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NORTH TAMPA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
65th Installation & Awards Banquet
June 26, 2012 at Emerald Greens Golf Resort & Country Club

A very BIG THANKS to the people (In-Kind sponsors and chamber members and non-members) who contributed time and effort at the banquet that added to the ambience and made the banquet an outstandingly pleasant experience.

Volunteers on the banquet committee and "hands on" at the banquet results in a successful evening and keeps everything running smoothly. "THANK YOU" to Ginger Rockey-Johnson, Banquet Chair; Nicole Fielder, Auction Chair; Jeff Ryder, Outgoing President who was there whenever and wherever needed and MANY THANKS to the numerous VOLUNTEERS for being the glue that held everything together.

Thank you to all the attendees that joined us in honoring the past year and celebrating the incoming Board of Directors.

If you did not attend the 65th Installation and Awards Banquet, you missed a great time. From the very beginning, we were entertained by the DJ's choice of music, while socializing and perusing the auction items looking for exciting items at great bargains. Emerald Greens G & CC provided a wonderful venue and dinner and the Patriotic theme reminded us that our country was nearing another birthday.

There were many highlights of the evening. We were honored to have Dick Crippen, Tampa area Sports Icon and Rays Senior Advisor as our Keynote Speaker. In addition, there was great support for the Law Enforcement of the Year awards. One of the most moving highlights of the evening was the recognition of Operation Helping Hand (an initiative to give assistance and support to wounded or injured Active Duty military). The injured military and family members present were given several standing ovations for their bravery and valor in keeping our country safe and secure.

In addition, the Chamber honored their own with The Phyllis Ellis Memorial "Giver Award" and The Outstanding Chamber Member Award plus other awards of recognition for outstanding members. Then of course, came the swearing in of the incoming officers and board, which always fills the room with awe at the sheer magnitude of the responsibility being accepted by volunteers willing to give of their time and expertise for the benefit of the community and the businesses within the community. Congratulations are in order for all the award winners and board members.

For those of you who were there, we look forward to seeing you again next year. For those of you who missed this very eventful evening, ask your fellow chamber members and their guests how much fun they had. Then start planning now to be there next year by clearing your calendar for the end of June 2013. Watch for the exact date to be published in the calendar online at www.northtampachamber.com or in your emails.

Better yet, be one of the award winners, one of the new board members being installed, or a part of the planning committee for next year's banquet. The rewards are endless. With the on-going interest and support of all our members, the North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will continue the commitment to make a difference in the community by promoting the positive image of North Tampa. Get on board now by contacting Ginger Rockey-Johnson, President, at 813-841-3313 or Carol at the chamber office, 813-961-2420.
 
SPECIFIC SPONSORSHIPS

Law Enforcement of the Year Award - Tampa Police Dept
Detective Anthony Watson

PNC Bank

Law Enforcement of the Year Award - Hillsborough County Sheriff Dist 1
Deputy Juan Lazu

C and J Surveying, Inc.

Law Enforcement of the Year Award - Hillsborough County Sheriff Dist 3
Detective C. Gene McClain

Pilot Bank

Operation Helping Hand Recognition
(They give assistance and support to wounded or injured Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard members of the military and their families)
 Carrollwood Copy Center and Printing

IN KIND SPONSORSHIPS

Lighting & Entertainmentz
Elite DSL (Digital Sound & Lighting)

Photographer
Visions Entertainment Group

Decorations
Connect to Stay Healthy

Centerpieces
Elite DSL (Digital Sound & Lighting)

Printing
 Carrollwood Copy Center and Printing

Graphic Design
 Carrollwood Copy Center and Printing

GENERAL & CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS

Table Sponsorships:
 T-Mobile  Achieva Credit Union

FOR ALL THE AWESOME SILENT AUCTION ITEMS

A Special Thanks goes out to the following:

  • Northdale Golf & Tennis Club

  • Clarion Hotel & Conference Center

  • University of South Florida Foundation

  • Emerald Greens Golf & CC

  • Amadiz Cigars Tampa

  • Oak Emporium

  • Plantation Palms Golf & CC

  • LaVida Massage Tampa

  • Sam's Club

  • Elaine Kaufman, Faye Mill, Nicole Fielder

  • Heritage Harbor Golf & Country Club

  • AFM Publications

  • Travel Hunt

  • Home Depot

  • Life Improvement Radio

  • Florida Housekeeping Inc.

  • Tampa Tanning

  • Precision Health and Fitness

  • Lee Birnbaum

  • Ierna Heating and Cooling

  • TampaNightOut.com

FOR THE WONDERFUL ARRAY OF ITEMS FOR THE CHINESE AUCTION

We would like to thank our contributors for their donation of multiple items that made this possible.

