Bemetra Simmons is the president and chief executive officer of the Tampa Bay Partnership, a coalition of regional business leaders working together to improve the personal and economic well-being of Tampa Bay residents.

Bemetra previously served as the chief strategy and operations officer for United Way Suncoast, and she has held leadership and executive leadership roles at Mutual of Omaha Bank, Wells Fargo, and BB&T.

She is active in our community and holds leadership roles throughout the state, currently serving on several boards, including the board of directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Jacksonville Branch, the board of trustees for St. Leo University, the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, and the St. Pete Free Clinic. Bemetra is a Leadership Tampa graduate and a member of Leadership Florida Cornerstone Class XXXVIII. She was named a finalist for the Business Woman of the Year by Tampa Bay Business and Wealth Magazine in 2023. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Simmons is the daughter of an Air Force Chaplain and has lived in ten states and two countries. She attended Christian Brothers University in Memphis, TN, on a basketball scholarship and received a B.S. in business administration, and her MBA from Wake Forest University.

Along with her twin sister, Demetra, Simmons co-founded Corporate Homie, a career, lifestyle, and advice company and podcast dedicated to assisting professionals in navigating the waters of corporate America.

Dr. Cynthia Johnson is the Director of Pinellas County Economic Development and the Executive Director of Pinellas County’s Economic Development Authority. Since 2000, she has been a leader in the organization and is a trusted advisor to businesses large and small, government agencies, policymakers, and community leaders throughout Florida.

As an economic development practitioner, trainer, mentor, and educator, she has supported hundreds of individuals with the creation, retention, and expansion of their businesses. She specializes in partner relations, federal and state grants management and compliance, business and strategic planning, entrepreneurial development, finance, and small business innovation.

Dr. Johnson has more than 23 years of experience in economic development and over 26 years in leadership training and development. She is a certified Master Economic Development Practitioner and manages a $12.2 million dollar budget and 35 employees. She is a proud graduate of Florida Memorial University, Miami, FL with a BS in Education and holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership & Organization from Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale. She also holds a certification from Cornell University in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and advocates for public policies and business practices that promote inclusion and marketplace diversity.

A recipient of numerous awards, and recognitions, Johnson was recently named to the Tampa Bay Business Journal Power 100 as one of Tampa Bay’s most influential leaders of 2022, 2023 and of 2024. She has also been honored as a Tamp Bay Business Journal’s Women of the Year, First Lady in African American History by the Woodson African American Museum of Florida in 2022, as ONYX Magazine’s 2022 Woman on the Move, as Girls, Inc., Outstanding Women in STEAM, 2024. In 2021, she was appointed as Honorary Commander to MacDill Airforce Base’s 927th Air Refueling Wing. She is also a member of the St. Petersburg (FL) Chapter of Links, Incorporated and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

As CEO of the Dumas Collective, Mr. Binitie directs vision and oversight of the acquisition,

development, property management, and financial activities of the conglomerate—from

Washington, DC to New York. Mr. Binitie has an extensive tax credit financing experience

(LIHTC, NMTC and HTC) and has closed on financing from nearly every public capital

source available. To date Dumas Collective closed over $1.9B in financing resulting in

over 5,800 workforce and affordable units. Mr. Binitie maintains a narrow focus on the

creation and preservation of affordable housing for people of modest means.

• Buwa has over fifteen years of experience in financing complex real estate transactions.

By narrowly focusing on efficiently financing community development transactions,

Buwa has been successful in adding value beyond the numbers.

• Buwa speaks regularly at industry focused events. Recent engagements include

sessions with The Minority Resource, African‐American Real Estate Professionals,

Bisnow, DC Building Industry Association, Georgetown University and University of

Maryland—Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development and REEX.

• Buwa serves as a teaching mentor for the Equitable Development Program and

Housing Equity Accelerator Fellowship in partnership with Capital Impact Partners and

Amazon, Baker Tilly’s Equitable Development Initiative Network, Real Estate Executive

Council (REEC), LISC and Howard University.

