2024 FRA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

October 22-25, 2024

Tampa Marriott Water Street
Tampa, Florida

SPEAKERS

SESSIONS

EXHIBITORS

WELCOME

The Florida Redevelopment Association 2024 Annual Conference provides real-world solutions to the ever-changing landscape of challenges faced by agencies, organizations and businesses committed to successful redevelopment initiatives across Florida. Redevelopment professionals, elected officials and business community leaders will find insight and inspiration through nationally recognized speakers, engaging workshops and mobile tours to fuel their passion for transforming their community.

SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 23, 2024

THURSDAY
OCTOBER 24, 2024

FRIDAY
OCTOBER 25, 2024

Featured Speakers

Richard Gonzmart

Owner, Columbia Restaurant

Richard Gonzmart, fourth-generation caretaker of the 1905 Family of Restaurants, shares how each generation of his family-owned business has met challenges that threatened the survival of Florida’s oldest restaurant, the Columbia in Ybor City, and persevered to create a company with six brands and 14 locations throughout the state. Born into the legacy of the world-renowned Columbia Restaurant, founded by his great-grandfather in 1905, Richard’s journey began at a tender age when he learned the art of identifying fresh fish from his grandfather. This early immersion laid the foundation for his lifelong dedication to storytelling through the art of food. Richard is a graduate of Tampa’s Jesuit High School and continued his education at the University of Denver School of Hotel and Restaurant Management. He later attended the Escuela de Turismo y Hosteleria in Madrid, Spain, and in 2022, he received an honorary doctorate in business administration conferred by the University of South Florida.

Keynote Speaker, Wednesday 10/23

Shane Phillips

speaker and author

Shane Phillips manages the Randall Lewis Housing Initiative for the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies. In this role, he supports faculty and student research, manages events and publishes research, policy briefs and educational materials. His work covers a wide range of housing topics including tenant protections, housing production policies and government revenue and financing reforms. Phillips hosts and produces the UCLA Housing Voice podcast. In 2020, Phillips published “The Affordable City: Strategies for Putting Housing Within Reach (and Keeping it There)” with Island Press. His book argues for the co-prioritization of supply, stability and subsidy in housing policy and offers over 50 strategies for improving housing affordability and access. Phillips has been published in outlets including The Atlantic and the Los Angeles Times and occasionally blogs at betterinstitutions.com.

Keynote Speaker, Thursday 10/24

What attendees are saying about the FRA Conference!

“Thank you for a wonderful conference and training. It was good to the last, Friday’s keynote was absolutely terrific.”
Debra Rose
Library and Cultural Affairs Administrator, CRA Coordinator City of Pinellas Park

“The conference was great! Your team outdid themselves again.”
Brenda Thrower
Ybor City Development Corporation

“Thanks for presenting the CRA board training last week. Even having been on the CRA board in St Augustine for a few years now, I found it very helpful. So much to learn, and interesting to hear the experiences of others, too.”
Nick Noloboff

“Congratulations on an outstanding annual conference! The keynoters were fantastic, and the sessions gave me some ideas that I want to share in the future.”
Tony Otte
CRA/Economic Development Director City of New Smyrna Beach

“The conference was fantastic! I am so happy we had the opportunity to present. I’m looking forward to next year!”
Taryn Sabia
Research Associate Professor USF