a look at...
Emmanuel and
Montserrat Cerf
photography by Win Wolloff
Barcelona-born Montserrat Cerf and her French-born husband
Emmanuel have been proud to call St. Petersburg their
home. Montserrat, who speaks four languages, received her
MBA from the University Claude Bernard in France and began a
career as an international business developer in several French
companies before co-founding her own packaging manufacturing
company. Emmanuel moved to St. Petersburg with his family
at age 12, was a Seminole High School Warhawk, and then a
Florida Gator at the University of Florida, where he received his
degree in architecture. Today he is the vice president of Polypack,
a global manufacturer of packaging equipment based in Tampa
Bay, and the incoming chair of PMMI, the largest association of
packaging and processing technologies in the world.
Montserrat moved to London, England, and then to France
after college. In 2001, after several business trips to the Tampa
Bay area, she moved to the USA. Soon after, she accepted
the position of international sales director at Polypack Inc.
She serves on the board of the Packaging & Processing Women’s
Leadership Council and the Global Marketing Committee of
the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute. Montserrat
has been very involved with the arts and culture, serving on
various boards, and was elected president of the Dalí Museum
Guild, and serves on The Florida Orchestra’s board of directors
and on its annual gala committee. She is an animal lover, and
whether for business or pleasure, she enjoys traveling the globe.
Emmanuel, an avid tennis player and sailor, loves to organize
sailing regattas, including world championships in his beloved
city of St. Petersburg. He enjoys supporting the arts and local
children’s charities, often hosting or chairing events with his
wife. They have been chairing the Salvador Dalí Museum’s
biggest fundraiser, Sueños de Dalí, annually since 2012, and
will do it again on October 26th under this year’s theme,
“The Surreal Circus.”
Why do you live here?
Montserrat: St. Petersburg has become a cultural city and
keeps improving. Also, I love the fact that I live in an area
where people come on vacation.
Emmanuel: St. Petersburg is a hidden paradise.
What is your favorite word?
Montserrat: Tolerance.
Emmanuel: Compassion.
How do you relax?
Montserrat: I don’t very often, but when I do, it’s always
around nature.
Emmanuel: Spending time on the water.
130 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Montserrat: Do not take anything personally.
Emmanuel: Always live in the present and the future.
What don’t people know about you?
Montserrat: I am passionate about marine mammals,
especially whales.
Emmanuel: I am extremely competitive.
What is your motto?
Montserrat: Live life off the leash.
Emmanuel: Never give up!
How do you think other people would describe you?
Montserrat: Passionate, caring and fun, (I hope).
Emmanuel: Kind, fun, easygoing.
What is your fondest memory?
Montserrat: My childhood in Barcelona with my family.
Emmanuel: Walking through Le Louvre Museum with my
grandfather as a child.
What would you like to do that you have never done?
Montserrat: Fly a plane.
Emmanuel: Sail across the Atlantic.
What do you wish you could do?
Montserrat: Empty all animal shelters. I wish people would
think twice before shopping for pets when so many are killed
every year. Adopt, don’t shop!
Emmanuel: Unite the bipartisan world in which we live.
What is your idea of happiness?
Montserrat: No cell phone, email or social media just friends
together for unpolluted conversation.
Emmanuel: Spending time with Montserrat discovering new
places around the world
What is your pet peeve?
Montserrat: Intolerance and bad manners.
Emmanuel: People in airplanes dressed like they are going
to the beach.
What is your most treasured possession?
Montserrat: Material possessions are not important to me.
My family and my pets are the most important to me.
Emmanuel: My health.
What is the secret to your success?
Montserrat: Not really a secret, it is all about hard work,
believing in your team and taking some risks.
Emmanuel: Be one you can trust. 9