510 greene street ~ 1st floor, key west … · 2019-11-16 · keys marine activities have a great...

CHAMBER CHOWDER©www.keywestchamber.org510 Greene Street ~ 1st Floor, Key West

September 2018Chamber ChowderVol. 21, No. 9

M embers heard from Sarah Fangman, Superintendent of the Florida Keys

National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) during the monthly membership luncheon held August 22nd at Margaritaville Resort and Marina.

Home to 6,000 species, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is one of 15 marine protected areas that make up the National Marine Sanctuary System. In 1990 Congress passed the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Protection Act. Administered by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and jointly managed with the State of Florida, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 2,900 square nautical miles of waters surrounding the Florida Keys, from south of Miami westward to encompass the Dry Tortugas, excluding Dry Tortugas National Park.

The FKNMS is both a protector and a habitat.

“The sea is part of our culture and part of our economics here,” Fangman said. “This is a nationally significant resource we have here. When people think of the coral reef, they think of Key West.”

In addition to being an environmental resource, the waters of the Florida Keys provide jobs. More than one million people a year participate in marine activities that involve diving, snorkeling, watching wildlife, and fishing. In addition to recreational enjoyment, the Florida Keys marine activities have a great impact on the economy.

Marine outdoor activities generate an estimate $2.36 billion in sales yearly and represents over one billion of income for residents in the form of more than 33,000 jobs. In fact, 58% of all jobs in the Florida Keys are related to marine activities.

Message from President Suzanne Moore

A s we roll into what some call the quietest

month of the year for our businesses, we at the chamber have been ex-tremely busy with our Ed-ucation Seminars, month-ly meetings and preparing for our annual “Showcase of Key West Businesses”

Trade Show. We recently hosted two separate leader-ship seminars which offer exceptional value to our local businesses and gave leaders and managers the tools they need to recruit and retain great employees, assist in conflict resolution, inspire loyalty and train staff to do their job well and consistently.

In addition to the Leadership Seminar, this month we will be offering a seminar on Social Media scheduled for Sept 27th, it will be a full day’s event with a beginner’s class in the morning and more advanced class in the afternoon. Better book your seat early for this one - advertising on Social Media is becoming the number one platform for advertising of many small businesses. We at the chamber are committed to helping your businesses and keeping you relevant and informed. We will be sending out additional flyers and promotional emails over the next few weeks, so take advantage and learn how to grow your business through the various Social Media Platforms.

The Status of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

continued on page 34

continued on page 3 4

Sarah Fangman, Superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) spoke to chamber members during the monthly membership meeting on issues facing the sanctuary. Pictured left to right: Sarah Fangman, Superintendent of the FKNMS and Key West Chamber President Suzanne Moore.

Table of ContentsBusiness Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2“Showcase of Key West Businesses” Trade Show . . . . 4Ready, Set, College! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Business Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6New Members! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Cruise Ship Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7“Social Media for Your Business” Seminars . . . . . . 8Business After Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Tom Sawyer Five Star Program Awards . . . . . . . 10Accepting Applications for the ATHENA™ Award . . . . 11Time to Shine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Chamber Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . 12


Ernest HemingwayHouse Museum

907 Whitehead StreetKey West, FL 33040

305-294-1136

La ConchaCrowne Plaza

430 Duval StreetKey West, FL 33040

305-296-2991

Horan & Higgins, L.L.P.608 Whitehead StreetKey West, FL 33040

(305)294-4585

The Chamber Chowder Heartily Thanks These Businesses for Their Generous Support of this Issue of the Newsletter

Porter AllenInsurance Company513 Southard StreetKey West, FL 33040

305-294-2542

Old Town Key West Development

201 Front Street, Suite 301Key West, FL 33040

305-294-3225

A mber DeBevec is a natural-born social butterfly and people-connector. She runs Key West’s

Finest, the family business along with her mother, Iris.

Iris Levin started Key West’s Finest in 1996 with a brochure that helped visitors find things to do and the best places to stay. Amber took over ten years ago and added new cutting-edge technologies while her mom mentored her in sales and marketing. She started growing their Facebook page in 2011 with the biggest burst coming over the last four years.

