Central Pinellas Chamber of Commerce

It was a crowded scene on a cool evening at SLYCE Madeira Beach for the Chamber's recent Pizza Party B2B Happy Hour.?Special thanks to Suzanne Brown, SLYCE Operations Manager, and her team for the great food and service.?Here’s their website with more: www.SlycePizzaBar.com. Photos courtesy Stacy Gillis, Advanced Video Systems.

A fun Coffee An'Networking morning! Question of the Day: Have you ever fibbed about your birthday or other occasion to get a free dessert while out dining? Lots of laughs! Thanks to our sponsors and hosts Serenity Funeral Home and Serenity Memorial Gardens. Photo Credit: Advanced Video Systems. Coffee An'Networking returns April 3 at Pinellas Education Foundation. Get more at www.CentralChamber.biz

Support the Chamber's Education Fund and enjoy an evening of networking and PIZZA! Bring a bottle of wine or booze as your admission to help an Education Fund fundraiser. Please register so we have a count: https://lnkd.in/eqWtmKPg Not bringing a bottle? Bring $15 to pay at the door.

Who's going to Coffee An' Networking? ?????? You can too! Register now at https://lnkd.in/gD4EzcKq

Congratulations to the Chamber’s 2024 Economist of the Year, Lou Haskel, CPA, seen here with Chamber Chairman Pam Van Sant of National Aviation Academy. Lou got the closest with his predictions for our 2024 economic survey conducted at last year’s Focus forecast breakfast. It looks for year-end predictions to several economic indicators – price of gas, oil, gold, stock market, etc. Great job, Lou!

Presentations at last week's Focus on 2025: Tampa Bay Economic Forecast "After the Storms" breakfast featured power, real estate and insurance information. More than 100 business and community leaders gathered for the annual Chamber event. Duke Energy Florida President Melissa Seixas, left, spoke on the utility’s efforts following Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton here as well as in the Carolinas. Customer rate hikes to offset those costs will start in March. Real estate expert Michelle Rumore, Director of Analytics for CoStar Group, highlighted trends in Tampa Bay residential and commercial construction. She said she’ll be watching to see if the multi-tenant apartment sector takes a hit when people move back to their homes impacted by the storms. And Dave Newell, VP of Membership & Industry Relation with Florida Association of Insurance Agents (FAIA), believes property insurance policy holders should see some relief this year. He noted that providers are reporting no planned increases, and even some decreases. Let’s hope so!

Carrie is currently the dedicated leader at Serenity Funeral Home and Serenity Gardens Memorial Park. Serenity Gardens Memorial Park, a beautiful 38-acre property that was once a former orange grove, offers a serene environment for remembrance. Known for its lush landscaping, stunning wildlife habitat, and peaceful 7-acre lake, Serenity Gardens Memorial Park is an inspiring place for families to come together and reflect. At Serenity Funeral Home, the team believes that every service should be as unique as the individual it honors. Whether it is a cremation with a mimosa toast, a traditional funeral, or a sports-themed reception, Carrie and the staff at Serenity takes pride in crafting services that reflect the personality and passions of those being remembered. Carrie has always been driven by a deep passion for helping others, especially in their times of need. If you need assistance planning a funeral, final placement or would like more information about Serenity’s services, do not hesitate to reach out. The team at Serenity is here to help guide you every step of the way. Special thanks to our Chamber Champions’ sponsor Chamber Director Joe Pilliod of GarrisonPro. Qualifying for the next quarterly drawing is simple. Just show up to any Chamber event or meeting between now and then and submit a business card.

What an informative event! Thank you to our distinguished speakers, Michelle Rumore, Melissa Seixas, and Dave Newell, for their presentations on the economic issues set to impact our region. Congrats to Louis Haskel of Louis Haskel, CPA, PA on his Economist of the Year award! Thank you to our host, Pinellas Technical College, and to all our sponsors for making this event possible!

Chamber membership extends beyond a return on investment; its the VALUE of investment! Let’s explore one aspect of the value of your Chamber membership. Today’s focus is on the Value of Interaction - Website Advertising. The Chamber's website serves as a central hub for all Chamber-related activities. Why not leverage this platform to promote your business? With our recent website upgrades and a variety of advertising options available, we have solutions that cater to many needs and budgets. For more information on how the Chamber can enhance your visibility, contact Emmy at [email protected].

Have you visited the area's newest family-first pub? Join us at JR's Sports Pub for a Happy Hour on January 23rd to check it out! Registration is open, visit https://lnkd.in/eNtZRssG