Tokar named Professional of the Year

Stella Tokar: Chamber Professional of the Year,
Named by Florida Association of Chamber Professionals.

 

Leadership, enthusiasm, and inspiring; all words that colleagues, family and friends have used to describe Stella Tokar.   The Florida Association of Chamber Professionals exists to be a support and professional development organization for those who have chosen to follow a career path in the chamber industry.  Not only did Stella find herself joining this organization to grow her professional knowledge and understanding of the industry when she was hired as the President and CEO of the MPPRCC in 2001 but within her first few years in her new role she was tapped to be part of the leadership of FACP as a board of director and was termed out of office when she left the board.

 

Public service and "people" have always been Stella's guiding passions for living life.  Her passions are to make her community and church a better place and to assist others in realizing their full potential, professionally, spiritually and personally.  But she understood that this could not take place at the expense of her family and while raising her children, before beginning her own professional career, Stella was the consummate "soccer mom;" shuffling her children between school, sports programs, the ARTS, dance classes, church activities, officer’s wives club, Navy Relief Society and other extracurricular events. She always found herself being invited to serve in a leadership role no matter where she spent her time.

 

PTA elected her as a voting delegate for the state conferences in the 70’s and 80’s with leaders such as Ross Perot and Tipper Gore.  That activity eventually opened the doors to her working in State House of Maryland for offices of Goldwater and Shriver, eventually leading to the House Majority Leader and Senate President Offices.   Her path led her in and out of Washington DC and finally followed her military officer husband to South Florida, where she secured her position as the CEO and President of the Miramar Pembroke Pines Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2001.   Here she led the organization from bankruptcy and dysfunction to the thriving organization it is today.

 

As President/CEO of the Miramar Pembroke Pines Regional Chamber of Commerce, Stella transformed a struggling organization into what is recognized today as a model Chamber of Commerce for the State of Florida.  She led the cultural and organization transformation of the MPPR COC into a fiscally sound and professionally reputable organization.  As Stella's reputation for professional excellence grew, other local agencies and institutions began to solicit her involvement.

·       Florida Association of Chamber Professionals Board of Director 2004-2010

·       Florida State Chamber of Commerce Legislative Advisory Council

·       Past Chair of the Broward County Council of Chambers

·       Chairwoman of the Board for Broward Days for 2009-10

·       Broward Days Executive Board and Past Chairwoman of the Board

·       United States Chamber of Commerce Institute Class President

·       "Women of Tomorrow" Mentor

·        Economic Development Board for the City of Miramar and City of Pembroke Pines

·       American Business Women's Association

·       Broward Alliance Board Member

 

Stella's professional recognitions and awards include in part:

·       2011 Chamber Professional of the Year, Florida Association of Chamber Professionals

·       “Illuminary” 2011 Award for Hispanic Unity of South Florida

·       100 Most Influential Women in Broward County -2010

·       Biltmore Women in Leadership Recipient – 2010

·       Economic Development Leadership Award- Broward Alliance- 2009

·       Hispanic Woman of Distinction for South Florida- 2007

·       March of Dimes Woman of Distinction Award for South Florida- 2006

·       Business CEO of the Year Finalist, South Florida Business Journal – 2005

·       Dale Carnegie Highest Award for Achievement – 2003

·       International "Who's Who" of Professional Management-2002

·       American Business Women's Association "Spirit of Excellence" Award – 2001

·       Pinnacle Award from the 2000 Southwest Broward Regional Chamber of Commerce

·       US Naval Award for Founding the “TSP” Spouse Support Group – First in the Country of the USA

·       Assistant Teacher of the Year – 1994-5

 

Most recently, Stella is proud to be one of the newest entrepreneurial woman business owners in South Florida as she gets ready to launch her own consulting, training and coaching business.   After many invitations to take a more strategic role with businesses, organizations, and individuals, Stella has decided to offer her services more strategically.

Stella has been featured in the Trumpeter Magazine, Focus Magazine as a business professional, Sun Sentinel, Herald, and D. James Kennedy’s the “Power of One”.  Stella and the impact of her leadership has been the topic of many articles for the Sun Sentinel and the Herald.   She delights in being one of several hosts on TBN’s community program, “Joy in our Town”. 

Stella Tokar was born in Racine, Wisconsin, raised in the area of Findlay, Ohio, and settled in South Florida in 1997.  Stella currently serves as the President/CEO of the Miramar-Pembroke Pines Regional Chamber of Commerce, a "full service" business advocate where her motto is, "Your Business is My Business."  Stella has attended Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, Baptist Bible College, in Springfield, Missouri and University of Virginia.   She is married to Reverend / Chaplain Pete Tokar and has two children, a daughter, Sonja Denae (Tokar) Kiley and a son, Peter Tokar, III.  She also has a son-in-law, Darren Kiley and the "treasure of her life," a grandson, Austin Blake Kiley.

 “My life here on earth is just preparation for eternity and I believe that God and others are responsible for my achievements.”   ~ Stella Tokar