The Greater Panama City Beaches Chamber of Commerce your connection to the beach COMMUNITY WORKFORCE EDUCATION dining GOVERNMENT MEMBER NEWS GRAND OPENINGS out CALENDAR OF EVENTS IN PANAMA CITY BEACH PANAMA CITY FL CITY PANAMA PERMIT NO 50 PERMIT US POSTAGE PRSRT STD PRSRT PAID March/April 2008 Vol 3 Issue 2 www.pcbeach.org 449127-PCB_Circuit-cov.indd9127-PCB_Circuit-cov.indd 1 22/25/08/25/08 110:46:060:46:06 PPMM www.NevesMedia.com Tasteful... NevesMedia A Full Service Media Development Company Production | Design | Print | Development 449127-PCB_Circuit-cov.indd9127-PCB_Circuit-cov.indd 2 22/22/08/22/08 77:00:57:00:57 AMAM The Circuit March/April 2008 3 449127-The9127-The CircuitCircuit MAR-APR.inddMAR-APR.indd 3 22/26/08/26/08 111:01:591:01:59 PPMM 4 The Circuit March/April 2008 449127-The9127-The CircuitCircuit MAR-APR.inddMAR-APR.indd 4 22/26/08/26/08 111:02:061:02:06 PPMM The Circuit March/April 2008 5 449127-The9127-The CircuitCircuit MAR-APR.inddMAR-APR.indd 5 22/26/08/26/08 111:02:071:02:07 PPMM 6 The Circuit March/April 2008 449127-The9127-The CircuitCircuit MAR-APR.inddMAR-APR.indd 6 22/26/08/26/08 111:02:071:02:07 PPMM Something Blazin’ has come to Panama City Beach… YOU HAVE TO BE HERE! • 14 Signature Sauces • Full menu including wings, burgers, sandwiches, ribs, boneless wings, salads, & wraps • 34 HD Flat Screen LCD’s, 11 Projection Big Screens • NTN Buzztime Trivia, Golden Tee, & other Games • Lunch, Dinner, Late Night, Open Daily from 11 – 2 am • Locally Owned & Operated • 20 Draft Beers, 45 Bottled, Full Bar • Two Outside Patios • Dine-In or Take-Out Now Open in Pier Park! • Family Friendly (850) 236-0325 • YOU HAVE TO BE HERE The Circuit March/April 2008 7 449127-The9127-The CircuitCircuit MAR-APR.inddMAR-APR.indd 7 22/27/08/27/08 22:08:03:08:03 PMPM The Greater Panama City Beaches Chamber of Commerce n your connection to the beach ing green c h a i r m a n ‘ s r e p o r t Al McCambry go Green Adventures in 10 Panama City Beach 8 Ways to Green Up Your Life 008 has started with a BANG! You can just feel On February 22nd, The Greater Panama City Beaches 1 New Nature Center on the way the excitement and anticipation surrounding Chamber hosted its Annual Awards Banquet. This The Greater Panama City Beaches Chamber of Commerce BANKING CENTER the activities involving the yyear’s celebration was held at the REAL ESTATE CORNER GRAND OPENINGS your connection toAROUND the TOWN beach MEMBER NEWS 2 CCity of Panama City Beach, Bay and EEdgewater Beach Resort, and I Chamber’s CALENDAR OF EVENTS AnnualAnnuAAnnnunuu Report e be ala Repoeep ach andana 2008 Programwww.pcbeach.o of Work ssurroundingu Counties. wwould like to thank Andy Phillips nndd 202000 Vol 2 Issue 6 2007 of fWWoWororkoorrk aand his staff for a great time. OOne of the most important concepts too embrace for 2008 and the future DDuring the month of April, your iss that of “Regionalism.” As our BBeaches Chamber will be relocating arareae continues to grow and prosper, tto 309 Beckrich Road. We are very January/FebruaryJanuary/Febru 2008 ary 20 Vol 3 Issue 1 ReRegionalism and what it means will eexcited about our new home! We www.pcbeach.org plplaya a pivotal role with our continued wwill have something for everyone ssuccess.u To that point, business and community including a beautiful history wall, extended hours lleadersea from four counties, Bay, Gulf, Walton and including Saturday and Sunday, and touch screen OOkaloosa,k have come together to form what is known kiosks for visitors. as Coastal Vision 3000. This group has been tasked Like I said, 2008 has started with a Bang! Stay in wwithi creating a consistent brand for our region and to touch with your Beaches Chamber. Get involved. incincrease both national and international awareness Help to continue to make this area a great place to for our market. Keep an eye out for “The Beach!” Live, Work and Play. During our Friday at the Beach event on March 14th, there will be a very enlightening presentation Are You regarding “The Beach” and what it means. Connected p r e s i d e n t ‘ s r e p o r t Debi Knight to the Beach? he excitement has begun. Pier Park has We expect 2008 to be a very optimistic year for offi cially opened with new specialty shops growth, tourism and community development. Advertise your business and great restaurants. Your T BBusiness and community leaders in The Circuit! Chamber is working with several ffrom four counties, Gulf, Bay, Walton entities to plan weekly events aand Okaloosa, have come together 2008 Spotlight throughout the year, especially tto form Coastal Vision 3000. This Schedule: during the holiday season. ggroup is creating a consistent