“We have built a community of fans that love Key West and support the places that we recommend,” says Amber. She offers free friendly local advice and promotes their

clients to her 190k loyal followers. Their high-end printed specialty guides,

the On Duval Guide and Off Duval Guide along with the upcoming Wild Side Guide as well as their website and social media channels help visitors find everything they need in order to enjoy their visit.

While in high school, Amber started visiting her dad back in the 80s and finally made Key West her home in 1993.

In addition to being a member of the chamber, Amber enjoys networking with members of the Key West Sunrise Rotary Club and participating in their community fundraising and service projects like the Key West Brewfest that falls on Labor Day Weekend.

When she isn’t working (which is rare) Amber enjoys spending time with her family, Derek, her husband of 19 years and their beautiful daughter Zanna, a senior at Key West High.

Each month, the Key West Chamber of Commerce spotlights a business or professional person whose business card is drawn at the Business After Hours. This month’s winner is Amber DeBevec, Key West’s Finest.

Spotlight Shines on ... Amber DeBevec, Key West’s Finest


However, there are many threats to the fragile marine ecosystem.

Fangman took time to educate members about the Florida Keys Blue Star programs, which work to be proactive in mitigating the damage from where it starts: humans in the ocean.

Fangman shared the following statistics from a recent visitor profile survey:

4 41% of visitors surveyed said they participated in fishing during their visit

4 27% said they went SCUBA diving 4 69% said they went snorkeling

Those responses equate to: 4 739,000 visitors diving and snorkeling 4 620,000 visitors viewing wildlife 4 416,000 visitors enjoying recreational fishingThe FKNMS has created two Blue

Star programs to help educate visitors and operators about how to protect the reef and the waters of the marine sanctuary.

The Blue Star Operators program has a mission to promote responsible diving and snorkeling practices within the Florida Keys. It’s a grassroots approach that starts with diving and snorkeling operators who volunteer to educate their customers about safe practices near the reef. It’s estimated that over 700,000 divers and snorkelers visit the FKNMS every year. Divers who listened to a Blue Star educational briefing before getting in the water caused significantly less damage than those who did not receive a briefing.

The Blue Star Fishing Guides program is in its third year and has a mission to promote

responsible angling in South Florida through partnering with fishing guides who volunteer to share messages of responsible angling with their charter customers.

Incentives for participants include recognition by NOAA, educational materials to share with customers, and advertising and marketing opportunities.

Fangman also touched on the many ways divers are helping to clean up the ocean.

The FKNMS Advisory Council has established a Marine Debris Working Group to help coordinate underwater cleanup efforts. They have partnered with many organizations including the Florida EPA and REEF and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Also protected by the FKNMS is the underwater coral, which is currently experiencing high stress, Fangman said.

Scientists are working together to solve the problem of the coral disease that has hit Florida coral hard.

There is a plan in place. It was created by the FLKNMS and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, which held a workshop in July to create a comprehensive response plan to address the coral disease outbreak. The workshop focused on developing collaborative partnerships between resource managers and scientists to identify potential pathogens, document the outbreak, understand contributing factors, and aggressively pursue interventions.

“Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary” continued from page 1 4

On September 19th we will be hosting our 30th Annual “Showcase of Key West Businesses”. This is one of my favorite events of the year and I’m excited to announce that once again we are SOLD OUT. It promises to be a fun filled event, with many local businesses displaying their goods and services. Lots of great giveaways, raffles and prizes and a chance to catch up with your favorite vendors and local businesses. It is always very well attended and we are expecting up to 400 locals. We are grateful to our presenter Waste Management, Inc. and our co-sponsor OMI/Jacobs for their generous sponsorship as well as our Business After Hours host the Key West Marriott Beachside. All of their continued support of this event is most appreciated.

I want to personally thank AT&T for their very generous grant donation of $25,000. Ms. Thais Asper, Regional Director of External and Legislative Affairs attended our General Membership Meeting last month and presented Virginia with a $25,000 check. These funds will be used in our Financial Literacy Program for school Year 2018 – 2019. The program was initiated this past year in conjunction with Keys Federal Credit Union and was a great success. We are planning on building up the program and offering it again to our high school kids this upcoming school year. I will be keeping you informed on that over the coming months.

