For Immediate Release

October 12, 2020

Contact: Sue Chrzan

813-272-6740, Ext. 130

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority

[email protected]

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority Completes Bond Sale for Refinancing

October 12, 2020 (Tampa, Fla.)  -  The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is pleased to announce that Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) assigned an A2 rating to THEA’s $20.1 million Revenue Bonds, Series 2020A and $202.2 million Taxable Refunding Revenue Bonds, Series 2020B. Concurrently, Moody's affirmed THEA's outstanding A2 revenue bond ratings and confirmed that THEA’s financial outlook is stable.

“Both bond issuances show the strength of THEA’s financial condition,” said Vince Cassidy, Chairman of THEA’s Board of Directors. “These transactions demonstrate the high level of confidence investors have with THEA’s cash flow, our 6-year work program, its leadership team, and our community. We look forward to continuing THEA’s vital work to provide safe, reliable, and efficient transportation solutions for the Tampa Bay Area.”

The combined new money financing and taxable advance refunding transaction generated $25 million of proceeds to advance capital projects while still lowering THEA’s annual debt service by $1.2 million for the next 15 years. The Series 2020A Bonds, worth $20.16 million, will finance capital improvements to the expressway system, while Series 2020B Bonds will refund all or portion of the outstanding Refunding Revenue Bonds, Series 2012A.

The completed bond sales will allow for additional revenues to be spent on THEA’s 6-year work program whose goal is to invest over half a billion dollars in the Tampa Bay Area. Major components of the work program include the completion of major projects such as the Selmon West Extension and the South Selmon Safety Project, technology upgrades to the Selmon System to leverage the infrastructure of the THEA CV Pilot Deployment Program and to continue the Project Development and Environment Studies for both the eastern and southern portions of the Selmon Expressway that will evaluate future capacity needs.

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ABOUT THEA:

The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is a public agency of the state, created by the Florida Legislature, to provide local, user-financed transportation services that reinvest customer-based revenues back into the Tampa Bay community. THEA owns and operates the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, Brandon Parkway, Meridian Avenue, and the Selmon Greenway; designed and operates the world’s first reversible all-electronic toll road; and provides over 100,000 daily travelers with safe, reliable and financially sustainable transportation solutions.  For more information on how THEA is moving transportation forward, visit www.tampa-xway.com.

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TampaHillsboroughExpresswayAuthority/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/THEASelmon

Web: https://www.tampa-xway.com/

For Immediate Release

September 29, 2020

Contact: Sue Chrzan

813-272-6740, Ext. 130

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority

[email protected]

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority Wins 2020 Tampa Bay Marketer of the Year Award

September 29, 2020 (Tampa, Fla.) – The American Marketing Association has selected the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority’s Selmon Extension Campaign as the winner of the 2020 Marketer of the Year in B2B Marketing. The AMA Tampa Bay Award honors leading local marketing professionals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the advancement of marketing and demonstrated groundbreaking solutions to challenging marketing problems. 

“We are truly honored and humbled to receive this remarkable recognition,” said Susan Chrzan, THEA’s Director of Public Affairs and Communications. “I feel lucky to have a wonderful team by my side who shares THEA’s vision in making our community a more connected and safer place to live, work, and play.” 

In 2014, THEA identified the need to extend the Selmon Expressway in order to accommodate the future growth of the Tampa Bay region; the population was expected to double by 2040. The Selmon Extension was designed to offer greater regional connectivity for commuters and provide a more efficient and safer dedicated hurricane evacuation route for local and regional families. 

Prior to starting the project, THEA connected with businesses and homeowners along the Gandy, who would be affected by construction making sure that they were involved in the process of project design, development, and execution. 

The Expressway Authority B2B Marketing campaign included virtual town hall meetings, business owners’ engagement meetings, surveys to business owners to see when deliveries arrived, hours of operations, and prime customer hours. The government agency also worked to minimize the pain points of local businesses along the boulevard accommodating the local businesses by doing the bulk of construction overnight and keeping all business driveways open and accessible. THEA also created a Shop Gandy! marketing campaign to encourage traffic to the local businesses that would be affected during construction.

