Business Digest

Big Storm opens new kitchen
Big Storm Brewing Co. is opening a kitchen at its founding taproom, at 2330 Success Drive in Odessa, offering specialty, causal meals. Big Storm has already had success with its menu at its Clearwater taproom, according to a news release from the company. “Pasco County is where it all began for us, so it feels great to invest even more in the county we love. It’s our spot for testing and developing new concepts, and we’re just getting started,” Mike Bishop, Big Storm founder, said in the release. The Pasco taproom is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., daily. Kitchen service is expected to begin by mid-July.

 Central Pasco Chamber awards
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce recently bestowed its final set of awards, before the chamber merges with the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce to become the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce, effective July 1.

The slate of the Central Pasco Chamber’s honorees:

Large Business of the Year: Pizza Villa

Small Business of the Year: Nautilus Soap Company

Nonprofit of the Year: Land O’ Lakes Rotary

Chamber Member of the Year: Diane Kortus (publisher and owner of The Laker/Lutz News)

Community Service Award: Melissa Brown

Ambassador of the Year: Melissa Brown

Honorary Mayor of Land O’ Lakes: Kathy Balthazard (area sales manager, of First National Bank of Pasco in Lutz)

AJ’s Power Source to receive incentives
AJ’s Power Source, at 6931 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., is seeking $40,000 in economic incentives from Pasco County for creating 20 new full-time jobs that will pay in excess of 125 percent of the county’s average annual wage. The county has reached an agreement with the company stipulating that 25 percent of the incentive will be awarded during the first year of the contract, with a subsequent distribution of 25 percent each year after, until the maximum amount has been reached.

Greater Pasco Chamber names officers
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce, a newly formed chamber resulting from the merger of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce and the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce, has announced its board of directors for 2019-2020.

The board members are: Greg Armstrong, Kathleen Balthazard, Elayne Bassinger, John Butler, Angel Cook, Terri Dusek, Jim Engelmann, Judi Fisher, Juan Fontanez, Paul Friedlander, Jeremy George, Sandy Graves, Les Saland, Tim Sherrrell and Adam Shoemaker.

SWFMD board elects new officers
The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board has elected a new slate of officers for the 2019-2020 term. They are:

• Mark Taylor, chair, represents Hernando and Marion counties; president of TTG Properties Inc.
• Michelle Williamson, vice chair, represents Hillsborough County; manager of G & F Farms
• Joel Schleicher, secretary, represents Charlotte and Sarasota counties; an entrepreneur known for his involvement in various organizations
• Kelly S. Rice, treasurer, represents Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties; small business owner

The new officers will serve a one-year term.

East Pasco Networking Group
Leja Apple, a professional actress and model, and former Miss Pasco, will be the featured speaker at the East Pasco Networking Group breakfast on July 9. The group meets from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at IHOP, 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City. For more information, call Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491 or Vicky Jones at (813) 431-1149.

Chamber bestows honors
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce recently had its annual Banquet and Awards celebration, during which it bestowed three honors, according to a news release.

The honorees were Saint Leo University, Sr. Roberta Bailey, O.S.B. and Dr. Michael Flannery.

• Saint Leo University received the Business of the Year award.

Saint Leo University, the oldest Catholic institution of higher education in Florida, welcomes students of all faiths. It was named the 2019-2020 Military Spouse Friendly School. It also consistently ranks of the top universities in the South, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges.”

• Sister Roberta Bailey, O.S.B., was named the Chamber Member of the Year.

Sister Roberta Bailey, O.S.B., serves as Prioress of Benedictine Sisters of Florida, is a member of the chamber’s board of directors, serves on the Saint Leo University Board of Trustees and has a hand in many other efforts to serve East Pasco.

• Dr. Michael Flannery received the Richard Tombrink Life Time Achievement.

Dr. Michael Flannery and his wife, Terri, founded the St. Andre Free Clinic, which is a “medical home” for under-served patients. Since the clinic opened, its team has conducted thousands of patient visits, found sources for low-cost lab work, prescriptions, and obtained translators for Spanish-speaking patients, and provided other services.

Stuff the Backpack Drive
The First National Bank of Pasco and the Thomas Promise Foundation are teaming up in the 10th annual “Stuff the Backpack Drive.” Items needed include: Pencils, pens, scissors, index cards, liquid soap, Ziploc bags, crayons, Kleenex, notebooks, highlighters, erasers, paper, pencil boxes, glue sticks, rulers, colored pencils and hand sanitizer. Any monetary donations will be used to purchase additional school supplies. Donations may be dropped off at all four First National Bank of Pasco branches. The deadline for donations is July 26. All collected items will be distributed to participating Pasco County schools.

