Calendar of Events

Calendar of Events

Dec. 1

Breakfast with PGT chief: The Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County will hold a breakfast meeting at 7:45 a.m. at the Laurel Oak Country Club, 2700 Gary Player Blvd., Sarasota. Rod Hershberger, chief executive officer of Venice's PGT Industries Inc., will discuss the manufacturing company's future. Cost is $20 for EDC members and $30 for non-members. Register at edcsarasotacounty.com or by calling 941-309-1200. 


Dec. 3

Coping with high energy prices: The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce will hold a meeting to discuss how businesses can adjust to higher energy prices with James Halloran, senior vice president and energy and utilities analyst with National City Corp. The meeting will run from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the chamber office, 2390 Tamiami Trail North, Naples. Dan Poole, assistant director of research and senior vice president of National City Corp., will also discuss the impact gasoline prices and a slowing economy will have on the tourism business. Cost is $5. To register visit napleschamber.org and click on the event calendar.

Dec. 4

Venture forth: The Gulf Coast Venture Forum will hold its monthly meeting focused on local investment opportunities from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Tiburon Golf Course Clubhouse, 2620 Tiburon Drive in Naples. The Forum seeks to identify early-stage sources of private equity investment and venture capital. New members must qualify as an accredited investor as defined by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information visit gcvf.com or call 239-262-6300.

Dec. 4

Creating a healthy corporate culture: The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce will host a business leaders' roundtable from 7:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. at the chamber office, 615 Channelside Drive, Suite 108, Tampa. The meeting will focus on initiatives and philosophies for maintaining a healthy corporate culture. Speakers will include Kari Goetz, audience development manager at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center; Jennifer Bakunas president of the Web site design firm Magnetic; Grow Financial Federal Credit Union Human Resources Vice President Kim Woolard and Chief Operating Officer Doug Drake; and Nancy Walker of Walker Brands. Cost is $10 for members and $20 for non-members. For more information visit tampachamber.com.

Dec. 9

Lee County government: The Real Estate Investment Society will hold a luncheon with the chair of the Lee County Commission. The meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Osprey Room at Pelican Preserve Clubhouse on Colonial Boulevard a mile east of Interstate 75, Fort Myers. Cost is $25 members and $35 guests a head of time and $35 at the door. Reservations are required by Dec. 3. To register, visit reis-swfl.org and click on the event calendar.

Dec. 18

Tampa Chamber annual meeting: The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual meeting from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Tampa Convention Center, 333 S. Franklin St., Tampa. The meeting will honor Judy Genshaft of the University of South Florida as out-going chair and introduce the new chair Henry Gonzalez III of The Bank of Tampa. Cost is $60 for members and $75 for nonmembers. For more information visit tampachamber.com and click on the event calendar.

Jan. 22

Get on the fast track: The Pinellas County Business Development Center is offering a training and mentoring program designed to help bring technology products and services to market. The meeting will run from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 13805 58th St. N., Clearwater and will feature a special presentation by Jim Cheatham, author of "Just One More." The meeting is open to all technology entrepreneurs and related business experts. For more details, contact the Pinellas County Business Development Center at 727-453-7200 or email [email protected].