Timothy McDowell, loan official

By CRAIG BASSE

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 5, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- Timothy J. "Tim" McDowell, 49, executive director of the St. Petersburg Certified Development Corp., died Friday (Aug. 4, 2000) at St. Anthony's Hospital.

Mr. McDowell, who for about 10 years led the loan agency that caters to small businesses, including minority-owned companies, died of complications of pancreatic cancer, his wife said.

"This is such a shock," said Joe Divito, who is the general counsel to the corporation, which does business as Gulfcoast CDC and covers Pasco, Manatee and Pinellas counties. "He was such a good guy.

"Under Tim's leadership, we have approximately $25-million in small business loans, which are tied to job creation," Divito said.

The not-for-profit CDC participates in the Small Business Development Center, which opened in 1998, more than two years after a series of civil disturbances in St. Petersburg.

Mr. McDowell was born in Scranton, Pa., and graduated from the University of Scranton with a bachelor's degree in political science. He came here in 1990 from Scranton, where he hadserved as city clerk.

He was a member of the National Association of Development Companies and the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce. At the chamber, he was a member of the small business council and an instructor for the Entrepreneurial Academy. He was named to the International Who's Who of Entrepreneurs in 1996.

Survivors include his wife of 27 years, Ellen P.; two sons, Jason B., and Brendan E., both of St. Petersburg; a brother, Robert, Riverview; and two sisters, Nancy McGuire, Scranton, and Cathy Feeney, Pittston, Pa.

Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Brett Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 4810 Central Ave. A funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Church of the Transfiguration, 4000 43rd St. N, where he was a member.

- Information from Times files was used in this obituary.

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