CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF JAMES ``JIM'' H. SHIMBERG -- (Extensions of Remarks - June 22, 2007)
SPEECH OF
HON. KATHY CASTOR
OF FLORIDA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2007
Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to herald the life and philanthropic contributions of James ``Jim'' H. Shimberg, and to acknowledge our pride in the communities he founded in the Tampa Bay area.
A native of Syracuse, New York, Jim Shimberg served as a First Lieutenant in World War II. After he received his degree from the University of Chicago Law School, he practiced law in New York for nearly 10 years. Jim then relocated to the Tampa, Florida area in 1958 to launch a community business. By 1983, his development of over 6,000 homes, several recreation centers, schools, and shopping centers in northwest Hillsborough County laid the foundation of the Town 'N Country community.
Jim's success in community development led him to become President of the Tampa Home Builders Association and the Florida Home Builders Association, as well as Vice President of the National Association of Home Builders. He was co-founder of the National Housing Endowment and was inducted into the National Housing Hall of Fame in 1985. After developing the Town 'N Country community, Jim served as chairman for the Hillsborough County Charter Review Board and was largely responsible for the expansion and development of eastern Hillsborough County.
The philanthropic contributions of Jim Shimberg have unquestionably improved the lives of thousands of Floridians. His dedication to the well-being of Floridians led him to found the University Community Hospital in 1968. He served as the first Chairman of the Board for 9 years, and as chair of the investment committee for the duration of his life. His commitment to providing quality health care services led him to serve as Vice-President of the Judeo Christian Health Clinic for 25 years. In addition, Jim endowed the Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing at the University of Florida in 1991, and funded the philanthropic National Endowment in Washington, DC.
As a result of his immense lifetime philanthropic contributions, Jim Shimberg was honored as Tampa's Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 2007. He and his wife, Amy Shimberg, were also honored as the 2003 Philanthropists of the Year by the Tampa Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
The Tampa community honors the life of Jim Shimberg, his wife Amy, daughters Janet and Nancy, sons Jim, Richard, and Robert, and the entire Shimberg family for their outstanding contributions to the Florida community. Jim Shimberg's life serves as an inspiration to all who knew him, and will continue to benevolently impact the lives of Floridians in the future.
