Business Digest

Chuy’s is hiring
Chuy’s, the Austin-based Tex Mex restaurant, will hire 175 employees for its first Tampa Bay area location, at the Cypress Creek Town Center in Wesley Chapel.

Chuy’s is hiring for full-time and part-time positions, including hosts, servers, bussers and bartenders. The restaurant also is looking for kitchen staff members to help prepare from-scratch dishes, hand-rolled tortillas and homemade sauces.

Applicants can apply in-person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 27750 Sierra Center Blvd., in Cypress Creek Town Center, located off State Road 56.

For more information, visit Chuys.com.

JC Audiology adds audiologist
Dr. Judith Reese announced the addition of Dr. Jennifer Steed to JC Audiology. The Lutz practice opened in 2005, and has served about 2,200 patients, according to a news release from the clinic.

Steed previously worked with the Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center in Lakeland, as well as with ear, nose and throat practices in central Florida.

She is an honors graduate of the University of South Florida and earned a Doctorate of Audiology at USF in 2003. She is a member of the American Academy of Audiology and the Florida Academy of Audiology.

Steed also has served as mentor for graduate audiology students, and was lead audiologist on pediatric craniofacial/cleft palate team meetings with Children’s Medical Services Polk County.

In addition, she has offered seminars and lectures to the community on hearing health, hearing loss and available treatments.

For information, call the audiology clinic at (813) 949-1331.

Network breakfast
The Wednesday Morning Network Group will meet April 4 at 7:30 a.m., at Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que, at 3116 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Each attendee will be able to present a 30-second pitch.

Sponsors are RE/MAX Champions Russell and Patricia Bly.

The cost is $7 for members, if preregistered by March 29; or $10 at the door for members or guests.

Register online at CentralPascoChamber.com.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 909-2722, or email .

Coffee social
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will have its Monthly Coffee Social on April 5 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway.

This is a “no agenda” event with time for social networking.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534.

Cost Plus World grand opening
Cost Plus World Market will have a ribbon cutting April 5 at 8:45 a.m., and the store will open at 9 a.m., at 5831 Wesley Grove Blvd., in The Grove at Wesley Chapel.

A grand opening will last from April 5 through April 8. Events include giveaways, raffle, live entertainment, and sampling of food and wine.

Cost Plus World Market sells furniture, décor from around the world, wine and beer, and gourmet food.

For information, visit WorldMarket.com.

Zephyrhills chamber breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly business breakfast April 5 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at the Golden Corral, 6855 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Guest speaker is Pasco County School Board Member Allen Altman. The sponsor is Rosecastle.

The cost is $8 for chamber members and $10 for non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 872-1913, or email .

Pasco EDC Netfest
Pasco Economic Development Council will host its 16th annual Netfest on April 5 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Epperson, 7852 Curley Road in Wesley Chapel.

The event will have a “Caribbean Cowboy” theme, with opportunities to mingle and network with business and community leaders near Epperson’s Crystal Lagoon.

The cost is $50 per person. The fee for Pasco EDC investors and guests is $40 per person, and for Pasco County staff members, $30 per person.

Sponsorships also are available.

For information, call Suzanne Renczkowski at Pasco EDC, at (813) 926-0827, ext. 226, or email .

Office condo sold
Hold-Thyssen, a full-service commercial property firm in Winter Park, negotiated the $590,000 sale of a 4,650-square-foot office condo in the Trinity Professional Center in Trinity, according to a news release from the firm.

Carol L. Kinnard, transaction specialist in Hold-Thyssen’s Clearwater office, handled the negotiations.

Todo Gato Holdings LLC purchased the condo. The company was represented by Nancy Phaneuf of Commercial Realty and Development.

The condo, which was built in 2005, has three units at 8820 Belagio Drive, 8824 Belagio Drive and 1842 Health Care Drive, within the now vacant Building No. 2. Previous tenants included a law firm, financial consultants, insurance agencies and medical practitioners.

Hold-Thyssen provides commercial property brokerage, leasing and management services to institutional and private investors nationwide. The 40-year-old firm’s portfolio includes more than 100 commercial properties.

Central Pasco membership meeting
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have its general membership meeting April 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway, 2155 Northpointe Parkway.

Guest speaker will be Bill Herrie of the nonprofit National Federation of Independent Business.

The sponsor is Emerald Inspection Services.

