Three judges from the Tampa Bay area have selected the finalists for Tampa Bay Business and Wealth’s Philanthropists of the Year Awards 2024. The Ryan Nece Foundation is excited and honored it was named as a finalist in TWO of the categories:
The Philanthropists of the Year Awards honors individuals, businesses and foundations that lead the way, in Tampa Bay, through philanthropic devotion. These leaders continually set the bar for excellence in community leadership and represent the change-makers we all aspire to be.
This year’s judges included Dotti Groover-Skipper, chief executive officer of HeartDance Foundation, Christopher J. Moyer Sr., CEO, president and founder of SME Solutions Group, and Elizabeth Reedy, CEO of Frameworks Tampa Bay.
Nomination packets were reviewed blind, with names and company titles redacted. Finalists were chosen based, purely, on the material provided in their packets.
An awards program will recognize the honorees with a cocktail reception and sit-down dinner at Armature Works at 6 p.m., on November 13. At the event, a winner in each category will be named and celebrated.
The presenting sponsors for the awards program are Regions Bank and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. The nonprofit partner is the Boys and Girls Club of the Suncoast and the Boys and Girls Club of Tampa Bay. The event is sponsored by Valspar Copperhead Charities and the ReliaQuest Bowl.
“Our organization has grown so much in the past three years, and so much of that is because of the ways Ryan personally shows up for this mission and the Tampa Bay community… long after being part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He started this foundation in 2006, and it would be easy to just let it run itself.” said Melissa Neeley, Ryan Nece Foundation CEO. “But Ryan and I have met by phone every Monday since April 2021, and he’s always energized, whether he’s cheering on my leadership, strategizing ways to serve our students and community better, or personally asking how he can help move something forward. To be listed in these categories alongside these incredible foundations and humans is an extreme honor and a testament to Ryan and this thing he’s built. Continued to be proud of my role, our mission, and our growth. And grateful to every single person who has played a part in this over the past 18 years!”
On behalf of the Ryan Nece Foundation team, congratulations to all the finalists and best of the luck in November! No matter what, our community is the real winner, because of these incredible organizations and individuals who are dedicated to the #PowerOfGiving.
