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In 1985, longtime Tampa Bay Times journalist Lucy Morgan was awarded the Pulitzer Prize (with Jack Reed) for uncovering corruption in the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, the first woman to be so honored for investigative reporting (she was a Pulitzer finalist, for another story three years earlier). In this interview, she discusses her feelings on the role of a reporter in keeping government honest and the community safe, and the current state of journalism, vis a vis social media, the decline of physical newspapers and the attendant culture of politicians crying "fake news." Morgan, who retired in 2013, is considered a pioneer - and a hero - in southern journalism.

On this episode of SPX, Joe visits with legendary photographer Herb Snitzer, a longtime resident of St. Petersburg. In a non-stop career than spanned more than 50 years, Snitzer - as a professional on assignment for Life and Look magazines, the New York Times and other publications - created dozens of now-iconic images of the great jazz musicians of the 1950s and beyond. He discusses his self-described job as a "visual historian," his thoughts on photography as an art form, and why he prefers to work in a darkroom, perfecting his prints, rather than shooting things digitally. Other topics include the business of selling limited-edition prints and Snitzer's important role as a chronicler of the civil rights movement in America.

On this episode of SPX, Joe is joined by Dr. Sandra Braham, CEO of Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services. Dr. Braham discusses her extensive career in higher education, before moving into the non-profit world. They talk about her transition to Florida, and about her deeply-held spiritual belief that God had a plan for her. She explores balancing the quantitative and qualitative value of each of her organization's individual programs, and the wrap-around nature of those programs and how they work in tandem with one another to provide help for families in diverse and meaningful ways. With more than 10,000 non-profits in Pinellas County alone, Dr. Braham ponders whether or not the available funds are being split too many ways, and talks about Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services' plans for growth in the non-profit sector in the coming years.

On this episode of SPx, Joe is joined by Bill Edwards, CEO of the Edwards Group and the Bill Edwards Foundation, and a well-known businessman and philanthropist. Edwards, who arrived in St. Petersburg in the early 1990s, discusses the run away success of his Mortgage Investors Corporation, his contributions to downtown including the renovations of SunDial, Al Lang Stadium and the Mahaffey Theater, his strong work ethic and his unwavering dedication to helping his community.

On this episode of SPx, Joe is joined via Zoom by Jim Craig, founder of Gold Medal Strategies. Craig was the celebrated goalkeeper of the 1980 Olympic gold medal-winning hockey team, known as the Miracle team. Craig shares the story of his success in professional hockey, what it taught him about business and how he has shared those lessons with clients through his books and renowned consulting practice.

On this episode of SPx, unicorn entrepreneur Arnie Bellini joins the podcast to tell the story of ConnectWise. He shares how the managed IT services provider went from its founding in 1982 in his parents' house to the area's first company with a billion dollar valuation. Then, he shares his efforts to give back, starting with connecting the dots of business and higher education. Finally, he shares his next venture, saving wild Florida.

On this episode of SPx, Joe is joined in the studio by Fred Bullard, veteran developer and entrepreneur. Bullard, the man behind some of St. Pete's most iconic places, including Feather Sound/Carillon and BayWalk, shares his storied history of entrepreneurial endeavors, lessons learned over the years and what gives him meaning now.

On this episode of SPx, former director of UNICEF (1995 to 2005) and the United States Peace Corps (1993 to 1995), Carol Bellamy joins Joe in the studio to preview her keynote at the Conference on World Affairs. Bellamy discusses the lessons learned from her rich professional history, which began in the private sector, moved to politics, and later into global public service efforts. Bellamy shares her work immunizing children around the globe with UNICEF and preventing terrorism with the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund. As first female President of New York City Council, elected in 1977, Bellamy discussses the state of gender discrimination around the globe.

On this episode of SPx, Paresh Patel, CEO of HCI Group, joins Joe Hamilton in the studio. In this wide-ranging conversation, Patel shares his introduction to Tampa Bay in 1985 with tech company Paradyne, his professional evolution through the years in tech, real estate, banking and insurance, and the various opportunities that have presented themselves at unexpected times. Patel talks business philosophy, values and diversity at HCI Group.

On this episode of SPx, former CEO of Tech Data Steve Raymund joins Joe in the studio. Raymund stepped down as chairmain of the board of Tech Data in 2017, following 36 years with the company. Tech Data was founded by Raymund's father, but it was under his own leadership that the company began its meteoric rise, going national and then global to become one of the Florida's largest companies.