Finally, I would like to congratulate all the well deserving recipients of the Tom Sawyer Five Star Awards Program. This year we had businesses in three categories that received awards at last month’s general membership meeting. Each recipient received a beautiful plaque and recognition from their peers. A full list of all the recipients can be seen in the newsletter. Thank you for their generous donations both financial and personal time to our children and our teaching community.

President’s Message cont. from page 1 4

AT&T Regional Director of External and Legislative Affairs, Thais Asper, presented the Key West Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Virginia A. Panico a check for $25,000 for the continued partnership with the Key West Chamber. The grant funding will be used towards the Financial Literacy program for the 2018/2019 school year. This program was initiated this past year in conjunction with Keys Federal Credit Union and was a great success. With the generous support of AT&T we are planning on building up the program and offering it again to our high school students.


The Key West Chamber of Commerce and Waste Management

Present the

30th Annual “Showcase of Key West Businesses”

Trade Show at the Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel

Wednesday, September 19, 2018Open from 3:00p.m. to 5:00p.m. – A Free Community Event

Members only Business After Hours Trade Show 5:30p.m. to 7:30p.m.

$10 donation includes: Complimentary Beer, Wine, Sodas and Hors d ‘Oeuvres

MORE THAN 40 VENDORS Great Samples & Giveaways!

Be Sure to listen to the Live Radio Broadcast from 3:00p.m. to 5:00p.m.

on WEOW 92.7 with Local DJ Bill Bravo!

AAG LiveAmerican Leak Detection

Amiga Travel AT&T Small Business

SolutionsBarrett Printing

Broadwave Centennial BankCrown Merchants

Debonair MechanicalFairvilla Sexy ThingsFirst State Bank of the Florida Keys

Florida Keys Aqueduct

AuthorityFlorida Keys

Community College Florida Keys

Mosquito ControlFlorida Salt Scrub

Gary’s Plumbing & Fire, Inc. Gourmet Nibbles & Flowers

Haagen DazsHemingway Rum

Co. Distillery Key West InsuranceKey West PrintingKeys Auto Center

Keys Imaging Keys Medical GroupKeys Radio Group

Keys Weekly KWCC Education Committee

sponsored by OMI/JacobsLittle Switzerland

Lower Keys Medical CenterMount Sinai Cardiology

of the Florida KeysNAS Key West Morale

Welfare Recreation National Marine

Sanctuary Foundation

Ocean ATMOld Island Restoration

FoundationOur Keys

Robert E. Clark LLC a Certified Public AccountantSunset Marina Apartments

Take Stock In Children/Florida Keys Education

FoundationVacasa Key West Vacation Rentals

Waste Management, Inc. Zonta Club of Key West

MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND PLAN TO VISIT OUR VENDORS AND SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES!

Co-sponsored by: OMI/Jacobs After Hours Host:

Marriott Key West Beachside Hotel

SOLD OUT!


for high school students, parents, and teachers

The Key West Chamber of Commerce presents:

R e a d y, S e t , COLLEGE!

Wednesday, September 125:00 - 7:00 p.m.

FKCC Key West CampusLibrary-Building A5901 College Rd.

Refreshments sponsored by:

Writing for College | 5:00-6:00 p.m.Learn how to complete stellar college application essays, scholarship essays, letters of recommendation, and thank you letters.

Paying for College | 6:00-7:00 p.m.Receive hands-on guidance through the the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) & learn about scholarships, grants, and loans.


0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Depl

anem

ents

Source: Key West International Airport

Key West International Airport Arrivals January 2013 - July 2018

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

United seasonal service Nov-Apr started 11/15/2016

Airport closed 9/8-19/2017 for Hurricane Irma

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000


Bed

Tax

Col

lect

ions

in D

olla

rs

Source: Monroe County Tax Collector

Key West Bed Tax Collections January 2013 - June 2018

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Triangle Properties offline for renovation 6/16/13 (519 Beds) Progressively reopen - 3/2015, 5/2015, 11/2015, 3/2016

Passenger arrivals to Key West International Airport in July 2018 totaled 33,518. This is an increase of 3.1% when compared to July 2017. Total passenger arrivals for the seven months of 2018 was 265,082. That is a 4.1% increase over the same period in 2017. Due to the impact of Hurricane Irma in September of last year, fourteen straight months of steady year over year increases were interrupted. However, the recovery in the volume for the first seven months of this year sets an all-time high for the first seven months of any year surpassing even the highs when Southwest was providing service.

