Talking Points:
Putting down roots in Tampa BayTampa Bay Business Journal
- by Robert Yaniz Jr. Editorial Assistant 
 
 [Tampa] has low taxes, a great airport and great weather. In addition, the area has good private schools and public universities. My wife is from central Florida. Four of my five children have graduated from the University of Florida and all live in Hillsborough County. Plus, my two grandchildren live here.

My wife and I travel all over the world and love to come home to Tampa. We even have a boat at my back door that I can use 12 months a year.

It’s about the quality of life for my family and I. I could live in any part of the country we wanted to. I grew up in northern Minnesota, and I don’t plan to ever go back to live there. — Jacob J. Beckel, chairman and CEO of AnazaoHealth Corporation

I believe that our law firm has thrived because Tampa Bay is an ideal location for service businesses built upon relationships. Although the area has a relatively large population, it remains, at the same time, small and welcoming enough to foster the establishment of close relationships with clients and colleagues.

And because a great majority of our business comes from repeat clients, referrals from past clients and referrals from other attorneys, maintaining a high level of personal connection and satisfaction is our lifeblood. As with any good business, people make all the difference. The people here are diverse, intelligent and sophisticated, yet remain friendly, caring and open. These qualities provide for a strong customer base and truly help to make Tampa Bay a great place to live and work. — Chris A. Barker, partner at Barker Rodems & Cook PA

Even though the demographics shift has not been favorable for the funeral industry as St. Petersburg has moved away from being a retirement community, our business continues to remain here because of its localized nature and the relationships we have built over the past 57 years.

When someone suffers the loss of a loved one, the overwhelming reasons why they select a particular funeral home are recommendations and prior favorable experiences. People are looking for a friend whom they can trust to serve them. Having had the privilege of supporting our local residents for over a half century, our family-owned business has built a reputation, and that cannot be transferred easily to another community. — William B. McQueen, president and CEO of Anderson McQueen

I continue doing business in Tampa Bay because of the many opportunities that exist, even in light of the faltering economy. As one of the most dynamic retail markets in the Southeast, Tampa Bay consistently provides our ad agency with a constant stream of new business opportunities. We recently won the national Beef ‘O’ Brady’s media account with its corporate headquarters in Tampa.

In addition, the area possesses the ideal demographic mix necessary to launch, grow and sustain a vibrant retail sector. Tampa Bay has long held the reputation for being a breeding ground for successful, entrepreneurial-based retail chains, which ideally support our business model. As an ad agency specializing in retail advertising, it’s really hard to imagine a better place to call home. — Tony Ceresoli II, president/CEO of Ad Partners Inc.

Tampa has always been a highly desirable city to live and work in based on its geographical location alone. The ever-expanding selection of industries arriving in Tampa, as well as the new residents those same industries bring, have helped make my business successful.

My company started in South Tampa more than 15 years ago. Since then, we’ve customized personal and commercial policies for all types of smaller startup businesses and international corporations as well as major league athletes and our friends and neighbors around town. — Brier Grieves, president/CEO of Brier Grieves Agency Inc.

For me, it is the phenomenal balance the Bay area provides. From a business perspective, we are a growing community with more businesses, more jobs and better universities, which all drive our company’s growth.

A second business reason is [Tampa International Airport]. We have offices in Dallas and South Florida that we have to travel to support, and TIA is so easy and convenient to fly out of. The balance from a personal perspective is that the Tampa Bay area is unmatched for activities and sports. In the last decade, we have had our professional football, hockey and baseball teams make it to their respective championships. We have so many fine dining establishments and so many activities within one hour. There is never a dull moment. — Kevin Hourigan, president/CEO of Bayshore Solutions