On this episode of Breezin’ Chats, the team is talking with featured guest, Santiago Corrada, about tourism in Tampa. Santiago has dedicated over 25 years of his life to public service and is a long-time hospitality specialist. Now, he is the President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, a program that has greatly improved Tampa’s tourism industry.
Born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey into a hard-working immigrant family, Santiago has always valued education. He was a musician in high school, participating in marching band, jazz band, and concert band, playing multiple instruments. Santiago worked hard to earn as much scholarships as possible to attend the University of Miami as a pre-med student. Ultimately, he decided to major in education, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and began teaching third through fifth-grade children with disabilities post-graduation. He later got his master’s in educational leadership and spent many years as a high school principal.
Due to his high level of success as a principal and a leader, after spending 17 years in the school system, the mayor of Miami recruited Santiago to run the park and recreation department. From there, he caught the eye of the Tampa mayor and was then recruited to work in Tampa. Santiago has worked in a variety of positions, from the chief of staff for the city of Tampa, to the Tourism, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Administrator at the Tampa Convention Center, to his current position at Visit Tampa Bay.
Santiago credits his success to staying open-minded. He says, “You never know what life has in store for you, and if you limit yourself to this one thing, you may be passing up on a universe of different experiences.” He is considered to be the main spokesperson for tourism and hospitality in the Tampa area and is affiliated with over ten local boards. He received HSMAI’s top 25 award for Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality, Sales, and Marketing and was the 2013 Hillsborough County Hispanic Man of the Year, in addition to the numerous marketing awards presented to Visit Tampa Bay under his leadership.
To hear more of Santiago’s story and how his hard work is bringing people to our slice of paradise, tune in to episode 13 of Breezin’ Chats. And don’t forget to hit the subscribe button.
Breezin’ Entertainment launched a spin-off podcast series, called Breezin’ Chats. Breezin’ Chats is a wedding, corporate, and social entertainment podcast channel that offers next-level entertainment and business news to its listeners. Join host, Cindy Dervech and her ambassadors of fun, as they talk about the industry, and even house a few special guests. Breezin’ Chats is now streaming on all major platforms: iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, and YouTube. Download and stream your favorite episode today, only on https://breezin.com/podcast/