News from the Den!

May President's Message

Welcome New Executive Director and New Board Treasurer

Please extend a hearty Tiger welcome to our new Executive Director, Monica Kile, who attended her first luncheon March 26^th.  Monica brings to the Club extensive experience from the Florida Humanities Council and a Master’s Degree from USFSP and a Bachelor’s from FSU.  Please introduce yourself to Monica and try to arrive early to meetings and exercise patience as Monica settles into the Tiger Bay routine.  Chandra expressed deep appreciation for the generous gift that was collected and presented to her at the March 26^th luncheon.

New Board Treasurer

Please welcome Linda Osmundson as the Board’s new Treasurer to fill out the term of office from Pam Meador.  Linda is the Executive Director of CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse) where she has served since 1989 and a veteran Club Member and past officer.

Programming

Vice President Art O’Hara has hit the ground running with programming that began the year with Mayor Bill Foster and CFO Jeff Atwater, while planning the Legislative Wrap-Up and the St. Petersburg City Council Race and Mayoral Race this summer.  Kudos to Program Committee members David Klement, Council Member Wengay Newton, Emily Worden,  Mayor Pat Gerard, Commissioner Janet Long, Dr. Helen Levine, Peter Schorsch, Former Mayor David Fischer and Shannon Love.  

Awards

Awards Chair, Keith Bailey, has requested all Tiger Bay members consider potential candidates for the annual awards of The Benjamin Franklin Award (for public leadership), The Susan B. Anthony Grassroots Awards (for nonpublic service at the grassroots level), and The Thomas Paine Common Sense Award (for extraordinary integrity, courage and achievement).  Nominees for each of these awards will be received all year.  Please visit the Club Website www.tigerbay.org under the Awards tab for more information.

Reservations

1. Please do your best to register and pay online for lunches at www.tigerbay.org or
2. Make a phone reservation on the recorded Tiger Bay line 822-1001
3. Please plan to arrive at 11:30 for social hour/ networking time

See you in the Den!

Anne Drake McMullen, President 

April President's Message

Hiring for Chandra's Replacement
Decorum & Respect for Speakers and Members 

The Search Committee is working diligently to have a new Executive Director in place by March 29^th which is Chandra's official final day of service to the Club; though Chandra has agreed to assist with the training and transition as necessary.

We request that you continue to minimize encumbrance on Chandra's time so she can assist with the transition for the new Executive Director. This policy will also assist the new Executive Director to implement efficient time management strategies.  

1. Please do your best to register and pay on line for lunches at www.tigerbay.org or
2. Make a phone reservation on the recorded Tiger Bay line 822-1001 instead of Chandra's Cell phone. 
3. In order to reduce the Club's administrative costs, it will be helpful to curtail the number of phone calls and emails that the Executive Director must respond to for answers to simple questions which can be found on line

We wish Chandra all the best in the future and hope that she will join us for lunch occasionally or consider a Tiger Bay Club Membership.

Board Members have been approached with complaints of occasional spontaneous outbursts from members during luncheon meetings.  Understand we are all political junkies and as such are very passionate about candidates and issues that are presented at meetings.  We recognize the difficulty of containing our response when we heartily disagree or agree with a speaker or statement.  As a bipartisan/nonpartisan Club featuring a variety of balanced programming and congenial atmosphere, we ask that all members adhere to a culture of respect for each other as well as our speakers.  Boos, catcalls, cheers & outbursts in general should be kept to a minimum so our speakers depart with a good experience and our members feel comfortable even if their viewpoint or candidate is on the opposite side of the aisle.  In the spirit of good sportsmanship.... let's depart shaking hands, (high-fives or fist bumps) at the conclusion of each meeting. 

See you in the Den!

Anne Drake McMullen
President

Tiger Bay Seeks New Executive Director

Tiger Bay Seeks New Executive Director - A summary of the Executive Director's position can be found by clicking Tiger_Bay_Job_Posting_2013.pdf.  The Club is now accepting applications - please pass on to anyone you may know that would be qualified and interested in the position.  Please note the deadline - resume must be received by Friday, March 8th.

March President's Message

Good Luck Chandra!

Chandra Tracy has loyally served as Tiger Bay's Executive Director for 5 years greeting speakers, arranging programs, and guiding board meetings with grace & professionalism.

As she needs to rearrange her schedule to accommodate the needs of her family, she has asked us to accept her resignation effective March 29^th.  Several Board Members suggested we might refuse her request on the grounds that she has served us in an exemplary fashion and her shoes are much too large to be filled by anyone else.  However, under much duress, we acquiesced and accepted her request and wish her much success in the future.

Chandra we thank you for your diligent work and dedicated efforts on behalf of Tiger Bay.  You have been a significant key to the success of this Club and we wish you well in the future.

Past President Rick Edmonds has agreed to Chair the Search Committee with the following members:  Past President Keith Bailey, Past President Jerri Evans, Vice President Art O'Hara, Secretary Helen Levine & Treasurer Pam Meador. 

A job description/ posting will be prepared and available on the Tiger Bay Website as well as other venues as we begin advertising the position.  If you know of anyone who might be interested in the position, please have them see one of the Search Committee Members.

During this transition time, we request that you limit encroachment on Chandra's time so she can assist with the hiring and training process for the new Executive Director. 

- Please do your best to register and pay on line for lunches or; Make a phone reservation on the recorded Tiger Bay line 822-1001 instead of Chandra's cell phone.

Please take the chance to thank Chandra at the next few meetings and wish her well.

See you in the Den!

Anne Drake McMullen
President

February President's Message

Benefits of Tiger Bay Membership

Washington Post Columnist and Pulitzer Prize winning Journalist, Eugene Robinson ignites the season as our annual dinner opens a remarkable year of speakers.  After ending 2012 with Congressman Bill Young, Vice President Art O'Hara already has a 2013 line-up that would make any political junkie giddy.  January's speakers, Mayor Foster and Eugene Robinson, launched the year, with USFSP Historian Gary Mormino and CFO Jeff Atwater up next and ready to dive into the political season with a preview of the gubernatorial election and more.  Thanks to Program Committee Member Helen Levine, we eagerly anticipate hearing from USF President Judy Genshaft as she provides a wrap-up of the legislative session and its impact on higher education in Florida. 

A distinct advantage of Tiger Bay Membership is access to our foremost guest speakers and an opportunity to question them on issues that shape our lives.  Additional perks are the discounted meal and Annual Diner tickets that come with membership.  Remember as you invite your colleagues and friends to Tiger Bay, that you become eligible to receive a free lunch when three friends become members. But wait...there's more! Recruitment of 6 or more new members entitles the recruiting member to "free dues" the following year.

If you are interested in future service on the Board of Directors or just want to become more involved in Tiger Bay, the following committees need your input and help: Membership, Marketing, Programming, or Annual Event Committee.  Just let Chandra or any Board Member know of your interest.

The Board is proud to kick off an exciting year of vibrant programs!

See you in the Den!

Anne Drake McMullen
President

January President's Message

2013 promises to be every bit as exciting as the 2012 election season.  We kick off January with Mayor Bill Foster presenting his annual "State of the City" address to Tiger Bay, then move on to our exciting Annual Event, featuring Pulitzer Prize Winning Author, Eugene Robinson at the end of the Month.

We bid farewell to Past President Rick Edmonds, whose literary craft is unparalleled on the Board, along with Pat Wheeler and Steve Galvin.  We thank them for the time and talent they devoted during their tenure.

I look forward to working with the 2013 slate of officers already hard at work: Vice President Art O'Hara who has January and February already booked, and who has arguably the hardest job in the club.  Secretary Helen Levine has been an active member of the Board and Program Committee and will be a valuable asset to Art this year.  Treasurer Pam Meador is a stalwart member of the Board providing the measured fiscal guidance necessary to keep the organization on an even financial keel.  Immediate Past President Gary Stempinski will provide the continuity of leadership and executive support that is critical in any organization.

I also want to welcome our new members to the Board, though several are long-term veteran Tiger Bay members: Past President, Bob Fisher; City of Largo Mayor, Pat Gerard; and Consultant Martha Lenderman, will bring long-term perspective and talent to the Board.  Some of the newest faces to the Board will share their vision to craft Tiger Bay for future generations: David Klement who will bring his vision from SPC's think-tank based in Seminole; Emily Worden has demonstrated highly skilled aptitude in programming, having worked on the Program Committee last year and spearheaded several programs for 2012; and Shannon Love a USFSP student who has been an activist in her party will provide clear vision to attract  young professionals.

My year as program chair demonstrated the respect accorded to the Club by candidates and elected officials alike.  I look forward with great pride to serving with our new Board Members and Executive Committee for the coming year. 

See you in the Den!

Anne Drake McMullen
President

December President's Message

Ending on a High Note for 2012

As 2012 is coming to a close, it's time to reflect on this past year. I enjoyed being President of this great Club, having the privilege of an outstanding Executive Board, Board of Directors, and a hardworking, tireless, professional Executive Director.

When my term of office expires on December 31^st, Vice President Anne Drake McMullen will be the new Suncoast Tiger Bay Club President.

2012 was an exciting year in politics allowing your Club to present programs focused around our Election Series.  Members enjoyed the political exchange and conversation and sharpened their claws with the all important Tiger Bay question and answer portion of our meetings.

Reflecting on a year of programming, we kicked off the year with Mayor Bill Foster and the state of the city address.  The remainder of the year was a blur of great programming: County Administrator Bob LaSala; Dr. Margaret Sullivan, Regional Chancellor of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg; Al Ruechel, Bay News 9 and Adam Smith, Tampa Bay Times; Alex Sink; Ken Jones, President  & CEO, 2012 Republican National Convention; Legislative Wrap-up with Rep. Larry Ahern, Rep. Jeff Brandes, Rep. Jim Frishe, Rep. Ed Hooper, Rep. Rick Kriseman, Senator Jack Latvala and Rep. Peter Nehr; Traditional vs. New Media Panel Discussion moderated by Darryl Paulson with Eric Deggans, John Romano, Jeff Houck, Mitch Perry, Noah Pransky, and Peter Schorsch sitting on the panel; Judicial Candidates for Pinellas County Judge and Circuit Court Judge; Democratic Candidates for Congressional District 13; the  Candidates for Pinellas County Sheriff; Pinellas County Commission candidates; Candidates for Pinellas County School Board; Candidate for Florida Legislative Districts 68 and 69; Paul Reilly, CEO - Raymond James; Candidates for Florida Legislative Districts 65, 66 and 67; and in November Dr. Susan MacManus, USF and Adam Smith, Tampa Bay Times gave us an election wrap-up.  The Tiger Bay Annual Meeting and December program will be on December 7^th with Congressman Bill Young. In total our club will hold 18 programs this year.

I want to thank our membership for supporting our Club this past year and I am looking forward to our up-coming annual luncheon and shifting to the role of Immediate Past President and assisting our new Executive Board.

See you in the Tiger's Den!

Gary J. Stempinski
President

November President's Message

Young Tigers'

Members of the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club come from all walks of life; big shots to those just loading their guns, what all Tigers share is an acute interest in politics and public affairs.  This interest is what we try and share with our Young Tigers.  Young Tigers are students from Pinellas County high schools, colleges and universities. 

In 2005, the Young Tigers program was renamed in memory of Tiger Bay Past President Margo Fisher.  The goal of the program is to enhance the students' knowledge of public and political issues.  We have established an excellent relationship with Pinellas County schools as well as USF and St. Petersburg College.  We have had the honor of welcoming many students into the Den! 

Since 2011 we have had 73 students join us from almost every school in the county; Boca Ciega High School, Clearwater High School, Dunedin High School, Gibbs High School, Lakewood High School, Largo High School, Northeast High School, Osceola High School, Seminole High School, and St. Pete High.  Additionally we have had students from USF and St. Petersburg College. 

All of these students attend as our guests.  Their luncheons are covered by donations from our membership in the little black bowls on the tables. 

One additional program we have to benefit the youth is the Dorothy Walker Ruggles Democracy Scholarship Fund.  The Club gives annual scholarships to graduating high school seniors through the Pinellas Education Foundation.  We are proud to say that since 2006, the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club has awarded $13,750.00 to seniors in Pinellas County.

The future of our country is our youth and the growth and success of our club in the future will be our Young Tigers.

See you in the Tigers' Den!