A total of 70,171 cruise ship passengers disembarked in Key West from 26 ships during July 2018. This is 11.2% higher than July 2017, which saw 63,113 passengers. For the seven months of 2018, cruise ship arrivals saw 564,426 passengers disembark from 245 port calls. While port calls are up 18.9% so far for 2018, passenger counts are up 17.4% over the same period in 2017. The cruise ship schedule for September to November compared to the same three months in 2017 is shown below: Number of Ships 2017 2018 September 6 14 October 21 25 November 37 32

Source: Key West International Airport

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000


Pass

enge

rs

Source: City of Key West Port Operations

Key West Cruise Ship Passengers January 2013 - July 2018

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Port closed 9/6-22/2017 for Hurricane Irma

Southwest service ends 06/07/14 and Silver Airways assumes limited routes

Reported Bed Tax Collections for Key West were $1,463,804 for June 2018, 4.6% higher than in 2017. According to Smith Travel, June 2018 occupancy was 87.3%, a 3.4 percentage point increase from the June 2017 occupancy of 83.9%. The Average Daily Rate (ADR) was reported at $245.06 for June 2018, an increase of 5.0% from the ADR of $233.48 posted in 2017. Since Hurricane Irma passed on September 10, 2017 and caused damage to some hotels, the number of rooms available has declined in Key West. The estimated number of rooms off-line coming into October was 27% in Key West. The number of rooms still off-line in Key West in June is estimated at 5%..

Hurricane Irma 9/10/2017


Affiliated Design & Construction Managers, LLC

PO Box 5882Key West, FL 33045

305-296-6021www.kwbuilder.com Contact: Dar Castillo

Design/Builder

American Leak Detection Inc. 10001 NW 50th Street, Suite 204

Sunrise, FL 33351954-792-4333

www.americanleakdetection.com Contact: Kevin Wiesman

Service/Maintenance

Crown Merchants Inc.2960 N. Oxford StreetClaremont, NC 28610

828-459-9991www.crownmerchants.com

Contact: Julie and Jerry HarbinMerchant Services

Fish ‘N Chicks Charters

314 Simonton StreetKey West, FL 33040

904-994-5824www.fishnchickskeywest.com Contact: Raquel Crummitt

Boat-Island Water Tours

Welcome New Members!

The chamber welcomed two new members at the August general membership luncheon. Pictured left to right are: Membership Committee Chairperson Kim Works, new members Julie and Jerry Darbin (Crown Merchants), Membership Committee member Mike Williams, and new member Raquel Crummitt (Fish ‘N Chicks Charters).

Cruise Ship ScheduleSEPTEMBER 2018

9/1 No Ship

9/2 No Ship

9/3 No Ship

9/4 Carnival Victory 7:30am-1:30pm

9/4 Norwegian Sun 1:00pm-8:00pm

9/5 No Ship

9/6 No Ship

9/7 CarnivalSensation 7:30am-1:30pm

9/8 No Ship

9/9 Majesty 1:00pm-8:00pm

9/10 C. Freedom 11:00am-7:00pm


9/12 No Ship

9/13 No Ship

9/14 No Ship

9/15 No Ship

9/16 No Ship

9/17 Norwegian Sun 7:30am-5:00pm


9/18 Brilliance 11:00am-5:30pm

9/19 No Ship

9/20 No Ship

9/21 No Ship

9/22 No Ship

9/23 Equinox 11:00am-5:00pm

9/23 Majesty 1:00pm-8:00pm

9/24 No Ship


9/25 Sirena 8:00am-5:00pm

9/26 No Ship

9/27 No Ship

9/28 No Ship

9/29 No Ship

9/30 Empress 8:00am-5:00pm

8/30-9/3 9th Annual Key West Brewfest, [email protected], 800-354-4455 9/2 Locals Day at Key West Botanical Gardens, 305-296-15049/2 Historic Tours of America Locals Day9/2 Key West Poetry Guild’s monthly reading, Key West Library, 7pm9/5-9 Key West Womanfest, www.womenfest.com, 305-294-46039/7-9 Robert James Sales S.L.A.M. Celebrity Tournament, 305-664-2002, www.redbone.org9/9 RamsHeadPresentsRickSpringfieldinConcert,SunsetGreenEvent,8pm9/15 KeyWestBotanicalSpeakerSeries&NativePlantSale1:30pm,305-296-15049/19 Annual “Showcase of Key West Businesses” Trade Show, 305-294-25879/29 All American BBQ – Kmart Parking Lot – 11-39/30 RamsHeadPresentsLouieAnderson,6:30pm,9:30pm

