View This Issue - Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce

Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce 

your connection 

to the beach 

COMMUNITY 

“AIR & SEA” 

EDUCATION 

WORKFORCE 

ECONOMIC 

DEVELOPMENT 

“SOME LIKE IT HOT” 

“SEE & BE SEEN” 

GRAND OPENINGS 

March/April 2012 

PCBeach.org

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4 THE CIRCUIT March/April 2012

THE CIRCUIT March/April 2012 5

• SEE & BE SEEN 

FILM COMMISSION 

s Chamber of C ommerce 

n to o t 

the beach 

t 

COMMUNITY 

EDUCATION 

WORKFORCE 

MILITARY 

TDC UPDATE 

MEMBER NEWS 


CALENDAR 

OF EVENTS 

Health & 

Wellness 

Issue 

THE CIRCUIT 

Vol 3 Issue 5 

ember 2008 Vol 3 Issue 6 

THE 

CIRC 

RCU 

CUIT 

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Panama City Beach Chamber of C ommerce e 

your connection to the beach 

March/April 2010 PCBeach.org 

www.PCBeach.org 

IN 

PANAMA 

CITY 

BEACH 

THE CIRCUIT September/October 2010 1 

November/December 2010 

PCBeach.org 

THE CIRCUIT March/April 2010 1 

your 

connection 

to the beach 

The 2010 Holiday 

Shopping pin 

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Guid uide e 

THE CIRCUIT 

The 

Green 

Issue 

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community 

workforce 

orce 

calendar of events 

www.PCBeach.org 

COMMUNITY 

Y 

EDUCATION 

WORKFORCE 

MILITARY 

HEALTH & WELLNESS 

ESS 

MEMBERMBER NEWS 


CALENDAR OF FALL 

F 

EVENTS IN PCB 

T he Greater P anama City Beaches Chamber of C ommerc e 

your connection to o the beach 

IRCUIT 

ch Chamber of Commerceme 

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your 

connection 

n c o n 

to the beach 

Community 

Education 

Workforce 

EDA Update 

“Some Like It Hot” 

“See &BeSeen” 

Member News 

Grand Openings 

HE CIRCUIT 

nama City Beach Chamber of Commerce 

March/April 2011 PCBeach.org 

January/February 2011 

THE CIRCUIT November/December PCBeach.org 2010 1 


to the beach 

THE CIRCUIT C 

P anama City B each Chamber of C ommerce 

Change! 

THE 2011 

Holiday 

ISSUE 

Community 

Workforce 

Education 

Florida Film 

Commission 

See & Be Seen 

Grand Openings 

Out & About 

Some Like it Hot 

and... 

• COMMUNITY 

• EDUCATION 

• WORKFORCE 

• AIR & SEA 

• SOME LIKE IT HOT 

• GRAND OPENINGS 

THE CIRCUIT November/December 2010 1 

September/October 2011 



to the beach 

Chairman’s Message 

Iwant to start by thanking all of you who attended 

our Annual Dinner in February. The evening was 

a wonderful way to applaud the 

successes of 2011, recognize those 

who do so much for the Chamber and 

community, and celebrate the Beach 

Chamber’s 25-year history. I want to 

congratulate our award winners 

again, Pioneer of the Year, Philip 

Griffitts, Sr.; Humanitarian of the 

Year, Ramon Duvall; Small Business 

Person of the Year, Konrad Jochum; 

and 

Ambassador of the Year, Nycole 

McKissack. 

Without members like 

you, the Chamber could not carry out its 

mission each year. Thank you for all you do. 

This 

issue of The Circuit is our Annual Dining Out issue, 

and features some of the best restaurants and dining 

establishments in our community. I encourage you 

to 

read through this issue, take note of our upcoming 

events, and add these events to your calendar. 

Additionally, keep your eye on the Beach Buzz, the 

Chamber’s weekly electronic communications coming 

into your inbox every Monday morning, for upcoming 

Chamber and community events. You get more out of 

your membership when you are engaged and are taking 

full advantage of all the opportunities the 

Chamber offers you and your business. 

If you’re ever looking for more ways to 

get involved, call the Chamber staff at 

(850) 235-1159. They are always eager 

to help move your business forward. 

Moving into the second quarter of the 

year, Panama City Beach is beginning to 

come alive as we prepare for our spring 

and summer guests. I encourage you 

to help Panama City Beach put our best 

foot forward this spring and all summer 

long. I believe we are positioned for a 

great season, and we want our community to shine. 

I look forward to seeing you soon at the next Chamber 

event. Thank you again for your membership and support 

of the Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce. 

Best regards, 

Paul Wohlford 

• FLORIDA 

Are You 

Connected 

to the 

Beach? 

Advertise your 

business in 

The Circuit! 

For Rates & 

Information 

Contact: 

Skip Alford 

(850) 628-3490 

Cyndi 

Ainsworth 

(850) 691-6259 

November/December 2011 


President’s Message 

What a year 2012 has already been for the 

Panama City Beach Chamber! We are 

constantly creating and 

implementing new ventures to better 

benefit our members. I have only a 

positive outlook that we will continue to 

move forward and continue to expand 

our membership opportunities. 

Having just celebrated the Chamber’s 

25th Anniversary at our Annual 

Dinner, the evening only received 

raving reviews, and was truly as 

elegant an evening as the white roses 

that surrounded us. Again, I want to 

congratulate all of our award recipients 

and thank them for all they have done for the Chamber 

and our great community. 

Our Annual Dining Out issue of The Circuit is always 

a favorite of mine. We take a closer look at some of our 

choice dining establishments and their specialty items. 

Panama City Beach has plenty of great food and we 

want to highlight all it has to offer. As you flip through 

the pages, you might find a delicious surprise or two! 

I want to continue to encourage everyone 

to get involved with the Chamber in 

any way they can. By participating in 

any one of our committees, or signing 

up to attend a Chamber events, these 

are just a few ways to benefit you in 

being a member. Continue to stay up 

to date by picking up the newest issue 

of The Circuit or opening our weekly 

electronic newsletter, the Beach Buzz. 

As Spring Break is upon us, take full 

advantage of our tourist information 

lobby to display your business 

brochures and coupons. This is just one benefit that I 

encourage all members to use. Thank you for continuing 

to support the Panama City Beach Chamber. There are 

only more great things to come in 2012! 

All the best, 

Beth Oltman, IOM 



309 Richard Jackson Blvd., Panama City Beach, FL 32407 

Phone: (850) 235-1159 Fax: (850) 235-2301 


2012 Board of Directors 

Chairman of the Board Paul Wohlford, Resort Collection of PCB 

Past Chairman Robert Carroll, McNeil Carroll Engineering 

Incoming Chairman Karen Blackerby, KAFA Construction 

Treasurer Derrick Bennett, Law Offices of Derrick Bennett, P.A. 

Secretary Darren Haiman, Nations Real Estate 

CPA John Johnson, Segers, Sowell, Stewart, Johnson & Brill, P.A. 

Legal Council Steven L. Applebaum 

The Board 

Lisa Adams, Thrive Partnership 

Jack Bishop, Breakers 

Mike Burke, Burke Blue Hutchison Walters & Smith, P.A. 

Felicia Cook, Pier Park 

Ryan C. Davis, Regions Bank 

Nancy Dodson, Gulf Coast Medical Center 

Ramon Duvall, Beachside Fellowship 

Pam George, Gulf World Marine Park 

Jorge Gonzalez, The St. Joe Company 

Paul Gryniewski, Oaseas Resorts 

Amy Harris, Royal American Hospitality 

Mark Hess, Ebro Greyhound Park 

Annie Holcombe, Bee Heard Consulting 

Kenny Jett, Bonefish Grill 

James Johnson, Gulf Coast Chiropractic & Rehab 

Jayna Leach, Sterling Resorts 

Pete Mallory, L3 Communications 

Procter McInnis, McInnis Builders 

David Powell, Brown & Brown Insurance 

Cil Schnitker, Knology 

Claire Sherman, Lamar Advertising 

Rebecca Spann, Bay Medical Foundation 

Honorary Board Members 

Mayor Gayle Oberst, City of Panama City Beach 

Dan Rowe, Tourist Development Council 

Neal Wade, Economic Development Alliance 

Dr. Ken Shaw, FSU PC 

Dr. Jim Kerley, GCCC 

John Skaggs, Naval Support Activity PC 

Chamber Staff 

Beth Oltman, IOM President & CEO 

Marta Rose Vice President Communications 

Jena Liles Finance & Operations Manager 

Skip Alford Director of Membership Development 

Cyndi Ainsworth Vice President Member Services 

Catherine Collins Events & Programs Coordinator 

Kristopher McLane Systems Coordinator 

Lauren Williams Lead-In Coordinator & Asst. to President 

Bertie Reynolds Chamber Lifelong Achievement Recipient 


THE CIRCUIT 

your connection to the beach 

march • a p ril 2012 

BE A LEADER 

OF LEADERS 

IN YOUR COMMUNITY 

SOME LIKE IT 

HOT 

18 

42 

32 

28 

The 3rd Annual 

Women’s Work-Life 

Symposium is coming 

J 

20 

35 

AIR & SEA 

10 Air & Sea 

FEATURES 

12 Business Spotlights 

18 Some Like It Hot 

20 Special Dining Out Issue 

28 A Few Minutes with Vickie Gainer 

32 World-Renowned Leaders to Speak at 

Chick-fil-A Leadercast 

33 3rd Annual Women’s Work-Life 

Symposium 

44 Ask the Doctor 

51 Health Update 

COMMITTEES 

50 Navigator 

50 H.Y.P.E. 

50 Education Partnership 

56 Candidates Forum hosted by Gov Affairs 

SEE & BE SEEN 

37 Chamber D.I.N.E. with Florida CFO 

Jeff Atwater 

38 First Friday with the Beach 

38 Business After Hours at WonderWorks 

40 Business After Hours at Carrabba’s 

Italian Grill 

42 Annual Dinner & 25th Anniversary Party 

AROUND TOWN 

54 Community Update, Mayor Gayle F. Oberst 

54 Gulf Coast Workforce Board, Kim Bodine 

54 FSU Panama City, Dr. Ken Shaw 

55 Gulf Coast State College, Dr. Jim Kerley 

55 Troy University, Lisa Kitto 

56 Bay EDA Update, Neal Wade 

56 TDC/CVB Update, Susan Estler 

MEMBERSHIP 

57 Membership Update 

57 Ambassador Update 

58 New & Renewing Members 

59 Ribbon Cuttings 

E D I T O R I A L S T A F F 

Publisher: Beth Oltman 

Editorial/Creative: Marta Rose 

Online Content: Kristopher McLane 

Contributing Writer: Lauren Williams 

Staff Photography: Skip Alford 

Social Media: Catherine Collins 

Production: Boyd Brothers Printing 

Advertising Sales: Skip Alford 

Cyndi Ainsworth 

Distribution: Coastal Communications 


from SPRINGY to CLINGY 

It all awaits you at Pier Park, conveniently located across the street 

from the beach and directly across from the City Pier. 

DILLARD’S • JC PENNEY • MARSHALL’S • JIMMY BUFFETT’S MARGARITAVILLE • RON JON SURF SHOP • THE GRAND 16 THEATRE 

600 Pier Park Drive, Panama City Beach, FL 32413 


Air & Sea 

Navy Invites Rev. Rufus Wood 

to Commemorate Martin 

Luther King Jr. Celebration 

The Naval Surface Warfare Center 

Panama City Division gathered together 

on January 11 at the NSA 

PC’s Long Glass Conference Center in observance 

of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

Commanding Officer Capt. Scott Pratt said 

the holiday served to commemorate one of 

the nation’s most influential American civil 

rights leaders. In 1994, to further commemorate 

a man who lived his life in service to others, 

Congress transformed the MLK holiday 

into a national day of community service. 

Guest speaker Rev. Dr. Rufus Wood Jr., a 

prominent local civil rights leader and reverend 

in Panama City, commended Capt. 

Pratt’s command for the center’s Science, 

Technology, Engineering and Mathematics 

community outreach programs to local 

schools, recognizing that these efforts embodied 

the core teachings of Rev. Dr. Martin 

Luther King Jr. “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

was a minister, an orator, a scholar, a theologian, 

an educator, a civil rights activist, and 

he was also a great humanitarian,” Wood 

said, “probably best remembered for this 

most famous speech given on the steps of the 

Lincoln Memorial when he told America, ‘I 

have a Dream.’” 

Wood recounted how Dr. Martin Luther King 

Jr. spoke the truth in the midst of adversity, 

but did so with courage, and that he stressed 

the importance of continuing education for 

all races equally. 

“If we’re going to prepare our younger generation 

then we need to encourage them to be 

educated,” he said. “I often remind them that 

if you think the price of education is expensive, 

try paying for ignorance. I tell young 

people if you don’t continue developing your 

mind, then you will always be controlled by 

the thoughts and opinions of other people.” 

Pictured left: Panama City Navy leadership 

present Rev. Rufus Wood a ‘Respect and 

Appreciation Award’ on January 11, 2012 for 

serving as keynote speaker. From left: Dr. 

Jermaine Kennedy; Cmdr. Anthony Anglin; Rev. 

Rufus Wood, Ph.D.; Capt. Scott Pratt. 

 

Naval Warfare Center Awards 

Top Performers 

The Naval Surface Warfare Center 

Panama City Division recently presented 

awards to employees whose 

efforts demonstrated leadership and dedication 

above and beyond their respective calls 

of duty. Commanding Officer Capt. Scott 

Pratt presided over the all hands ceremony 

held at the Naval Support Activity Panama 

City Long Glass Conference Center. 

