Rene Cantu (he, him, el) brings over 25 years of experience in nonprofit management and marketing, having spent 6 years as business outreach manager at Equality Florida, and having served in different capacities at 5 different chambers of commerce. He’s been a resident of South Florida for 11 years and has recently relocated to St. Petersburg. He is also a recent graduate of Leadership Florida’s Cornerstone Class   In his new role, he will work to recruit new members and retain current ones coming from the small business sector to those larger employers in the Tampa Bay area, focusing on building a vibrant and inclusive membership base. He will also coordinate with the board of directors to ensure that programs, services and events are delivered with the highest of quality and effectiveness for chamber members and their guests.   Prior to moving to Florida, Rene lived in Houston, TX where he served as Executive Director of Leadership Houston, and as the Vice President for Programs and Services with the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.   Rene holds his Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University. He has become an active cyclist to participate in Florida’s AIDS ride from Miami to Key West called SMARTRide.