As the Executive Vice President of Consulting at Hunden, Ms. DeRose’s primary focus is overseeing the complete project pipeline from proposal creation and new business development through the delivery of final market demand, financial feasibility, and economic impact analyses. Additionally, Bethanie leads the execution of Hunden’s Placemaking Plans. She has conducted destination tourism plans and strategies for dozens of destinations across the U.S. and internationally.

Prior to joining Hunden, Ms. DeRose was involved in convention center planning in Central America and global tourism readiness planning in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Bethanie has also worked closely with industry associations including the World Travel and Tourism Council on a Global Tourism Readiness project as well as Destinations International on the conventions and meetings product audit.

Bethanie’s background in hospitality operations management, sales execution, and capital project management has informed her work in the consulting sector and allowed her to maintain a hands-on approach in the study efforts she leads. She serves as a point of client contact at each stage of the study process. Developing relationships with clients is a passion point for DeRose, and she consistently serves as a resource to destinations, cities, and countries for years after the initial study phase is complete.

DeRose is a recognized industry leader and was recently named to the 2023/2024 Association Board of Director Slate for Destinations International.

SANTIAGO C. CORRADA is an accomplished, recognized leader with over twenty-five years of public service experience, with proven success in effectively and efficiently transforming the professional culture of many diverse institutions. His outstanding relationship building skills result in the resolution of highly complex issues through consensus. Corrada has the demonstrated ability to soundly and fiscally manage a convention center resulting in record surplus revenues. He has consistently elevated organizations to higher levels of productivity by empowering team members and stakeholders. Corrada is an intelligent, articulate, dedicated, loyal individual, driven to serve and deliver the highest, quality services.

Santiago C. Corrada officially began his position as President and Chief Executive Officer of Visit Tampa Bay in May of 2013 where he is responsible for providing oversight of all agency activities, managing day-to-day operations, and assuring a smoothly functioning, efficient organization. He serves as main spokesperson for the tourism and hospitality industry; ensures stakeholders coordinated efforts in collaboratively increasing visitation to the destination while maintaining open lines of communication with all industry stakeholders. Corrada coordinates effective marketing and sales strategies ensuring maximum return on investment – so much so, that Visit Tampa Bay has received numerous marketing and public relations awards over the past decade, most recently bringing home four HSMAI Adrian Awards, these awards honor excellence in travel marketing. In addition, the industry is currently celebrating three consecutive record-breaking bed tax collection years.

Corrada received HSMAI’s Top 25 Award for Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality, Sales and Marketing. He was also recognized as Hillsborough County’s Hispanic Man of the Year in 2013.

With more than 20 years of public service and management experience, Corrada previously served as Chief of Staff for the City of Tampa. In this role, he coordinated and integrated the efforts of more than 50 City departments and divisions. In his tenure with city government, Santiago participated in bidding and hosting efforts for large meetings and groups including Super Bowl XLIII and the 2012 Republican National Convention. Additionally, during the Iorio administration, he served as Convention Center, Tourism, Recreation and Cultural Arts Administrator directly overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Tampa Convention Center, the cornerstone of Tampa's convention business.

Prior to joining the City of Tampa in 2004 as Neighborhood Services Administrator, Corrada served as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Miami and spent 17 years in the Miami-Dade County School System.

His current Board Affiliations include The Florida Aquarium-Board and Executive Committee, Hillsborough County Hotel Motel Association-Board and Executive Committee, ReliaQuest Bowl, Arts Council of Hillsborough County, Hillsborough County Human Trafficking, Hillsborough County Cultural Assets, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa Bay Hospitality Alliance Board, Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Tampa Hillsborough Film and Digital Media Commission, USF CAMLS Health Professions Conferencing Corporation, Tampa Theatre, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo-Board and Executive Committee, US Travel, Gasparilla Bowl.

