Thrive
Habitat begins 2026 CEO Build
This year’s project will benefit Tyshawnna Wesley and her family.
Local CEOs and presidents have come together to support an annual Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside build since 2022.
This year’s project benefits the Wesley family. Community leaders participated in their first build day Jan. 16.
More than 95 individuals have signed up to join the initiative. These include executives from the St. Petersburg Economic Development Corporation, SmartChoice Communications, Achieva Credit Union, Evara Health and Creative Contractors.
Additionally, approximately $250,000 was raised to construct the home.
“I think it gives them the opportunity to kind of get their hands dirty a little bit and give back while also learning about the Habitat program,” said the organization’s president and CEO Mike Sutton. “We’re really working to try to be an organization that businesses can rely on to help anchor their employees in the community.”
He explained that participating in the CEO Build can help leaders see the impact of Habitat’s work “firsthand.” This can encourage them to “open their doors up to allow us to come in and talk to their employees about the program.”
The Wesley family is the perfect example, Sutton added. Tyshawnna Wesley is an endocrinology representative at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.
Talent retention is a serious local issue.
“It reduces that fear of people moving out of the region. We keep seeing people who are getting priced out of our community.”
A “significant” number of individuals are being forced to leave the state, Sutton continued. This is impacting healthcare, schools and the hospitality industry.
“We’re not just putting a band-aid on it and providing someone an affordable place to live temporarily,” he explained. “These folks are purchasing these homes from Habitat with a 0% interest mortgage and it’s going to ensure they have a place to live for the long term.”
From left, Solace Insurance CEO Bob Childress and Citizens Bank Florida president Jim Weiss working on the 2026 CEO Build.
The 2026 build home, in the Ridgecrest neighborhood in Largo, is about 1,500 square feet. It will feature four bedrooms and two baths.
Three more build days are scheduled until the end of February. The Wesley family should be able to relocate to their new home by March, Sutton added.
Tyshawnna will be moving in with her husband Andre and their four sons, Chayse, Avion, Ashton and Adrian.
“Our children deserve a space where they can grow up feeling safe, secure and with the room to express themselves,” she explained in a prepared statement. “I am building because I want to provide a better life for my kids – a place to grow, heal and thrive.”
Since launching the CEO Build, Habitat has constructed five homes, he said. Additionally, it has collectively raised over $1 million. More than 140 CEOs and community leaders have participated in the program.
“For most of these folks, it’s easy for them to write a check,” Sutton explained. “For them to roll up their sleeves and go to work alongside other community leaders, it really speaks volumes to their focus and dedication to our community.”
To learn more about the CEO Build, visit this link.
