Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce - Noteworthy May 2023

MAY 2023

NOTEWORTHY

An official publication of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce

GRCC Legislative Wrap Up How new legislation affects your business - Monday, May 22nd

From the Chair

GRCC Office: 6152 Delancey Station Street Suite 205 Riverview, FL 33578 www.riverviewchamber.com 813-234-5944

Office Hours:

Mon.-Thurs. 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Fri. 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

GRCC Staff Ny'Kole "Nykki" Krivda, BSc., MBA-HRM President and Ceo Debbie Kirkland Director of Investor Relations Teri Perkins Administrative Services Manager Elizabeth Corn Event Coordinator Jennifer Sookoor Finance Administrator

Follow us on

Dear fellow Chamber members, The Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce our 2023 Legislative Wrap Up Event sponsored by St. Joseph’s Hospital – South. In lieu of our regularly scheduled monthly membership meeting, this event will be held on MONDAY, May 22 at The Regent from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Open to both the public and GRCC members, this event will feature key state lawmakers from our area. Representatives Alvarez (HD69), Beltran (HD 70), and Rayner-Goolsby (HD 62) all plan to be in attendance to share their experiences during the 2023 Legislative Session.

This event will be moderated by Ron Pierce, RSA Consulting, as the State Legislators discuss the impact new legislation will have on business throughout the State of Florida, including Tort Reform (HB 837), Local Ordinances (HB 1515), Economic Development (HB 1209), the State Tax Package, and more.

Stay informed of the latest Chamber news and happenings

2

From the Chair

This much anticipated event will allow community members to gain a frontrow seat to the legislative process, while learning how to best advocate for their business interests. Come and be a part of this special event, where we will celebrate the progress we have made, discuss areas for improvement, and inspire each other to keep working towards a better future for our businesses and our community. We hope to see you there!

OEL Heating & Cooling

Thank you!

STERLING MEMBERS

3

GRCC Board of Directors

Chair of the Board Tammy See OEL Heating & Cooling

Treasurer Theresa Sharkey Your Pie

Past Chair Michael Broussard The Flying Locksmiths

Jim Johnson Board Emeritus

Christian Beiter Preservation 1st Financial Group

Dave Boyle YMCA Camp Cristina

Nikki Foster The Mosaic Company

Gabriel Mbulo Edward Jones

Kristi McCart McCart & Tesmer, P.A.

Dawn Myers Myers Law PA

Jason Newmyer AdventHealth-Riverview

Bill Short

Jeff Campbell

Lydansco Business Consulting Strategic Planning & Funding, LLC

Phil Minden

St. Joseph's Hospital-South

Elena Westrop Charity Clothing Pickup

4

Meet the Staff

Elizabeth Corn Event Coordinator

The Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce is pleased to officially welcome Elizabeth Corn to the GRCC Team. Elizabeth has been working as our event coordinator since February and is excited to continue making GRCC events memorable for all.

Elizabeth grew up in Riverview and graduated Bloomingdale High School in 2018. She is a proud Nole and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Florida State in 2021. After graduation, she returned to Riverview and worked as District Aide to Representative Andrew Learned where she proudly served our district. Elizabeth is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Public Administration & Policy through American University.

Please join us in giving Elizabeth a warm GRCC welcome.

Jennifer Sookoor Finance Administrator

Jennifer Sookoor is welcomed by the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce to the GRCC Team as the Finance Administrator.

Jennifer was born and raised on the beautiful Caribbean Island of Trinidad and Tobago. There she met and married her husband, Riadh Sookoor, and together they own a certified and insured business, EM Surface Care, which conducts natural stone restoration, floorcare, and stone inspection services .

Jennifer comes to the GRCC staff with a background of 20+ years of knowledge and experience in financial office management. She and her husband currently live in Riverview with their 2 cats, Gus and Bella. Jennifer loves to travel, visit the beautiful beaches during summer, and spend time with her family and friends.

5

GRCC Ambassador of the Month Michael Beiter is a Financial Advisor and Partner at Preservation 1st Financial Group, LLC. Preservation 1st believes in providing solutions for their clients and their families relating to asset preservation, income maximization, wealth transfer, and tax minimization. The mission of Preservation 1st Financial Group is to provide honest, professional advice, while assisting clients and their families in reaching their goals with safe, secure solutions.

Are you interested in becoming an Ambassador?

Ambassadors are highly visible, prestigious volunteers who serve as the Chamber's primary liaison to Chamber members. Considered the goodwill arm of the Chamber, the Ambassador Team plays an essential role in member recruitment, communication, and retention. Each Ambassador is charged with conveying member needs, questions, and concerns to Chamber staff, keeping our Chamber in line with our members' desires. Each Ambassador makes a commitment to build lasting relationships with the community in order to build a loyal, committed membership base that will continue to support, participate, and invest in the Chamber.

