Home | Administration  
   
 

| Main | Board & Goals | Directory | Brown Bag| Events | Manatee Festival of the Arts |
|
Newsline | Merchandise | Contact Us | Advertising | Ambassadors |

 
 


 

 

Board & Goals

 

Since 1985 the Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce has been a force in the SouthShore Business Community.  Our over 200 members represent every type and size of SouthShore business from major corporations serving Tampa and the world to entrepreneurs beginning their own enterprise.

Our goals are simple:

  Promote and advance a favorable business climate in our area for our
   membership

  Interact with other organizations to develop positive methods for taking
   action on issues of local interest

  Provide business leadership recognizing the social, political and cultural needs
    of the Greater Apollo Beach Area.

Our Board of Directors is made up of members recognized as leaders in our community.  Our Executive Board develops the Chamber’s strategies for the future.  Our Executive Director is the nexus of the Chamber, working daily with member needs, assembling important networking events, consulting with our Boards, and overseeing our largest undertaking, the annual Apollo Beach Manatee Festival of the Arts.

Executive Board

Don Pearson, President
pearsoncapital@aol.com


Don is a very active member of the Apollo Beach Community. As president of Pearson Capital, Inc. (PCI), Don uses his business acumen and associations to help support and promote the growth of the South Shore area. Besides his position on the Board of Directors of the AB Chamber of Commerce, Don, along with his wife, Sandra Alberti, contributes much time and effort to many local events and charities. The Manatee Arts Festival, the Toys for Tots Campaign, the Ruskin VFW and the Youth group at the SCC United Methodist Church are only a few of the projects in his community portfolio. Don has recently provided his time and talents to the revamping of the Apollo Beach Chamber’s monthly newsletter, an important source for growth of business in our area. He is also a member of the South Shore Business Association.

Don’s company, PCI, has been in business for over 50 years, 30 of which has been spent focusing on growing the wealth in the Tampa Bay area through truly personalized portfolio management. As a unique, private money management firm with many years of investment experience, PCI has proven to its’ clients that hard work and dedication are the road to success. Don’s business success is only overshadowed by his role of father and grandfather to Jeff and Kim Pearson, their three children; Griffin, Monet & Silas and Rene-Alexander Alberti.

James Adcock, Vice President
jdadcock@tecoenergy.com

James began his career with Tampa Electric in 1982. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management from Warner Southern College.  His previous responsibilities include management positions in Energy Management Services, the company’s conservation area and several positions throughout Customer Services.

James’ current responsibilities include activities within the community, governmental and economic development areas in Apollo Beach, Gibsonton, Riverview, Ruskin, Sun City Center and Wimauma.  He played a key role in the partnership of the four chambers in an effort to better market the area, forming an alliance called SouthShore.   

James serves on the Board of Directors for Apollo Beach, Riverview and Ruskin Chambers of Commerce, SouthShore Roundtable and is a Trustee for the SouthShore Alliance. He is a Past-President of the Ruskin and Riverview Chambers of Commerce, Vice-President of Economic Development for Apollo Beach and Riverview and VP of Governmental Affairs for Ruskin. In addition, James serves on the board for SouthShore Rotary and is a Past-President as well. 

James also received recognition from the Tampa Bay Business Journal for being selected as one of the Tampa Bay Region’s rising stars in their annual 40-Under-40 Awards in 2001.

James and his wife, Doris have three children: Brett, Rachel and Jon Caleb.  James and Doris are native Floridians.

Meg LaLonde, Secretary
mlalonde1@verizon.net

Meg LaLonde was elected to the Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors in 2005 and now serves as Secretary for the Board. She is also an active Apollo Beach Chamber Ambassador and volunteers for many of the events held by the Chamber.  

Meg grew up in Lakeland, Florida and graduated Cum Laude with a B. S. in Business Administration from Florida Southern College.  She spent over 15 years in the corporate world through Bank of America, Salomon Brothers and Assurant Group.  In February 2004 she attended the United States Personal Chef Association Mentorship Program in Atlanta where she received her certification as a Personal Chef.  She continues to be a member of the USPCA.   She opened her own business, Chef By The Bay LLC in April 2004.  She has received First Place in the Best of South Shore competition as the Best Personal Chef for 2005 and 2006.

She moved to Apollo Beach in November 2002 and since then has been very active in her community, currently a member of the South Shore Business Association, Apollo Beach Civic Association and the Ruskin Chamber of Commerce.  She is very active in greyhound rescue with Greyhound Rescue and Adoption of Tampa Bay and Greyhound Gang of Tampa.   She also volunteers for the Great American Teach In at the South County Career Center to show students what it is like to own your own business in the culinary field.

Jim Martin, Treasurer
apollobeachair@hotmail.com

Jim Martin is a native of Buffalo, New York who became a transplant to Florida in 1989.  Jim moved to Apollo Beach in 2000 and became one of our local entrepreneurs in April 2004 when he opened Apollo Beach Air, a local air conditioning/heating specialist company.

