NTBC business breakfast
Rebecca Schulkowski, president of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, will be the featured speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber’s business breakfast on June 6 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The new hospital opened in March. The breakfast will be at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. Admission is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. Reach out to for more information, or visit NorthTampaBay Chamber.com to register.
Low unemployment, high tourism
Florida’s unemployment rate of 2.6% in April is lowest among the nation’s top 10 largest states, according to news released by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office. The news release also noted that the state had a record 37.9 million visitors between January 2023 and March 2023, the largest volume of visitors ever recorded in a single quarter. Florida’s statewide unemployment rate has remained lower than the national rate for 30 consecutive months since November 2020.
Coffee cafe has new location
Foxtail Coffee Co., opened its newest location at 10907 N. Dale Mabry Highway, with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting on May 27 (after press deadline). Foxtail has been brewing craft coffee since opening its first café and roasting facility in Winter Park, in 2016, according to a news release. Since then, Foxtail has continued to grow, today offering more than 50 locations in Florida, one in Georgia and more openings in the southeast and the west. Adrian Lojo is the franchisee of the new shop.
EoS celebrates new gym
EoS Fitness has opened a new location at 17634 Harpers Run, in Lutz. The 42,000-square-foot facility features the latest in smart fitness technology and recovery, providing what’s needed for users to achieve health, fitness and wellness goals, according to a news release. The Lutz location features EoS Smart Strength Equipment, a seven-piece smart technology line that personalizes each member’s workout to their individual goals and fitness levels. For more information or to join, visit EoSFitness.com.
Local business celebrations
These business celebrations were announced by the North Tampa Bay Chamber:
- Wesley Chapel Harley-Davidson had its grand opening/ribbon-cutting on May 20. The event was held at the new dealership at 25245 Wesley Chapel Blvd.
- Crumbl Cookie had a ribbon-cutting on May 19, at 15718 N. Dale Mabry Highway.
Tampa Downtown Partnership survey
The Tampa Downtown Partnership’s 2022 Downtown Worker and Resident survey revealed that workers are not fleeing downtown offices, but do want to see Tampa’s Riverwalk extended, according to a news release. The survey gathered more than 2,000 responses.
According to some key results:
- Just 8% of downtown Tampa’s workers are working fully remote from home, compared to 28% in 2020.
- Regardless of where they live, they want Tampa’s Riverwalk to be extended, with 93% of workers and 91% of residents supporting that idea.
- The survey also showed that 37% of workers and 35% of residents consider the Riverwalk as Tampa’s greatest asset.
The survey has been conducted every two years since 2008.
East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group (EPNG) 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. Here is its upcoming slate of speakers:
June 13: Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano and Pasco Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley
July 11: Billy Poe, city manager for the City of Zephyrhills
Aug. 8: Peter Castellani, founder of Oasis Pregnancy Care Center and Amy Yarborough director of Pregnancy City Center
Sept. 12: Todd Vande Berg, director of planning, City of Zephyrhills
Oct. 10: Nikki Alvarez-Sowles, Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller
For more information about EPNG, contact Nils R. Lenz at 813-782-9491 or
Governing board elects officers
The Southwest Florida Water Management Board District Governing Board has elected officers for the 2023-2024 term, according to a news release from the district. Those elected are: Ed Armstrong, chair; Michelle Williamson, vice chair; John Mitten, secretary; and, Jack Bispham, treasurer. Governing Board members are unpaid, citizen volunteers, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate. The Governing Board sets policy for the water management district, which seeks to protect water resources, minimize flood risks and ensure that public water needs are met.
Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections wins award
The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office has been honored with a national Clearinghouse Award for “Outstanding Innovations in Elections – Large Jurisdiction,” according to a news release from the elections office.
The awards, also known as the “Clearies,” are presented by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to celebrate excellence and hard work of election offices across the country.
During the 2022 election cycle, the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office developed an application that contributed to a very quick turnaround when reporting election night results, with 100% of precinct-level results reported by 8:40 p.m. election night for the 2022 General Election, according to the news release.
“We’re very proud to be recognized for this achievement,” Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer said, in the release. “Managing 247 Election Day polling places and serving the fourth largest electorate in Florida is a challenge, so we are constantly working to be innovative and improve our processes.”
Hillsborough’s elections office was one of 24 programs recognized with a Clearie Award.
More information on the Clearies and each awardee is available on EAC.gov.
New communications director
Kiran Malik-Khan has been named the senior communications director at the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA.
