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Young professionals to peers: It's great in Tampa Bay

Throughout the bay area, economic developers are in a constant battle against the region's decades-old reputation as a haven for retirees, a land of early-bird specials and shuffleboard. One of their weapons: the new and growing slate of young professionals groups, each tied to its chamber of commerce.

By Christina Rexrode, Times Staff Writer
Published January 21, 2008

Throughout the bay area, economic developers are in a constant battle against the region's decades-old reputation as a haven for retirees, a land of early-bird specials and shuffleboard. One of their weapons: the new and growing slate of young professionals groups, each tied to its chamber of commerce. We take a look at each group's strategy for attracting and retaining young people here in 2008, and expect the list to be longer next year: The chambers in Tarpon Springs and Temple Terrace say they'd like to launch their own groups.

Emerge Tampa Bay (formerly Emerge Tampa)

Arm of: The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce

Membership: About 560

Launched: May 2004

Web site: emergetampa.com

Since its inception, Emerge has been careful to bill itself as more than a social organization, making a point to educate members about community issues like affordable housing or local elections. This year, it will add hometown democracy to the list, hosting discussions and lectures on the topic. The point isn't for Emerge to take sides, but for its members to. "Really, we are focusing on 'Let's get ourselves educated and let's play an actual role in this process,'" said Candace Cusseaux, the 27-year-old chairwoman. (Full disclosure: She works in commercial real estate, an industry with strong feelings about hometown democracy.) Emerge launched its Clearwater contingent this month.

St. Pete Young Professionals

Arm of: The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce

Membership: About 125

Launched: June 2006

Web site: business.stpete.com/SPYP.html

One of SPYP's main goals is to connect its members with older workers who can serve as role models and mentors. "There's not enough professional development streaming down to us," said Crispin Williams, the 25-year-old chairwoman. The group is planning events, like an awards luncheon featuring Raymond James Financial chairman Tom James, to fuse the generations. Williams, an event coordinator for Ernst & Young, also thinks that St. Petersburg can retain its young people by capitalizing on its arts scene - which includes wine tastings at the Salvador Dali Museum, the Contemporaries club at the Museum of Fine Arts and festivals on the downtown waterfront. "If you're not into that," said Williams, "then, yeah, you might think there's nothing to do here."

YES Pasco (Young Executive Society)

Arm of: The Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce

Membership: About 180

Launched: February 2007

Web site: yespasco.com

YES Pasco's big push for 2008 is a get-out-the-vote campaign. Members will work the polls, sign up voters and talk to high schoolers about the importance of voting, said 27-year-old Jason Wilson, the chamber's executive director and YES Pasco's co-chairman. Wilson, who lived briefly in New York City, holds no illusions that Wesley Chapel is a mini Manhattan. But while it lacks in nightlife and celebrities, it does offer a chance to be a big fish in a small pond. "If you're motivated, with some energy and ambition, then Florida is good to you," said Wilson. "You can make a lot of stuff happen."

West Pasco Young Professionals Group

Arm of: West Pasco Chamber of Commerce

Membership: About 40

Launched: June 2007

Web site: westpasco.com (chamber Web site) or Myspace.com/westpascoypg

The West Pasco Young Professionals Group has a simple strategy for keeping young people in the area: Show them that there are, indeed, other young professionals in their neighborhood. "A lot of people," said Kelly Armstrong, 26, the group's chairwoman, "would assume that we couldn't even get enough people to start this group." Her main goal for the group's members is that they form friendships and start volunteering in the community. Armstrong, who works in commercial real estate, knows that her members are different from their Tampa counterparts. "It's very community-oriented here," Armstrong said. "Not to say that we don't do things or want to get involved with stuff in Tampa. It's just something that we haven't really encountered so far."

HYPE Pinellas (Helping Young Professionals Emerge)

Arm of: Largo/Mid-Pinellas Chamber of Commerce

Launched: This month

Web site: hypepinellas.org

Sure, housing prices are falling. But what the area's more established members forget, says Chas Jordan, chairman of HYPE Pinellas, is that they're much higher than they were four or five years ago and wages haven't risen along with them. So affordable housing is an issue that is near and dear to HYPE. "I don't want to live in New Port Richey and drive an hour just to go do something," said Jordan, 24. (Though he could join the West Pasco club if he did.) Jordan, a management analyst for the city of Largo, recognizes that an economy can't thrive without young, educated workers. "Instead of disenfranchising our age group, give them a purpose or reason to get involved," said Jordan. "And if you don't, all those individuals will move away, and in 25 or 30 years we're not going to have any sort of economy around here."

[Last modified January 18, 2008, 22:37:15]