It takes an Energetic leader to represent Tampa's Technology Community.
Amy Norman is Ready!
By Neil FrandsenPhotography By Timothy Healy
Amy Norman, CEO of Tampa Bay Technology Forum (TBTF)
TECHNOLOGY. Just the word sends the excitement of endless possibilities throughout most CEO's mind. Technology strives to be quicker, more efficient and provide opportunities that most businesses can capitalize upon. Technology is the catalyst for achieving greater good and a more profitable business. Technology forces businesses to become better at serving their customers.
The same can be said for Amy Norman. This "high energy" CEO heads up the Tampa Bay Technology Forum (TBTF) and personifies everything CEO's embrace about technology. She's constantly on the move looking for new opportunities to provide services to the members. Amy is on top of staying abreast of the new movements within the technology world and disseminates this information throughout the various groups within TBTF. Her goal is to serve the greater good of her "constituents" by bringing new ideas to the table and to provide the leadership and focus on making Tampa one of the top technology regions in the country. Norman is always on the move networking with the different individuals and companies that influence the technology world around Tampa Bay. And, in the process, she's helping provide a more profitable environment for all the businesses within the Tampa Bay Technology Forum.
Oh, by the way...she's twenty-nine.
"The technology community is one that doesn't see age as a negative," Ms. Norman explains. "Many in this industry are the first to embrace change and promote innovation," she continues. "I'd like to think that being younger allows me to be nimble and quick and I would think that I bring a lot of innovation to this organization."
Nimble and quick? Anyone who spends some time with Amy realizes that she crams more into 60 minutes than most seem to achieve in an average day. "An average day is around twelve hours," Amy confides "and there is no such thing as an average day." When asked to explain this paradox, Norman replies, "take today for example. I had steering committee meetings in the morning, this interview in the early afternoon, more meetings in the late afternoon and then off to a Devil Rays games tonight as a guest of one of the sponsors of TBTF. I'll be getting home late tonight. Tomorrow will be an entirely different schedule." And, with over 120 events a year, Amy's schedule fills up quickly.
When asked how she stays organized and focused, she's quick to reply, "Prioritize." She sets aside a specific amount of time each morning to answer her e-mails before she starts the day. Folded neatly in her handy binder is a typed synopsis of what she has to do for the day so she can stay on top of things. When asked if she is a tied to her cell phone, she gasps, "Constantly. And if I'm not careful, I can let emails take control of my time, too." And that time becomes extremely valuable since she has an open door policy for the 45,000 employees who make up the businesses of the Tampa Bay Technology Forum.
What exactly is the Tampa Bay Technology Forum? This professional association brings together the leaders from technology, government, educators, investors, researchers and business in an effort to enhance Tampa Bay's technology "eco-system". Their stated mission is to grow and promote Tampa Bay's technology ecosystem through events, education, networking, advocacy and philanthropy programs. There are currently over 415 member businesses within the TBTF. Syniverse, Outback Steakhouse, Raymond James, IBM, Insight, Tech Data and Bright House are some of the more recognizable names. There are many more technology businesses with less than 25 employees in the seven county area that TBTF serves. Yet, regardless of the size of the company, the TBTF strives to provide the same encouragement and opportunity for all of their members. And Amy recognizes she has a driving desire to lead this organization to fulfill its goals by staying in front of the members and the public as much as possible.
So, where does such a "younger than average" CEO hone her leadership skills? "I really enjoyed my experience as the 1996 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen," Amy reflects. "Yes, I was a Strawberry Queen and knew from the beginning it would be much more than just a beauty pageant. In fact, it's a scholarship pageant as well, and interviewing and public speaking are a major part of the role. I had the opportunity to represent the overall community and Festival, make appearances, meet area business leaders and politicians, talk to crowds and introduce acts from the stage. It was a great experience and I even got to sing with The Temptations!" It was during her reign that she realized she was comfortable in speaking to both individuals and crowds and knew that her outgoing personality could be put to good use in the future.
This led the Plant City High Graduate to major in Mass Communications with a minor in Public Relations in her four years at the University of South Florida. Unlike others who had aspirations of joining the mainstream media, her path took a different road. "I did an internship during college with the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)" explains Norman. "This is a non profit advocacy group and I wrote for their magazine along with other duties". The AAKP was so impressed with her work that when a Program Coordinator position opened up, they hoped that Amy would take it. "I had a job the minute I left college" Amy stated.
Her work with the AAKP sent her traveling all over the country, and even to Germany. Within a few years, her talent and work ethic helped her ascend to the Program Director role in 2003. In this role, she was responsible for launching national initiatives, fundraising, program development, and managing a team of professionals and volunteers.
