Education & Philanthropy
Latest coverage, analysis and business news from Tampa Bay Business and Wealth.
Shumaker Advisors has helped secure $3.5 million in state funding, over the past four years, for the Blue Angels Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting wounded veterans through transitional housing, mental health services, suicide prevention and post-traumatic stress treatment. The Blue Angels Foundation, led by former members of the U.S. Navy’s elite flight demonstration … Read more
Retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. James “Hammer” Hartsell has joined the Saint Leo University Board of Trustees, bringing with him not only a lifetime of military and public service, but also a deeply personal reason for doing so. Hartsell’s late son, Evin B. Hartsell, graduated from Saint Leo, in 2015, with a degree in … Read more
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has received a Cultural Impact Award from Casinos.com, recognizing its charitable work, disaster response and ongoing support for the Tampa Bay community. Voted Florida’s top tribal casino, by residents across four U.S. states and three Canadian provinces, the resort was one of just seven properties in North America … Read more
The University of South Florida raised a record-breaking $184.2 million in philanthropic support during the 2024–25 fiscal year. More than 59,700 donors contributed to the total, including nearly 15,000 first-time supporters. This marks the fourth consecutive year USF has surpassed $150 million in annual giving, with more than $660 million raised since 2021. “This record-breaking … Read more
Years ago, it partnered with a church in Seminole Heights and provided meals to 11 people per day. Now, the Meals on Wheels of Tampa delivers about 1,000 meals a day and serves homebound, disabled and elderly community members. For Steve King, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Tampa, it’s an honor. “They’re the … Read more
The Community Foundation Tampa Bay has appointed Linda O. Simmons as chair of its board of trustees, alongside the addition of three new board members. Simmons, a longtime board member and local business leader, will serve a two-year term as chair, beginning July 1, 2025. She currently serves as president and primary shareholder at R.R. … Read more
For Dr. Rajan “Raj” Wadhawan, the mission to care for children has long been personal. A neonatologist by training, he’s spent much of his 13-year tenure with AdventHealth focused on the youngest and most vulnerable patients, including six years as chief executive officer of the system’s children’s and women’s hospitals, in Orlando. Now, as chief … Read more
St. Petersburg College has appointed Dr. Mark McKinney as the new dean of its College of Computer and Information Technology. McKinney joins SPC from Pasco-Hernando State College, where he served as associate dean for academic affairs and retention services. In that role, he led initiatives that boosted graduation rates and supported academic excellence. His previous … Read more
Girls Inc. of Tampa Bay has revealed the honorees for its 2025 Celebrating Women in STEAM Luncheon, an annual event that celebrates influential women in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. This year’s event will honor five trailblazing leaders: Jamie Bryan, Chief Operating Officer, Greenacre Properties Cammie Chatterton, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Bay Food … Read more
Berkeley Preparatory School has received $5 million in endowment gifts from two Tampa Bay families, funds that will directly support teaching excellence at the school. The Shah Family and the Taneja Family made the contributions during the 2024–2025 school year. Nita and Rupesh Shah committed $3 million to the Berkeley Endowment for Teaching Excellence, which … Read more
