UT Vice President Linda Devine Named A Business Woman of the Year

Linda Devine, vice president of operations and planning at The University of Tampa, was named 2011 BusinessWoman of the Year in the education category by the Tampa Bay Business Journal (TBBJ).

Devine was honored at a black-tie event on Friday night, Aug. 19, held at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg. There were 52 finalists and seven other category winners, who were chosen for the designation by an independent panel of judges. This year's finalists were chosen from a record pool of 360 nominations.

“For 30 years Linda Devine has been a committed member of the UT and Tampa communities,” said Ronald Vaughn, president of The University of Tampa. “Linda has been involved with nearly every aspect of the University experience, and has been especially focused on assuring success for students. The award is well deserved.”

Devine has been a part of UT since 1981, and has served in such positions as dean of students, assistant to the president, director of residence life, and director of student activities. She most recently oversaw UT’s successful fifth-year accreditation review with its accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and was program chair of the 2010 SACS annual meeting.

Devine is an alumnus of Leadership Tampa. She is a board member and chair-elect of Frameworks of Tampa Bay, Inc., and has served as a director for the Tampa Workforce Alliance board. She is past president of Athena Society and is involved with the Tampa Rotary.

Devine received her bachelor’s degree at Ashland College, master’s degree at Bowling Green University and doctoral degree in educational leadership at the University of South Florida.

TBBJ has recognized outstanding businesswomen in the Tampa Bay area since 2004. Maryann Ferenc, chief executive officer and proprietor of Mise en Place restaurant in Tampa, was named the overall 2011 BusinessWoman of the Year winner.