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