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Chamber Leadership

A Message from the Chair

Dear Valued Members & Community Partners,

It is an incredible honor to serve as Chair of the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce in our 100th year, a milestone century of connection, service, and community leadership.

Our history begins in 1926 as the Port Tampa Assembly of Businessmen, founded by members of the Port Tampa Board of Trade. Even in those early days, our mission was clear, to support local businesses and strengthen our growing community.

Today, the South Tampa Chamber is home to 650 member businesses and growing!  For a century, our Chamber has been guided by the same enduring purpose: to make South Tampa a better place to live, work, and play.

As we look to our next 100 years, our focus remains on enhancing local commerce, advocating for our community, and delivering exceptional experiences for our members. We are committed to helping businesses of all sizes thrive, by connecting them with opportunities, resources, and one another. Whether it’s amplifying the voice of local business through advocacy efforts or creating meaningful programs and events that foster growth, our goal is to strengthen the fabric of South Tampa’s economy and community.

We will also continue to focus on expanding our membership and demonstrating the tangible value of Chamber involvement. From networking and visibility to professional development and community engagement, we want every member, and future member, to see their investment in the Chamber as a catalyst for success. Our initiatives in the year ahead will highlight not only why membership matters, but also the benefits of deepening involvement through upgraded partnerships and enhanced engagement opportunities.

As we celebrate our 100th year, we honor the visionary leaders, devoted members, and passionate community partners who helped us reach this remarkable milestone. Together, we will continue building upon their legacy, fostering growth, supporting one another, and ensuring that South Tampa remains a thriving, connected, and welcoming place for the next 100 years.

Thank you for being part of this extraordinary journey. Here’s to celebrating our past, and shaping our future, together.

Blake Guthrie
2026 Chair of the Board
boardchair@southtampachamber.org

Blake Guthrie 2026 - Small File
stcoc_board25-0988 - Small File

2026 Executive Committee

Chair of the Board
Blake Guthrie
ReliaQuest Bowl

Chair-Elect
Elizabeth Montante
TIG Tampa Bay

Immediate Past Chair
Tanya Cielo
Sky Strategic Marketing 

Treasurer
Susan Nieland
CFO2U

Treasurer-Elect
Bobby Daniel
United Community

Consulting Attorney
Chris Bentley
Johnson Jackson, PLLC

President & CEO
Kelly Flannery, IOM, FCCP
South Tampa Chamber

2026 Board of Directors

Dean Akers
Adjunct.CEO

Elan Melamed
Tampa General Hospital 

Joel Brown
Tampa Electric

Juan Concheiro
Domain Homes

Bobby Daniel
United Community

Kristin Davis
Hillsborough County Public Schools

Shae Gee
SG Guardian Home Watch, LLC

Brian Ramirez
Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority

Lisa Demmi
The Small Magic Foundation

Jennifer Frazier

Jessica Jaeckel
Perform 24

Craig Kuhl
Kuhl Benefits & Insurance

Paige Niehaus
Hillsborough College - Dale Mabry Campus 

South Tampa Chamber Board Chairs

Sam Young 1968-69

Willard Staples 1969-71

Charles Springer 1971-72

Charles Campbell 1972-74

John Rumbough 1974-76

Doris Crosby 1976-77

Ed Worley 1977-78

Richard Brown 1978-79

James Wisner 1979-80

Bob Hatton 1982-83

Larry Smith 1987-88

Sally Harris 1988-89

Bill Strickland 1989-90

Bob Alexander 1990-91

Anita Ramirez 1991-93

Debra Palmer 1993-94

Bill Wadsworth 1994-95

Cindy Maxie 1995-96

David Dowers 1996-97

Ron Gauszka 1997-98

Gail Moore 1998-99

Dave Gutcher 1999-00

Robert Rowen 2000-01

Leigh Humes 2001-02

Jerry Clark 2002-03

Joe Dascola 2003-04

David Jones 2004-05

Anita Ramirez 2005-06

Bob Graham 2006-07

Ron Sweet 2007-08

Dave Varrieur 2008-09

Dave Gutcher 2009-10

James Quinlan 2010-11

Dennis Meyers 2011-12

Carson Burke Bomar 2012-13

Starr Tyrka 2014

Samantha Dammer 2015

Bill Yanger 2016

Mike Jenkins 2017

Ed Siler 2018

Bill Yanger 2016

Connie Gage 2019-20

Chris Bentley 2021

Rebekah Nault 2022

Shane Smith 2023

Tara Moody 2024

Tanya Cielo 2025

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