It all started in 1976 with an article in The New York Times.

The story was about the Economics Club of Detroit, a forum for distinguished speakers on issues of the day. Its membership was like a Who’s Who of American business, and its speakers were national and world leaders. Topics ranged from politics to foreign policy to business and the economy.

A great idea for Tallahassee, thought Stan Tait, who had just been appointed to a Florida Chamber of Commerce project known as the North Florida Task Force for Economic Understanding.

On June 8, 1976, Tait wrote a memo to the co-chairs of the task force — House Speaker Don Tucker and former Senate President Malory Horne — proposing the establishment of a “Florida Economics Club” as a good way to educate the public about economic matters.

On March 22, 1977, Speaker Tucker and the Florida Chamber of Commerce presented the proposal to a meeting of some 50 local business leaders. They enthusiastically endorsed the idea and asked Tait to serve as executive director to “handle the details” of organizing the new club.

And the rest, as they say, is history.