By LINDA CHION KENNEY
Educators, business owners, nonprofit organizers, veterans and more have been among the 25 people recognized as Riverview Citizen of the Year, a contest run by the Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce and open now for the next round of nominations.
According to chamber officials, the contest, open both to chamber members and the public at large, “recognizes someone who has made a significant and lasting impact in our community through their leadership, generosity and dedication.” The aim is to “think about those who go above and beyond, consistently giving their time, energy and talents to make our community a better place.”
Cliff Fletcher, left, the 2021 Riverview Citizen of the Year, with Betty Jo Tompkins, the 2022 recipient; Michael Broussard; and Nikki Foster
As for how that “community” is described, the moniker “greater Riverview” has been the guiding force since 1994, when Kim Otto, reportedly, was named the first Riverview Citizen of the Year, followed by Gary Zirkler in 1996.
After a six-year hiatus, the award was granted annually, starting with Kay and John Sullivan, longtime community advocates and co-founders of the neo-traditional Winthrop community in Riverview; they received the honor in 2003.
The only other pair to receive the award in one year were Earl Lennard, former superintendent of schools and Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, and his wife, Annabel, active in church and community affairs, in 2009. The next year, the award went to Robert “Bob” Heilman, then the long-running principal of Riverview High, followed by Barbara Jones, a popular community officer with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
This is the first contest year that the award nomination omits the word “Riverview,” as the call for nominations uses the words “Central Hillsborough County.” This reflects the name change chamber officials announced in February, when it was announced that the Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce had thus been born.
In a letter to members at the time, chamber officials said the name change would better “redefine our image in the ever-changing landscape of Hillsborough County,” noting that among the “clear positives” of the name change would be “more equal representation of the multiple communities we serve.” Noted also was that the “new name increases our market reach for our members, thereby providing them with a larger networking and customer base.”
The 2014 Riverview Citizen of the Year, Jill Andrew, with the 2015 recipient, veteran Joe Eletto
Last to receive the coveted award was Eleanor Saunders, executive director of the long-standing Emergency Care Help Organization (ECHO), who received the 2023 Riverview Citizen of the Year Award at the Feb. 2 awards dinner at The Regent in Riverview.
Jim Johnson, the 2008 Riverview Citizen of the Year, with Betty Jo Tompkins, the recipient in 2022
ECHO has expanded from its flagship operation in Brandon to a resource center in Riverview, with plans for further expansion to address the growing need in south Hillsborough County areas. ECHO’s mission is to bridge the gap between crisis and stability. Toward that end, ECHO staff, partners and volunteers work to provide life-stabilizing programs and resources, including one-on-one coaching, food pantry and clothing assistance, and life-skills workshops. Riverview ECHO is in the old Riverview library, at 10509 Riverview Drive.
In support of the 2023 award recipient was the 2022 recipient, Betty Jo Tompkins, then the executive director of the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District and recently elected to serve on its board of supervisors, starting with the new year.
The 2023 Riverview Citizen of the Year recipient, Eleanor Saunders, center, at the 2021 ECHO appreciation breakfast, with board members Connie Huber, left, and Lisa Tackus, right
“I can’t think of anyone more deserving, and it’s not just for Eleanor’s work with ECHO,” Tompkins said at the time, in recognition that the award even then has a reach far greater than just Riverview proper. “It’s for the full range of programs, projects and activities that she’s been involved with over the years that make Riverview, Brandon and the whole Hillsborough County area a much better place.”
According to chamber records, rounding out the list of past recipients, from 2004 to 2008, are Sandra Murman, Frances Gegenheimer, Ron Proulx, Bill McMullen and Jim Johnson. From 2012 through 2021, the recipients were Dr. Bryan Thatcher, Tammy Holmberg, Jill Andrew, Joe Eletto, Jennifer Caskey, Kim Tyson, Marie Gilmore, Christian Beiter, Larry Brooks and Cliff Fletcher.
The deadline for nominations for the 2024 Citizen of the Year Award is Friday, Jan. 3, at noon. For more information, contact the Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce at 813-234-5944. Email info@RiverviewChamber.com/. For an application, visit https://www.riverviewchamber.com/form/view/34397/.