Name: Steve Hayes, President & CEO
LT Class Year: 2000
Company Name: Visit St. Pete/Clearwater
1. Tell us, why LTA? Paul Catoe (LT 92) was my boss and he felt that it would be beneficial for me to get more involved in the community. He highly recommended the Leadership Tampa program. After graduating, I felt that joining LTA would keep me involved with my classmates and also provide a chance to get to know another group of folks who have one thing in common, wanting to see good things happen in our communities.
2. For you, what separates LTA from other business leadership programs? I think it is the variety of connections that you will make from different industries, experiences, and communities. Too many times we are involved in things that are specific to our job and miss other opportunities that could impact us both professionally and personally. I honestly don’t believe I would have gotten to know the people I did if I had not been part of LTA.
3. Describe a time when the LTA experience impacted your life or career? Due to a job change between 2013 and 2019, I relocated to Pensacola FL and keeping my LTA membership was a priority. While I couldn’t participate in events or activities, I was able to keep connected which proved to be useful in being able to return to the Tampa Bay area in 2020.
4. What is an LTA benefit you wish everyone knew about? Through Leadership Tampa I was able to learn about the many key issues our community faces in education, military, law enforcement and more. Continuing that engagement and learning, which is one of the four main benefits of LTA (Access, Learn, Serve and Engage), allows me to understand our growing community and what the potential successes can look like.
5. Describe how the leadership journey will continue to shape you? I believe that no matter where you are in your career there is opportunity to learn and grow both personally and professionally. LTA provides all the avenues to do these things.