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Chamber VP Engages Challenges With Grace

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 20, 2007

Updated: 10/22/2007 02:58 pm

BRANDON - For the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, Georgina Wharton plays the role of the smiling face behind the numbers. Wharton, vice president of finance and human resources, has been on board going on 10 years, and she loves her job.

'I definitely enjoy my work,' she said. 'The staff is great. We're all like a big family, and we get along really good. I do finance in the office, but when I have the opportunity to get with people, it's lots of fun.'

Such a positive atmosphere, Wharton said, makes details easier to deal with.

'There's always something new going on,' she said. 'We exist to help businesses and to help them in what they are doing. People come here with a good attitude.'

Wharton's responsibilities include chamber finances, human resources and the Brandon Area Directory. 'Making sure the budget works,' she said.

With 24 employees and an annual budget near $2 million, Wharton has a lot of numbers to crunch. But she said she believes the chamber is a good investment for the Brandon community.

'We can offer our members and our community a lot more than other chambers can,' she said. 'Because of the directory, we can underwrite a more creative program.'

Available online, as well as in its traditional print format, the Brandon Area Directory is a community tradition. And, like Brandon itself, the chamber continues to grow.

'We have around 1,800 member businesses,' Wharton said. 'That's about 300 more than 10 years ago.

'This is a great place to be,' she said. 'We all make a good group.'

Wharton was 7 years old when her family fled their home in Cuba heading for Florida.

'My parents told us we were going on vacation,' Wharton said. 'But we never went back.'

Raised in Miami, Wharton has always loved numbers. She attended Miami-Dade Community College and aspired to be an architect.

'But I got married, and architecture school was too much work,' she said. 'We moved to North Carolina in 1973, then Tampa in 1976.'

Wharton attended classes while raising two children and working full-time, earning her accounting degree from the University of South Florida in 1995.

Today, her girls are grown, and Wharton said she couldn't be more proud.

'My daughter Tracy graduated from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an architect,' she said, 'and Jaime attends university in San Jose, California.'

Wharton's husband, Barry, works as an anthropologist and environmental scientist for a Tampa engineering firm.

Three years ago, an unexpected turn of events revealed the depth of Wharton's positive spirit and her passionate commitment to life. She lost her voice to cancer.

'It was a tumor between my voice-box and esophagus,' she said. 'But I'm doing well; I'm alive. Why not just move on? But I'm still trying to get my energy back.'

Today, Wharton speaks with the help of a hand-held, battery-powered larynx. She articulates tone and modulation via her expressive face, and she engages conversation without reservation.

A lot of Wharton's energy has been recharged in cheering on her beloved University of South Florida football team. 'We have season tickets,' she said. 'Go Bulls!!!'

She also serves as treasurer for the Florida Academy of Sciences, an organization committed to promoting and encouraging science education.

As for her Cuban roots, Wharton said the family definitely maintains them - but she stops short of trying to prepare her favorite traditional foods.

'If I really want great Cuban cuisine,' she said, 'I go all the way to Miami.'

Wharton said she loves working in Brandon.

'But the big challenge here is trying to get transportation to fit the development,' she said.

The Tampa area's congestion might just affect the Wharton family's plans.

'As you get older you want to get away from the rat race,' Wharton said. 'We've bought some property in North Carolina near Franklin. My daughter Tracy wants to design and build the house.'

Derek Maul can be reached at DerekMaul@gmail.com.

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