Gary J. Stempinski
President

October President's Message

The Informed Voter on Election Day

A presidential election year typically equates to high voter turn-out at the polls and there are two types of voters, the "Informed Voter" and the "Uninformed Voter".  An "Informed Voter" is one who casts their ballot based on facts, policies, and knowledge of the candidates.  The exact opposite is true of the "Uninformed Voter".   

Over the past year, our Suncoast Tiger Bay Club has presented our Election Series to members and guests with programs ranging from elected officials to candidates running for office.  Attending our luncheons has allowed our members and guests to delve deeper into the "Informed Voter" category by mingling with candidates before and after meetings, participating in and hearing the responses during the "Fang & Claw" question and answer session.  You never know what the response will be when faced with a tough question. 

Members of the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club are proud to be "Informed Voters" on Election Day and contributing to the democratic process by making the best political decisions for our Tampa Bay area, the State of Florida and our National candidates for office.  See you at the polls on November 6th.

See you in the Tigers' Den!

Gary J. Stempinski
President

September President's Message

The Nomination Process for Board Membership

In Tampa the week of August 27^th the RNC Convention was held and the process of nominating the Republican candidates for President and Vice President took place. The week of September 3^rd, the nominating process begins for Board Membership to our Suncoast Tiger Bay Club.  Members watch your mail for ballots, the Form that will be mailed to the membership will state Board Member Recommendation, I Recommend __________ for Board of Directors.  There are three (3) spaces allotted for write-in recommendations and you CAN nominate yourself.  Return the form promptly - the deadline is September 28, 2012, no exceptions. 

The elections for Board Members are held every year and Board Members are elected for three-year terms with approximately one-third of the Board rotating off each election.  The question is who qualifies for Board membership? You must be a member in good standing for at least one-year, and have attended at least 25% of luncheons during that year, display leadership skills, and be loyal to our club. The Nominations Committee forms the slate of nominees and they are published in the December Tiger Growls.  At the Annual Meeting held in December, if the slate in unopposed, the vote is by acclamation.  If contested, the election is held by secret ballot.  New Board Members take office on January 1, 2013.

See You in the Tigers' Den!

Gary J. Stempinski

August President's Message

The Big Picture

Suncoast Tiger Bay Club prides itself on its reputation as a unique non-partisan political club whose membership is inclusive and includes members from all walks of life.  Our membership reflects the entire community in the Tampa Bay Area and includes politicians, business leaders and individuals from the region.  Our members are curious Tigers who want to be informed and ask questions; they want to see the Big Picture!

Periodically, our members question the inclusion of all candidates at a candidate forum.  The Club historically includes all qualified candidates to a forum.  This is a wise policy given the vast make-up of our club and the spirit of presenting all candidates to our members from Mayoral, to Attorney General, and Sheriff to School Board.  Our members would certainly not want its Board members to personally judge which candidates appear to be "viable" by their individual standards. While some candidates may not appear to carry equivalent credentials, it should not be up to the Board to make that decision, but up to the electorate.  Including all candidates in a forum enhances the program and adds colorful dialogue to the fabric of the luncheon.  Members are free to formulate their own opinion or judgment, which is the purpose of Tiger Bay.  The evidence that our members wish to see all candidates for each seat is the number in attendance.  For example over 130 attended the Sheriff luncheon, and most walked away from this meeting well informed on the candidates and issues, and they got to see The Big Picture!

See You in the Tigers' Den!

Gary J. Stempinski
President

July President's Message

The Question????

In the world of DC Comics, The Question is a fictional character, a Super Hero, with its inception dating back to 1967!  In the world of our Suncoast Tiger Club, the question is the central catalyst for obtaining information, stimulating dialogue, and uncovering the speaker's personal views on critical issues during our luncheon meetings.  The question can and should be probing, with the intent of abstracting information from the speaker or panel of speakers.  In the world of news media, such as print, TV, or social media the mantra is "The Public has a right to Know"!  At our Tiger Bay luncheons we probe our speakers with the same vigor as a news reporter for answers, information, and the facts.  Just as The Question sought to illustrate various philosophic/political ideas of the day, journalists and Tigers employ the same basic tools when asking Who? What? When? Why? and How?  At the conclusion of our lunch meetings, the Question & Answer session is graded by a panel of raters made-up by five Board Members and  the best question is awarded the coveted "Fang & Claw" award.  The privilege to ask a question is the single most treasured benefit of membership that keeps us coming back for more meetings and information.

See You in the Tigers' Den!

Gary J. Stempinski
President

June President's Message

Membership Survey Follow-up

Over the last two months there have been membership surveys at each seat to gain feedback from as many members and guests as possible.  To date we have received 155 completed surveys.  We have received excellent feedback and suggestions.  Currently the data shows that Tiger Bay members enjoy attending luncheons at both the St. Petersburg Yacht Club and the St. Petersburg Marriott Clearwater.  The locations are currently planned based on availability and speakers and topics of particular interest to a mid/north county or St. Pete audience.  Additionally it appears that the membership is interested in having an occasional breakfast.  The Board will explore this option more in-depth and alert the membership accordingly. 

Within the survey responses, the most interesting responses fell under the question, "What does Tiger Bay mean to you?".  A sampling of the comments: "Getting to know candidates prior to elections and learning about current events", "Vigorous discussions of major issues; high profile speakers", "Intellectual stimulation.", "A great place to get to meet and hear people who might not be accessible to the general public", "Information, friendships, connections, politics, staying informed", "Opportunity to meet with professionals who have political and community interest". 

The question regarding the desire for a Club directory will be discussed and analyzed by the Board of Directors and more information will be shared with the membership in a future Tiger Growls.

If you have been unable to attend a recent luncheon, the survey will soon be available on the website, be on the look-out for an email with the information.  We want to hear from as many members as possible.

We have a wonderful line-up of programming over the summer months and hope to see you in the Tigers' Den!

Gary J. Stempinski
President

May President's Message

Survey

At our April 11^th luncheon there was a red sheet of paper placed on the table titled Suncoast Tiger Bay Survey. Within the survey are five questions being asked about our club.

1 . What does Tiger Bay mean to you?

2. How important is the food to you attendance?

3. Which meeting location do you prefer? St Petersburg Yacht Club, St. Pete/Clearwater Marriott , or Other?

4. Would you be interested in an occasional breakfast or dinner meeting (higher cost for dinner)?

5. Would you be interested in an online directory?

The purpose of the survey is to assess the needs and attitudes' of our membership.  In an attempt to improve our club or make some small changes we need to know what you are thinking. Yes, we enjoy Tiger Bay for the meetings, networking, information and friendships of fellow members.  Making measured moves and knowing what our members really want will make us a better Tiger Bay Club.  If you are unable to attend a luncheon in the next few months, please email Chandra at chandra@tigerbay.org your responses to the survey.  We hope to gather as much data as possible from as many members as possible over the next few months.

See You in the Den !

Gary J. Stempinski
President

April President's Message

Membership Has Its Privileges

Like the old American Express ad  "Membership has its privileges", being a member of our Club has many privileges.  Twice a month Tigers are welcomed into the Den to hear some of the most insightful, thought provoking speakers in the political arena.  Membership eligibility is defined as any adult person who demonstrates a sincere interest in public affairs regardless of race, national origin, sex, disability, religion or political affiliation.  Tiger Bay members come from all walks of life and the membership is comprised of veteran politicians, political junkies and those just stepping into the political scene.

The goal is to spread the word about Tiger Bay in the community.  Please take a moment and shuffle through your mental rolodex and invite a friend to an upcoming program.  We have an excellent line-up over the next few months and even more to come with the busy election cycle.  Encourage a friend to join Tiger Bay and build the ranks of Tigers.  Remember - only members get to ask questions of the speaker and a parade of candidates will be stepping into the Den.  Who knows - you might just win the coveted Fang & Claw Award.

On the topic of membership, I would like to announce that David Fischer will be the membership chair for 2012.  He and his committee will be meeting to discuss membership recruitment strategies in addition to membership benefits and incentives.

There is an excellent board leading the Club this year.  As you may know, Tiger Bay is governed by a volunteer board of directors.  The board has numerous committees that work all year to benefit the Club.  Tiger Bay members are encouraged to volunteer and make a difference in the Den.

I am pleased to share the Committees and Committee Chairs for 2012 - please contact these individuals or let Chandra know if you are interested in assisting on a Committee. All Tigers are welcome.

Annual Event Committee: Past President Cory Adler-Leidersdorff

Awards Committee: Past President Keith Bailey

Audit Committee: Art O'Hara

Bylaws Committee: Neil McMullen

Membership Committee: David Fischer

Marketing Committee: Sheriff Bob Gualtieri

Nominations Committee: Immediate Past President Rick Edmonds

Program Committee: Vice President Anne Drake McMullen

Scholarship Committee: Stephen Galvin

Young Tigers Committee: Marla Short

Thank you for your continued dedication to the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club for the last 34 years.  You are the reason the Club has continued to exist and prosper.

See you in the Den!

Gary J. Stempinski

March President's Message

Tiger Bay Around Tampa Bay

With over 25 active Tiger Bay Clubs in the state of Florida, the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club and our members are not alone in the quest to delve deeper into the politics that are present in our everyday lives.  Capital Tiger Bay Club in Tallahassee is the oldest and largest Club in the state.  All of the Clubs in the state are structured with similar purposes, all with their own twist on individuality.  In the Tampa Bay area alone there exist three Clubs besides ours: Tiger Bay Club of Tampa, Manatee Tiger Bay, and South County Tiger Bay in Sarasota.

Over the last few weeks I visited two of these Clubs.  First on January 20th, Vice President Anne Drake McMullen joined me at Maestro's Restaurant at the Straz Center where Tampa Tiger Bay Club holds their meetings.  The featured speaker was Bill Gardner, Secretary of State for New Hampshire.  It was a relatively small group of Tigers for this particular luncheon but spirited nonetheless.

Then on February 2nd, I invited Past President Rob Eschenfelder to the Manatee Tiger Bay Club.  This is a newer Club, founded about two years ago.  The luncheon was a panel discussion on the "Diagnosis of the Healthcare Status in Manatee County".  It seemed very well attended for a new Club.

It was extremely interesting to visit other Clubs in the area, and I look forward to developing positive interactions in the future.

See You In The Den!

Gary J. Stempinski

February President's Message

Our 2012 Annual Event & Awards Program held January 10 at the St. Petersburg Marriott Clearwater was full of excitement and energy. 180 members and guests attended. I want to thank all those members who worked on this special occasion, especially Linda Goldfarb and her committee, on a job very well done.

The program began with awards honoring the civic contributions of three notable Floridians.  Eileen Hart won the Grassroots Award for her longtime, tireless efforts on behalf of better water quality in the Tampa Bay area.  Our Ben Franklin Award honoree for a lifetime of distinguished service in elected office was Governor Buddy MacKay, whose career included legislative and congressional leadership and an eventful eight years as Lawton Chiles's Lieutenant Governor.

Governor MacKay came down with a bug and was unable to join us.  But we had a second Benjamin Franklin Award to present, bringing us up to date, to Tiger Bay member Judge Irene Sullivan, whose work in the area of juvenile justice and rehabilitation has been outstanding.

Our guest speaker Paul Tash, Chairman and CEO of the Tampa Bay Times, gave the audience a good preview of the GOP Presidential Debate held January 23 at the main USF Campus in Tampa with national press coverage. Our speaker offered keen insights on the state primaries that will lead up to the GOP convention to be held at the end of August in Tampa. For those four days, Tash said, Tampa Bay will be the center of the political universe and our next President may emerge. 

Speaking of Presidents, our annual event featured past presidents of our club spanning three decades. The Suncoast Tiger Bay Club was established in 1978. Our first President was Thomas McLean; thirty-three have served our club over its thirty-four year history. Past presidents who attended the annual event were Robert B. Stewart 1981-1982, Thomas Churchill Dunn 1985-1986, James R. Gillespie 1987, Helen Huntley Stambaugh 1988, William P. Wallace 1989, Beverly Mitlin 1990, Darryl Paulson 1995 and 2009, Keith Bailey 2001 (partial) and 2002, Bob Fisher 2005, Cory Adler-Leidersdorff 2006, Jerri Evans 2007-2008, Rob Eschenfelder 2010, and Rick Edmonds 2011.  As your President for 2012, I am proud to serve this fine club, rich in history and tradition, and I thank all the members for their support!