The cost is $20 for members who register by April 5. Afterward, the cost is $25 for members and guests at the door.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 909-2722, or visit CentralPascoChamber.com.

CORRECTION: A free forum, “We Can Do It” Women Making Strides, will be held on March 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. An incorrect date was published in Business Digest on March 14 in The Laker/Lutz News.

Women’s forum
A forum on women’s issues, “We Can Do It: Women Making Strides,” is scheduled for March 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

The free event is sponsored by PHSC and WOW (Women of Wesley Chapel) of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. The host is San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union.

Panelists are Hope Allen, president and chief executive officer of the North Tampa Bay chamber; Denyse Bales-Chubb, president and chief executive officer of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel; Melissa Harts, vice president of technology and distance education at PHSC; Paula O’ Neill, Pasco County clerk & comptroller; and Natalie Verdina, multimedia journalist for Fox 13 News.

Ghada Jadallah, of Dash of Salt & Pepper, will host a live cooking demonstration.

Registration isn’t required.

For information, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

 

Florida Hospital hires communications manager
Florida Hospital West Florida Division hired Ashley Jeffery as communications manager.

Jeffery will work on internal and external media projects, serve as direct contact for media, manage crisis communication, and serve in public relations role for the West Florida Division.

Jeffery previously served as community relations and marketing manager for Hillsborough Community College.

She is an award-winning communicator with a decade of experience in communications, including seven years as a broadcast journalist in Augusta, Georgia, and at Bay News 9 in Tampa.

Jeffery has a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of South Carolina. She is a member of the National and Tampa Bay Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, and the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations.

She is a diehard Pittsburgh Steelers fan, and loves to travel. Most recently she traveled to Cuba.

Hobby Lobby coming
Hobby Lobby plans to open a store at the Cypress Creek Town Center in the summer of 2019, according to an email from Bob Miller, communications coordinator for Hobby Lobby’s advertising division.

The arts and crafts store expects to hire between 35 and 50 new employees.

Cypress Creek Town Center is located off State Road 56, next to the Interstate 75 interchange and across from Tampa Premium Outlets.

Hobby Lobby currently has more than 45 store locations in Florida.

UPS accident-free drivers
United Parcel Service, widely known as UPS, honored 25 company drivers in Florida for 25 or more years of accident-free driving, including employees from Pasco County, according to a UPS new release.

Jeffrey Coakley, of Land O’ Lakes; Ruben Alfaro, of Lutz; Louis Lasseter of New Port Richey; and Stephen Matis, of Hudson were among more than 1,500 UPS drivers worldwide to be inducted into the Circle of Honor.

Florida has more than 630 Circle of Honor drivers with a combined total of more than 15,000 years of accident-free driving. UPS employs about 5,300 drivers in Florida.

Globally, about 10,500 UPS drivers belong to the Circle of Honor organization.

According to the release, UPS employs about 127,000 small package drivers who are among the safest on the roads. They log more than three billion miles a year and deliver nearly five billion packages annually.

UPS was founded in 1907, and issued its first driver handbook in 1917. The company began recognizing safe drivers in 1923. The safe-driving honor program began in 1928.

Scott Love Insurance opens
Scott Love recently opened Scott Love Insurance at 24626 State Road 54. The independently owned insurance agency is part of Moody Davirro & Associates, and Agents Net.

Love has 14 years of experience in home, auto and flood insurance in the Tampa Bay are, and represents more than 20 homeowner companies, 11 auto companies, and three flood companies.

Love also has partners who specialize in life, health and commercial insurance.

For information, contact the agency at (813) 580-5040, or visit ScottLoveInsurance.com.

Economic development briefing
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly economic briefing lunch March 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Hunter’s Green Country Club, 18101 Longwater Run Drive in Tampa.

Guest speaker will be Jason Aughey, senior director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.

The cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534, or email .

East Pasco networking
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet March 27 at 7:30 a.m., at IHOP, 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

The guest speaker will be Bill Cronin, president and chief executive officer of the Pasco Economic Development Council.

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

Active shooter training
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will host an active shooter incident training session March 27 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road in Tampa.

Sean Mahabir, with the special operations division of the Tampa Police Department, will conduct the training. Officer Mahabir is an emergency planner in the Special Incidents Management Unit.

