup for Excellence in Regionalism salutes three innovators who continue to passionately pursue a greater community good.

It’s my experience that effective leadership requires passion and a sense of community. It’s one thing to set goals and priorities for one organization, one city, one county; to work up the career ladder; or to reach a certain level of success. It’s a different story to make the prosperity of an entire region, or Super Region, a personal goal.

Great leaders make big things happen because they think big. They move concepts to ideas; plans to actions. They think outside of the box. They innovate. They’re forward thinking. They think beyond their organization’s self interest, toward a greater community good.

Each year with the Chair’s Cup for Excellence in Regionalism, the Tampa Bay Partnership recognizes individuals who’ve made significant contributions, exhibited leadership and advocated for resources to enhance economic development in the Tampa Bay region.

We’ve celebrated a wide variety of strong leaders throughout the years, from Gov. Jeb Bush to Congressman Bill Young to Central Florida’s own Jacob Stuart, president and CEO of the Central Florida Partnership. Each one of the recognized leaders has advanced the region, and the state, towards greater prosperity by embracing regionalism and super regionalism; by thinking big and taking action on bold, innovative ideas. That’s what leadership is all about: the ability to create and identify bright ideas for the advancement of the community and moving forward on them.

As the 2010-2011 chair of the Tampa Bay Partnership, I am honored to present the 2011 Chair’s Cup to three outstanding regional leaders who have thought big and brought the community together to act upon a larger vision for Tampa Bay: Dr. Judy Genshaft, president of the University of South Florida; Teri A. Hansen, president and CEO of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation; and Mayor Frank Hibbard of the City of Clearwater.

Genshaft’s impact reaches far beyond Tampa Bay into the Super Region. She is a committed believer in the power of partnerships and has exemplified super regionalism in leading USF’s partnership with the University of Central Florida. Together, USF and UCF have made the I-4 Corridor a huge state influencer in innovation, voting power and beyond. Recognized as a leader for economic development, Genshaft has played a momentous role in attracting innovators and job creators such as SRI and Draper Laboratory to the region. She leads the nation's ninth-largest public research university, which has a $3.7 billion annual economic impact on the region and is one of Tampa Bay’s top employers.

Hansen leads the efforts of Florida’s largest community foundation and, together with its donors, is transforming the region through bold and proactive philanthropy. She was instrumental in forming CareerEdge, the first Funders Collaborative designated as a National Fund for Workforce Solutions site in the Southeast, uniting philanthropy with workforce development. Hansen’s leadership benefits her community and beyond through funding of major community initiatives such as an analysis of Florida’s 9-1-1 system, which helped secure passage of a milestone public safety law in Florida in 2010.

Mayor Hibbard has demonstrated an undeniable understanding of regionalism. He worked closely on that Partnership’s ONE BAY visioning efforts in mapping out what the region needs to do now to ensure that its future growth is inclusive, productive and sustainable. He has supported initiatives outside of Clearwater and Pinellas County, understanding that the potential impact of issues can reach far beyond one county into the entire region. Through his leadership on transportation and planning issues and work with the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority, Pinellas Metropolitan Planning Organization and Chair’s Coordinating Committee, Mayor Hibbard has not only advanced the City of Clearwater but the entire region.

These extraordinary leaders deserve to be celebrated.

Beyond celebration, it’s crucial that we continuously promote entrepreneurial spirit and game-changing ideas. The value of the Tampa Bay Partnership is in its ability to convene the region’s most dedicated and passionate leaders in taking the steps needed to advance prosperity for the region as a whole.

 

Chair’s Cup for Excellence in Regionalism

Past Recipients

(2010-2001 in descending order)

Stuart Rogel, Tampa Bay Partnership

Jacob Stuart, Central Florida Partnership

Jeff Lyash, Progress Energy

Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority

ONE BAY: Livable Communities

Tampa Bay Rays

Joe Smith, Joe Smith Enterprises

Rhea Law, Fowler White Boggs Banker

State Rep. Bill Galvano

State Sen. Mike Fasano

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush

Richard A. Beard, Realtor

Dr. Jack Critchfield, Educator

State Sen. Jim Sebesta

Ed Turanchik, Florida 2012

Ed Timberlake, Bank of America

John Sykes, Sykes Enterprises

Sandy MacKinnon, Yale Industrial Trucks

U.S. Rep. Bill Young

 

 

Tags: leadership, Tampa Bay Partnership