Habitat will Celebrate Completion of 2025 CEO Build Home:

75 Tampa Bay CEOs made the dream of homeownership possible for a local family CEO Build partner, the Simmons Family, will receive this keys this afternoon at 5 pm.

St. Petersburg, FL – This afternoon, Thursday, March 27th, at 5 pm, Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside will celebrate the completion of its fourth annual CEO Build when homeowner partner, the Simmons Family, receive the keys to their new home. This year, 75 CEOs from the Tampa Bay area united to help raise $300,000 to finance the home build and participated on three exclusive build days. The CEO Build home and the Simmons Family will be featured on an upcoming episode of season six of HGTV’s 100 Day Dream Home this summer. Hosts of the show, Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt, will be on hand to celebrate the Simmons Family as they open the door to their home for the first time.

When: Thursday, March 27th, at 5:00 pm

Where: 3320 58th Ave., N., St. Petersburg, FL 33714

About the Homeowner Family

Lace Simmons, a dedicated single mother of two talented daughters, Liana and Kalynn, is on her homeownership journey with Habitat for Humanity. Currently working as a Product Specialist at Crown Kia, Lace has always strived to provide a nurturing environment for her daughters, who share her passion for the arts. Liana, 18, has just started her journey in college, majoring in Studio Arts and Digital Design. Kalynn, 17, is finishing her last year of high school and has always had a deep love for music and dance.

For Lace, the decision to join the Habitat program was driven by her desire to provide a stable and secure home for her family—a place where they could truly thrive. “I’ve rented my whole life, and I am ready to be a homeowner,” Lace told the Habitat staff. “The house we live in now has had many issues, from leaks to a dilapidated garage. I want a peaceful environment where my girls and I can feel safe and proud of our home.” Lace’s determination to give her daughters a better future is evident as she speaks of her dreams of a quiet neighborhood and a beautiful garden where they can grow together.

About the CEO Build

In 2022, Habitat introduced the first annua CEO Build, where 50+ CEOs united to help raise over $160,000 to sponsor the home build for a local family.  Now in its fourth year, the CEO Build has grown in participation and impact with 75 leaders raising $300,000 to help provide a safe and affordable home for the Simmons Family – mom, Lace, and daughters Liana and Kalynn.

“We appreciate the Tampa Bay business community continuing to invest in the Habitat mission and for these leaders to step up to help us build a home for a deserving family,” said Mike Sutton, Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside president and CEO. “The CEO Build has become an annual ritual for many of the most influential business and community leaders in Tampa Bay. These leaders believe in our mission and want to advocate for affordable homeownership opportunities in our area. We are grateful to this year’s group of committed leaders who will help the Simmons Family build their forever home in our community.”

Thank you to the 2025 CEO Build participants:

• Ian Anderson – Publisher and Market President of the Tampa Bay Business Journal
• Marc Banning – Retired CEO of Banning Lumber
• Rondé Barber – General Chairman of Copperhead Charities
• David Bennett – CEO of Pinellas REALTOR® Organization & Central Pasco REALTOR® Organization
• Brian Best –President & CEO of GTE Financial
• Bill Brand – Former CEO of Rue21
• Timothy Brundage – CEO & Physician Advisor of Brundage Group
• Bob Childress – CEO of Solace Insurance
• Jason Clement – Founding Partner & CEO of Sports Facilities Companies
• John Couris – President & CEO of Tampa General Hospital
• Susan Crockett – President & CEO of Ruth Eckerd Hall
• Bill Cronin – President & CEO of Pasco EDC
• Scott Daigle – Market President North Florida of TD Bank
• Elodie Dorso – President & CEO of Evara Health
• Ed Droste – Chairman of Provident Management Corporation
• Ernest DuBose II – CEO of DuCon Construction
• John Duffy – Owner of City Wide Facility Solutions
• Elizabeth Dvorak – CEO of Workscapes
• Lisa Faller – President of FKQ Advertising & Marketing
• Thomas Feindt – Chief Executive Officer of Grow Financial
• Ray Ferrara – Founder &Executive Chairman of ProVise Management Group
• Scott Fink – CEO of Fink Auto Group & Founder of Fink Five Foundation
• Jeffrey Fishman – President of Investors Title & Settlement Services
• Vincent Forese – President & CEO of Link-Systems International
• Lou Galdieri – co-COO of BayCare
• Wendy Gattis – CEO of DITEK Corporation
• Robert Glaser – President & CEO of Smith & Associates Real Estate
• Bill Goede – Tampa Bay President of Bank of America
• Mindy Grossman – Partner & Chair of Consello Group, Former CEO of WW& HSNi
• Russ Hallenbeck – Vice Chairman & CEO of Tibbetts Lumber Company
• Joe Hamilton –  Head of Network for Cityverse
• Gary Hartfield – Owner of Serenity Village, Inc.
• Kevin Hawkins – CEO of Crown Automotive Group, CEO of Mid-Atlantic Finance Company
• Kurt Heitmann –CEO of CP Communications
• Keri Higgins-Bigelow – Founder & CEO of livingHR
• Neil Kiefer – President & CEO of HMC Hospitality Group, Inc.
• Jim Kirkpatrick – Florida Market President of Republic Bank
• Scott Kramer – President & CEO of Spartan Contracting Corporation
• Rita Lowman – Owner & CEO of Hooperwill Group – Lowman Holding
• Phil Marchesini – CEO of HCA Florida Northside Hospital
• Jim McVay –President & CEO of ReliaQuest Bowl
• John Mejia – CEO of Mega Service Solutions
• Brooke Mirenda – President & CEO of Sunshine State Economic Development Corporation
• Kyle Mishler – Owner of KAM Roofing Services
• Robin Moch – Partner at  E. Wilson Company
• John Moore – President of Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital
• Jessica Muroff – President & CEO of United Way Suncoast
• Corey Neil –President & CEO, The Bank of Tampa
• Andy Park – Managing Partner of Park & Eleazer Construction
• Amanda Payne –President & CEO of AMPLIFY Clearwater
• Mitch Permuy – Chairman & CEO of Power Design
• James Poulter – CEO of Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation, Inc.
• Steve Raney – Executive Chairman of Raymond James Bank
• Alyssa Rhoads –Executive Director of CEO Council of Tampa Bay
• Bill Roberti – Managing Director of Alvarez & Marsal
• Karyn Roeling – President & CEO of Seibert Insurance
• Elliott Ross – President of The Ross Realty Group
• Ryan Ross – President of Neiman Marcus
• Randy & Linda Simmons – Owners of R. Simmons
• Ali St Cyr – Owner & Broker of Tomlin St Cyr Real Estate Services
• Jay Stroman –CEO of University of South Florida Foundation
• John Strong – Chairman & CEO of Bankers Financial Corporation
• Mike Sutton – President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside
• Lorna Taylor – President of Premier Eye Care
• Dr. Kanika Tomalin – President & CEO of Foundation for Healthy St. Petersburg
• Brian Van Slyke – Regional President of Kolter Urban LLC
• Randy Ware –Founder & CEO of WestCMR
• Helen Wesley – President & CEO of TECO Peoples Gas
• Tracy West – President of Copperhead Charities and Valspar Championship Tournament Director
• Carlos Yepes – President & Founder of Belleair Development Group
• Tom Zernick – CEO of BayFirst Financial Corp

Learn more about Habitat’s 2025 CEO Build here: www.habitattbg.org/ceobuild/

Media are invited to attend all home dedications. Interviews with the Habitat homeowner family, staff, or CEO Build participants will be made available by request.