Dr. Tonjua Williams, President of St. Petersburg College (SPC), was recognized with a great honor on Friday, May 20, when she was inducted into the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame by the Florida Council on Economic Education (FCEE). The FCEE helps prepare young individuals for success through educational programs in economics and financial literacy.
Joining Dr. Williams in the Class of 2022 was Arnie Bellini, co-founder of ConnectWise and CEO of Bellini Capital, Lorna Taylor, President and CEO of Premier Eye Care, and Bill West, CEO of The Bank of Tampa. Guy King, III, the late President of M.E. Wilson, was also posthumously inducted into the TBB Hall of Fame, and his family was in attendance to represent him during the ceremony.
This year’s inductees were recognized for their dedication to keeping the Tampa Bay Area vibrant.
Before Dr. Williams and her peers were officially inducted into the Hall of Fame, guests enjoyed cocktails, a three-course dinner, and an auction that raised important funding for the FCEE and the Gus A. Stavros Center for Free Enterprise & Economic Education.
More than $100,000 were raised before the end of the night, with several individuals contributing several thousand dollars to support the cause.
Once the auction had closed, each inductee was introduced with a video that showcased their friends and colleagues extolling their individual virtues. Dr. Williams was the last to be inducted and her video featured glowing testimonials from Rev. Watson L. Haynes II, President and CEO of the Pinellas County Urban League, Melissa Seixas, President of Duke Energy Florida, and Trimeka Benjamin, President of Swim Digital Group.
Dr. Williams took to the stage to thunderous applause from the many SPC faculty, staff, and leadership members in attendance and gave a genuine and tearful acceptance speech. She gave a heartfelt thank you to her husband for always supporting her and promised to continue doing everything she can to see our community succeed.