The Third Annual Blooming Luau

May 17, 2012 By Nina Stanley

The Third Annual Blooming Luau was a great success again this year

We would like to thank Tom Lyons, owner of Beso Del Sol, Dave Dawson manager and the entire staff for their efforts. Marker 8 manager Russ Latimer and Tom Gusman, manager of The Venue restaurant for their time and the incredible venue for an event. The delicious food was provided free by Leroy Selmons, Margarites and Serendipity Cafe, Costco furnished water and desserts. Of course, The Black Honkeys who never disappoint were the heros of the day, getting the crowd to donate over $600 by passing the hat (numerous times). BPFK was very fortunate to have so many businesses and individuals donate auction items which raised enough money to send 20 foster children to camp this summer. If you would like to help please go to www.bloomingplaceforkids.org to donate and if you missed the fun this year, we will do again next year!

Photography: Kristen Esposito

Filed Under: 2012, Events, May 2012 - Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Tagged With: Blooming Luau, Blooming Place for Kids, Charity, Event, Events, Features, Tampa, Tampa Bay

Gene McDonald – Green Interior Artist Extraordinaire

April 16, 2012 By Nina Stanley

Gene McDonald - Photo: Lisa Sibley

PV: Why did you choose this business or line of work?
Gene: I love art and woodworking, especially fixing things.

PV: What is your primary role or duty in your company?
Gene: ALL phases, mainly project management and researching design trends.

PV: What sets you apart from your competition?
Gene: I personalize kitchens, baths and furniture. While many sell the most popular, I tend to attract those who want something which is not as popular. Recycled Glass, precious stone slab, and Paperstone; My own blend of Crystal top that customers can put whatever they want into the tops as well as backlight.

PV: What would you be doing now if it weren’t for your business, taking money out of the equation?
Gene: Helping people who need a chance in life, I don’t like to give hungry people fish too much; I’m one of those who would rather teach them how to fish.

PV: What do you do for fun?
Gene: WORK and Dance!

PV: Who or what is most important to you, personally or professionally?
Gene: Personally it is my mom who passed away too young of Leukemia. I can actually feel my heart swell up as if she says, Keep doing the next right thing. She always told me to be kind, but not a doormat and make as many friends as possible (she would have loved Facebook). Professionally I want to always be able to give back, many of my heroes in Tampa Bay give back. They welcomed me to help out even though I did not have much money, I was able to offer my hands, my smile, my countertop scraps, and my shop to help inspire the Children of CASA, Boys and Girls Clubs and countless others. It feels like my Mom swells up my heart when I am around these people…It’s my own personal awesomistic feeling. I love life like crazy!

PV: A little secret about you that would shock those who don’t know you!
Gene: I don’t drink alcohol, I don’t do Drugs, I don’t smoke Cigarettes and I love Hardcore Thrash Punk rock as well as Motown music. People always think I am on something because I enjoy wherever I am at. They spend big money on booze to act like me…LOL

PV: What are your personal and professional mottos?
Gene: Personal~ you cannot make a plant grow by pulling on it! Professional~ you cannot discover new oceans unless you have courage to lose sight of the shore.

PV: When you were five, what was your dream to be when you grew up?
Gene: Bruce Lee and a cartoonist

PV: Have you achieved all or most of your dreams thus far?
Gene: Yes, I am so glad I didn’t sign a contract because I achieved that dream 5 years ago. I am also grateful for all the friends and business I got. I feel that if my life doesn’t get any better than it is right now. I am ok with that. But I am Gene, Gene the dancing machine. Life is getting better by the minute…

About the President

Gene McDonald, President of Refresh Interiors Inc., is an active member of the Tampa Bay U.S. Green Building Council Chapter, the Florida Green Building Coalition, and the International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA). As a countertop fabricator specializing in green products, McDonald has worked on many LEED-certified projects in the area. He has recently earned Master Fabricator status from Vetrazzo Recycled Glass Surfaces, a status reserved for fabricators who have fabricated 50 Vetrazzo jobs that have demonstrated superior craftsmanship. Since then McDonald has quadrupled that number! He also won the International Surface Design Expo’s Best Commercial Application Award in 2006 for his illuminated cobalt glass bar. In 2009, he won the Best Green Residential Kitchen award. He also won Best Green Small Application for his recycled paper toilet seat that glows in the dark. His top employee Hugh Simon won the Best Green Kitchen in 2010 and Best Design in Green Application in 2011. The newest edition of the Refresh Family, to lead the cabinet division is Chris Kessler. Master Cabinetmaker. Gene McDonald has spoken at The National Association of Home Builders and numerous Green Expos from Orlando to Las Vegas. Gene McDonald is proud to be what some call a Green Interior Artist. He shares his green projects with the world to smash the misconception that green design is bland and boring. His very own creation called Crystal Top was used in the upcoming film Step Up 4 from Touchstone Pictures.

