Social Media Growth Marketing
Shelly Cassin, president of Just Market It, will present a session on strategic social marketing on April 12, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the SMARTstart Grove Entrepreneur Center, 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 202, in Wesley Chapel. The session will focus on helping those attending to communicate their message in ways that create brand awareness, help establish you as a dominant figure in your community and generate leads for your business. Registration is free and available online at SmartStartPasco.com/thegrove-entrepreneur-center.
Chamber announces roundtable
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce has announced a medical roundtable to take place on April 6 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., and the roundtable will be held going forward on the first Thursday of every month.
The meeting will be facilitated by Adam Shoemaker of HPH Hospice, at Chapter Health Services, at 6801 Rowan Road, in New Port Richey. The session will cover everything health care that affects the Greater Pasco health care industry. It also will offer a chance for those attending to interact with members of the health care community and discuss current topics in the industry.
Registration is free and available on the chamber’s website at GreaterPasco.com.
Moffitt and Saint Leo host community expo
Saint Leo University and Moffitt Cancer Center are teaming up to create jobs, internships and educational opportunities for Saint Leo students, as well as the community at-large.
The public is invited to join Saint Leo students and alumni for the Moffitt and Saint Leo University Community Expo, which will take place on April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the university, 33701 County Road 52 (formerly State Road 52), in St. Leo.
Parking is available in the university’s parking garage, located on the east side of campus. Register to attend online at Moffitt.org/SaintLeoCommunityExpo.
The focus will be on careers and education for most of the day.
Partner named at Schifino Lee
Schifino Lee, a leading national advertising and branding agency, has announced that Jeff Philbin has been named to the role of partner.
He joins agency founders Paola Schifino and Ben Lee and is the first partner to be named since the founding of the agency, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
Philbin joined the agency in May 2021 as director of business strategy and initially was responsible for new business development, according to a news release.
He quickly expanded his role at the agency, becoming a senior account manager for select clients, then adding talent recruitment and management of strategic agency partners, and also taking on the role of media spokesperson for the agency and for tourism industries across the Tampa Bay area, the news release says.
“Jeff has been named a partner because he earned it,” Ben Lee, co-founder, Schifino Lee, said in the release. “Since joining our agency almost two years ago, Jeff has re-energized our new-business outreach, strengthened our pipeline of prospects, landed several major clients, and taken on agency management responsibilities. On top of this, he’s an incredibly fun and positive person to work with.”
East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group meets on the second Tuesday of the month (except for December), at 7:30 a.m., at IHOP, at 13100 U.S. 301, in Dade City. The group’s meetings feature speakers from a wide array of backgrounds.
Upcoming speakers are:
- April 11: Christopher Dester, founder of the Academy of Spectrum Diversity, and Col. Jeff Harrington, of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office
- May 9: Mike Moore, former board member on the Pasco County Commission, now with The Southern Group
For more information, contact Nils Lenz at 813-782-9491 or
NTBC Coffee Connection
The North Tampa Bay Chamber has its Coffee Connections networking session every third Friday of the month, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Coffee Speaks n Tea Talks, 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Tampa. Coffee Connection provides a chance to mingle with other chamber members and community leaders, and to make friends and exchange ideas.
Business planning help
If you need help with handling business issues, you may be able to find the support you need through SCORE.org — an organization that provides workshops, a library of resources and business mentors. Visit the website to find out more about the free help that is available.
Pasco EDC seeks nominations
Nominations are being accepted by the Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) for its 2023 annual awards, which recognizes companies that are having extraordinary economic impact on their community. The deadline for nominations is the close of business on April 28.
This year, Pasco EDC will recognize the achievements of top companies in Pasco County for their economic excellence in company growth, workforce improvement, and community involvement, according to a news release. Finalists are interviewed by a committee of volunteers, and the winners will be announced at Pasco EDC’s 35th Annual Awards event on Sept. 7.
Nominees should be a “for profit” business-to-business company operating in Pasco County, excluding municipalities or affiliates. If you know of a company outside of those parameters that has gone above and beyond their mission to show excellence, they may be nominated for consideration through the Special Contribution category.
Nominations can be submitted online at PascoEDC.com/events/details/35th-annual-awards.
This year’s categories are:
- Pasco Establishment Award: The winner in this category must have established its Pasco County operations between January 2022 and December 2022.
This award will recognize a recently established company that is demonstrating substantial progress and/or has the potential for a significant community impact.
- Economic Excellence Award: This award will go to a company that established its business in Pasco County between January 2022 and December 2022. It will recognize a business that has made a commitment to improving the overall economic health and quality of life in Pasco County, creating a diverse workforce, and providing exceptional value to customers, all while demonstrating ingenuity, integrity, and leadership.
Other award categories:
- International Achievement Award: This award will recognize a business that has demonstrated outstanding achievements in international relations, global leadership, and export growth through its relationship with Pasco EDC, Enterprise Florida, or Global Tampa Bay. Nominees will be scored based on company growth, international program participation, workforce improvement, and community involvement.
- SMARTstart Entrepreneur of the Year: This award will recognize an entrepreneur who has engaged in numerous SMARTstart programs. Through their experiences and education, they have turned their passion into a thriving business. Nominees will be scored based on company growth, SMARTstart involvement, and community impact as a leading start-up.
