In 2006, the Pensacola Independent News joined forces with the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce to facilitate the formation of the Pensacola Young Professionals.
I wrote this introduction of the group in March 2006:
This new generation of leaders is smarter, more altruistic and more concerned about the future of this community than baby boomers were at their age. These young professionals work hard and play even harder.
The Independent News’ involvement with this generation began two years ago when we actively pursued the local music scene. As we attracted this hard-to-reach market, we began to get feedback and input on the challenges facing them–the difficulties in finding worthwhile, good paying jobs; lack of housing that was attainable; and the limited entertainment scene.
As we spoke out on these issues, the more the under 40 crowd was attracted to this paper and the more we heard from them. The frustration was apparent in their words and their faces.
Baby boomers, like me, had the Jaycees-Junior Chamber of Commerce-to prove their leadership skills to our elders. If you were a Jaycee officer, you were assured of membership in one of the local Rotary clubs by the time you hit 40 and a committee spot in the chamber. That route to leadership no longer exists.
Many of these new young professionals have been accepted into the “system” and accepted into Rotary, Sertoma and other civic clubs. Some were even sitting on the boards of several non-profit organizations. But few felt their voices were being heard.
It was in their name that we challenged the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce last summer. The chamber took pride in its three-legged view of its mission: armed forces, tourism and economic development.
The only problem was few young professionals wanted to work at NAS Pensacola, wait tables or answer phones at a call center. The chamber’s stool didn’t give them a leg to stand on.
Instead of rationalizing why the chamber is like it is, President Evon Emerson listened. She and I didn’t agree on every point but we both recognized that the status quo had to change. We knew that a partnership between the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and the Independent News could serve as a catalyst.
Together we asked a small group of young leaders to meet and discuss the possibilities of organizing a group that would be a networking tool but also a group that would work for progress and help voice young people’s opinions and ideas to the current community leadership.
Both Evon and I were floored by their enthusiasm, intelligence and openness. Their candor, sincerity, thick skins and lack of hidden agendas were refreshing.
From these early meetings sprang the Pensacola Young Professionals. The group is still in its infancy, but my expectations are high. If they stay on task and the rest of us are open to listening to their ideas, Pensacola will indeed have a much brighter future.
Here is the cover story written for that issue by Duwayne Escobedo – “Shaping Pensacola’s Future:”
In the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce main boardroom, three rows of past, mostly gray-haired, stoic-looking chamber chairmen cover the wall behind the head of the huge, oval conference table.Who knows how many make or break deals on pressing local issues have been cut here?
Today, right under their noses about two dozen 20- and 30-somethings are establishing the Pensacola Young Professionals with the hope that by combining their enthusiasm, talent and voices they will help push progress on the area.
John Hosman, a vocal group member, has high hopes for the fledging organization of 20- to 39-year-olds that first began meeting in November.
“We want to be the voice for the younger people who don’t have a seat at the table,” says Hosman, a 29-year-old who works for O’Sullivan Creel Mortgage Solutions. “We’re about making a difference, not just coming to meetings. We’re striving for progress as a group and as a community.”
Ashley Hodge, 25-year-old Baptist Health Care public relations specialist, is expecting a lot from her young peers, as well.
“When the smoke and lights clear, there is going to be a group of us that will really help advocate for change in the areas of education, poverty, revitalization and economic development,” she says. “An analogy that comes to my mind is this group will be like a bottle of champagne. We are going to shake and study the issues and draw real, feasible plans of action–and then were going to pop with energy, hunger and excitement and flow all over the place into sectors of community relations no one thought we would ever go.”
What would the gray hairs on the wall think about that?
Pensacola Chamber’s President and Chief Executive Officer Evon Emerson, at least, says young professionals have been left out of the boardroom and decision-making process for far too long.
“They’re so bright, so energetic and full of ideas,” she says. “They’re the future of our community and it’s important we get them involved in all aspects of our community. We need all of us to have input and work together on the problems and solutions facing us.”
Originally, a group of about 20 young professionals invited by the Independent News and Pensacola chamber met to discuss if their was interest in creating a group focused on being proactive on community issues, networking through social events and enhancing their leadership and professional skills. As part of their formation, they’ve begun educating themselves on issues facing the community, held one social function and started organizing the group.
At the end of this month, the Young Professionals plan to elect a 10-member board that includes officers and committee leaders. Once that’s done, it plans to open membership to other interested 20- and 30-somethings.
The youth movement is taking hold at other chambers across Florida, such as the Jupiter Tequesta Juno Beach Chamber of Commerce, which was established March 1.
In Jacksonville, ImpactJax, a group of 21- to 35-year-olds that’s part of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, is making headlines there with its plan to revitalize downtown to attract more young professionals by calling for more bars, restaurants, clubs, cultural events and affordable housing.
That’s similar to issues that Pensacola Young Professionals members express interest in. Survey the group and issues that come up over and over again, include establishing the Community Maritime Park, creating better paying jobs, developing affordable housing for first-time homebuyers and relocating the Main Street wastewater treatment plant.
Jason Crawford, a 27-year-old employed at O’Sullivan Creel, puts improving the local job market and economy at the top of his list.
“We must have all of our public and private agencies work closer together to improve the economy of the area,” he says. “We have many bright and talented people in this area who create wonderful ideas on how to improve our situation, but seldom are those ideas carried out because of a lack of support from our government or private sector.”
Michelle Stephens sees revitalization of downtown Pensacola as a major priority.