Filed Under: 2012, 2012, April 2012 - South Tampa, April 2012 – Tampa Bay, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur - ST, South Tampa, Tampa Bay Tagged With: Artist, Bars, Bathroom, Counters, Countertop Fabricator, Designer, Entrepreneur, Features, Gene McDonald, Green, Green Interior Artist, Kitchen, Master Fabricator, Recycled, Recycled Glass, Refresh Interiors Inc, South Tampa, Tampa, Tampa Bay

Changing Lives… One Smile at a Time

April 16, 2012 By Nina Stanley

Dr. Paul Duryea

Dr. Paul R. Duryea is not your typical Orthodontist, there is so much more to this gracious man that many don’t know. His smile lights up every room he walks into and just exudes friendliness and happiness, he’s someone you just want to get to know better!

His background is interesting and his life’s accomplishments even more so. Dr. Duryea had gone thru four years of Dental School at the University of Detroit at which he graduated as Valedictorian and with Summa Cum Laude distinction. He started his private practice in 1981 and was the 1st full time Orthodontist in Palm Harbor! He treats not only adolescent patients, but also has a very large adult practice.

The scope of his practice is from minor correction with appliances to the correction of severe dental and skeletal problems with the need for jaw surgery. He is a Preferred Provider of Invisalign and has been for 10 years.

Dr. Duryea got involved in Orthodontics in a very odd way. He had completed his Dental School clinical requirements by the end of his junior year.

“Because of that fact I was asked to find “something to do” for my senior year, I had decided I wanted to become an Oral surgeon initially, but was attracted to the Orthodontic department to finish up my senior year before applying to a surgery program. I became very interested in Orthodontics because of treating a wide range of patients and was very interested in Surgical Orthodontics. By the time I completed my fourth year of Dental school, I had completed the clinical requirements of the masters Program in Orthodontics. I never applied to the Orthodontic Program formally and was asked into the program by the Chairman of the Department. As an enticement, I was offered to run the Chairman’s private practice as a first year graduate student. I completed the program with not only a certificate in Orthodontics, but also a Master’s Degree in Orthodontics”.

Dr. Duryea’s primary focus is to offer the highest standard of Orthodontic treatment in a casual and intimate setting. His practice is different from many others in that he has a small but well trained staff of four, 2 as administrative assistants and 2 that are certified Orthodontic Assistants who take personal time with every patient.

There are no satellite offices, and he is in the same office all of their normal business hours. He sees to all emergencies himself, unless he is out of town golfing or lecturing. One of his goals is to stay on time. Since his patients arrange their day around their Orthodontic appointment, Dr. Duryea is respectful of all of his patient’s time and maintains their appointment on time!

His patients come from a very large geographic area, from Pinellas to Pasco. His associations and affiliations are too many to mention. Dr. Duryea continues to offer state of the art in Orthodontic treatments and anticipates bringing in an associate in the near future.

One of his most rewarding and memorable work related experiences involved a 17 year old young lady with not only a severe malocclusion (bad bite), but a severe skeletal problem that was a major contributing factor to her bite. During their initial consultation, Dr. Duryea knew her problem was very severe. She did not look at him and said nothing. Sadly, she was totally lacking self-confidence. But, after two years of Orthodontic treatment and corrective surgery was completed, her Mom took him aside and gave him a big hug filled with love and gratitude! Her daughter finally looked like the rest of the family. “The most amazing part was during her retention phase of treatment. She would come in all smiles and was amazed how her social life had improved. Her self-confidence soared! That’s what makes what I do so rewarding. To be able to profoundly change a person’s life by restoring their smile and facial appearance is unbelievable and gratifying”, states Dr. Duryea.

Dr. Duryea’s family life is another great accomplishment. Married to Nan, his best friend for 37 years, they have raised 2 great kids, Becky and Scott. Paul and Nan’s newest treasure is grandson Harrison.