Award categories for the year 2011 included 

Collaboration Excellence, Exemplary Leadership, 

Outstanding Fleet Support, Outstanding 

Innovation, Outstanding Organizational Support, 

Outstanding Program Success, Technical 

Excellence and the Dr. David P. Skinner Award 

for Scientific and Engineering Achievement. 

Individuals honored with a 2011 Panama City 

Division Annual Award included: 

• Tom Cothern was presented the award for 

Collaboration Excellence for demonstrating 

excellence in collaborative relationships in 

his position as Littoral Combat Ship Mission 

Package Certification Manager. 

• Lanshava Booker received the award for 

Exemplary Leadership. Booker leads a team 

of computer an electronic engineers developing 

unmanned vehicles command and control 

systems for the Navy’s newest platform, 

the Littoral Combat Ship. 

• Roger Hawkins received the Outstanding 

Fleet Support award. Under Hawkins’ 

leadership, over 75 Airborne Mine Countermeasures 

technical manuals were put in one 

electronic location centralizing computer 

based training improving efficiency for Fleet 

manual and equipment maintenance. 

• Harold Suiter was recognized with the 

Outstanding Innovation award for harnessing 

techniques used by the astronomical 

community to help substantially improve 

the distance at which objects in turbid water 

could be identified with low-cost cameras. 

The resulting capability will reduce risk to 

operators by reducing the time spent to re- 


Air & Sea 

acquire and neutralize targets in turbid water 

environments. 

• Nicole Kidd was presented the Outstanding 

Organizational Support award for helping 

NSWC PCD’s Information Technology 

Division to modernize methodology and reduce 

the time and effort required to manage 

Plant and Minor Property inventory, resulting 

in a cost avoidance of over $750,000. 

• Robert Moore received the Outstanding 

Program Success award for his management 

of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle 

Buffalo project. His leadership resulted 

in multiple improvements to the MRAP vehicle, 

strengthening the war fighting ability 

of U.S. Marines in the field. 

• Tracy Nye was presented the Technical 

Excellence award. Nye served as the Scenario 

Working Group Lead for the LCS 

MCM Mission Package Test and Evaluation 

team for Fiscal Year 2011. Nye’s efforts 

helped to ensure that technical risks 

were mitigated, and led the team to the first 

successful operation of multiple off board 

vehicles from the LCS. 

• Ted Clem received the Dr. David P. Skinner 

Award for Outstanding Scientific and Engineering 

Achievement. Between FY 02 and 

FY 11, Clem led the Buried Mine Identification 

program, a cutting edge effort funded by 

the Office of Naval Research to integrate a 

suite of sensors into autonomous underwater 

vehicles and demonstrate the ability to identify 

buried targets in at-sea experiments. In 

FY 10, Clem and his team also participated 

in a mission to use one of the autonomous 

buried mine hunting systems to locate the remains 

of the Bonhomme Richard, which was 

lost in a battle off the coast of England during 

the revolutionary war. 

Pictured opposite page, right: Front row, from 

left: Capt. Scott Pratt, Ted Clem, Robert Moore, 

Harold Suiter and Ed Stewart. Back row, from left: 

Roger Hawkins, Lanshava Booker, Nicole Kidd 

and Tom Cothern. Not present: Tracy Nye. 

 

Tyndall’s Pelican Point Golf 

Course Open to the Public 

Pelican Point Golf Course, located on 

Tyndall Air Force base, is now open 

to all interested golfers. No longer 

limited to military and base personnel, the 

public can access the course simply by completing 

a background check. 

Sprawling over 120 acres along the shore 

of St. Andrews Bay, the Pelican Point Golf 

Course boasts a championship 18 hole 

course, renovated greens, fully equipped Pro 

Shop and a snack bar overlooking the water. 

With specials for as low as $25, a day on 

the links is not only scenic, but affordable. 

Pelican Point also offer excellent tournament 

packages for groups of all sizes. 

Golfers can obtain an access pass to get on 

the base by visiting www.PelicanPointGolf. 

com/pass and fill out the Background Affidavit 

and a DD 1172 forms located on the 

site. Fax the two completed forms to Pelican 

Point at (850) 286-5182. Once the background 

check has been completed you will 

be contacted by a Pelican Point staff member 

and will be issued a pass good for 6 months. 

For additional information contact Pelican 

Point Golf Course at (850) 286-2565 or visit 

PelicanPointGolf.com. 

 

Advanced Divers Mask Earns 

Employee Accolades 

For offering a clearer vision for 

U.S. Navy divers, a Naval Surface 

Warfare Center Panama City Division 

(NSWC PCD) employee was named 

the Federal Laboratory Consortium 2012 

Excellence in Technology Transfer award 

recipient. 

Dennis Gallagher, lead project engineer and 

inventor of the Advanced Diver’s Mask- 

Mounted Display System in the NSWC 

PCD Underwater Systems Development 

and Acquisition branch, earned the award 

for his work on the Advanced Diver’s Mask- 

Mounted Display System to the Navy’s Fleet 

Explosive Ordnance Disposal assets. The 

mask was made available to Navy divers in 

December 2011. 

 


Business Spotlights 

Sunshine’s Acquisition 

Sunshine Shuttle has acquired Trumpet 

Coach of Chipley, FL, making the 

business a major transportation 

company in Northwest Florida. The recent 

acquisition also expands Sunshine into 

a more diverse transportation company, 

offering sedans, limousines, vans, local 

shuttle vehicles and now, Sunshine Coach, 

the new arm of the business featuring luxury 

motor coaches. During peak season, the 

company will employ about 40 workers. 

Sunshine began in 2002 by owner John 

Finch as a secondary business interest. When 

Finch’s development investments dissolved, 

he concentrated his entrepreneurial efforts on 

the transportation company. The company 

has seen double-digit growth three years in a 

row, and Finch says he expects even greater 

things with his latest expansion. 

Finch plans to capitalize on the success of the 

21-year-old Trumpet Coach and says there 

are 26 charters already on the books. “Calls 

to Trumpet now come into our central office 

where we use state of the art reservation and 

dispatch software and equipment. We have 

people available 24/7.” 

Sunshine works closely with many high-end 

resorts along the Northwest Florida coastline 

to provide transportation to the three major 

Panhandle airports. The company is the 

designated transportation provider for 

Southwest Airlines personnel in northwest 

Florida, and is the official transportation 

courier for events such as the Panama City 

Beach Jazz Festival. 

 

Beach Chamber Wins Two 2012 

ADDY ® Awards 

The American Advertising Federation 

(AAF) of Panama City announced 

the winners of the coveted ADDY® 

Awards competition, honoring creative 

excellence in advertising, on February 4th 

at the FSU-PC Holley Academic Center. 

The ADDY® Awards Gala was attended by 

individuals of the local advertising and media 

businesses. Of the 155 entries received by 

AAF, 36 gold ADDY® Awards and 53 silver 

ADDY® Awards were presented. 

The Panama City Beach Chamber of 

Commerce received two Silver ADDY 

Awards, for the 

Planner (Consumer or Trade Publication 

division) and for the Chamber’s website, 

PCBeach.org (Interactive Media division). 

Entries were judged based on creativity, 

originality and creative strategy. 

Pictured above right (from left): Lauren Williams, 

Marta Rose, Skip Alford, Beth Oltman, Kristopher 

McLane, Cyndi Ainsworth. 

 

Beach Bux 

Beach Bux was launched in January 

2011 with the purpose of using social 

media and the Internet to bring small 

businesses and customers together. Business 

owners take advantage of affordable 

advertising rates to showcase themselves 

through printable and mobile coupons on 

BeachBux.com. Beach Bux then promotes 

that coupon through any means possible 

including the Beach Bux Blog, where every 

coupon is linked twice, the Beach Bux 

Facebook page, and Google+ pages where 

each coupon is displayed in photo albums. 

Leslie Brashear, creator and owner of Beach 

Bux, has made it her business to know how 

to effectively use these networks to market 

the coupons, and in less than one year has 

built the fan base to impressive numbers. 

She has worked hard to bring the site up in 

rankings, so that it’s easily found when locals 

or tourists are searching for coupons. 

The second phase of Beach Bux is the Beach 

Deals site. Through Beach Deals, customers 

can find larger discounts by purchasing in 

advance right on the website. “I’ve always 

had two goals for my business,” says Leslie, 

“To help small businesses in this area become 

successful, and to help consumers find good 

places to spend their money on the things 

they want or need.” 

Visit Beach Bux at beachbux.com and Beach 

Deals at deals.beachbux.com. Join the fun 

on Facebook at facebook.com/beachbux. 

 

Laketown Wharf Extends 

Christmas Spirit into New Year 

with Charitable Donation 

Laketown Wharf gives community 

residents reason to celebrate peace 

and goodwill beyond the holiday 

season, presenting a charitable donation 

of $2,000 to local non-profit Anchorage 

Children’s Home of Panama City. The 

contribution stems from funds raised during 

Laketown’s inaugural holiday extravaganza, 


Nurture your family tree 

in a Viking kitchen. 

“Christmas at Laketown.” The festival took 

place in December, spotlighting a vibrant 

lineup of activities and live entertainment: 

caroling, Christmas tree lightings, food and 

seasonal treats, local merchants and a holiday 

light show. Family fun included photos with 

the jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus. As the 

event’s showpiece, Laketown featured a silent 

auction. Visitors were invited to bid on a 

variety of items to raise additional funds for 

Anchorage Children’s Home as this year’s 

official beneficiary. 

“We’re thrilled to see the outpouring of support 

from our local partners, as well as the area 

residents and visitors who made the inaugural 

‘Christmas at Laketown’ event a success,” 

noted Bob Picconi, COA general manager 

of Laketown Wharf Resort Community 

Association. “Laketown is committed to 

giving back to the local community, and we 

look forward to growing next year’s event.” 

Pictured above (from left): Kyla Pugh, Johnny 

Budding (Both Laketown event organizers); Brooke 

Bullard, Development Director, Anchorage; Bob 

Picconi, Laketown Association/Property Manager. 

 

GM Appliance 

1217 Harrison Avenue 

Panama City, FL 32401 

850-769-7043 



Cloud 9: Dream or Reality? 

pinch me please, I 

must be dreaming.” You know 

“Somebody 

that feeling don’t you? It comes 

when you have those “cloud nine” moments 

in life that take you by surprise. You know 

when you experience it, and you often try to 

make it back to that place. 

This thought comes to mind when Scooter 

Ward, founder, manager and performer 

of Cloud 9 Orchestra goes out on stage. 

“Performing has always been something 

I’ve enjoyed all throughout my life,” he says. 

“The C9O experience is very special to me 

because of all the rich detail associated with 

it. This is only a preview of the journey; I 

hope you’ll visit cloud9orchestra.com to 

read the story in its entirety.” 

The seed of the idea was planted in Scooter’s 

mind back in 2009, after singing background 

vocals on tour with Denver and the Mile High 

Orchestra during two concerts in the panhandle. 

Inspired with resolve, he pursued a vision he 

had for a band of his own. Enter the Cloud 9 

Orchestra, a “Little Big” Band of professional 

musicians, playing both secular and religious 

venues. C9O is setup as a 10-piece band; 

however, it is flexible and can range in size 

from a 5-piece combo to a full, 17-piece big 

band, playing a wide range of musical genres. 

“I desire to use the band to give folks 

a ‘cloud nine’ experience wherever we 

perform,” he says. For more information, 

visit cloud9orchestra.com, where you’ll 

find bios on the members, video, streaming 

mp3’s and links to upcoming events. 

 

Sand in Her Shoes 

When Linda Kirk, pictured above 

right, moved to Panama City 

Beach, she brought with her 14 

years of experience as both a real estate agent 

and a broker. With multiple awards in sales 

and community service, she has a unique understanding 

of what it means to be a contributing 

member of a municipality. 

Prior to her real estate career, Linda was coowner 

of a furniture store chain for twenty 

years, and built two homes and remodeled 

five. It was then that she decided she liked 

dealing with homes more than selling furniture, 

and she obtained her real estate license in 

Virginia. She does admit, however, that she’s 

always had sand in her shoes because of the 

many trips to Panama City Beach over her 

lifetime. When she made the decision to relocate, 

she decided she would join the best real 

estate company or none at all. After one interview 

with Coldwell Banker United Realtors, 

Linda knew she had found the right place. 

As a Beach Chamber Ambassador, Linda 

continues her community service along with 

her successful real estate career. Let her put 

her talents to work for you by contacting her 

at (850) 630-0044. When you list or buy 

with Linda Kirk, START PACKING! 

 

Kaleidoscope Theatre Presents 

“The Nerd” 

March 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31 at 7:30 pm 

March 18, 25 and April 1 at 2:00 pm 

The Nerd is a spring tonic of sidebruising 

laughter that centers on 

the hilarious dilemma of a young 

architect who is visited by a man he’s never 

met, but who saved his life in Vietnam. The 

visitor turns out to be an incredibly inept, 

hopelessly stupid “nerd” who outstays his 

welcome with a vengeance. Directed by 

Bunnie Hibbard and Harley Benner, the 

production features Jason Betz, Jason Blanks, 

Chuck Giambra, Doug Gilliland, Renee 

Ryals, Daphne Lewis and Ben Webber. 

For reservations and savings of $1 off door 

prices, call Kaleidoscope Theatre at (850) 265- 

3226. Adults cost $16; Military and Seniors 

cost $15; Students cost $8. Kaleidoscope 

Theatre, now in it’s 41st Season, is located 

at 207 E. 24th St. in Lynn Haven. For more 

information visit kt-online.org. 