North Tampa Chamber ribbon cuttings

• JMZ Adaptive Driving and SS Wheelchair Transport Service will have a ribbon cutting on June 25 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the North Tampa Bay Chamber office, 1868 Highland Oaks Blvd., Suite A, in Lutz.
• Metro City Bank will have a ribbon cutting on June 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 6202 Commerce Palms Drive in Tampa.

East Pasco Networking Group
Maria Raza, a business services consultant for Career Resources Pasco, will be the featured speaker at the East Pasco Networking Group breakfast meeting on June 25 at 7:30 a.m., at IHOP, 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Pasco beefing up staff
The Pasco County Commission has approved the addition of one senior manager and one technical specialist II in the facilities management department. The positions are needed to help the county manage projects resulting from voter approval of four general obligation bonds, which will result in numerous projects, and increased workload. The cost for the two positions for the remainder of 2019 is $46,744, with annual recurring costs of $149,733. The positions also require vehicles and computer equipment, at an initial cost of $68,399 and recurring costs of $7,922.

Economic briefing
Marc Elias, a senior leasing agent in Regency Centers’ Tampa office, will be the featured speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber’s economic development briefing on June 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Hunter’s Green, 18101 Longwater Run Drive in Tampa. For more information, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

Member mixer
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce member mixer is set for June 20 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Rose Castle Assisted Living & Memory Care, 37411 Eiland Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Salon ribbon cutting
Salon 54, at 35360 State Road 54 in Zephyrhills, is planning a ribbon cutting on May 30 at noon.

East Pasco Networking
The East Pasco Networking group will meet May 30 at 6 p.m., for a Spring Mixer at IHOP, 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City. The special guests will be the Helping Hands Food Pantry and Julie Kaufmann, elementary school teacher and vacation Bible school leader, both from Atonement Lutheran Church of Wesley Chapel.

For information, contact Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491 or , or Vicky Jones at (813) 431-1149 or .

Thrift shop opens
The Thrift Place, 8609 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, will have a grand opening on June 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be outdoor vendors and Lil Smokey’s BBQ food truck. For questions and vendor information, email .

All About Kids celebrates
All About Kids Children’s Consignment, 1900 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., will have a 20th anniversary celebration on June 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be free summer photo sessions by Garcia Photography, food, vendors and fun. Visit All About Kids on Facebook.

Business breakfast
David Gwynn, P.E., the district seven secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, will be the featured speaker at the North Tampa Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting on June 4. The meeting is from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. For more information, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

Central Pasco Chamber
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have its Wednesday Morning Networking on June 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at the Lake House at Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que, 3130 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. For more information, visit CentralPascoChamber.com, and click on the events tab.

Chamber breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have its business breakfast on June 6 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at the Golden Coral, 6855 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Billiards grand opening
Main Street Zephyrhills announced a grand opening celebration on June 4 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., at Main Street Billiards, 38529 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills. For more information, call (813) 607-0520. The business has pool, darts, poker leagues, beer, wine, Karaoke, food, tournaments and trivia.

Main Street Zephyrhills also announced these other new businesses in Zephyrhills:

• $1.99 Cleaners at 4932 Gall Blvd.
• ABC Pizza at 37906 Geiger Road
• Aim Pest Control at 38336 Fifth Ave.
• J&M BBQ at 5151 Gall Blvd.
• Marino’s Family Grille at 5017 Gall Blvd.
• Molly’s Hatchet at 38428 Fifth Ave.
• Riverside Seafood Market at 5347 Gall Blvd.

Honorary Mayor events
Meet candidates Kathy Balthazard, of First National Bank of Pasco, and Melissa Brown, of Nautilus Soap Company, who are vying for the title of Honorary Mayor of Land O’ Lakes.

The women will be at a June 3 fundraiser from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Hungry Harry’s Family BBQ, 3116 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. Fifteen percent of the total sales will be split between the candidates. Patrons are invited to eat in or take out.

They also will face off on June 6 at the Land O’ Lakes Honorary Mayor Slow Pitch Softball Game, at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

It will be Kathy Balthazards’s Rotary Renegades vs. Melissa Brown’s Bath Bombers. The gate opens at 5 p.m., with the game set for 6 p.m. There will be 10 players on the field, and players must be 18 or older to play. There is a $25 fee to play. There is also a $5 admission charge.

Food and beverage will be available for purchase.

For more information, call the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce office at (813) 909-2722.

