St. Pete X

On this episode of SPx, Ashley and Joe welcome Joanna Sikes to the studio. Sikes is the Executive Director of the Imagine Museum, which opened in St. Pete in January 2018. Sikes boasts a long career in art curation and deep involvement in the American Studio Glass movement. The Imagine Museum is her fourth museum endeavor. Sikes spent 30 years working with visionary glass artist Dale Chihuly and now acts as a consultant on projects of many genres. Most recently, she helped launch a marine wildlife rescue with billionaire philanthropist Paul Allen.

On this episode of #SPx, Joe and Ashley sit down with professional musician, entrepreneur and founder of the Arts Conservatory for Teens, Alex Harris. Harris has been running the highly successful ACT program for four years, the program has grown to serve nine locations and 800 students this year alone. The program boasts a 100 percent graduation rate in 2009, with 90 percent of students moving on to college studies. Through ACT, Harris and co-founder Herbert Murphy are changing the lives of underprivileged students throughout Pinellas County, chasing out fear and teaching business acumen.

On this episode of SPx, Joe & Ashley welcome a lifetime agent of systemic change, Randall Russell. Russell is the President & CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg. In its third year, the Foundation is seeking to create a holistic picture of where Pinellas County is today - to catalyze collaboration with nonprofits, government entities and religious leaders that fosters transformative change. Russell shares insight from a lifelong career in social justice and the importance of leaning into tough conversations.

On this episode of SPx, Ashley welcomes Kelly McBride of Poynter Institute and Kyle Parks of B2 Communications to the show. Get a look at which media outlets this highly connected couple consume the most, and how everyday media consumers can be better fact-checkers. Kelly and Kyle have brought together their respective organizations through shared values around truthfulness and transparency, and their importance for successful communities. Kelly shares the work Poynter is doing to fight fake news and build journalistic trust. Kyle shares the importance of honesty and responsibility in public relations - especially crisis communications.

On this episode of SPx, Amy Rettig joins hosts Joe Hamilton and Ashley Ryneska in the studio to debunk the many myths surrounding Nielsen and their evolving work in measurement and data analytics (and subsequent advertising) since the company's founding in 1923. This year, Nielsen celebrates doing business in Florida for 50 years. Nielsen lives and dies by data. They measure everything from our content consumption (both video and audio) to buying behaviors. Their clients include some of the most well-known brands in the world, like Walmart, Nestle, Coca-Cola, and Proctor and Gamble. Amy talks Nielsen's evolution, disruptors in the field, such as Facebook and Netflix, and Nielsen's unparalleled company culture.

On this episode of SPx, we throw back to last May, when Joe sat down with Mike Harting to talk through St. Pete's past, it's evolving present, and what's coming for the future. Touching on topics ranging from arts and culture, to business and development - from Central avenue's spotty history, to its smashing independent business scene - this conversation has something for everyone. This interview was originally shot on video. Head to the show notes on StPeteX.com to watch instead of listen.

On this episode of SPx, Joe & Ashley sit down with Station House owner, Tampa Bay Investor, and curator of St. Pete's cool vibes - Steve Gianfilippo. His company, Gianco, is poised to open two new locations of his beloved St. Pete co-working and community space in the next year. The Station House Arcade, soon to open on the 600 Block of Central Ave in St. Pete and Hyde Park Village in Tampa, set to open in 2019. In this jam-packed episode, we dive into his inspiration for the design of his unique spaces from his roots in New York and his travels around the world. He shares what work-life balance looks like as an entrepreneur in St. Pete, and how St. Pete can further elevate its brand.

On this episode of SPx, hosts Joe & Ashley sit down with iQor CEO Hartmut Liebel to get to the bottom of iQor's unique business model. They discuss how St. Petersburg won out over cities like Chicago, Charlotte and many others for iQor's global headquarters, and what the company is looking for from a talent perspective. Liebel shares his passion projects, local business heroes, and "selfish" morning routine, along with his secret to beating the "lonely CEO" problem.

On this episode of SPx, Joe and Ashley attempt to pitch an HGTV show with Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas CEO, Mike Sutton. In this lively and insightful discussion, Sutton talks tactics and challenges behind his first experience as CEO and how he's leveraged his background to grow Pinellas' Habitat into the second largest affiliate in the country - constructing 59 new homes last year. Along the way he's doubled his staff, rejiggered his Board of Directors, and brought life back to Habitat's annual fundraising events. He shares his uphill battle with misconceptions, construction in a densely populated county, and workplace culture in the non-profit world.

On this episode of SPx, host Ashley Ryneska welcomes local change agent Emery Ivery, Chief Impact Officer of United Way Suncoast to the show. Ivery talks the business of philanthropy, and the impact the United Way has made through thriving corporate partnerships with companies like Baycare, the Tampa Bay Rays, and Duke Energy. He shares the values that got him started as a psychiatric social worker, and what moved him to systemic justice work some 30 years ago. He discusses the United Way's multifaceted missions, and what they look like in our community, including the multi-resources neighborhood initiative in Campbell Park, the "walking school bus", and the 2-1-1 help-service.