“I’d like to have easier access to modern retail items and not have to buy on-line, more places of entertainment for a young, artistic, professional crowd and attainable, affordable housing in the downtown areas,” says the 29-year-old teacher at Escambia Westgate School.
The diverse group is well aware of the knock on their age group for being uninterested in contributing to anything but their beer fund. After all, only 47 percent of young voters cast a ballot in the last presidential election in 2004 and now the much-ballyhooed Rock the Vote organization is talking about closing.
Locally, young groups calling themselves Progress 20/20, which was focused on improving economic development, and the Culture Club, which centered on developing arts and entertainment, both fizzled out in the past decade.
But this group of young professionals is determined to stick together and it’s well aware that it can have an impact.
The 55-and-over crowd in Pensacola makes up 31 percent of the local population. The 18 to 34 age group? It also is 31 percent.
Chad McDaniel, 32, admits being a little out of touchââ¬âuntil now. He recently began attending meetings held by Austin-based Theory Into Practice Strategies Inc., which is conducting a study to determine ways to improve the local economy. McDaniel hopes young professionals can influence the area’s future market.
“I haven’t been involved in a lot of politics, yet,” says the attorney for the Pensacola law firm Clark, Partington, Hart. “But I’d like to see us become a successful group and a successful community.”Hosman, once the University of West Florida student body president in 2000, agrees.
“The stereotype of us being uninvolved is somewhat true,” he says. “That’s why we’re starting this group and that’s the benefit of it. We can help make young people aware of the issues going on, become vocal and make a difference. I like all the different perspectives we have. I really think this group is going to snowball and be very effective.”
Hodge marched in 2001 around the Chappie James building with 800 other people advocating for more state funding for people with developmental disabilities. Although she likes the networking, professional development and social aspects of the group, she definitely wants to see progress made.
“I want to have a better quality of life here, not just for us but for all our people,” she says. “I want to shape what our kids grow up in when we’re parents. I don’t want to have to look at moving to Birmingham, Houston, Orlando or Miami.”
TOP 5 ISSUES
What concern local young professionals? Here’s some issue they consider most important.
1. Creating better paying jobs.
2. Improving public education.
3. Relocating the Main Street wastewater treatment plant.
4. Developing affordable housing for first-time homebuyers.
5. Establishing the Community Maritime Park.
CHANGING TIMES
What’s on Pensacola Young Professionals members’ minds? The Independent News surveyed the members at a recent organizational meeting. Here’s what they want to see PYP discuss, achieve and change in Pensacola:
- “to encourage the development of more attainable housing downtown and in surrounding areas. If you build it they will come!” Richard Buckley, 27, The Henderson Group
- “to have all of our public and private agencies work closer together to improve the economy of the area. I think we have many bright and talented people in this area that create wonderful ideas on how to improve our situation, but seldom are those ideas carried out because of a lack of support from our government or privatesector.” Jason Crawford, 27, O’Sullivan Creel
- “to utilize the waterfront property on Pensacola Bay by building a maritime museum, stadium that will hold all types of events, open park, convenient classes for professionals working downtown to receive a continuing education and shops and restaurants.” Shaner Garner, 29, The Studer Group
- “the mentality that change is dangerous.” Ashley Hodge, 25, Baptist Health Care
- “the perception and reality that Pensacola is a thriving business center and a great place for businesses and young professionals to locate, because of great wages and the infrastructure to support relocating and start-up businesses” John Hosman, 29, O’Sullivan Creel Mortgage Solutions
- “to provide for more desirable housing that is financially attainable for young professionals.” Chad McDaniel, 32, Clark, Partington, Hart, Larry, Bond & Stackhouse
- “the lack of attainable housing for young professionals.” Cathryn Outzen, 24, Sacred Heart Health System
- “the people that are against progress.” Julie Rettig, 30, Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
- “that our community would embrace growth. Pensacola has so many attributes. We truly have the ability to be a great city.” Summer Burdick, 23, Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
- “to add many more shops and boutiques–like Sarah’s, Ginger Benders, and Artesana; restaurants–like the Fish House and Oar House; and sandwich shops down on Palafox Pier. I think the Palafox Pier has a great potential to be a place to hang out on weekends or weekdays whether it be day or night. Can you imagine enjoying a nice summer breeze walking around the pier listening to music, shopping, eating and people sitting outside enjoying each other and the beautiful weather?â Jennifer Pate, 27, Merrill Lynch
- “the realization that growth and change are inevitable.Ã If you don’t plan how you want to develop, development will plan you.â Michelle Rushing, 37, Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
- “to have easier access to modern retail items (not having to buy on-line), more places of entertainment for a young, artistic, professional crowd and attainable, affordable housing in downtown areas.” Michelle Stephens, 29, Escambia Westgate School
- “the inability to accept the progression that will make Pensacola a more thriving community.â Chelsea Taylor, 23, Distinctive Kitchens
- “to eliminate hurricanes.Ã Seriously, the status quo factor of Pensacola needs to be eliminated and we need to move forward by building the Community Maritime Park.” Scott Warren, 33, O’Sullivan Creel
Mission Statement
à Pensacola Young Professionals strive to develop the bay area as a thriving and dynamic place to live and work, making our fellow young professionals and the community as a whole aware ofissues shaping the area through proactive civic, social and professional involvement.
PYPs Are Pensacola’s Future
This new generation of leaders is smarter, more altruistic and more concerned about the future of this community than baby boomers were at their age. These young professionals work hard and play even harder.