Latest news with #KearneyCenter
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mind over motherboard: Get on the ChatGPT train
Artificial intelligence has dominated the chatter landscape this year. My take is as follows. If you have not used ChatGPT or Co-Pilot, download both, and dive in. Have them run reports, generate graphs, pull data, compile notes and ask for a summary, run comparisons and see where it can help you run your business and life. Honors: An All-America City three-peat: Tallahassee 'on the move' with latest designation For those thinking no jobs will be lost to AI, you are wrong, there will be some casualties. There are losses in all revolutions, and we are in the middle of one. There will be a Blockbuster Video like disruption just like there was in the streaming internet of things revolution. For those thinking AI will take over the world you are also wrong. It will be somewhere in the middle, just make sure your trade/craft/job is in a role where human interaction and emotional intelligence intersect and are required. The reason things will land in the middle is because no computer can lead the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce for 25 years, start a music and literature festival, or fight for the Americans with Disabilities Act. A computer didn't start the Kearney Center or lead Florida and Tallahassee through a pandemic or start a scholarship contest. People in Tallahassee did those things. Our neighbors Sue, Mark, JR, Rick, Ron D, John, and Ron S. did those things. A computer also didn't introduce me to Aegis 20 years ago, a Tallahassee heavy hitter with off the scale Heart Intelligence (H.I) named Steve did. To lead, inspire, motivate, change, correct, cultivate, nurture, create, that's the mind over motherboard (the main circuit board in a computer) difference. Granted there will be experiences like I had when I woke up one day in 2001 and pulled up Napster for the first time as a music business executive. I think my first words were cool, followed by uh-oh. There will be wake up calls for many like that as the next disruption hits, so please return to your seats, put your tray table up, and buckle your safety belt for digital turbulence on Flight 2025. Classic eateries: 5 longstanding Tallahassee restaurants that keep the spirit of Old Florida alive Back to heart intelligence, this year we lost two titans in our community. John Thrasher and Bill Jablon were legends and, most importantly, they were kind. I think one of the greatest conversations I have had this year was with Mr. Thrasher at the Distinguished Leadership Awards put on by Leadership Tallahassee. I was the MC of the event, and he was going to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Bill and Paula Smith. He and I were talking shop before the show while I was prepping my introductory comments and making sure I was ready to appear competent in front of the 500+ crowd. He was so kind and gracious, and I completely forgot to get nervous. Even when my opening joke had a delayed laugh. I believe it was 'I was going to open with an unemployment joke, but those never work.' The same goes for when I saw him at our office, everyone on our team loved it when he stopped by. Many will remember him for his epic service, but I will remember him for his heart. The same goes for Mr. Jablon. Bill was my Headmaster in high school. He put up with a lot of my shenanigans back in the day, but he still found time to talk to me one on one and have a few laughs in between said shenanigans. He also loved my columns in more recent years. He would offer kind words on them every time I saw him. Especially if I happened to mention Maclay in one, which was the school he spent his life's work making into a powerhouse learning institution. His legacy of 45 years at the school and being an integral part of thousands of student's lives is the definition of heart intelligence. Tallahassee and all of us in it have created something real special from the Magnet to Masa to Maclay to Mainline, to Madison Social. Am I wrong? I will attempt a business and high school analogy as we reach today's finish line. I feel like I am in my junior year of High School. Remember that feeling where you have somewhat found your footing and you love what the Senior class is doing. They even invite me to some of their parties now. But what I am really excited to see is what the freshman and sophomores are going to do when they get moving as we have some awesome young leaders here in Tallahassee. There will always be drama and problems in Tallahassee. There will also always be stars and leaders that inspire others to do better, correct the problems and create the next great thing in Leon County. To those people that lead and work behind the scenes to make our lives better with Heart Intelligence every day, we salute you. Thank you, Steve Evans, for the introduction to the company where I work, Aegis, 20 years ago and for your friendship ever since. For everyone placing your A.I and H.I bets out there, forget Silicon Valley, and bet on Tally where the mind always beats the motherboard. Blake Dowling is CEO of Aegis Biz Tech and the host of the Biz & Tech Podcast. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Mind over motherboard: Don't miss the ChatGPT train
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rick Kearney, namesake founder of the Kearney Center, honored at 10th anniversary event