See You In The Den!
Gary J. Stempinski

January President's Message

As your new president, I am honored and pleased to begin a New Year for Tiger Bay, Past President Rick Edmonds did an outstanding job keeping the house in order, the finances are sound, and the club has the right people in place for the New Year. I am looking forward to building the club on our past success, on December 16^th, at the annual meeting new board members took office and the gavel was pasted on to new leadership.

Our new Vice President and Program Director Anne Drake McMullen has a proven track record putting together programs and securing guest speakers; For 2012, that being an election year the club should see many fine programs, including candidates running for office and political forums at our luncheons. Our new Secretary Cory Adler-Leidersdorff brings to the club a wealth of administrative experience and being a past-president knows the club history very well. Our re-appointed Treasurer Pam Meador agreed to serve the club for one more year continuing with her excellent fiscal diligence.

Our new Board members: David Fischer, Wendy Grassi, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, Helen Levine, Janet Long, Hon. Wengay Newton, Art O'Hara, and Peter Schorsch. The new board members bring to the club a wealth of knowledge and experience; many of the board members are well known within our community. My vision for 2012 is continued success building on our traditions, growing the membership, and being open to new and
innovative ideas.

See You In The Den!
Gary J. Stempinski

December President's Message

On the Value of Tiger Bay...and the Price of Lunch

You may consider it a perfunctory courtesy when speakers thank the club for the opportunity to appear.  But in conversation with the seven City Council candidates who spoke at our meeting in late October. I learned that there is substance behind that thought.  I asked whether this was the last of their many debate/joint appearances.  Almost, several, said, but it was clearly the most important.

From the candidates' perspective, they welcome the informed questions on a range of topics, the evenhanded structure and (surprise) even the strictly enforced time limits.  I have also observed that meetings like this one - a chance to look over the candidates in a given local election - are always among our best attended.

Which is to say that besides the fun (and let's have more of that in 2012), there is a democratic function at play, important to Tigers and candidates both.

*****

I want you to hear from me, besides reading it in various official notices, that the Board of Directors has reluctantly decided to raise the price of lunch from $20 to $25 in 2012.

Here is the background.  We have kept both dues and the luncheon charges unchanged for several years now.  The prices our host venues charge have crept up and are scheduled for a bigger increase in 2012.  That is not too surprising.  As you have probably experienced in the grocery line, food prices are up even during a generally low-inflation period.  Various factors have been cited - especially the rising cost of oil and food transportation.  We also found by survey that other Florida Tiger Bays clubs and some local civic clubs are already at the $25 level.

In most years recently our lunch income and expenses have been close to break-even.  But without an increase we would often be charging members less than the cost to us of the meal.  So it was an easy, if not pleasant, budgeting decision for the board to go with the increase.

(You may wish to agitate for a referendum on whether to serve something other than chicken now and then, but I leave that important question to my successors).

*****

This is my last Growls column, and the December 16 meeting will be my last as president.  I am very pleased that David Colburn, one of the most insightful observers of the Florida political scene I have met doing professional and volunteer work on state policy issues, will be driving down from Gainesville to be our speaker.  When he talks Florida politics, I listen. I hope you can fit this meeting into your holiday calendar.

For those of you who may not be present, this is also my last chance to recognize the seven board members rotating off after years of service.  (You can read elsewhere in this issue about their able successors).  They include Mighty Mo Eppley, our one-woman marketing and social media band; super-timer (and past president Lou Kubler; and immediate past president and permanent parliamentarian Rob Eschenfelder.  Also Linda Goldfarb, who has planned three successful annual events in succession; Martha Lenderman, who has put our awards house in order; and Herb Polson, who has helped keep us grounded in real-world government.  And Beverly Mitlin - if only every gadfly was this good-humored. Deep thanks to all for their prodigious volunteer service.

And I'll see you in the Den.

Rick Edmonds, President

November President's Message

Pent -Up Questions

My predecessor, Rob Eschenfelder, told me that the only downside to being Suncoast Tiger Bay  program chair and then president is that you don't get to pose questions to our speakers.  After 22 months of deprivations, I do have some things I want to ask.

Governor Rick Scott:  How many jobs have you pledged to create and, more important, what is a fair way to
measure whether you are successful?

Alex Sink:  Would the Florida economy be in any better shape had you been elected?  With Republicans controlling both house of the legislature, what could you have done?

Attorney General Pam Bondi:  How is that lawsuit again the federal health care law going?  What will you do if the U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear the case?

CFO Jeff Atwater:  What do you do, exactly?

Mayor Bill Foster: Why are we spending $60 million on a new Pier when services are pinched and the Rays are threatening to leave town?

Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Bill Young: Polls show more and more Americans dissatisfied with how little Congress gets done.  As a long-timer in Washington, are you part of the gridlock or breaking through it?

Former Gov. Charlie Crist:  What will your party affiliation be a year from now?

Former Sen. George LeMieux:  Didn't you used to be a moderate Republican?

Sen. Marco Rubio and former Gov. Jeb Bush:  What year are you running for national office?

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd (not strictly speaking in our area, I know):  Have you ever walked past a camera and an open microphone?

Pinellas County School Board:  What took you so long?  How can someone whose personal finances are in disorder run a $1 billion-plus enterprise?

Anyone who cares to answer: In these pinched financial times, how come when you get sick two ambulances rather than one come get you?

I hope that many of these political figures will be joining us next year.  I will be keeping my powder dry until then.

See you in the den!

Rick Edmonds
President

October President's Message

In these monthly columns, I have been delinquent in not yet calling out the outstanding work of our committee chairs.  So with the year winding down, roll the credits and your applause please for:

*Program chair Gary Stempinski and his helpers who have provided many outstanding speakers in a challenging off-year for elections.

*Hard-charging membership chair, Anne Drake McMullen.  I would advise against encountering Anne in a dark alley if you are not paid up.

*Marketing whiz Mighty Mo Eppley, who has contributed her expertise for three years now to putting the club on Facebook, Linkedin,  Twitter and every other platform known to man.

*Party person Linda Goldfarb who has perfected our annual event format and also served as secretary.

*Precise Pam Meador, our treasurer who has run our finances perfectly for some time and has signed on for one more year.

*Cory-Adler Leidersdorff, who has kept us well-supplied with Margo Fisher Young Tigers, collegiate as well as high-school.

*Stephen Galvin and his committee who read a lot of essays to pick worthy Dorothy Ruggles scholarship winners and toned up the process while they were at it.

*Neil McMullen, who has been chugging along on the necessary but thankless task of straightening out our bylaws and procedures to conform to current practice.  Thanks, Neil.

*Pat Wheeler and an audit committee who checked Pam's work and found it perfect.

*Martha Lenderman, who has coordinated our awards with distinction for several years now.

*And Immediate Past President Rob Eschenfelder, whose committee is wrapping up nominations of officers and new board members even as I write this.  Rob also provides a little legal and parliamentary advice when we need it.

Last, but far from least, please thank executive director Chandra Tracy for all her hard work.  You see her checking in members and guests and passing the mike for questions and recognitions at our meetings. But a lot of behind-the-scenes effort is needed to keep the club working the rest of the time, and Chandra never misses a beat (unless you count the one time in three years she forgot to bring in a stuffed tiger).

As I perhaps said earlier, between Chandra's efforts and all that good volunteer work, we are able to operate the club on a five-figure annual budget.  And more than half of that goes to pay for lunch. Remarkable.

See you in the den!

Rick Edmonds
President

September President's Message

This year and next are shaping up as a test of what voters want in a candidate - political experience or the fresh perspective of a political newcomer.

Col. Mike McCalister, a candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate joined us last week and joked that he is not a politician.  His rookie mistakes in "simplifying" parts of his resume prove it, he said with a smile.  But the retired military officer has the bug, mounting a Senate campaign after running for Governor in 2010.

Our second September speaker, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, represents the opposite end of the spectrum.  Buckhorn was stuffing envelopes for Robert Kennedy's 1968 presidential race as a fourth-grader.  He became a campaign aide to Sandy Freedman, while still in his twenties, served as a special assistant in her two terms as Tampa mayor, and has been serving in office or running pretty much ever since.

McCalister is joined in the 2012 Republican Senate primary by an executive of Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and two experienced office holders.  The winner gets to face Sen. Bill Nelson, who was president of a national student organization in 1960 and had his own office for that work at Melbourne High School.  Nelson was elected to the Florida House in 1972 and has made a 40-year career of politics.

And let's not even get started on how experienced U.S. Rep Bill Young is and how successfully he has applied his seniority in bringing goodies back to his home district.

With the budget deadlock in Washington and persistent joblessness everywhere, the case for outsiders is building momentum.  New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman is saying a Third Party movement would shake things up in positive fashion.  Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is launching something called No Labels with a phone-in town meeting this week.

At the presidential level, aspirants (unless they are Rick Perry) are emphasizing they did something else before they became politicians.  Mitt Romney was CEO of a successful investment company; Michelle Bachmann was a tax attorney -- though both have now been office holders or candidates for a decade or more.  Even moose-dressing mom, Sarah Palin, began in politics in 1992, albeit at the modest level of the Wasilla city council.

I see both sides of this one.  Prolonged exposure to the "go-along-get-along" culture of Washington or Tallahassee can breed hacks.  But experience and the fire of political ambition can produce exceptional leaders like Lincoln or Franklin Roosevelt.

Whatever your taste in candidates - raw or well-baked, Suncoast Tiger Bay can promise you a ringside seat to observe them on their feet facing unscripted questions through the rest of this year and all of 2012.

See you in the den!

Rick Edmonds

President

August President's Message

In Search of a Grassroots Hero

Around Labor Day, you will receive an annual mailing inviting nominees for our club's board of directors as well as the Benjamin Franklin and Grassroots Awards. We have been doing fine in recent years on qualified board members and Ben Franklin winners. But I would like to use my space this month to ask for some help on the Grassroots Award.

The description of the award makes clear that it is awarded "on an OCCASIONAL basis, not necessarily every year." However, we have been redefining occasional into hardly ever. The award has not been given since 2005 and only twice in the last decade.  Both those winners, regular attendees at our lunch meetings, have since passed away. Let me remind you who they were and what they did to merit recognition.

George Locascio, who I knew well, was a cheerful but hard-nosed advocate for the disabled. He contracted polio as a 19-year-old in the Navy and used crutches and later a wheelchair the rest of his life. Through lawsuits and persuasion, he got the city to retrofit seating and bathrooms at Tropicana Field to comply with ADA laws. He later got the Rays to provide additional convenient seating for the handicapped and did the same when BayWalk's Muvico opened.

Emily Rogers Cooeyman, who I did not know personally, was a familiar figure at our club and at any public meeting in Pinellas County. She regularly signed up for her three minutes and commented, typically from handwritten notes, on all manner of public business. That may sound as if Ms. Cooeyman was a gadfly complainer, but that's not how elected officials saw her. "She reminded us of what was right," City Council member and Tiger Wengay Newton commented for her obituary. "Even though people may have thought it fell on deaf ears, it was valued, and it was a litmus test that kept us in line."

These two set a high bar. Also, the rules for the award are restrictive. Office-holders do not qualify nor do lobbyists or those whose advocacy is part of a job, however worthwhile the cause.  Maybe our public boards, necessarily focused on budget cuts the last several years, are less open to Grassroots input than before. Still, I hope you will help me and our Awards committee demonstrate that the effective grassroots activist is not a vanishing breed and that we just haven't looked hard enough lately.

See you in the den!

Rick Edmonds

President

June/July President's Message

Summertime Blues?
Not at Tiger Bay

Around Memorial Day, Floridians of a certain age and certain means head for the North Carolina mountains.  Many are back by the start of school or Labor Day; others linger in the cool through the bonus months of steamy Florida summer in September and early October.

We are honored to have a number of these part-time North Carolinians among the Tiger ranks.  Our metabolism does slow a little in the summer, but there will be plenty going on for those who stay.

The Wednesday before Memorial  Day we drew a full house at the Yacht Club for longtime favorite Howard Troxler's farewell address.  Howard was in good voice and full dudgeon, cataloguing the regressive actions of the 2011 legislative session.  (He had a little dig at Florida Democrats too, lampooning their tendency to nominate MENSA candidates for governor, who are not electable).

I take Howard at his word that he is planning quality time walking his dog and helping out at the family restaurant south of Asheville.  But what's the over/under on how soon the Saluda city council screws up and needs some Troxler denouncing?

