Description

Our area is HOT for selling Tampa Bay, globally! Once gain, the Tampa Bay area ranked 3rd in Florida for real estate transactions involving foreigners according to NAR's 2022 Profile of International Residential Transactions in Florida. Join us for an engaging and informative day at our 13th Annual Global Symposium, where industry leaders, experts, and influencers gather to share insights and perspectives on global business and economic development. PLUS: complimentary lunch from the world-famous Mazzaro's Italian Market!

We will hear a variety of perspectives thanks to this unique group of speakers:

• Mike Bishop from Pasco EDC, Mitchel Allen from Tampa EDC, and Dr. Cynthia Johnson from Pinellas EDC - economic development initiatives in Tampa
• Oliver Kugler from Visit St Pete Clearwater and Patrick Harrison from Visit Tampa Bay - tourism and attracting global visitors
• Thomas Jewsbury from St. Pete Clearwater Airport - the airport's growing role in facilitating global connectivity
• Carmen Chucral presents "Chat GPT with a Global Twist", exploring the global applications of this new technology
• Trisha Roy presents "Global in Your Backyard," - local impacts of global trends

...and the day concludes with an opportunity for networking

You do not want to miss this enriching experience that promises to be jam packed with must-know information!

About the Speakers

Mitchel Allen is the Senior Vice President of Economic Development for the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council where he drives the strategic plan for the organization to attract more business to the region. He specializes in market analysis and site-selection for international and domestic companies expanding or relocating to Tampa. Over the course of his decades-long career in economic development, Mitchel has successfully recruited over 70 companies creating more than 12,500 jobs and accounting for $5.6 billion in economic impact.

Mitchel has earned many accomplishments and honors, including:
• North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers, 2020 and 2017
• Development Counsellors International (DCI) “40 Under 40” Award, 2019
• Economic Developer of the Year by the Arizona Association of Economic Development (AAED), 2017

Before Tampa, Mitchel was the Executive Vice President of Business Development at the Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP), where he managed the business development team and its programs.. Prior to GRP, he was the Senior Vice President of Business Development for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC), where he led the business development team and collaborated with local and state agencies. Before GPEC, Mitchel worked as an Economic Development Specialist for the City of Chandler where he focused on business attraction, retention, and expansion. He also managed the 60,000-square-foot Innovations Science and Technology Incubator in Chandler, which opened in 2011.

Mitchel was born and raised in Tempe, Ariz., where he earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University. Mitchel is pursuing his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Denver with a finance concentration.

Oliver Kugler serves as the Community Relations Manager for Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, the official tourism destination marketing organization promoting Pinellas County.

Before coming to Visit St. Pete/Clearwater in May 2023, Oliver’s career spans over 37 years in various sales and marketing positions for hotels and resorts in Florida and the Tampa Bay area including the Dolphin Beach Resort - St. Pete Beach, Sunset Vistas Beachfront Suites - Treasure Island, Sailport Waterfront Suites – Tampa, The Mutiny Hotel – Coconut Grove/Miami, Ocean Pointe Suites – Key Largo, The Resort & Club at Little Harbor -
Ruskin, the historic Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa in Belleair and Safety Harbor Resort & Spa - Safety Harbor, just to name a few.

Oliver’s community involvement includes serving on the Foundation Board for the Clearwater Jazz Holiday since 1996, which just celebrated its 44th year this past October. He served as PTO President for St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Largo and has served on many of the area’s chamber boards such as Tampa Bay Beaches, Clearwater Regional & Clearwater Beach (now known as Amplify Clearwater), Treasure Island/Madeira Beach, St. Pete, Tampa and South Shore Chambers.

He has also served on various tourism organizations such as Meeting Professionals International, Visit Florida, Hillsborough County Hotel Motel Association, American Society of Travel Advisors, Florida Society of Association Executives and United States Travel Association, just to name a few.

Oliver is celebrating 30 years as a member of Skal International, the world’s largest and oldest travel, tourism, and hospitality association. He was the Skal Tampa Bay 2001 Past President and currently serves on this board as USA Representative & Membership Chairperson and this past November received its prestigious Tourism Person of the Year award.

Originally from the Chicago area, Oliver grew up on Indian Rocks Beach in the early 70’s. He began his path in tourism and hospitality when his father was the manager of a small, beachfront motel where, at the age of 9, Oliver was expected to mow the motel’s lawn and help guests with their luggage if he wanted to swim in the pool! Soon after, Oliver followed his mother and brother into the restaurant business which then led to working in area resorts and country clubs for 10 years in food & beverage operations prior to his expertise in resort hotel sales & marketing. Oliver and his wife, Alison, live on Indian Shores and have a blended family of 6 children and they will be welcoming their 5th grandchild in February! And, when not spending time with their kids and grandkids on the beach, they can be found boating throughout Florida.

Patrick Harrison is Chief Marketing Officer for Visit Tampa Bay. Through an innovative and aggressive approach he has spearheaded the DMOs marketing transformation. His campaigns have been honored with over 30 US and International marketing and PR awards, including multiple Adrian Awards and he was named a Top 25 Extraordinary Mind by HSMAI in 2019. Before joining Visit Tampa Bay, he spent 25+ years at agencies in the U.S. and U.K. He holds a Master’s Degree in Communications, with an emphasis in Propaganda, from the University of Leeds. Patrick currently serves on several regional, national and international boards and marketing/PR committees.

Carmen Chucrala is a pioneering force in the real estate industry, renowned as the founder and Managing Broker of Habloft LLC, a Chicago and Tampa-based brokerage specializing in real estate investments and portfolio diversification. With a background spanning accounting, software implementation, and real estate investment, and technology trainer, Carmen leads her team in offering a comprehensive suite of services aimed at protecting and enhancing clients' investment portfolios. Through her leadership, Carmen has established a "one-stop shop" business model, seamlessly integrating real estate and accounting services for small to mid-size businesses. Carmen's Colombian heritage infuses her entrepreneurial spirit, driving her advocacy efforts as a co-founder of the Chicagoland Latino Investor Organization, where she champions housing providers, property owners, and investors in navigating policy challenges. Additionally, Carmen is a co-founder of SPIRE Real Estate Education, Inc., dedicated to empowering the next generation of real estate professionals through comprehensive education and training programs. With a Master's in Accountancy and dual bachelor's degrees in marketing and finance, Carmen's expertise is further amplified by her status as a contributing author to the best-selling book "Latinas in Real Estate," solidifying her reputation as a thought leader and influencer in the field.