 

Three Reasons You’ll Love the 

MiFi by Verizon Wireless 

Need High Speed internet on the 

go? Check out Verizon Wireless’s 

MiFi, which automatically 

connects to Verizon Wireless Mobile 

Broadband service, giving broadband 

Internet access to up to five Wi-Fi–enabled 

devices. You and your colleagues will 

be able to check email, access corporate 

intranets, download files, send pictures 

with a Wi-Fi–enabled camera, and 

access the Internet on any Wi-Fi–enabled 

device, even when you’re nowhere near 

a traditional hotspot. The MiFi device is 

about the size of eight stacked credit cards 

and weighs just over two ounces, so it’s 

ultra-portable. With MiFi, the office is 

anywhere you want it to be, on America’s 

largest and most reliable 3G/4G network. 


Here are three reasons you’ll love it: 

1. You can forget about complex sign-ons 

 

Simply power it on with the press of one 

button and connect your devices. Create your 

own personal hotspot anywhere on America’s 

largest and most reliable 3G/4G network. 

2. You can connect more devices. 

Mobile Broadband isn’t just for notebooks 

anymore. Now you can use it on your netbook, 

camera, MP3 player, PDA, or any other Wi- 

Fi–enabled device. Provide a wireless hub for 

up to five devices at one time. 

3. Tiny device, huge performance. 

It might look basic, but there’s a lot of power 

packed into this little device: 

Enjoy typical 

download speeds of 600 KB to 1.4 MB and 

typical upload speeds of 500 to 800 KB. 

Small enough to carry in your 

shirt pocket, it features an internal antenna so 

there are no outer parts to break. 

The device 

comes loaded with VZAccess Manager and 

user guides for Windows® and Mac.® No 

CDs required. 

Keep would-be trespassers 

from using your connection with password 

protection and a variety of authentifications, 

identifications and filtering. 

Visit one of three Verizon Wireless 

locations at Panama City Mall (850) 785- 

1400 in the food court; at 11560 Panama 

City Beach Pkwy. (850) 233-2113 near 

Home Depot; and the new location in 

Callaway (850) 481-0911. 

 

Panama City Beach Pirates 

The Panama City Beach Pirates joined 

the United Soccer League (USL) 

family in November 2011 as part of 

the Southeast Division, within the 73 teams 

that make up the Premier Development 

League (PDL) throughout the United States, 

Canada, Bermuda. Owners Eehab Kenawy, 

M.D., Jill Holt and Amy Dalton want to bring 

a high level of soccer to Panama City Beach 

to promote and grow the international game of 

soccer within our community and Northwest 

Florida. 

The PDL is a training ground for the best players 

in the country including NCAA & NAIA 

College players as well as foreign players who 

are looking to play at the next level of soccer. 

The PDL is used as a stepping stone for many 

talented young men who aspire to play on a 

USL Pro or Major League Soccer team. 

The Panama City Beach Pirates will play a 

total of 16 games over the summer against 

teams from across Florida and Mississippi. 

They also have a possibility to play in the PDL 

Championship and US Open Cup where they 

will be matched against teams from the Major 

League Soccer , challenging themselves to the 

highest level of soccer in the country. 

All games will be played at Mike Gavlak Stadium 

(Arnold High School) in Panama City 

Beach. The Pirates season runs from May to 

July with 8 home games and an anticipated 

attendance of 500-700 people per game this 

first season. 

The Panama City Beach Pirates PDL Franchise 

and it’s programs will provide numerous 

opportunities to players of all ages through 

camps, clinics, tournaments and special 

events throughout the season and off season. 

The opportunities that the USL and PDL offer 

our community are unmatched in Northwest 

Florida and the Southeast, as we are the only 

PDL Franchise within a 5 hour drive giving us 

the exclusive benefits of such a high level of 

soccer and programs to assist our youth and 

the development of youth soccer. 

 

Bonefish Grill 

Grand Panama 

Resort 

Thursday, April 19 

5 - 7 pm 

Sponsored by Panhandle 

Educators FCU 

Boatyard Restaurant 

Thursday, May 17 

5 - 7 pm 

Holley Academic Center 

Friday, June 8 

5 - 7 pm 



al.com Adds Sales Force in 

Northwest Florida 

al.com, Alabama’s largest website 

with 2.8 million unique monthly 

visitors*, has hired Lee Ann 

Leonard to lead sales efforts in the 

Gulf Coast region. After more than one year 

as BookIt.com’s Panama City Beach Market 

Manager, Leonard continues to serve the 

travel industry in a newly-created position at 

al.com as Gulf Coast Account Executive. 

“As the demand for digital content and 

advertising grows, our need for more talent 

grows,” noted President and CEO Cindy 

Martin. “We’re proud to welcome Lee Ann to 

our sales team to grow our advertising client 

base and build relationships in Northwest 

Florida.” 

Prior to entering the dot-com arena, Leonard 

acted as General Manager for By The Sea 

Resorts, Inc., a Panama City Beach hotel 

chain including five gulf-front properties and 

a restaurant, for nearly six years. Leonard’s 

experience includes one year as marketing 

director for the Holiday Inn SunSpree, 

Panama City Beach and more than ten years 

as marketing director for WPGX, Fox 28. 

*ComScore Media Metrix, May 2010 

 

Pier Park Adds New Stores, Dining 

Options and Entertainment 

Pier Park, Northwest Florida’s largest 

entertainment, dining and shopping 

complex, is pleased to announce 

new additions this year. The outdoor 

development attracts tourists as well as an 

expanding residential base to its dramatic 

waterside location with an exciting collection 

of anchor stores, specialty shops, restaurants, 

entertainment, parks and coastal amenities. 

Looking for a great meal and a fun 

atmosphere? Dick’s Last Resort features 

outrageous, surly and energetic wait staff, 

tasty comfort food and live entertainment. 

Just in time for Spring Break, Rum Runners 

will open in the “E” Shops just south of the 

Grand Theatre, offering a casual dining 

atmosphere, full-service bar, dueling piano 

shows in a tropical Caribbean-style setting. 

A variety of new shops, some being first in 

the market, are opening in 2012. French 

Charmed, located on the Boardwalk near 

Polka Dots Toys & Gifts, offers French country 

décor and European-inspired goods; many of 

the collections are unique and expertly hand 

crafted. Francesca’s Collections specializes 

in gifts, apparel, home accessories and jewelry 

reflecting fashionable styles from all over the 

world; located in the Town Center. 

Charming Charlie, also located in the 

Town Center, is a unique fashion accessory 

boutique designed to help women of all 

ages complete their outfits, regardless of the 

occasion or mood. Pepper Palace, located 

on the Boardwalk’s west side, will offer a 

variety of spicy food products from hot sauces 

to habanero corn bread mix. Celebrated by 

many trend savvy shoppers, Forever 21 will 

boast more than 23,205-square-feet of space, 

occupying the former Border’s location, 

offering a variety of apparel, shoes and 

accessories aimed at customers of all ages. 

 

HomeRun Advantage Applies 

Innovative Business Model 

Founded in 2012 as Northwest Florida’s 

newest vacation rental management 

company, HomeRun Advantage 

fits vacation homeowners with programs 

suited to their individual management and 

maintenance needs. With leadership whose 

experience equals decades of hotel and resort 

management, HomeRun Advantage is able 

to control the vacation rental experience 

while homeowners control their costs. 

“This is a new type of vacation rental 

management company that bases itself 

around simplicity, honesty, and most 

importantly, money in the homeowner’s 

pocket,” says Michael Austin, vice president 

of HomeRun Advantage. “We’re excited to 

bring something to the property management 

field that is extremely profitable for the owner, 

as well as basic and simple to understand.” 

By removing the extra overhead that has become 

unnecessary in today’s modern management 

world, the company is able to offer options 

with appropriate subcategories, allowing the 

company to charge very competitive rates 

for service. HomeRun Advantage does not 

take a percent of the room revenue, allowing 

homeowners to take home 100 %. 

“The bottom line is there are no monthly 

fees and owners know what to expect,” 

Austin says. “At HomeRun Advantage, the 

owner controls the costs while we control the 

vacation rental experience.” 

 


LaketownWharf.com 

9902 South Thomas Drive 

Panama City Beach, Florida 32408 

850.628.1490 

10th Floor 

Sky-Level Pool 

12 month leases available 

THERE’S VERY LITTLE 

BETWEEN YOU AND LIVING WELL. 

Experience extraordinary living on a grand scale. 

· 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom floor plans 

· Gulf, lake & golf course views 

· Private lake with dancing waters 

· 5 Amazing swimming pools 

· Restaurants & retail shopping 

· Advanced fitness center 

· Theater, pier & boardwalk 

· Kids playground 

· Controlled access entry 

· Covered garage parking 

· Convenient beach access 


“SOME LIKE IT HOT” Chef Review 

 

Schlotzsky’s & Cinnabon 

New in Panama City Beach 

“Schlotzsky’s has been serving up hot, toasted sandwiches 

on made-from-scratch sour dough bread for 40 

years. With the addition of salads, pizzas, wraps and 

Cinnabon, you can find something to please the whole 

family.” 

The new Schlotzsky’s in Panama City 

Beach was built with the company’s 

rebranding efforts in mind, which include 

a newly designed restaurant, a co-branding 

deal with Cinnabon® and a new service 

model where crew members hand-deliver 

food to the tables. Everything, from tables and 

chairs to circular-themed local photography 

featuring tongue-in-cheek phrases, is designed 

to entertain and cater to the guest. 

“We’ve been in the Panama City Beach location 

for just over a year now and the community 

has made us feel so welcome,” says 

owner Umesh Patel. “We are proud of our 

food and our service, and look forward to 

serving our customers at this location for 

many years to come. I’m confident that all 

it takes is a taste, and you’ll be a life-long 

Schlotzsky’s fan!” 

When you enter the restaurant, the smell 

of fresh-baked bread and the scent of Cinnabon’s 

homemade rolls welcome you. 

Guests can enjoy 15 different sandwiches on 

Schlotzsky’s famous unique round freshly 

baked buns, as well as wraps, gourmet pizzas 

made with Fresh-from-Scratch® crusts, 

freshly tossed salads and a variety of soups. 

Cinnabon, which is recognized for their deliciously 

sweet, homemade treats, was a natural 

addition to the restaurant, and guests can 

enjoy a number of options, including the Cinnabon® 

Classic Roll and CinnaPacks. 

With our addictive recipes, upbeat surroundings 

and funny sayings, Schlotzsky’s is adding 

tremendous flavor to the Panama City 

Beach quick-casual dining scene. 

 


LIMITED 

TIME 

ONLY 

15801 L.C. Hilton Jr. Dr. Panama City Beach schlotzskys.com 

Buy 2 Cinnabon ® Classic 

Rolls get one 

FREE 

$ 

2 OFF 

with purchase of $ 15 or more 

Offer expires 04/30/2012 Offer expires 04/30/2012 

Good only with original coupon at 15801 L.C. Hilton Jr. Dr. Schlotzsky’s ® 

restaurant. Limit one coupon per person, per visit. Not valid with any other offer, 

sandwich meal or kid’s meal. ©2012 Schlotzsky’s Franchise LLC. All rights reserved. 

Good only with original coupon at 15801 L.C. Hilton Jr. Dr. Schlotzsky’s ® 

restaurant. Limit one coupon per person, per visit. Not valid with any other offer, 

sandwich meal or kid’s meal. ©2012 Schlotzsky’s Franchise LLC. All rights reserved. 


RESTAURANTS 

3 Brothers from Italy Pizza 

8815B Thomas Drive 

Panama City Beach, FL 32408 

(850) 708-1273 

3bpizza.com 

Angelo’s Steak Pit 

9527 Front Beach Road 


(850) 234-2531 

Angelos-steakpit.com 

Another Broken Egg 

11535 Hutchison Blvd 


(850) 249-2007 

anotherbrokenegg.com 

Back Porch Seafood & Oyster House 



(850) 233-1750 

srgcorp.net 

Bayou on the Beach Cafe & Oyster Bar 

11115 Hutchison Blvd. 


(850) 249-3478 

bayouonthebeach.com 

Beef O’ Brady’s 

13800 Panama City Beach Pkwy. 

Suite 110-111 


(850) 249-1551 

beefobradys.com 

Billy’s Oyster Bar 

3000 Thomas Drive 


(850) 235-2349 

Boatyard 

5323 N. Lagoon Drive 


(850) 249-9273 

boatyardclub.com 

 

11535 Hutchison Blvd 


(850) 249-0428 

 

20 THE CIRCUIT March/April 2012 

Boon Docks Restaurant 

14854 Bay View Circle (West Bay) 


(850) 230-0005

Breakers Restaurant 



(850) 234-6060 

breakerspcbeach.com 

Buffalo Wild Wings 

701 Pier Park Drive, Bldg. C, Suite 100 


(850) 236-0325 

buffalowildwings.com 

Burger King 



(850) 234-5257 

bk.com 

C-Level Bar & Grill 



(850) 233-3564 

clevelpcb.com 

Cahall’s Deli 

416 W. 23rd Street 


(850) 769-7739 

cahallsdeli.com 

The Cantina Bar & Grill 

 


(850) 233-6228 

Capt’s Table Fish House Restaurant 

1110 Beck Avenue 


(850) 767-9933 

Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant & 

Waterfront Market 



(850) 234-2225 

captanderson.com 

Capt. Jack’s Family Buffet 



(850) 236-8555 

captjackspcbeach.com 

Carrabba’s Italian Grill 



(850) 230-4522 

carrabbas.com 

 

11428 PCB Pkwy. 


(850) 234-9540 

 

Dead Eye Dick’s Steakhouse 



(850) 249-3425 

deadeyedickssteakhouse.com 

Dick’s Last Resort 



(850) 588-0631 

dickslastresort.com 

Dirty Dick’s Crabhouse 



(850) 234-7900 

dirtydickscrabs.com 

Fatty’s Sandwich Shop 



(850) 249-1515 

fattysandwichshop.com 


535 Richard Jackson Blvd. 


(850) 249-3359 

Firehouse Subs 



(850) 819-8392 

 

& Fries 

700 Pier Park Drive 

Suite 100, Bldg. D 


(850) 233-3890 

 

8730 Thomas Drive, Suite 1108 


(850) 235-3300 

 



(850) 588-8450 

 

701 Pier Park Drive, Suite 155 


(850) 235-4632 

Schooner’s 

Unquestionably a historical place for Panama 

City Beach residents, Schooner’s definitely has 

earned its reputation as the last local beach club. 