Paul’s hobbies include Travel, Cooking, Golf, and of course Halloween! He is our very own, Walt Disney! For the past 19 years, he personally builds a display outside of his house call the “Mansion of the Macabre”. It takes a month to set up and take down and is open for only 2 nights a year. He does this as a fund raiser for Susan G. Komen, For the Cure and The Suncoast Hospice. There is no admission fee; they only accept donations to one of these charities every year. He’s been told by more than one visitor, it’s the “Disney of Palm Harbor” It truly is his labor of love!

Dr. Paul Duryea is so many things to so many of us. Caring and compassionate, loving, and always striving to be better and do what is best for others. He is a role model to all and someone we can all learn from. He changes lives.

Filed Under: 2012, 2012, April 2012 - South Tampa, April 2012 – Tampa Bay, Entrepreneur - ST, Health, Tampa Bay Tagged With: Braces, Dentist, Dentistry, Entrepreneur, Health, Orthodontist, Palm Harbor, Paul Duryea

Panache People to Know – Tampa Artist – Taylor Ikin

March 19, 2012 By Nina Stanley

Taylor Ikin

PV: Why did you choose this business or line of work?
Taylor: I did not choose it…it embraced me. Looking for friends while living on an island in the Caribbean, I joined a group of painters. And so my life began.

PV: What is your primary role or duty in your company?
Taylor: As an artist, I am a one man band. I am a studio of one.

PV: What sets you apart from your competition?
Taylor: : I am known as an environmentalist with a paint brush. I try to educate, inform and encourage the viewer to preserve for the future.

PV: What would you be doing now if it weren’t for your business, taking money out of the equation?
Taylor: Painting and teaching art are my job and my pleasure. I would not change a thing.

PV: What do you do for fun?
Taylor: Anything that has to do with people, especially relating to the arts, a party and travel!

PV: Who or what is most important to you, personally or professionally?
Taylor: My family, friends and doggie Abby are most important, followed by doing the best work I can. My long term relationship with Nuance Galleries in Tampa has also given me the much appreciated personal and professional support.

PV: A little secret about you that would shock those who don’t know you!
Taylor: My full name is Anna Robinson Taylor Newton (Gray) Ikin!

PV: What are your personal and professional mottos?
Taylor: “Defer not to tomorrow to be wise, for tomorrow’s sun may never rise!” unknown

PV: When you were five, what was your dream to be when you grew up?
Taylor: My dream was to have horses and especially show jumpers.

PV: Have you achieved all or most of your dreams thus far?
Taylor: Yes. I had a horse; I have enjoyed painting all over the world, including 18 years in Antigua. I teach workshops and lecture around the country and the class I teach at the Dunedin Fine arts Center is a total joy. The public recognition of my work is the icing on the cake.

Taylor Ikin is widely known for her work on YUPO, a synthetic tree free surface. Her environmentally sensitive images have been exhibited in Museums throughout the South as well as Florida house in Washington DC. Her unique approach and joy in making art are the frequent topic of articles in multiple art magazines, books and the local press, and can be enjoyed through her DVD, Dancing With YUPO. She has taught regionally, nationally, and in the Caribbean as well as 15 years at the Gulf Coast Museum of Art and recently the Beach Art Center. Ikin now teaches at the Dunedin Fine Arts Center in Dunedin, FL.

She has served on the Boards of the Arts Council of Hillsborough County and was the President and a Board Member of the Florida Watercolor Society for a total of 16 years.
Ikin is currently on the Board of the Gasparilla Festival of Arts, the Education Committee of the Tampa Museum of Art and the Restoration Committee of the Tampa Theater. She was awarded Signature Membership in the Florida Watercolor Society as well as the Suncoast Watercolor Society and is an award winning member of the Florida Artist Group. In 2012 her work was juried into the National Water, www.TaylorIkin.com

Filed Under: 2012, 2012, Culture & Arts, March 2012 - South Tampa, March 2012 – Tampa Bay, Panache People to Know, South Tampa, Tampa Bay Tagged With: Art, Art Gallery, Artist, Dunedin, Dunedin Fine Arts Center, Fine Art, Gallery, Painter, Paintings, Tampa Bay, Taylor Ikin, Watercolor

Dr. Tim Doerner

March 19, 2012 By Nina Stanley

Our motto is to treat our patients like they are our family

Dr. Tim Doerner and Nicole Grunsfeld - Photo: Lisa Sibley

PV: Why did you choose your line of work?
Tim:When I was very young my best friend’s dad was a dentist and it interested me. It’s a great way to help people and be your own boss.

