Trendsetters: Today and Beyond

Mike Vogel | 9/1/2008

James Hosman

Hall of Famer
James Hosman

» James Hosman, 31, covers 18 northwest counties as a vice president for small-business lender Florida First Capital Finance, a statewide non-profit economic development company. A member of the Florida Small Business Development Center Network’s “Lenders Hall of Fame,” Hosman says his clients run the gamut from professionals to manufacturers. He also chairs the Pensacola Young Professionals, a group that’s grown to 300 members from the 11 at its founding three years ago.

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Governor’s Choice
Michael E. Griffin

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

» “Mike Griffin is a senior transportation manager for Vertical Integration Inc. in Tampa. Clients for the company include the state of Florida, the U.S. government and many other public and private entities.

As chairman of the University of South Florida Finance Corp., Mike oversees the bond financing of new development projects at USF. Currently, assets of the USF Financing Corp. are in excess of $250 million, with facilities ranging from residence halls to sophisticated medical research buildings and office space.

Mike has received rewards for his leadership and service, including commendations from the Tampa City Council and Hillsborough County Commission. He is in his ninth year on the Hillsborough County School Board Citizen Advisory Committee, where he served as chairman for the last two years. In July 2003, Jeb Bush appointed him to the Florida Department of Education’s Advisory Council on Educational Facilities.

Michael E. Griffin

Mike also served as co-founder and first executive co-chair of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce’s Emerge Tampa program — a program for professionals ages 21-35 — and served as a member of the board of directors for the chamber. He was recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as one of the “Top 30 Under 30” in 2004 and was named as one of the “25 to Watch in 2005” by the Tampa Tribune. Mike is in the Leadership Florida Class XXVI and serves on the executive committee of the Greater Chamber of Commerce board of directors, where he serves as the co-chairman of the public policy committee. He was recently named the University of South Florida National Alumni Association’s Young Alumnus of the Year for 2007.

A 28-year-old native of Tampa Bay, Mike earned his bachelor’s of science degree from the University of South Florida College of Business Administration in 2003, where he served two terms as student body president and was a charter member of the board of trustees.

I see Mike as one well-positioned to help find and create jobs for our young people in Florida, one of our greatest needs.”

— Gov. Wayne Mixson (Jan. 3, 1987-Jan. 6, 1987)

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