We are cutting back to one program a month in June or July, but they will be good ones.  Six of Pinellas County's eight legislators have agreed to join us June 15 to review the session and its local impact.  I guess Jeff Brandes, who will be away on vacation, told his colleagues what fun it is to thrust and parry with the Tigers.  Brandes, by the way, stood his ground under heavy attack during our televised Florida This Week meeting in mid-May and earned a rare "True" rating from the St. Pete Times's Politifact for his efforts.

Then on July 19th Police Chief Chuck Harmon will be with us to reflect on  the city's most traumatic sequence of events in recent years - three police officers killed in the line of duty within a month.

Kudos to program chair Gary Stempinksi, with a big assist from Anne Drake, for these programs and an excellent run through the first half of the year.  With a City Council election in November and 2012 races taking shape, we are looking for more of the same for the balance of the year.  As always, your suggestions are welcome.

See you in the den!

Rick Edmonds
President

May President's Message

How to Win the Fang and Claw

One of the minor downsides to being Tiger Bay president is that for the time being, I neither ask questions nor grade the Fang and Claw competition. However I do have this bully pulpit and the opportunity to put my spin on a perennial topic - how do you win (assuming you want to win)?

I add that qualifier because not every question needs to be a zinger. Sometimes a clarification or a fresh perspective is the point behind what is asked. But our meetings don't reach their highest potential if too many of the questions are too soft. Even our speakers consistently say so.

How to win, then?

(1) Be sure there is a pointed question there. Sometimes the right preamble sets up a probing question. Too many times, though, despite warnings from the chair, questions more resemble speeches, gonged after 45 seconds or the question seeming an afterthought. Those never win.

(2) Research and preparation work. The miracle of Google search makes it easy to find background information on speakers and issues. Some winners come well-prepared with a tough question that will play no matter what the speaker covers in prepared remarks. Writing your question down, putting it through a couple of drafts, is not cheating. That can be a path to concision and clarity.

(3) Conversely, spontaneity can work too. "Good questions come from good listening," our official Fang & Claw procedures guide states. At our last meeting, I observed Young Tiger Mary Renfroe reacting to one of School Board Chair Carol Cook's answers. Her quickly formed next question on what the schools can do about losing good teachers to other better-paying states or more lucrative careers was a clear winner. (And by the way, that is a key flaw of simplistic reformers preoccupied with getting rid of bad teachers. Recruiting and retaining good ones is more than half the battle).

(4) Tough is not to be confused with rude. Past President Darryl Paulson has written that both our introductions and questions should have a little edge - but speakers are our guests, and anything tilting to personal attack is not appropriate. I've seen my fellow Fang & Claw raters mark down some questions that were plenty tough, but also borderline abusive.

(5) Unorthodox is good; cryptic or outta left field is not. A legitimate question the speaker was not expecting sometimes carries the day. Many speakers, especially candidates conducting long campaigns, have their talking points and are adroit at sticking to them. By the end of last year's governor's race even Adam Smith had stopped asking Rick Scott about Medicare fraud at his former company. The well-prepped candidate had a polished way of deflecting anything on the topic.

(6) Good presentation and crisp wording may help. I'm waiting for a 15-word, 10-second question to prevail one of these days - but that may be a stretch.

Opinions differ among raters on whether the quality of the answer has any bearing on picking a Fang and Claw winner. Certainly the answer is not the main point. Nor do raters respond to coaching from the speaker like "Boy, that's a tough question," or "Give that woman the tiger."

However, given my journalism roots, I have a hard time shaking the notion that a revealing response is part of the point. I have also come to think that speaker body language - a quick intake of breadth, a gaze at the ceiling - are "tells," as the poker players would say, that we may have a winner.

As always, your thoughts are welcome (a number of good ones to last month's tea party column). And I'll see you in the Den for some stellar May programs.

Rick Edmonds
President

April President's Message

Of R's, D's, I's and T's

I have heard that word on the street in some circles is that Suncoast Tiger Bay Club tilts Democratic  I beg to differ.

In a spirit of full disclosure, I should say that I am a Democrat.  However both my predecessors as club President are Republicans.  Heck, Darryl Paulson is writing the book on the remarkable rise of the Florida Republican Party from doormat to dominance.

I would say that all three of us have aimed for a bipartisan/nonpartisan tone in programming, board membership and club affairs.  This year's programming led off with solidly conservative Mayor Bill Foster.

We were scheduled to hear from ex-Republican, now independent former Gov. Charlie Crist until a conflict with Officer David Crawford's funeral forced a cancellation.  (We hope to reschedule that program in coming months).

Given the results of November's election, any program this year featuring a Cabinet member or legislative leader will necessarily showcase a Republican.

I can remember through the years Tigers giving a particularly warm reception to native son Peter Wallace, the last Democratic Speaker of the House.  And there has been the occasional spontaneous applause for a liberal sentiment.

But our best-attended program in 2010 featured U.S. Rep. Bill Young, and a healthy contingent of Republicans found there way there and cheered.

All that said, this party thing is getting complicated.

Crist tried to parlay his personal popularity to a run at the Senate as an independent.  But severing ties with loyal Republicans hurt, and he was taking on a particularly strong and appealing young representative of conservative Republican positions in Marco Rubio.

Then there is the Tea Party.  Maybe the movement's founding fathers, a bare two years ago, were looking ahead to evolution into a real party with officials,contributions and candidates.  Initially though, the movement was pretty much a series an anti-tax rallies. 

At one in New York in early 2009, some of those attending dressed in Native-American gear, invoking the pre-revolutionary Boston Tea Party in which colonists dumped tea in the harbor to protest taxation without representation.

Now there are registered Tea Party's in a number of states including Florida.  They fielded candidates, but few winners, in the 2010 elections.  Rubio has kept his distance from the organization.  Governor Rick Scott is more cordial, unveiling his 2011 budget proposal to a Tea Party crowd in small town Eustis.

I doubt that I agree with much of the Tea Party's evolving platform (though that's not the point).  The more passionate anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiments of some make me uneasy,

I am, however, a fan of the Florida party's logo -- an ingenious mashup of a map of Florida and the Don't-Tread-on-Me serpent, all in red, white and blue.

The movement gives no sign of going away in 2011.

So is it time for the club to hear from the Tea Party?  Let me and program chair Gary Stempinski know what you think -- and I'll see you in the Den.

Rick Edmonds
President - 2011

March President's Message

Tiger Bay Membership - Such a Deal!

If you paid your $75 dues, and came to our annual event February 9th (a Linda Goldfarb production), you got these things at no extra charge:

*All the hors d'ouevres, beef and pasta you could eat - and no long waits in line.

*CNBC correspondent John Harwood's inside and informed take on the Obama presidency.

*Presentation of our highest honor, the Benjamin Franklin Leadership Award, to Public Defender Bob Dillinger.  He seemed delighted and surprised.

*A generous serving of club tradition with 12 past presidents present and 16 represented in caricatures.

We also unveiled our handsome new banner; thanks to marketing chair, mighty Mo Eppley and executive director Chandra Tracy.  I have since noticed that the Rays are conducting their spring training press conferences against a very similar backdrop.  So we are in fashion.

If you missed the event or are not yet paid up for 2011, there is plenty more to come. Like former Gov. Charlie Crist's first appearance before the club in five years March 1 at the Yacht Club.  Program chair Gary Stempinski and his committee have more treats and surprises in the works.

Anne Drake is coordinating our membership efforts in 2011 as Gary did last year, and we have already signed up 37 new Tigers so far this year.

May I ask you to do one thing to help?

Consider telling a friend or work colleague, who cares about politics  and our community, what Tiger Bay does and how to enroll.

Better yet, bring a prospect to one of our meetings as a guest.

Membership is a great deal on paper - so much lunch for $20 that you may skip dinner, the right to ask fang-and-claw questions.

But being there with a roomful of Tigers is the best sales pitch of all.

See you in the Den.

Rick Edmonds
President 2011

January President's Message

What I Learned at Tiger Bay

Long before I was a Tiger Bay board member or club officer, I was a rank-and-file Tiger -- for the better part of 30 years.

During that time, I found, as most of you have, that Tiger Bay is a quick, affordable way to get a firsthand look at candidates and other movers and shakers. The speech gives us a sense of how they present themselves, the Q & A how they think on their feet.

The club is also a great place to meet likeminded, engaged Pinellas citizens, who want to get beyond political ad propaganda and sound bites. Our brisk meeting format does dictate making those new acquaintances quickly before the program proper starts.

I came to particularly value the serendipity of Fang-and-Claw exchanges.  Those of you who go back a few years, may remember the theater of family values activist Ralph Reed (at the old Howard Johnson's on south 34th Street as I recall) under tough questioning from strip club tycoon Joe Redner.

Then there was the time David Bonderman, front man for the Fort Worth millionaires trying to take over the St. Pete Times, was being grilled by Past President Bill Wallace. Do you work for the Times, Bonderman asked.  No, but Bill's son-in-law, my colleague Andy Corty, was in the inner circle that successfully kept the Times independent.

Of more recent vintage, many of you were at the Yacht Club in August, when novice candidate Rick Scott acquitted himself well. Our new governor parried the Medicaid fraud question but was brought up short when incoming board member Terry Bryant asked whether he would follow the example of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett and give away half his fortune.

Scott paused a moment. Then he said no, he was out spending his daughters' inheritance on getting elected.

My year as program chairman has given me a fresh sense of just how seriously our speakers take their Tiger Bay appearances.  Most eat lightly and are jotting down notes, tinkering with what they will say.  Some work the room, roaming the tables as Democrat AG candidates Dan Gelber and Dave Aronberg did at their well-attended joint appearance.

Sitting next to Pam Bondi at the Republican AG program, I noticed she had a stack of 4 X 6 note cards with responses to likely questions.  It reminded me of high school debate but also bespoke orderliness and care of preparation, which I'm guessing will play out as she becomes Florida's chief legal officer.

Some potential speakers try to negotiate a shorter or friendlier question period, to which we just say no.  Some candidates duck us.  That makes me especially appreciative of political newcomers like Gov. Scott or State Rep. Jeff Brandes, who knew what they were getting into and had the moxie to show up.

As my predecessor Rob Eschenfelder has written frequently in this space, all this happens at Suncoast Tiger Bay on a modest budget and a huge amount of volunteer effort.  We are pledged to keep the good programs and good times rolling in 2011.  Your suggestions for speakers or on other matters of club business are always most welcome.

See you in the den (and feed me a few good political jokes if you have them)

Rick Edmonds
President 2011

December President's Message

All Good Things

It happens every year.  We're basking in a collective sauna room one day, then BAM, that first chilly night has us dreaming of red leaves, costume parties, fat turkeys and fat guys in red suits bringing gifts to good boys and girls. With all those distractions, small wonder the political mavens set our elections in November.  If we're not distracted totally, we have a certain "good" feeling about fall and early winter.  Incumbent friendly don't you think? I'm proud that our Club provided some of the few opportunities to hold our recent crop of candidates' feet to the fire before the election occurred.

Turning to membership news, membership chair Gary Stempinski and his committee continue to increase membership even in these challenging times, and many of our newer members are part of that all important "next generation" of citizens who will pick up the passion for politics and carry on our Club's traditions.  Speaking of membership, kudos goes to board member and past president Beverly Mitlin, who brought in her 5th new member in October.  She's one new member shy of winning a free annual membership.  Its really not hard, just spread the word, invite guests, and give them their application!

As I reported some months ago, marketing chair Mo Eppley has been doing fabulous work on our marketing efforts.  She provides the board with periodic reports of how our online presence is connecting and statistics continue to improve.  As of the mid-October report, we have 250 Twitter followers and 359 Facebook friends.  Our website had 5,202 visitors so far this year, and a very good sign of increased outreach is that 3,264 have been unique (first time) visitors!  While most obviously have been from Florida, this year we've had 71 from the U.K., 31 from Canada, with visits from 9 other nations.  When you see Mo at our meetings, please thank her for her work.  Members need to know the many many hours she's donated to us as a board member these past few years.  Its because of the work of dedicated leaders like her, and everyone on your board, that we operate so well for so little cost.

Another thing that happens every year round this time is the changing of our leadership team.  The board has selected Rick Edmonds as our new President and Gary Stempinski as Vice President and Program Chair.   Rick has already measured my office for new curtains (he doesn't like red) and as you can see from the newsletter, Gary's already been busy setting programming for 2011.  As this is my final newsletter as President, I want to take a moment to thank each member of our dedicated board of directors.  Year in and year out this ever-evolving cast steps up and gets the job done.  They each have unique outlooks and experiences, but they all work together as professionals and I'm honored to count them all as friends.  Finally, thank you Members for your ongoing dedication to the Club and the more accountable accessible political leadership it seeks to create.  As for me, while the President gig has been an honor, I've suffered lo these long months in refraining from posing questions.  Not Presidential I was told.  Now that my duties are done, I'm looking forward to the freedom to pose questions and eat my lunch without a camera being pointed at me!

