Janelle Irwin Taylor
Charlie Justice, a former Pinellas County Commissioner, will be the new CEO for the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce.
He replaces longtime CEO Robin Miller, who resigned in December to accept a position as Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce CEO in western North Carolina.
Justice served in the at-large District 3 seat on the Pinellas County Commission for 12 years, representing parts of west St. Pete and Lealman.
His appointment to the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber, in many ways, will allow him to continue his work, particularly through protecting beaches and local estuaries, natural focal points that help drive tourism to the area’s iconic Gulf Coast.
Justice, as an elected official, also earned a reputation for supporting local businesses, particularly in the working-class Lealman community. Now, he’ll be able to expand that with work at the Chamber, leading business growth and community development and furthering resiliency in the area after suffering back-to-back hurricanes this season.
“I am honored to be entrusted with this role and to continue serving the Tampa Bay Beaches communities in this new capacity,” Justice said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the team, membership and the board to promote economic growth and strengthen our local business landscape.”
In announcing his appointment, Chamber Board Chair Scott O’Berry said Justice had been selected after “an extensive search” and praised Justice for “his deep ties to the community and proven leadership.”
The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber represents member businesses along the area’s Gulf Coast, from Tierra Verde to Clearwater Beach. The organization hosts several annual events to promote tourism and other pro-business economic activity along Pinellas County beaches, including the Chamber’s Annual Dinner & Meeting, its Tourism Luncheon, Taste of the Beaches and the Honoring Community Leaders award event. Monthly events, including mixers and lunches also feature prominently in the group’s advocacy.
This is Justice’s first post-elected announcement, after losing his seat in November to challenger Vincent Nowicki. Justice, a Democrat, was one of two Democrats to lose this year in Pinellas County Commission races, and was part of an overall reddening of Pinellas County. Just one Democrat remains on the Commission, Justice’s former colleague, Rene Flowers.
