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Bringing A 'Small-Town' Feel To CABA

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By SEAN C. LEDIG, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 12, 2007

CARROLLWOOD - Like her fellow Hoosier John Mellencamp, Kim Rothman likes to sing the praises of small-town life.

In fact, it was the 'small-town feel' of the Carrollwood Area Business Association that inspired the Salem, Ind., native to join. It's also what keeps her as a member and what inspired her to run for president. Rothman took over as president in July.

'About four years ago, I went to our first CABA meeting,' said Rothman, marketing director for the Rothman Law Offices. 'Just right away I felt like it was such a great networking group. I felt everyone really tries to do business together. It has a real small-town feel.'

The Rothman Law Offices, at 14497 N. Dale Mabry Highway, is a full-service law firm founded by Rothman's husband, Mark. Originally a radiological technician and an owner of two MRI centers, she gave it up in 2002 to spend more time at home.

Because she spent so much time marketing and promoting medical imaging technologies, she decided to put that experience to work for her husband's firm.

Mark Rothman said mutual respect is the key to maintaining a good professional and personal relationship.

'One of the reasons this works so well is that we respect what each other does for this business,' he said.

Having Kim Rothman serve as the CABA president gives them a chance to thank those who have helped them in the past, Mark Rothman said.

'It gives us a chance to give back to Carrollwood,' he said. 'After all, Carrollwood has been good to our business.'

Although CABA recently broke the 500 mark for members, Rothman said it's important to her to keep things intimate among the members, especially the newer ones.

'In a small-town, small business owners focus on doing everything together,' Rothman said. 'We really do that because everything we do is there. I think it's important to make new members feel that right away.'

To do this, she is proposing the creation of a Newcomers Club and a Newcomers Team, to help new members feel at home and keep them plugged into what CABA is doing.

'The Newcomers Team is a group of CABA members who volunteer for that committee,' she said. 'They will organize lunches and focus on various committees to help the new members get to know each other,' she said.

Dawn Hudson, CABA executive vice president, said Rothman's marketing skills will be a definite asset.

'She brings a lot of grace,' Hudson said of Rothman. 'She's a very personable woman. She's had a lot of experience with business and networking; she's familiar with the Carrollwood area and she knows how to make people feel comfortable and welcome.'

Reporter Sean C. Ledig can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or sledig@tampatrib.com.

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