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Habitat for Humanity CEO building blitz
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Ronde Barber joined Bay Area CEO’s to help build a Habit for Humanity house alongside the future homeowner. Matthyew McClellan reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - On Friday, 63 prominent business executives from across the Bay Area will put conference calls on hold. Instead, they'll put on hard hats and tool belts to help provide a safe and affordable home for Tangela Butler, a Pinellas County school bus driver, and her twin sons.
The project is at the center of Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties' third annual 'CEO Build' event. Participating leaders include NFL Hall of Famer and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Rondé Barber, former Rue21 CEO Bill Brand, and Neiman Marcus president Ryan Ross.
These high-profile participants will join forces to build the home in St. Petersburg's Lealman community.
Bay Area CEO's helped build a home for Habitat for Humanity.
According to organizers, Friday's event will serve as the second build day for the project.
READ: Habitat for Humanity Pinellas and West Pasco bringing 64 townhouses to St. Petersburg
"At Habitat, we partner with businesses across our service area to help local families achieve the dream of affordable homeownership", Habitat Pinellas and West Pasco president and CEO Mike Sutton said in a news release. "The CEO Build has created a unique opportunity for local leaders to advocate for affordable homeownership, which is a solution to the ongoing housing crisis that too many families face. Thanks to their support, on and off the build site, the Butler family will soon be able to break the cycle of generational poverty through homeownership."
Tangela Butler, the future homeowner, worked alongside the CEO's on Friday.
The following participants will be on-site Friday:
- Rondé Barber - General Chairman, Copperhead Charities
- Bridgette Bello – CEO & Publisher, Tampa Bay Business & Wealth
- Bill Brand – Former CEO, Rue21
- Bob Childress – CEO, Solace Insurance
- Stephanie Conners – President & CEO, BayCare Health System
- Jeffrey Fishman – President, Investors Title & Settlement Services
- Wendy Gattis – CEO, DITEK Corporation
- Robert Glaser - President & CEO, Smith & Associates Real Estate
- Mindy Grossman – Partner & Chair of Consello Group, Former CEO WW and HSNi
- Bill Kent – President, George F. Young, Inc.
- Scott Kramer – President & CEO, Spartan Contracting Corporation
- Sharon Leite - Former CEO of Ideal Image and Former CEO of Vitamin Shoppe
- Mary McGreevy - Regional VP-South, Neiman Marcus
- Kyle Mishler – Owner, KAM Roofing Services
- Alyssa Rhoads - Executive Director, CEO Council of Tampa Bay
- Karyn Roeling - President & CEO, Seibert Insurance
- Ryan Ross – President, Neiman Marcus
- Jyric Sims - President, HCA Healthcare West Florida Division
- John Strong – Chairman & CEO, Bankers Financial Corporation
- Helen Wesley - President and CEO, TECO Peoples Gas
In 2022, Habitat introduced the inaugural CEO Build, where 55 CEOs joined together to help raise more than $140,000 to sponsor the Middlebrooks Family home in Pinellas Park.
Organizers said the overwhelming success of this specialty build became the launchpad to turn CEO Build into an annual event.