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When I came back to Tampa, I wasn’t sure if it was my final destination, but I came back and joined a few organizations and became involved in the community again. PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS: Chairman, Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County; Honorary Commander, MacDill Air Force Base; Board, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce; University of Tampa Board of Counselors When I first moved here, I joined the University of Tampa Board of Counselors, which is basically a business ambassador board for the University of Tampa, and I chaired the organization in 2015. When you’re meeting new people or trying to make a difference, starting a new business or asking someone to support you in the business you’re in, you’ve got to take a risk and you have to be genuine.

Patel donated his prize money to the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, a board to which he was appointed Chairman in 2014 by Governor Rick Scott. It reflects Mr. Patel’s understanding, as a business owner, of how access to quality early education impacts parents in the workplace and ultimately the quality of our future workforce. Aakash says, "I believe it's important for every Deanne Dewey Roberts award recipient to enhance the gift the year they win in order to show community leaders that we as emerging leaders believe in going above and beyond. Aakash is developing his personal community outreach program and says, "I want to show the people of District 1 that I have the skills, the experience, the contacts and the get-it-done ethic to represent them on the county commission.

After many years of living in the Bay Area we have seen so much growth not just in our South Asian community but also within the Bay Area. I had a chance to speak to Aakash Patel who is also a bay area resident who is also running for County Commissioner and what he had to say about the Bay Area How will you bring more to the bay area by ensuring that young minds stay in town to build more business in town? A recent program that the Tampa Hillsborough EDC, Visit Tampa Bay, and Hillsborough County created is called Making Tampa Bay which highlights young professionals making a difference.

Hillsborough County Commission candidate Aakash Patel piled on another and a few thousand more for his campaign and committee last month, to give him $310,121 in total fundraising a year out from Election Day. The new campaign report has not yet been filed with the Hillsborough County Supervisor of elections, but previous reports have shown contributions from big names such as shopping center developer Brent Sembler and some of his companies, and have also included many small-dollar donors. Democratic state Rep. Janet Cruz is also running for the seat, and according to her most recent campaign finance report, covering October, she has about $42,300 on hand. Last month, along with entrepreneur Tom Pepin and RSA Vice President Natalie King, Pierce hosted a fundraiser in to launch the House Democratic Leader’s campaign for local office.