a look at...
Deidra and Bruce
Livingston
photography by Win Wolloff
Bruce and Deidra Livingston, whose family business
manufactured dental chairs and cabinetry, have lived in
the Tampa Bay area since 1985, when they settled in Dunedin
to own and operate Boyd Industries. Working together, Bruce
and Deidra grew the business substantially, and subsequently
sold the company in 2012 to a private equity firm.
The couple first met on a sales training trip in Boise, Idaho.
After a brief long-distance romance (Bruce in Boise, Deidra in
Denver), they married in 1980 and lived in Boise until Bruce’s
career took them to San Francisco, then to Jubail, Saudi Arabia.
Bruce has been very active in leadership roles with the
Clearwater Free Clinic, Salvation Army, Mease Manor, Rotary,
Leadership Pinellas, and a variety of business advisory boards.
Bruce was elected to the Dunedin City Commission and served
as a commissioner and vice-mayor. Deidra is also active with the
Clearwater Free Clinic and Salvation Army, and has provided
great leadership as commissioner of the Dunedin Sterling
Soccer Club. She volunteered with the soccer and IB programs
at Palm Harbor University High School. She now works parttime
for Habitat for Humanity.
Bruce, who is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, played
football and ran track at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where
he majored in marketing and management. Deidra, a “Nole” who
majored in marketing at Florida State, was raised in a military
family, attending 13 schools in 12 years growing up. They have
two grown sons, Christopher and Jeffrey, who are both married
and live in New York City, whose wives are both expecting.
Jeff’s wife Abby is a host on The View television show.
What is your favorite word?
Deidra: Family.
Bruce: Collaboration.
How do you relax?
Deidra: Reading and walking the beach.
Bruce: Golf. Golf is a great way to meet others, and you can
tell a lot about how a person conducts oneself both personally
and professionally by their behavior on the golf course.
Who is your role model?
Deidra: My dad taught me the work ethic to do my best,
finish what I start, and that dedication and love of family
are the core to all you do.
Bruce: I would have to say my role model is a local doctor who
made a huge impact on our community, namely Dr. William
E. Hale, who embodied all the attributes of a successful leader
– humility, humor, integrity, and dedication to family.
130 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2019
What don’t people know about you?
Deidra: Bruce and I lived in Saudi Arabia in the early 1980s,
and our first son Christopher was born there in Jubail.
The hospital where I delivered Christopher was a military
hospital for our troops during Desert Storm (1990).
Bruce: I was born in Paris, France.
What would you like to do that you have never done?
Deidra: Learn to tap dance.
Bruce: Get my pilot’s license.
What is your pet peeve?
Deidra: I am disappointed in the lack of manners today as
compared to when I grew up. Foul language, plus a lack
of respect for elders, our country and rules is especially
alarming. It seems anything goes, and I am concerned about
where we are going as a community and a country. We need
to find a balance between our past and present.
Bruce: My pet peeve is not treating others with the respect
they deserve. Each and every one of us deserves respect
and to be treated equally. Unfortunately, in my opinion, our
society has become very self-centered, and there is a lack of
value placed on relationships and respect.
What talent do wish you had?
Deidra: I am a frustrated artist and calligraphist. I am very
creative, but in an organized and practical way. Artists have
a more relaxed, flowing stroke to a brush.
Bruce: The ability to be a single-digit handicap golfer.
What is the secret to your success?
Deidra: My secret to success is in the details. Looking at the
big picture, evaluating the options and tending to the details.
The details of success set you apart from the mainstream and
provide an advantage others do not consider. Little things
matter…dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s.
Bruce: I think the secret to my success has been the ability
to build relationships with others and motivate a team to
achieve a common goal. My favorite word, “collaboration,”
focuses on the efforts of a group pooling resources toward a
common goal or mission. Over time, I have worked very hard
to realize that I am not the smartest guy in the room, and to
surround myself with a team of varied expertise and skills to
achieve success. The other important aspect of collaboration
is the ability to take feedback, both positive and negative, and
then be willing to take ownership in a plan to achieve the goal
of the group. 9