See you in the Den!

Rob Eschenfelder

President

October President's Message

What that French Guy Said

So back in the day (in two volumes issued in 1835 and 1840 respectively), this French fella named deTocqueville wrote extensively on his observations of the new America after having traveled around its expanses and spoken to many of its citizens.  Being of the legal profession, I've always noted his observation that, "There is hardly a political question in the United States which does not sooner or later turn into a judicial one."  We only need examine citizens of one of our local beach towns who, when they couldn't get their town to enforce parking regulations on the books, sued to try to get a judge to make them do so.  And, as we near our general election, we've seen the Florida Supreme Court, seven men and women in all, throw out numerous proposed amendments to our Constitution.

deTocqueville also explained, in Democracy in America, that the U.S. President had "no need" for a congressional majority to direct affairs, stating that in America the President cannot prevent the making of laws; he cannot escape from his obligation to execute them. His zealous and sincere aid is no doubt useful, but it is not necessary in order that the government should function.  In everything important which he does, he is directly or indirectly subject to the legislature."  If predictions of a party shift in one or both houses this fall come true, it will be interesting to see how the two political branches share power.

But as we've recently come off of Muslim and Jewish holy days, I find most interesting deTocqueville's observations of religion in our democracy.  He wrote that, "almost all the sects of the United States are comprised within the great unity of Christianity, and Christian morality is everywhere the same.  In the United States, the sovereign authority is religious, and consequently hypocrisy must be common; but there is no country in the whole world in which the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America, and there can be no greater proof of its utility, and of its conformity to human nature, than that its influence is most powerfully felt over the most enlightened and free nation of the earth.  The Americans combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other..."

It is interesting, even as America grows more secular by the year, how true this observation remains, yet how it is being strained by an ever more diverse population.  While much of official America recoiled at the notion of a Florida pastor planning to burn Korans, much of "real" America, while celebrating a Constitution allowing free use of private property and free expression of faith, strongly advocated that the government exercise sovereign power to prohibit a mosque from being opened near the site of the 9/11 attacks in New York, and saw no irony in doing so.  And more congressional candidates than ever are conflating terrorists with all Muslims in their speeches and TV ads.

While deTocqueville's insights may be interesting to apply to our modern times, one thing is for sure.  The America about which he wrote so much has continued to evolve and survive.  Whether its democracy will continue to survive with it will in large part be a function of how its citizens respect and defend their rights and the rights of their fellow citizens, and ensure their elected leaders do the same.  At Tiger Bay, we're doing our part every month to help preserve Democracy in America.  Come join the fun!

See you in the Den! 

Rob Eschenfelder

President

September President's Message

Scott Free, and giving away the kitchen Sink too!

If you believe working the names of candidates into your blurbs is a task for the Young and not the Meek, then you'll do this one  ustice by giving it a read.  Why the talk of giving things away?  Because I'm happy to announce the Club has given away its first free membership.  As you know, last year, under the leadership of past president Dr. Darryl Paulson, our board adopted a membership recruitment incentive.  This incentive includes the "big prize" of a free membership for any Member who brings six new Members to the Club.  Long-time member and current board member Martha Lenderman has won this prize, having brought six new members to our Club this year.  Way to go Martha!  Its not that hard, and several other Members are on their way to gaining their own Tiger stimulus package.  We offer one of the best products membership can buy:  access to and the ability to freely question some of the top leaders of our region, state and nation (and good sticky buns).

While part one of this message deals with giving something away, I want to discuss something our Club recently chose to keep:  its integrity and principles.  Several times recently our program committee and Executive Director have been presented with terms and conditions from potential speakers seeking to have us bend our program model.  However, your directors, coming as they do from all political backgrounds, have stood in unity to oppose such requests.  We will not modify our start and end times so as to short our Members of a full program.  We will not agree to avoid throwing jabs during introductions.  We will not require all questions to be submitted in writing or in advance.  And we will most certainly not agree to limit our most coveted question time to 3 questions!  We will pass on the speaker first before doing so.  Getting top candidates to agree to our program model gets harder each year as candidates try hard to "stick to the script" and avoid challenging events.  I wanted to convey this to you, our Members, so you can appreciate even more the tough task our program committee has in bringing you your regular red meat!

Final note:  In a recent column by a good friend of our Club, it was observed that Members failed to lay a paw on a speaker.  I cannot say I disagreed.  If we are to maintain our historic reputation as polite but fierce questioners, we need to put thought and effort into this important task!

See you in the Den! 

Rob Eschenfelder

President

August President's Message

Doing Nothing this Summer

It's summer time.  This, in most parts of the South, translates into slowing down.  Taking a break from the heat.  Yet, as we have just witnessed, our Governor summoned our Legislature into a special session right smack in the middle of summer.  And, when they promptly voted to turn right back around and return to their respective districts for mint julips and constituent service, the Governor called them a "do nothing Legislature" (invoking the chiding of a former Democratic President when his Congress declined to advance his agenda).

All this "do nothing" talk got me to recalling one of my favorite philosophers.  Sir Edmund Burke, Irish political philosopher, is perhaps best known for observing:  "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."  So, was our Legislature confirming the Governor's view that evil is now upon us?  Or did our Legislators simply conclude this didn't apply, given the reference to "good" and all?

Its been a while since I dug into Mr. Burke's wisdom, and so I figured I'd revisit some of his observations to see if he had anything to contribute to our current political climate.  In doing so, I was reminded how timeless a good political philosopher's observations can be, and how instructive they may be for today's leaders.  For instance, while President Obama and the Congress continue to struggle to expand health, income and other social benefits, Burke would offer the following caution should the money run out:  "And having looked to the government for bread, on the very first scarcity, they will turn and bite the hand that fed them."

And, as we observe Governor candidate Rick Scott continue to press his lawsuit against Florida's public finance campaign laws, perhaps he will pause at Burke's suggestion that, "it is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice tell me I ought to do."

In witnessing the recent termination of a long-term, hard working African American federal farm assistance employee for what a "lemming-like" media reported as her racist lack of desire to help white farmers when it turned out the exact opposite was true, Burke aptly observed:  "Writers, especially when they act in a body and with one direction, have great influence on the public mind."  One hopes writers learn from this event.

As Congressman Charlie Rangel and former State House Speaker Ray Sansom mull their respective ethical quandaries, perhaps they will cogitate on Burke's observation that:  "All persons possessing any portion of power ought to be strongly and awfully impressed with an idea that they act in trust, and that they are to account for their conduct in that trust..."

And finally, as we watch another year of political leaders of all party affiliations (or none) battling each other with some of the most negative, corrosive, truth-stretching ads we've seen, it can only be hoped that they stumble upon one of Burke's lesser known but apt observations:  "Magnanimity in politics is not seldom the truest wisdom; and a great empire and little minds go ill together."

Please "do something" by joining your fellowTigers for our upcoming programming as weapproach the fall election season, so that you can do your part to ensure the future of our great empire.  You don't want to contribute to evil, now do you!?

See you in the Den! 

Rob Eschenfelder, President

July President's Message

Getting the Job Done

While large in membership, our Club is but a small, not-for-profit corporation which must, like any other business entity, be run.  Since our resources afford only the paid services of our dedicated part time Executive Director, we must, year in and year out, rely on the dedicated work of our volunteer board.  I regularly say to all I can that I'm fortunate to be leading such a fine, capable, and hard working board!  In this quarter, Vice President & Program Chair Rick Edmonds continued to bring home great programs, and more are mentioned in this newsletter.  Ben Friedlander spent copious hours working with the Pinellas Education Foundation to improve our scholarship program and policies.  Membership chair Gary Stempinski continued to add members to our Club's numbers by personal recruitment efforts, which included attending and speaking at local community group meetings.  And our Treasurer, Pam Meador added to her usual duties of ensuring our financial house is in order by developing a series of proposals to better manage operational risks.  These are but a few of the tasks your board undertakes for you, the Members, each month.  When you see them at meetings, please thank them for their hard work.

I'm also continually impressed by how readily Members step up to help when needed.  In the past quarter, we had to accept the resignations of several board members mid-term for various reasons.  But we've been able to bring on new members of the highest quality.  Past President Cory Adler-Leidersdorff, with a deep history of board work and a 13 year Club Member, has come on board for another tour.  Accepting his first Club leadership role is Neil McMullen.  Neil, an Eagle Scout, hails from a family with deep political and community roots, including having a grandfather who, when in the State Senate, filed the bill to create Pinellas County.  Neil's executive experience in education, health care and finance will be a welcomed addition.  Last but not least is Anne Drake, whose background includes lobbying, holding key posts in several state presidential campaigns, and executive level experience in both the public and private sectors.  In her first month, Anne increased young tiger attendance at programs by 200% and successfully put together our Republican Attorney General candidates forum, which marked the first time all four of the candidates went head to head in a debate.  Please join your board in thanking Cory, Neil and Anne for accepting these mid-term appointments.

Turning to business, one job our Executive Director must get done is securing firm attendance numbers for our programs.  We've seen an increase in the number of folks who register late (defined in board policy as less than 48 hours before a program).  Where the counts are off, the Club can face added lunch expenses from our venues, not to mention backed up lines on the day of the event.  So, the board has instructed Chandra to begin actively enforcing the Club policy of adding $5 to late registrations.  We of course realize that modern schedules at times will result in late registrations, and of course we want as many folks to come to our programming as possible.  Please make every effort to RSVP as timely as possible, and we'll see you all in the Den!

Rob Eschenfelder, President

June President's Message

Interesting Times

It is often said that the phrase "may you live in interesting times" is an ancient Chinese curse.  While this attribution has never been able to be verified, and probably isn't true (you can't even get real curses these days!), it has resonated over time for its underlying political truth:  Its hard to be a politician in "interesting" times.  Our Nation has been at "war" for many years now, but fighting not a nation-state but ideals and beliefs held by loose-knit groups.  We continue to be closely divided politically, but also see a growing, amorphous third-party/non-party movement.  Candidates need more money than ever to win offices wherein they will preside over public budgets which have less money than ever.  Fewer and fewer citizens are receiving quality, science and math based educations as our economy demands knowledge workers and sheds low-skilled labor jobs.  And in an asserted "post-racial" era seeing the election of our first minority President, laws hostile to minority immigrants continue to be adopted.

Clearly, we are living in interesting times, and those who seek to win or keep their political offices in this atmosphere will have a harder time than ever navigating the difficult policy and economic questions of our time.  And voters, more than ever, should pay close attention to who they select as their leaders.  That's where we come in!  The core of what Tiger Bay is, and why it exists, is to facilitate the kind of unscripted, politically-neutral conversations the governed need and want to have with those who would govern them.  Our program committee is hard at work bringing you the top candidates in the coming elections so you can kick the tires for yourselves.  Now, all you need to do is RSVP!  While we can't promise you everything they'll say is any more true than a fake Chinese proverb, we can promise our programs will always be interesting times! 

See you all in the Den!   

Rob Eschenfelder, President

May President's Message

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Primaries

Americans have long felt the need to look on the humorous side of government when trying to deal with the things government often does for (or to) us, and the month of April provides exceptional opportunity for this pastime.  For instance, has anyone been confused by all the federal government activity this April?  The feds really asked a great deal of us in April.  First, we citizens are supposed to hand over information on how many people live in our homes.  In the same month, we're supposed to calculate how much money we have to send to them. I heard one exasperated citizen got confused and accidentally mailed off his tax check to the census bureau, while sending his mother in law in to the IRS!  However, this is far less ironic than the fact that April 14^th was National Pecan Day and April 15^th tax day.  Think of it, on the first day we honor a group of nuts, and on the following day we send it tons of our money to support a group of nuts!

In all seriousness, as our Club hosts more candidates for Governor, Senate, Attorney General and other high offices this year, I cannot help but notice that funny things are happening on the way to our Florida primaries.  With primaries only open to voters of that same party, it can be argued that more moderate candidates with cross-party appeal and seemingly better general election chances face up-hill battles to win the votes of party primary voters seeking liberally or conservatively (depending on party) "pure" candidates.  One need only mention the Crist/Rubio battle to see this phenomenon playing out.

