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Building a legacy
By ANNE LINDBERG
© St. Petersburg Times, PINELLAS PARK -- The handiwork of Terry England is everywhere in this city, from the band shell behind City Hall to the sand dollar-shaped street signs on U.S. 19. And those are just two of his volunteer projects. If you include his work projects through his company, England Brothers Construction Co., you come to realize England is responsible for helping expand the city's borders as well as changing the way Pinellas Park looks. "I've been helpful with them stretching their boundaries," England said. England credited city employees with the success of his efforts to bring new businesses to Pinellas Park. The city's Development Department, he said, has always been helpful when a new business wants to build. That's when time becomes money. "You align your stock with people who can deliver on that timeline," he said. "Pinellas Park has for the past 10 years delivered on that timeline. They've been good members of the team that we have put together to make the product we make, which is a home for business." Out of that experience, friendships developed. "I made friends and I've always been loyal to my friends," England said. Eventually, Rita Bott, the executive director of the Pinellas Park/Mid-County Chamber of Commerce asked him to sit on the board. England accepted. Bott, he said, pushes people until they become "a lot more than they are." That's what happened with him, England said, until he -- a resident of Indian Rocks -- became one of Pinellas Park's most influential people. It became clear three years ago just how much England cares about Pinellas Park. That's when council member Ed Taylor decided to take him up on a joke he had made a few years before. England had said that if Rick Butler was ever elected, he would build the city a band shell. When Butler and Taylor won landslide elections in 1998, England agreed to build the band shell. The city contributed $33,000 to the project, and other businesses contributed time, sweat and materials. But England shouldered most of the work and cost for the band shell, which was valued at more than $100,000. The city was so grateful, it named the structure the England Brothers Band Shell. England explained his decision to build the band shell: "If you're going to help somebody, help your friends." * * * Name: Terry England Age: 51 Background: Born in Avon Park. Moved to Pinellas County as a child with his family. Grew up in Redington, Indian Rocks and Madeira Beach; graduate of Boca Ciega High School. Now lives in Indian Rocks. Accomplishments: Co-owner of England Brothers Construction Co. Former president of the Pinellas Park/Mid-County Chamber of Commerce; citizen member of Swiftmud board; member of the U.S. 19 task force set up by the Metropolitan Planning Organization that created sand dollar-shaped street signs on the Pinellas Park portion of U.S. 19 to help motorists identify street numbers; organized trade trip to Mexico for the chamber; named Pinellas Park ambassador for service to the city; named Pinellas Park citizen of the year.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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From the Times South Pinellas desks |