PV: What is your role in your business?
Tim: I am a sole practitioner, meaning I am the only doctor working with a wonderful staff to provide excellent dental care for our patients.

PV: What sets you apart from your competition?
Tim: Being a general dentist, I provide a wide variety of services. We do everything from implant surgery to Invisalign to Botox. The conservative caring attitude we have, gives the patients options when they need dental treatment

PV: What would you be doing now if this weren’t your business, taking money out of the equation?
Tim: If I was not practicing dentistry I would probably be traveling.

PV: What do you do for fun?
Tim: Go on cruises, traveling, boating, and motorcycling.

PV: Who or what is most important to you?
Tim: My fiancée Nicole, my children Aaron and Alexa, also my mom who just turned 94 are most important personally. My excellent staff and longtime patients are most important professionally.

PV: A little secret about you that would shock people that don’t know you.
Tim: People are always surprised when I tell them I own an ice cream /cookie store. We have to keep the sweet tooth happy too, don’t forget to brush. We also treat the Phillies baseball players.

PV: What are your personal and professional mottos?
Tim: Our motto is to treat our patients like they are our family. Also work hard, play hard…

PV: When you were five, what was your dream job?
Tim: When I was five I loved baseball I played in college and would have loved to be a major league pitcher but dentistry has been an excellent alternative.

Filed Under: 2012, Feature - North Pinellas/Pasco, March/April 2012 - North Pinellas/Pasco, North Pinellas / Pasco, Panache People to Know Tagged With: Botox, Dentist, Dentistry, Dr. Tim Doerner, Features, Health, Invisalign, Philanthropy, Tampa, Tampa Bay

Commitment, Pride & Experience – S.T. Anthony Contracting

March 18, 2012 By Nina Stanley

Julia Anthony, Benjamin Anthony, and Stephen T. Anthony - Photo: Nicole Geller

Steven T. Anthony literally has business in his blood having grown up spending his summers working with his father who is a general contractor and his uncle, a custom home builder. In the summer of 1997, he decided to branch out by starting S.T. Anthony Contracting, Inc., a full service home improvement and building company based in the Tampa Bay Area.

He chose this business because of a fascination with the process of transforming something that is considered at the end of its usefulness into a thing of beauty and ready for people to enjoy. It was a natural fit for him to carry on the family business while helping people improve their homes through providing quality construction services. With the economy the way it is today, clients are happy with the affordability of their services.

The difference from other contractors and their competition is that Steven has a strong desire to provide his lifelong expertise with a high level of professionalism during the build/remodel process. They strive to make the customers home improvement project experience a pleasant one without the worries that may occur when beginning a renovation or improvement project. It is his priority to be present on every job site and to personally lead the project.

In five years, it is the hope that the company be recognized, respected and trusted in the South Tampa community as well as continually developing their reputation for high quality home improvements and superior service. They want to be the first one a client thinks of as a referral to a future customer. In the long run like any other successful business, being able to employ and serve more customers is a goal.

Steven volunteered recently alongside other general contractors using donated construction materials to assist a homeowner who would not have been able to do necessary repairs. Giving back is a big part of their business. The company belongs to Tampa Bay Business Builders and the Better Business Bureau.

The success of the business is a direct result of the planning and dedication that their family puts into ensuring that each of their clients has a positive, memorable experience working with us. He is married to his childhood sweetheart and biggest fan, Julia, and is father to son, Benjamin. Also in the family are two ShihTzus, Max and Bailey.

Filed Under: 2012, 2012, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur - ST, Feature - South Tampa, March 2012 - South Tampa, March 2012 – Tampa Bay, South Tampa, Tampa Bay Tagged With: Construction, Entrepreneur, Features, General Contractor, Home, Home Improvement, S.T. Anthony Contracting, South Tampa, Steven T. Anthony, Tampa, Tampa Bay

Patient Satisfaction – Florida Joint Care Institute

March 18, 2012 By Nina Stanley

Henry William Hanff, MD; Jennifer Lynne Cooke, MD; and Stephen Anthony Hanff, MD

In November 2011, Florida Joint Care Institute was cofounded by Henry William Hanff, M.D., Jennifer Lynne Cook, M.D. and Stephen Anthony Hanff, M.D. Among the three, they have a combined experience approaching 50 years. Together they are committed to providing exceptional orthopaedic care to the community in an efficient and compassionate manner. They bring with them a diverse and comprehensive knowledge of bone and joint pathology to deliver gold standard care that is unrivaled. They have affirmed their commitment to their vocation by building their new state of the art facility in Trinity.

