St. Pete Catalyst

Journalist

Mark Parker

Entrepreneur Aakash Patel founded Elevate, Inc., a Florida-based strategic business consulting firm in 2012 providing public relations, community relations, targeted networking & social media. Elevate, Inc. has served over 200 companies to date. He has become reputed for making significant connections and achieving client results. Aakash has a focus on leadership, community, military, life-long learning, and networking/connecting. 

Aakash Patel

Aakash M.  Patel

Member Board Of Trustees at Hillsborough Community College

Senior Tampa Bay Leader, #AlwaysWorking Brian.Hanrahan@USI.com

An inspiring “Breakfast with an Executive” this morning at The Centre Club Tampa , featuring Casey Gonzmart Jr of the Columbia Restaurant Group.

Casey shared a powerful, personal journey, one that weaves together legacy, leadership, resilience, and service.  From the early roots of the Columbia beginning in 1903 as a small café founded by Casimiro Hernandez Sr., to becoming Florida’s oldest continuously operated restaurant, the story is as much about people and purpose as it is about business longevity.

What resonated most:
- Generational leadership and stewarding a 5th-generation family business

- Preserving culture and tradition while navigating modernization and growth

- Lessons learned through career pivots, major decisions, and leadership under pressure

- The importance of community involvement, humility, and accountability

- A candid reflection on personal transformation and sobriety, and how that clarity strengthened both life and leadership

The Columbia Restaurant Group’s history is a masterclass in endurance, surviving world wars, economic upheaval, cultural shifts, and technological change, while staying anchored to values, family, and community.

Thank you Casey, for the transparency and inspiration, and thank you to the Centre Club for hosting another outstanding executive conversation overlooking Tampa Bay.  

The #TampaBayCommunity wouldn’t be what it is today without People & Family’s like the Gonzmarts, a family I call friends! Richard Gonzmart, Andrea Gonzmart Williams, Casey Gonzmart Jr  

#BreakfastWithAnExecutive #Leadership #FamilyBusiness #ColumbiaRestaurant #CentreClub #TampaBay #ExecutiveInsights #LegacyLeadership Aakash M. Patel, Elevate Inc.

Truly will miss my friend Stephen Segundo! Well  said Brian K. Hanrahan

It is with profound sadness that I share the passing of Stephen Segundo  - husband, father, son, brother, and a dear friend to me and so many others in the Tampa Bay community.

Steve was larger than life - always there for everyone, bringing energy, loyalty, humor, and heart into every room he entered.  Whether you knew him for years or met him briefly, his impact was undeniable and his friendship unforgettable.  He will be missed beyond explanation by myself and countless others who were fortunate enough to know him.  

Steve passed away unexpectedly on January 9, 2026 at the age of 57, leaving behind his beloved wife, Joanna, and their sons, Max and Simon, as well as his siblings and extended family.  

Celebration of Life:
Friday, January 23, 2026
4:00 PM
University of Tampa, Vaughn Center - 9th Floor
(Parking available at Thomas Garage)  

Please join me in honoring Steve’s life, his legacy of friendship, and the joy he brought to so many.  My heart goes out to his family and all who loved him.

Love ya man! 🤗 

Obituary- https://lnkd.in/eS9qmMGj

UTampa Board of Fellows, University of Tampa Board of Counselors, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, ACG Tampa Bay, United States Military Academy at West Point

#HelpingOurCity #ElevateTampa

Lindsay Griffin 
Jane Castor 
Nichole Lancaster 
Bryan Griffin 
Jason Dougherty, MA, EFO, CFO, FSEDI,  MIFireE 
Robert Henriquez 
Allen Greene II
Christine Bradley Miller 
Stephanie Smith

Elevate President Aakash M. Patel at the Gasparilla Parade with Mayor Jane Castor, and Elevate clients Bob Henriquez, CFA Hillsborough County Property Appraiser, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Chief Dougherty, & Envision—showing up for community, civic leadership, and one of Tampa’s most iconic traditions. ⚓️🎉
#HelpingOurCity #ElevateTampa

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The Battle

Mark Parker

Aakash Patel

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taplio

The Battle

Mark Parker

Aakash Patel

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Aakash Patel's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreAakash Patel's LinkedIn Performance