Patrick Gardner Speaks at Chamber Lunceon

Dr. Patrick Gardner, of Draper Bioengineering Labs, was the guest speaker at the 's February Luncheon, which was sponsored by the Tampa Bay Business Journal and took place at the .

Gardner told chamber members about Draper Bioengineering Labs, a Cambridge, MA-based business with a center at the . Draper is a non-profit research and development laboratory that employs nearly 1,400 people nationwide.

"Most of what we do is in the research and development area for the federal government," Gardner explained.

"We're excited about the growth we're going to see in the Tampa Bay area," he added.

Also during the luncheon:

• Chamber President Phil Lentsch, of , said he will be at the corner of 56th Street and Fowler Avenue at 4 p.m. on Friday wearing USF gear and waving signs to support USF in the wake of reports that the institution is .
• Member David Long, of , said the chamber's at was successful and the chamber is planning another social at the same location on April 26.
• Barbara Sparks-McGlinchy, executive director of the chamber, reminded members that the will take place Feb. 17, and there will be a  networking event on Feb. 20. She also said the new Beef 'O' Brady's will open in the location on Feb. 27.