Maintaining their reputation of having the freshest 

seafood, they buy their seafood every morning 

from a local boat captain. Schooner’s chefs 

grill every dish to perfection, capturing all the savory, 

natural juices of the fish. Enjoy the sunset 

on their deck with the gulf only footsteps away... 

there’s no way you won’t “Love This Bar!” 

(850) 235-3555 schooners.com 

Boon Docks 

Work up an appetite for savory southern food 

when heading to this local hideaway. Delectable 

seafood entrees in their original breading recipe 

make this hidden landmark a must for anyone 

craving a home-style meal. Boondocks offers 

its customers an authentic old fish house atmosphere 

that sits directly on the West Bay, and a 

warm, family friendly staff. Enjoy live music 

on their newly constructed fish boat stage with a 

bowl of their famous fried pickles. 

(850) 230-0005 

 


(850) 650-3656 

 

16201C Front Beach Road 


(850) 233-8232 

 



(850) 249-5112 

Another Broken Egg 

If breakfast is your favorite meal of the day, then 

Another Broken Egg is where to eat! Living by 

their philosophy of “Nothing short of right is 

right,” the Egg has earned its reputation for having 

an impeccable breakfast and brunch menu. If 

it’s something hearty you crave, try one of their 

eggs-trordinary omelets. If you have a sweet 

tooth in the morning, their bananas foster pancakes 

are to die for. Another Broken Egg is one 

of the benefits of being a morning person. 

(850) 249-2007 

Lotus Cafe 

Get back to the basics and try Lotus Zen Garden 

Café for an organic cuisine experience. At Lotus, 

different fresh and organic produce come in 

weekly to optimize quality to its customers. Delicious 

salads, veggie sandwiches, smoothies and 

wraps flood their menu with healthy, gratifying 

selections. This is no bland organic restaurant; 

their variety of herbs and spices are sure to liven 

up your taste buds! Stop on by for “Food and 

Drink for Health and Happiness.” 

(850) 234-1651 zengardenmarket.com 


? 

Hooters 



(850) 230-9464 

Boatyard 

With Boatyard’s main attraction being its prime 

waterfront location, its exquisite sushi menu is 

just rice on the fish! Sushi chef Slade Christmas 

brings a modern twist to the sushi here, and a delicious 

one at that. Boatyard is not your everyday 

Japanese sushi bar, which makes for a creative 

twist to your everyday seafood restaurant. Original 

chef rolls such as the Banana Spider, Mona 

Lisa and Millionaire keep the sushi enthusiasts 

coming back for more. 

(850) 249-9273 boatyardclub.com 

Triple J Steakhouse 

Triple J Steakhouse encompasses everything a 

steakhouse should be. They believe that a great 

meal should start from the ingredients and follow 

through all the way to the plate. As a local favorite 

for top-notch steak, any choice you make 

is good (all steaks are Certified Angus Beef), 

whether it’s the slow cooked prime rib or the tender, 

delicious filet mignon. Pair your favorite cut 

of meat with one of Triple J’s famous side dishes 

for a most appetizing experience. 

(850) 233-9514 triplejsteakhouse.com 

Kentucky Fried Chicken 



(850) 235-2879 

Lady Anderson Dining 

Yacht 



(800) 360-0510 

Liza’s Kitchen 


Suite L 


(850) 233-9000 

Longhorn Steak House 



(850) 233-4980 

Dick’s Last Resort 

Look out, Panama City Beach! Dick’s Last 

Resort has invaded Pier Park with its energetic 

wait-staff and ridiculous humor. If an outrageous 

experience is what you’re craving, then this is 

the place to satisfy your want. Get your menu 

shouted to you, absorb questionable bands, and 

just enjoy all the fun. Guests will leave with a 

2-foot tall paper hat, maybe a bruised ego and a 

smile on their face. This is the “Joint yer mama 

warned you about.” 

(850) 588-0631 dickslastresort.com 

Liza’s Kitchen 

Liza’s Kitchen can be described as a quaint little 

beach sandwich shop, but a fantastic one at that. 

With their philosophy of “using the freshest ingredients 

and not cutting corners,” you won’t 

find anything processed or store bought here. 

Liza’s makes everything from their bread to their 

mayonnaise; you won’t even make a sandwich at 

home that fresh. With Liza’s infinite number of 

build-your-own sandwich choices, you could enjoy 

a different sandwich every day of the year. 

(850) 233-9000 lovelizas.com 

Los Antojitos 

4809 Highway 98 


(850) 784-6633 

Los Rancheros Mexican 

Restaurant 



(850) 249-5195 

Lotus Cafe 



(850) 234-1651 


Margaritaville 



(850) 235-7870 

margaritaville.com 

Matty’s Irish Pub 



(850) 249-4890 

mattyspub.com 

McDonald’s Restaurant 

16990 West Alt. Hwy 98 


(850) 897-3169 

mcdonalds.com 

McDonald’s Restaurant 



(850) 234-6096 

mcdonalds.com 

Mike’s Café & Oyster Bar 



(850) 234-1942 

mikespcb.com 

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant 



(850) 235-4225 

olivegarden.com 

Panera Bread 

 


(850) 235-6325 

panerabread.com 

Papa John’s Pizza 

11160 Panama City Beach Pkwy. Ste 406 


(850) 230-3777 

papajohns.com 

Pineapple Willy’s 

9875 S. Thomas Drive 


(850) 235-0928 

pineapplewillys.com 

Pompanos Restaurant 



(850) 233-9080 

discoverpompanos.com 

Red Brick Pizza 

801 Pier Park Drive, Suite A-100 


(850) 236-1413 

redbrickpizza.com 

Reggae J’s Island Grill 



(850) 233-1790 

reggaejs.com 

Saltwater Grill 



(850) 233-6033 

saltwatergrillpcb.com 

Scampy’s 



(850) 235-4209 

Schlotzsky’s/Cinnabon 

15801 LC Hilton Jr. Drive, Suite 100 


(850) 236-8900 

schlotzskys.com 


Schooner’s 

5121 Gulf Drive 


(850) 235-3555 

schooners.com 

Shane’s Rib Shack 



(850) 249-8111 

shanesribshack.com 

Shrimp Boat Restaurant/Gracie Rae/ 

St. Andrews Seafood Market 

1201 Beck Avenue 


(850) 785-8706 

theshrimpboatrestaurant.com 

Smok ‘n Butts BBQ 

15801 LC Hilton Jr. Drive, Suite 105 


(850) 625-5047 

Sonny’s Bar-B-Q 



(850) 230-4742 

sonnysbbq.com 

Spicy Noodle Italian Bistro 

13667 East Emerald Coast Pkwy. 


(850) 231-0955 

spicy-noodle.com 

Spinnaker Beach Club & Paradise Grill 



(850) 234-7892 

spinnakerbeachclub.com 

Tacky Jack’s 



(850) 230-2347 

piratescovemarinapcb.com 

T.G.I. Fridays 

1022 W. 23rd Street 


(850) 747-0537 

tgifridays.com 

The Original J. Michael’s Restaurant 



(850) 233-2055 

jmichaelsrestaurant.com 

Triple J Steakhouse 



(850) 233-9514 

triplejsteakhouse.com- 

Tropical Smoothie 


Suite 101 


(850) 588-8470 

tropicalsmoothie.com 

Zaxby’s 



(850) 233-6000 

zaxbys.com 

SEAFOOD 

MARKETS 

Buddy Gandy Seafood 

3004 Highway 98 


(850) 784-0663 

buddygandysseafood.com 



Buddy’s Seafood 

111 S. Highway 79 


(850) 234-2609 

buddysseafoodmarket.com 

West Bay Seafood 

6513 West Bay Landing Lane 


(850) 588-8585 

BAKERIES 

Dunkin’ Donuts 



(850) 230-4443 

dunkindonuts.com 

It Takes A Cake 

203 N. Arnold Road 


(850) 249-9220 

ittakesacakepcb.com 

ICE CREAM / YOGURT 

CONFECTIONS 

Bippy’s By The Beach 

801 Pier Park 

Suite 105 


(850) 233-8356 

bippysbythebeach.com 

Dippin Dots 



(850) 249-8800 

dippindots.com 

Penguin Parlor 

1306 New York Avenue 

Lynn Haven, FL 32444 

(850) 819-4444 

BARS SERVING FOOD 

Buckaloo’s Saloon & Oyster Bar 

6628 Thomas Dr. 


(850) 249-5270 

buckaloospcb.com 

Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge 

700 S. Pier Park Drive 

Suite 170 


(850) 236-3459 

tootsies.net 


a few minutes 

vickie 

gainer 

ickie Gainer has over 25 years in 

PR, marketing and communications. 

She is currently the marketing director 

for , where 

her tenacious drive 

and profound expertise 

in marketing and 

communications has 

helped her to continue 

to ascend her career. 

“I love my job here 

at , 

and the people I work 

with,” says Gainer. “I 

have an opportunity to 

make an impact in the community as well as 

utilize my skills and expertise.” Gainer oversees 

many of the marketing strategies for audience 

development, advertising, new products 

and newspaper branding–both print and 

digital. Her knowledge of event planning 

has played an active role in championing 

some of The ’s signature events. 

She also oversees requests for in-kind sponsorships 

and coordinates research initiatives 

and comprehensive studies. 

This year, Gainer will chair the Panama City 

Beach Chamber’s 3rd Annual Women’s 

Work-Life Symposium, working alongside 

Chamber staff and numerous talented women 

in the community on what has become 

one of the Beach Chamber’s key events of 

the year. “Working with such capable and 

Over the years, Gainer has served 

her community well, demonstrating 

a passionate commitment to 

the welfare and betterment of 

Bay County. 

creative women is what initially attracted me 

to this project,” she says. “That we can bring 

such inspiring messages to professional 

women in our community, year after year, is 

a wonderful thing!” 

Prior to her work at The , Gainer 

was employed by Peoples First Community 

Bank Corporate Office as the assistant marketing 

director. She identified marketing objectives 

and projects for 32 banking centers 

in the Florida region, including executing 

marketing, communications and public and 

media relations. In her role, Gainer supervised 

marketing staff, day-to-day marketing 

projects, and was responsible for management 

of the company’s advertising budget 

and creative direction for all marketing projects 

and campaigns. 

Gainer’s knowledge 

and skills have also afforded 

her the opportunity 

to work in the 

corporate, education 

and non-profit arenas. 

In 1996, she left nonprofit 

to work in the 

academic world where 

she was employed as 

recruiter for then-Gulf 

Coast Community College. In 2003, she was 

tapped as the first African American communications 

director at Florida State University 

Panama City, where she managed the communications 

staff as well as all internal and 

external communications and publications. 

Other than the Dean, Gainer was the University’s 

official spokesperson. 

 

Pictured clockwise from left: Vickie with FSU 

PC Dean Dr. Ed Wright; Crystal Bullock congratulates 

Vickie; at the 2nd Annual Women’s Work-Life 

Symposium in 2011 with Nancy Luther of Clear 

Channel (left) and Kim Godwin of CBS Evening 

News with Scott Pelley (right). 


www.gcmc-pc.com 

No one

chooses a heart attack. 

Now you have a choice of where you can go for advanced cardiac care. 

At Gulf Coast Medical Center, you now have access to 24/7 advanced cardiac care. 

Cardiac care provided by board-certified cardiologists. 

Cardiac care at the area’s first and only nationally accredited Chest Pain Center. 

Cardiac care through our new interventional cardiology program: offering balloon 

angioplasty and stents for reopening blocked arteries and restoring heart function. 

Cardiac care that’s saving lives and cardiac education that adds years to your life. 

The Area’s First and Only Accredited Chest Pain Center 


World-Renowned Leaders to 

 

Broadcasting Live May 4, 2012 

Community business 

leaders can access 

the knowledge 

and experience of 

world-renowned 

speakers by attending 

the 2012 Chickfil-A 

Leadercast 

on Friday, May 4, 2012 at the Amelia Center 

at Gulf Coast State College in Panama 

City from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM. The Beach 

Chamber is hosting this one-day leader development 

event along with community 

partners Northstar Church and First United 

Methodist Church. Chick-fil-A Leadercast is 

a way to bring leaders together from all over 

the world for a time of learning, listening and 

networking at the same time. The event is 

simulcast live from Atlanta. 

