15 PEOPLE TO WATCH IN '05 - CHRISTINE BURDICK PRESIDENT, TAMPA DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP It was less than three years ago that Chris Burdick assumed leadership of Tampa’s Downtown Partnership, having brought to town in her luggage some 30 years of urban and retail development experience. First on her “to do” list was a plan. “At a leadership retreat almost two years ago, we as an organization talked about what our role could be in making a plan for downtown,” recalls Burdick. “We made it a priority and together with the Mayor’s office, we established the criteria for a Vision Plan.” That Vision Plan is all but complete. By working hand in hand with local stakeholders (political, business and community leaders) Burdick and a Board of Directors led by Ray Sandelli of CB Richard Ellis will be ready to implement components of the plan early in the new year. “In ’05, we will see residential projects break ground,” says Burdick, “and we will know the direction this downtown is to take.” GEORGE SIMON, M.D. FACULTY, MOFFITT CANCER CENTER & RESEARCH INSTITUTE By now we all know not to take our eye off Moffitt; doctors there make advances every day in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Among the physicians to watch in ’05 is George Simon, M.D., a lung cancer researcher who envisioned and is now directing a 100-patient clinical trial that is testing the use of customized chemotherapy for advanced stage lung cancer. “Chemotherapy is tailored according to the molecular characteristics of an individual patient’s tumor,” explains Dr. Simon. “Therefore we call it Molecular Analysis Directed Individual Therapy, or the MADe-IT trial. We believe this individualized strategy would improve results over the ‘one size fits all’ approach to chemotherapy treatment currently in vogue.” Lung cancer is the largest cause of cancer-related mortality in the U.S. with approximately 150,000 deaths each year. “Our hope is that molecular analysis directed chemotherapy approaches will be successful in improving survival,” says Simon. Moffitt Cancer Center is the only center in the world conducting a trial of this kind. Simon and his colleagues hope to complete the study by the end of next year. BOB DEVIN JONES DIRECTOR, PLAYWRIGHT, ACTOR A well known proponent of St. Petersburg and its downtown artist community, Bob Devin Jones recently added another title to his resume, that of Artistic Director. In ’05, he’ll dedicate much time and talent to running St. Pete’s new Studio @ 620, an artistic and educational studio he opened this fall with industrial designer G. David Ellis. “I come from an eclectic city,” says Jones, who was raised in Los Angeles. “Things here were perhaps a little homogenous. We want 620 to be a gathering place for all groups, a gallery for art, movement, theatre. In scope, it’s very much what you’d find at a university.” Jones says a large part of The Studio @ 620’s focus will be directed at taking the arts into schools and students into the studio, and he says he’ll set out to work collaboratively with other arts organizations. “We don’t want to just present the artists and juxtapose them, but to integrate them. And we hope to do this with a deep commitment to the community.” RAY WEADOCK PRESIDENT & CEO, PERSYSTENT TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Imagine if you will: You’re at the office checking e-mails, minding your own business, when it hits. The dreaded GONER computer virus has wormed its way into your system and well, you’re a goner. You’re dead in the water, your files corrupt. Or maybe not. “We’ll unveil Persystent Enterprise 2005 in January,” says Ray Weadock, who along with the Smithsonian Institute, owns a corporate ad image from computer pioneer, Visicorp, his former employer. “We’ve developed software––automatic self repair technology––that will allow a user to reconfigure his hard drive, without losing data, simply by restarting the computer.” In 2001, Weadock was writing a self repair strategy for computer giant Compaq when the company was purchased by Hewlett Packard, leaving Weadock free to execute the strategy on his own. Persystent was formed in Tampa shortly thereafter. “This is pretty exciting stuff,” says Weadock modestly. “Our software could save corporate IT departments up to 80-percent on ‘help desk’ costs and untold sums in lost productivity.” CRAIG SHER PRESIDENT & CEO, THE SEMBLER COMPANY “We all have an obligation to give back to our community,” says Craig Sher, who leads one of the country’s top shopping center development companies and who is known for his civic activism and personal dedication to improving the neighborhoods of St. Petersburg. “I channel community involvement into four categories, those being religion, education, entertainment and business.” While The Sembler Company is responsible for many high-profile projects, like BayWalk in downtown St. Pete, it has worked closely with city officials on efforts to revitalize economically challenged areas of Midtown. To that end, Sher oversees the construction of Tangerine Plaza, a 47,000 square foot grocery-anchored center at 22nd Street South and 18th Avenue South. The average household income within a mile of the