Corrada graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Miami with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Exceptional Student Education as well as a Master's in Education.

Ari Ravi joined RIPCO Real Estate in December 2022 with a focus on single-tenant and multi-

tenant investment sales.

Ari entered the commercial real estate industry at Prudential Commercial Real Estate – Florida

in 2008, where he specialized in the sale and leasing of office and retail assets throughout the

Tampa Bay MSA. In 2013, Ravi joined Marcus & Millichap as a sales agent before transitioning

to Regional Manager, achieving year-over-year revenue growth for the firm every year.

In 2019, Ravi joined CBRE advising clients on the disposition/acquisition of multi and single-

tenant retail and office assets. Since 2021, Ravi has successfully executed transactions

exceeding $250 million on behalf of his clients.

A graduate of the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business, Ravi also attended

Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa. Outside of his professional pursuits, he dedicates time

to his family and actively engages in charitable initiatives focused on education for underserved

youth and providing mental health support for veterans.

Rachael Kratz is an associate in Gunster’s Real Estate practice. She represents clients throughout the United States in property acquisitions and dispositions. Rachael also has litigation experience defending various corporations in civil disputes.

Rachael graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, where she was the recipient of a Dean’s Merit Scholarship and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. She was a member of the Inter-American Law Review, serving as an Articles and Comments Editor and was chosen to be a published author. She also received the Dean's Certificate of Achievement Award and Innovative Service in the Public Interest Award related to her work in the University of Miami Health Rights Clinic. Rachael participated in the Health Rights Clinic for two years as a student and as a fellow. She drafted two Social Security appellate briefs and a motion for summary judgment in a Social Security Appeal in the Southern District of Florida. Rachael served as Secretary and Treasurer of the Federal Bar Association and was a member of the Cardozo Legal Society.

Rachael obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Boston University, graduating cum laude. She was a summer intern at the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts and participated in various fundraising events in support of the Ronald McDonald House.

Graham Tyrrell is Senior Vice President of Multifamily Development for Kettler and head of Kettler’s Florida office. During a 29-year career in multifamily housing, Mr. Tyrrell has developed over 30 projects in six states and the District of Columbia. Prior to joining Kettler, Mr. Tyrrell was Vice President at Archstone where he was responsible for such notable multi-family projects, such as Avalon First and M, 100 K Street and Avalon Arlington North.

Mr. Tyrrell joined Kettler in 2013 and is currently overseeing Kettler’s Florida development pipeline; including the 6MM SF Gasworx mixed-use development in the historic Ybor City neighborhood of Tampa.

In his time at Kettler, Mr. Tyrrell has successfully managed a number other large, mixed-use developments and led development for several award-winning communities, most notably:

· Market Terminal, Washington DC – 1.4MM SF PUD in the Union Market district of Washington DC with 550 apartments and 225,000 SF office building in the first phase, together with a new public plaza.

· The Mile, Tysons, VA – 3MM SF master plan to redevelop a suburban office park in Tysons, VA to approximately 3,000 units, office, retail and a five-acre signature park.

· Reed Row – 132-unit boutique apartment building in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC. National Apartment Association Excellence Award 2018.

· Highgate at the Mile – 395-unit apartment building in Tysons, Virginia. AIA Design Excellence Award 2020.

Mr. Tyrrell earned a BSc (Hons) in Property Valuation and Finance from The City University, London, UK and a Masters in Estate Management from Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK. He is a Member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and on the Executive Board of ULI Tampa Bay. He has previously served as a Board Member of the NoMa Business Improvement District in Washington DC, the City of Charlotte Historic District Commission and participated in various ULI Product Councils.

Nick is Chief Executive Officer of The Bromley Companies. He is primarily responsible for overseeing new acquisitions, property management, leasing and corporate strategy. Since joining Bromley in 2005, Nick has overseen over $500 million of acquisitions, disposition and financing transactions and the leasing of over 1 million square feet of office, retail, and residential property.