Speakers for this year’s event include Soledad 

O’Brien, Tim Tebow, Marcus Buckingham, 

Patrick Lencioni, John Maxwell, Angela 

Ahrendts, Roland Fryer, Urban Meyer, 

Andy Stanley and Sheena Iyengar. 

This year’s program will focus on 

the power of choice. The choices you 

make define the leader you become. They are 

not just about you; they are about the positive 

impact you can have on your organization, 

your community and beyond. Our world 

needs everyday leaders who will choose to 

make it a better place. This diverse group of 

internationally-acclaimed authors, leadership 

experts and practitioners will share insights 

to help our local business leaders empower 

and equip others at work, at home and in the 

community through their choices. 

Last year, 85,000 leaders from 17 countries 

attended the Chick-fil-A Leadercast. In its 

12th year, this full day, experiential conference 

is predicted to reach its largest audience 

to date. Tickets cost $87 per person, $67 for 

Beach Chamber members, and blocks of 10 

or more are available for $57 per person. For 

more information and to purchase tickets, 

visit PCBeach.org. 

For local ticketing information, call (850) 

235-1159 or visit PCBeach.org. 

Continued on Page 34 

Leadercast 2012 Speakers on this page 

include (clockwise from top left): Urban 

Meyer, head football coach for Ohio State 

University; Tim Tebow, NFL quarterback, 

Heisman Trophy winner and best-selling author; 

Soledad O’Brien, Anchor and special 

correspondent for CNN; Marcus Buckingham, 

Strength strategist, researcher and 

best-selling author; and Andy Stanley, Bestselling 

leadership author and communicator. 


The 3 rd Annual 

Women’s 

Work-Life Symposium 

Friday, June 8, 2012 

The Third Annual Women’s 

Work-Life Symposium 

will be held on Friday, 

June 8 from 7:30 

am to 3:30 pm at FSU 

PC’s Holley Academic 

Center. This day-long 

event will focus on the 

art of achieving a healthy work-life balance. 

This year’s event is presented by Gulf Coast 

Medical Center and Gulf Coast Chiropractic 

& Rehab. 

The Symposium will present productive sessions 

with six inspirational speakers from 

around the country. Lorna Owens, International 

Motivational Speaker, Life Strategist 

and Author, will kick off the Symposium. A 

former criminal attorney, Lorna’s epiphany 

at her father’s funeral led to a major transformation 

in her life, and to her becoming 

a specialist on “massive change.” Her 

morning session, “A Place Called Work: A 

Kinder, Gentler Workplace,” will discuss our 

own value, the workplace culture, focusing 

energy on the things we do best, and creating 

win-win situations. 

At lunchtime, Jill Nichols, Chief Operating 

Officer of Vera Bradley, will share “The Vera 

Bradley Story.” In 30 years Vera Bradley has 

grown from a company of two co-founders 

to one with more than 2,000 employees and 

annual sales (2011) of $366 million. Jill will 

discuss Vera Bradley’s core values and caring 

culture, which led to the creation of the 

Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer. 

Author, Speaker and Human Performance 

Coach Jennifer Webb will close the Symposium 

with “If You Want to Set the World 

on Fire, Make Sure Your Matches are Lit!” 

This afternoon session will cover key points 

that are crucial to success, such as positioning 

yourself in a man’s world, how to let go 

of “rules” that get in the way of effective, focused 

thinking, and how to put more joy in 

your life. 

Three breakout sessions, offered in the morning 

and again in the afternoon, will feature 

healthy lifestyles, the power of balance, and 

getting organized. Alison Lewis, nationally 

known food, travel, fitness and lifestyle 

journalist, will present “Leading a Healthy 

Lifestyle.” This interactive session will share 

Continued on Page 35 

3rd Annual Women’s Work-Life Symposium 

Speakers on this page include 

(clockwise from top left): Lorna Owens, Jill 

Nichols, Jennifer Webb, Charlotte Steil, Martha 

Lanier and Alison Lewis. 


Leadercast 2012 Speakers on this page 

include (clockwise from top left): Patrick Lencioni, 

Best-selling author and president of The 

Table Group; Angela Ahrendts, CEO, Burberry; 

Roland Fryer, Professor of economics 

at Harvard University and CEO of the Education 

Innovation Laboratory; Sheena Iyengar, 

Author of The Art of Choosing and world-renowned 

expert of choice; and John Maxwell, 

Leadership expert & best-selling author of The 

21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. 

2012 SPEAKERS 

URBAN MEYER 

Head football coach for Ohio State University 

Urban Meyer, who won two BCS National 

Championships in six years, currently 

serves as college football game and 

studio analyst for ESPN. Meyer, who was 

named Sporting News and Sports Illustrated 

“Coach of the Decade” in December of 

2009, was the first coach ever to win two 

BCS National Championships, and one of 

only two coaches in the history of the SEC 

to win two outright National Titles. Meyer 

has also spearheaded an effort to feed needy 

families and initiated a mentor program for 

young at-risk males. 

TIM TEBOW 

NFL quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner & bestselling 

author 

Tim Tebow is one of the most accomplished 

players in college football history. 

A two-time winner of the NCAA National 

Football Championship with the University 

of Florida, Tebow is also the first-ever 

sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. 

In 2010, Tebow was selected in the first 

round of the NFL Draft by the Denver 

Broncos. He is the founder of the Tim 

Tebow Foundation and, in 2011, Tebow 

authored , an inspirational 

memoir that became a New York 

Times bestseller. 

SOLEDAD O’BRIEN 

CNN anchor & special correspondent 

Soledad O’Brien is an anchor and special 

correspondent for CNN/U.S. Since joining 

the network in 2003, O’Brien has reported 

breaking news from around the globe and has 

produced award-winning, record-breaking 

and critically-acclaimed documentaries on 

the most important stories facing the world 

today. In 2011, O’Brien won her first Emmy 

for Crisis in Haiti (Anderson Cooper 360) in 

the category of Outstanding Live Coverage 

of a Current News Story – Long Form. 

MARCUS BUCKINGHAM 

Strength strategist, researcher, best-selling author 

As a co-author of 

, he helped create StrengthsFinder, 

the personal assessment tool that gave millions 

of individuals a new vocabulary to 

positively describe their ingrained talents. 

He founded The Marcus Buckingham Company 

in 2007 to create tools and training that 

would help managers and organizations access 

the untapped potential of their people’s 

strengths. His latest project, StandOut, is a 

book and strengths assessment combination 

that uses a new research methodology to reveal 

your areas of comparative advantage. 

ANDY STANLEY 

Best-selling leadership author & communicator 

Andy Stanley is a sought-after leadership 

communicator, author, pastor, and the founder 

of North Point Ministries, Inc. (NPM). Every 

month, well over a million people from 

nearly every country in the world choose 

to tune in, download, and stream Stanley’s 

teaching content via TV, radio, podcasts, 

and live streaming.Stanley’s books include 

The Next Generation Leader, Visioneering, 

Enemies of the Heart, and The Principle of 

the Path. 

PATRICK LENCIONI 

Best-selling author, president of The Table Group 

Patrick Lencioni is founder and president 

of The Table Group, Inc., a specialized 

management-consulting firm focused on 


organizational health. Lencioni is the author 

of nine best-selling books with nearly three 

million copies sold. The Wall Street Journal 

has named Lencioni one of the most in-demand 

business speakers. After several years 

in print, his book, The Five Dysfunctions of 

a Team continues to be a fixture on national 

best-seller lists. His latest work, Getting Naked, 

was released in February 2010. 

ANGELA AHRENDTS 

Chief Executive Officer, Burberry 

Under Angela Ahrendts’s leadership, the 

iconic London luxury clothier—one of the 

100 largest companies in the United Kingdom—has 

experienced significant increases 

in revenues & profits and expansion into 

new markets. Ahrendts was included on the 

Forbes “100 Most Powerful Women” list in 

2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010. She also was 

among Fortune Magazine’s “International 

Power 50” in 2007 and 2008. In 2010, she 

was named “European Business Leader of 

the Future” at the CNBC European Business 

Leaders Awards. 

SHEENA INYENGAR 

Author of “The Art of Choosing” & world-renowned 

expert on choice 

3rd Annual Women’s Work-Life 

Symposium 

Continued from Page 33 

Chick-fil-A Leadercast 2012 

 

ideas and tips for serving healthy, easy 

meals, and will uncover the art to eating and 

living well. Alison’s blog, ingredientsinc. 

net, combines all of her passions: food, 

travel, fitness, nutrition and fashion. Martha 

Lanier, cancer and heart attack survivor, 

triathlete and author, will present “The 

Power of Balance: Managing Life’s Stresses.” 

Most of us are overloaded with multiple 

forms of stress – at home, at work, or 

life’s unexpected challenges. This entertaining 

session will demonstrates how to regain 

control and enjoy living a recharged, refocused 

and balanced life. Charlotte Steil, 

certified professional organizer (CPO) will 

present “The Organizing Triangle: Three 

Essential Points to Get and Stay Organized 

For Life!” In this session she will show 

how to create an organizational system tailored 

to each individual, how to select products 

to enhance that system, and what habits 

are needed to maintain it all. 

Sheena S. Iyengar is the inaugural S.T. Lee 

Professor of Business in the Management 

Division of the Columbia Business School. 

She has taught on a wide variety of topics at 

Columbia for MBAand Executive MBAstudents, 

including leadership, decision making, 

creativity, and globalization, earning an Innovation 

in the Teaching Curriculum award. 

Dr. Iyengar’s innovative research on choice 

has been funded by the National Science 

Foundation, the National Institute of Mental 

Health, and the National Security Education 

Program. 

JOHN MAXWELL 

Leadership expert & best-selling author of “The 21 

Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” 

John C. Maxwell is an internationally-renowned 

leadership expert, coach, and author 

who has sold over 20 million books. Dr. Maxwell 

founded EQUIP and The John Maxwell 

Company, organizations that have trained 

more than 5 million leaders in 153 countries. 

Every year he speaks to Fortune 100 companies, 

international government leaders, and organizations 

such as the United States Military 

Academy at West Point, the National Football 

League, and the United Nations. 

In addition to keynote sessions and breakout 

workshops, attendees will enjoy a networking 

breakfast, buffet lunch, and a special 

Business After Hours reception following 

the Symposium. An enhanced Exhibitor 

Showcase will stay open throughout the day, 

featuring products and services relevant to 

the professional woman seeking a healthy 

work-life balance. Drawings, giveaways 

and Symposium Goody Bags will complete 

the day. Early Bird Registration, through 

May 11, costs $69 per person and after May 

11 $99 per person. To register, contact the 

Beach Chamber at (850) 235-1159. 

 

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1 

2 

Chamber D.I.N.E. Luncheon 

January 26, 2012 

1 . The first Chamber D.I.N.E. of the year 

featured Florida CFO Jeff Atwater; prior to 

the luncheon a Legislative Roundtable was 

held with members of the Beach Chamber’s 

Board. 2. CFO Atwater extended 

gratitude on behalf of the State of Florida 

for our community’s talent and wisdom. 

3. Chamber president Beth Oltman with 

 

the event’s sponsors: Dr. Jon Ward (left) 

of Gulf Coast Dermatology and David 

Tipton (right) of Tipton, Marler, Garner & 

Chastain. 4. Chamber D.I.N.E. took place 

at the Wyndham Bay Point Resort. 

 

 

 

3 

4 


SEE & BE SEEN 

1 

5 

3 

4 

First Friday with the Beach January 6, 2012 

1. Neal Wade, Executive Director of the Bay 

County Economic Development Alliance, was guest 

speaker at First Friday with the Beach on January 

6; pictured with 2012 Beach Chamber Chair 

Paul Wohlford (left) and 2012 Bay County Chair Al 

McCambry (right). 2. Members of both chambers 

attended the morning meeting, held at FSU PC’s 

Holley Center. 3. President Beth Oltman with Lauren 

Williams, the Chamber’s new Lead-In Coordinator 

and Assistant to the President. 

Business After Hours at WonderWorks 

January 12, 2012 Chamber members enjoyed 

WonderWorks exhibits and snacks from Shane’s Rib 

Shack; sponsored by Trustmark Bank. 4. From left: 

Celena Graberg, Maureen Richardson, Paco Schultz, 

Ann Swedlund. 5. From left: Jo Ann Revell, John 

Harrell, Libby Sipple. 6.From left: Dave Trepanier, 

Gary Walsingham, Joe Holt, Jeff DiBenedictis. 

7 & 10. Aerial views from the rope course. 8. From left: 

Greg Taylor, Rita Hanson, Sarah Lark, Tom Lewis. 

9. Clockwise from top: Roy Calvin Eure, Betsy Hulsey, 

Chris Charles, Joe Chavarria, Stacey Dupree. 

2 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 



SEE & BE SEEN 

Business After Hours at Carrabba’s 

Italian Grill 

on February 16, 2012 

2 

1. Guests of the Business After Hours at Carrabba’s enjoyed delicious Italian cuisine, a 

glass of wine and cozy networking. 2. Lee Ann Leonard and Wendy Tatanish. 3. Brent 

Garrison, Perry Robinson, Guy Garrett. 4. Denise Fitchben & Remy Cooksey. 5. From left: 

Perry Robinson, Terri Hugghins, Ryan Martin, Jessica Cook and Felicia Cook. 6. David 

Balmer from Dale Carnegie Training presents the January 25 Lunch & Learn workshop. 