Soon, she was ready to expand her career even further and move on to new opportunities. "I was ready to grow my career to new heights and take on even more of a leadership position", she said. Through her University of South Florida family, she was introduced to Andy Hafer, then CEO of the Tampa Bay Technology Forum. "I was hired as the third person at TBTF" Norman said. "I felt that I had an opportunity to grow with my experience and communication skills." And grow she did. Hired as Program Manager, she excelled in her work and rose to Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of the TBTF. When Hafer stepped down in June of this year, the Board of Directors offered the position to Amy.
Hafer didn't go far once he vacated the CEO position. "He is now the Director of the Emerging Companies Academy", Norman said. "This is one of the initiatives of the TBTF whose goal is to focus and help develop the entrepreneurial spirit in technology companies within the region. This is a mentoring program whereby various members of TBTF give their time and knowledge to help guide these new technology businesses to create and bring to market. Eventually, we want them to grow and be at the point where we could possible bring in venture capitalists or angel investors to look at their technology."
One of the precepts since the TBTF was formed was to find ways to give back to the community. As part of her CEO duties, Norman also oversees the Tampa Bay Technology Foundation, a non-profit group whose sole mission is to provide interest in youth to pursue careers in the STEM fields. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The Foundation recognizes that by reaching youth early, they can encourage interest in technology and hopefully lay the groundwork for future employees and entrepreneurs.
Even though there are numerous programs that the Foundation supports, the most well known is Computer-rific. This program targets "at-risk" students throughout the region. "To date, the foundation has set up 20 Computer labs in Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the Tampa region," states Norman. This provides the youth with recent technology to give them a hands on experience. However, it takes money to get this technology into the hands of the youth.
"Our Summer Tech Jam is a Party with a Purpose" Amy describes. "Every year the TBTF hosts Tech Jam which is an annual social gathering featuring a band or two along with a silent auction to raise funds for the Foundation." The 2007 had 1,048 people in attendance and the event raised over $70,000 to provide funding for Computer-rific and other programs of the Foundation. This is a direct source of funding to help accomplish the goals that Norman and the Board of Directors have each year.
The TBTF Peer Networks is yet another area under Norman's responsibilities. There are different networks that meet periodically throughout the year to exchange ideas and support one another. Besides the expected CEO and CIO/CTO networks, the TBTF provides networks for Executive Women, Sales, Healthcare, and Marketing professionals. Some meet quarterly, some meet monthly and Norman strives to make as many of the gatherings as possible.
"I have the privilege of leading a great team here at the Tampa Bay Technology Forum," Amy states. "I am responsible for managing staff and running the day-to-day business, but I'm also here to identify with the members, both within the business community and TBTF's programs." She continues, "It's my responsibility, along with the Board of Directors, to help provide vision and encouragement to everyone within the TBTF eco-system.
And Amy's long term vision is quite clear. "We want Tampa Bay to be one of the top ten technology regions in the next ten years," she proclaims. "We are currently the leading technology association in the state of Florida. We have obvious ties with the University of South Florida but also with the University of Florida and the University of Central Florida. The twenty three counties surrounding these educational institutions are known as the Florida High Tech Corridor. Everyone knows of Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin and the Research Triangle of North Carolina. By encouraging the development of businesses in the technology field, we could make Tampa a technology region as well."
And she realizes that day will come once there is a "breakout" technology that comes from Tampa. "Dell put Austin on the map as a technology center, "Amy explains. " Who is to say that one of our members or perhaps an entrepreneur from the Emerging Companies Academy won't develop one of the next breakout technologies? Tampa is a testing ground for many businesses as it has a representative cross section of the country. Once that breakout technology happens, Tampa will be a logical place for even more technological companies to grow".
Leader, Encourager, Communicator, Fundraiser, Champion, Mentor...they all describe Amy Norman in her role as the CEO of the Tampa Bay Technology Forum. And like technology itself, stand still and you'll be quickly overtaken and passed by this energetic CEO who has a well defined goal of making Tampa one of the top Technology Centers in the Country.
Ten Questions for Amy Norman
1. What was your first job?
"Cashier at Publix"
2. What was your first leadership position?
"Director at AAKP"
3. What did you what to be when you grew up?
"A teacher"
4. What is the last book you read?
"The New, New Thing by Michael Lewis. It's not a recently published book but it's still good reading".
5. What is your favorite movie?
"The Sound of Music"
6. What is your favorite sport?
"Golf. I recently took it up and I've gotten the bug."
7. Where is your favorite vacation spot?
"The family lake house in Georgia"
8. What do you like to do to blow off steam?
"Run"
9. Why did you choose this career path?
"It's been rewarding. I feel that I've made a difference."
10. What's the hardest thing you've had to do as a leader.
"My constant focus is keeping the overall purpose and mission at the forefront of the organization."
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