Jim has served on the Apollo Beach Chamber Board for the past four years and has been very active with the Chamber.  Apollo Beach Air has been a major sponsor of the Apollo Beach Manatee Arts Festival and Silent Auction. He has been Chairperson for the Honorary Mayor's Race and Business Person of the Year as well as being active in other committees.

Jim served on the Board for the Bahia Beach Yacht Club and Island Walk Homeowners Association.  He has been a supporter for community groups such as the Tampa Sailing Squadron, Civic Association, and the Beautification Committee.

Board of Directors

Kevin Conlan
southshoremort1@hotmail.com

Kevin Conlan is currently owner and broker of record for SouthShore Mortgage & Affiliates in Apollo Beach.  A native New Yorker, he graduated from Manhattan College in Riverdale, New York.  The son of a real estate developer and entrepreneur, he has had extensive exposure to all aspects of real estate.  He served as a sole assessor for various taxation jurisdictions and is a Past President of the Orange County New York Assessors Association.  He was recruited by Bank Of America’s International Real Estate Division and was relocated to San Diego.  While there he became Chief Appraiser for a major private money real estate lender and later established the second largest appraisal firm in San Diego County.  Kevin is certified by the State of California Education Department as a real estate professor and is qualified to testify in real estate matters in both federal and state courts and before the IRS.  While there he served as liaison between his condominium association and the City of Coronado and chaired the condominium’s Bylaw Revision Committee. He relocated to Apollo Beach in February 2000 to work for his family-owned mortgage lending bank and started his own firm in February of 2003.

Kevin has been extremely active in community affairs and has been a member or officer of various chambers of commerce since 1974.  He served two years with the San Diego Maritime Museum.  Locally, he is serving his fourth year as a chamber director and his fifth year as chair of the Manatee Arts Festival Publicity and Promotion.  Kevin has served, chaired or been a sponsor of the Patron’s Tent, the Silent Auction, the VFW Veterans Parade, Golf Committee, the Winn Dixie Brick Sales, Sheriffs Bike Rodeo, the Lighted Boat Parade, Christmas Lighting Contest, chamber liaison to the Sheriffs Department, the Ambassador’s Committee, and the Bylaws Revision Committee.

Isabel Darcy

Isabel Darcy was born and raised in Puerto Rico.  She graduated from UCLA with a Finance Degree and a minor in Public Relations.  Ms. Darcy began her business career managing travel agencies.  She moved to New York in 1983 and began working as a financial consultant with Prudential Bache.  She holds certification as CLU and LUTCF. She served as Vice President of the Professional Women's Association of the LUTCF of New York City.  Ms. Darcy moved to Florida in 1990 and lived in Gainesville for 9 years.  she served as President of the PTA for St. Patrick's School as well as leading various women's groups and parish committees.

The Darcy's moved to Apollo Beach in 2001.  She helped develop the MOM group at Nativity Church in Brandon, served as chairperson of the Adult Social, Architectural, and Security Committees of her home owners association.  Ms. Darcy has been active in the Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce since 2004 and has held the position of Ambassador.  Her service has included the Honorary Mayor's Race, Silent Auction, assisting in relocating the Chamber office, Stars Ambassador dinner, Patron of the Arts of the Apollo Beach Manatee Arts Festival and very active in recruiting new businesses and promoting the Chamber.

Isabel and her husband, Stephen, have owned and operated the Apollo Beach Physical Therapy Clinic in Apollo Beach for the past two years.  They live in Apollo Beach with their two sons, Paolo and Marcos.  Their family enjoys sailing in Tampa Bay and are members of the Tampa Sailing Squadron and are active in the Youth Sailing Program.

Terry Faulds

Terry has been a member of the Apollo Beach Chamber since 2004. Terry started his advertising business, AON, Inc. in 2002 which has become a leader in the South Shore area.

Terry has been active and has served on all Chamber committees in various capacities. He has co-chaired the signage committee for the Apollo Beach Manatee Festival of the Arts, volunteered for the Silent Auction, Golf Classic, Ambassador committee and Nominating Committee. He is also active in South Shore Business Association.

Carla Floyd
Mike Hook
ukhook@aol.com

Mike Hook is the owner of Dollar Store Apollo Beach, Dollar Store FishHawk and Party Xpress along with his sister Dawn Chavez and their spouses.  In the Dollar Store business for six years now, he handles all aspects of the business including buying all merchandise.  Prior to this he was in the hotel industry for 10 years working his way up to the top as General Manager of hotels in Atlanta and Hilton Head Island.  Mike currently lives in Riverview with his wife and two children.

Mike has been active in the Apollo Beach Chamber serving as Chairman for the Annual Golf Tournament in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and as a Board of Director. 

 
Ron Kobosky 
ron.kobosky@mosaicco.com

Ron Kobosky is currently employed by Mosaic Phosphates Company in Gibsonton, FL as Terminal Manager of the Big Bend Marine Terminal.  As a 1971 graduate of North Dakota State University with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and a B.S. in Mining Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1980, Ron has over 26 years with the phosphate industry holding various managerial positions within the company.

