Are you ready to learn from Tampa Bay’s legendary restauranteurs and hoteliers about how they retain their employees and build loyal customers?

Join us for another fun Connection of Innovation event discussing the biggest challenges in hospitality today: acquiring and retaining employees and customers. A panel of hospitality industry leaders from Tampa Bay’s legendary hotels and restaurants will share best practices. Plus a cadence of Israeli entrepreneurs will review new technologies tackling these challenges.

See who is speaking at our event:

Ian Anderson, Publisher and Market President at Tampa Bay Business Journal will moderate.

Chris Sullivan, Founder of Outback Steakhouse – Outback Steakhouse was founded in 1988 by Chris Sullivan, Bob Basham, Tim Gannon and Trudy Cooper. The company went public in 1991 and over the next 15 years collaborated with Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Roy’s to develop and operate over 1400 restaurants worldwide. In 2012, the reconstructed company, Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. went public. Current partnerships include Metro Diner, ConSul Hospitality Partners, Besito Mexican, and numerous restaurant industry investments.

Wayne Raath, General Manager at Lone Palm Golf Club – Founded by Mr. George Jenkins, Founder of Publix Super Markets, Lone Palm is set on nearly 400 acres of beautiful scenery and wildlife. The 18-hole, championship course provides both challenge and enjoyment for professionals and novices alike.

Matt Loder, Owner, Crabby Bill’s – Crabby Bill’s is one of the largest employers within Indian Rocks Beach. It has grown from a small 800 square foot building on Gulf Blvd back in 1983 to now, 40 years later, include several additions to the Loder Family Brands; Crabby Gifts, Jake’s Coastal Cantina, Seabreeze Island Grill, Pipo N Betty’s Bakery, Crabby Bill’s St. Pete Beach, and JD’s Lounge & Restaurant.

Clyde Smith, GM, Bilmar Beach Resort – The Bilmar is located right on the sand in Treasure Island and continues to be a popular destination hotel for visitors and locals alike. The Bilmar team is proud to have put together a group of employees that are fully committed to delivering outstanding guest service to each and every guest and restaurant patron that comes to the Bilmar Hotel.

Chuck Prather, Owner, The Birchwood – The Birchwood is a beautiful historical boutique hotel located in the heart of Downtown St. Pete. The Spanish Mission-style building, listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, underwent a renovation of historically accurate dimensions with the addition of two floors to then become The Birchwood. Today it includes 18 hotel rooms, a grand ballroom, a rooftop bar and a popular restaurant.

Jennifer Corinis and Katie Molloy, Shareholders, Greenberg Traurig

Yossi Milhem, VP Biz Dev, Como – A data-driven customer engagement & loyalty solution powering F&B and retail businesses to understand their customers and deliver unforgettable experiences.

Adam Stufflebeam, Account Executive, Aura Air – The world’s smartest data-driven air purification system, one that cleanses indoor air while vigilantly monitoring its quality in real-time.

Yoni Rubin, CEO, MRGN – The business intelligence platform for small businesses, serving as a crystal ball into their finances and operations, and helping them mitigate future risks by leveraging big data and Machine Learning.

This event is in partnership with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and is sponsored by Omni Public, Greenberg Traurig, GenTech Marketing and Delta.