Although the partners have diverse backgrounds, they unite with the one common goal to provide comprehensive and unparalleled orthopaedic care. Dr. Henry Hanff has been serving the community as an orthopaedic surgeon since 1973. He started working in an operating room as an orderly at age 17 and never looked back. The depth of his experience with joint replacement is unparalleled. Having performed more than 8,000 joint replacements, he brings a practical fund of knowledge to the group that is invaluable. He also is a world-renowned lecturer in fracture care as faculty for the AO foundation and travels to Europe every year to teach surgeons from around the world.

Dr. Jennifer Cook has been practicing in the community since 2006 and has already made tremendous contributions. After completing both her medical and orthopaedic training at M.I.T. and Harvard, she spent an additional year at the Insall Scott Kelly Institute in New York where she mastered knee and shoulder reconstructive surgery. She is also an expert in fracture care as an alumnus of the AO Foundation. Here in the community she has volunteered her expertise at the Good Samaritan Health Clinic of Pasco and has poured her heart and soul into the organization WOGO that she cofounded. WOGO, or Women Orthopaedist Global Outreach Program, is a nonprofit organization that performs joint reconstructive surgery in third world countries. Having recently performed dozens of knee replacements in Nepal and Guatemala sets her apart as a true humanitarian.

Dr. Stephen Hanff has been in practice for nearly three years after completing five years of orthopaedic residency at the University of Florida. There he had the privilege to work with some of the finest surgeons for the Gators, and additionally focused his time mastering joint replacement and revision reconstruction. As an alumnus of the AO Foundation, he brings a level of expertise in fracture care to a community beset with fractures secondary to osteoporosis. Having been born and reared in the community, he is privileged to live here with his wife and two daughters to serve those who shaped and inspired him.

They stand apart from the rest by being able to provide necessary comprehensive joint care within the community. In addition to offering a wide array of orthopaedic services including fracture care, sports medicine, arthroscopy and joint replacement, they routinely perform revision joint replacements and complex deformity reconstructions. With a growing need for revision reconstruction in the community, they look forward to address the problems the community will face in the future.

Their new facility in Trinity was built to meet these growing needs. A new and beautiful state of the art building with over 13,000 sq ft provides the serene atmosphere for patients to meet the experts. Within the building they can perform X-rays, physical exams, injections, schedule surgery and perform physical therapy. With most insurances accepted, they are able to see almost anyone. Although they work exclusively out of their new location in Trinity, they routinely see patients from Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Hernando and Citrus counties. They are proud to be small business owners where they have the autonomy to put patient care first and not be beholden to a parent corporation and its profits.

Although their collective experience is diverse, they present with one common goal- to provide exceptional orthopaedic care to the community. Their humanitarian efforts extend far beyond the office walls and transcend the confines of the workweek. They are proud to continue the tradition of volunteering their services pro bono to the high school athletes by performing annual physicals. They continue to be an educational resource to the community on topics such as arthritis and osteoporosis. All three share the same gratitude for their blessings and are grateful for every opportunity they have to give back. They exemplify everything it means to truly be a physician.
Florida Joint Care Institute… diligent, efficient and compassionate.

Filed Under: 2012, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur - NP / P, Feature - North Pinellas/Pasco, March/April 2012 - North Pinellas/Pasco, North Pinellas / Pasco Tagged With: Dr. Henry William Hanff, Dr. Jennifer Cook, Dr. Stephen Hanff, Entrepreneur, Features, Florida Joint Care Institute, Health, Medicine, Orthopedic Services, Tampa Bay, Trinity

Passionate About Food & People

February 22, 2012 By Nina Stanley

Patrick and Linda Baldwin

Founder and CEO of Intelligent Gourmet, a “clean” lifestyle food company, Linda Baldwin started in the business 15 years ago with Amore Catering. Since then, she has worn many hats as a Manager, Chef, and Managing Partner. In 2010, the company’s focus shifted to preparing prepackaged “clean” meals and “clean” food products under the brand name, Intelligent Gourmet.

She had the good fortune of growing up watching her mother, father, grandmother and aunt prepare weekend and holiday meals. The care and effort they put into their cooking ignited a spark in her. She says, “Sometimes I think this profession is just in your blood.” She began her culinary career managing fine dining restaurants in the North East training and working with some of the top Chefs from around the country.

Intelligent Gourmet’s, Linda’s brain child, uses food that is all-natural, low-sodium, low-fat, gluten-free, and low-glycemic-carbohydrate. Their “clean” food line includes snacks, salad dressings, sauces, and individually prepackaged gourmet quality meals and “clean living” meal plans. Traditionally, consumers wanting to eat healthy had to put up with low quality, small portion, and bland meals. Now everyone can eat healthier and make changes that will improve the quality of their lives. Liz Keiffer, Certified Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor, describes it as “Solving a problem created by food with food.”

The biggest difference in Intelligent Gourmet’s food is not a weight loss specific diet; weight loss is merely a byproduct of eating “clean.” Eating “clean” is also not about fueling your body; it’s about satisfying your taste buds, it’s about learning to eat well, and most importantly it’s about an eating/dietary lifestyle change. The company changes the menu every week with a large variety of items that include wild caught and fresh fish, prime beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, all natural chicken breast, as well as vegan and vegetarian options. Nothing gets served or put on one of the menu unless it meets her expectations.

The restaurant is a fun upscale environment where one can always find an expert to talk about meals, allergies, and specific likes and dislikes so customers can build a custom meal plan. Everything is made onsite from scratch so it is easy to adapt a recipe as necessary for sensitivities to allergies with family and kid friendly meals under the Intelligent Gourmet and Amore Catering (Amore ToGo) brands.

Linda plans that within the next five years that the company will expand throughout Florida and regionally to satisfy the growing demand for high-quality healthy food products and prepackaged meals. She is actively seeking strategic investors who share the same vision. Her long term goal is to see Intelligent Gourmet products distributed nationally through retailers. For now, service is offered to Tampa, St. Petersburg, New Tampa and Lutz and they also can ship overnight anywhere in a 400 mile radius of their current store.

A member of the Culitvar Team, a group of chef’s hand selected to help support recipe development within the online community for Kraft Foods, Linda keeps busy. She is the community blogger in the neighborhood for WTSP and writes the dining out series for Panache Vue’, South Tampa. She holds a C.P.C.E designation from the National Catering Association and is a member of the American Association of Nutrition Consultants and is in the process of finalizing her C.N.C. designation. Amore’s Intelligent Gourmet was selected by Fit Kids Playground to provide the nutritional and educational component for the grant they received from WE CAN. Amore is recognized as a leader in the field of healthy cooking through Intelligent Gourmet and have written a curriculum that is used to educate pre-school and elementary children in Hillsborough County about the benefits of eating “clean” healthy.

In her personal life, Linda is a wife, mother and grandmother. She is blessed to be married to her best friend. Their shared love of the water gives them an escape to run around in the bay on their Boston Whaler whenever there is free time. Her children live in Gainesville and when she gets the opportunity to sneak out of town, she loves spending family time her children and grandchildren. She loves cooking in her kitchen for family and friends as well as at work.

She owes her success to God, her family and parents. Her Faith provided the confidence to pursue her passion. Her family never questions Linda’s dedication to them despite long work hours and her parents set the example for hard work. Her mentors, Dr. Joseph Guggino and His Son Joseph Guggino gave her the necessary “hand up.”

Being passionate about food and people, she owns a business that allows her to combine both. “Every day I get the satisfaction of helping customers to achieve their goal of taking a proactive approach to their own health by eating “clean” healthy meals!” says Linda with pride.

