2012 Women of Influence Luncheon

One of my favorite events to photograph each year is the Women of Influence Luncheon that the Tampa Chamber hosts at A La Carte Pavilion.  They always get a phenomonal woman to tell their story.  If you know me I LOVE pop culture and celebrity gossip so I was super excited that Guiliana Rancic from E News, Fashion Police, and Guiliana and Bill was this years speaker!  She is so nice and has such a positive outlook on life.  She shared how she made it through the labrynth of the journalism world to get her dream job at E News.  She also has gone through breast cancer and is using that experience to relate to other women and use it as a platform.  It was awesome as usual, over 800 women and a few men too:-) 

Tampa Chamber 126th Annual Meeting

I can't believe it's almost 2012!  The end of every year the Tampa Chamber has turns the gavel over to the new leadership for the following year.  It's interesting hearing about the main topics on the agenda for the Tampa Bay area.  For 2012 year several of the big agenda items are the Republican National Convention, retaining our sports teams, and McDill Airforce base.  Tampa has some awesome things coming up!

Women of Influence 2011

Every year the women of influence luncheon is one of my personal favorite events to both photography and attend.  This year, about 800 attendees were there to get together, network and hear the keynote speaker, who this year was Solidad O'brien.  I love hearing people's stories about who they are and how they have become what they are.  Solidad has a very interesting one, her parents were both immigrants from Cuba and Australia and at the time interracial marriage was illegal in Maryland where they lived.  So they went to Washington DC where laws didn't prohibit that.  You'll have to read her book for the rest of her story.  She talked about overcoming adversity and living life without getting upset about all the small little things that distract us from what's really important.  For all you ladies, and men if you are brave:-)  This event is always an amazing one, there is one in the April and October if you ever get a chance to do definitely take the opportunity!