USF commencement spotlights four visionary leaders advancing innovation and growth

They have strengthened international academic partnerships, expanded global exchange opportunities, made transformative philanthropic investments in USF's new College of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, advanced statewide competitiveness and resilience through decades of business-government leadership, and driven major job creation and regional growth.

This week's commencement ceremonies at the Yuengling Center celebrate more than 4,100 graduating students.

But they also honors four remarkable individuals whose contributions have elevated USF and the broader community.

On Friday, Dec. 12 at 9 a.m., Dr. Mayumi Yamamoto, an endocrinologist and global research leader, will be honored with the Global Leadership Award for her exceptional work in advancing international collaboration and cultural understanding.

On Friday, Dec. 12 at 1:30 p.m., Craig J. Richard, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, will receive the Distinguished Citizen Award for his steadfast commitment to public service, community development and civic engagement.

On Friday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m., Michael Simas, president and CEO of the Florida Council of 100, will be awarded the President's Fellow Medallion for his leadership in strengthening Florida's economic future.

On Saturday, Dec. 13 at 9 a.m., Arnie Bellini, a Tampa Bay entrepreneur and sustainability advocate whose philanthropy established USF's talent development center and its groundbreaking AI college, will receive the President's Fellow Medallion for his far-reaching impact across education, innovation and public service.

Learn more about each recipient below:

Dr. Mayumi Yamamoto - GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

Dr. Mayumi Yamamoto is a physician and researcher specializing in endocrinology and metabolism, as well as health administration. Her research focuses on the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. She earned her MD and doctoral degrees from Gifu University, Japan, and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of South Florida. She also holds an Executive MBA for Physicians from USF.Currently, Dr. Yamamoto serves as a professor in the Health Administration Center and the United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences at Gifu, and as a collaborative professor in the USF College of Public Health.

Since graduating from USF in 1998, Dr. Yamamoto has made significant contributions to the development of a formal academic partnership between USF and Gifu. As a result of her ongoing efforts, the two universities signed an agreement between USF Health and the Gifu School of Medicine in 2016, followed by a student exchange agreement in 2018.

At present, five medical students from each university participate annually in short-term clinical and research training programs. In addition, between 20 and 40 undergraduate students from the USF College of Public Health and the Judy Genshaft Honors College visit Gifu each year.

Building upon these initiatives, a university-wide agreement was signed in 2020 and was renewed in 2025.

Dr. Yamamoto has also played a key role in establishing student exchange agreements and promoting the Virtual Global Education Program. Through these continued efforts, she has greatly contributed to advancing academic collaboration and strengthening long-term educational and cultural ties between the two universities.

Craig J. Richard - DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN AWARD

Craig Richard is the President and CEO of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council. A certified economic developer, he has over two decades of economic development leadership experience in major markets such as Atlanta, Houston and Dallas.

He is a collaborative leader with strengths in marketing, business development, entrepreneurial development, workforce development, global commerce and strategic planning. Over the course of his career, Mr. Richard has announced over 432 successful projects representing more than 138,128 jobs and $10.9 billion in capital investment.

Mr. Richard earned his Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree, with a concentration in economic development, from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston. He is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma and completed executive education programs at the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University.

Mr. Richard served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the International Economic Development Council and was designated a fellow member and honorary lifetime member by the council for his contributions to the economic development profession.

He currently serves as vice chair of Film Tampa Bay, and serves on the boards of the Tampa Bay Chamber, Visit Tampa Bay, Downtown Tampa Partnership and the Straz Performing Arts Center. He was recognized as one of North America's Top 50 Economic Developers by Consultant Connect, Florida's 500 Most Influential Business Leaders by Florida Trend, Tampa Bay Business Journal Power 100, MacDill AFB Honorary Commander and is a member of Leadership Florida's - Executive Class 11.

Michael Simas - PRESIDENT'S FELLOW MEDALLION

Michael Simas is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Council of 100, an independent, nonpartisan organization of more than 200 of the state's top CEOs. The Council's mission is to research Florida's most pressing issues, convene leaders from business and government, and execute on solutions that strengthen competitiveness, infrastructure, and resilience.

Mr. Simas brings more than 20 years of experience at the intersection of business, government, and civic leadership. He previously served as Executive Vice President of the Partnership for New York City, a nonprofit coalition of more than 300 leading companies dedicated to advancing New York City's position as a global hub of economic opportunity, innovation, and upward mobility.

Following his time at the Partnership, Mr. Simas served as Chief of Staff to the Co-CEO of First Republic Bank, where he worked closely with senior leadership on strategy, operations, and client engagement. Earlier in his career, he led Northeast Government Relations for General Electric and all of its businesses.

At the Florida Council of 100, Mr. Simas has focused the organization's work on three strategic pillars: economic competitiveness, infrastructure, and resilience. This includes convening committees on housing affordability, mobility and infrastructure, and water management - as well as new initiatives such as the Gold Coast Tech Accelerator, created in partnership with eMerge Americas and Related Ross to support fintech and defense-dual-use startups.

In addition to his role at the Council, Mr. Simas serves on the Board of SelectFlorida, the state's principal organization for international trade and investment.

Mr. Simas has also held leadership roles in the private sector and was recognized by City & State Magazine as one of New York's "40 Under 40 Rising Stars."

Now based in Sarasota with his wife, Cara, and their two sons, Logan and Blake, Mr. Simas is committed to helping Florida's business and civic leaders work together to secure opportunity for future generations.

Arnie Bellini - PRESIDENT'S FELLOW MEDALLION

Arnie Bellini is a Tampa Bay businessman, technology entrepreneur and advocate of sustainability. He has led multiple initiatives in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, modernization of education and natural resource preservation.

After graduating from Tampa Catholic High School, Mr. Bellini graduated summa cum laude with an accounting degree from the University of Florida. He earned his MBA in finance, summa cum laude, from the University of South Florida.

Mr. Bellini began his career as a technology consultant with Price Waterhouse from 1981 to 1982. In 1982, he founded ConnectWise, a complete business automation platform for technology service and managed service providers. He sold the company in 2019 to a private equity firm for $1.5 billion, marking the first tech unicorn in the Tampa Bay area.

He then founded Bellini Capital, where he serves as CEO.

As part of his efforts to protect the local ecology, Mr. Bellini led the creation and passage of the 2021 Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, which designated 18 million acres as Florida's Wildlife Corridor. In 2022, he founded LiveWildly.com, a nonprofit dedicated to the balance of Florida's economy with its ecology.

The Bellinis donated $10.6 million to establish the Bellini Center for Talent Development at USF in 2022. The center provides career services, training and internships for students and connects students to job opportunities in the Tampa Bay business community. It has a 90% job placement rate for students who participate in internships.

Earlier this year, the Bellinis donated $40 million to establish the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at USF, the largest gift in the university's history. The college's curriculum addresses the growing need for cybersecurity professionals in the United States and contributes to the development of Tampa Bay's growing cybersecurity sector, positioning Tampa as "Cyber Bay." It is the first named college in the U.S. to combine both cybersecurity and AI education.