John Ruetz and Steve Westphal of gotoSteves.com restaurants and catering have opened Annex, a new concept, at 400 Beach Drive Northeast in downtown St. Petersburg next to Steve’s 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House. In addition to serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, this space that formerly housed the Chihuly Museum will carry gifts, local art and other unique items. Charles “Carlos” Tomas was sworn in as the new Pinellas County tax collector by Judge Myriam Irizarry while his wife Patti and their daughter and son-in-law, Kristy and Bill Foley, watched. Betty Sembler was chosen as a community hero by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The honor came with a $50,000 grant for Drug-Free America. Karen Seel, a Pinellas County Commissioner, was named AchieveHERs Woman of the Year by the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce at its annual banquet. Chris Ponte of Cafe Ponte in Clearwater has been named Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalist for the 27th annual James Beard Foundation Award. Chris was chosen from a list of more than 24,000 entries. The James Beard Awards are known as the Academy Awards of the food industry. Chris was nominated in the Best Chef: South category. Richard Gonzmart of the Columbia Restaurant Group has been named a semifinalist by the James Beard Foundation for the Award to the Outstanding Restaurateur. This is Richard’s second time as a semifinalist in this category. If we were choosing, he would be the winner. Kenneth Knapp, director of Cybersecurity Programs for the Sykes College of Business at the University of Tampa, explained how computer hackers can invade your privacy while speaking at a UT Lunch with a Genius program at the Belleair Country Club, which was organized by Cynthia Tully, planned giving officer from the university’s office of Development and University Relations. 9 70 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017 Zev Buffman, the CEO and president of Ruth Eckerd Hall, and Frank Hibbard, Ruth Eckerd Hall’s vice chair, accepted the 2017 Judges Choice Award for the hall at the annual meeting of the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce. Elif and Dr. Joe Fitzgerald of PureLife Medi-Spa in Largo were the sponsors of “A Night to Shine,” the first Girls International ball, to be held annually, which took place at the Safety Harbor Spa. This program offers workshops, seminars, coaching and events to facilitate growth, development and leadership in women. Bonnie Jean Paulish, the chair of the 29th annual Florida State Fair International Wine Competition that is sponsored by the State Fair Authority and the Florida Grape Growers Association, has announced that 342 wines won medals at this year’s event. Once again, Florida’s Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards received double gold medals, which entered the winery into the competition for “The Best of Show.” Next year will be the 30th anniversary of this prestigious wine judging that brings wines from throughout the world to the Florida State Fair in the hopes of being recognized as a leader in the industry. GRAM WAYNE CATHEL
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