Category: Tampa PR

SARASOTA, Fla. (Sept. 11, 2019) – Eighteen years ago, Dan Hoffe stood on the 61^st floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center and watched as glass, reams of paper and other debris streamed from the center’s north tower.He thought a bomb had gone off. Minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., as Hoffe and thousands of office workers were descending stairwells, a passenger jet, Flight 175, struck the south tower.

“I’ll never forget, we got to the 10^th floor and our [public address system] finally stared to speak, our P.A. system, and it said World Trade Center 1, the north tower, had been hit. [Tower] 2 is secure, and I remember thinking, ‘Well, thank God I was in 2,’” he said.

“Literally 10 seconds later, the second plane hit, and when that hit you actually felt the building move. You almost thought it was going to go over.”

Emerging from the tower, Hoffe turned long enough to see smoke and flames pouring from shattered windows. He started walking uptown with a crowd. He didn’t learn until later that terrorists attacked the buildings.Hoffe recalled the chaotic and tragic events of that day during a special ceremony Wednesday as the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee remembered victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and paid tribute to survivors, first responders and members of the military.

At times poignant, the remembrance included a flag-raising ceremony by the U.S. Marine Corps 4^thAmphibious Assault Battalion color guard, the playing of “Taps” on a bugle, a bagpiper and a selection of patriotic songs by a children’s choir from the St. Stephens Episcopal School in Bradenton.Photos can be found here: www.dropbox.com/sh/0sz4i4iq0i02ipi/AAABz9O16lKbDbGZP-2yW3W5a?dl=0.

Guest speaker Hoffe, a USFSM alumnus and executive vice president of Capstan Financial Consulting Group in Sarasota, said he was working for Morgan Stanley at the time and attending a training seminar in New York when the attacks occurred.He said he agreed to speak at the ceremony to honor “the victims and heroes of 9/11.”He said he thought to himself that day, “This doesn’t happen to me. It always happens to someone else. But I’m here to tell you it can happen to you.”

To illustrate what was occurring, he played a short voicemail to his wife on the morning of the attacks. Walking with the crowd away from the center, and as police and fire trucks streamed toward it, he borrowed a co-worker’s cell phone to assure his wife that he wasn’t hurt.

With anxiety in his voice and shouting above sirens and other chaos, he could be heard saying, “I’m all right. I’ll be OK.”

The call lasted 10 seconds, but it captured what would occur in ensuing days and weeks in New York and across the nation as spouses, families and communities would seek to connect to reassure one another.

USFSM Regional Chancellor Karen A. Holbrook, PhD, also addressed the crowd about the impact of 9/11. She said she was reminded of the common humanity of all people and the obligation she felt to reach out to others.

“Everyone was changed in some way,” she told attendees. “I remember a particularly intense feeling of the need to make eye contact, to greet people in some way, to reach out, to connect with people I passed on the campus of the university where I was at the time, even people I didn’t know.

“All of us were together in our suffering and for the nation and for the people who suffered intolerable loss and we all understood what others were feeling as well,” she said.

The ceremony lasted about an hour. About 300 people attended. It was followed by a reception in the FCCI rotunda. A day earlier, students, staff, faculty and veterans groups met to plant 2,977 flags – one for each victim of the 9/11 attacks – in the USFSM courtyard lawn.Carlos Moreira, USFSM’s veteran services administrator, presided over the ceremony.

“Today we honor the lives lost 18 years ago,” he said.Also in attendance were USFSM student ambassadors, a representative from Congressman Vern Buchanan’s office, several teams of first responders from Sarasota and Manatee counties and other representatives of the U.S. military.

For more about USF Sarasota-Manatee, visit usfsm.edu.###

Community Leaders Launch First Responder Suicide Prevention Campaign

Tampa, Fla. (Sept. 10, 2019) — “First to Respond. Last to Ask for Help.” This is the name of a candid campaign unveiled today with the goal of preventing first responder suicide in Hillsborough County. Marking the observance of World Suicide Prevention Day, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and branding/advertising agency ChappellRoberts were joined by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan and Tampa Fire Chief Nick LoCicero to shed light on the distinct challenges faced by first responders and how this vital campaign will ultimately save lives.

Inspired to find a solution to the growing number of first responder suicides reported in the news, ChappellRoberts approached the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay with the idea of developing an awareness campaign that could illustrate the impact of trauma on first responders and provide these dedicated men and women with a literal lifeline of support.

