UPFRONT
Genshaft Honored by Lightning
38 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2018
Cuban Ballet
at the Straz Center
It was a glorious night for the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, as the
group danced Giselle on the stage of Morsani Hall at the Straz
Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa before a sold-out house.
It took years of negotiations and the help of David Straz Jr. to
bring this world-famous company to Tampa during one of its
four appearances in the United States. This was a performance
that will be remembered. 9
GRAM
GRAM
Dunedin History Makers
The Dunedin History Museum awarded its
annual History Maker awards to Dunedin
residents Dr. Pat Snair and Pat Kennedy
during its annual awards picnic, which
also included a preview of the museum’s
“Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape
America” exhibit. Snair, a chiropractor and
former Dunedin History Museum board
member, was one of the first bagpipers in
Dunedin. She and her father created the
annual Highlander Games event, which
has continued since the 1960s to benefit the
community. Kennedy is a former parks and
recreation director who co-chaired the 1998
celebration marking Dunedin’s 100 years. She
was instrumental in adding senior activities
and summer camps for children and in
getting new buildings and upgraded facilities
for the community to use. Both women have
participated in Rotary Club over the years.
Art Stars Scholarships
Ed Shamus and his wife Betty were excited that their
granddaughter Taylor Aronson was selected to receive the
vocal music scholarship at this year’s awards program and
talent showcase in Tampa.
The Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts began
its Art Stars Scholarship program 10 years ago. The
program is now named in honor of one of its founders,
Charlie Hounchell, who passed away five years ago. This
year’s winners were Taylor Aronson for vocal music as
judged by Dawne Eubanks; Jaimar Alvarez for literary
arts as judged by Lisa Unger; James Pursley for visual
arts as judged by Joanna Robotham; Samantha Frost for
dance as judged by Helen Hansen French; Noa Friedman
for theater as judged by Eugenie Bondurant; and David
Mason for instrumental music as judged by Paul Wilborn.
Lightning player
Braydon Point
was on hand when
team owner Jeff
Vinik presented
the University
of South Florida
System President
Judy Genshaft
with a $50,000
donation at the
Lightning’s playoff
game 7 against the
Washington Capitals.
The Tampa Bay Lightning recently honored University of South Florida System
President Judy Genshaft as a Lightning Community Hero with a $50,000 donation
from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Heroes program.
Genshaft plans to give it to the new USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and
Heart Institute facility in downtown Tampa. Judy has been USF’s president for
18 years. Under her leadership, it has become one of the National Science Foundation’s
Top 30 public universities. She has also served as the chair of the Greater Tampa
Chamber of Commerce, the Tampa Bay Partnership and led several other community
organizations.
Ambassador David Straz Jr., his wife Katherine, and Georgiana Young,
the chief programming and marketing officer of the Straz Center,
thanked Redento Morejón of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba for
helping to bring the company to Tampa.
SCOTT AUDETTE/GETTY IMAGES