March 29, 2024

Celebrating 50 Years

Trendsetters: Today and Beyond

High-impact leaders who are making a difference in Florida and beyond -- but whose biggest contributions may be yet to come. The governors also make their picks.

Mike Vogel | 9/1/2008

C. J. Roberts
C. J. Roberts
Governor’s Choice
C. J. Roberts

Florida Trend asked Gov. Bob Martinez to write about a Floridian who’ll change the state in the coming years.

» “Tampa Bay History Center President/CEO C.J. Roberts is a leader to watch. He was chief administrative officer of the George C. Marshall Museum at age 27, CEO of the National D-Day Museum at 30, president/CEO of the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum at 31 and now president/CEO of the Tampa Bay History Center at 39. His demonstrated fund-raising ability, museum construction experience, staff and volunteer human resource skills and his ability to work with the museum board of directors, community members and public officials set him apart.

He was recognized by no other than the late Stephen E. Ambrose, award-winning author and historian, when he praised C.J. Roberts by saying, “The worldwide success of The National

D-Day Museum came about in large part because of him.” In 2000, he was named as one of the top 20 People to Watch by New Orleans Magazine, and in 2001, the Savannah Business Journal named him one of the 40 under 40 to watch. The one constant about C.J. Roberts is his leadership, no matter where and what the mission is.

C.J. Roberts’ leadership has been instrumental during the planning and construction of the Tampa Bay History Center that is scheduled to open in December.”

— Gov. Bob Martinez (1987-1991)


Bryan Clark
Bryan Clark

Silver Bullet
Bryan Clark

» Since moving to Pensacola from Ithaca, N.Y., in 2002, serial software company entrepreneur Bryan Clark, 45, has started and sold one company and continued to build a second, Silver Bullet Technology, into a leader in check scanner software for banks. “We’re kind of like a linchpin piece,” he says. His latest product remotely monitors scanners and other hardware. He has also founded a club for local entrepreneurs, the High Growth Business Club, and served on local civic group boards.

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Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices
Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices

Central Floirda chocolate shops are left with a bitter taste as cocoa prices hit an all-time high earlier this week.

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