“As the wife of a first responder, I know all too well the gruesome and traumatic experiences they are exposed to each day,” said Colleen Chappell, president and CEO of ChappellRoberts. “It is our hope that this campaign provides our community with greater perspective about the critical roles our first responders play. This is our way of trying to help those who risk their lives to help us each day.”

This pilot campaign, launching initially in Hillsborough County, features real first responders from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Recue. The campaign’s call to action encourages first responders struggling with thoughts of suicide to call 211 and confidentially speak with professionals specifically trained to intervene when someone is facing a crisis.

The Crisis Center hopes this campaign will champion additional resources to expand the campaign to other communities and eventually support a dedicated hotline for first responders, given the unique challenges they face in the line of duty.

“These brave men and women bear witness to countless scenes of trauma during their career but face a stigma that prevents them from getting help,” said Clara Reynolds, president and CEO of Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. “This campaign will let our first responders know they are not alone.” 

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor emphasized the important role first responders play in the health and well-being of a community. Speaking from her personal experience as Tampa’s former police chief, she conveyed the vital nature of this initiative and encouraged our entire community not only to thank first responders for their selfless work, but also to offer support and help. Representing law enforcement, fire rescue and EMS leaders from Hillsborough County and Tampa’s first responder units expressed the importance of asking for help.

Ensuring no one in our community has to face crisis alone, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay fields hundreds of calls each month from people on the verge of taking their own life.

Megan Vila, who lost her brother to suicide, shared with the audience how the “First to Respond. Last to Ask for Help.” campaign provides hope to first responders and their families.

The “First to Respond. Last to Ask for Help.” campaign will run in Hillsborough County later this month. To learn more, please visit LastToAsk.com. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or is in crisis, call 211 any day at any time to receive confidential support and counseling.

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About the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay

The mission of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is to ensure that no one in our community has to face crisis alone.  The organization is the community’s gateway to help, hope and healing, and is Tampa Bay’s elite provider of crisis and trauma services. Responding to over 170,000 requests for help each year, the nonprofit agency offers a range of evidence-based programs designed to meet community needs:

-Corbett Trauma Center (trauma counseling and sexual assault survivor services)

-Gateway Contact Center (211: suicide prevention, crisis counseling, and information and referral services)

-TransCare (911 emergency and mental health ambulance services, medical van transportation, community paramedicine)

About ChappellRoberts

ChappellRoberts drives results with unexpected ideas for its clients through branding, advertising, digital experiences, public relations and marketing. Proudly marking its 40th anniversary, ChappellRoberts is located in Tampa’s historic Ybor City. For more information, visit chap

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TAMPA, FL (September 10, 2019) — Ten years after Tampa native Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes founded the Akilah Institute, the all-women’s college in Rwanda will celebrate its decennial milestone with a summit on the global ecosystem of education innovation.

The summit, “Education for a Changing Planet,” will take place at the Florida Aquarium on Friday, Oct. 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will bring together some of the world’s foremost education experts and radical innovators to examine and explore disruption in global education models and industries beyond.

Five Akilah Institute alumnae will be joined by a lineup of experts including: 

• Dr. Cristi Ford, Chief Academic Officer of Davis College
• Dan LeClair, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Business School Network
• Carlton Ward Jr., National Geographic Conservation Photographer
• Dr. Jeff Borden, Chief Academic Officer, Saint Leo University
• Bryan Setser, Principal, rpk GROUP
• Thomas B. Cavanagh, Vice Provost for Digital Learning, University of Central Florida
• Dr. Carmen Nibigira, Former Director of Tourism, Burundi

The Summit’s panelists will cover topics including the state of global education, the role of artificial intelligence in education, the future of work, and environmental sustainability, conservation and climate resilience as career competencies in educational models.

Dearborn Hughes, a graduate of Berkley Prep and Vanderbilt University, started the school to support Rwanda’s bold vision for economic growth and female leadership throughout the region. The accredited college relies heavily on donations to cover a large portion of students’ tuition and is determined to help find innovative and sustainable pathways for women to become educated and employed. Studies, including the Drawdown, have shown that empowering women is the key to global progress.