Filed Under: 2012, 2012, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur - ST, February 2012 - South Tampa, February 2012 – Tampa, South Tampa, Tampa Bay Tagged With: Amore, Amore To-Go, Catering, Dining, Entrepreneur, Features, Gourmet, Green, Health, Intelligent Gourmet, Linda Baldwin, Organic, Patrick Baldwin, Restaurant, South Tampa, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Wine & Dine

Dr. Carl Conforti

January 22, 2012 By Nina Stanley

PV: Why did you choose your line of work?
Carl: After years of suffering from terrible headaches as a child, my parents were willing to try anything to allow me to be pain free. One of their friends suggested that they take me to see a chiropractor. The doctor explained misalignment and promised my parents that he could provide the relief that they sought for me. Sure enough after countless MRI’s, CT scans and prescriptions from other doctors, the chiropractor was finally able to relieve the pain that seemed to elude all of the other professionals. As I got older I realized that freeing people from pain and providing health and wellness to the Tampa Bay area was my passion. C hiropractic was the perfect fit.

PV: What is your role in your business?
Carl: While I exclusively see patients in my Oldsmar office, I also partner with our other outstanding doctors located in Trinity, Wesley Chapel, and Tampa. As the owner and partner of the other offices, I along with my team of doctors have changed the lives of thousands of people throughout the Tampa Bay area.

PV: What sets you apart from your competition?
Carl: The doctors and staff at Conforti Chiropractic strive to make each patient their number one priority. With individual consultations and adjustment rooms, each patient is given the attention they need in order to achieve their fullest potential for health and wellness.
In addition to the service, Conforti Chiropractic is a full wellness clinic. Our patients receive adjustments, therapeutic massage, therapeutic exercise, spinal decompression, and hot and cold therapies through their treatment plans. In addition, our Oldsmar office also offers a full medi-spa with facials, microdermabrasions, etc. As a whole health and wellness office, Conforti Chiropractic sets a new standard in health!

PV: What would you be doing now if this weren’t your business, taking money out of the equation?
Carl: I would be volunteering in the community to provide health and wellness services to those who do not have the means to provide for themselves. I would spend time in the schools working with children and teaching them how to make the choices that will make them healthy for their entire life. Educating the public on the importance of wellness is the most important aspect of my job, and it is something that I am passionate about every day.

PV: What do you do for fun?
Carl: On my days away from the office, I enjoy fishing, boating, wave running, golfing, and spending time with my 3 amazing children.

PV: Who or what is most important to you?
Carl: My three beautiful kids and my parents, they have the most amazing passion for love and life. They have supported me my entire life and I would not be who I am without them.

Dr. Carl Conforti

PV: A little secret about you that would shock people who don’t know you.
Carl: I was a competitive body builder for 6 years. I won 5 overall championships and appeared on ESPN.

PV: What are your personal and professional mottos?
Carl: I treat every single person that I encounter in my office and in my life as I would a member of my family. It is amazing how far truth and fairness will get you in business and in life. There is nothing more important than surrounding yourself with people you love and trust.

PV: When you were 5 what was your dream job?
Carl: I wanted to be an accountant. My family’s business taught me a lot about managing money and keeping track of everything.

PV: Have you achieved all or most of your dreams thus far?
Carl: I am so happy with what I have achieved in life, but I will never stop dreaming. Dreams make us strive for excellence each and every day…and that is something that I will pursue for my entire life.

“Dreams make us strive for excellence each and every day… and that is something I will pursue my entire life.”

Dr. Carl Conforti has been a licensed Chiropractor since March 1998.

Dr. Carl Conforti has been freeing people from pain since May 1999 in his clinic in Oldsmar, FL. As a Chiropractor with experience, he is committed to promoting the health and well being of his patients.

Dr. Conforti uses a “whole person approach” when taking care of his patients. By combining the very best hands-on-technique, state of the art physiotherapy procedures, and providing the newest and best natural vitamins and mineral supplements on the market today, Dr. Conforti is able to help you to accelerate and/or maintain your journey to good health.

Although Dr. Conforti works exclusively out of our Oldsmar office, he also owns clinics in Trinity, Tampa, and Wesley Chapel. His collegues Dr. Todd Bodanza, DC of the Trinity location, Dr. Damien Rogers, DC of the Tampa location, and Dr. Bill Scheu, DC of the Wesley Chapel location work continuously with Dr. Conforti to provide the best in spinal care and wellness.

Education:
University of Florida
Life University

Memberships & Associations:
Florida Chiropractic Society
Florida Chiropractic Association
Certified in Cox Flexion/Distraction technique

Filed Under: 2012, Feature - North Pinellas/Pasco, January/February 2012 - North Pinellas/Pasco, North Pinellas / Pasco, Panache People to Know Tagged With: Chiropractor, Dr. Carl Conforti, Features, Philanthropy, Tampa, Tampa Bay

There’s Only One Tammy Levent…!

