Bud Elias
Mr. Elias founded the Advantage Group in 1979 after a distinguished
insurance career with industry leaders Marsh McLennan, Washington
National Insurance Company and the William Mercer Company.
Mr. Elias received a bachelor’s degree from the University
of Illinois and a master’s degree from Southern Illinois
University. He served as a Ford Foundation Intern in the
Illinois State Legislature and as a consultant to the Illinois
Budgetary Commission and the Commission of Spanish Speaking
Affairs.
An active member of the community, Mr. Elias is a graduate
of Leadership St. Petersburg and Leadership Pinellas.
He served as president of Leadership Pinellas and is past
chairman of the board and current board member of the Suncoast
YMCA. He is the immediate past chairman of the board
of the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce and is president
of his homeowners association. He is past chairman
of the board of governors of the Countryside Country Club,
charter member of the East Lake Rotary Club, a member of
the Pinellas County Economic Development Council, past board
member of the Florida Prostate Cancer Education Network
and a City of Clearwater’s “Friends of the Phillies”
committee member. Mr. Elias was selected as “Mr. Countryside”
in 1999 and is involved in the Sigma Chi alumni association
and serves as a Sunday school teacher at the Heritage Methodist
Church.
