Social Seens... Photography by Gram
Tampa Bay BCA Impact Awards
The Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts (TBBCA) held its 30th anniversary Impact Awards, as it celebrated uniting
businesses to champion arts and culture for a prosperous community. The evening benefited the organization’s Charlie Hounchell
Art Stars Scholarships and Programs. This year author Michael Connelly received a lifetime achievement award, Lorna Taylor
was presented with the Patron of Culture and the Arts award and Kalup Linzy earned the Innovation in Arts award. The TBBCA
promotes the belief that the arts are good for business, and business is good for the arts. Susana Weymouth, executive director of
the TBBCA, carries out the vision of the late David Rockefeller, who founded the concept.
Lorna Taylor, president and CEO of Premier
Eye Care and a past president of the TBBCA,
was congratulated by her sister Charla Rueda
upon being selected to receive an Impact Award
in recognition of her active involvement in
community and nonprofit causes.
Stephen Gay, president and chair of the
TBBCA board of directors, agrees that
when businesses come together in support
of our community’s artistic, cultural and
creative industries, Tampa Bay’s regional
economy thrives even more.
Beverly Austin and former Tampa mayor/former Florida
Gov. Bob Martinez and his wife Mary Jane Martinez
support the mission and programs of the Tampa Bay
Businesses for Culture and the Arts.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 163
Best selling author Michael Connelly and his
wife Linda have supported the Tampa Bay
Businesses and Culture for the Arts for over
a decade, and Michael served as the first
literary arts judge for the IBBCA Art Stars
Scholarship program.
Internationally acclaimed artist Janet
Echelman, who has designed public
artwork for the new St. Petersburg Pier
project, and her mother Anne Kantor are
proud that Janet received an
Impact Award in 2016.
Renée Vaughn and her husband
Ron, president of the University of
Tampa, lent their personal support to
this Impact Award event for which
the university is a signature sponsor
and TBBCA Chair’s Circle pARTner.