Dr. Peter Betzer Ph.D. President and CEO,
St Petersburg Downtown Partnership

A former Professor, Chairman, and Dean of the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida, Dr. Peter Betzer’s passion for furthering oceanic research has carried over to his current position as President and CEO of the St Petersburg Downtown Partnership.

After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island in 1971, Betzer has gone on to receive numerous awards and recognition for not only his work in the fields of Oceanography & Marine Science, but also for helping pioneer developments in education, business, and technological research in St Petersburg.

Recently, he helped bring SRI International, the Silicon Valley-based research heavyweight, to the downtown area. SRI’s new Marine Technology Program, established in association with USF’s College of Marine Science, in turn helped attract Draper Laboratory, another high-profile engineering and research firm, to St Petersburg. These advanced technology groups have helped facilitate not only the creation of many high-paying jobs, but also the revitalization and revamping of our energy systems, our K-12 school systems, and further collaboration among the many companies, organizations, and schools in the area.

To learn more about Dr. Betzer and the St Petersburg Downtown Partnership, visit www.stpetepartnership.org.