While fair debate can be had as to whether this phenomenon will continue to balkanize the Congress into memberstoo rigidly wed to the right or the left, one thing will remain right up the center.  And that is your Vice President and Program Chair
Rick Edmonds' mission to bring to the Club the full range of Florida candidates this election season.  Rick and his Program Committee work hard each week trying to get "the yes" from campaign staffers wary of sending their candidates into the Tigers' Den.  However, under Rick's leadership, we have already had some great candidate programs, and as we approach the fall primary election, we will be announcing even more exciting candidate visits.  If you have ideas or (even better) leads on prime speakers, please let Rick know, at vicepres@tigerbay.org.  And of course we ask you to show your ultimate support of Rick's hard work by attending our programming on a regular basis, and coming with some "fang & claw" worthy questions. 

See you all in the Den!   

Rob Eschenfelder, President

April President's Message

In my continuing effort to showcase the wonderful work of our hard-working board, this month, I'd like to let you all in on what great work our marketing committee is doing, led by Chair Mo Eppley.  Last year, the Club fully redesigned its website, setting the tone and the bar for this year.  The Committee's job is getting the message out to everyone about the Club, to enrich the membership experience, and to increase membership and program attendance.  It has moved forward on this front by rebranding our marketing materials to look consistent, and developing new marketing methods.  These include designing Club business card-size ads perfect to give to prospective new members.  Next program, grab some at the back table and give them out liberally (or conservatively)!

The Committee has also begun video recording the Q&A portion of the meetings and posting the winning question and other hot quotes on our own YouTube channel.  At the end of programs, every speaker is also asked a question as well about their experience speaking to the Club.  Our last video with PSC Chair Nancy Argenziano was posted on one of the St. Petersburg Times Political Blogs, giving us some great cross-exposure!  To view, visit www.YouTube.com, then type in Tiger Bay Club.  Our Club is also exploiting social media tools, and we now have a presence on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  If you use these tools, become a fan, follow our posts, and make your own posts. To learn more, visit our website's new media page, which will allow you to make direct links to these tools and join in!

But our marketing committee hasn't stopped there.  Since we're putting lots of time and effort into these initiatives, the board wanted to be sure they were working.  To that end, the Committee has installed tracking tools which allow us to capture and analyze our web traffic including where visitors come from, what pages they go to, the top key words they use to search for our site, and the top sites they link to us from. This information helps us to know how our marketing efforts are working and how we may tweak our efforts.  Here is a taste of our most recent data:  Over 5100 visitors last year, almost 3000 of which were unique.  So we know we're getting both new visits, and members are returning regularly.  Some of the top "referring" websites included, google.com, baynews9.com, blogs.tampabay.com, mitymo.com, and twitter.com to name a few.  We also know the average time spent on the website is almost 2 minutes.  We can also tell the most popular pages on our site which last year included the home page, the Calendar, RSVP, Membership, and Fang & Claw page in that order.  This data helps us know which pages are most important to Members so we can focus improvement efforts on them.

Our Marketing Committee is doing fabulous work!  When you see her at a future program, please thank Mo personally.  We are blessed to have someone with her industry talents!

And, speaking of talents, from time to time Members will ask "how can I join the board?"  While most of you know we have an annual nomination/election process open to all, interested Members are encouraged to give their names/resumes to Executive Director Chandra Tracy or Nominations Chair Darryl Paulson any time of the year.  And be it mid-year openings (we have one at the moment) or the annual turnover, Nominations will add you to the mix.  You are also encouraged to volunteer for a board committee.  Helping in that manner will certainly demonstrate your commitment to our Club. 

See you all in the Den!        

Rob Eschenfelder, President

March President's Message

Membership has its Privileges

Tigers, as you know, from time to time I intend to use this space to let you know what the various committees of our Board of Directors is up to.  This month, I'd like to feature one of the most critical committees we have: Membership.  Our Club is blessed to have an energetic, professional leader in the person of Gary Stempinski.  Gary's only been at work since January, but already his committee's hard work is paying off with significant membership growth.  Below is his report to the Membership:

As we start the new year 2010 for the first month and a half, the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club stood at 407 members, or a 10% increase (37 member) increase since the first of the year.  Why are we gaining members? Well, let me tell the reasons why I joined the club.  First, we are a unique group that invites political and business leaders to speak at our meetings.  I like the opportunity to meet these people face to face, get to know them, and learn about what's going on in my community.  Our luncheon meetings give members a special opportunity to make new friends and enjoy networking fun.  Membership also brings the privilege of questioning guest speakers with tough and insightful questions. Each meeting a member has the chance to win the Fang & Claw Award, the coveted growling stuffed tiger.  In fact, thanks to member participation and media coverage, the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club is well known for it's probing questions and is respected throughout the entire area. Most importantly, our members learn about pertinent issues and participate in making their community a better place to live.  Like any organization our strength comes from our members and member participation.  My committee is actively greeting guests who attend programs.  They also all carry with them the great marketing materials created by our Marketing Committee last year, and of course we are engaged in the work of contacting past members who have not enewed to encourage them to return to the Den.  This is the work which will continue to make our Club the best Tiger Bay in the State!  How can you as a member help?  Attend meetings regularly and invite guests!  There's no better recruitment tool than for our guests to see what an entertaining and informative time our events can be, and with the new, higher guest lunch fee, the benefits to simply joining are even more clear.  Keep your $75.00 annual.  And, of course, if you want to volunteer to work on my committee, just approach me at any event.  You can usually find me greeting guests at the beginning of our programs.  Let's make 2010 a record membership year!  As the old slogan notes: Membership has its Privileges!

See you in the Den! 

Rob Eschenfelder

President

February President's Message

An Interesting Question

One of the key elements of the Tiger Bay Experience is the well-done question.  One of the legendary questioners of our Club is the venerable James Gillespie.  While I don't have an official count, I would take it on faith that he possesses more stuffed Tiger awards than any other Club Member in history.  I have asked him, as a special guest columnist, to recount his thoughts on how Members should craft a question:

Tiger Bay speakers and questioners range from excellent to mediocre or miserable. Tiger Bay members need to improve their questions in order to achieve a higher level of quality, consistency, relevance and toughness. After all this is one of a member's key roles in serving Tiger Bay and perhaps your own ego. This statement is a suggestion to guide members in asking questions that count and make a difference.

The question preface refers to BITING analysis and RAKISH questions, but this isn't a model of clarity when your asking and ranking questions on a scale of 1 to 5 and your focus is the QUALITY AND SUBSTANCE of the question. Naturally there is some subjectivity in ranking but these guidelines may help temper that influence.

The purpose of Q & A format is to hold our speakers accountable for their actions (past and present), words and attitudes, whether expressed at Tiger Bay or elsewhere. There is an element of making the speaker squirm a bit due to the question. THIS IS DONE BY ASKING A CONCISE, POINTED AND PROBING QUESTION WHICH FORCES THE SPEAKER TO AVOID A YES OR KNOW ANSWER AND THINK ABOUT THE ANSWER. The question must be tough, understandable, substantive rather than crude, defamatory, simplistic or a puff question if questions are to be reasonably ranked. The question must TEST and TRY the speaker.

To judge the question you must listen to the wording, guile and intricacy of the question, whether obvious or obscured.

Your judgment of the question rests on the question asked and not who asked it, how the speaker responds (except when the answer is clearly evasive), how the audience reacts or if the speaker says that is the toughest question or the winner. It is your judgment and it must be independent.

Attention to the wording makes sure a specific issue or point of view confronts the speaker - key words in a question are might (which raises the issue of possibility), should (which raises moral/ethical issues) and could (which suggests mere possibilities). The three words help frame the quality and difficulty of the question.

The question must require the speaker to think or be forced to think about a clear topic, issue, problem or the like.

There are at least three types of questions experts recognize:

Definitional - generally not too difficult

Empirical - facts lead to comparisons and explanations of causes and predictions

Evaluative - call for opinions or justifications of opinions (good type question for Tiger Bay)

Some experts say a question should be no more than 20 words, should be clear and meaningful and not a free floater or a multiple choice and not encourage wishful thinking. Your question should advance our knowledge and insight if it is successful.

I hope some of this statement is helpful. Go forth and have at it, but ask a single question and not a multiple one.

Jim Gillespie, Past-President, 1987

Another interesting question I often hear is "Why should I become a Member?"  While the key aspect of membership is the ability to ask a question, another is a lower lunch cost.  However, while your Board of
Directors has remained set on keeping Member lunch cost stable, we recently were required to respond to growing lunch costs by increasing guest lunches by $5.  This measure will help ensure the Club does not begin subsidizing guest lunch costs, while reinforcing a key Membership benefit: lower cost lunches. 

See you in the Den!

Rob Eschenfelder, President

January President's Message

Fundraisers & Friendly Crowds

Our Club's programs are what its all about.  Folks join Tiger Bay to hear, and be able to ask questions to, the movers and shakers, princes and potentates representing local, state and national government, business, media and educational institutions.  Each year, your Club's Vice President has the hardest job in the Club: Program Chair.  It seems the job only gets harder each successive year.  Recently, after months of trying to secure an appearance, a representative of a very prominent statewide candidate intimated the candidate was only doing fundraisers and friendly crowds.  This isn't to single this candidate out, as more and more of our fellow citizens who are seeking to make major decisions for us simply don't feel the need to open themselves to questions about their qualifications and policies in what handlers call "unscripted events."  While responses such as these are sad reminders of how our leaders are becoming more detached from those they lead, rest assured your incoming Vice President Rick Edmonds, is on the job, and with his program committee will work tirelessly to bring great programs to us in 2010.  However, he can't do it alone.  Last year, regular Members helped us close the deal on several popular programs.  So, while Rick will always be open to program suggestions, he will also be grateful for Members help in getting a "yes."  So, if you have personal connections to candidates or current officials who would make a good program, let Rick know.  And, when you run into those officials or candidates who have been willing to appear before us, please, as a Member and regardless of party, thank them for appearing!  They need to know how much we appreciate not only the time from their busy schedules, but their brave willingness to be openly questioned by some of the County's most informed and involved citizens. 

Finally, a format note.  While this space has traditionally been reserved for the musings of the Club's President, I intend to use the space to allow other voices to speak as well on relevant matters to you, the Members, introduce the Club to individual Members, and provide details on Club happenings from those who are making things happen.  As always, please let us know what you think.  We are, after all, a friendly crowd!

Rob Eschenfelder

President

December President's Message

     In the words of Roy Rogers, "it's the end of the trail, partner."  It's time for a new president, a new program chair and some new blood on the Board of Directors.  Rob Eschenfelder will be taking over as President, Rick Edmonds will become VP and Program Chair and a half dozen new Board members will be replacing outgoing Board members Jamie Bennett, Sara Cramer, Jerri Evans, Bruce Marger, Nancy Riley and David Zachem.  Thanks to all of the above for taking on a leadership role in Tiger Bay.

     One of Clint Eastwood's early movie successes was The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.  As President for the past year, I could talk about the good, the bad and the ugly in Tiger Bay.  I could, but I won't.  I will leave the bad and the ugly to your judgment, and I will focus on the good.

     Your new President, Rob Eschenfelder, has done an outstanding job as program chair.  Everyone knows that this is the toughest job in Tiger Bay.  I know it is because I have done it twice.  Rob has scheduled 19 program for 2009 with an average attendance of 106.

     Mo Eppley and Robin Mitchell have done an extraordinary job chairing the Membership Committee.  We have added over 80 new members in 2009, including 17 who joined during one of our October meetings.  Pick up some of the literature they have produced and help to recruit new members to Tiger Bay.  Tami Simms and Linda Goldfarb have become the first members to recruit three new members and earn a free lunch.  Tiger Bay would love to provide a free lunch to you.  Just bring us three new members.  Mo has also done a wonderful job on our website.  Check it out at www.tigerbay.org.

     Bev Mitlin served as Chair of the Annual Dinner Committee and worked hard to bring in a political humorist.  Unfortunately, things couldn't be worked out, but that does not diminish all the hard work she put into the project.  Simon Shewmaker has agreed to take over as Chair and we are putting together a free event for Tiger Bay members in January or February of 2010.  There will be free food and drink, along with a special guest speaker.  All the more reason to pay your 2010 dues today.

     I want to extend a personal thank you to Executive Director Chandra Tracy.  Tami Simms left big shoes to fill (she wears size 12), but Chandra stepped right in and has done a phenomenal job.  She has kept me informed, put out fires, offered valuable advice to improve the Club and has been as solid as the Rock of Gibralter.

