Bio

Tampa Bay means everything to Arnie Bellini. It was here that he co-founded ConnectWise and created the vision that made the company the area’s only “unicorn.” It was also here, in his own backyard, a chance encounter with a panther opened his eyes to wildlife preservation. The area is now the target of his pay-it-forward philanthropy, the latest chapter in his story of headline-making milestones. Arnie combines a penchant for pioneering — he played a central role in giving rise to the industry of managed service providers — with feats of tenacity — he spent 16 hours swimming across the English Channel. Lately, he took the lead on creating an 18-million acre statewide wildlife corridor — and won the ear of Gov. DeSantis who signed the $200-million landmark bill