Community CalendarSeptember 2018


The Key West Chamber of Commerce Presents two seminars for members on: “Social Media for your Business”

Thursday, September 27, 2018 The Doubletree Grand Key Resort

10:00AM to 11:30AM & 1:00PM to 3:30PM The September Seminars will feature a full day of Social Media strategies and skills that you can apply to your business or organization. It will be split into two segments, Beginner and Intermediate/Advanced.

Who is a Beginner? 10:00am to 11:30am, with a question and answer period to follow. Someone either completely new to social media marketing, those who may have been in it for a while but aren’t totally comfortable or confident that they’re doing it correctly, or for more advanced marketers who want to go

back and do a little refresher and just ensure they’re enlisting best practices.

If you struggle with things such as switching between brand pages, trying new features or platforms for fear of “doing it wrong”, or you’ve been more-or-less “winging it” for a while, you’ll be a great addition to the Beginner

portion!

Who is Intermediate/Advanced? 1:00pm to 3:30pm with a question and answer period to follow.

Someone who has a relatively good grasp of social media basics, can look at their Insights graphs with relative confidence and glean generally-helpful tips from them, someone who has no problem engaging with fans, knows where to go to monitor social conversations, and/or is running social media advertisements with some regularity.

If you have a baseline of familiarity with terms and tools, but want to level up on getting the most out of your

social media efforts and stretch just a bit further to try some new ideas, then the Intermediate/Advanced portion will be a perfect fit!

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~Karrie Bond has been a speaker in previous social media roles for organizations like the Monroe County Tourist

Development Council, Leadership Monroe County, Hospitality Sales and Marketing, the Lodging Association, and of course the Key West Chamber of Commerce, where her presentations leave participants of all skill levels walking away with actionable advice. It is with this advice under Karrie’s direction the Key West Chamber of

Commerce has seen its own organic social media following almost quadruple in under two years, with the increase in local and visitor outreach we were aiming for in support of our members and the local community.

Now Karrie brings this insight and experience to you in two Social Media Seminars, where she will dive deep into the tips, tactics, and techniques on everything from starting a social media presence from scratch, to creating

content that keeps your fans engaged and energized about your company.

Enrollment forms and payment must be received in the chamber’s office by

Noon, Friday, September 21, 2018 to guarantee seating. Email to: [email protected]

Complete and email your enrollment form today! Cost: Members $76.00 per person, per session.

Name: __________________________________Company: ____________________________________ Job Title:________________________________ Email: _______________________________________ Phone: __________________________________ Please contact the Key West Chamber of Commerce with credit card information or bring in registration and payment to the chamber office. SPACE IS LIMITED, no refunds will be offered after Noon on Friday, September 21, 2018. Include the names, job title, phone number & email of additional attendees on a separate piece of paper.

Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce—510 Greene Street—Key West, FL 33040—305-294-2587

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS | THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2018

Sponsored by: Republica Bar at 24 North Hotel, 3820 N. Roosevelt Blvd.



Tom Sawyer Five Star Program Presentation

The Key West Chamber of Commerce had the pleasure of recognizing several members who earned three or more stars this past school year participating in the Tom Sawyer Five Star Program. The five stars are given for the Honor Roll of 100/Charley & Orsolina Toppino Memorial Award for a Key West High School Student ($100 donation), Educational Enrichment for a Key West teacher ($100 donation), Teacher Recognition ($550 value), a $1,000 donation to either the Arts program or Sponsoring two ($500) or four ($250) Classrooms, and Mentoring a Student (15 hours per school term).

Five Star Winners are First State Bank of the Florida Keys, Keys Federal Credit Union and the Wicker Guesthouse. Our Four Star winner was Margaritaville Key West Resort and Marina and the Three Star winners were BB&T, Centennial Bank, Hemingway House, Historic Tours of America, Horan & Higgins LLP, Mel Fisher Maritime Museum and the Marriott Beachside Hotel.

