Being a top-flight board member with Naomi Kent

Being a top-flight board member with Naomi Kent

Naomi Kent has been working helping senior executives and leaders find the right company boards to sit on, and then be engaged and productive board members while there. She’s worked overseas and in New York and Chicago, and is now based in Naples. On this episode of From the Corner Office, Naomi and Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon talked about the themes and patterns she has seen in working with top executives and leaders, and how leaders can position themselves to get on boards.  3 Takeaways: 1. (07:20) Boards like board members from other industries 2. (10:40) Most people join a board before they retire 3. (18:25) Great leaders hire great people Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing Naomi Kent, Founder and CEO, The Boardroom Co.    (03:17) Leadership habits you refuse to comprise on (05:10) What is The Boardroom Co.? (07:00) Joining boards outside of your industry (11:00) How did you get involved with boards? (13:00) Do’s and don’ts of being a board member (15:10) Curiosity and clarity (18:00) What makes a successful CEO? (20:10) How do you become a board member? (24:30) What are you looking forward to for the rest of the year? Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more. Visit businessobserverfl.com for more.

Humor, humility and honesty with bank executive and podcast host Owen LaFave

Owen LaFave has been with The Bank of Tampa for 13 years and in the banking industry for more than 20 years. He also hosts The Bank of Tampa’s The Money Market Podcast. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Owen talked about how he got into banking, his key leadership lessons — they revolve around the three Hs: humor, humility and honesty — and why being a dependable leader matters to him, a lot. And listen for how Owen became known as the “banker with sign” guy.  3 Takeaways: 1. (08:50) Employees come first 2. (15:10) Leaders need humility, honesty, and humor 3. (15:45) You don’t always need to have the answer Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing Owen LaFave, Pinellas County Market President, The Bank of Tampa (05:30) What did you learn about leadership from team sports? (06:10) Owen’s career path (08:50) The Bank’s leadership philosophy (10:25) Creation of “Banker with Sign” (13:15) The success of The Money Market Podcast (15:10) Leadership characteristics (15:45) Leadership lessons you wish you knew (16:30) How do you help employees make a decision? (18:15) How do you lead with certainty? (19:45) Best leadership advice (22:30) Bank of Tampa in 2026 Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more. Visit businessobserverfl.com for more.

Going strong in leadership and life with retired Tupperware CEO Rick Goings

Rick was with Tupperware for nearly 30 years, including stints as president, CEO, chairman and chairman emeritus. He was also an executive with Avon Corp., in Europe and the U.S.. He recently teamed up with leaders at Rollins College in Orlando to launch a new executive education institute: The Rick Goings Institute for Management and Executive Leadership. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Rick talked about his long and varied career, having started two businesses prior to leadership roles with Avon Corp. and Tupperware. Rick also talked about how his first job — being a caddie at a country club — impacted his life and leadership approach.  3 Takeaways: 1. (08:40) Real leadership is about collaboration 2. (15:00) Life needs to be an adventure 3. (17:55) “We are today the person we are, and our goal is to become the person we can become” Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing Rick Goings, Retired CEO, Tupperware Brands (04:55) What is the Rick Goings Institute for Management and Executive Leadership? (06:50) Rick’s life story, meeting the Pope, and starting in the Navy (09:40) Starting a business and mentorship by Paul Harvey (12:00) Why did you go to Avon? (14:20) Rick’s career adventure (16:00) Becoming CEO of Tupperware (17:25) Taking feedback (18:50) Advice from mentors (22:00) World Youth Clubs (25:20) Rick’s legacy Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more. Visit businessobserverfl.com for more.

Authentic leadership — morning and nights — hotel exec with Jessica Cain

Jessica is the general manager of the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. She has more than 20 years of experience in full-service hospitality, including sales, events and hotel operations. She’s been with the Hyatt brand since 2008. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Jessica talked about her start in hospitality — it includes answering a pay phone in her family’s upstate New York restaurant — and what motivates her to be a better leader. Jessica also talked about what’s influenced her leadership style, including things she aims to not do in building high-performing teams.  3 Takeaways: 1. (07:40) Hospitality is about making people feel like they belong 2. (10:50) Good leadership is creating an environment where people are valued 3. (19:20) Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it, have composure Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing Jessica Cain, general manager, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay    (05:50) What motivates you, winning or not losing? (06:55) Jessica’s hospitality career started from the beginning (09:15) About Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay (10:45) What is good leadership to you? (12:30) Developing better leaders from within (15:10) Leadership influences (17:00) Hard to hear feedback (18:20) Leading through uncertainty (22:45) What is coming up in 2026 for Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay? Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more. Visit businessobserverfl.com for more.

Counseling, Compassion, and Camaros with Rick Howell

Rick has been the Executive Director of Samaritan Counseling Services, based in Sarasota, since 1999. A native of Tampa, he earned a master’s in Divinity and a master’s in Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. He was ordained into the ministry in 1986. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Rick talked about how and why he got his start in counseling — it was a personal experience of high stress — and how that’s helped him be a better leader. They also talked about why he believes passion is a No. 1 leadership attribute and how looking out for teammates and employees as a leader is never time wasted. And listen for a cool story about his first car — and a teenage trip to London.   3 Takeaways: 1. (11:00) Passion sustains you through hard times 2. (14:30) You are not solely responsible for the success of your organization 3. (15:30) If you see a turtle on a fencepost, you know it didn’t get there itself Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing Rick Howell, executive director, Samaritan Counseling Services (04:05) What is Samaritan Counseling Services? (06:00) How did you get into this line of work? (08:00) Day-to-day role (09:30) What trends are you seeing in your clients? (10:45) What characteristic does every leader need to have? (13:00) Listening versus speaking as a leader (14:10) What do you wish you knew earlier as a leader? (15:30) Who are some of your mentors and what did you learn from them? (17:45) Leading in uncertain times (19:50) What is coming up for Samaritan Counseling Services?  Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more. Visit businessobserverfl.com for more.