On December 17, 2014, after 50 years of isolation, the United States announced it was changing its relationship with Cuba. Over the past two years, Cuba has been connected with commercial flights and cruise stops allowing record numbers of tourists to visit the island nation. Opportunities to do business and expand the flow of information to and from Cuba have also increased.

Bill Carlson, president of the Tampa communications firm Tucker/Hall, is one of a group of local business leaders who has been advocating for Tampa Bay to become the Gateway to Cuba. Bill has traveled to Cuba numerous times and has been actively involved in the Cuba discussion since the ‘90s. He is one of only a handful of PR/Marketing professionals across the country with this level of knowledge. Join us and learn what an open Cuba means for Tampa Bay and how the dynamic has changed over the past two years.

Bill Carlson
President
Tucker/Hall

Bill Carlson is president of Tucker/Hall. In addition to his responsibilities in firm management, he helps clients in the areas of marketing, brand management, community relations and public affairs.

Carlson joined Tucker/Hall in 1994. He has advised numerous government agencies and non-profits including cities and government entities in the United States, Asia and Latin America. He has also been a consultant to European and Latin American conglomerates, fast growing technology companies and Fortune 500 corporations.

His work involves helping companies and government agencies define the experience they will have with their constituents and customers. This may involve branding, communications, product/service design, public involvement or corporate strategy development.

From 1989-1994 Carlson lived in Singapore where he was a senior marketing consultant with a Singapore-based marketing consulting firm. While there he advised a number of organizations across 15 countries. These included Citibank Asia, the Development Bank of Singapore, regional conglomerates, financial institutions, technology companies, publicly listed corporations and government agencies. Prior to moving to Singapore Carlson worked in advertising and public relations in Florida.

Carlson holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the University of Tampa and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He also conducted MBA studies at the National University of Singapore as a Rotary International Scholar, studied Spanish in Argentina and completed the Harvard Law School Negotiations Program.

Carlson is very active in the community and has served in a number of leadership positions at the Hillsborough Education Foundation, Leadership Tampa Bay, the Tampa Chamber, the Florida Chamber and Rotary International. He is also a graduate of Leadership Florida Class XXIII, serves on the board of the Florida Humanities Council and is international president of PROI, the world’s largest network of PR firms.

Lunch Menu

Brio Chopped Salad

Mezza Chicken “Under the Brick”
Grilled Chicken Breast with Marsala Mushroom Sauce

Beverages
Coffee, Iced Tea, Soft Drinks

If you have special dietary restrictions, please be sure to indicate your needs in the comments section when you register. 

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received by noon on Monday, April 17, will be accepted without penalty. Regarding cancellations made after that date, registrations paid in advance will not be refunded, and those who registered but did not pay will be invoiced the full registration amount.