Networking with Big Wigs

Carole writes Howie At 08:52 AM 1/29/03 -0500:

 

Have fun at golf.  I had a great time last night.  I went to volunteer for the Frank Sanchez campaign and ended up at the Mayoral debates sponsored by The Organization of Black Affairs.  In a room of about 200 people, I was one of only maybe 5 white people.  Blacks are not traditionally crazy about big cats and I can honestly say I only have one die hard supporter in the black community and who should I walk up and sit next to but him?  I now have tons of friends in the black community, including key contacts at the St. Pete Times and WMNF who says they will do a program on us.

 

James Ransom, my friend, serves the county as sort of the ethics police and from what I saw in the room is loved by everyone.  Frank Sanchez came over to hug him and James reintroduced me with a glowing rendition of my life's accomplishments to date.   When James told Frank that I had just signed up as a volunteer on his behalf he hugged me with such emotion that I thought he was crying when he said "Bless you!"  I took advantage of the moment this morning by asking Frank to sit on my Advisory Board because we have 4276 families in Tampa that support us.  In H.C. there are 390,000 households and over 500,000 dogs and cats, so the pet vote is a big one and his association with us could only help.

 

They took a straw vote last night and Frank had 40% of the vote with the next highest being Pam Iorio at 27%.  I liked her and she seems to be a highly ethical person, but she doesn't have the business skills and experience that he has.  Did you know he was from Harvard?  I don't live in the City limits, so I can't vote, but I think he is just what Tampa needs and will be a great advocate for us whether he is willing to serve on the board or not.  It is warming up here.  I have to give a tour this morning, then lunch with Mom, Jamie and Daniel.  I miss you and look forward to your return.

 

Carole writes Howie:  29 Jan 2003 22:16:50 EST 

 

Dear Howie,  Today was a great day.  Scott gave a tour to a guy who turned out to be worth 160 million and who is the Nascar driver you see on the cola machines all over the place.  He supports a road side zoo and the greyhound rescue groups and we are his new favourite place.  (He never did donate) I met with Alexandria and Beth today for a 3 hour tour.  Alex helps raise funds for Shambala and Exotic Cat Breeding Facility and says she's never seen anyplace run as well as ours and wants to help us from Michigan.  I am meeting with her tomorrow as well.  Beth is the significant other to one of the Detroit Tigers and is trying to get them to do something public with or for us.  It was her second time here.  She came last year when the Tigers were here for training and did the Big Cat Expedition.

 

Tomorrow I meet with Catherine from MOSI who has the hot air balloon company.  She wants to show me plans she wants to develop into a joint venture in which she picks people up for a balloon ride and then delivers them to us for the safari (our Big Cat Expedition) and then back to her for the evening ride.  She says she has plans to advertise it on the balloon which would give us a lot more exposure.  Scott has been working on that lead and just invited me to see what she is presenting tomorrow.

 

The guy from James Auto Body, who wants to do the billboard for us, has been missing me all day in telephone tag, but that should be resolved soon.

 

I made a 100k offer on a house in Carrollwood but haven't heard from the bank.  I think I could make a quick 20k on it.  The bank has two offers of 115k each, but the people have to get financing and I can't imagine a bank financing it in it's current condition.  The bank that owns it says they won't.  Probably the best news in all of that is that I reconnected with Mel Bermudez of 3Palaces Realty.  He used to be a competitor of mine, and told me he was injured badly a couple years ago and couldn't do the f