Over the last ten years, with support from a large network centered in and around Tampa, Akilah

has successfully implemented a number of critical innovations. Akilah has accredited three diplomas with proprietary curriculum, built a technology platform to match students and graduates with career opportunities, designed a unique blended model that leverages adaptive learning tools, launched a professional development institute to train faculty in competency- based education and student-centered methodology, and most importantly, created an empowering and nurturing campus culture that celebrates creativity, innovation, and leadership. Ninety percent of Akilah alumnae launch their careers within six months of completing their studies and earn 12 times more than the national median income. Akilah’s graduates are recruited for coveted positions in diverse industries including telecommunications, solar energy, government, civil society, sustainable tourism, and more. Today, Akilah has more than 2,000 students and graduates. 

Akilah’s impact on East Africa is witnessed through the story of Nadine Niyitegeka, one of Akilah’s first graduates now serving as an ambassador for the community. Niyitegeka, who was three years old during the Rwanda Genocide, graduated from Akilah Institute in 2013 with a degree in hospitality management. She turned down offers from the world’s largest hotel chains to work at Akilah where she is now responsible for recruitment and development duties. Niyitegeka will be among the alumnae to participate in the summit.

Nadine Niyitegeka and Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes are both available for interview ahead of the summit. To schedule an interview, please contact Ben Norton with Brock Communications at (508) 837-1700.

About the Akilah Institute

Akilah Institute is Rwanda’s only college for women. Founded in January 2010 as a way to educate female leaders for a sustainable future, the school offers two-year advanced diploma programs in Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Information Systems, and Hospitality Management. Akilah is a part of the Davis College global network of universities.
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September 11, 2019 by Press Release

Tyler Kline to host exploration of contemporary compositions (September 9, 2019 – Tampa, FL) Florida’s Classical Music Station WSMR 89.1 & 103.9 will add a new program to its weekly lineup with a special focus on music written by living composers. “Modern Notebook” will launch this Sunday, hosted by WSMR’s Tyler Kline, highlighting music composed from 1945 to today. Kline will explore the endless spectrum of classical music styles, sounds, and techniques that is acknowledged collectively as “contemporary classical music.”

Each week, listeners will experience a variety of music ranging from solo works to modern orchestral masterworks and everything in between. Kline will also spotlight events by local organizations presenting contemporary music in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota communities. “Modern Notebook” will air Sundays at 8 p.m. on Classical WSMR 89.1 FM and 103.9 FM, and on wsmr.org. The first few episodes of the show will feature composers such as Jean Sibelius, Toru Takemitsu, and Oliver Knussen. “There is such exciting and creative work right now in the classical music genre, and we are thrilled to bring the best and most interesting works to our listeners,” said WUSF Public Media General Manager JoAnn Urofsky. “This show will allow us to explore the contemporary orchestral repertoire more deeply, and Tyler is the perfect host for it.” A classical composer himself, Kline received a Master of Music in Composition from the University of South Florida. His own compositional interests encompass a wide variety of styles and mediums, from acoustic chamber and large ensemble works to electronic and electroacoustic. Kline’s music has been performed across the United States and internationally in Asia, Europe, and South America. “When most people think of classical music, they think of Beethoven and Mozart,” said Kline. “Beyond that amazing foundation of work, there’s a wonderful and diverse genre that contemporary composers are expanding. I look forward to diving into it with the WSMR community.” About WUSF Public MediaWUSF Public Media is a comprehensive media organization that provides media services to the community and businesses through public broadcasting and multi-media production services. Licensed to the University of South Florida, WUSF Public Media has been serving the public interest through programming, educational outreach and community partnerships for 50 years. For more information, visit www.wusf.org. ###

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“Our Free RAM Clinic has treated over 3,800 patients – but we desperately need help!”

BRADENTON, FLA (September 9) – The fifth annual Remote Area Medical Free Clinic will take place at Manatee Technical College in Bradenton on October 12 and 13, but organizers say they “desperately need” dental and eye care professionals to help.

“Over the four years that our RAM Clinic has been held in Bradenton, we’ve delivered over 6,755 free dental, optical and medical procedures to 3,894 patients – and the only question we have ever asked is, ‘Where does it hurt?’” said Dr. Richard Conard, M.D., who has been the principal organizer of the event.

“This year, we desperately need help,” Dr. Conard added. “We have too few dental and optical professional volunteers to serve all the patients we know will be here.”

