‘Chamber Chatter’ — Our Editor Is Hope’s First Guest; Plus, Tri-Health Cuts A Ribbon 

If you haven’t yet been to the new North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) office — located at 28329 Paseo Dr., Suite 195, in the same space next to Dillard’s in the Shops at Wiregrass that previously was home to a Pasco Sheriff’s Office substation (and then, the off-site office for the Amberlin at Wiregrass Ranch apartments), you really should go check it out. 

As NTBC president & CEO Hope Kennedy mentioned when I was her first guest at her new in-office studio for her “Chamber Chatter” podcast last week, “This is the office I always wanted here at the mall. I’m so glad we finally were able to get it!” 

Hope said that it was only fitting that I would be her first guest in the new studio, because of the long-standing symbiotic relationship between the Chamber and the Neighborhood News, especially since Hope first took over the reins at the former Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber 13 or so years ago. 

Not only did I get to tell that story, but also a lot of the history of the only news publication directly mailed to all of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for the last 30 years under the same owner and editor. 

My 30-minute chat with Hope also touched on my obsession with helping local mom-and-pop restaurants succeed in our communities, on my not understanding why we have to have so many chicken places and my decision to host a contest to find our readers’ favorite chicken restaurant. 

Hope also brought up my dismay over the fact that two sisters who live in Wesley Chapel — Scarlett Spongberg and Fallon Fields (above left photo) — didn’t get to win one of 20 drawn-at-random free Raising Cane’s-for-a-year prizes, despite being first in line at the Raising Cane’s Grand Opening. Hope mentioned “the nice story” that local Realtors Chad and April Emory of Emorys Rock Realty split the cost with me of providing that prize for the two young women. 

Check out “Chamber Chatter” at NorthTampaBayChamber.com. To try to be a guest on the show, call the Chamber office at (813) 994-8534. 

Congrats, Tri-Health! 

One of the other things Hope mentioned during the podcast was how much she appreciates us shining the spotlight in print on so many Chamber members who host NTBC ribbon-cutting events at their locations. 

One such event we never published was the ribbon cutting (right) for Tri-Health Primary Care & Women’s Health Services, located at 2253 Green Hedges Way, #101, in the Summergate Prof. Center, which cut a Chamber ribbon on Jan. 30. 

For more info, call (813) 771-6851. — GN