  • Florida Barter

  • AAA South Travel & Insurance

  • Banana Wind Hair Studios, Inc

  • Target

  • Lutz Ace Hardware

  • Amore's Fresh Slice Pizzeria of Carrollwood

  • Hank's Catfish & BBQ

  • CJ's Bar B Skew

ABOUT THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Dick Crippen

DICK CRIPPEN, Senior Advisor for Tampa Bay Rays

Dick Crippen is a sports icon in the Tampa Bay area. If you don't know Dick Crippen, then you haven't been in the Tampa Bay area very long and you have NEVER watched or listened to sports. He is a delightful, entertaining speaker and extremely knowledgeable about sports.

Dick Crippen is currently senior advisor with the Tampa Bay Rays. He serves on 11 boards of directors including the St Petersburg YMCA; PARC; United Way of Tampa Bay Advisory Board, Florida Blood Services; Blossom Montessori School for the Deaf, CASA (Trustee); Pinellas Education Foundation; P.A.L. Advisory Board, the Salvation Army Advisory Board and CharityWorks Advisory Board. He is also a lifetime member of the board for the Suncoast Ronald MacDonald Houses. He serves on the President's Associates at Eckerd College and also the Ethics Advisory Board at St Pete College. Recently, he was appointed as an Honorary Vice Commander of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base 2011-2013.

Dick Crippen has been a staple of Tampa Bay Area broadcasting for better than four decades. For more than 35 years he served sports director at both the NBC affiliate (19 years - WFLA-TV) and before that at the then ABC affiliate (16 years - WTSP-TV). He has also worked extensively in radio and was best known as part of the Q Morning Zoo on Q105 Radio and Mason in the Mornings on Mix 96.

His sports broadcasting also included several years with NASCAR's Motor Racing Network and 17 years doing the radio broadcasts for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also served as stadium announcer and television broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Crippen's work has taken him around the country as he broadcast the Unlimited Hydroplane Circuit on ESPN for 10 years and has also been a voice for Offshore Powerboat Racing. He has also broadcast a drag boat series, the 12 hours of Sebring, the Ft Lauderdale Air & Sea Show, motorcycle racing and has hosted several syndicated shows.

He has been a member of and/or reported on the Super Bowl Task Force that landed three Super Bowls for Tampa Bay and has also been part of the birth of NFL Football, NASL Soccer, NHL Hockey and Major League Baseball in the Tampa Bay Area. His job in sports took him to ten Super Bowls as well as Final Four's; Sugar, Orange and Fiesta Bowls; years of Florida/Florida State match-ups and several World Series. He was named Florida Sportscaster of the Year four times in the 1990's by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

In the year 2001, Dick had the distinct honor of flying with the USAF Thunderbirds and also attended the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference put on by the Department of Defense. During that trip he landed on the U.S. Theodore Roosevelt Aircraft Carrier; was rescued from a pretend embassy and flown out at tree tops aboard a Chinook helicopter; witnessed a live ammunition nighttime assault and toured the War Room at the Pentagon as well as NORAD and Space Command at Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs.

Crippen now works in community development and as senior advisor for the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. He also hosts sports on Catch 47. Dick is also a popular speaker speaking on sports, motivation and broadcasting. He is a popular host of many local events, including athletic ceremonies at theUniversity of South Florida.

Dick and his wife Penny, reside in St. Petersburg.

Honors:

  • Induction into Sports Club of Tampa Bay Hall of Fame

  • Distinguished Citizen Award - West Coast Boy Scouts of America

  • Induction into the Demolay Hall of Fame

  • Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa - Citizen of the Yar

  • Boys and Girls Clubs of the Suncoast - Man of the Year

  • Boys Clubs of Pinellas County - Man and Boy Award

  • Clearwater for Youth - Humanitarian Award

  • Chi Chi Rodriguez Foundation - Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Tampa City Council - Commendation

  • All American Football Foundation - Lindsey Nelson Award (Lifetime Achievement)

  • National Football Foundation - Tom McEwen Award (contributions to football as a non-player)

  • St Petersburg Chamber of Commerce - Award of Appreciation

  • Tampa Sports Club - Outstanding Citizen

  • Named one of 13 Magnetic Man for 2011 by PARC (Community Service)

  • Volunteer of the Year 2011 by PARC
Be part of something special: the North Tampa Chamber of Commerce - where it pays to do business!
North Tampa Chamber of CommerceNorth Tampa Chamber of Commerce
 P O Box 82043, Tampa, FL 33682
813-961-2420  ~  Fax: 813-961-2903
E-Mail: info@northtampachamber.com
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