Third Thursday takes place February 19, 2026, from 5:30 to 8:30 PM, featuring Dr. Robert Patterson, Freddy Williams, and moderator Taylor Maguire. This month’s theme, “From Potential to Power: How Community Leaders Are Building the Next Generation of Talent,” centers on how leaders across Tampa Bay are creating pathways for youth and future professionals.
The unique networking platform known as “Third Thursdays” is entering its fifth year as one of Tampa Bay’s most popular gatherings, with its next “social fireside chat” happening February 19, 2026. The bimonthly event has become a space for emerging African American leaders and entrepreneurs to connect directly with experienced executives and decision-makers.
Founded by Michael Smith, Business Banking Market Executive for Tampa’s Fifth Third Bank, the series brings together professionals from finance, development, and community organizations to discuss what leadership looks like beyond titles and job descriptions. Next week’s gathering in Tampa is themed, “From Potential to Power,” and centers on helping young professionals move from talent to action.
“One of the most significant gaps is meaningful access, access to decision-makers, lived experience, and spaces where leadership is demystified,” Smith said. “Many young leaders are equipped with knowledge, yet lack proximity to people who can translate that knowledge into real-world application.”
That lack of proximity is what Third Thursdays aims to address.
While traditional systems provide technical training, the event focuses on exposure and perspective. Panelists speak about the realities of leadership, including responsibility, resilience, and decision-making under pressure. The goal is to provide insight that cannot always be gained in a classroom or corporate setting.
“The journey from potential to power is ultimately about activation,” Smith said. “Today’s young leaders possess extraordinary talent, but many are navigating a landscape without visibility into what leadership truly looks like in practice.”
For African American entrepreneurs and professionals, visibility and access play a meaningful role in shaping confidence and direction. When leaders reflect similar lived experiences, leadership feels less distant and more within reach.
“Community leaders provide wisdom, context, and nuance,” Smith said. “These conversations offer insight into resilience and responsibility, lessons that can only be learned through lived experience.”
The panel will touch on adaptability, emotional intelligence, and what it means to lead with purpose. Organizers note that leadership is developed through relationships and service, not simply through position or power.
If a young professional attends unsure of their next move, Smith hopes they leave with clarity.
“I want them to leave believing that their voice has value, their perspective matters, and their future is not defined by circumstance,” he said. “Leadership is a journey they are already qualified to begin.”
For more information about Third Thursdays or to attend, visit the registration link. Additional details are available by calling 813-203-6220.
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