center: $28,294. “The Sembler Company will make no money on this project; it’s donating all development, leasing and management resources,” says Sher. “But we don’t view this as charity. It’s about providing basic services, a safe place for people to shop.” Tangerine Plaza is slated to open in June. LAUREN MAYHEW ACTRESS & SINGER Lauren Mayhew was already knee-deep in a Hollywood career when she graduated in May from Berkeley Prep in Tampa. She attended Berkeley while making regular TV appearances (Guiding Light, American Dreams) and studying music. Over the summer she starred in the movie, Raise Your Voice, with teen idol Hilary Duff, and in ’05, she’ll be busier than ever. “I just began shooting American Pie 4 and I’ve been participating in a lot of fashion events, hosting for Access Hollywood and recording an album,” says Mayhew, just barely 19. “It’s all been so much fun.” It doesn’t seem possible that Mayhew could also carry a full course load at UCLA, but she does. And is she still in touch with her ol’ pals from Berkeley? “Oh yes,” she says, clearly unaffected by success. “They’ve known me since the first grade. They’re hardly impressed, but I think they think what I’m doing is cool.” KEVIN KLEIN, M.D. INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGIST, PEPIN HEART HOSPITAL There was a time, not long ago, when one out of 10 people who entered an emergency room with a heart attack would die. Thankfully, tremendous advances in the care of acute heart attacks have been made, clot-busting drugs, emergent cardiac catheterizations and angioplasties, among them. And care is about to get even better. “In 2005, the evolution of these advances in heart attack care will include specific directives for Hillsborough County EMS ambulances to transport suspected heart attack victims to specific cardiac centers capable of providing a very advanced level of care,” says Tampa cardiologist, Dr. Kevin Klein. “Among those facilities will be the new Pepin Heart Hospital and Research Institute.” Due to open this spring on the main campus of University Community Hospital, the Pepin Heart Hospital is expected to transform the delivery of healthcare through revolutionary diagnostic and monitoring technology in an efficient, digital environment. “This state-of-the-art cardiac care will save lives,” says Klein. “We expect to improve the quality of life for all of our patients.” TERESA GREENLEES GELSTON FOUNDER, VERVE TAMPA BAY “Verve is a self-directed, dynamic collective of some of the best and brightest minds in the Tampa Bay area.” That, from the founders of Creative Tampa Bay, the group of established professionals dedicated to growing Tampa economically through technology and the arts. “Verve provides an opportunity for young professionals to make meaningful, lasting and authentic connections to each other and the community,” says founder Teresa Greenlees Gelston, 28, who works as a marketing consultant to the Patel Foundation for Global Understanding. “I want Verve to be an inclusive experience, engaging and empowering.” Gelston says she was inspired to form Verve after attending a Creative Tampa Bay forum. Less than a year later, Verve hosts regular meetings. “I realized young professionals play a really large role in urban renewal,” says Gelston. “What we developed was a facilitation model––and we broke the mold.” Talk about Verve. A.A. RUCCI CONTEMPORARY ARTIST, CURATOR & OWNER, THE BEAKER GALLERY Known to friends simply as Rucci (roo-chee), this contemporary artist is known for his concept-based figurative works and is already quite well recognized by the international art community. It’s that community that A.A. Rucci hopes you’ll get to know at his Beaker Gallery in downtown Tampa. “Our focus at Beaker is on international, contemporary art,” says Rucci of the gallery, now two years old. “We try to bring in artists who are familiar among the general art world. Some are represented in major private collections and in important galleries in the U.S. and Europe.” Among the artists shown at Beaker are Leslie Lerner (who teaches with Rucci at the Ringling School of Art and Design) and Mernet Larsen, a retired USF professor whose work is on view at the National Museum of Women Artists in Washington, D.C. Rucci says keep an eye on them. We say affix your gaze on Rucci. JOSEPHINE VITALE VICE PRESIDENT/MANAGING PARTNER, THE BROMLEY COMPANIES Josephine Vitale will oversee the construction of one of the largest mixed-use developments to rise in the Westshore business district: Tampa Bay One, at I-275 and N. Dale Mabry, has been zoned to accommodate 700,000 square feet of Class A office space, 250,000 square feet of retail, a four-star hotel and 225 residences. It was six years ago that New York-based Bromley began assembling the 16 acres that will become Tampa Bay One. The rezoning process took a couple of years, architect selection and a site plan, a couple more. Add time for traffic and utility studies, and here we are. “We hope to break ground on Tampa Bay One in 2005,” says Vitale, who is a board member of the Performing Arts Center, the Tampa Bay Partnership and the Westshore Alliance. “Our goal is to secure a signature office tenant for 150,000 to 200,000 