He will provide information on how to survive an active shooter incident, how to reduce the risk that the shooter will use his weapon, and how to minimize the chances of anyone getting hurt.

To register, visit NorthTampaChamber.com.

 

Dade City Chiropractic opens
Friends, family, and members of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce celebrated with Dr. Deborah Fisher (holding scissors) at a ribbon cutting for the new office of Dade City Chiropractic, 14122 Seventh St. The office is in the alleyway between Top Drawer Antiques and Antiques Main.

Jelly beans, jelly beans
National Jelly Bean day arrives on April 22.

In honor of the approaching celebration, Candystore.com completed a state-by-state survey identifying the favorite flavors. The results were based on sales data and interactive surveys of more than 12,000 jelly bean eaters.

It revealed some surprises, including the dethroning of black licorice as the national favorite. The winner in 2018 is buttered popcorn, followed by black licorice, cinnamon, watermelon and cherry.

In Florida, the top jelly bean is watermelon, followed by peach and juicy pear. The “peach state” of Georgia prefers buttered popcorn. Cotton candy jelly beans melt in the mouths of Montana residents. And, coconut jelly beans appeal to Massachusetts’ residents.

The tiny, egg-shaped sugary convections are often associated with Easter. They get plopped into the green straw of Easter baskets, nestled next to the chocolate bunny.

President Ronald Reagan famously loved the candies and passed them around to visitors to the Oval Office.

The first known advertisement for jelly beans came from Boston candy maker William Schrafft who asked customers to send them to Union soldiers during the Civil War. But, the candies also can be traced back thousands of years to the Middle East.

For information on the survey, visit Candystore.com.

UPS accident-free drivers
United Parcel Service, widely known as UPS, honored 25 company drivers in Florida for 25 or more years of accident-free driving, including employees from Pasco County, according to a UPS new release.

Jeffrey Coakley, of Land O’ Lakes; Ruben Alfaro, of Lutz; Louis Lasseter of New Port Richey; and Stephen Matis, of Hudson were among more than 1,500 UPS drivers worldwide to be inducted into the Circle of Honor.

Florida has more than 630 Circle of Honor drivers with a combined total of more than 15,000 years of accident-free driving. UPS employs about 5,300 drivers in Florida.

Globally, about 10,500 UPS drivers belong to the Circle of Honor organization.

According to the release, UPS employs about 127,000 small package drivers who are among the safest on the roads. They log more than three billion miles a year and deliver nearly five billion packages annually.

UPS was founded in 1907, and issued its first driver handbook in 1917. The company began recognizing safe drivers in 1923. The safe-driving honor program began in 1928.

New MyPasco app
MyPasco mobile application can now provide wait times for construction permits, according to a news release from Pasco County.

Central Permitting Wait Times is a new addition to the MyPasco app menu. It allows customers of Building Construction Services to see a live view of permitting and zone wait times, as well as peak hours, before heading to the New Port Richey office.

This new mobile application is in addition to another MyPasco feature to Report Illegal Dumping. The app allows Pasco citizens to aid in identifying illegal dumping sites, and pursuing people who are illegally dumping trash and other debris.

NOTE: CORRECTED DATE
Women’s forum
A forum on women’s issues, “We Can Do It: Women Making Strides,” is scheduled for March 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

The free event is sponsored by PHSC and WOW (Women of Wesley Chapel) of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. The host is San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union.

Panelists are Hope Allen, president and chief executive officer of the North Tampa Bay chamber; Denyse Bales-Chubb, president and chief executive officer of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel; Melissa Harts, vice president of technology and distance education at PHSC; Paula O’ Neill, Pasco County clerk & comptroller; and Natalie Verdina, multimedia journalist for Fox 13 News.

Ghada Jadallah, of Dash of Salt & Pepper, will host a live cooking demonstration.

Registration isn’t required.

For information, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.

Membership lunch
The Greater North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly membership lunch March 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Fox Hollow Golf Club, 10050 Robert Trent Jones Parkway in Trinity.

The cost is $25 at the door for members and non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534, or email .

Mixer and ribbon cutting
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will host a mixer and ribbon cutting for gastroenterology specialists, Nensey & Associates, March 15 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 5633 Sixth St., in Zephyrhills.

The event is free.

For information, contact the chamber at (813) 782-1913 or .

