About GTBACP
The Greater Tampa Bay Chapter of The Association of Continuity Professionals ("GTBACP") is a non-profit, mutual benefit association of business professionals who are responsible for, or participate in, contingency planning, disaster recovery, crisis management and/or business resumption planning. Greater Tampa Bay Chapter is an authorized operating entity of the Association of Continuity Professionals (a.k.a. - ACP).
Our members speak on why you should become a member of the ACP - YouTube
ACP-Tampa Bay Mission Statement
The mission of the GTBACP is to provide leadership and education in contingency planning, business continuity, and disaster recovery.
The GTBACP is dedicated to building a coalition of contingency planners that will:
Promote awareness in the community of the benefits and need for contingency planning.
Work with industry and government to assist in the overall promotion and direction of contingency planning (disaster recovery) in the Tampa Bay area.
History of GTBACP
In the summer of 1997, Tami Smyrski, who was the contingency planner for Raymond James, organized an informal meeting of other contingency planners in the Bay area to explore the interest in forming a formal organization. They met once or twice more before she resigned her position. Bay Area Contingency Planners Coalition (BACPC) was adopted as the group's name. Karen Haider took over the contingency planner position in February of 1998 and inherited her notes and mailing list.
Meetings continued throughout 1998; officers were elected in April of 1998. After considering affiliating with ACP, the group decided to organize formally as a nonprofit organization, which was accomplished in the summer of 1998. In 1999 BACPC joined the Association of Continuity Planners and changed its name to the Greater Tampa Bay Chapter of ACP (GTBACP) and Jim Serina of TECO was elected as President of GTBACP.
Today, the GTBACP has more than 75 members, representing a diverse group of businesses and industries in the Tampa Bay Area. We hold monthly meetings with a focus on education. Meeting topics range from tours of the National Weather Service in Ruskin and the Pinellas County EOC to roundtable discussions about standards and guidelines within the business continuity management industry.
Contact Us
Greater Tampa Bay Association of Continuity Professionals
P.O. Box 26081
Tampa, FL 33623
2023 Officers and Directors

Secretary - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Director of Programs - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Director of Communications - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sponsors
We have several new sponsorship and speaking opportunities available. If you, or anyone you know, has an interest in sponsoring and supporting GTBACP, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The cost of an annual sponsorship is $500.
Sponsor Benefits Include:
- Sponsors logo will be placed in the GTBACP newsletter and on the Chapter website.
- Sponsor will be recognized at each monthly member meeting (virtually or in-person), when held. Chapter meetings are not held in December.
- Sponsorship fee will allow up to two (2) meeting attendees (ACP members or non-members) from the sponsor organization at no additional cost for one (1) meeting. Any additional sponsor attendees who are not ACP members will be charged at the visitor rate. The first time guest policy does not apply.
- Sponsor will be given ten (10) minutes prior to one (1) chapter meeting to speak or present to the membership about the company’s products and/or services, and/or share their company’s experiences with the group.
- For in-person meetings, a table will be set up for the sponsor for one (1) meeting to set up literature, flyers, etc. Sponsor can have giveaways/tchotchkes for the attendees (We can’t give you a list of attendees, but you can collect business cards for a giveaway.)