January 21, 2012 By Nina Stanley

Tammy Levent

PV: Why did you choose this business or line of work?
Tammy:Because of a series of personal tragedies I experienced in 1995, details in my bio.

PV: What is your primary role or duty in your company?
Tammy: Everything, from marketing, to selling, growing the company and keeping peace at the office and at home at the same time.

PV: What sets you apart from your competition?
Tammy: What Competition?

PV: What would you be doing now if it weren’t for your business, taking money out of the equation?
Tammy: I would travel the world!

PV: What do you do for fun?
Tammy: Travel… lol. And spend time with my family!

PV: Who or what is most important to you, personally or professionally?
Tammy: Personally my partner and best friend Rob, my children and parents, professionally – my customers and strategic partners like you!

PV: A little secret about you that would shock those who don’t know you!
Tammy: Okay Nina tons of secrets!! I never went to college, I graduated high school at 16, and I was the first born here in the USA, with immigrant family from Greece!

PV: What are your personal and professional mottos?
Tammy: Integrity with both!

PV: When you were five, what was your dream to be when you grew up?
Tammy: When I was five I was in kindergarten and telling my mom I wanted to get skipped to first grade and was. I wasn’t thinking that way ahead! Okay, maybe a princess! Now I’m a princess with WHIPS!

PV: Have you achieved all or most of your dreams thus far?
Tammy: Every time I think I do I keep having more freakin dreams!! Thank God they are not nightmares!

Photo: Joel Cocker (left) | Photo: Mark Wemple (right)

Tammy Levent

Entrepreneur, Travel Expert, Author and Renowned Speaker

Imagine that within six months you lost your business and your savings to a violent robbery, then lost your grandmother in a fatal car accident that left your two children, ages nine and two, in the hospital’s intensive care unit. Picture quitting the telemarketing job you took to keep your home so you could sit by your children’s bedsides and wonder if your daughter would ever be able to speak again and if your son would lose his sight. What you would say if a nurse came up to you in the ICU and asked “If it had nothing to do with money, what would you do?”

Tammy Levent didn’t have the energy to think of an intricate answer, so she said the first thing that came to her mind: “I would travel the world.” From that moment, she realized that was her passion and her goal. In 1995, with no assets, she leveraged strategic partnerships to build Elite Travel, which has since skyrocketed into one of the fastest growing, most trusted travel groups in the nation for corporate incentive, leisure, destination wedding and honeymoon travel. Elite Travel has the distinction of being named an American Express agency.

I WHIP IT with Tammy Levent
Levent devotes herself to helping other women discover the power they have to change their lives, no matter what their circumstances. She sums up her mantra of success in the acronym “I WHIP IT” – meaning Incredible Women Have Infinite Power In Themselves. I WHIP IT was born when Tammy held her first whip while sitting at her desk training employees in sales at her telemarketing job. For the first time in years, she felt like she had control. She took that feeling and ran with it.

With her new web show I WHIP IT Out at whipitoutshow.com and her day-long WHIPshops™ that “take the work out of it,” Tammy guides other women – whip in hand – to find their courage, declare their goals, and use strategic partnerships to make those goals happen. Unlike many speakers, Tammy doesn’t stop at motivation; she gives immediately usable step-by-step instruction on how to create a business and lifestyle around your passion. And, with Levent’s travel expertise, you won’t find yourself in a stuffy conference room at one of her retreats unless you get lost on the way to the resort penthouse.

Tammy Levent is the CEO of Elite Travel and single mother of Katie, 25 and Jordan, 20. She is the author of the bestselling book Women Who Mean Business, and lives in Tampa, Florida with her better half, Rob. She owns an impressive collection of whips. For more information on the I Whip it out show and WHIPshops visit
www.whipitoutshow.com and www.TammyLevent.com

Tammy Levent
Tammy@EliteTravelGroup.net
www.EliteTravelGroup.net
www.TammyLevent.com
1-866-726-9090

Filed Under: 2012, January 2012 - South Tampa, Panache People to Know, South Tampa Tagged With: Author, Elite Travel, Entrepreneur, Palm Harbor, Speaker, Tammy Levent, Travel Agent, Whip IT Out, WHIPshops