Draft:Chris Arbutine

Chris Arbutine

Chris Arbutine has been the Mayor of the city of Belleair Bluffs, Florida since 2000 and is the CEO/ President of Belleair Coins and Silver Queen located in Largo, Florida. Chis Arbutine has been referred to as a Coin World Thought Leader.

Biography

Chris Arbutine was born on Torrejón Air Base, Madrid, Spain in 1965 to his parents Art Arbutine and Patricia Arbutine. Art and Patricia would set up at local flea markets selling jewelry, coins, and odd and curious items. Upon retirement the family started Belleair Coins Inc. in 1972 and expanded to silverware, giftware and retail jewelry under the name of The Silver Queen Inc. in Largo, Florida. The businesses grew from there humble beginnings of 20,000 square feet with $15,000 in inventory to its present location that is approximately 15,000 square feet with $4,000,000 in inventory. The combined businesses currently do over $30,000,000 in sales each year.

Chris Arbutine is half owner of both companies and is CEO of the parent corporation Belleair Coins Inc. Chris has been actively buying, selling, and appraising precious metals, coins, jewelry, watches, diamonds, art work, and all sterling silver items since 1984 full time. He has traveled abroad extensively to Asia buying and selling with International dealers.Chris has lived in Belleair Bluffs, Florida since 1976 and attended the local public schools from grade school to Graduation from Largo High School Class of 1984. Chris graduated in 1988 with an A.A. degree in Business Management from St Petersburg JR College. Formal education was postponed when his son Christopher Arbutine Jr. was born in November of 1988. Academia has always been a priority in his life and he most recently he graduated from Eckerd College in 2019 with B.S. Degree in Business Management.

In the year 2000, Chris was unhappy with the direction his hometown of Belleair Bluffs had taken. Businesses were leaving, the residents were divided on issues and the City was stagnating in general. Chris successfully ran a campaign and defeated two other candidates for a seat on the City Commission. As a first year Commissioner Chris spearheaded the approval of the building of a new Belleair Bluffs City Hall/ Community Center. Chris then successfully ran for Mayor in 2001 and has held the position since. Chris is an extremely active Mayor and has held Board seats on many local, regional, and state Boards. He also gives back to the community through a long term history of donations to many local charities and fund raisers. Chris was a single parent with primary residential custody of his son after he and his wife divorced in 2003. Chris attends St Patrick's Catholic Church and remains involved in his community. Recently, Chris was married to his long term girl friend on February 29, 2021 at the Belleair Country Club. They currently reside in Belleair Bluffs with their three beautiful dogs.

Family Business

In 1972 when Master Sergeant Art Arbutine, father of Chris Arbutine, retired from the Air Force. He had collected British Crowns for 20 years while in the service and decided that he wanted to pursue the coin business full time. He opened a small 700 square foot store in Belleair Bluffs, Florida and named it Belleair Coins. He turned his once hobby into a full time profession. In the first years, he enlisted his wife Patricia Arbutine along with his three sons Greg, Chris and Jay into the business. He later hired his brother Gil Arbutine and nieces Beth Arbutine Race and Kathy Arbutine Edwards. The little coin shop started to diversify over the years and branched off into jewelry, silverware, collectibles, watches and other areas of fine art. Art's wife Patricia Arbutine became especially interested in the estate sterling flatware and holloware and recognized that these items were worth far more than just the scrap out prices that the family had been previously selling them for. She decided to do a spin off company and thus The Silver Queen Inc. was born. Chris Arbutine became the Mayor of Belleair Bluffs, Florida in 2000, which is only one mile from the store and with his 10,000 plus contacts and respected political clout, this really got the word of mouth out there about the businesses which is the kind of indirect advertising and promotion that money can't buy and is essential to almost any successful business model. Chris was also a genius at overseeing the production of our local quirky Television commercials that have proven to bring in the customers.

Chris Arbutine is now the CEO/ President of both the Belleair Coins as well as the Silver Queen.

Family and Civic:

Chris Arbutine continues to stay focused on having a hands on approach to achieve success in his education for the betterment of the community and his family.

1. Belleair Bluffs Rotary Board Member - 6 years
2. Belleair Bluffs Rotary President 2004-2005
3. Leadership Pinellas Graduate Class of 2000/2001
4. Lector at St Patrick’s Catholic Church
5. Board Member of Pinellas County Sheriffs Youth Ranch - 4 years
6. Graduate of Eckerd college bachelor of science business management.

Achievements

Chis Arbutine has achieved success in being the now CEO/ President of the prestigious Belleair Coins and Silver Queen while maintaining a thriving community as the Mayor of Belleair Bluffs since 2000.

1. Graduate of Sheriffs Community Policing Institute – Class 5 Pinellas County
2. Board Member of Gulf Coast Museum of Art – 2007-2008
3. Education and business: 2 year AA degree in business at St Petersburg College
4. Graduating Class of 2018 Eckerd College PEL (BS in Business Management)
5. CEO/ President/ Owner of The Silver Queen Inc. and Belleair Coins Inc
6. Political: Mayor of City of Belleair Bluffs 2000-2023