Main Menu

St. Pete Economic Development Corp. Names Vice Chair

Economic Development | Business | Developmwent

The Economic Development Corp. was formed last year to help grow jobs and business in St. Petersburg.

ST. PETERSBURG – David R. Punzak will serve a the vice chair of the St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corp.

Punzak, a shareholder with the Carlton Fields law firm, was appointed by the EDC board of directors. After his term as vice chair, Punzak will serve as chairman in 2018.

“David brings a great depth and breadth of experience and leadership to the organization and we look forward to his impact over the coming years,” said Michael Vivio, the EDC chairman.

Punzak has more than 30 years’ experience as an attorney handling diverse transactions for clients including banks, real estate developers and insurance companies. He regularly represents clients in real estate and finance transactions, mergers and acquisitions and general business matters. He has a long history of volunteering in the Tampa Bay community. He has served on the board of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce since 2012, including two terms as chairman and as the chair of the economic development committee, and has served on the boards of other organizations including Baseball Forever St. Pete, Suncoasters, Heroes of the St. Petersburg Police and the Dali Museum.

David R. Punzak | Carlton Fields | Economic Development Corp.
David R. Punzak

“Being named vice chair of the EDC is a great privilege and I am proud to continue service to my home town,” Punzak said. “The EDC is poised to make a significant impact on the economic prosperity of St. Pete’s citizens and I am excited to be a part of it.”

The EDC was founded in late 2016 as a result of the “Grow Smarter” strategic plan adopted more than two years ago by the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, city of St. Petersburg and community partners. The strategy outlines six major themes of focus to ensure the city has a sustainable and inclusive economic strategy moving forward. The Grow Smarter plan identifies key business sectors that the EDC will help retain, grow and attract. The plan also identifies the EDC as the “Storyteller in Chief” for St. Petersburg as a business destination. Funding for the EDC comes through investments from more than 40 local, private entities as well as significant funding from the Greater St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and the city.

“Punzak brings a host of experiences in the economic development space and institutional knowledge of the city that will only add to our ability to be an organization of high impact,” said J. P. DuBuque, president of the St. Petersburg EDC. 

For information about the St. Petersburg EDC, go to stpete.com.

St. Petersburg | Economic Development Corp. | David Punzak | Development | Business | TB Reporter

#StPetersburg #EconomicDevelopmentCorp. #DavidPunzak #Development #Business #TBReporter