James Shimberg

This fund honors James H. Shimberg, who has established a reputation as a spokesman for the housing industry. A life director of the National Association of Home Builders, Shimberg has played a prominent role in the Florida industry since 1959, and his influence on the legal and literal landscape of west central Florida is tremendous.

After graduating from law school, Shimberg was admitted to the New York bar. He practiced in New York City with a small firm specializing in securities and real estate. Shimberg opened his own firm in 1955, primarily representing home builders. When his largest client moved to Tampa in 1957, Shimberg and his wife, Amy, followed suit. He was admitted to the Florida bar, and by the early 1960s he became a principal in development and home-building firms.

Throughout the years, Shimberg and his associates have built nearly 10,000 homes in the Tampa area. He is actively involved with the Shimberg-Cross Company, the largest developer of single-family residential lots in Tampa. For Shimberg, the concept of building communities lies much deeper than the construction of houses. The population and building boom in the region have engendered complex challenges: environmental impact, community planning and the tension between rapid growth and quality of life.