     To all those who suggested programs and speakers, thank you.  To the Board members who invested many hours in working to make Tiger Bay better, thank you.  To all the long-time members like Thomas Dunn, Jim Gillespie, Lou Kubler and others, thank you for your long term commitment to Tiger Bay.  Finally, to those of you who are new to Tiger Bay, do more than come to the meetings.  Suggest programs and speakers and offer to serve on the Board.  Help the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club continue to be the best political club in Florida.

    It has been my pleasure to serve as your president in 2009.  I'll see you in the Tigers' Den in 2010.           

Darryl Paulson
President
Suncoast Tiger Bay Club

November President's Message

     As program chair in 2008 and current President of the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club, I thought it would be good to review programming and attendance at meetings over the past few years.

     In 2007 our meetings were attended by only 1,479 members and guests and the average attendance was only about 70 per meeting.  In 2008, we had 19 meetings attended by 2,019 for an average attendance of 106.  This was over a 30% increase in average meeting attendance.  We have kept on pace in 2009.  So far we have had 18 programs with 106 as the average attendance.  With two meetings left, we will once again break the 2,000 mark in overall attendance.

     Attendance is up and that is great news, but not all meetings appear to be equally attractive to our members.  Although we are a political club, elected officials are not always big draws.  This year Mayor Rick Baker drew only 86 and Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio drew 80.  Iorio was thrilled with the turnout telling me that it was much larger than the turnout at the Tampa Club.  Attorney General Bill McCollum drew only 82 and Calvin Harris, Chair of the Pinellas County Commission attracted only 60 members.

     So what attracted the largest turnouts?  Candidate forums are a huge draw.  The first St. Pete mayoral forum attracted a sellout crowd of 250.  The second forum with Ford and Foster attracted another 206.  The program involving District 5 and 6 city council candidates was attended by 155.  Other programs in 2009 attracting more than a 100 members were Jeff Lyash, Tom James and Paul Tash.

     Unfortunately, over the past two years we have had four programs attract 55 or fewer members.  A program on school choice attracted 54, a debate on the repeal of the "equal time provision" drew only 50, the head of the Florida Board of Education spoke to only 47 and the head of the Pinellas Democratic Party addressed 43 of our members.  Two of these programs I thought were exceptional.  I am not sorry we scheduled any of those programs because I believe Tiger Bay has a responsibility to showcase major political figures and discuss hot-button political issues.  My only regret is that so few of our members took advantage of the opportunity to attend these meetings.

     There should be just as many Republican members of Tiger Bay attending the meeting of the head of the Pinellas Democratic Party as there are Democrats if for no other reason than hearing what the opposition has to say.  In addition, Republican members should be thrilled to have the opportunity to grill this individual with their questions.  Likewise, Democrats should be attending the meeting with the Republican Attorney General and now gubernatorial candidate for the same reasons.

     I am thrilled that attendance has substantially increased over the past two years.  I will never be satisfied until we have at least 100 members attending each of our meetings.  That's a goal we should all strive to achieve.

Darryl Paulson
President

Suncoast Tiger Bay Club

October President's Message

     I'm back.  After spending 10 weeks relaxing with family and friends in northwestern Minnesota, I decided it was time to head back to the Sunshine State.  During my time in Minnesota, the temperatures averaged in the high 60's and low 70's and I thought of all of my Tiger Bay colleagues basking in the 90% humidity and temperatures in the 90's.  I must say, Florida was not created for life in the summertime.

     I want to thank all of those who stepped in during my absence.  Vice President Rob Eschenfelder has done a great job at providing quality programming for Tiger Bay, and he and former president Jerri Evans presided over the meetings in my absence.  Executive Director Chandra Tracy kept me informed via phone calls and email and helped to keep everything flowing smoothly.

     So, with three months left on my term, what's on the horizon for Tiger Bay?  First, we will continue to provide quality programming on a wide range of political issues.  Programs this month feature mayoral hopefuls Kathleen Ford and Bill Foster in what could be the major event in the race for mayor.  Former Eckerd College President Peter Armacost will speak about his experiences in heading a Christian college in Muslim dominated Pakistan.  The New York Times ran a story recently citing the increased persecution of Christians in Pakistan.  We also hope to have Congressman Bill Young speak to us in either December or January.  Will he run for another term?

     Objective number two relates to membership.  Like many organizations during an economic downturn, Tiger Bay experienced a temporary drop in membership over the past couple of years.  We now have an aggressive membership program headed by Mo Eppley and Robin Mitchell and they have done a wonderful job of working to retain current members and attract new members.  This is where every member of Tiger Bay has a role to play.  Every member of Tiger Bay should know of at least one potential new member that you believe will join Tiger Bay.  Remember, if you bring in three new members, we will pick up the cost of lunch.  Bring in six new members, and we will pick up your annual membership dues.  We have our first corporate sponsor, Progress Energy Florida, and hope to have a second corporate sponsor on board shortly.

     Finally, the main function of Tiger Bay is to provide a forum to discuss contemporary political issues.  We have had some great debates this year on issues ranging from the "equal time provision" on radio and TV to the St. Pete mayoral primary debate that resulted in our first sell-out crowd in over five years.  We have had leading political figures address us this year, including the mayors of both St. Pete and Tampa.

     Membership is growing and attendance is up.  Almost every one of our programs have attracted extensive media coverage from radio, TV and the print media.  The success we have had is not due to any one individual, as much as I would like to believe it was all due to my efforts.  We have a group of officers and Board members who have worked hard to make the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club the best political organization in Florida.  The only thing we need to make this club even better is your active participation and support.

Darryl Paulson
President

Suncoast Tiger Bay Club

September President's Message

Presidential campaigns are serious business, but  Americans have always delighted in making fun of those who run for the highest political office in the land.  Most of the jokes focus on what people believe to be the defining trait or characteristic of the candidate.  For example, Dan Quayle's misspelling of "potato" helped to define him as not the sharpest knife in the drawer.  Fairly or unfairly, George Bush was also defined in a similar fashion.  Bill Clinton jokes were either about food or sex.  Most McCain jokes were about his age.  Humorists have been slow to define President Obama, although a majority of the Obama jokes relate to his messianic qualities.

     During the Obama campaign, Obama spoke to 75,000 people at a rally on the banks of the Willamette River in Oregon.  According to witnesses, after the rally Obama fed the crowd with just five loaves of bread.  During his first trip to Israel, Obama left time to visit his birthplace in Bethlehem.

     Obama's campaign theme was "yes we can."  That was not the first time that theme was used.  President Clinton used that line on interns.  We all know that you can get aids from sex.  President Clinton was the first to prove you could get sex from aides. 

     Obama attended a Hollywood fundraiser that charged $28,500 a ticket and raised $9 million in one night for his campaign.  The theme of the evening was how John McCain and the Republicans were out of touch with the common people.

     The first time McCain ran for the presidency his campaign was labeled"the straight talk express."  When he ran in 2008, his campaign was known as the "Antiques Roadshow." Obama'sSecret Service code name was  "renegade."  McCain's code name was "enlarged prostate."

     McCain was a supporter of the war in Iraq.  He even remembers when Iraq was known as Mesopotamia.  McCain, a highly decorated veteran in Viet Nam spent over 5 years in prison before entering politics.  Usually, for most politicians, it is the other way around. 

     McCain was upset that Colin Powell endorsed Obama.  As an older man, McCain should have known he would have colon problems.  McCain's selection of Sarah Palin was controversial, although many saw them as a good team.  She was pro-life and he was clinging to life. 

     Obama's selection of Joe Biden also raised some eyebrows because of his lifelong illness.  Biden has long suffered from foot-in-mouth disease.  On the day that Biden announced his own presidential bid, he called Obama the first African American "who is articulate, bright and clean."  That was, also, essentially the last day of the Biden campaign.  During the campaign, Biden said that although he wanted to be president, he'd rather be home making love to his wife Jill. Surprisingly, Bill Clinton said the same thing.  He would rather be home making love to Biden's wife, too.

     Humorists had to be careful in making fun of the three major presidential candidates in the 2008 campaign.  You couldn't criticize Hillary because that would be sexism.  You could not criticize Obama because that would be racist.  Finally, you could not criticize McCain because that would be elder abuse.

~ Darryl Paulson, President

Suncoast Tiger Bay Club

August President's Message

     Like most Americans, I am confused about my political orientations.  Although a lifelong Republican, I have been asked twice by Democrats to run for office.  I've been a Fellow at the Conservative Heritage Foundation and hired a half dozen times by the liberal NAACP as an expert witness in voting rights cases in Federal Court.  I'm so confused about my political orientations that I don't know whether to get out of the right or left side of the bed in the morning.  To avoid confusion, I simply stay in bed.

     I relate to both political parties.  I eat like an elephant and act like a jackass.  With over 35 years as a professor of government, I have come up with some useful guidelines to help those who are confused about their political orientations.

     Democrats name their children after currently popular sports figures, politicians and entertainers.  Republicans name their children after their parents or grandparents, depending on where the money is.

     Democrats grow shaggy beards.  Republicans have trimmed mustaches.

     Democrats make up careful plans and then do something else.  Republicans follow the plans their grandparents made.

     Democrats buy most of the books that have been banned somewhere.  Republicans organize censorship committees and read them as a group.

     Republicans tend to keep their shades drawn, although there is
seldom any reason they should.  Democrats ought to, but they never do.

     Republicans sleep in twin beds or even in separate rooms.  This is why there are more Democrats.

     When someone says Marx, Republicans think Groucho and Democrats think Karl.

     Republicans are pro-life but support the death penalty.  Democrats are pro-choice except when it involves vouchers and the public schools.

     Teddy Roosevelt was giving a speech and kept being interrupted  by a man who kept shouting, "I'm a Democrat".  Finally, Roosevelt asked the man why he was a Democrat.  He said, "My grandfather was a Democrat, my father was a Democrat and I am a Democrat."  Roosevelt  questioned the man's logic by saying, "What if your father and grandfather had been jack-asses, what would that make you?"  The man quickly responded, "A Republican."

     An old and loyal Republican from Pinellas knew that he did not have much more time to live.  He called his son and asked him to take him to the Supervisor of Elections office so that he could change his voter registration to a Democrat.  "Dad," his son asked, "you've been a loyal Republican all of your life.  Why in the world do you now what to register as a Democrat?"  His father replied, "Son, if someone has to die, it might as well be a Democrat."

     What about Independents?  About a third of Americans describe themselves as Independents.  They feel their views are more moderate and middle-of-the-road then partisans. 
However, as party activists point out, the only thing you find in the middle-of-the-road is yellow stripes and dead skunks.

     See you in September.

Darryl Paulson

President, Suncoast Tiger Bay Club

July President's Message

     In his 1961 inaugural address, President John F. Kennedy urged Americans to "ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country."  That request led to an explosion of civic activism in government in organizations such as the Peace Corps.  To paraphrase President Kennedy, "ask not what Tiger Bay can do for you, ask what you can do for Tiger Bay."

     Let me suggest six things that you can do to make Tiger Bay the best political club in Florida.  First, ask someone you know to join Tiger Bay.  As anyone in politics knows, you must ask people for their support.  We are always looking for new members and now the Club has provided incentives to you for signing up new members.  Get three people to join, and we will pick up your next luncheon bill.  Get six people to join and we will pay your 2010 annual dues.  Just make sure you put your membership number on the applications so we can award you these incentives.

     Second, sign up to receive this newsletter by email.  Each person who receives the newsletter by email will be saving the Club a substantial amount of money in printing and first-class postage expenses.  In addition, you will receive the email newsletter more quickly than getting it in the mail.

     Third, sign up for the luncheons early.  We have had too many people waiting until the last moment to make their reservations.  Chandra must let the venue know 48 to 72 hours in advance of the meeting how many people will be attending.  Also, if you waited until the last moment to sign up for the June mayoral forum you were out of luck because we had a sold out venue.

     Fourth, once you make a reservation you are responsible for paying for the luncheon.  So far in 2009 we have had 57 people make reservations who did not show up and did not pay for their guaranteed reservation.  This has cost the Club over $1,000 and we cannot afford to allow this to continue.  Club rules state that unless you cancel within 48 hours of the meeting you are responsible for paying for the luncheon.  We have to submit "guaranteed reservations" and we have to pay the venue whether you show up or not.