Previous to joining Bromley, Nick ran business development and marketing for Vaultus, a wireless software company. Earlier he served as a founding member of Merrill Lynch’s Principal Investment Group and as an investment analyst at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co, for their 1818 Funds. He received an MBA from Stanford University and a BA from Duke University.

Nick is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York where he serves on the Midtown South Building Committee and sits on the Executive Committee of the Union Square Partnership.

Brian Stathers serves as Project Executive, providing strong leadership and strategic direction to his project teams. With 12 years of industry experience, he is committed to transparency and collaboration, fostering an environment of open communication and teamwork throughout every phase of a project. Brian acts as a direct point of contact, ensuring excellence in safety, quality, and innovation while delivering successful outcomes.

Brian’s portfolio highlights projects across diverse markets, including gaming, entertainment, multi-family, and senior living. Through his professionalism and passion, Brian drives success on complex projects while fostering trusted relationships with clients, teams, and stakeholders.

Brian holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Bentley University and maintains key certifications including Passive House Certified Builder.

Byron Torres is the Senior Director of the Tampa office for Apprise. Mr.

Torres joins Apprise with 10 years of experience in commercial valuation.

His focus has been exclusively on multifamily assets since 2021 and his

experience includes existing and proposed garden/midrise apartments,

urban high‐rise assets, mixed‐use assets, and senior housing in primary

and secondary markets throughout the Southeast.

Byron Torres has completed work for various client types, such as

mortgage brokers, banks, law firms and developers.

Prior to joining Apprise, Byron was the Director of the Tampa office for

Valbridge Property Advisors for six years and an Analyst of the Naples

office for Integra Realty Resources for four years.

Edward is a Principal in CLA's real estate industry group. Over the last 9 years of his career he has been dedicated to providing seamless professional experiences to some of the largest real estate developers, homebuilders, private equity investors, and owners of real estate within our firm.

Working in the industry has given him the opportunity to develop strong technical capabilities and provide our clients with the technical advice and client experience that they should expect from their CPA.

Edward works in our firm's internal inspection group looking for ways to improvde the assurance process. He is also is part of the real estate technical group which works to develop improved methodologies for the firm.

Casey Ellison is CEO of Ellison Companies in Tampa, Florida. He has over 20 years of experience building and developing projects across all sectors, with an emphasis on place-making projects. In 2022, Casey co-founded Ellison Development which is responsible for multiple large master-plan projects, including The Central in downtown St. Petersburg and Central City YMCA in the Tampa Heights neighborhood. As CEO of Ellison Construction, Casey has been part of impactful Tampa projects, including Oxford Exchange, Stovall House, Armature Works, and Hotel Haya. Ellison Construction also is a preferred partner for the Hillsborough County School Board, University of Tampa, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Casey has been a member of the Board of Fellows for the University of Tampa in 2013 and currently serves as Chair for 2024. He’s on the Young President’s Organization (YPO) Board of Directors, the Executive Committee for the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council (EDC), and is the current co-chair for The Heroes Ball, an annual black-tie event to benefit St. Joseph's Children's Hospital. A graduate of the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management, Casey is married and the father of two daughters.

Ken K. Stoltenberg has been active in the commercial real estate industry for almost 30 years. Before starting KDK Keller Development, he was employed by the Leo Eisenberg Company (1990-1996), Medallion Mortgage Inc. (1997-1999), Euro American Advisors Inc. (1999-2003), and his own company Mercury Advisors (2003-Present).

Combining his experience in both the development and the operational fields, Ken has been instrumental in the startup and creative process of multi-family developments and redevelopments . For the past 15 years Ken has been the principal developer and visionary for Grand Central at Kennedy and The Channel Club. Grand Central at Kennedy is a 392-unit condominium with 80,000 square feet of office space and 116,000 square feet of retail space with ample structured parking. It is home to tenants like Quality Distribution, St. Leo University, Kraft Heinz and Crunch Fitness. The Channel Club is a 22 story 324-unit apartment tower which also houses a 36,000 square feet Publix supermarket, Tampa’s first true urban supermarket. Both projects are in Tampa’s up and coming Channel District.

