BuzzWorthyitems of note
SANDRASONIK PHOTOGRAPHY
66 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2019
Rita Lowman, chair of
the Tampa Cattle Baron’s
Ball, and Laura Schaffer,
co-chair, welcomed guests
to a VIP Party to help raise
support for this year’s ball.
The VIP Party was held at
the historic Stovall House
on Bayshore Boulevard in
Tampa, where Tate and
Blake Casper are planning
the Stovall estate’s next
chapter.
Bob and Becky Griffin celebrated
the 10th anniversary of their Clearwater
Beach Neighborhood News that is
mailed to those who work or live in
zip code 33767, a total of more than
8,100 households and businesses.
The Griffins are a great asset to the
community, and their publication is
filled with useful information and
fascinating stories about the area and
its history.
Laurie Stogniew is a member of
the 2019 class of Leadership St. Pete,
the division of the St. Petersburg
Area Chamber of Commerce that is
celebrating its 50th anniversary in
2019. As the second oldest leadership
program in America, its humble
beginning started with a handful
JONAH GILMORE/STUDIO ROCKET SCIENCE
of local businessmen in 1979. The
program has more than 1,450 graduates
throughout our community. Leadership
St. Pete graduates include mayors,
congressmen, senators, governors,
CEOs, CFOs and founders of their
own businesses and nonprofits. The
group’s mission is to identify, recruit
and develop leaders who represent the
diversity of our community and who
will assume future leadership roles in
the Chamber and other community
organizations. Leadership St. Pete is
a dynamic, intensive, interactive sixmonth
experience designed to promote
and enhance community leadership
through an in-depth introduction to
social, economic, business and political
issues in the St. Petersburg area.
Civic leader and business entrepreneur,
Ambassador Al Hoffman Jr., at right, founding
chairman of Ruth Eckerd Hall, was recently
awarded the Legendary Leader Award by the
Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Alan Bomstein, CEO of Creative Contractors, at
left, presented the award to Hoffman. Beginning
in the late 1970s, Hoffman led the efforts to
create a world-class performing arts center
by working with a small group of Clearwater
residents. Ruth Eckerd Hall was designed by the
Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s Taliesen West
Studio, constructed and opened to the public in
1982. It has become an internationally renowned
performing arts center and is ranked #3 in the
state of Florida, #15 nationally and #18 worldwide.
Bill Edwards accepted the Legacy of
Leadership Award at the 120th annual
meeting of the St. Petersburg Chamber
of Commerce held at the Duke Energy
Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater.
Kathy Pollak, president of
the Miniature Art Society
of Florida, thanked Tarpon
Springs Mayor Chris
Alahouzos for presenting
a proclamation during the
society’s awards brunch at
the Leepa-Rattner Museum
of Art in Tarpon Springs,
where this 44th annual
International Miniature Art
Show was held.
GRAM GRAM