On this episode of SPx, local real estate developer Jonathan Daou joins Joe in the studio. Daou, the man behind the revitalization and curation of the EDGE District, shares how 20 years in New York helped him craft the EDGE District experience. Daou shares the philosophy behind his retail investments, the vision behind district-building, and his aspirations for St. Petersburg as a whole.

On this episode of SPx, Shipwreck Hunter and Aresty speaker David Mearns joins Joe in the studio to talk about uncovering some of the world's most famous shipwrecks and finding the "unfindable." Mearns shares the painstaking process of locating a shipwreck, the all-or-nothing stakes and the controversies attached to these discoveries. He shares the incredible story of the HMAS Sydney and the Kormoran, and how he cracked the code to find the location of the ships' wreckage in 2008.

On this episode of SPx, Tony DiBenedetto joins our host Joe Hamilton in the studio. In this insightful episode, DiBenedetto walks listeners through the unlikely founding of Tribridge and the $300,000 check that brought it to fruition. He explains the tenets of Tribridge's culture, and the many acquisitions, pivots and evolutions before its eventual sale. DiBenedetto's talks coming "off the rocket ship" and into his new normal as a mentor and founder of Think Big For Kids.

On this episode of SPx, Blake Wilson, a.k.a. BatDad joins our host Joe Hamilton in the studio. BatDad, a viral internet sensation who became famous through the now-extinct platform Vine, has 8.1 million followers on Facebook and 722,000 subscribers on YouTube. Through the last six years as BatDad, Wilson has taken the internet by storm and monetized his platforms enough to make BatDad his full time job. Two years ago, Wilson and his family moved to St. Petersburg, Fla., and is now a local St. Pete gem.

Former Tampa Bay Times Political Editor and Senior Vice President of Mercury, Adam Smith joins our host Joe Hamilton in the studio for a conversation on politics, media and the news business. Smith explains why regional newspapers are so important to the vitality of our republic and why he fears they may be on the way out. Joe and Adam cover everything from media silos like Fox News to the many characters of Florida politics past and present, and why Smith decided to leave the Times after 20 years to begin a new career in strategic communications.

On this episode of SPx, author Gilbert King joins Joe in the studio to share new insights from his book, Beneath A Ruthless Sun, and its connections to his Pulitzer Prize-winning second book, The Devil In The Grove. King shares the true story of the brutal man involved in both cases, Sheriff Willis McCall, and how King dug up long-forgotten/buried history through research and interviews. King talks about the craft of non-fiction writing, and how his stories grow from the simple premise of a crime to reflections on criminal justice and America itself.

On this episode of SPx, our host Joe Hamilton is joined in studio by the unparalleled Iqbal Paroo. There are few people in this world with a life story as inspiring as Paroo's. From his childhood in colonial Kenya to his time in the Kenyan air force, to the traumatic injury that changed the course of his life, Paroo has packed three lifetimes into one. He shares his story, his professional trajectory and how he made his way to St. Pete. Paroo talks becoming a hospital CEO at 25, and president of a university at 37, raising capital as an entrepreneurship and how race shaped his experience in the United States.

On this episode of SPx, our host Joe Hamilton is joined in studio by local glass legend, Duncan McClellan. Nearly a decade ago, McClellan famously moved into what is now known as the Warehouse Arts District, creating the first live, work, and show gallery in St. Petersburg. At the time, people called McClellan crazy. Now, he has had a leading role is transforming the district into an arts destination. McClellan shares the origins of the gallery, his thoughts on the business of art, and how St. Pete can build its brand while staying true to its charm.

On this episode of SPx, we throw back to February with Tampa's 58th mayor, Bob Buckhorn. Our host, Joe Hamilton, sat down with Buckhorn as he contemplated the end of his mayorship, the power of the office and life after. In this rare and insightful conversation with a leader at the pinnacle of his career, Buckhorn waxes on journalism, authenticity and the new political climate in the age of Trump.

On this episode of SPx, Marcin Kleczynski, founder of Malwarebytes, breaks down the origin story of the company he started at just 15 years old, living with his parents in the suburbs of Chicago. Kleczynski shares how pirated video games led him founding a company with more than 800 employees and four offices across the world. Kleczynski talks misconceptions around malware, company culture, how the big traditional companies are failing and how Malwarebytes has stepped in to take on a greater share of the antivirus market.