brand JAN/FEB By the time you receive this special ffor our region. The goal is to increase Chamber’s Annual Report edition of The Circuit, “Dining Out nnational and international awareness, MAR/APR in Panama City Beach,” we will be inincrease support for our local Dining Out in PCB within weeks of opening our new ttourism and economic development MAY/JUN Chamber building at 309 Beckrich Road. We have opportunities, and grow our market. At our Friday Shopping & Things To Do JUL/AUG great things planned for our community. State-of-the- at the Beach during the second week of March Andy Resorts and Real Estate art technology, a beautiful history wall, touch screen Phillips of Edgewater Beach Resort, who is also on the SEP/OCT kiosks for visitors and people relocating to the area, a Executive Board of Coastal Vision 3000, will give a Health & Wellness community board room, and extended hours including presentation to our members. Saturday and Sunday. We are also working with the NOV/DEC And fi nally, a Big Thank You to Lisa Powell, our Ecotourism Workforce Center, FSU-Panama City and Gulf Coast Publicity Committee Chair, for all her hard work in Community College to add job placement, training, making our Annual Awards Banquet on February Rates & Information: focus forums and business center to our location. Skip Alford 22nd a huge success! (850) 814-4292 Tyler Finklea The Beach: A way of life that will change yours. (850) 691-6259 Find out more about Coastal Vision 3000 on Page 28. 8 The Circuit March/April 2008 449127-The9127-The CircuitCircuit MAR-APR.inddMAR-APR.indd 8 22/26/08/26/08 111:02:151:02:15 PPMM 63@3AB3/;32;CAA3:A/@3/ @3/A=<B=AB=>163197<53;/7: Panama City Beach • 13820 Panama City Beach Pkwy. • 850-230-4522 The Circuit March/April 2008 9 449127-The9127-The CircuitCircuit MAR-APR.inddMAR-APR.indd 9 22/26/08/26/08 111:02:311:02:31 PPMM The Greater Panama City Beaches Chamber of Commerce 20082008 your connection to the beach BOARD OF DIRECTORS M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 0 8 Chairman of the Board Al McCambry, Knology CONTENTS Past Chairman Features 35 Gulf Coast Community College David Powell, 18 Dining Out in Panama City Beach 39 Pier Park Peoples First Community Bank 26 Dining Out at Kingfi sh 39 FSU Flying High Circus Incoming Chairman Anthony Dubose, Events Membership Coastal Community Insurance Agency 28 Chamber Events Keep You In-The-Know 30 Member News Treasurer 28 Friday at the Beach 40 Grand Openings Philip Griffi tts, Jr. 28 Candidates Forum 40 New & Renewing Members Sugar Sands Beach Resort 28 After Hours - March 41 High Voltage Membership Legal Council 29 Calendar of Events 41 Ambassador Update Steven L. Applebaum 29 Leads Group 40 After Hours - April In Every Issue The Board 8 Chairman’s Report Mike Abney, 8 President’s Report Prudential Shimmering Sands Around Town 34 FSU-Panama City 12 Banking Center Billy Alam, Days Inn 34 Community Update 12 Real Estate Corner Karen Blackerby, Magnum Capital 34 Local Government Update 14 A Few Minutes With Lee Ann Leonard Sue Brookhart, 35 Gulf Coast Workforce Board 15 A Few Minutes With Bob Zamboni Naval Support Activity Panama City 16 Biz Spotlight Robert Carroll, McNeil Carroll Engineering Cover photo of Firefl y’s Sauteed Gulf Grouper with shallots, fresh corn, grape tomatoes, jumbo Mack Carter, Shuckum’s lump blue crab and sherry cream. Photo by Myron Hines Oyster Pub, Another Broken Egg The Greater Panama City Beaches Chamber of Commerce Rick Dye, Region Bank 415 Beckrich Rd., Suite 200, Panama City Beach, FL 32407 Pam George, Phone: (850) 235-1159 Fax: (850) 235-2301 Gulf World Marine Park PCBeach.org John Gheesling, Bikini Beach John Hamati, Flautt Cornerstone CHAMBER OFFICERS EDITORIAL STAFF Scott Harris, Wachovia Bank President/CEO Debi Knight Editor Marta Rose Annie Holcombe, Oaseas Resorts Senior VP Marketing & PR Marta Rose Creative Director Marta Rose Lewis Howell, The St. Joe Company Director of Operations Beth Oltman Advertising Sales Skip Alford Jayna Leach, Sterling Resorts VP Membership Services Skip Alford Tyler Finklea Lee Ann Leonard, By The Sea Resorts Membership Services Tyler Finklea Production Boyd Brothers Printing Jim Musicaro, Web Manager Jessica Summers Distribution Allegra Print & Imaging Carrabba’s Italian Grill Research/Communications Bethany Edwards Faith Leader Chris Pariseau, Membership Accounting Mgr. Jena Kimmel Contributing Mayor Gayle Oberst, Bay Allegra Print & Imaging Information Specialist Bertie Reynolds Writers Solutions, Kimberly Lisa Powell, Hombre Golf Club Receptionist Joyce Kidd Bodine, Dr. Jim Kerley, Edy Rivard, Information Specialist Gloria Mallory Dr.