Skål Club of Tampa Bay         
International Association of Travel & Tourism Professionals
Founded September 25, 1959
Happiness, Good Health, Friendship, Long Life, Skål

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History of Skål Tampa Bay

 

 
Our club was officially chartered as Club No. 184 "Florida West Coast Skål Club" on September 25, 1959.
 
Our Founding Officers and Members were:
   
President HILL, C. E. St. Petersburg Limousine Service
Vice-President GEHLSEN, Jim Trans-Canada Air Lines
Secretary BEARCE, Jim Southeastern Alsonett Resorts
Treasurer MENGEL, Jack Continental Travels
     
Member BEVIS, Wayne Eastern Air Lines
Member BUTLER, Roland Hill Tours
Member CARMICHAEL, V. ASA International Airlines
Member CHRISTOPHER, Scott Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce
Member HAYNES, Bob Francke Travel Bureau
Member HUGHEY, J. C. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Member HUNT, Ed Fort Harrison Hotel
Member KEPPIE, Ron Keppie Travel Bureau
Member KIRBY, Al Tamiami Trailways
Member MCKAY, Bob National Airlines
Member ROBSON, Herb Tampa Travel Service
Member SWALM, Tod Chamber of Commerce
Member WIGGINS, Art Northeast Airlines
Member WIGGINS, Fred Seaboard Air Line Railroad
   

Here are some pictures from the early years:

 

 


A new Skål Chapter known as the Florida West Coast Skål Club was officially activated at the Ft. Harrison Hotel, Clearwater, September 25, 1959 by vice-president of North American Skål Council, Charles K. Lawson.

Newly elected officers of the club are:

C. E. Hill, President, Hill’s Travel Service, St. Petersburg;

James Gehlsen, Vice President, Trans-Canada Air Lines, Tampa;

Jack Mengel, Treasurer, Continental Travel, Lakeland;

James Bearce, Secretary, Southeastern Alsonett Hotels, St. Petersburg.

Club members are from Clearwater, Tampa, Lakeland, Sarasota and St. Petersburg.

Picture (L to R) Jim Gehlsen, Jack Mengel, C. E. “Pappy” Hill, Chuck Lawson and Jim Bearce
 

 

 
     


Our 1962 Tampa Bay Officers

Left to right are:

Al Kirby, Jim Gehlsen, Ro Butler, Fred Wiggins, Jack Mengel (President),
Wayne Bevis, Harry Vandervort and Bill Sheeley.
 

 

 
     

Back in 1963, there was a dress code. Has it improved over the years??

 

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