Hope Kennedy, President & CEO North Tampa Bay Chamber

July 2026 — The North Tampa Bay region has witnessed a powerful acceleration of development over the past year, with numerous major projects transitioning from blueprints to reality. “We have seen all of the plans come to fruition this last year,” said Hope Kennedy, president and CEO of the North Tampa Bay Chamber. In an interview with Invest:, Kennedy shared how the chamber is leading the way in advocating for projects that support the area’s growth.

 What changes over the past year impacted the chamber, and in what ways?

This past year felt like everything that had been on paper finally started coming to life. Orlando Health is almost finished with its brand-new hospital in Wesley Chapel. Johns Hopkins broke ground on its hospital this year. We also have a new rehab hospital going up right across from BayCare.

We’re getting a brand-new YMCA that’s already under construction. Tesla is wrapping up the service center it’s building in our community. And Target just opened its largest retail store in Wesley Chapel.

We’ve really watched so many of these long-term plans come to fruition over the last year. And the chamber has played an integral role by connecting local businesses to those major projects. Whether it’s a locksmith company or a sign company, we’ve helped make sure our small businesses have access to the opportunities that come with that growth.

Another major development is at Pasco-Hernando State College. It’s now the center of the Allied Health and Nursing Institute, partnered with Orlando Health. The idea is to build a direct feeder system from our local college, anchored by the world-class medical care that’s coming to the region.

Over the past year, we’ve been able to see all of this take shape — from construction to hiring to development — and now we’re watching it move toward the moment when it will begin serving patients.

How is the Chamber ensuring that this growth remains both sustainable and inclusive?

Behind every vibrant, successful community, there’s a vibrant, successful chamber leading the way. Our role is to ensure responsible growth. We’ll advocate for projects when they need rezoning, and we’ll also speak up when a proposed project may not be the right fit for a particular location.

But where we really do our best work is making sure the existing business community is ready for the next big project coming in, and that we have the workforce, the housing and the infrastructure in place so those businesses can step in and succeed immediately.

We work closely not only with our higher education partners but also with local high schools, technical programs and career services — even starting in middle school — to help build the pipeline of talent. We want students to understand what opportunities exist in their own community, whether it’s in medical, automotive or any other growing sector.

What is the strategy to train the new talent?

I’ll give you an example. Automotive is a huge industry for us. Each of the luxury-brand auto dealers in our community has about 10 mechanics who make six-figure salaries right out of high school. If students know that, it changes their perspective. They play jazz music, it’s air-conditioned — it’s not a bad job for someone earning a six-figure salary.

Exposing students to these kinds of careers early on helps them understand that college isn’t the only pathway. They may choose technical school or a trade, and that is absolutely okay. We need every one of those workers.

We’ve worked very intentionally to stay in partnership and in sync with both the businesses already here and the ones coming in, and to help them integrate with the new projects shaping our community.

How do you see this collective approach to advocacy evolving right now?

For advocacy, we remain very integrated with our MOU partners, and I think that has truly positioned us as a region that works together. One major success we saw recently was the elimination of the business rent tax in Florida. It ended on Oct. 1. We were the only state in the country that taxed business rent, and it had a huge impact on light industrial and really any size building. Businesses were paying a 7% tax. Its elimination this year was a collective win for the entire state — and I will say the Tampa Bay region played a big role in pushing that legislation forward.

We also have significant infrastructure and traffic challenges across the region, and I know those issues will remain a focus for the 2026 legislative session. The governor has already said he would approve an I-4 express lane to help relieve some of the traffic coming into Tampa. Brightline continues to be part of the conversation as well.

And of course, major league sports are on the radar. The Tampa Bay Rays have new ownership, and they’re exploring options for a new home and a new location.

How are you helping member companies stay competitive and resilient?

Resiliency is something our community really has at its core. I lovingly refer to Wesley Chapel as the United Nations — it’s incredibly diverse, with people from all over the world and a wide range of industry sectors.

What we’re seeing now is real growth. Businesses that were once two- or three-person shops are becoming five- or six-person operations. They’re expanding. And part of our role is helping them navigate those growing pains. For example, if a local sign shop lands a major contract with the hospital, they suddenly need to hire more people. That creates ripple effects, and we’re working to make sure our housing supply, especially affordable and workforce housing, keeps pace.

We’re also focused on ensuring our services are keeping up with that growth, particularly emergency and first-responder services. Supporting that balance is a key part of maintaining our resiliency as the community continues to grow.

What are your key goals and priorities for the chamber in the next two to three years?

Over the next two to three years, our priorities will center on remaining a vital resource for our business community. We’re nimble enough to adapt when something new comes up, and we want to maintain that flexibility.

We’ll also be very focused on education — from elementary through secondary — and on supporting USF as it continues to transform the landscape. Connecting the incoming workforce to the opportunities in our community and making sure they’re prepared for them will remain a major priority.

Infrastructure and public services will also continue to be areas where we stay actively engaged. We want to make sure we can sustain that growth and do it the right way. It’s not often you get the chance to build an entire city, and we’re leaving a legacy for our children and for future generations. As business leaders, it’s our responsibility to ensure that growth is both responsible and sustainable.

Overall, our focus will be keeping our finger on the pulse of what’s coming so we can help the business community be proactive rather than reactive.