7. Brandon Welch from ClicksCrazy.com presents the February 22 Lunch & Learn. 

8. Capital Days was held for State and Chamber business leaders in Tallahassee on 

January 11-13. From left: Enterprise Florida President & Secretary of Commerce Gray 

Swoope; Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Herschel Vinyard; Department 

of Revenue Executive Director Lisa Vickers; and Department of Transportation Secretary 

Ananth Prasad. 9. Attendees at Brandon Welch’s “Be Listed, Be Social, Be Happy.” 

3 

5 

4 

8 

6 

7 9 


SEE & BE SEEN 

Chamber’s Annual Dinner 


2 

1. The Beach Chamber held its Annual Dinner & 25th Anniversary Party on February 23 

at Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, who presented the event along with Comcast Business 

Class. 2. Beth Oltman (left) and Paul Wohlford (right) present the Pioneer of the 

Year Award to Philip Griffitts, Sr. 3. The Chamber thanked past Chair Robert Carroll for 

his work and dedication to the Chamber in 2011. 4. Sharon Carroll sings the National 

Anthem. 5. Beth Oltman and Paul Wohlford present the Small Business Person Award to 

Konrad Jochum from the Boatyard. 6.Jerrilyn and Philip Griffitts with (back row, from left) 

Matt Griffitts, Patrice Lovett, Laura and Griff Griffitts. 7. Ann and Paul Wohlford. 

1 

3 4 

5 

6 7 


SEE & BE SEEN 

Chamber’s Annual Dinner 


1. President Beth Oltman and 2012 Chairman 

Paul Wohlford present the Humanitarian of the 

Year Award to Ramon Duvall. 2. Beth Oltman 

and Paul Wohlford present the Ambassador of 

the Year Award to Nycole McKissick. 3. Wes 

Burnham with his daughter, Stacey Trepanier. 

4. The Navy Color Guard presents the colors. 

1 

2 3 4 


ASK THE DOCTOR 

Carlos E. Ramos, MD, FACS 

Dr. Ramos is a Board Certified Urologist. 

He received his Medical Degree from The 

University of Puerto Rico in 1990. He completed 

his Residency program at The University 

of Texas in Houston in 1998. Dr. Ramos 

is a member of the FMA, AUA, Bays 

Medical Society, Gulf Coast Medical Center 

and Bay Medical Center. 

“My patients often ask me which nutritional 

supplements are good for their health,” he 

says. “My answer used to be that I did not 

know. Recently, I had the privilege to assist 

in a lecture with Dr. Mark Moyad, a Professor 

of Urology at the University of Michigan, 

and the director of Preventative and Alternative 

Medicine. He is an expert on this 

topic. In his book, “Promoting Wellness for 

Prostate Cancer Patients,” Dr. Moyad provides 

a quick summary reference guide of 

peer reviewed supplements. 

THE BAYS MEDICAL SOCIETY 

“Helping Our Physicians Help Patients” 

The Bays Medical Society is both a professional 

and scientific organization of medical 

and osteopathic physicians, and the local 

affiliate of the Florida Medical Association 

(FMA). Although membership is voluntary, 

many physicians choose to join because 

they know they are most effective in attaining 

quality medical care with a strong 

team surrounding them. Our members 

value superior relations between physicians 

and patients. Therefore, our Board of 

Directors and members routinely take time 

out of their busy schedules to advocate for 

patients and physicians at the local, State, 

and Federal level. Our goal is to continue 

our mission of “Helping Our Physicians 

Help Patients” for a very long time. 

DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS AND OTHER OVER THE 

COUNTER PRODUCTS 

By Dr. Mark Moyad 

Aspirin Low-dose baby aspirin only makes 

sense for those w/ a higher risk of heart disease. 

Beta-Sitosterol, Pygeum Africanum, or 

Saw Palmetto All possible options for noncancerous 

enlargement (BPH) of the prostate 

with or without prescription medications, unknown 

if they fight cancer or not. 

B-Complex Vitamin Supplement Avoid 

these because they may encourage tumor growth 

in some men. 

Calcium If any concern exists about bone 

health, take calcium supplements (1000 to 1500 

mg/day) but those with a history of calcium stones 

need to take calcium citrate. 

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) May provide a 

slight benefit in reducing the side effects of cholesterol-lowering 

drugs, otherwise there is no need to take 

an individual coQ10 supplement. 

Flaxseed or Soy Most of the research is with 

the food sources (powder or protein powder) so 

stay away from the dietary supplements. 

Ginger One of the best dietary supplements to 

take (500-1000 mg/day) to reduce nausea during 

and after chemotherapy. 

Glucosamine or Pycnogenol Taken for 

osteoarthritis has a very good safety record. Now 

available in liquid options, but has no evidence in 

prostate cancer treatment. 

Green Tea (Supplements) Skip the supplements 

(has no research) and drink green tea. It has 

zero calories, a moderate amount of healthy caffeine, 

an anti-stress compound (L-theanine), and other 

healthy nutrients. Can be consumed hot or cold. 

Korean Red Ginseng or MACA These two 

components have very good preliminary data to 

improve sexual health (erectile function/libido) in 

men and potentially women, but there are serious 

quality control issues, so try to find a reputable 

company. 

Lutein and Zeaxanthin These eye health supplements 

may help those with macular degeneration 

but have no evidence in prostate cancer. 

Multivitamin Take 1 pill a day maximum (children’s 

dosage is best). 

Niacin (vitamin B) One of the only B-vitamins 

that some individuals need to take in larger amounts 

in an over-the-counter or prescription form to increase 

HDL and lower triglycerides. Stay away 

from “no flush” niacin and just use “immediaterelease” 

or prescription extended release niacin, if 

needed at all. 

Panax Quinquefolius Also known as American 

Ginseng, this dietary supplement (1000-2000 

mg/day) has helped some patients reduce their fatigue 

and improve energy levels during chemotherapy 

or other cancer treatments. Should not be taken 

during localized prostate cancer treatment because 

it may have blood thinning effects. 

Probiotics “healthy bacteria” Should be 

avoided by most cancer patients because of lack 

of research. Getting lots of fiber already gives you 

healthy bacteria. The only exception to my avoid-it 

rule is with bladder cancer or bladder health. There, 

clinical trials find that a type of healthy bacteria 

from yogurt may provide a treatment benefit. 

Resveratrol This so-called anti-aging compound 

is sold as a supplement, but red wine is 

actually the best source of this compound. 

Selenium Stay away from individual supplements. 

Enough is provided by a low-dose multi vitamin. 

Statin (lowers cholesterol) Not a supplement, 

but rather a prescription medication that should be a 

consideration for anyone with prostate cancer who 

is not able to lower cholesterol and hs-CRP blood 

test enough using diet and exercise alone. 

Vitamin C Get it from a multivitamin. Higher 

amounts (500-1000 mg/day) can be obtained for 

immune health (colds) but try to take a non-acidic 

form if you are concerned about side effects. 

Vitamin D Take about 800-1000 (25 mcg) of 

vitamin D3 (also known as “cholecalciferol”) 

every day on average. You can get a vitamin D 

blood test to see how much vitamin D you need. 

Vitamin E Do not take this supplement by itself 

in any form right now. Just get your vitamin 

E from food and a multivitamin. 

Whey Protein Can be taken as a powdered drink 

supplement (never as a pill) for any man needing 

more high-quality protein for health, weight loss, 

and to support muscle health. 

Zinc There is no need to take an individual zinc 

supplement (prostate unhealthy). Just get it in 

your multivitamin. 


Vision Bank is now 

Centennial Bank. 

More than just financially strong, Centennial Bank offers the same friendly, communityfocused 

service you’ve come to trust in the Panhandle. Now there’s just more of it. With 

free instant-issue debit cards, free ATMs nationwide, and over 35 convenient locations. We 

think you’ll find it’s banking that comes to you.

Dr. Ed Wright, who was FSU PC’s Dean during 

her tenure, remembers Vickie as the face 

of the university in the community. “Vickie 

was an invaluable resource because of her 

connections with—and knowledge of—the 

many organizations and non-profits she was 

involved with.” Gainer also advised the 

leadership team on communications strategy, 

coordinated the University’s public message 

and all marketing efforts while working extensively 

with the enrollment management 

and the development office. “Vickie was the 

voice in the Dean’s council for what was best 

for the community,” notes Dr. Wright. Before 

being promoted to the communications director 

position, her eye for detail and creative lens 

helped her to execute duties as the University’s 

special events coordinator for three years. 

Gainer says some of her greatest lessons and 

experiences have come from working in the 

not-for-profit world, and feels working with 

at-risk children and struggling families made 

her a better person. She worked as the Parent 

Involvement/Volunteer Coordinator for the 

Bay County Headstart Program, where her 

focus was to inspire parents, help empower 

their lives and assist them in meeting their 

career potentials. She also trained parents 

and staff on how to effectively communicate. 

“I wanted to make a difference,” she 

says. “To make a difference, I believe you 

must love people and love what you do—no 

matter what your profession may be.” 

Gainer, the daughter of a Baptist Preacher 

and whose mother was a missionary, is the 

sixth of eight siblings, was born and raised 

in Alabama. Her parent’s of modest means, 

but strong faith in God, taught her to love 

God and be committed to the task, no matter 

how tough it may seem. Gainer earned her 

bachelor’s degree in mass communications 

from the University of Montevallo in 1981 

and received her master’s degree from Florida 

State University in Corporate and Public 

Communication. She has completed several 

Public Policy Institute through the Kellogg 

Foundation and is a certified facilitator. 

Over the years, Gainer has served her community 

well—demonstrating a passionate 

commitment to the welfare and betterment of 

Bay County. In 2006 Gainer was recognized 

as a “Notable Nole” by the FSU PC University 

Alumni Office. She has served on the 

Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors, 

the Women of Destiny Board of Directors, 

United Way Board of Directors and chair of 

United Way Communications committee-- 

developing numerous United Way campaign 

videos and marketing campaigns. She has 

been an active in the community, serving as 

a member of the Leadership Bay Steering 

Committee, chair of the Bay County Chamber’s 

Public Relations committee, a member 

of the Bay County Chamber Board of Directors, 

and a past member of the Florida Public 

Relations Association of Tallahassee. Gainer’s 

current memberships include member 

and president-elect of the Northside Rotary, 

Early Education and Care Board of Directors, 

corresponding secretary and Silver Star 

member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority 

Inc., local chapter Xi Omicron Omega Chapter 

of Panama City. 

She is married to Harry Gainer Jr., and they 

have two children and four grandchildren. 

Gainer is very committed to her faith and 

her church at the St. John Missionary Baptist 

Church, where she served as the Children’s 

Ministry Coordinator for many years. She 

currently teaches the Senior Women’s Sunday 

School Class, and is the co-coordinator 

of the Pastor’s Aide Ministry. 

 

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Committee Updates 

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS 

Navigator 

“Communication Among Generations,” 

a very pertinent subject 

in today’s business environment, 

was discussed at the first Lunch & 

Learn of the year on January 25 by 

David Balmer, Emerald Coast Representative 

for Dale Carnegie Training. The workforce 

currently consists of four generations: 

Veterans (born 1945 and prior), Baby 

Boomers, (1946-1964), Gen X-ers (1965- 

1980) and Millennials (1981-1994). Each 

generation has their own preferred method 

of communicating, and as business leaders 

we need to identify these styles and develop a 

plan to build stronger lines of communications 

among the generations. The workshop took 

place at Gulf Coast State College and was 

presented by Southwest Airlines. 

On February 22, Brandon Welch, founder of 

ClicksCrazy.com, presented “Be Listed, Be 

Social, Be Happy.” Do you know all the best 

(many free) ways to promote your website 

and draw more traffic? Brandon explained 

how to take advantage of free business listings 

and discussed ways to best utilize your social 

Charting 

the 

 

Entrepreneurial 

networks. This Lunch & Learn 

was sponsored by Gulf Coast 

Chiropractic and Rehab (who has 

signed on as the Lunch & Learn 

sponsor for all 2012 workshops). 

On March 28, Mike Scott, a 

partner at Carr, Riggs & Ingram, will present 

“2012 Fiscal Fitness Tips.” On April 25, Dr. 

Sandy Halvorson, a professor at FSU PC, is 

back to present “The 10 Commandments of 

Public Speaking.” Both workshops will be 

held at Gulf Coast State College. 

Cost for Lunch & Learns is $15 for Students 

and HYPE members; $20 for Beach Chamber 

members; and $25 for non-members. 

Workshops include a catered lunch and preregistration 

is required by calling the Beach 

Chamber at (850) 235-1159. 

Pictured above, left: Navigator co-chair Karen 

Blackerby (left) presents the Small Business 

Person Award of Q4 2011 to Leslie and Dennis 

Brown, owners of Blue Heron Fine Gifts. Right: 

The February 22 Lunch & Learn (from left): Karen 

Blackerby; Alison Hoefler from Southwest Airlines, 

the event’s presenting sponsor; Brandon Welch 

from ClicksCrazy.com; Dr. Wesley Johnson and 

James Johnson (Navigator co-chair), both of Gulf 

Coast Chiropractic & Rehab who sponsored. 

Course 

for 

Business 

Small 

HYPE: Helping 

Young Professionals Evolve 

The Beach Chamber’s HYPE Committee 

held a cocktail party to kick off the new 

year at Firefly on January 31. Young 

professionals between the ages of 21 and 

40 networked and learned about HYPE’s 

program of work. The committee plans 

to hold five social gatherings in 2012, five 

professional development luncheons, and 

two business or facility tours. The event was 

sponsored by Animal Care Center and Gulf 

Coast Chiropractic & Rehab. 

On February 29, HYPE held a fun social 

and fundraiser at Rock’It Lanes, sponsored 

by Gulf Coast Chiropractic & Rehab. The 

event featured free bowling to support the 

Beach Chamber’s Education Foundation. 