“The Marketer of the Year Award celebrates innovation and results-driven marketing campaigns in the Tampa Bay area. Congratulations to THEA for being our first transportation agency to win this award for B2B Marketing,” said Justine Burke, President of AMA Tampa Bay. 

The 5th Annual AMA Marketer of the Year ceremony was held virtually on September 10th, 2020. Click here to view the ceremony. The Selmon Extension construction is moving along, with expected completion in mid-2021.

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ABOUT THEA:

The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is a public agency of the state, created by the Florida Legislature, to provide local, user-financed transportation services that reinvest customer-based revenues back into the Tampa Bay community. THEA owns and operates the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, Brandon Parkway, Meridian Avenue, and the Selmon Greenway; designed and operates the world’s first reversible all-electronic toll road; and provides over 100,000 daily travelers with safe, reliable, and financially sustainable transportation solutions.  For more information on how THEA is moving transportation forward, visit www.tampa-xway.com.

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TampaHillsboroughExpresswayAuthority/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/THEASelmon

Web: https://www.tampa-xway.com/

AMA TAMPA BAY:

American Marketing Association of Tampa Bay is a local membership organization of the national American Marketing Association for marketing professionals with the mission to be the essential community for marketers and is dedicated to the future of marketing and innovation. AMA provides access to marketing resources, networking opportunities, career resources, and monthly events with nationally recognized speakers discussing the latest trends, developments, and hot topics in marketing. 

For Immediate Release

July 28, 2020

Contact: Sue Chrzan

813-272-6740, Ext. 130

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority

[email protected]

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority Announces 2021 Board Leadership

July 28, 2020 (Tampa, Fla.)  -  The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is pleased to announce that Vincent J Cassidy has been re-elected to serve as the Chair of the Board of Directors.

“I am grateful to continue my service as Chairman,” said Mr. Cassidy. “As Chairman I will ensure that our Board continues to be strategic in our planning and accountable to our community. I am proud of the dedicated men and women of THEA who work tirelessly to provide safe, reliable, and efficient transportation solutions to the Tampa Bay Area, and it is my honor to guide this organization.  I am also fortunate to serve with my fellow Board Members; they give so much of their time and talents to govern this Authority.”

Mr. Cassidy is the founder of Majesty Title Services, now a division of LandCastle Title Group, LLC, and is responsible for sales, marketing, strategy, and overall management of the company. He spent 25 years with JPMorgan Chase & Co, most recently as a Senior Vice President managing a global technology business providing electronic banking services to the firm's wholesale clients.  He is the Managing Member of Florida Investors Capital, LLC, and CassCap, LLC.  He is also a founding Fellow of The Vortex Institute, a local organization focused on discussion and subsequent action surrounding issues affecting our community.

In addition to re-electing Cassidy as Chair, the Board also elected Bennett Barrow to continue as THEA’s Vice Chairman and Daniel Alvarez to continue as Secretary.

Mr. Barrow is President of Barrow Asset Management, a registered investment advisor in Tampa, Florida. After graduating from the University of the South (Sewanee) in 2002, Mr. Barrow worked in Madrid, Spain, and Santiago, Chile as a pension reform analyst. He received his Certified Financial Planner TM designation from the University of South Florida Financial Planner Program in 2011 and sits on the Board of Trustees at Berkeley Preparatory School, Board of Directors at St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, and the Advisory Committee for High Risk Hope.

Mr. Alvarez serves as the Chief Communications Officer for the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office, and is a veteran of the United States Army, serving in South Korea at the US Army Airborne School where he was a jumping member of the historic Fort Benning Command Exhibition Parachute Team, “The Silver Wings.” He was also the founder and managing member of The Alvarez Legal Group, P.L. 

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ABOUT THEA:

The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is a public agency of the state, created by the Florida Legislature, to provide local, user-financed transportation services that reinvest customer-based revenues back into the Tampa Bay community. THEA owns and operates the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, Brandon Parkway, Meridian Avenue, and the Selmon Greenway; designed and operates the world’s first reversible all-electronic toll road; and provides over 100,000 daily travelers with safe, reliable and financially sustainable transportation solutions.  For more information on how THEA is moving transportation forward, visit www.tampa-xway.com.

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TampaHillsboroughExpresswayAuthority/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/THEASelmon

Web: https://www.tampa-xway.com/