He is currently working on three mixed use developments two in the Channel District and one in the City of Saint Petersburg, which are similar in scale to Grand Central at Kennedy and Channel Club.

Mr. Bicho is the President and Founder of The Landings Real Estate Group. The Landings Real

Estate Group is an owner and operator of commercial real estate executing development,

construction, and property management functions in the residential multi-family, single-family,

office, and retail sector. Landings Real Estate Group is headquartered in Newport, RI with over

100 employees and operates more than 1,900 multi-family residential units Rhode Island,

Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Florida with an asset value more than $350 million

and owns and operates commercial retail and office properties located in Newport, Rhode Island.

In addition to the multi-family portfolio, Landings Real Estate Group has developed a boutique

luxury lodging portfolio with an estimated value of $50m in Newport Rhode Island comprised of

27 properties and 168 rooms and is developing a one-hundred-acre site in Portsmouth, Rhode

Island with 91 single – family homes and a 48 unit Assisted care facility. LREG also executes

approximately $10M of construction and is a registered General Contractor in the State of Florida

and Rhode Island. Currently, LREG is developing 270 units in Jacksonville, Florida, 104 Units in

Tampa, Florida and has two developments in the approval stage in St Petersburgh, Florida.

Over the past 17 years, Landings Real Estate Group has delivered above market returns to of

more than 20% to its investors. At its founding back in 2007, our capital base started with

institutional investors and has migrated towards high-net-worth individuals as the company has

purchased the interests from original institutional investors and has supplemented the capital

stack with high-net-worth investors in some assets. The future of LREG is setup to leverage the

democratization of real estate investing. In 2016, we launched the investor platform IMS that

allows the accredited investor to take advantage of no fee and transparent real estate

investments in the multi-family sector without the middleman advisors taking a portion of the

investors returns.

Prior to founding the Landings Real Estate Group in January 2006, Mr. Bicho was a real estate

development and financial professional and served as Chief Financial Officer for Picerne Military

Housing a/k/a Corvias from 1992 to 2005. In 1993, he initiated a new multi-family housing

business in the Northeast region for Picerne targeting the development of affordable housing

utilizing Low Income Housing Tax Credits and 1997, he founded a new division to acquire,

develop, construct, and manage family housing for the US Army under the Military Housing

Privatization Initiative. As one of the founders of the military housing division, he developed and

executed a business plan that achieved the initial goal to acquire 20,000 homes two years ahead

of schedule and created an organization that expanded from four employees to 500 employees

located across the country.

Mr. Bicho lives Portsmouth, RI with his family and holds an M.B.A. in Corporate Finance from

Boston College (1992) and B.S. in Business Administration from University of Rhode Island

(1989).

Bruce Rector was sworn in as the 36th mayor of Clearwater, Florida in April of 2024.

Since relocating to Florida in 2015 to serve as General Counsel for the Clearwater-based company, The Sports Facilities Companies, Mayor Rector has held a number of leadership positions and been involved in many organizations.

Mayor Rector served as the Chair of the non-profit Jolley Trolley Transportation of Clearwater, Inc.; Vice-Chair of the city of Clearwater Community Development Board; Vice President of the Clearwater Beach Association; a board member of Ocean Allies; past Vice-Chair of the Clearwater Regional Chamber; past member of the city of Clearwater Charter Review and Affordable Housing Advisory committees; and Chair of the city of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Board. He is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Pinellas. He is a member of Calvary Church and the Clearwater Bar Association. He graduated in Fall 2019 Class from Clearwater Citizens Academy and has worked as a volunteer for many area organizations, causes and events throughout Tampa Bay.