HYPE members had a ball, and bowled all 

night. A special Thank You to WJHG News 

7 for coming out and covering the event! 

To learn more, contact Kristopher@ 

PCBeach.org. HYPE events are free for 

HYPE members and $5 for non-members. 

Pictured above: Heather Russell and Mary Beth 

Lovingood at the HYPE Social on February 29. 

Stop by the Chamber to pick up your Member-to-Member 

Privilege Card. Look for 

a Special Business Deal each week on the 

Beach Buzz and PCBeach.org, offering a 

discount or deal to Beach Chamber members 

when you go in and show them your card. 

Education Partnership 

CTE educates students to be college- and career- ready and prepares 

them for high-wage, high-demand career fields. During the third week 

of February, the Beach Chamber’s Education Committee, in partnership 

with the Bay’s Next Generation Learning Community Council, (Bay 

NGLC Council) is bringing guest speakers into the classroom. Many 

of our community business leaders will share information about their 

professions to help student see what possibilities exist for their own future 

in these specific industries. 

Lisa Adams, the committee chairperson, sees this as the first of many 

steps to connect and build a strong partnership between the business 

community and the school system. Lisa says, “We are working to pave the way for future 

support and collaboration in building Career Academies into the Bay County High Schools.” 


HYPE KICKOFF SOCIAL 

HYPE Kickoff Party January 31, 2012 

1. From left: Chris Bishop, Matt LeBleu, 

Katie Davis and Nicole Van Schoick. 

2. From left: Bubba McCants, Nicole 

Mincey, Jim Loznicka, Dana Brown and 

Michael Sudheimer. 3. Lauren Hanlin 

and Jennifer Todd. 4. From left: Kristie 

Canaday, Kristen Counts Barr and Tom 

Lewis. 5. From left: Mary Beth Lovingood, 

Jason Crowe and Elizabeth Crowe. 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

HEALTH UPDATE 

Most Important Meal of 

the Day... 

All of our lives we have been taught that 

 

the day!” It’s true! Yet studies show that 

41% of adults and 34% of children skip 

breakfast. Skipping breakfast leads to 

snacking and grazing on high calorie foods 

later in the day to fill that unbearable hunger. 

Skipping breakfast also forces your 

metabolism to slow down, which leads to 

weight gain. We each have the potential to 

improve energy balance and weight control 

with healthy breakfast consumption. 

Parents: Get up a few minutes earlier and 

feed your kids a healthy breakfast before 

school. This can be something as simple 

as a couple of hard boiled eggs and a slice 

of toast with natural peanut butter. If you 

have time to go out to eat in Panama City 

Beach in the mornings, our area provides 

some fabulous options. Liza’s Kitchen is 

a quaint little café that prides themselves 

on providing a healthy yet tasty breakfast. 

Some of the choices there include the 

BLAT…a bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato 

sandwich on whole wheat toast, or Shrimp 

& Grits...yum! At Mike’s Diner you can 

order Scrambled Egg Whites and fresh 

fruit. Another Broken Egg has a wonderful 

Egg White Omelet that you can stuff with 

your favorite veggies. And if you are an 

early riser, try filling a picnic basket with 

some Greek yogurt, granola and fruit and 

a thermos full of fresh coffee. Then grab 

a blanket and head down to The World’s 

Most Beautiful Beaches and spread your 

blanket on that beautiful white sand. Fill 

your cups with coffee, make fresh parfaits 

with your yogurt, granola and fruit...and 

enjoy each other’s company while watching 

the sunrise. 

However you decide to start your day, remember 

that our parents were right; we 

should never skip breakfast. It seems the 

older we get, the wiser we get. By age 55, 

71% eat breakfast every day; by age 65, 

83% eat breakfast every day. The favorite 

breakfast in my house: an egg white omelet 

cooked in coconut oil, topped with a diced 

plum tomato, ½ avocado diced, some sea 

salt and freshly ground pepper, served with 

a slice of Ezekial toast on the side. Quick, 

easy, and delish! By Kristy McKinney 


Check-In Online @ www.greatclips.com OR get the Smartphone App today! 

Military/First 

Responders 

Haircuts 

All Day, Every Day! 

Seniors!!! 

Senior 

Wednesday 

Evening and 

Weekend Specials 

Haircuts 

7pm to 9pm Monday-Friday 

Haircuts 

Saturday and Sunday 

 

 

 

9am-9pm 9am-6pm 11am-6pm 


Fit&Fab 

For Your Wedding Day! 

The Fit Devil 

FIRST CONSULTATION IS FREE... 

Bridal packages are designed to get you the body 

you’ve always wanted on the day you’ve always 

dreamed about. All workouts are customized for each 

bride, and your unique program will be based on your 

unique needs. Contact Jennifer at (850) 238-0431 

or visit theFitDevil.com. 

Elegant 

Beginnings 

MAKE THE WEDDING OF 

YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE 

For your special day, it’s important 

to get all the details right. 

We make sure everything is taken care of so that your 

day is stress-free and full of long-lasting memories. 

Contact Kimberly Bartoli at (850) 814-7526 or visit 

Elegant-Beginnings.com. 


Around Town Updates on Community, Education, Workforce & Government 

Community Update 

Mayor Gayle F. Oberst 

City of Panama City Beach 

While most of the 

nation is struggling 

to recover, Panama 

City Beach is seeing 

some movement in 

commercial development. 

Target is 

undergoing a renovation 

and now will 

include a grocery 

section/store, Mc- 

Donald’s on Front Beach Road had a grand 

reopening after extensive renovation, and 

Burger King on Panama City Beach Parkway 

is in the process of remodeling. 

The Wicked Wheel, Hardees and Matty’s 

Irish Pub are opening in the spring. The 

Wicked Wheel is owned by the Buskells and 

the décor features antique cars and motorcycles. 

It is located on Hutchison Blvd. The 

Pub is at the west junction of Front and Middle 

Beach Roads. The new medical facility 

located in Breakfast Point is open. Dr. Jon 

Ward hosted a ground breaking for his new 

dermatology clinic off Clara and Back Beach 

Road. Planning to break ground during the 

spring are Harley Davidson Motorcycles, 

Pier Park North Mall, Wal-Mart Super Center, 

Whataburger, and Express Oil. 

The City is moving forward with building 

a new stage, restrooms, and parking/soccer 

fields at Aaron Bessant Park. The renovations 

are being financed by the Tourist Development 

Council. New policies for using 

the park are being put in place so the number 

attending, noise levels, time and number of 

usage can better be controlled. 

Staff and officials have been working with 

the West Florida Planning Council and Department 

of Transportation (DOT) and have 

gotten the six-laning of Back Beach Road 

moved up in priorities. Once installed along 

PCB Parkway, a high speed technology 

system will increase the traffic efficiency 

approximately 20-25%. The turn lane onto 

South Nautilus will be extended to the Surfside 

school driveway and assist in eliminating 

stacking problems. DOT is planning to 

install sidewalks on the north and south side 

of Back Beach Road from Frank Brown Park 

to Alf Coleman. 

Hiring Florida’s Heroes 

Kim Bodine, Executive Director 

Gulf Coast Workforce Board 

With approximately 

17 percent of returning 

soldiers and 

airmen looking for 

work, the Gulf Coast 

Workforce Board 

along with workforce 

leaders across 

the state are encouraging 

employers to 

strongly consider 

hiring veterans for their open positions. 

“Today’s veterans bring unique skills and 

experience to the civilian workforce. Their 

advanced training and ability to adapt to new 

circumstances make them excellent employees,” 

said Kim Bodine, Executive Director 

for the Gulf Coast Workforce Board. 

Recently, Governor Rick Scott joined business 

leaders and veteran organizations to 

launch Hiring Florida’s Heroes, a yearlong 

campaign aimed at promoting the availability 

of these returning veterans to Florida’s 

employers and connecting employers with a 

variety of resources to assist in the hiring process. 

One of those resources is the new Employ 

Florida Marketplace hotline for employers 

interested in hiring veterans. Through the 

hotline employers can connect with a local 

workforce specialist that can assist employers 

by posting job listings, assembling lists 

of qualified candidates and answering questions 

about available training options among 

other services. 

For more information, please visit veterans.employflorida.com 

or call the Employ 

Florida Marketplace hotline toll-free at (866) 

352-2345. 

FSU PC 30 th Anniversary 

Dr. Ken Shaw, Dean 

FSU Panama City 

At FSU Panama 

City we begin 

2012 with a special 

reason to celebrate. 

This year we mark 

the 30th anniversary 

of FSU Panama 

City. This anniversary 

provides us 

with the opportunity 

to reflect upon 

our history and the tremendous support 

that has been given to our campus from 

our community. It is also the perfect time 

to plan for the future to ensure that FSU 

Panama City is a campus that continues to 

excel in meeting the unique educational 

needs of our community by providing affordable, 

high quality education for future 

generations of students. 

In 1982, FSU Panama City was established 

with five faculty members, six administrative 

staff and approximately 560 students. 

To meet the anticipated higher education 

needs of our community, the Bay County 

Commission in 1975, 1981 and 1987 donated 

a total of 25 acres of prime waterfront 

property that has been developed 

into a place where now over 1,200 students 

come each week in pursuit of their 

higher education and career goals. On behalf 

of our graduates and current students, 

we thank these past members of the Bay 

County Commission for their leadership 

and foresight. We also thank the thousands 

of businesses, individuals and organizations 

who have so generously supported 

our campus and the students we serve for 

the past three decades. 

One of the most important things to celebrate 

during this special year is that since 

1982 FSU Panama City has granted degrees 

to nearly 6,000 alumni. Approximately 

75% of these alumni are living and 

working in the communities of Northwest 


Around Town Updates on Community, Education, Workforce & Government 

Florida. These FSU Panama City alumni 

have made and continue to make an important 

contribution to the workforce and 

quality of life in our immediate community 

and Northwest Florida. 

Throughout the past 30 years, FSU Panama 

City has adapted successfully to new 

challenges by expanding and anticipating 

new education opportunities. For example, 

over the last five years, we have 

had a concerted effort to increase STEM 

education in middle and high school students 

and teachers. The community is 

now reaping the rewards. Approximately 

20% of our students enroll in a STEM major. 

Particularly noteworthy is that 74% of 

our electrical engineering graduates work 

in Bay County and an astounding 94% of 

our civil engineering graduates have found 

employment in Northwest Florida. 

As we start 2012, we hope you will join 

us in celebrating the success of our graduates, 

students and campus and the potential 

FSU Panama City represents for our community 

and region. During the next three 

decades, we pledge to remain focused on 

meeting the future higher education needs 

of our students, community and state by 

providing the highest quality education 

possible. With over 22 bachelor’s and 

master’s degree programs, we would love 

the opportunity to talk with you about your 

future and how we might be able to serve 

you. Check us out at pc.fsu.edu. 


Update 

Dr. Jim Kerley, President 


By stepping boldly 

into the future, 

Gulf Coast State 

College continues 

to improve the 

educational opportunities 

in this 

region. Education 

certainly opens 

doors to more employment 

opportunities 

and knowledge shapes the future for 

a new set of dynamic industries. As these 

different sectors evolve to become more 

high-tech and employers struggle to find 

skilled workers, GCSC is building new 

partnerships with the community through 

the Advanced Technology Center (ATC). 

The ATC will showcase new ideas through 

unique educational and workforce programs 

focused on innovation acceleration, 

market intelligence, technology commercialization 

and entrepreneurialism. 

Businesses with global vision, and the numerous 

jobs that will be created in the next 

five years, will require an education that goes 

beyond a high school diploma. Clearly, we 

must go further and sustain the most innovative 

and adaptable workforce our area 

can provide. An increase in the number of 

engineers and technicians across Science, 

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 

(STEM) disciplines will evolve as the ATC 

actively partners with area businesses and 

universities in offering unique educational 

pathways. The ATC will allow STEM education 

to transform the conventional teachercentered 

classroom into a curriculum driven 

by problem-solving, discovery, exploration 

and active learning. 

Transforming Northwest Florida’s sustainability 

through economic growth and preserving 

our environment are key missions of 

the ATC. A prime example will be the Renewable 

and Alternative Energy Technology 

Laboratory. This real-world lab will engage 

students to think outside the box and allow 

them to gain knowledge and experience related 

to renewable energy systems and alternative 

fuels. Students will integrate and 

participate with the concepts offered at the 

ATC with full support by anchor sponsors 

and industry/business partners. 

Today’s students have never known a world 

without technology such as the Internet and 

smart phones, and educators must adapt to 

the complexity of the next generation. Not 

only is the ATC all about technology and innovation, 

the unique concept allows students 

to gain an education, credentials and experience 

right here without having to move away. 

The ATC offers a brighter and clearer future 

for the host of students not currently served 

in career and technical education, creating a 

new sector of the American workforce capable 

of taking applied technology to profitable 

market endeavors in record time. 

“Without continual growth and progress, 

such words as improvement, achievement 

and success have no meaning.” (Benjamin 

Franklin) Gulf Coast State College’s faculty 

and staff share a commitment to making 

a difference in lives through learning and 

community engagement. Visit gulfcoast.edu/ 

ATC to stay up-to-date on the ATC, where 

education, business and innovation thrive! 

Troy Update 

Lisa Kitto, Site Director, Troy University 

This year, Troy 

University will 

mark 125 years of 

service to students 

in Alabama, across 

the U.S. and around 

the world with celebrations 

and special 

events at its campuses 

and sites worldwide. 

