Buccaneers Co-Chairman Bryan Glazer accepted the Gonzmart Family Ambassador of the Year Award on behalf of the entire Glazer Family
Almost six years ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gathered at the A La Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa to celebrate the greatest achievement in franchise history. Buccaneer players and coaches received their championship rings on June 15, 2003, marking their triumph in Super Bowl XXXVII five months earlier.
That Super Bowl victory came just seven years after Malcolm Glazer purchased what had been a franchise moribund in years of losing. In a remarkably short time, through dedication to raising every aspect of the franchise to elite level, the Glazer family had built a winner.
During that same time, and in the years since, the Glazer Family has been just as committed to the Bay area community as a whole. On Wednesday, another celebratory gathering at the A La Carte Event Pavilion made clear just how much impact the family has had on making Tampa Bay a wonderful place to live and a prime destination for travelers.
As part of the 26th annual National Tourism Week (NTW), Tampa Bay & Company threw a gala "NTW Luncheon" on Wednesday, celebrating the tourism industry in the Bay area and presenting a handful of prestigious awards. The highlight of the luncheon was the presentation of the 2009 Gonzmart Family Ambassador of the Year Award to the Glazer Family.
The Ambassador award was presented to the Glazer Family in recognition of their efforts to help the tourism industry in the Bay area as well as their impact on the community overall. One very prominent example of the Glazer Family's impact in Tampa Bay in 2009 was the playing of Super Bowl XLIII in Raymond James Stadium in February.
Buccaneers Co-Chairman Bryan Glazer was on hand to accept the Gonzmart Award, an honor that thrilled him and his entire family.
"The award means so much to our family," said Glazer. "It's a great honor. The recipients who have received this before have brought so much to the community. We have been so proud that we can help tourism in the Tampa Bay area, especially bringing the Super Bowl to the community this year."
In accepting the award, Glazer stressed the importance of the tourism industry to the Bay area community and the health of its economy.
"It's important to promote tourism here," he said. "That's the lifeblood of this community, to bring people here to spend money in the community and help people's livelihoods.
"The Super Bowl brought over 100,000 people into the Tampa Bay area during tough economic times. All the tourists came down here when the weather was bad all around the country; they went home and told their friends what a great time they had in the Tampa Bay area, how great the weather was. Hopefully, with that their friends will come back here and take many vacations in the years to come."
The Family Ambassador Award was presented to Glazer by Richard Gonzmart, President, The Columbia Restaurant; Paul Catoe, President and CEO, Tampa Bay & Company; and Judi Lisi, President and CEO, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
