TBBJ Interview: Mike Sutton says pandemic has bolstered the Habitat mission

You don’t expect the leader of one of the busiest Habitat for Humanity affiliates on the planet to develop mad skills as a mergers and acquisitions specialist. But Mike Sutton is getting pretty good at the merger stuff. In March 2019, the West Pasco and Pinellas County affiliates merged to form Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties. Then, a year ago, the Clearwater Regional Chamber and the Clearwater Beach Chamber officially merged to become Amplify Clearwater. As chair of the regional chamber, Mike facilitated the deal. “We moved egos and history out of the way and stayed focused on the goal,” he said at the time. It’s all about a focus on smart growth. Since he started in 2014, he and his team have seen double the number of families served and revenue grow from $6 to nearly $20 million.