Tourism and Travel Week
The Pasco County Commission declared May 5 through 11 as Travel and Tourism Week in Pasco County. The resolution, adopted by commissioners, acknowledged that the week was nationalism tourism week, that tourism is Florida’s top economic driver and that in 2018 the tourism industry contributed more than $615 million to Pasco County’s economy, including more than $436 million in direct spending by 965,000 visitors.

New pet resort
The Barkmore Resort recently opened at 10125 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. It offers overnight care, doggy daycare and dog training. It’s a place where pets stay, play and bark, according to the company’s website. For more information, visit BarkmoreResort.com.

Chamber business breakfast
David Gwynn, P.E., the District Seven secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, will be the featured speaker at the North Tampa Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting on June 4. The meeting is from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. For more information, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

Academy groundbreaking
Join the North Tampa Bay Chamber at the groundbreaking for Pinecrest Academy K-8 on June 5, at 33425 State Road 54. The groundbreaking is at 10 a.m. The celebration lasts until noon. For more information about the school, visit PinecrestWesleyChapel.com.

Teal Plank ribbon cutting
Join the North Tampa Bay Chamber at the ribbon cutting for the Teal Plank Workshop, at 10353 Cross Creek Blvd., Building No. 10. The event is on June 6, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The business is a do-it-yourself home décor store. To find out more, visit TealPlankWorkshops.com.

Zephyrhills chamber breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have its chamber business breakfast on June 6 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at the Golden Coral, 6855 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

East Pasco Networking
Bob Hatfield from the Office of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis will be the featured speaker at the East Pasco Networking Group’s June 11 meeting. The group meets at 7:30 a.m., at the IHOP at 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City. Maria Reza, a business services consultant at Career Source Pasco-Hernando, will be the featured speaker at the group’s June 25 meeting.

Senior Living groundbreaking
Blue Heron Senior Living Community, at 29701 Stockton Drive in Wesley Chapel, will have a groundbreaking ceremony on May 15 at 9 a.m. The facility will include assisted living, rehabilitation, memory care and skilled nursing.

Blue Heron will offer 95 resort-style private suites where individuals will be provided assistance, as needed. It will feature a health spa, theater, wellness gym, activity center, resident art gallery, library, bistro shop and town square.

A separate wing of 22 apartments will be specifically dedicated to residents with Alzheimer’s or other forms of age-associated memory impairment.

The first residents of Blue Heron Senior Community will begin to move on campus in the spring of 2021. The senior living community is expected to create more than 225 new jobs.

For more information, call (765) 664-5400.

Market & Café ribbon cutting
Farmhouse Market & Café, 14124 Fifth St., in Dade City, is having its ribbon cutting ceremony on May 18 at 10 a.m. The café, housed in a 5,000-square-foot building, will serve breakfast, lunch and coffee. The business also will offer custom-made furniture, home décor, jellies, jams, honey, meats and fresh produce. Most recently, Thornhill’s Auto Repair operated in the 1926 building.

Virtual building inspections
Pasco County is now offering VuSpex, a virtual building inspections tool that provides inspection services to contractors, remotely, through the use of a Smartphone or tablet. The VuSpex app connects offsite inspectors with onsite contractors via video, which saves time and, therefore, money.

The inspectors remotely direct the onsite contractors as the contractors record videos, photos and notes at the jobsite. A geo-locator ensures that the inspection location matches the permit address. To find out more, visit bit.ly/PascoVuSpex.

East Pasco Networking
Melonie Monson, the executive director of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, and Randy Stovall, president of the Zephyrhills chamber, will be the featured speakers at the East Pasco Networking Group’s May 28 meeting. The group meets at 7:30 a.m., at the IHOP at 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Chamber breakfast
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce business breakfast is set for May 21, with registration and networking at 7 a.m. and breakfast at 7:30 a.m. The breakfast will be at AdventHealth Dade City, 13100 Fort King Road, Medical Plaza 1, in Classroom 107 and 108. The education committee will be introducing and presenting four Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce Community Service and Involvement Scholarships. The recipients are Paul Leon, Sarah Peterson, Kaleigh Sinka and Megan Simonelli.

To RSVP and pay online, go to DadeCityChamber.org/chamber-breakfast.

Good place for startups
WalletHub, a personal finance website recently took a look at 2019’s Best Large Cities to start a business and compared 100 U.S. cities across 19 key indicators of startup viability. Tampa came in No. 5 on the list, following only Orlando; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Miami; and Austin, Texas. Miami ranked No. 1 for the number of startups per 100,000 people, with a rate of 234.72. That’s 3.2 times as many as Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which had the fewest at 74.40 per 100,000.

Upcoming celebrations
These businesses and organizations are planning celebrations soon.