Mayor Rector’s extraordinary international experience has also shaped his leadership style, passion for community service and respect for diversity of experiences and opinions. He was the 58th President of Junior Chamber International (JCI), a 200,000-member organization of young leaders and entrepreneurs from 110 countries. In 2003, he traveled to nearly 50 countries as JCI World President and for a seven-year period as a volunteer JCI leader, he worked with thousands of leaders and communities across the globe.

Mayor Rector's book, Monday Morning Messages: Teaching, Inspiring and Motivating to Lead (Xephor Press, 2005) enjoyed international success. With endorsements from best-selling authors Ken Blanchard (The One Minute Manager), Stephen Covey (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) and Jennifer Kushell (Secrets of the Young & Successful), the book has been used throughout the world as a leadership training resource.

Born in Anderson, Indiana in 1963, Bruce attended the University of Kentucky where he worked as a student athletic trainer (sports medicine) assistant for Wildcats athletic teams. He also spent four summers and one full season working as an athletic trainer assistant to the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League.

Mayor Rector received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Kentucky in 1990, was admitted to practice before the Kentucky Courts, and practiced law there for 23 years. He has been an adjunct faculty member at Indiana Wesleyan University where he taught in the MBA program and a part-time professor at the University of Kentucky, where he taught in the graduate program in Sports Leadership.

Mayor’s Rector’s son, Trevor currently lives and works in Clearwater.

John M. Farina, president of U.S. Development, is a real estate developer with almost two decades of experience in real estate speculation, development and construction. Farina’s career includes a diverse portfolio of residential projects, ranging from urban infill luxury townhome developments to expansive, oceanfront mansions. Located in communities ranging from downtown Philadelphia to Brooklyn to oceanfront property in Palm Beach County, Florida, Farina’s projects always have the U.S. Development signature traits—quality and innovation.

Over the past 10 years, Farina has built an impressive reputation around the country. In the Philadelphia real estate community, he has drastically improved the city’s landscape by redeveloping vacant and distressed parcels with his signature projects of high-end, luxury-designed homes and mid-rise builds. From 2007 through 2017, he led one of the largest redevelopment efforts Philadelphia has ever seen.

In the course of his career, he has built more than 800 luxury homes and condominiums in 50 different complexes, heading one of the fastest growing companies in the industry. An expert in land acquisition, zoning, design-build, and construction implementation, John has brought his posh luxury styling to the forefront of the real estate market. Leading U.S. Development's team of more than 60 employees, Farina helped create its award-winning “Adagio” complex, which was featured in Philadelphia magazine’s “2016 Design Home” issue, with more than 30 pages of accolades and content. Adagio is one of the company’s most exciting achievements, and a stunning addition to the Philadelphia landscape. Delray Beach, Florida, is another area that Farina has focused on. His love for this scenic coastal town is the reason he decided to acquire several prime oceanfront-building sites there. One of these sites is the future home of Ocean Delray, the epitome of luxury oceanfront living, which will offer the high-end style and incredible amenities that U.S. Development is known for.

Farina is a graduate of Rutgers University with degrees in environmental business economics and communications.

Douglas Sullinger is the esteemed Chief Executive Officer of Vendita.AI, a Tampa-based provider of advanced artificial intelligence solutions tailored specifically for the Commercial Real Estate (CRE) industry. With a robust career span of over two decades, Doug has established himself as a dedicated sales executive renowned for his exceptional ability to identify strategic positions and negotiate opportunities that fuel business growth. His knack for cultivating long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with clients distinguishes him as not merely a business partner, but a trusted advocate and advisor.

From an early stage in his career, Doug exhibited a profound understanding of the complexities inherent in sales cycles and technical solutions. Doug attended Ohio State University from 1984 to 1987. He then took a break from his education due to a medical issue. He then returned to his education in 1991 and ultimately graduated from the University of Toledo in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, where he honed critical skills that would become the foundation of his professional journey. Armed with a thorough knowledge of enterprise software and a natural aptitude for negotiating and closing deals, he entered the workforce with a competitive edge.