If you are interested in being an Ambassador or would like more information, please contact Debbie today at (813) 234-5944 / Debbie@RiverviewChamber.com

6

GRCC SURVEYS GRCC wants to hear from you! Please take the SHORT surveys below to help us better understand your needs and expectations, as well as help us to plan our direction forward to better meet the needs of our valued members!

Thank You!

Click on the images above to take the survey!

TRUSTEE MEMBERS

7

Welcome New Members!

Active Harmony Sophia Bigos massagebook.com/Riverview~Mass age~active-harmony

Bubbakoo's Burritos Ricky Kramer Bubbakoos.com/location/riverviewfl

All Dental Riverview Bart Ladzinski Alldental.com

Empire Sales Group USA Corp Steven Shaw empire-sales.ca

8

Welcome New Members!

Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa East/Casino Josh Delvalle tampaeastsuites.hamptoninn.com

Knockouts Haircuts & Grooming Mark Norton knockouts.com/riverview-fl

Healthcare Professionals LLC Manny Quinones Americanfirstinsuranceagency.com

MRS Insurance LLC Sherry Gillard mrs-insurance.com

Pommier Med Spa Jennifer Ames pommiermedspa.com

9

GRCC Committees

10

Are you getting the most of your Chamber membership? Get involved!

Mor nin g

or ! t h N ig

Join us for an evening of informal gathering and networking for TCOB members only.

11

Chamber Happenings Chamber Hosts April Membership Luncheon Sponsored by Watermelon Swim The Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) hosted their Monthly Membership Meeting on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at the beautiful Winthrop Barn Theatre in Riverview. A delicious lunch was beautifully displayed and served by BubbaQue’s, and Bob Sharp of Cookson Hills Family Ministries of Florida delivered the day’s Invocation to begin the meeting.

Leading the attendees this month in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance was the GRCC Military Affairs Committee CoLeader, Rich Rohde of R Processor, Inc. 2023 GRCC Chair of the Board, Tammy See, OEL Heating & Cooling, started the meeting by introducing the new President and CEO of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce, Ny’Kole Krivda.

Krivda greeted the crowd, thanking them for the warm welcome and offering words of enthusiasm towards a great year coming for the Chamber and the businesses. Tammy See continued by recognizing the past Presidents and Board Chairs of Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce, as well as the current Board of Directors who were in attendance.

12

Chamber Happenings The sponsor for the luncheon was Watermelon Swim. Tamera Grundhoefer, Director of Marketing for Watermelon Swim, addressed the crowd stressing the importance of knowing how to swim for both adults and children. Following this opening by the meeting sponsor, Jim Schmidt of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue addressed the crowd, reiterating the importance of swim lessons for all ages by sharing the sobering statistics of drowning victims in our county each year.

GRCC Board Treasurer, Theresa Sharkey of Your Pie, welcomed and recognized 21 renewing members during the luncheon, and Past Chair Michael Broussard, The Flying Locksmiths, welcomed 9 new members to the Chamber with much appreciation. Providing the audio for the event was Doogie Entertainment, linens from Fancy That Specialty Linens, and photographs by Gerardo Luna Photographs.

Thank Y ou!

13

Save the Date!

This is a meeting where we inform our new and potentially new members about all of the great opportunities that exist within the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce.

Come and get excited with us as we meet new faces and walk away with new ideas!

Click image to register!

Join the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce for our 2023 Legislative Wrap Up at The Regent. As the Florida Legislature's Session comes to a close, hear from key lawmakers on their experience this session, which bills passed, which did not, and the legislative impact on business.

Click image to register!

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is excited to sponsor the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce’s (GRCC) launch of our new Leadership, Education, And Development (LEAD) program. Please join us as THEA takes the stage for a day of education, networking, and engagement centered around the world of transportation.

14

Thank you Renewing Members!

Legacy Members

Renewing Members

24 Years

9 Years

Riverview United Methodist Church

Robert Bauman, Circuit Court Judge, Group 34

20 Years

8 Years

Thatcher Properties

Meals On Wheels of Tampa, Inc.

16 Years

7 Years

Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections

14 Years Century 21 Beggins - Joe Eletto

13 Years Pilka, Adams, & Reed, PA

12 Years Impact Taekwondo Center, LLC

11 Years HiTech Automotive

10 Years Oops A Daisy Flowers and Gifts

Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative

6 Years Accent American, Inc. The Flying Locksmiths

5 Years Dash Properties

4 Years Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa East/Casino NuVita Chiropractic

3 Years Rep. Danny Alvarez, FL House Dist. 69

2 Years Glory Days Grill - Riverview Meticulous Jess Marketing Agency, LLC

1 Year Frontier Business Workforce Development Partners

15

r e b m Me ht g i l t o Sp Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale joined the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce in 2012. The members of the Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale commit their time, talents and resources towards the challenge of their mission statement.

Coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the Presbyterian denomination, the local congregation first celebrated as a new church family with worship on May 21, 1989. By November 18, 1990, the church had procured land at the current site and broke ground for a facility that would serve the small, committed congregation. The first service at the present location was held on May 26, 1992.

For more information, visit http://pcob.us/.

Aparicio-Levy Technical College became a member of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce in 2012. Aparicio-Levy Technical College, a public postsecondary school, offers workplace training and is accredited by Council on Occupational Education and Southern Association of Colleges.

Aparicio-Levy Technical College offers high-quality career programs that prepare adult students for immediate employment. Their campus, the newest of three technical colleges operated by Hillsborough County Public School District, is located in the eastern portion of Hillsborough County. The college is housed in one building, built in 2006.

For more information, visit https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/al tc

16

fit o r P Non ht g i l t o Sp

Currently Bikes For Christ receives donations from across four counties and redistributes them through other charitable organizations who work directly with clients and are able to “vet them out” to determine who really has a need. The organization has also expanded to help veterans and seniors with their commutes. Children are also a priority, as Pat states “every kid deserves a bike.”

Bloomingdale Regional Public Library has been a member of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce since 2016. The 25,000 square foot building serves communities in east Hillsborough County including Bloomingdale, Valrico, Lithia, and FishHawk. It houses a collection of over 105,000 items for all ages - a broad range of popular fiction, nonfiction, DVDs, music CDs, books on CD, periodicals and Spanish language materials. A separate genealogy room contains books and online resources to aid family history research. The Children's Room provides a kid-friendly space for pre-school and elementary age customers and their parents or caregivers. In addition to the collection of children's books and DVDs, the room offers computers configured just for kids and child-sized tables and chairs.

For more information, visit http://www.Bikes4Christ.com

For more information, visit http://hcplc.org.

Bikes for Christ joined the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce in 2018. Bikes For Christ was started in 2016 with a commitment to helping those in need while also sharing the love of God. The organization has quickly grown to encompass providing transportation across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk and Pasco Counties.

17

Education and Training

May 11 - Small Business Accounting 101

May 12 - Mental Wellness in the Workplace

May 23 - Starting Your Business

Click on images or links to register

18

Education and Training

The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Hillsborough County assists existing and emerging businesses in Hillsborough County, through no-cost confidential business consulting, information, and low-cost training. Appointments available at the GRCC office every Thursday between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

May 23 - Nonprofit Leadership Roundtable

May 31 - CAD Tools and Training Resources for Enterpreneurs and Small Businesses 19

Ribbon Cuttings

Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings Donnie Carver - Aflac - Thursday, May 11 12:00 PM High 5, Inc. - Saturday, May 20 10:00 AM Veteran Approved Network - Thursday, May 25 5:00 PM Amazing Explorers Academy Mariposa - Thursday, June 1 4:00 PM Pommier Med Spa - Saturday, June 3 2:00 PM Dream Vacations - Thursday, June 8 12:00 PM 20

Ribbon Cuttings

Riverview Modern Dentistry Monday, April 3

LED Live Studio Tuesday, April 18

Signal Integrity Solutions Thursday, April 20

ECHO Thrift Store Thursday, April 27

Let There Be Rock School Saturday, April 29

21

Chamber Calendar

May

11

Taking Care of Business 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM 11 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Donnie Carver - Aflac 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM 12 Military Affairs Committee 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM 16 GRCC Investor360 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM 17 SBDC Workshop - Business Plan in a Day 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 18 Taking Care of Business 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM 20 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for High 5, Inc. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM 22 GRCC Legislative Wrap-Up 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM 24 TCOB Committee Meeting 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM 25 Taking Care of Business 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM 25 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Veterans Approved Network 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

22

Chamber Calendar

June

1

Taking Care of Business 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM 1 Teaching to Excellence Committee Meeting 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM 1 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Amazing Explorers Academy Maripoza 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM 2 GRCC Ambassador Team Meeting 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM 3 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Pommier Med Spa 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM 8 Taking Care of Business 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM 8 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Dream Vacations 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM 9 LEAD Launch 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM 13 TCOB Tuesday 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM 15 Taking Care of Business 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM 15 Teaching to Excellence Committee Meeting 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM 21 SBDC Workshop - Business Continuity 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 22 Taking Care of Business 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM 27 GRCC Membership Meeting Luncheon 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM 28 TCOB Committee Meeting 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM 29 Taking Care of Business 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM 29 Teaching to Excellence Committee Meeting 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

23

GRCC 2022 Annual Award Winners

Congratulations!

24