TAMPA, Fla. – Julio Esquivel, managing partner of the Tampa office of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, a full-service business law firm with offices in Tampa and Sarasota, is being honored with the 2015 Individual Impact Award from the Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts (TBBCA) for his exemplary leadership in support of arts and cultural organizations in Tampa over nearly two decades.
Esquivel will be recognized with Richard Gonzmart, Chuck Sykes, Marian Winters and the late Theo Wujcik at the upcoming ceremony, which will be held on Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel in Tampa. The fundraiser will benefit TBBCA’s programs, including the Charlie Hounchell Art Stars Scholarships.
“I am deeply honored to have been nominated and selected for this important award,” said Esquivel. “I have long believed that cities can be transformed and business generated through arts and culture, and since my wife and I moved to Tampa in 1996 we have sought to engage with and contribute to the cultural vibrancy of the Tampa Bay region. I hope to keep contributing to the arts and culture in Tampa Bay for many years to come.”
Esquivel’s leadership in the local arts community began with his appointment to the City of Tampa’s Public Art Committee by Mayor Greco in 2001. Mayor Iorio reappointed him to Public Art Committee for a second three-year term in 2004.
Esquivel is chairman of the Tampa Public Art Alliance, a nonprofit organization that supports the City of Tampa in realizing public art projects. Its projects include Lights on Tampa, a public art installation that illuminates the buildings and amenities of downtown Tampa. Lights on Tampa was recognized as one of the most significant art programs in the U.S. in the last half century by Americans for the Arts.
He also serves on the Board of the Tampa Theatre, the Tampa Museum of Art and the Gasparilla Music Festival (GMF). GMF’s existence largely can be attributed to its founder’s circle, known as the “Ring of Fire.” Esquivel and his wife Betsy are original members of the Ring of Fire, which provided the seed capital essential to GMF’s launch and success.
About Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is a full-service business law firm with more than 240 lawyers, 60 paralegals and 495 employees in five offices: Toledo and Columbus, Ohio; Tampa and Sarasota, Florida; and Charlotte, North Carolina. In each of its markets, Shumaker is the premier provider of quality legal services to individuals, small businesses, health care providers, nonprofits and Fortune 500 and international corporations.
About Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture & the Arts
TBBCA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989. It remains today one of 12 affiliate organizations in the U.S. of Americans for the Arts. TBBCA’s mission is to unite area businesses to champion arts and culture for a prosperous community because “the arts are good for business and business is good for the arts.” Through innovative pARTnerships and sustainable programs, including The Charlie Hounchell Art Stars Scholarships, Chalk Walk, Call to Artists and Cultural Encounters, TBBCA provides valuable funding resources and support for artists, arts and cultural organizations and arts education. The nonprofit builds awareness of arts and culture as important economic drivers in our community and essential contributors to our quality of life.
TBBCA programs are generously supported by donations and sponsorships, including Chair’s Circle pARTners: The Tampa Bay Times/tbt*; Tampa Bay Magazine; Premier Eye Care; MedHOK; The Wilson Company; Stephen Gay & Associates, Realtors; Alex McKnight; Linda and Michael Connelly; Cox Media Group; Chappell Roberts; Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, and B2 Communications. Platinum pARTners: LLP; The Beaux-Arts Group; Katharine Weymouth, Phelps Dunbar; Barnett, Bolt, Longwood, Kirk and Koche; Gold pARTners: Hill, Ward, Henderson; The Lightning Foundation; Hyde Park Village; and Yann and Susana Weymouth.