The St. Petersburg Area EDC is led by some of the City's most innovative leaders in business. A dynamic group of officers, elected each year, combined with a visionary Board of Governors allow the EDC to make a dramatic impact.
Chair - Danielle Ruiz
Manager of Economic Development, Duke Energy
Danielle Ruiz is the Senior Economic Development Manager at Duke Energy. She is responsible for the attraction and location of new business, as well as the retention and growth of existing companies to Duke Energy’s 35-county service area in Florida, with a focus on Tampa-St.Pete and North Florida markets.
Danielle provides direct support in the form of programs and services to state and local economic development leaders and assists in enhancing the overall package to prospective businesses seeking an opportunity for a new location, capital investment and job creation in our Florida communities.
She received her Bachelor of Science in Management/International Business from Clemson University.
Vice Chair - Marcus Greene
St. Petersburg Market President, Truist
Marcus Green serves as Truist's Market President for St. Petersburg. He has more than 30 years of experience in business and banking and has held senior leadership positions with statewide and multi-state regional banks.
Marcus’s entire banking career has been spent here in the Tampa-St.Pete market, with the exception of one year spent in Volusia County. His specialties include commercial lending, corporate banking, private banking, cash management and wealth management.
Marcus received his MBA from the University of Tampa, and his BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida.
Immediate Past Chair - Jill Wilkinson
Market President of St. Petersburg, Truist
Jill Wilkinson is the relationship manager and market president for commercial and not for profit companies in the Tampa Bay market of SunTrust Bank. Her specialties include tax exempt bond financings, commercial lending to large and mid-size companies & not for profits, capital markets and business transition.
Jill serves on the advisory board to the Dean of the College of Business for University of South Florida St. Petersburg, as well as the boards of the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership and the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce.
Secretary/Treasurer - Brian Auld
President, Tampa Bay Rays
Brian Auld is entering his third season as President of the Tampa Bay Rays, and his twelfth season with the club. During his first year as team president, Brian brought a renewed focus to the Rays mission: to energize the community through the magic of Rays baseball, by emphasizing the Rays' commitment to the community and its employee-first culture.
Prior to joining the Rays, Brian attended Harvard Business School, where he earned his MBA focusing on managing human capital, marketing and finance. Brian’s previous work experience includes serving as lead teacher and director of development for the East Palo Alto Charter School in California.
General Counsel - Bob Warchola
Partner, Shumaker, Loop, & Kendrick, LLP
Bob Warchola has extensive jury and non-jury trial experience representing various individuals and entities in commercial disputes including athletes, physicians, public companies, sureties, and governmental agencies. He also represents individuals and entities in the healthcare field. He has been representing physicians since 1997 and continues to represent physicians and physician practice groups on a variety of issues.
Bob also has represented contractors, sureties, and governmental agencies in construction matters since 1992. His commercial practice includes representing a public company, numerous individuals and entities in real estate transactions, and advising clients on general business matters.
He received his bachelors degree from The George Washington University and his law degree from Stetson University College of Law.