• Licciardo Stables, 3007 Sunset Lane in Lutz, May 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, 15602 Pioneer Museum Road in Dade City, May 20 at 5:30 p.m.
• Maus Family Chevrolet, 16414 N. Dale Mabry Highway, May 22 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Other recent celebrations took place at the Dental Associates of Florida, 23461 State Road 54 in Lutz; Fit 4 you Foods, NTBC Office, 1866 Highland Oaks Blvd., Suite A, in Lutz; and, Blue Heron Communities, 5085 Eagleston Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Main Street accreditation
Main Street Zephyrhills Inc., has been designated as a Main Street America program for meeting rigorous accreditation standards, according to a news release from the Main Street Zephyrhills office. The performance of Main Street Zephyrhills Inc., is evaluated annually by the Florida Main Street Program, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 national performance standards, the release says.

Chambers joining forces
The Central Pasco Chamber and the West Pasco Chamber are joining forces, and the new name for the unified organization will be revealed at a “Come Together” mixer on May 8 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Springhill Suites Tampa North Land O’ Lakes, 16615 Crosspointe Run, Land O’ Lakes.

Home Health ribbon cutting
A ribbon cutting ceremony is set for May 9 at 9 a.m., at 1930 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., to celebrate the launch of Gulfside Home Health, a business line under Gulfside Healthcare Services, formerly known as Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care.

Pasco Kids First open house
Pasco Kids First is hosting an open house and ribbon cutting on May 10 from noon to 2 p.m., at its new East Pasco office in the Dade City Business Center, 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 103. Pasco Kids First is a private, nonprofit organization serving families and children in Pasco County. The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce will hold the ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Tourist council opening
Pasco County’s Destination Management Organization is seeking an applicant for the Pasco County Tourist Development Council.

The position is  voluntary. Council members serve for four-year terms.

The TDC typically meets monthly, alternating between New Port Richey and Dade City.

Applicants must live and be registered to vote in Pasco County and must be actively involved with the tourism industry, such as a hotel representative, attraction partner or something along those lines.

The TDC is an advisory council to the Pasco County Commission.

For more information, visit bit.ly/PascoTDC, or email Kolby Kucyk Gayson at .

Business workshop
The Pasco County Purchasing Department invites all local vendors interested in doing business with Pasco County to attend a vendor workshop on May 14 from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Pasco County Historic Courthouse, at 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City. The workshop will cover the ins and outs of doing business with the county. To learn more about the county’s purchasing department, visit bit.ly/PascoPurchasing.

East Pasco Networking
David West will be the featured speaker at the May 14 breakfast meeting of the East Pasco Networking Group. The meeting, which starts at 7:30 a.m., will be at IHOP, at 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Energy, maintenance costs lower in Pasco schools
The Florida Department of Education recently released a  2017-2018 cost comparison for energy and maintenance/operations costs among school districts. Based on that report, Pasco County Schools spent $8.3 million less than the state average.

Some of the reasons that the district’s costs are lower include setting thermostats at 76 degrees and controlling the air systems from a central location, and having fewer employees per square foot than average, according to a school district news release.

Hispanic entrepreneurs fare well
The growth rate for Latino firms has been two to three times the national average according to the website WalletHub. The website compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 24 key metrics, and found that Tampa ranked seventh among the top 20 cities.

WOW-Too (WOW of Trinity and Odessa)
WOW-Too started as Women of Wesley Chapel and was so popular that it expanded into Trinity and Odessa. The group meets on the third Wednesday of each month, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., at the Holiday Inn Express Trinity, 2125 Corporate Center Drive in Trinity.

Chamber scholarships
The North Tampa Bay Chamber’s scholarship fund makes awards to local students, and this year the program will provide scholarships to students graduating from Cypress Creek, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch, Freedom and Wharton high schools.

The chamber’s goal is to present 20 scholarships, each in the amount of $500. It is still seeking sponsors for the program. Each sponsorship is $650.

The chamber has partnered with the career counselors at each campus where students apply by completing an application, including a short essay.

Sponsors have an opportunity to present a ceremonial check to the recipient.
Remaining event dates are Wiregrass Ranch, May 23 at 6 p.m.; and, Cypress Creek, May 28 at 9 a.m.

If you have additional questions regarding the program, email .

Paula O’ Neil to speak
Paula O’ Neil, the clerk and comptroller for Pasco County, will be the featured speaker at the KNOW (Knowledgeable Network of Women)  meeting, set for May 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will be at Rosecastle of Zephyrhills, 37411 Eiland Blvd., in Zephyrhills. Call (813) 782-1913, or email to RSVP. KNOW is a personal and professional development program for business women in the Greater Zephyrhills region.