CEO of beaches chamber resigns after 16 years

The sun will soon set on Robin Miller’s tenure as president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce, a position she has held since 2008.

While recent storms – particularly Hurricane Helene – decimated local barrier islands, Miller stressed that she planned her next endeavor well in advance. In January, she will become president and CEO of the Blowing Rock, North Carolina, Chamber of Commerce.

Miller told the Catalyst that it was “time for a change.” Her relocation process began in August, more than a month before Helene’s record-breaking storm surge inundated Pinellas County’s coastal communities.

“I really want to make sure our community and region understand the storms 100% had nothing to do with it,” Miller said. “This is in no way me abandoning the barrier islands in a recovery mode.

“This started prior to the storms, and I needed to follow through with my inner commitment to my own constitution.”

The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber supports thousands of businesses from Clearwater Beach to Tierra Verde. The organization – and the hospitality and tourism industries it promotes – have thrived under Miller’s leadership.

The nonprofit provides advocacy, resources, and networking opportunities for members to help sustain a vibrant business community. Miller spearheaded several initiatives, including the Institute for Leadership.

The program helps shape industry leaders through real-world experiences and connections. Miller said she will miss the relationships she established over the past 16 years.

She expressed pride that the chamber now has a permanent “seat at the table” regarding economic development, business diversity, crisis intervention and tourism advocacy efforts. “I do believe we are looked at as a leading voice,” Miller said.

Congresswoman Kathy Castor (left) and Robin Miller, CEO of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce.

A Dec. 2 event at Madeira Beach City Hall highlighted the chamber’s impact on local coastal communities. Hundreds of displaced hospitality workers waited hours to receive gift cards bought with storm relief funding the chamber raised over the past two months.

Miller and her staff handed out $30,000 in gift cards. When asked what qualities she hopes to see in the new CEO, Miller said, “We need a leader that can face crisis and adversity head-on.”

“This is where leaders lead,” she added.

Miller’s last day at the chamber is Dec. 27. She noted that Helene also impacted Blowing Rock – although not to the same extent as other western North Carolina towns and cities – and delayed her relocation.

Miller eagerly anticipates a new challenge. She also called it a “personal choice to pick up and leave where I’ve grown up and live my whole life.”

Blowing Rock is known for its views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has a population of about 1,400. The beaches chamber represents 14 municipalities, and Pinellas County welcomed 15.8 million visitors in 2023.

Miller believes she can help her new organization become a better advocate for businesses and “preserve the integrity” of the surrounding community. “That’s really inspiring to me,” she said. “And I’m in a different place, personally, in time.”

The beaches chamber began accepting resumes for Miller’s replacement Wednesday. Its executive committee formed a search committee Friday morning, and she noted they “are on a tight timeline.” She encourages anyone interested in the position to apply as soon as possible.

Miller also expects the position to garner plenty of interest. “And I’m confident our area has many qualified leaders to take the helm,” she added.

Miller believes she and the chamber’s board have created a solid foundation to continue supporting the business community and growing the organization amid adversity. She said that has provided her the confidence to start a new chapter.

Nigel Duffet, chair of the chamber’s governing board, credited Miller for her “transformative” leadership. “Her dedication, vision and tireless advocacy have been invaluable, and we wish her continued success in her new role,” he said in a prepared statement.