Our 2023 Impact Through Project V5

After 14 hours of paddling 80+ grueling miles across the Gulf Stream, Campus Security Specialist Ryan Goodwin and Low Voltage Production Supervisor Chris Fahrney completed the Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis and raised more than $18,000 for the Piper’s Angels Foundation, which raises awareness for the more than 30,000 Americans who suffer from the life-threatening lung disorder.   

All in good fun, our Power Design team members battled it out in a little friendly competition — The Games  —  all in the name of charity. From field obstacle games to puzzles and more, we donated more than $44,000 to local charities across Tampa Bay. See for yourself how this fierce competition came to be, and who took home the grand prize to their team's charity.

In the name of fun in honor of The Games, our winning team took home more than $15,000 and donated it to the American Cancer Society’s Tampa Hope Lodge. Hope Lodge communities offer a home away from home for people facing cancer and their caregivers when cancer treatment is far away. Our winning team took a trip to our backyard of Tampa, FL to attend the dedication of the brand-new Power Design suite so patients and their families have a comfortable place to stay while receiving treatment. 

Welcome home, Cole Family! Various Power Design team members, including our very own CFO Heather Ford, put their hard hats on to help build a home for a family in need through Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties. More than 400 volunteer hours later, including our first ever Women’s Build, we helped bring the dream of homeownership to life for the Cole Family. 

This year, we added magic to our skillset at Power Design.  In partnership with Make-A-Wish, we granted a wish to a 7-year-old boy battling Leukemia named Jonathon. Our people rallied behind him and many other Wish Kids at the Make-a-Wish Walk for Wishes in Tampa, Florida, and helped the Tampa Bay community raise more than $157,000, to help grant many more wishes in the future.  

 For many parents, it’s a dream to send their child to college — Power Design helps make that possible for extended members of employees through our Rise High Scholarship Program. The scholarship program gives current employees and their dependents the opportunity to apply for the scholarship which helps alleviate the financial burden college can be on families. Find out how much was given away this year and how this will help students continue their education through Rise High.

For the ninth year, we partnered with the Humane Society SPCA of Tampa Bay, to bring the sweetest puppy and kitten snuggles to the GRID, introducing: Snuggle Delivery. Whether employees were looking for a break from their desk or were ready to bring home a new furry friend, this snuggle opportunity was great for both the employee and the well-being of the animals. Each year, Power Design waives the adoption fees for Clear the Shelters Month — this year, eight puppies and five kittens found their fur-ever homes.  

Power Design hit the street with passion throughout the year at different walks, all for a good cause.  

Walking with PRIDE!  

We helped take over Downtown Saint Petersburg over the summer to walk in the annual Pride parade. From throwing beads to parading through the streets, we held our Power Design banner proudly — letting community members know that they belong here, and they too belong at Power Design. Hear from our very own #PDIFamily on what this Pride walk meant to them. 

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer:

In October, we partnered with the American Cancer Society in sponsoring the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. But we didn’t go at it alone —breast cancer is a disease that affects many families at Power Design including this year's Men Wear Pink 2023 Top Fundraiser and our very own Chief Operating Officer Joe Micallef. We were also joined by a special guest and our go-to PGA Tour pro, Wyndham Clark, who lost his mother to breast cancer. We’re proud that more than 100 Power Design employees teamed up to walk and donate more than $12,000 to continue Fighting the Fight Together.

Taking It to HEART!

The American Heart Association has taken heart disease and stroke prevention into their own hands. This year, our new Vice President of Mechanical Jason Heffelmire led the charge at the Heart Walk to help raise awareness and donations for those affected. Jason walked for his grandfather, one of the first patients to have a quadruple bypass at Emory University Hospitals. "I've never been part of anything as special as PDI and their commitment to making a difference," Heffelmire said.  Knowing that Power Design supports an initiative so close to his heart has made him feel right at home alongside #PDIFamily. 

We're in This, Together:

We gathered in downtown St. Petersburg during the Out of the Darkness Walk to raise awareness and show support to those who have lost loved ones. Through making bracelets and new friendships, the community gathered around one another to show love and friendships to strangers, new friends, and co-workers. To help raise awareness and support the cause, click here for more information. 

Throughout the fall, we had some extra special visitors join us on the GRID: students from Pinellas and Hillsborough County School systems who are part of the Junior Achievement Program. It was an opportunity to have leaders of the organization show the students around campus, introduce them to different departments, and educate them about the other paths to success aside from a four-year college degree, like apprenticeship! Junior Achievement is a program that helps bridge the gap for students between what they learn in the classroom, and the real world, check it out.  

We’re proud to share that for the first time in company history we’ve hit the billion-dollar revenue mark — all thanks to our people and their dedication to making Power Design the industry’s most trusted partner. We celebrated our people and this milestone Vegas-style at our Billion Dollar Bash where we played casino-style games in the name of 15 charities, including our top three winners: Instruments 4 Life, SPCA Tampa Bay, and American Cancer Society.