A worldwide 

125th birthday celebration was held on Feb. 

24, with simultaneous events conducted on 

the campuses in Troy, Dothan, Montgomery 

and Phenix City, along with other national 

and international sites. Joining in the festivities 

the local TROY site in Panama City recognized 

the milestone with a party attended 

by current students and alumni, faculty, and 

staff members and their families. The Troy 

Campus celebration was broadcast live online 

via the University’s website—www.troy. 

edu which allowed TROY alumni and fans 

everywhere a chance to participate. 

As a part of the yearlong celebration, the University 

has launched a special website, www. 

troy.edu/troy125, which includes a history of 

the University with an interactive timeline, 

information on upcoming events related to 

the anniversary, and an opportunity to make 

a gift to TROY online. Visitors to the site can 

also share how Troy University has touched 

their lives by submitting personal stories, 

photos and videos. 

“It is an exciting time in the life of Troy University,” 

said Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chan- 

 


Around Town 

 

Candidates 

Updates on Community, Education, Workforce & Government 

cellor. “Of the 100 colleges founded in our 

founding year of 1887, 27 are now defunct. 

Troy University has thrived because we 

stand on the rock of our founding principles. 

The University’s motto in 1887, ‘Educate the 

mind to think, the heart to feel and the body 

to act,’ remains just as true today.” 

For more information about Troy University, 

please give us a call at 747-0634. We are 

proud to be one of the institutions available 

in this wonderful community to serve the 

educational needs of our area residents. 

Bay EDA Update 

Neal Wade, Executive Director 

Bay County Economic Development 

Alliance 

At the January investors 

meeting, 

the EDA unveiled 

a vision map for 

the organization in 

2012. The staff will 

focus this year on 

working with strategic 

partners to 

enable Bay County 

to create new, quality 

jobs while sustaining and growing the 

existing economic base. To reach this vision, 

goals have been set to (1) build an 

investor base that supports aggressive job 

creation; (2) reaffirm partner alliances to 

maximize mutual goals; (3) establish effective 

communication vehicles with investors, 

partners, prospects and media; (4) 

repackage the toolbox to effectively market 

assets including workforce training, 

infrastructure, available sites and quality 

of life; (5) establish and communicate the 

Bay brand to site consultants and target 

companies through enhanced marketing 

tools; (6) set accountability measures to 

ensure stakeholders receive strong return 

on investment; and (7) define appropriate 

roles for successful job creation. 

Staff has been marketing Bay County and 

its assets to decision makers across the 

United States through a variety of outlets. 

First, we participated in the first-ever Site 

Selectors Guild Conference held in Orlando. 

The Guild is a professional association 

comprised of the world’s most respected 

site selection consultants. As the aviation/ 

aerospace industry is one of our target industries 

for recruitment, the EDA also participated 

in the Heli Expo in Dallas, Texas. 

It is the world’s largest tradeshow dedicated 

to the international helicopter community. 

Outside of the special trade show events, 

staff continues to respond to a number of 

inquiries received from Enterprise Florida 

and Florida’s Great Northwest as well as 

direct inquires. 

As part of our new approach, the EDA has 

scheduled its investors meeting on the second 

Wednesday of each month at 8:30 am 

at Florida State University Panama City. 

The meetings are open to the public. To 

confirm a meeting date and time, please 

call our office at (850) 215-9965. 

TDC/CVB Update 

Susan Estler, Vice President Marketing 

Panama City Beach CVB 

Our beautiful 

sugar-white sand 

beaches have long 

been the number 

one reason for 

visitors to come 

to Panama City 

Beach. Fresh Gulf 

seafood is a close 

second. Culinary 

offerings are an 

important factor for tourists selecting a 

vacation destination and here they can 

find cuisine to please all palates. We have 

hosted many respected journalists and they 

have all been impressed by the culinary 

talent found in Panama City Beach. In addition 

to the mouthwatering menus, they 

are also enamored by the unique restaurant 

atmospheres and warm hospitality found 

throughout the community. 

 

WHAT’S THE BUZZ? 

Call the Beach Chamber and sign up to 

receive the Beach Buzz, the Chamber’s 

weekly electronic newsletter covering 

Business and Charity Events, Workshops, 

Social Outings, Community Meetings. 

850.235.1159 

Forum 

For the City Council of 

Panama City Beach 

Moderated by Tom Lewis of 

WJHG News 7 

Mayoral, Ward 2 & Ward 4 

Candidates 

Tuesday, March 27 

4:00 PM 

Edgewater Beach 

& Golf Resort 

Presented by the Beach Chamber’s 

Governmental Affairs Committee: 

Robert Carroll, Chairman 

Griff Griffitts 

Ryan Davis 

Jeff DiBenedictis 

Dave Trepanier 

Anthony DuBose 

David Powell 


Members & Ambassadors 

Membership Update 

Cyndi Ainsworth 

Membership Services 

While working 

closely with new 

members, I am often 

asked, “What should 

I wear to networking 

events?” Luckily, 

we live in Florida, 

where the dress 

code is almost as 

relaxed as the beach 

attitude. A general 

rule of thumb though, is to wear what you 

would normally wear in front of customers, 

whether that is a suit or khakis and a polo shirt 

with your company logo. Now if you work 

for a beach service, you may want to leave the 

swimsuit and flip-flops at home and dress up 

a bit or you will have the rest of us skipping 

work and following you to the beach. The 

key is projecting the right image and looking 

smart and professional while doing it. 

When choosing what to wear to an event, 

think about where you will keep your business 

cards, an outfit with pockets is a good 

choice since briefcases and handbags can 

become an annoyance while working the 

room and, especially so, if you are checking 

out the buffet. It is also a good idea to invest 

in a business card case; this will keep your 

cards fresh and free of debris. I actually carry 

two card cases, one for my own cards and 

the other for the business cards that are given 

to me; this enables easy organization of new 

contacts after an event. 

Have you ever been confused by “attire” 

when invited to an event? We all have heard 

of “Business Casual,” but do we actually 

know what this term means? Here is our attempt 

to decode the dress code. 

Business Casual: Most local offices 

are leaning towards this type of dress; it is 

more relaxed than a suit but still professional. 

Khaki’s for men with a polo or button-down 

shirt and dress pants, skirts and casual dresses 

for women. 

Business/Corporate: Wear a professional 

suit. 

Cocktail: Dress slacks with a button-down 

Grand Opening of Dick’s Last Resort on February 6, with 

(from left) Cyndi Ainsworth and Skip Alford. 

shirts for men, and ladies: this is the perfect 

excuse to bring out your Little Black Dress or 

Cocktail dress. Trendy attire is acceptable. 

Semi-Formal After Five: 

This attire is slightly dressier than 

cocktail, which requires men to 

wear a suit with tie and women 

may wear any type of elegant 

dress or pantsuit. 

Black Tie: This dress code 

refers to almost all formal occasions 

after 6 PM, where tuxedos 

and floor length gowns will surely 

dominate. 

Now that you are “dressed for 

success” and feeling confident, 

it’s time to start networking! The 

Beach Chamber offers many varieties 

of networking events so chamber members 

can connect with each other on a regular 

basis. Whether you are networking, prospecting 

or socializing, you and your business will 

thrive from involvement in Chamber events. 

 

Ambassador Update 

Ramon Duvall 

Ambassador 

Chairman 

The first quarter of 

the year has quickly 

passed, and the Ambassador 

Team has 

been in a whirlwind 

of activity. With the 

opening of the many 

new businesses in Pier Park and other 

locations on and off the beach, we’ve 

hardly had time to catch our breath. 

It is always exciting to celebrate with 

the proud owners of new businesses at 

their Grand Openings. Their justifiable 

pride in seeing their “dream come true” 

is an inspiration to us all. 

As we feature the many fine restaurants 

available to us in this area, allow me to 

highlight one of our many Ambassador 

activities: the Ambassador Lunch. The 

Ambassador team meets on the first 

and third Fridays of every month at 

one of our excellent local dining establishments 

to enjoy networking, good 

times, and of course, great food! Deals 

are made, ideas exchanged, and relationships 

Ambassador Lunch at Montego Bay-Edgewater (from left): Nycole 

McKissack, Charles Heyman, Ramon Duvall, Marsha Duvall, 

Leslie Brashear, Lou Alessandrini and Bea Alessandrini. 

established, all in the midst of a really exciting 

time. If you or your employees are not 

currently active in the Ambassador program, 

call the Chamber office and sign up today. 

It’s easy; it’s fun, and very rewarding. 

Congratulations to Nycole McKissack, recipient 

of the Jean L. Shafer Ambassador of the 

Year Award for 2011. Nycole is an invaluable 

member of our team and a leader in our community. 

Our lives are enriched by all she does 

for the Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce 

and our community at large. 

Ambassadors, thank you for all you do to 

make our team a success; it is a pleasure to 

work with you. I’ve gotta run…Skip and 

Cyndi are adding more to the schedule. I’ll 

see you at the next GRAND OPENING! 

 


Members New & Renewing Chamber Members 

New Members 

Bays Medical Society 

Bob Evans Farms 

Branham Beach Realty 

Carpe Diem Community 

Solutions 

Classic Carpets Plus Color Tile 

Cloud 9 Orchestra 

Coastal Impressions Print Shack 

Community Bank 

D1 Landscape & Irrigation 

Draperies To Go 

ELJI Services 

Emerald Coast Baths dba 

REBATH 

Emerald HR Solutions 

Emerald View Management 

Fishale Taphouse & Grill 

Flagala Hardware 

Georgia Tech Research Institute 

Home Run Advantage 

Huff Homes 

Joey Kirkland Insurance 

Just Kidding 

Konica Minolta Business 

Solutions U.S.A. 

Mary Kay Consultant 

Matty’s Irish Pub 

Mindy Barnes Skin Care 

Nichols & Associates of 

Bay County 

Panama City Beach Pirates 

Pat Sabiston 

Sharp Carpet & Ceramic Tile 

Southern Work Apparel 

Surf-Style Retail Management 

The Lewis Bear Company 

Renewing 

Members 

Renewals - 1 Year 

325th Force Support Squadron 

Tyndall AFB 

Ashley at Breakfast Point 

Bay County Alzheimers Alliance 

Bay Point Water Sports 

Haney Technical Center 

Moore Consulting Group 

Seacrest Wolf Preserve 

Sheffield Insurance of Florida 

Vacation Home Manager 

Zambelli Fireworks 

Renewals - 2 Years 

American Heart Association 

Appleman & Trucks Law Office P.A. 

Comfort Systems USA 

Pease & Associates 

Smile Specialists Orthodontics 

WFSU 


Emerald Coast Dale Carnegie 

Training 

Factory Direct Furniture 

Firehouse Subs 

Hidden Lagoon Super 

Racetrack & Golf 

Ironman Florida 

KAFA Construction 

Sponsors of Hope 

Waste Pro Panama City 


Buffalo Wild Wings 

Camp Gordon Johnston 

Associates 

Havi-Clean 

Lori Bates Interiors 

Margaritaville 

Massage Envy 

Panama City Parrot Head Club 

Ron Jon Surf Shop 

Sleep Inn & Suites of Panama 

City Beach 


First Choice Therapy Services 

JC Penney 

Larry Mason 

The Man in the Sea Museum 


Beltone Hearing Center 

Dr. Myra Reed MD & Associates 

Fowhand’s Furniture 

JRA Architects 

Legacy Boating Club 

Time Out Family Sports Grille 


Bay County Board of County 

Commissioners 

Comfort Suites 

Foster Business Interiors 

GAC Contractors 

Jamison Bedding, Inc. 


GM Appliance 

Retina Specialty Institute 


Al.com 

Collins & Associates 

H & R Block 

Kerrigan and Merritt 

McNeil Carroll Engineering 

Scott Ingraham Real Estate Group 

Workforce Center 


American Cancer Society 

Emerald Bay Apartments 

Louis P. Alessandrini 

Northwest FL Surgery Center 

Panama City Dental Studio 

Thunder Beach Productions 


Boomer Aviation 


Emerald Coast Hospice 

Gulf Coast State College Small 

Business Development Center 

Mr. Surf’s Surf Shop 

Sea Side Villas Condominium 


Hospitality Depot 

Panama City Radio/Double O 

Radio 

Pinnacle Port Business Office 

Scampy’s 


Beach TV 


Angelo’s Steak Pit 

Muriel T. Ellis 

Grease Pro 


Driftwood Lodge 

The Eye Center of North Florida 


Intercity Oz 


Durden Enterprises II 



Lewis Advertising & Distribution 

Tyndall Federal Credit Union 


City of Panama City Beach 

Outpatient Surgery and Procedures 

• ENT Surgery • General Surgery • Neurosurgery • Ophthalmic Surgery • Gastroenterology 

• Neurology Procedures • Orthopedic Surgery • Plastic Surgery • Podiatric Surgery • Retinal Surgery 

767 AIRPORT RD. PANAMA CITY, FL 32405 • (850) 747-0400 • www.nwfsc.com 

NWFSC is nationally accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). 


Members 

Ribbon Cuttings 

Florida Medical Lab, 1/12 

McDonald’s, 1/19 

Dick’s Last Resort, 2/6 

 

 

 

Cindy’s Salon & Spa, 2/9 

Carillon Beach Inn, 2/21 

 

 

Linda Kirk, ABR,GRI 

Realtor 

linda .kirk@cbunited.com 



309 Richard Jackson Boulevard 



PRSRT STD 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

PERMIT NO 50 

PANAMA CITY, FL

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