MAYOR HOSTS JOB CREATION SUMMIT FOR FINANCIAL AND INSURANCE BUSINESSES

St. Petersburg, FL. (March 3, 2011) - Mayor Bill Foster is convening a summit with financial and insurance business leaders, educators and economic development professionals to discuss the large concentration of financial and insurance businesses located in the city, and to explore opportunities for future job growth within these industries. The next in the Mayor's series of job creation summits will be held Tuesday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to noon at Franklin Templeton's Carillon Auditorium, 100 Fountain Parkway in St. Petersburg (zip code 33716). 

At the summit, key stakeholders will share their views on the current state of the financial and insurance business sector in St. Petersburg, and open a dialogue with participants. These industries comprise 14 percent of the city's workforce and are important in building and sustaining the local economy.  Interested business representatives and members of the community are invited to participate by responding to Jon Fleming, 727-892-5288 or jon.fleming@stpete.org.

Panelists include Sr. Vice President/Chief Economist Scott Brown of Raymond James; Synovous Bank's Tampa Bay Market President Susan Blackburn; RBC Capital Markets' Vice President Doug Draper; President and CEO Mark Lettellier of Modern Business Associates; Transamerica Financial Advisors President Seth Miller; Franklin Templeton's Director of Talent Acquisition and Global Mobility Joanne Mallon.  The panel will be moderated by Chris Steinocher, President and CEO,  of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce.