No, it wasn’t exactly Vinikville II. Nor was it a Mercedes-esque relo tout. But, yes, it was a significant announcement.
The venue and vibe were impressive.
For openers, it’s hard to beat the optics of the Tampa Convention Center Rotunda–with that Riverwalk backdrop. Plus, plenty of media, electronic and print, responded. And lots of VIPs, from former Mayor Dick Greco and Rays President Brian Auld to Port Tampa Bay’s Paul Anderson and TIA’s Joe Lopano, made it a schedule priority. And with a gaggle of familiar faces, there was also a feel-good, familial touch and old-friend-reunion ambience.
But bottom line: This was also important enough that Rick Homans, president and CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. (EDC), was presiding.
Welcome home, Pam Iorio, now the president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. And welcome, BBBSA, a 110-year-old organization with more than 300 affiliates across the country. Quite the parlay.
“It’s emotional for me,” acknowledged Iorio. “To see a city I love be recognized in this way–as home to a major national non-profit.”
The EDC, the erstwhile Committee of 100 with more funding and more clout, was the key recruiting conduit. It was the catalyst behind lining up more than $1 million in donations for BBBSA–from West Shore office space, build-out and furnishings to public relations help. The move should be completed by March 31.
Homans put the occasion in perspective.
“The big return on investment for us,” he pointed out, “is becoming the epicenter for its network of directors, donors and affiliates. It has a global footprint.” In other words, headquarters matter, even if the employee count is in the dozens. Headquarters can have a ripple effect on a community. Especially those that bring a brand name. Especially those that help kids and sponsor a myriad of activities and causes.
Hillsborough County Commission Chairwoman Sandy Murman underscored the coup. “This is a really big deal,” she gushed. “Non-profits are businesses. There is such a spillover effect.”
Mayor Bob Buckhorn, who had a flight delayed from Tallahassee and missed the event, chipped in after the fact. He called it a “trifecta”: “a popular former mayor, a great organization and Tampa as the perfect fit.”
Added St. Petersburg Deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin: “This is about economic-development implications, social and intellectual capital and changing the lives of children. And this is a national treasure on our regional stage.”
Indeed, the regional aspect is reflected in the recent merger of the Hillsborough and Pinellas County BBBSA affiliates. Together they serve more than 3,500 children–with 1,000 more on a waiting list.
“We are bringing BBBSA to the Tampa Bay region,” stressed Iorio. “When the members of my national board look at a map, they see a region–Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater.”
For Iorio, it was truly a Pamglossian scenario to be doing what she’s now doing with BBBSA in the city where she had been mayor from 2003-11. Recall that she launched the Mayor’s Mentoring Program on her City Hall watch through the local BBBSA affiliate.
“It’s important for me to spend my life making things a little better than they were,” she mused. “That’s what I loved about being mayor, the ability to make your hometown a better place. I see this in BBBSA too–helping our affiliates across the country, and in doing so, helping more children. It’s a good feeling.”
But, no, she hadn’t foreseen this relo scenario when she signed on last year.
“I came in to help out, fix some problems and get the organization on a positive track,” she noted. “I viewed it as a short-term, 2-year commitment.” One, as we know, that involved logistically challenging, weekly commutes between South Tampa and Dallas.
It proved fortuitous when a contract extension–through 2019–was proffered. Iorio had some leverage. “The national board asked me to make a longer commitment–and this commitment to Tampa makes it possible,” she explained.
She also underscored what it is that makes Tampa a good BBBSA fit.
“Our community has a welcoming air for newcomers,” she said. “This I heard over and over again when I was mayor. You can move here and instantly get involved and feel at home. Our business community is open to newcomers too, and there is a personal feel to it that invites collaboration.
“The Bay Area itself is beautiful, with many interesting and vibrant neighborhoods. The area is very green and inviting. The airport is perfect–and I’ve been to a lot of them! People want others to succeed here.”
That was more than manifest at the Rotunda reunion.