OUR HISTORY

Background

In the late 1950’s and 60’s the modest, internationally related Tampa Bay area was very different from today. The Air Base was here and there was travel to Cuba and Mexico. Otherwise one was forced to fly to New York, or, for countries to the south, Miami. The banking, financial, professional and other activities were Florida-focused. Local personalities, like many of our Founders, were the central figures in Area decision making.
There was considerable international business activity via the phosphate and citrus industries and the seafood production and processing activities. The tobacco industry related to Cuba. That changed when Castro came to power to focus on other Caribbean countries for production.
There was an awakening at this time in the professional and business communities, seeking more connection with the international world. The establishment of USF introduced an intellectual, non-economic element to the mix. Chambers of Commerce personalities started up various efforts to conduct trade missions abroad, influence air travel at the new airport, and bring foreign trade and investment to the region. In addition to these mostly economically inspired thrusts, there was a desire for more social and political exchange by the citizenry. There were several efforts to establish organizations based on open local citizen participation. These did not catch on well.
This opened the door to the concept of the Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations, based on a limited membership of internationally diverse, leadership and influencer personalities, which was the advent of our founding.

Founding

While serving as an Air Force Visiting Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Mark T. Orr, Ph.D. learned about the Committees on Foreign Relations. He brought the idea with him to the University of South Florida where he served as Director of International Studies and Programs. However, he failed to find an enthusiastic collaborator until he met attorney Jack Bierley. With the Council’s approval, Jack’s initiative and leadership, and the strong support of our Founders led by Chairman H.L. Culbreath, the Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations came into being (see complete list of Founders at opening page of this 50th Anniversary booklet). Jack Bierley served as the first Director of the Committee. The mission was to promote and address the critical foreign affairs issues of the day through the presentations of guest speakers and member discourse.
The first speaker was General Maxwell Taylor, US Army (ret), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During the ensuing years the Committee grew and thrived. Our visitors have included journalists, scholars, diplomats, politicians, and military leaders, and we continue to offer provocative thought and candid perspectives on global and regional issues. In 1991 Jack Bierley assumed Chairmanship of the Committee from John Lott Brown. Jack was succeeded by Richard Jacobson, who has served as Committee Director since that date. Today membership is capped at 200, with openings limited by nonrenewals.

The American Committees on Foreign Relations

Another important event in the Committee’s history took place in 1995 when our Committee, along with twenty-nine other Committees, with the financial support of the Council on Foreign Relations, formed The American Committees on Foreign Relations, “dedicated to dialogue between local and regional civic leaders in the United States and U.S. foreign policymakers.” ACFR, based in Washington, D.C., is devoted exclusively to serving the Committees and governed by a Board of Committee Directors. Both Jack Bierley and Richard Jacobson played important roles in founding the new organization. Over the years, both have served as ACFR’s national President.
The ACFR Annual Conference in Washington D.C. continues to thrive, featuring Embassy receptions, fine technical sessions and the closing dinner in elegant venues such as the Franklin Dining Rooms at the Department of State, The Metropolitan Club, the Mayflower, the Cosmos Club and the National Press Club.

University Outreach and The Mark Orr Fellows

Under the aegis of the Committee’s outreach program, many of our speakers have been shared with the University of South Florida, the University of Tampa, and other area institutions where they participate in luncheon colloquia and afternoon symposia with faculty and advanced students. The Committee also offers the Mark Orr Fellows program, which allows participation in Committee events by selected students from five local universities. The Mark Orr Fellows are funded by generous donations from our members.

The Terrell Sessums Young Leaders Initiative

Funded anonymously by one of our members in honor of the late Terrell Sessums, each year the Committee sends 1-2 of our Mark Orr Fellows to Washington, DC for the ACFR Young Leaders Initiative. YLI features 3-4 days of briefings at the State Department, think tanks, Congressional visits, dinners with Ambassadors and similar enriching events designed to promote our local students’ interest in international careers of many varieties.

Military Outreach

Due to Tampa’s unique location as the home of the International Coalition of the Global War on Terrorism, the Committee has hosted many Senior National Representatives to the Coalition (SNRs) to promote better international relations. The SNR program is funded by generous donations from our members.

Conclusion

Given the continuing strong support from the ACFR and the active participation of our Committee membership, opinion makers from the region, we look forward to a future of more engaging dinner table discussion, followed by presentations by world-class diplomats, respected international specialists and scholars and major military figures.