Volunteer dentists, oral surgeons, opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists are encouraged to contact Lori Dengler at lorijd4@gmail.com.  Volunteer professional providers are offered free meals during the event.  Lodging is also provided for medical professionals coming from a distance exceeding 100 miles.  

Because Florida’s Legislature does not permit out-of-state medical professionals to provide free medical care to Florida residents, only Florida-licensed professionals may volunteer.

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St. Pete Beach, FL – The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce holds a Learn @ Lunch on Thursday, September 26th located at Holiday Inn Harbourside Hotel & Suites

(401 Second Street, Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785). This month’s topic will be on How to Use Storytelling to Promote Your Brand Across Social Media.

Event check-in and Networking will begin at 11:30 am. Lunch and presentation will continue until 1:00 pm. The discussion will focus on knowing your audience as well as adapting good storytelling for social media content; especially for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Examples will be given of stories and social media content that have resonated fully with the audience in the St. Petersburg and Pinellas County markets.

The speaker will be Matthew Cimitile, the Communications Office for the University of South Florida St. Petersburg (USFSP). He reports and writes about key USFSP news and events for print, online and social media platforms. He serves as a primary point of contact for general media requests as well as assist in crisis communication, helping to respond to emergencies and media inquiries. He has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Tampa and a master’s in environmental journalism from Michigan State University.

The cost to attend is $15 for pre-registered TBBCoC members, $20 for non-members. This event is sponsored by: Webtivity Marketing & Design.

You can purchase your tickets today at TampaBayBeaches.com/events.

For more information, please contact Jessica Morrow at jessica@tampabaybeaches.com or visit TampaBayBeaches.com. 

About the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce:

The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce promotes travel & tourism, educates businesses & individuals, provides a forum of collaboration to enhance the business environment & promote the quality of life for the communities we serve.
Go to https://tampabaybeacheschamberofcommerce.emobileplatform.com/k/tYAB3s to sign up for our TEXT communications to receive more networking opportunities and community updates.  

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Spring Hill, Florida (September 9, 2019) – Oak Hill Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval^® for the Treatment of Sepsis Certification by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. 

The certification recognizes health care organizations that provide clinical programs across the continuum of care for treatment of sepsis. The certification evaluates how organizations use clinical outcomes and performance measures to identify opportunities to improve care, as well as to educate and prepare patients and their caregivers for discharge. 

Oak Hill Hospital recently underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards including program management, supporting self-management and delivering and facilitating clinical care in identifying and treating sepsis. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“Treatment of Sepsis Certification recognizes healthcare organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Oak Hill Hospital for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for its patients with sepsis.”

For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website. 

About Oak Hill Hospital:

Oak Hill Hospital has been serving the Nature Coast since 1984, is the area’s largest private employer with 280 beds, and is the largest medical facility in Hernando and Citrus Counties. The hospital is currently undergoing a $38.5M expansion project which will add 70 private rooms to its North Tower by Spring 2020, bringing the total bed capacity to 350. The facility offers Hernando County’s only comprehensive cardiovascular program, including an arrhythmia center and open-heart surgery. Oak Hill Hospital’s healthcare delivery team is comprised of over 600 physicians, 1,486 associates, and over 265 volunteers.  

Oak Hill Hospital is an accredited teaching hospital with approval to train 65 residents in the Internal Medicine residency program, 24 residents in the Family Medicine program, 18 residents in the General Surgery program integrated with Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, 18 residents in the Emergency Medicine program, 18 residents in the Anesthesiology program, 6 residents in the Podiatry program, 10 residents in the Transitional Year program, and two residents in the Geriatric Fellowship program. 

The Maternity Suites at Oak Hill Hospital offers advanced labor and delivery capabilities in a comfortable and family centered setting. In addition to the Graduate Medical Education Program, Oak Hill Hospital offers several unique programs in the area, including a 24/7 Critical Care Medicine Program staffed by Intensivists, a Pediatric ER, and a dedicated Pediatric Inpatient Unit. Please visit our website for a comprehensive listing of all Oak Hill Hospital accreditations, awards, and distinctions.

The hospital is located at 11375 Cortez Boulevard, Brooksville, FL; 1.9 miles east of US 19 on State Road 50. For more information about this release, please contact Katie Stacy, Director of Public Relations & Communications, at 352-597-6317. For more information about Oak Hill Hospital, visit OakHillHospital.com, or Like Us on Facebook.

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