E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R ’ S M E S S A G E J o h n F . K y n e s - H i l l s b o r o u g h C o u n t y B a r A s s o c i a t i o n
HCba ’ s125thanniversary CelebrationContinues
updateplannedforHCba ’ s “ inpursuitof Justice ” Centennialbookpublishedin1996
Theodore Roosevelt once said , “ I believe that the more you know about the past , the better you are prepared for the future .”
It ’ s with that spirit in mind that we continue to reflect on and celebrate the HCBA ’ s 125th anniversary since its founding in 1896 .
Interestingly , in 1898 , Roosevelt left a lasting impression on Tampa when his famed volunteer regiment known as the Rough Riders camped on the grounds of Henry B . Plant ’ s Tampa Bay Hotel ( now the University of Tampa ) before embarking on a ship from Port Tampa to Cuba to fight in the Spanish-American War .
Roosevelt gained notoriety for his heroics in the war , and in 1901 he became the 26th president of the United States .
At the turn of the 20th century , Tampa was still a small town of about 15,000 people , and its legal community was just beginning to take shape .
Fast forward 100 years to 1996 when the HCBA decided to publish the book “ In Pursuit of Justice ” as a part of the HCBA ’ s centennial celebration .
The book examines the first century of the HCBA ’ s existence and the history of Hillsborough County ’ s legal community .
During the 1995-96 Bar year , Richard Gilbert of the firm de la Parte & Gilbert was president of the HCBA .
In the centennial book ’ s introduction , Gilbert wrote about the importance of chronicling the history of the HCBA and the unique opportunity it provided to share the HCBA ’ s rich history with others in the community .
“ Historic fact is not always pretty . Sometimes it conflicts with the way we want to remember things ,” Gilbert wrote . “ Nevertheless , recording the events as
they occurred provides us with an opportunity to put our own experiences into proper perspective .”
“ After we have taken full advantage of the opportunity to reflect upon and share our past , we should focus on our future ,” Gilbert added .
Tom Elligett of the firm Buell & Elligett was the centennial book editor .
Current HCBA President Cory Person appointed Elligett and Lanse Scriven , both former HCBA presidents , as co-chairs of the HCBA ’ s 125th Anniversary Committee .
As part of this year ’ s 125th anniversary celebration , the HCBA has re-released the hardcover version of “ In Pursuit of Justice ” in a digital format to provide greater access to current and future HCBA members and the public . The digital version of the centennial book is posted on the HCBA ’ s website .
The HCBA recently commissioned noted local historian Rodney Kite-Powell to chronicle the past 25 years of the HCBA and Hillsborough ’ s legal community to update and supplement the centennial book . The centennial book update will be released later in the Bar year .
And special thanks to the firm Buell & Elligett for providing funding for the project .
This past December , Tampa City Council also presented a proclamation to HCBA President Person and other HCBA representatives to help commemorate the HCBA ’ s “ 125 years of distinguished service to the legal profession and the Tampa community .”
Looking ahead , stay tuned for future HCBA announcements about other special 125th anniversaryrelated programming .
Meanwhile , be sure and check the HCBA ’ s website for more information about the 125th anniversary celebration . n
Remember : When tagging HCBA this year on social media , use our special anniversary tag : # hcba125 !
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