A who's who of Tallahassee gathered at a swanky northeast Tallahassee restaurant Thursday evening to celebrate the Kearney Center's 10-year anniversary, and to honor the man behind it all – Rick Kearney. The Kearney Center is the Big Bend's emergency center for those struggling with homelessness, providing a vast array of resources such as mental health help, food, job hunting and more. Kearney, the namesake of the shelter and a multi-millionaire philanthropist, was praised by board members and friends. Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey and Leon County Commission chair Brian Welch honored Kearney with proclamations acknowledging his decades of service to Tallahassee. "Thank you ... everyone on the front lines at the Kearney Center for the amazing work that you do day in and day out ... sometimes it's thankless work, but I want you to know that the city sees you, we recognize you," Dailey said. "We love the Kearney Center and all that it does for our community, but it wouldn't have happened without the vision of this incredible gentleman." Welch echoed similar sentiments: "It is a privilege to have the opportunity to be here tonight as we raise some money for one of our most important institutions in our community and ... celebrate one of the most important people in our community. So Mr. Kearney, we are grateful for everything you do for Leon County and the city of Tallahassee." But the biggest surprise was Kearney being awarded the inaugural Rick Kearney Humanitarian Award, which will be given to a community member who embodies the values of humanitarian work every year. President and Chairman of the Kearney Center Board, Dr. Russell Rainey, presented Kearney with the honor. "A humanitarian is a person who promotes human welfare and social reform ... it didn't take long for our board to decide this award was for Rick Kearney. Rick has made it his life's work to help those experiencing homelessness," Rainey said. The man of the hour took some time to thank guests as well as encourage people to get involved with solving the issue of homelessness, even inviting them to come to the center. "We're trying to convert something that has been laid on the laps of a few ... now we really need help of the greater community because this is a big and growing problem. This is not just homelessness. This is mental health, this is substance abuse, this is people with broken lives, with very little help," Kearney said. "Have you ever been to the Kearney Center? I would recommend those who have never been, just go (for) like five minutes ... please come and see it firsthand, because we're (there) but for the grace of God," Kearney added. The dress code at the the Blu Halo, where the event was held, was denim. People donned anything from jean jackets to dresses to the classic blue jeans. Guests were treated to an open bar, a number of small bites passed around by restaurant staff and even live music with songs such as "Come Together" by the Beatles and "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac. There was even a raffle and live auction where guests were encouraged to "open their hearts and wallets" for the number of lavish gifts ranging from a helicopter ride from Kearney, beauty items, Florida State memorabilia and even a Louis Vuitton clutch purse. Guests spent anywhere from hundreds to thousands for the prizes – with all money going back to the center. Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@ and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Kearney Center celebrates 10th birthday in style, honors Rick Kearney
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tallahassee PR firm raises $3,000 to fight homelessness in Big Bend
Thanks to a T-shirt and mugs, a Tallahassee-based film and advertising firm donated $3,000 to help people experiencing homelessness in the Big Bend. CATECOMM sold more than 300 T-shirts and mugs with the phrase "I survived the Florida Blizzard of 2025" printed on them, according to a news release. Sales brought in more than $2,200 and the company contributed the remainder to bring the total amount to $3,000. All of the proceeds were donated to The Kearney Center, the capital's emergency shelter for those dealing with homelessness. "I love that we were able to commemorate this once-in-a-generation event in a way that helps those most impacted by frigid temperatures, snow or no-snow," said Kevin Cate, founder of CATECOMM. "All the credit goes to the employees and volunteers at the Kearney Center and everyone who paid a little more than they normally would for a shirt or a mug." The shirts and mugs became wildly popular on social media and in the news, according to the news release, seeing shirt sales from as far away as as Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and California. But CATECOMM said many "grifting, counterfeit websites" stole the design and are selling the merch for profit. "Cotton Bureau is the ONLY official vendor and the only place where 100% of the proceeds go to charity," the news release says. The official charity merchandise can be found here. Local government watchdog reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@ Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida blizzard T-shirts raise $3,000 to fight homelessness locally
