Innovation knows no bounds, and neither does Collaborative Labs at St. Petersburg College (SPC). On Wednesday, March 27, 2024, the Collaborative Labs team marked a significant milestone by cutting the ribbon on its second location at the SPC Downtown Center in a ceremony at the American Stage Theatre.
For the past 20 years, the Collaborative Labs team has established itself as experts in organizing highly interactive and dynamic collaborative sessions. Their skilled facilitation has helped numerous organizations in navigating complex challenges and discovering new avenues for growth.
The decision to expand to the SPC Downtown Center underscores Collaborative Labs’ strategic vision to broaden its impact in Pinellas County and beyond. It signifies not only an expansion of its physical footprint but also a deepening commitment to fostering innovation and, of course, collaboration.
“Twenty years later and Collaborative Labs is still here because there is a need for companies, organizations, and groups to work on strategy in a collaborative setting,” said SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams. “This is by far the best collaborative facility in the nation.”
Celebrating talent and vision
Andrea Henning, the Executive Director of Collaborative Labs since its inception, led the ribbon-cutting event and commended her team and the college for the ongoing success of Collaborative Labs. “These are some of the most talented and gifted people I have ever worked with,” she remarked during the ceremony.
Henning also expressed gratitude to Dr. Tashika Griffith, the former Provost of the SPC Downtown Center and the current Clearwater Campus Provost, for her role in initiating the vision for the secondary space.
Other speakers at the event included Dr. Jackie Skryd, Vice President of Workforce Development and Corporate Partnerships for SPC; Dr. Keron Jean-Baptiste, the Acting Provost of the SPC Downtown Center; and Tina Fischer, Director of Collaborative Labs.
“I’ve had the great opportunity to support the Collaborative Labs team and I am so proud of them for the work they have done in the last 20 years,” Skryd said. “This is a wonderful resource that businesses can utilize and benefit from as they’re doing their strategic planning.”
Ken Welch, Mayor of St. Petersburg, and Matthew Sokolowski, President of Great Bay Distributors, sent video messages of congratulations for the event as well. Chris Steinocher, President and CEO of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, also had nothing but glowing words of praise and support for Collaborative Labs. He led the ribbon-cutting with SPC leadership and the Collaborative Labs team to cap off the ceremony.
Following the ribbon cutting, guests were invited to tour the new location and view a portion of displayed illustrations created by Jonathan Massie, Business Illustrator for Collaborative Labs. Massie also completed a live drawing during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
To learn more about Collaborative Labs, visit collaborativelabs.com.
Great idea! Janice Buchanan Swartz