     Fifth, offer your services to Tiger Bay.  Are you interested in serving on the Board, let us know.  If you have suggestions for programs and speakers, let us know.

     Finally, check out Tiger Bay at our completely revised website at www.tigerbay.org or check us out on Facebook or on Twitter at sctigerbay.  We have recently added the Facebook and Twitter sites and have about a 100 members who have checked out the Facebook and Twitter sites.

     This is your Club.  Any organization is only as good as its members.  Please do your part to make the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club the best political organization in Florida.  Ask what you can do for Tiger Bay today.

Darryl Paulson

President, Suncoast Tiger Bay Club

June President's Message

Political Humor and the Race for Mayor

  Last month's presidential message set a record, at least for me.  First, many members commented how much they enjoyed the focus on political humor.  Second, The Tampa Tribune liked the message so much they are going to publish a slightly altered version of it as a special feature.  I have decided to do a few more pieces on political humor.  This month's message will focus on humor and the race for mayor.  The July message will focus on what's funny about Republicans and Democrats, and August will be devoted to presidential political humor.

     This is actually true.  About fifteen years ago St. Petersburg received an award from the National Prune Council because its residents consumed far more prunes than the national average.  I've always said St. Petersburg was a community on the move.

     St. Pete's first strong mayor, David Fischer, was known as the Al Gore of local politics. Both Fischer and Gore are a little on the boring side.  I had a friend whose doctor told him to avoid any excitement, so he followed Mayor Fischer all over town.  Mayor Fischer fired the police chief and replaced him with Goliath Davis.  I always heard that David slayed Goliath, not promoted him.

     Mayor Rick Baker became the city's second strong mayor.  Baker quickly found that running a city is a lot like managing a cemetery.  You have a lot of people under you and nobody listens.  Mayor Baker is also very straight-laced.  Some of his friends decided to play a practical joke on him and sent a lady of the evening to his door.  When he answered, the woman said:  "Mayor Baker, you are in for a wonderful evening of super sex."  Mayor Baker responded, "I'll have the soup, please."

     With respect to the current crop of mayoral candidates, you can just fill in whatever names you think are appropriate for the following jokes.   Several of the candidates are just what St. Pete needs to get this city moving.  I know if they win, hundreds of residents will be moving.

     I asked one of the leading candidates for mayor whether he was for or against a new baseball stadium for the Rays.  Without hesitation, he said:  "Half of my friends are for it and half of my friends are against it, by gosh, I'm going to stand by my friends."

     With so many candidates for mayor, I feel sorry for the last one to speak at candidate forums.  They must feel like Liz Taylor's 7^th husband on his wedding night.  He knows what he is supposed to do, but he is just not sure he can make it interesting.

     As the election draws near, beware of what I call the "wonder bra" speeches.  They are very uplifting, but we all know there is not much there.

~ Darryl Paulson - President

May President's Message

The Lighter Side of Politics

     We in Tiger Bay take our politics seriously.  Perhaps, sometimes too seriously.  I've always said that politics comes from the ancient Greek word "poly" meaning "many," and "tics" meaning "ugly bloodsucking parasites."  I also believe that politicians and babies ought to be changed often, and for the same reason.  Nobel economist Milton Friedman's First Law of Government was "Thank God we don't get all of the government we pay for."

     Poking fun at politicians is as old as our political system.  Much of the humor of politics is provided by the politicians themselves by what they say and what they do.  Consider these actual statements made by members of Congress or various state legislatures.  A Congressman recently commented that "We're going to wrestle to the ground this gigantic orgasm that is out of control."  He was actually talking about controlling the Federal budget deficit.  Another member of Congress noted that "These numbers are not my own.  They come from someone who knows what he's talking about."  A member of the Florida legislature told colleagues that "I am for the death penalty, as long as it's not too severe." 

Another member of the Florida legislature described his predicament on an upcoming vote by saying he "was caught between the dog and the fire hydrant on this vote."  Two of my favorite legislative comments come from members of the Wisconsin legislature.  One told his fellow legislators that "As long as I am in the Senate, there will not be a nuclear suppository in Wisconsin."  Apparently those suppositories were going to be marketed under the You Light Up My Life label.  Finally, another member of the Wisconsin legislature noted that "If we don't pass this bill, we will force businesses all over the state to defecate to Illinois."  As Will Rodgers used to say, "I don't make this stuff up.  I just read the papers and report what they say."

     Not only do legislators say some strange things, they also pass some weird laws.  Some of the strange laws are attempts to regulate morality, like the Kentucky law that says "nudist colonies must build fences 20 feet high out of brick, stone or cement.  Also, members of the legislature shall inspect the fences on a regular basis."  Some laws are poorly worded, like the California law that says "no dog shall be in a public place without its master on a leash."  I'm sure the dogs loved that law.  My favorite poorly worded law is the Texas law that states when "two trains meet at a railroad crossing, each shall come to a full stop and neither shall proceed until the other has gone."  There are also the just plain crazy laws like the one in Oklahoma that prohibits the catching of whales.   You don't want to overfish whales in Oklahoma.  Florida made it illegal for rats to leave ships docked in Tampa Bay and also made it illegal to have sex with a porcupine.  Ouch!  My favorite weird law is the one proposed in Britain to require dog food producers to make phosphorescent dog food so that people won't step in dog poop at night.

      Did you know that most plastic surgeons will not work on politicians because it is twice the work-you've got two faces to lift.  When Lincoln was accused of being two-faced, he denied the charge.  "If I had two faces," said Lincoln, "do you think I would be using this one?"

     We love to make fun of politicians and we love politicians who can laugh at themselves.  It is the great American pastime next to baseball.

Darryl Paulson - President
Suncoast Tiger Bay Club

April President's Message

Change is in the Wind at Tiger Bay

No organization can remain static if it wants to stay successful.  We at Tiger Bay are no more immune from changes in society than are the political parties, business and civil organizations.  Organizations that refuse to change and adapt to changing conditions are likely to whither and die.  At Suncoast Tiger Bay, we want to retain the best features of our Club while adjusting to changing conditions.  To be successful, change is the key.  Just ask Barack Obama.

One of those changes resulted in us loosing our outstanding Executive Director, Tami Simms.  Fortunately for us, Chandra Tracy, has stepped in as our new Executive Director and help provide for a seamless transition.

Like many other organizations today, Tiger Bay is fighting to retain and expend our membership.  Our Club is fortunate to have two Board members who have agreed to chair two of our most critical committees.  Robin Mitchell is chair of the Membership Committee and Mo Eppley is chair of the Marketing Committee.  These two committees recently met jointly to discuss and develop membership and marketing strategies, and I just want to share a few of the changes that are already in the works.

Under the leadership of Mo Eppley and Chandra Tracy, our organization has a completely updated and revised website.  It is truly outstanding.  Check it out at www.tigerbay.org. and let us hear what you think about it.  In addition, Mo has brought Twitter and Facebook to Tiger Bay.  If you feel like twittering, check us out at http://twitter.com/sctigerbay.  If you already have a Facebook account, you can find Suncoast Tiger Bay Club under the Public Profile listings.  If you have either a twitter or Facebook account, be sure to add the Tiger Bay listing.  We will use both accounts to promote programs and remind people about upcoming meetings.

The Membership and Marketing Committee submitted a proposal to expand membership that was adopted by the Board at its last meeting.  This plan will offer a free Tiger Bay luncheon to any member who recruits 3 new members to Tiger Bay by the end of the year.  Recruit 6 new members and we will pay you dues for the next membership year.  Get busy and take advantage of these great incentives and help the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club grow at the same time.

Special thanks go out to Tami Simms, Chandra Tracy, Jeri Evans, Bob Fisher and Michele Cavallo for helping secure Progress Energy as our first corporate sponsor.  We hope this is the first of many companies who will join Tiger Bay as corporate sponsors.  More information will be provided at our April 7^th meeting where Jeff Lyash of  Progress Energy will be our featured speaker.  Please make a special effort to attend this meeting and thank Progress Energy for their support of Tiger Bay.

We are blessed with great people on the Board of Tiger Bay who are working hard to make Suncoast Tiger Bay a bigger and better organization.  Do your part and start recruiting new members today.  Three new members gives you a free lunch and six members will mean that we will pick up your annual dues.  Get busy today!

Darryl Paulson

President, Suncoast Tiger Bay Club

March President's Message

One statement that Board members com-monly hear from members is that the same people always seem to win the Fang & Claw Award. To begin with, this is not actually true. In 2008, there were 16 different people who won the coveted Fang & Claw Award. We also had one meeting where no one won the Award because the raters thought that no question merited the award.

It is true that over the years certain Tiger Bay members have won more Tigers than anyone else. Longtime members Jim Gillespie, Rob Eschenfelder and Gregory Wilson could launch their own business sell-ing stuffed tigers. I have also captured a fair number of the Tigers over the years, but as vice president and presi-dent the past two years, I don’t get to ask questions. This is one of the reasons I can’t wait to be an ex-President. I hear some of you also share that feeling.

Let me outline a few secrets for those of you who aspire to win the Fang and Claw:

1. Be prepared. You know who the speaker is and the topic they will be discussing. Do some research. Google the speaker and check out the St. Petersburg Times website for sto-ries. Those who are the most frequent winners have done their homework.

2. Don’t waste time. You only have 45 seconds to frame your question. How many times have you heard a questioner say: “Welcome to Tiger Bay. I am a big fan of yours and I don’t want to waste time so I will get right to my question.” You’ve already wasted 15 seconds. Just ask the question.

3. Be pointed, not personal. The speaker is a guest in the Tigers’ Den who has taken time to speak to us at no charge. Would you person-ally attack a guest you had invited into your home? Having said that, guests know that one of the traditions of Tiger Bay is to ask hard questions. Don’t be afraid of putting the speaker on the hot seat.

4. Framing the question: Ask a question in such a way that it creates a dilemma for the speaker no matter how they answer. This is a variation of the old “are you still beating your wife” question. No matter which way you an-swer, the speaker has a problem. I won a Tiger for asking Sami al Arian the following: “You have won several teaching awards based on your knowledge and ability to communicate, yet you have appeared before groups shouting “death to America” and you brought several scholars to USF who ended up as terrorists. Are you just not as smart as you thought you were or are you simply putting on an act?”

5. Be ready for every speaker. If you look at the individuals who have won the most Tigers, it is people who ask a question at almost every meeting. If you only ask a question once or twice a year, your chances of winning the Tiger are going to be diminished.

If you have not asked a question at one of our meetings, now is the time to start. We have the next five speakers for Tiger Bay already booked. Start doing your research and prepar-ing your questions. I look forward to awarding you your first Fang and Claw Award.

Darryl Paulson
President, Suncoast Tiger Bay Club

February President's Message

My fellow Tiger Bay member, I stand here today hum-bled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our predecessors. Except for my substituting “Tiger Bay member” for “citizens” and “predecessors” for “ancestors,” this was the opening sentence of President Barack Obama’s inaugural address on January 20th.

As President Obama laid out the challenges for the next four years, I think it only fair that I discuss the challenges and goals for Tiger Bay in 2009. My first goal is great program-ming. If we have good speakers, we will have good turnout. We must also try and give our members as much advance notice as possible concerning upcoming programs. I think we are off to a good start. We had two fine speakers in January and have two more coming up in February. We also have commitments for at least one speaker in March, April and May.

My second goal is to retain and expand membership. Quality programming will help, but we can only succeed with your support. Invite a guest to Tiger Bay! Make it your goal to sign up at least one new member for Tiger Bay. Every member must play a role for Tiger Bay to be truly successful.

Third, I want to get more members active and involved in Tiger Bay. If you have a program suggestion, contact Rob Eschenfelder, our Program Chair. We are always look-ing to add new members to our Board and Club officers. Make it your goal toplay a more active role in Tiger Bay in 2009.

My last goal may be the most difficult to achieve. I want more of our members to attend programs featuring speakers from the “other” political party and to attend programs where speakers are advocating positions that you may strongly disagree with. For example, last year only about 60 members attended a program with Florida Republican Party Chair Jim Greer. We should have had 60 Republi-cans there plus at least 60 Democrats willing to “grill” Greer. We had a great debate on the Fairness Doctrine and the “equal time” provi-sion, as well as an outstanding program on school vouchers. Attendance at these two programs was low, probably because mem-bers had firm opinions on these issues already. The purpose of Tiger Bay membership to me is to have your ideas challenged. If nothing else, come hear the enemy and ask them the question you always wanted them to answer.