Hispanic leaders’ mixer
The Hispanic Business Leaders of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will host a mixer March 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at The White Room Bar & Lounge, 6472 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Enjoy two-for-one drinks, free soft drinks, refreshments and Latin music.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 909-2722, or visit CentralPascoChamber.com.

Dog dining permits
Pasco County approved a new Dog Dining ordinance, which allows restaurants to obtain permits for doggy dining.

At permitted restaurants, owners can bring their dogs to designated, outdoor areas. Participating restaurants can establish their own dog dining hours of operation.

A one-time permit costs $50.

Interested restaurant owners can apply for dog dining permits online at Pasco County Central Permitting. Applications in person must be submitted at 8731 Citizens Drive in New Port Richey.

The county’s MyPasco mobile application provides live Central Permitting Wait Times for applicants to plan their visits.

Dog dining applications must provide specific information, including a diagram and dimensions of the outdoor dining area, entryways and exits, any fences or barriers, and a sample of proposed signage for the dog dining area.

Failure to comply with the ordinance can result in revocation of dog dining permits, and a county citation.

For additional information, visit Central Permitting at PascoCountyFl.net.

First National Bank of Pasco
The First National Bank of Pasco will have a VIP reception and ribbon cutting March 8 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at 23613 State Road 54 in Lutz.

There also will be a grand opening March 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be free hot dogs, a bounce house, balloon animal artist, face painting, and a free piggy bank for children.

The bank primarily will serve the Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel market. It will provide customers a “new age of banking,” with an interior design loaded with technology. First National also offers a joint venture with Jarrett Ford to provide electric vehicle charge stations.

First National Bank of Pasco is the only community bank headquartered in Pasco County, with its main office in Dade City.

For information, call the bank at (813) 607-2555, or visit FNBPasco.com.

North Tampa luncheon
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will have its March 2018 Momentum Thursday on March 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Brookdale of Lutz, 414 Chapman Road in Lutz.

Guest speaker will be North Tampa chamber president Jody Fowler, who will discuss how to use LinkedIn Live.

For early bird registration, RSVP online with credit card or to the chamber office at by 5 p.m., March 7, at the discounted rate of $15 (whether you eat or not).

After that date, the cost is $20 (whether you eat or not), payable at the door by cash, check or credit card.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 563-0180, or visit NorthTampaChamber.com.

Land O’ Lakes winery anniversary
The Land O’ Lakes Winery will have its third-year anniversary celebration March 11 from noon to 8 p.m., at 3901 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Enjoy wine specials, appetizers and door prizes. Singer and songwriter Fred Chandler, of Fred Chandler Epicoustic Events, will perform live original music.

For information, contact the winery at (813) 995-9463 or .

Central Pasco membership meeting
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have its general membership meeting March 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway, 2155 Northpointe Parkway in Lutz.

Guest speaker will be Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

The cost is $20 for members who register by March 8. Afterward, the cost is $25 for members and guests at the door.

For information, contact the chamber at (813) 909-2722 or CentralPascoChamber.com.

Smart Business Series
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly Smart Business Series on March 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., at the Overnight Success Studios, 17743 Hunting Bow Circle in Lutz.

The cost is $20 per person. Seating is limited.

This new program offers professional development opportunities for chamber members and access to business building opportunities. Industry leaders will present each monthly program, which will be taped and made available later for online viewing.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534.

East Pasco networking
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet March 13 at 7:30 a.m., at IHOP, 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

The guest speaker will be Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano.

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

Membership lunch
The Greater North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly membership lunch March 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Fox Hollow Golf Club, 10050 Robert Trent Jones Parkway in Trinity.

The cost is $20 in advance for members who register online by 3 p.m., March 9. Thereafter, the cost is $25 at the door for members and non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534, or email .

Hispanic leaders’ mixer
The Hispanic Business Leaders of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will host a mixer March 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at The White Room Bar & Lounge, 6472 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Enjoy two-for-one drinks, free soft drinks, refreshments and Latin music.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 909-2722, or visit CentralPascoChamber.com.

Chuy’s Tex-Mex opens in spring
Chuy’s Tex-Mex restaurant will open at the Cypress Creek Town Center this spring, at 25750 Sierra Center Blvd.

The Texas-based restaurant is known for its made-from-scratch dishes and eclectic dining experience. This will be Chuy’s ninth Florida location.

The Cypress Creek Town Center is off State Road 56, across from Tampa Premium Outlets.

