M E M O R A N D U M TO: FROM: Tampa Connection Class and Board Members Brian Holliday, Erin McKenny, Rick Garrett, and Amanda Edwards DATE: February 17, 2016 SUBJECT: Government Breakfast Program On Tuesday, February 28, 2017, please plan to attend The Tampa Connection s Government Breakfast Program. This program is designed to provide you with information regarding the interworking of local government. As part of this program, you will have the opportunity to meet local government officials informally and discuss the various aspects of government service. Our keynote speaker will be Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan. We will then engage in a panel discussion with Chief Judge Ronald Ficarrotta, 13 th Judicial Circuit; City Council Member Mike Suarez, City of Tampa; and Julia Mandell, Former City of Tampa Attorney. Please be prepared to engage in conversation with the government officials and take advantage of this opportunity to ask serious questions so that we may all get a better understanding of how our local government works. Please arrive at 7:30 a.m. to check-in. A buffet style breakfast will be served until the program begins at 8:00 a.m. We look forward to seeing you at the Government Breakfast Program! Government Breakfast Program: Tuesday, February 28, 2017 Check-in begins at 7:30 am Program: 8:00 am-10:30am Location: The Tampa Club Bank of America Building 101 East Kennedy Boulevard, 42nd Floor Tampa, FL 33602 RSVP: Please RSVP to administrator@tampaconnection.org by end of day Wednesday, February 22, 2016.
Driving/Parking Instructions: PARKING WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE GARAGE ATTACHED TO THE BANK OF AMERICA PLAZA Take I-275 (north or south) to Downtown Tampa Exit 44 (Ashley Drive). Stay south on Ashley Drive until Jackson Street, which is one block after the Kennedy Blvd./Ashley Drive intersection. Turn left on Jackson Street and move to the far right lane. Turn right on Tampa Street. Continue for onehalf of a block and take first possible right into the driveway. Turn right immediately into the Bank of America parking garage (if you turn into the parking garage on the left, you will be parking in the Regions Bank building parking garage and not the Bank of America garage). Follow the signs for Visitor Parking. Drive up to Level 3 and take a parking ticket at the gate. Park in any unreserved space on Level 6 or above. Take the elevator to the Skybridge on Level 3, and then walk across the Skybridge to Bank of America building. Go to the bank of elevators marked 32-42. Take the elevator to the 41st floor, which is the Tampa Club entrance. PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR PARKING TICKET WITH YOU SO THAT WE CAN VALIDATE IT. Please scroll down for the biographies for our speakers.
Ken Hagan Commissioner Ken Hagan is a native and lifelong resident of Hillsborough County. He was first elected to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners in November 2002, and was re-elected in 2004 and 2008 to District 2. He was elected to represent countywide District 5 in 2010 and 2014. During that time, he has held the leadership positions of Chaplain in Fiscal Years 2003, 2004 and 2010; Vice Chairman in Fiscal Years 2005, 2006 and 2007; and he was chosen by his peers to serve as Chairman in Fiscal Years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013. In addition, Commissioner Hagan has chaired the County's transportation Task Force. Boards & Councils As part of his duties as a County Commissioner, Hagan serves on the following Boards and Councils: Committee of 6 Florida Association of Counties Board of Directors Metropolitan Planning Organization Public Transportation Commission Southwest Florida Water Management District Liaison Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp Tampa Bay Water Board of Directors Tampa Sports Authority Value Adjustment Board Visit Tampa Bay Ken Hagan has a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Florida and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Tampa. He and his wife, Susan, have a son, Jake and daughter, Elizabeth.
Ronald Ficarrotta JUDICIAL BIOGRAPHY Appointed to the bench in 1994 - County Court, Appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles. Elected without opposition in 1994. Re-elected without opposition in 1998. Appointed to the Circuit Court in 1999, Appointed by Governor Jeb Bush. Elected without opposition in 2000, 2006 and 2012. Assignments: Current Assignment: Chief Judge, General Civil Division "Z" Felony Division County Criminal Domestic Violence Family Law EDUCATION Law School: South Texas College of Law J.D., 1982 Magdalen College, Oxford, England Diploma in International Law, 1982 Undergraduate: University of Florida - B.S., Advertising, 1979 PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Florida Conference of Circuit Court Judges, Past Chair Trial Court Budget Commission - Executive Committee Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation Florida Court Technology Commission The Hillsborough County Bar Association United States District Court, Middle District of Florida The Florida Bar Association
Mike Suarez Mike Suarez is a third generation resident of Tampa, with deep roots in West Tampa. After graduating from the University of South Florida with a Bachelors degree in Political Science and while completing work on a Master of Public Administration degree, Mike began working as an unpaid intern with Senator Bob Graham s office in Tampa. Soon he became a part time Staff Assistant and was eventually asked to take the Central Florida District Representative position in 1990. In his work for Senator Graham, Mike learned the finer points of serving the public interest. In 1993 Mike began a career as an insurance professional working in several capacities. His 23 plus years in the business have included positions as a designer of insurance products for specific industries, insurance agency owner and currently as a Vice President for Insurance Office of America (IOA), the largest privately held insurance agency in Florida Prior to his election in 2011, Mike was involved with numerous local charities and professional organizations. He was the President of the Guardian Ad Litem Guild (renamed Voices for Children), served on the subcommittee for Urban Enterprises Initiatives and Chairman of the Water Resource subcommittee for the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. He has also been a Board Member and past President of the Insurance Agents of Greater Tampa, a board member of the Centro Asturiano de Tampa and a board member of the Macfarlane Park PTA. From 1997 to 2004 Mike has helped select candidates to the U.S. Naval and Air Force Academies for Senator Graham and since 2005 for Senator Bill Nelson and Congresswoman Kathy Castor. He previously served the City of Tampa on the Civil Service Board and was Chair of the Equal Business Opportunity Advisory Committee. As a City Councilman, Mike has been selected to serve on the following: Tampa City Council, Chairman (since April 2016) HART, Chairman (2013-2016) Lowry Park Zoo Board of Trustees TBARTA, Board Member Lions Eye Institute, Board Member Tampa Museum of Art And previously served on the following: MPO TECO Streetcar Public Works Committee, Chairman Mike has been married for over 25 years to Laura Ankenbruck and they have three sons, Vincent, Anthony and Nichola
JULIA MANDELL Julia Mandell is the most recent former City Attorney for Tampa. Julia Mandell earned her bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Florida and is board certified in city, county and local government law. Before coming to City Hall in 2004, she worked as an assistant county attorney for Hillsborough County for about seven years. She then worked at City Hall for about 9 years handling matters ranging from land use, real estate and historic preservation to the First Amendment, signs and transportation. As the City Attorney, she supervised nearly two dozen lawyers, plus paralegals and support staff. When Julia Mandell became the City Attorney for Tampa in 2013, she was the second woman to hold the job. When she left the role as City Attorney, Mayor Buckhorn provided the following statement to the Tampa Bay Times: She s done a great job. I loved working with her, Buckhorn said. She has been a true public servant in every sense of the word, and her contributions to this administration s success are many. While we will miss her, we could not be happier for her continued success.