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Crowd Marks 50 Years Of Service

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 10, 2007

PLANT CITY - Some people who love to stay busy are fortunate enough to find a career that suits them perfectly, and an employer that never wants them to say goodbye.
Johnny Dean Page, a Tampa Electric Co. employee and consultant since 1957, was lucky enough to find such a job. And about 200 of his friends, family members and co-workers were on hand Sept. 27 to celebrate the longtime community leader's 50-year anniversary with TECO.

Page started with TECO as a warehouseman in 1957, and became a meter reader covering all of eastern Hillsborough County, from the Polk County line, west to U.S. 301.

'Johnny has been a teacher, mentor, counselor and friend to many people in this room,' TECO President and Chief Executive Officer John Ramil said. 'When Johnny started with the company he was making $272 each month. He might not know it, but he is recently making a lot more than that. But I don't believe Reba Page's wife for the last 53 years has told him yet.'

Page and his family sat center-front at the Red Rose Inn and Suite's Red Rose Ballroom as friends and co-workers took turns at the microphone bragging and joking about the Johnny Dean Page they knew.

Ramil noted how Page is known for his community service, how he served in the Army National Guard for 32 years, rising from a private to sergeant major, the highest noncommissioned rank available, before retiring. He also said Page has been with the Tampa Sports Authority for 16 years, and is committed there through 2009. Page was chairman of the authority when Raymond James Stadium was funded for construction.

He also served as president of the Florida Strawberry Festival and has served on that board for the past 20 years.

'Johnny is an outstanding individual and continues to be a credit to Plant City and Tampa Electric Co.,' Ramil said.

The guests included state Rep. Rich Glorioso, Hillsborough County Commission chairman Jim Norman, Plant City Mayor Rick Lott, county Commissioners Mark Sharpe and Al Higginbotham, Sheriff David Gee, former mayors Randy Larson, Bill Dodson, John Dicks and Mike Sparkman and City Commissioner Dan Raulerson.

Initially rumored to be a retirement party, Ramil let it be known that although 5,000 TECO employees miss seeing Page on a frequent basis, and are excited for him, 'we are going to keep you involved. We aren't going to let you go away,' he said.

Page, a Plant City resident, has volumes of memories from his career with TECO, he said.

'I've worked with five CEOs in my time with the company,' Page said.

His titles have included Plant City district manager and vice president of community and governmental affairs. He retired as a full-time employee in December 2003.

Immediately, the company hired Page as a consultant with the same responsibilities he had as vice president.

'As a consultant, I work in the governmental relations department that I helped create several years ago,' Page said. 'Our goal is to get the community, the company, other industries and the local and state governments on the same page. I have been blessed by working with and getting to know some wonderful people.'

Former TECO chief executive Jerry Anderson said he knows from experience that Page's strengths on and off the job involve knowing people, working as a team player and his ability to combine leadership with ability and integrity.

TECO Vice President Tom Hernandez said Page has an uncanny ability to balance the needs of the company and its employees.

'Johnny makes everyone feel he was representing their position, no matter what the cause. And he was,' Hernandez said. 'But in the end it was always customer, customer, customer, and they knew it.'

When Page took the stage, his comments were short and directly to the point.

'It's 8:30 and past my bedtime,' Page quipped.

He thanked his wife, calling her the love of his life. He recognized his granddaughter, Page Anna Dykes, who bore his first great-grandchild, and thanked all the people he has met over the years.

'I don't want to name anyone because there have been so many,' Page said. 'But you really know how to make a person feel special. And I appreciate all of you for being here tonight.'

B.M. 'Mac' Smith, a longtime friend, said Page is dedicated to everything he gets involved in.

'It matters not what it is, from golf, exercising, family or work, Johnny likes what he does and is good at it.'

'They couldn't have done better by me or my family,' Page said after the 50-year celebration. 'They made me and my family feel very special to be so honored.'

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451 or gnewman@tampatrib.com.

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