Chuy’s menu prepares dishes made from hand-rolled tortillas cooked fresh on a smooth, flat griddle — known as a comal — right in the dining room. Also, featured are Chuy’s homemade sauces, including the mild Tomatillo and the spicy Hatch Green Chile.

Recipes are authentic to South Texas, New Mexico and Mexican border towns.

Helen Bowen is the local owner and operator of Chuy’s.

Menu items include the “Big As Yo’ Face” burritos, the hand-pulled chicken-stuffed “Chicka-Chicka Boom-Boom” enchiladas and the “Elvis Green Chile Fried Chicken.”

The approximately 8,500-square-foot restaurant includes an outdoor patio. There is an Elvis shrine, the La Chihuahua Bar featuring framed pictures of local dogs, a school of hand-carved wooden fish, metal palm trees and a hubcap-covered ceiling.

Chuy’s will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

On weekdays, there will be daily drink specials and a build-your-own nacho station from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For information, visit Chuys.com or Facebook.com/ChuysTampa.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill delivers
Carrabba’s Italian Grill has launched delivery service from its Lutz location, at 16525 Pointe Village Drive.

Carrabba’s uniformed team members will deliver meals, not a third-party contractor.

Delivery for dinner begins at 4 p.m., daily. Selections include a variety of Carrabba’s signature dishes, such as Chicken Bryan, Pollo Rosa Maria, and Chicken Marsala. Also, there are 10 different “family bundles” that feature complete, made-from-scratch meals for up to five people. Menu items include spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, and Chicken Parmesan or Chicken Marsala. Warm bread and salad is included.

Prices for the family bundles start at $7 per person. Delivery fee is $4.

For information or to order delivery, visit Carrabbas.com.

No foam cups at Dunkin’ Brands
Dunkin’ Brands, owner of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins, plans to phase out its use of polystyrene foam beverage cups by 2020, according to a news release from As You Sow.

As You Sow is a nonprofit that promotes environmental and social corporate responsibility through advocacy, coalition building and innovative legal strategies.

Dunkin’ Brands previously announced plans to begin using a polypropylene plastic cup. Paper cups will be used instead. The decision will remove nearly one billion foam cups from the waste stream annually, the release states.

As You Sow also is encouraging Dunkin’ Brands to go further, and commit to paper cups with recycled fiber content.

Other restaurants also are phasing out foam products.

McDonald’s goal is to remove all foam from its global markets by the end of 2018. Starbuck’s has used 10 percent recycled fiber in its cups for many years.

Economic development briefing
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its monthly economic briefing for Feb. 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Hunter’s Green Country Club, 18101 Longwater Run Drive in Tampa.

Guest speaker will be Sandra Doran, the founder of North Tampa Christian Academy. The kindergarten through 12th-grade private school is under construction at 5619 County Line Road in Wesley Chapel. It is expected to open for the 2018-2019 school year.

The cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534.

Crossfit Aero re-launch
Crossfit Aero will have a “re-launch” party and ribbon cutting Feb. 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at 4450 Pet Lane, Building 102, in Lutz.

A ribbon cutting is planned for 7 p.m.

The event is free. Wear workout clothes and get some exercise.

For information, call Crossfit Aero at (813) 786-2610, or email owner Josh Willis at .

North Tampa charity bingo
North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will host “Drag Queen Bingo” to benefit K-9 Heroes 4 Our Heroes Inc., Feb. 26 at 7 p.m., at Hamburger Mary’s, at 1600 Eighth Ave., in Ybor City.

Enjoy fun and games.

For a $10 donation, you can play 10 games of Bingo for 10 chances to win. There also will be a 50/50 drawing.

Half of all proceeds will be donated to K-9 Heroes 4 Our Heroes Inc.

Anyone wishing to donate a prize, as a way to advertise your business, should email .

Please RSVP for a head count.

To register, visit NorthTampaChamber.com.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 563-0180, or email .

Central Pasco mixer/grand opening
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will celebrate its new location with a mixer and grand opening Feb. 27 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at 1930 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Suite 16, in Land O’ Lakes.

The event is free.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 909-2722, or email .

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet Feb. 27 at 7:30 a.m., at the IHOP, 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Guest speaker will be Gary Joiner, Pasco County’s property appraiser.

