Top Fathers Have Common Advice

By ANDRIY R. PAZUNIAK The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jun 9, 2007

TAMPA - Dads often get attention more for their failures than their successes, Glenda Berry laments. The once honorable title often appears in news reports these days alongside the description "deadbeat."

The Tampa Bay area American Diabetes Association, where Berry is executive director, wants to help polish the image of dads - and raise $100,000 for the group's cause - by holding up six of them as examples of what's good about fatherhood.

The association will present its third annual Father of the Year award winners during a fundraising dinner tonight. It's one of 18 dinners being held nationwide by the American Diabetes Association and the national Father's Day Council.

"Our organization wanted to do something to recognize fathers simply for the fact that even with the hallmark holiday, they aren't celebrated to the same extent as mothers," Berry said. "It's a great opportunity to recognize men in a positive way and the role models they are being for their children."

This year's honorees include a Hall of Fame football player, a state representative and a local real estate mogul. All six represent the balance today's fathers need to find between their home lives and professional careers.

Honoree Ron Weisser has more to balance than many.

As president of Lindell Properties in Tampa, Weisser, 58, oversees real estate development projects nationwide. A Harbour Island resident, Weisser is the father of four grown children and grandfather of eight.

He's been married twice. His wife, Debra, and his first wife, Christine, spend every holiday together in Tampa and often share breakfast Saturday mornings.

"We all enjoy each other, and the two mothers get along great," Weisser said. "My first wife told me one day, "'I enjoy Debra much more than I enjoy you.'"

A second-generation real estate developer, Weisser is grooming his successor: his son, Jack, who shares his office in West Tampa.

Here's a look at the other fathers who will be honored, all chosen through a process that included community nominations, screening by a committee and interviews with friends and family.

Norm Stein, CEO of University Community Health Services

Father of four grown children who all live in the Tampa Bay area, Stein, 62, recently celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary the same day his second grandson was born.

The key to success for any father, Stein said, is to find a constant balance between work and home.

"Work's important, but what you're working for is your family," Stein said. "You should never lose perspective of that."

State Rep. Trey Traviesa, R-Tampa

For many state lawmakers, one of the most difficult times comes when they leave their homes and families to head to Tallahassee for the 60-day legislative session.

Traviesa and his family have found a way to make it easier.

"We move in a pack," said Traviesa, 37. His wife, Nina, and their two daughters - Alexa, 7, and Amelia, 5 - joined their dad in Tallahassee this spring for his fourth two-month session there.

Traviesa takes his daughters to school every morning and comes home at night to be with them.

"With the support of my wife, we really tried to involve my children in everything that I'm doing," Traviesa said. "It's a blessing for me, and for them - they love it. It's an adventure."

Lee Roy Selmon, president of USF Foundation Partnership for Athletics

He played eight Hall of Fame seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Selmon, 53, said he always enjoyed being a spectator, as well.

A father of three, Selmon said he and his wife, Claybra, tried to attend every one of their children's sporting events, from youth soccer to high school basketball games.

"My wife and I just kind of built our lives around them," Selmon said. "We made sure to be there to support them, but we enjoyed it."

It wasn't just sporting events that kept the family close, but vacation road trips, traveling to different charitable events and "just hanging out" at home.

"Realize you're a team," Selmon advised.

Gus Lloyd, host of "Seize the Day" on Sirius Satellite Radio

A father of four, Lloyd is known by a different title to his two sons: "Coach."

"I've been their coach every time they played on a team," Lloyd said. His sons have tried just about every sport, except hockey.

As host of the nationally broadcast "Seize the Day" on Sirius satellite radio, Lloyd, 46, works from home, which - along with his coaching duties - is in keeping with his five-word motto on fatherhood: "Be there for your kids."

Steve Weiss, allergist

Growing up surrounded by 300 family members in his hometown of Gary, Ind., Weiss learned early the importance of family.

"I grew up in an environment where I thought everyone was some sort of relative," Weiss said. "It felt like you were part of something bigger than your immediate family."

Now, as a father of four, Weiss said he tries to instill the same values in his children.

"Family always comes first, and career always comes second," said Weiss, 57, who practices medicine in Clearwater.

Home state pride has brushed off on Weiss' children as well. His three daughters are alumni of the University of Florida, and his son, Max, is a junior at the university.

Reporter Andriy R. Pazuniak can be reached at (813) 259-7827 or apazuniak@tampatrib.com.