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Raymond James names COO
Raymond James Financial Inc. has named Dennis Zank as its new chief operating officer.
Zank served as president of Raymond James & Associates Inc., a broker-dealer subsidiary of Raymond James Financial, before the appointment. He succeeds Chet Helck, the current COO of Raymond James Financial, who will direct the firm's Private Client Group.
Raymond James also announced that Dick Averitt, who is the current chairman and CEO of Raymond James Financial Services, will step down from his position Jan. 3.
Tax fraudster sentenced
Roger Snells, a Tampa resident who was charged with tax fraud Sept. 2, received 54 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $26,164.61 in restitution to the U.S. Treasury.
Snells, 25, was also charged with aggravated identity theft for preparing more than 100 fraudulent federal tax returns with roughly $165,000 in false claims. He used the names and identification information of deceased individuals to file the returns.
Tampa port sets record
The Port of Tampa set a single-day record for passenger throughput Nov. 20 when 12,623 passengers embarked and disembarked at the location, according to a statement posted on the port's website.
The traffic resulted from three cruise ships that docked at the port, including the Norwegian Star. The Norwegian Cruise Line, which owns the ship, began home port operations in Tampa in October.
In a statement, Richard Wainio, the port's director, who received a 7% increase in annual pay last month, says he is excited about Tampa's rising popularity as a home port for cruise lines.
Commissioner will retire
Sarasota County Commissioner Nora Patterson says this term, her fourth in office, will be her last.
The commissioner with the longest tenure, Patterson served two terms on the Sarasota City Commission before she moved to county politics. She won her first county commission election in 1998.
Patterson declared her intention to step aside from the commission when her term expires in 2014 at a recent commission meeting. Patterson says she might run for political office again someday, but it would be for a different position.
EDC interviews candidates
The Manatee Economic Development Council has interviewed at least three candidates for its executive director position.
A candidate could be chosen by the end of the year. More than 40 people applied for the position, which was previously held by Eric Basinger, an economic development official from Alabama. Basinger left the EDC in August to work in economic development in his home state.
The EDC's associate director, Sharon Hillstrom, has been the agency's interim executive director since Basinger resigned. The EDC plans to become an independent entity, separate from the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, in 2012.
Trauma centers open
Blake Medical Center in west Bradenton officially opened its trauma center, but the facility could be headed for more legal limbo.
The trauma center opened Nov. 18, one of four in hospitals run by Nashville-based HCA approved by the Florida Department of Health. The department also granted Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Pasco County permission to open a trauma center.
Opponents to the trauma centers, a list of competing medical facilities that includes Tampa General Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, plan to file new legal appeals to the centers. Officials at those hospitals say there isn't a level of need that requires the additional trauma centers.
Cheney buys land
Food-distribution company Cheney Brothers plans to buy 35 acres at the Enterprise Charlotte Airport Park for $2.5 million, on which it plans to build a distribution center.
The Riviera Beach-based privately held company plans to spend about $30 million to build the 250,000-square-foot center on the land in Charlotte County. It also plans to hire “hundreds” of people with average wages and benefits of $45,000.
Joe Cheney started the company in West Palm Beach in 1925 supplying milk and eggs to hotels and restaurants. The company has since expanded to Georgia and the Carolinas.
Airport traffic drops
Passenger traffic through Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers fell nearly 12% in October compared with the same month a year ago, according to the Lee County Port Authority.
Despite the 11.8% October decline, passenger traffic through the Fort Myers airport has increased 1.5% for the year to date compared with the same period in 2010.
October's passenger decline corresponds with an 11.7% drop in aircraft takeoffs and landings. A total of 469,145 passengers passed through the airport in October and leading carriers were Delta, Southwest, AirTran and USAirways.
Chico's plans buyback
Women's retailer Chico's FAS announced plans to buy back $200 million worth of its common stock.
For the year to date, Chico's stock (symbol: CHS; recent price, $10) has fallen nearly 15%. The Fort Myers-based company plans to acquire the stock in open market and privately negotiated transactions.
The company recently reported earning $26.5 million on revenues of $538.5 million. The 16-cents-per-share earnings fell below investor expectations and the stock fell below the $10 mark for several days.
Chico's operates 598 stores and 77 outlet shops under the Chico's, White House | Black Market, Boston Proper and Soma Intimates brands.
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