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

Connerton wins gold
Connerton, Pasco County’s largest master-planned, mixed-use community, won the 2018 Gold Award for Best Lifestyle Program for a Community at the National Association of Home Builders’ National Sales and Marketing awards gala, according to a news release from Connerton.

The gala was held at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando on Jan. 10. More than 1,000 real estate professionals from the International Builders’ Show attended the event.

The awards honor the best in the building industry for determination, integrity, creativity and endurance.

Over three days, a panel of seven industry professionals from across the country picked winners from more than 1,300 entries.

“Our Connerton staff works hard to provide our resident adults and their children with the exciting and rewarding activities that set us apart from the rest and make our community such a special place to live,” Stew Gibbons, Connerton’s general manager, said in a written statement.

Community events held annually at Connerton include Eggstravaganza, Nation Celebration, Hometown Harvest, and Winter Wonderland. Weekly and monthly events for adults include Parents Night Out, Pops on the Patio, and Doggie Dress Up Pawty. Connerton has a resort-style water park and splash pool where children can enjoy Wiggles and Giggles fitness classes, and poolside snow cones and cotton candy.

In 2017, Connerton and Lennar Homes awarded a veteran and his family a mortgage-free home.

Connerton is a 4,800-acre community, located off U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes, about 30 miles north of Tampa.

For information, visit Connerton.com or Facebook.com/connertonfl.

Bexley best in living
Bexley by Newland Communities received a Best in American Living Award from the National Association of Home Builders, according to a news release from The Leytham Group.

Bexley won the highest honor of a Platinum Award in the category for Best Single-Family Community having more than 100 homes.

The Best in American Living Awards recognizes outstanding achievement by builders and designers in the housing industry, including single-family production, custom-built, apartments, affordable, remodeling and interiors.

Bexley opened in November 2016 off State Road 54, east of the Suncoast Parkway. It offers a variety of home designs, including single-family, town homes and villas, as well as luxury homes by six builders. The community’s amenities include Avid multi-modal trails, outdoor fitness stations, pools, a BMX bicycle pump track and dog parks.

The Twisted Sprocket Café is a restaurant open to residents and the public.

Bexley also received two Grand Aurora Awards from the Southeast Building Conference for Best Master-Planned Community and Best Recreational Facility in the Southeast.

Metro Study ranks Bexley as one of the Top 10 communities for New Home Starts in the Tampa Metropolitan Service Area.

For information, call (813) 425-7555, or visit BexleyFlorida.com.

 

North Tampa luncheon
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will have its February 2018 Momentum Thursday on Feb. 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Joseph’s John Knox Village, at 4100 E. Fletcher Ave., in Tampa.

Guest speaker will be Clinton W. Babcock of Sandler Training.

For early bird registration, RSVP online with credit card or to the chamber office at by 5 p.m., Feb. 7, at the discounted rate of $15 (whether you eat or not).

After that date, the cost is $20 (whether you eat or not), payable at the door by cash, check or credit card.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 563-0180, or visit NorthTampaChamber.com.

Metro Places job fair
Metro Places, which is developing master-planned communities of Epperson and Mirada, will have its second annual job fair Feb. 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Epperson and Mirada are part of a special development district for the Connected City corridor, located in northeast Pasco County.

More than 30 employers, involved in developing these communities, will be at the job fair looking for applicants who want to be part of the Connected City development.

For information, visit JobFair.MetroPlaces.com.

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet Feb. 13 at 7:30 a.m., at the IHOP, 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Guest speaker will be Paula O’Neil, Pasco County Clerk and Comptroller of the Circuit Court.

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

Membership lunch
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly membership lunch Feb. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Fox Hollow Golf Club, 10050 Robert Trent Jones Parkway in Trinity.

Guest speakers will be from the Pasco Economic Development Council. They will discuss the council’s SMARTstart Microloan Fund.

The cost is $20 in advance for members who register online by 3 p.m., Feb. 9. Thereafter, the cost is $25 at the door for members and non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534, email , or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.

Uncle Maddio’s happy hour
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will host Uncle Maddio’s February 2018 Happy Hour on Feb. 21 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Uncle Maddio’s, at 3949 Van Dyke Road in Lutz.

The restaurant will offer $1 off any pizza, and buy-one, get-one free deal for house wine and draft beers.

The event is free, but RSVP for a headcount by Feb. 20.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 563-0180, or email .