Ron and his wife Barbara have been residents of Apollo Beach since 1990.  Ron has been actively involved with the Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce as a Board Director and various corporate sponsorships of the Manatee Arts Festival, Golf Tournament Fundraisers and Silent Auction Fundraiser.  Ron is also involved in several organizations in the Tampa area which includes the Local Emergency Planning Commission, Tampa Bay Harbor Safety & Security Committee and the Propeller Club of Tampa, where he is a Board Member and presently Vice-President of Programs.  He is also active in the United Way of Tampa and has served as past chairman for the Mosaic campaign.

Robert Newhart
RobertNewhart@EarthMark.us

Picture Currently Not Available

Robert Newhart has over 17 years of experience and knowledge in all facets of the Hotel and Hospitality Industry that has made him an asset to the EarthMark Companies.  He is currently the General Manager of the Resort and Club at Little Harbor and resides in Sun City Center. 

He is actively involved within the Southshore communities participating in various sponsorships, contributions and fundraising efforts to the Mary and Martha House, the Sheriff’s Youth Ranch, promoting the Arts and other community events.  He is a Board of Director member of the Apollo Beach, Ruskin Chambers, a member of the Brandon and Sun City Center Chambers and is also on the Board of Directors for the South Shore Arts Council.

Bonnie Denney
bonnie_denney@colonialbank.com

Bonnie is one of the newest members to the Board of Directors and is the manager at the Apollo Beach branch of Colonial Bank.

Ray Weedon, Past President
nodeew@verizon.net

Ray Weedon is originally from Ohio where he worked for Foremost Insurance Co. for twenty years and achieved the position of Regional Vice President.  He took early retirement and moved to Apollo Beach in 1989 to assist in the development of a mobile home appraisal company. After its development was completed, Ray became interested in rental real estate and created Ray Weedon & Associates Inc., a company dealing in rental homes in here in Apollo Beach.  He joined the Chamber in 1996 and in 1997 was asked by the Board to assume an un-expired term of the office of Treasurer which he accepted.  Ray moved up from Treasurer to Secretary to Vice President and just completed two years as President.  He now serves as a Director of the Chamber.

Since joining the Board, Ray has served three years on the Manatee Arts Festival Committee, three years on the Golf Classic Committee, and two years on the Casino Night Committee.  He was instrumental in getting the water tower painted, the upgrading of the website improvements to the newsletter and relocating the Chamber to its new location.

In addition to the wonderful people with which the Chamber has allowed him to meet and associate, Ray wants to use his existing Chamber experience to assist the newly elected slate of officers to keep the momentum that exists in the Chamber going full speed ahead.

Jody Whitmyer
whitbio@earthlink.net

During the past thirty years, Mr. Whitmyer has done extensive work in the area of design and fabrication of devices for individuals with severe disabilities. His company, Whitmyer Biomechanix (an Inc. 500 company), was acquired two years ago by Sunrise Medical. He’s helped countless persons with disabilities from around the world, including the late Christopher Reed. In 1998, Whitmyer relocated to Apollo Beach, Florida to open a product development facility, and in 2001 was honored as “Business Person of the Year”, by the Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce.

That began his association with the Chamber of Commerce. Since that time, he has served as a Director, and in previous years has served on the Executive Board as Secretary. Mr. Whitmyer is most recognizable for arranging the monthly Business After Hours events, an opportunity for members to network and meet new friends in the community. Whitmyer has served on numerous committees and had an active roll in various events ranging from the Manatee Arts Festival to the Christmas Decorating Contest. He has assisted in web site and newsletter improvements, and has a true love for Apollo Beach.

His current endeavors are associated with product design and manufacturing, as well as property management in Apollo Beach. He can be reached by calling (813) 508-2355 or by e-mail at whitbio@earthlink.net .

John Wilson
john.wilson279@verizon.net

John Wilson is a Licensed Real Estate Broker, Mortgage Broker, and Co-Owner of Commerce Realty Services and its affiliates.  He earned his BA in Business at Murray State University.  From there he moved to South Florida before relocating to Apollo Beach where he met his wife Robin.  He has lived in Apollo Beach for the past 13 years.  He and his wife Robin have a son, Alec, who attends Apollo Beach Elementary.

John is in his third year as Treasurer of the Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce where he has been a Member since 1997.  He is also a member of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Ruskin where he served on the vestry as well as being a member of the "Dolphin Dads" at Apollo Beach Elementary.  Most of all he enjoys supporting all of his son Alec's activities.

Top

Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce
Joanne C. Gadek, Executive Director
Gina Hebert, Administrative Assistant

223 Flamingo Drive
P.O. Box 3686

Apollo Beach, FL  33572

Phone:  813-645-1366
Fax:  813-641-2612
Email:  abeachcham@verizon.net


The Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce is open
from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday.

New resident?  Thinking about moving to the area?
Or just need an update of what's going on in town?
Drop in and pick up one of our Chamber Discovery Packets!

 


Home | Welcome | About Us | Directory | Membership | Events | Manatee Arts Festival | Community | Contact Us | Advertising

 



Get Info on
Apollo Beach Businesses
Members:  Promote your business for
free!


Photo Collage
Pictures from some of our great Chamber events!


 
 

Web Designed by Monarch Park Web Consulting