Build Tampa Bay to Present at the White House

Cox Fire is very excited to announce that our CEO, Linda Cox, along with fellow Board Members, Steve Cona, Brian Wilkinson, Wayne Fernandez and Jack Olmstead, has been invited to the White House on Tuesday 12/5 to meet with Deputy Assistant to the President, Stephen Munisteri.  Linda is the Chair of Build Tampa Bay, a not-for-profit program established through ABC’s Gulf Coast Chapter, which is tackling head-on the skilled labor shortage in the Tampa Bay area.  Build Tampa Bay is going into high schools to talk with seniors, their parents and their counselors about the critical need for skilled workers in the construction industry – and about the incredible career opportunities that exist for full 4-year scholarships underwritten by member companies.  Washington DC heard about Build Tampa Bay, and wants to understand the logistics of how we’re making the partnerships work between Tampa Bay’s business community and surrounding school systems!  The Straz in Tampa will be hosting our third annual Build Tampa Bay event in April, and over 1000 high school juniors and seniors are expected at the event that will culminate in a “signing day” for students who have interviewed with member companies through the course of this school year, and who will be awarded their hard hats and scholarships on site during the ceremony that day.