For more information on the chamber’s Tom Sawyer Five Star Program please contact the chamber at 305-294-2587 or email: [email protected].

Key West Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Moore, center, presents Keys Federal Credit Union Vice President of Credit Services Jason Beeman, and Marketing Director Mary Lou Carn with an award for the credit unions efforts in supporting education and achieving all five stars of the Tom Sawyer Five-Star program

Key West Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Moore, left, presents First State Bank President Karen Sharp with an award for the bank’s efforts in supporting education and achieving all five stars for the Tom Sawyer Five-Star program.

Key West Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Moore presents Wicker Guesthouse owner Don Whitehead with an award for his efforts in supporting education by achieving all five stars of the Tom Sawyer Five-Star program.


Time to ShineDear Valued Members,

Your input for nominations for our annual awards is requested. Below are the categories for our prestigious awards and their descriptions. The awards will be given at our December General Membership Meeting being held on Wednesday, December 19th, noon, at the Key West Marriott Beachside. To be eligible all nominations must have an explanation as to why the individual was nominated.

Please nominate in the appropriate awards category the individual or individuals and the reason that you feel they qualify for the award. Please email your list to [email protected] by Monday, October 1st, 2018. The Executive Committee will be making the final selections. Sincerely, The Awards Committee

Award Categories

Preservation Award 4 The Historic Preservation Award acknowledges an

individual, organization, business or government entity who has been instrumental in preserving our historic resources and plays an active role in preserving and protecting our historic structures through renovation, restoration, and preservation.

Key West “Stars” 4 “Key West Stars” to be presented to individuals who go

above and beyond volunteering their time to either the chamber or other community organizations and sports leagues, etc. We would like to show our appreciation to those who make Key West a better place to live.

Business For Beauty Award 4 Awarded for major capital projects or extensive renovation

that add to beauty and contribute to the overall attractiveness of Key West. May be awarded to businesses, as well as non-business (government, civic, etc.) projects. To be eligible all nominations must have an explanation as to why the business/non business project is being nominated for the award.

Venture Award 4 Awarded for bold investment in a new business or enterprise

that exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit and adds to the Key West atmosphere. Franchises are not eligible for this award. Business must have been open for a minimum of twelve (12) months to be considered. To be eligible all nominations must have an explanation as to why they are being nominated for the award.

Piece of the Rock 4 Presented to dedicated individuals who have clearly gone

above and beyond the scope of their normal responsibilities to help make Key West a better community through the years. To be eligible all nominations must have an explanation as to why the individual or individuals are being nominated for the award.

T he Key West Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications to honor a woman who exempli-fies leadership in her profession and industry by

presenting her with the much-coveted ATHENA™ award, sponsored by Niles, Sales and Service.

The ATHENA™ award is a high honor given to a professional woman who demonstrates excellence in business or profession and provides valuable service to the community. The recipient will have exhibited initiative and creativity enhancing the efficacy of her business or profession and the stability and improvement of the community. Lastly, the recipient will have demonstrated support of the goals of professional women and have provided unselfish assistance on their behalf.

In 1980, the ATHENA™ awards program originated in Lansing, Michigan when Martha Mayhood Mertz, owner of her own real estate company, was asked to join the Lansing Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Mertz realized she was the only woman on the board and that the Lansing Chamber had recognized only one woman it its 75 years. This realization was the driving force in establishing the ATHENA™ foundation. Thus the first ATHENA™ award was given in 1982 to recognize an outstanding businesswoman and celebrate her achievements in community service and profession. Since its inception, the ATHENA™ award has grown into a national and international tradition with thousands of recipients in cities all over the country as well as in Moscow, Russia, and Canada, China and The United Aram Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

The ATHENA™ Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing leadership opportunities for women and recognizing those individuals who have given outstanding service to their profession and community. The foundation has been underwritten nationally by Oldsmobile Division of General Motors since 1985. National City Bank and Pontiac GMC, GM, and Buick are underwriters as well.

Each year, the ATHENA™ recipient receives a beautiful statue designed by sculptor Linda Ackley of Tampa, Florida. The statue represents Athena, the wise daughter of Zeus, in bronze. The head of the statue is a multi-faceted crystal ball and each statue has a protective acrylic coating and walnut base. Ackley has uniquely made each and every one of the ATHENA™ awards since 1982.

The 2017 Key West Chamber ATHENA™ award recipient was Cara Higgins. Past recipients include Joan Leggett (2016), Piper Smith (2015), Rita Irwin (2014), Diane Schmidt (2013), Joy Smatt (2012), Sandra Higgs (2011), Diane Gibson (2007), the late Merili McCoy (2005), Melissa Kendrick (2004), Elmira Leto (2003), Phyllis Allen (2002), the late Sharon Moore (2001), Amy Culver-Aversa (2000), the late Connie Rice (1999), Kim Works (1997), Sandra Taylor (1995), CeCe Roycraft (1992), the late Wilhelmina Harvey (1991), Linda O’Brien (1990), Dee Von Quirolo (1989), the late Terry Horton (1988), Sue Barroso (1987), and Virginia Panico (1986).

The community is highly encouraged to nominate local individuals for the ATHENA™ award or to receive a nomination form, contact Kerry Baker at the Key West Chamber at 294-2587 or via email to [email protected]. The Deadline to submit an application is Friday, October 12, 2018.

ATHENA™ Award Recognizes an Outstanding Professional Woman

Sponsored by:

CHAMBER CHOWDER©www.keywestchamber.org510 Greene Street ~ 1st Floor, Key West


EXECUTIVE COMMITTEESuzanne Moore, President

Truman and Company Real Estate305-292-2244

Billy Spottswood, First Vice PresidentSpottswood, Spottswood, Spottswood,

& Sterling/305-294-9556Cara Higgins, Second Vice President

Horan & Higgins, LLP/294-4585Sam Holland, Secretary

The Conch House/305-293-0020 John Toppino, Treasurer

Monroe Concrete/305- 296-5606Greg Sullivan, Past President

Waste Management/305-434-9140Jed Dodds, Appointee

The Studios of Key West/305-296-0458Melissa Kendrick, Appointee

Mel Fisher Maritime Museum/305-294-2633 Lynne Tejeda, Appointee

Keys Energy Services/305-295-1020Virginia A. Panico, CCE,Executive Vice President

Key West Chamber of Commerce/294-2587

CHAMBER STAFFVirginia A. Panico, CCEExecutive Vice PresidentEdward Dawicki, IIIDirector of Research

Suzanne PearceExecutive Assistant/Bookkeeper

Kerry BakerMembership Director/Special Events Coordinator

Dorothy SchmidaAdministrative Assistant

Shay PenkeOffice Assistant/Tourist Information Operator

Gladys ClarksTourist Information Receptionist

Virginia A. PanicoNewsletter EditorCindy Jefferson

Art DirectorKatrina Nichols Newsletter Writer

Karrie BondSocial Media Director

September 2018

Business After Hours 30th Annual “Showcase of Key West

Businesses” Chamber Members Business Exposition Trade Show

Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2018Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Sponsored by: Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel

Location: 3841 N. Roosevelt Blvd.Members Networking Event!

General Membership Meeting Wednesday, September 26, 2018

NoonLocation: Doubletree Grand Key Resort

3990 S. Roosevelt Blvd.Topic: Candidates Forum for the

Monroe County Commission

October 2018

Business After Hours Date: Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.Sponsored by: Little Switzerland

Location: 271 Front StreetMembers Networking Event!

General Membership Meeting Wednesday, October 24, 2018

NoonLocation: Key West Marriott

Beachside Hotel3841 N Roosevelt Blvd.

Topic: Candidates Forum

Mayoral Candidates and City Commission Candidates

Click to connect with the Chamber on Facebook, Twitter,

Pinterest, or Instagram

Key West Chamber Calendar of Events

30th Annual Key West Chamber of Commerce

“Showcase of Key West Businesses”Community and Business Exposition Trade Show

Wednesday, September 19, 2018Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel, 3841 North Roosevelt Blvd

Presented by: The Key West Chamber of Commerce and Waste Management, Inc.

Co-sponsored by: OMI/Jacobs3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Open to the Public

510 greene street ~ 1st floor, key west … · 2019-11-16 · keys marine activities have a great...

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