square feet. Once that’s done, we can start building.” WAYNE BRASS DIRECTOR, THE TAMPA BAY TECHNOLOGY INCUBATOR Wayne Brass is pretty clear when he says it’s not him we should be watching. Rather, it's the technology companies that have joined him in the 60,000 square foot incubator facility at the University of South Florida's Research Park. “The Incubator companies are technology based, coming from either the university or community with an emphasis on advancing patented technologies in biotech and life sciences,” explains Brass, who brings to his job 40 years in corporate management. “Two new buildings are under construction in the Research Park and in ‘05, space available to biotechnology and life sciences research will increase to more than 230,000 square feet.” As part of USF's expansive economic development program, Connect, the Technology Incubator is designed to provide many of the resources for entrepreneurial success, those being intellectual property, management expertise, access to capital partners and support services. In other words, Brass. SEAN SQUIRES EXECUTIVE CHEF, ISLAND WAY GRILL Ironically, when Sean Squires was 18, he worked as a line cook at Tom Pritchard’s Salt Rock Grill in Indian Shores. After about a year and a half of “nosing around Tom’s kitchen,” Squires set out for the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach. While there, it was not uncommon for him to run into his old boss. “While I was in school I tried to put my hands into everything I possibly could,” says Squires, 25. “I entered tons of competitions and Tom would turn up at the food shows. Just before I graduated, he offered to bring me back to Tampa Bay as Executive Chef at his Island Way Grill.” As a kid, Squires lived all over North America––from Canada to Louisiana––but he says Clearwater suits him well. He prefers the foods and flavors of the Pacific Rim, specializing in exotic vegetables and local fish. Don’t hesitate to sample his seafood. This is the guy that won a national recipe contest sponsored by Old Bay Seasoning. CARL CRAWFORD OUTFIELDER, TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS Carl Crawford’s got real star potential says the Rays Club, evidenced by his record: The 23 year-old won the Major League’s stolen bases title in 2003 and 2004 and led the League in ‘03 with triples, having hit 19 of them. Last year, the Rays named him an All-Star. “I’ve been in this game 50 years and I’ve never seen a guy faster,” says Florida Marlins coach Tony Taylor. “He changes a game completely. If you play infield, you’re thinking about him. If you’re a pitcher, you’re thinking about him. He’s the type of ballplayer who can control a game by himself.” The Club expects more of the same from Crawford in ‘05. But the Houston native prefers not to speculate. “I don’t want to project myself at a certain level,” says Crawford, who last season set a career high with 11 home runs. “I surprise myself every year, so why should I say I want to hit 20 home runs?” TIM CLEMMONS PRESIDENT, CLEMMONS ARCHITECTURE As an architect, Tim Clemmons says he’s always liked the character of St. Petersburg, its natural features, its logical street grid, its sense of history. As a partner in Loftsville, a development company he formed with Dorothy “Dar” Webb, he contributes twofold to efforts to revitalize the city’s urban neighborhoods. “I’ve done a lot of historic preservation work,” says Clemmons, “but I’m a strong advocate for contemporary architecture in new buildings. I guess I have enough of an ego to think history isn’t frozen.” A 20-year resident of St. Pete, Clemmons’ recent work in downtown can be seen in two townhome projects: Straub Court and Charles Court units are modestly priced from $160,000. In ‘05, he’ll make a new design impression on the city landscape. Clemmons was selected to design a new $75 million mixed-use development to be anchored by The Arts Center. KEVIN RIVARD PRINCIPAL/UTILITY, FLORIDA ORCHESTRA A St. Pete native and self-proclaimed “extreme band geek,” Kevin Rivard plays French horn for the Florida Orchestra. With just two years at Juilliard under his belt, Rivard auditioned for and won his position. “Basically, what I do is to assist the principal French horn while filling in for other players that may be out. That’s where Utility comes in,” explains Rivard, 21. “I am thrilled to be able to play with this Orchestra. It’s always been a big part of my musical career.” Rivard’s musical career has included winning top-tier solo competitions, including one hosted by the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts. Prize money helped pay for Juilliard. But, modest man that he is, Rivard says success has not come without a lot of hard work. “I began music lessons as a sixth grader, studying with Orchestra member, Carolyn Wall, “and I was horrible,” says Rivard with a laugh. “I’ve come to believe it’s the kids that aren’t ultra talented that go on to do well in music professionally. We’re the ones that learned to enjoy practicing.” To put faces with the names, pick up the Dec/Jan issue of Tampa Bay Metro Magazine, on shelves now. 3902 Henderson Boulevard, Suite 100, Tampa, Florida 33629 (c) Copyright 2005 Tampa Bay Metro Magazine