Craig Sher
Craig Sher is Executive Chairman of The Sembler Company of St. Petersburg, Florida. The Sembler Company is one of the country's most recognized shopping center development and management firms, responsible for over 115 major shopping center projects and over 150 freestanding retail stores since its inception. The Sembler Company is an imaginative and innovative leader in the shopping center industry and Sembler-built centers are known for their creative design and environmental integrity.
Prior to joining The Sembler Company in 1984, Sher was Vice President of Finance of the Office Building Division of the Rutenberg Corporation of Clearwater, Florida and began his career with Arthur Andersen & Co. in Chicago, Illinois.
Sher is a well-known entity in the business and civic community and actively participates in an array of roles and responsibilities:
Present Affiliations:
Sabal Company Board Member
Citizens First Trust Board Member
Ark Royal Holdings, LLC - Director
Lifestyles Family Fitness Board Member
Whitney Bank -Pinellas Advisory Board Member
Real Estate Investment Council Director
All Childrens Hospital - Board of Trustees
St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership - Board Member
Development Corp. for State of Israel Bonds Corporate Chairman - National Campaign Cabinet
Northwestern University School of Communication National Advisory Council
Pinellas County Education Foundation Board Member
University of Florida - Center for Real Estate Studies (CRES) Board Member
University of South Florida College of Business/Deans Advisory Board
Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County Advisory Board Member
Past Affiliations:
Signature Bank - Vice Chairman
St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce - 2005 Chairman
CASA Trustee; Temple Beth El President Trustee; First Central Bank Director; Jewish Federation of Pinellas County Trustee; National Conference for Community & Justice Trustee;
Tampa Bay Holocaust Museum Trustee; Live Arts Peninsula Foundation - Board Member
American Stage Theater Director; Bayfront Center Foundation Director; Bayfront Enterprises, Inc. Director; Jewish Federation of Pinellas County - Campaign Chairman; Jewish Community Center of Pinellas County Trustee; Shorecrest Preparatory School/Capital Campaign Co-chairman
In addition, Sher is the recipient of a host of awards and accolades. In 1999 was the Annual Honoree for the State of Israel Bonds. Received the prestigious 2001 "Tree of Life" award from the Jewish National Fund for his selfless humanitarian efforts in the community. Sher was honored with the 2002 Silver Medallion Humanitarian Award from NCCJ (National Conference for Community and Justice) for his continued dedication and support to NCCJ and other Bay area charitable organizations to better serve our community. In 2003, Sher was the recipient of the The West Central Florida Council Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizens Award. In 2004, Craig and Jan were honored recipients of the 10th Annual "Celebrity Celebration" award from Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services.
Recognized by the award-winning newspaper the St. Petersburg Times as one of Tampa Bay areas Top 10 business leaders in 2005.
Sher is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he received the degrees of Bachelor of Science, Masters in Communication and Masters in Management. Sher is a former Certified Public Accountant and a Florida Licensed Real Estate Broker. A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sher now lives in Seminole, Florida, where he and wife Jan have raised their three daughters; Alison, attending University of Pennsylvania; Jessica, a social worker at the Thurgood Marshall Academy in Washington, D.C.; and Stacy, a second-year University of Pennsylvania Law Student.
