- December 16, 2025
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New director hired
The Bradenton Downtown Development Authority hired Manatee County Project Manager David Gustafson as executive director.
Gustafson replaces former executive director Mike Kennedy, who left in January. The DDA board chose Gustafson over 60 applicants, a list that included the coordinator of community redevelopment areas for St. Petersburg and a Pasco County senior planner.
Gustafson led several high-profile projects while he was with Manatee County, including an expansion of the Fort Hamer rowing park. He also previously ran land planning for University Park-based Benderson Development.
Firms rank well
A list of the 500 largest real estate brokerages in the country counted five firms in the Sarasota-Bradenton market.
Real Trends, a Colorado-based real estate data firm, compiled the list. It ranks brokerages in order of 2010 total sales volume. The five local firms that made the list were: Premier Sotheby's International Realty (No. 54), Michael Saunders & Co. (No. 60), Re/Max Alliance Group-Sarasota (No. 133), Re/Max Anchor-Punta Gorda (No. 419) and Keller Williams Sarasota-Lakewood Ranch (No. 444).
Sarasota-based Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate also made the list, through NRT LLC, its Parsippany, N.J.-based parent firm. NRT ranked first in the country in sales volume and total transactions.
Commissioner moves up
Suzanne Atwell, who has served on the Sarasota City Commission for two years, was sworn in as mayor of the city May 13.
The position is more ceremonial than administrative because the city uses a city manager form of government. Still, most observers see Atwell, a mental health counselor, as a more business-friendly mayor than former Mayor Kelly Kirschner.
Atwell, for instance, was the lead proponent behind the idea of a citywide economic development coordinator. The position, according to Atwell, will help retain existing businesses, attract new businesses and create jobs. The position was filled in March, after a two-year effort.
Pemco brings HQ to TIA
Pemco World Air Services, a major employer at Tampa International Airport, relocated its headquarters to TIA from Dothan, Ala. The move involved bringing 10 employees to Tampa and replacing 50 other positions locally.
Executives with the jet repair and maintenance company say they see Tampa as a better fit for recruiting executive talent and making its TIA location the flagship. Over the past three years, Pemco leased two hangars formerly belonging to US Airways and Delta Air Lines.
Pemco has 700 employees at TIA, performing services for airlines such as Southwest, United and JetBlue.
Church buying buildings
The Church of Scientology wants to buy five surplus buildings in downtown Clearwater from Pinellas County, adding to the church's already vast property holdings.
The underutilized buildings, located mainly along Fort Harrison Avenue, occupy about two acres between the county courthouse and the church's downtown complex. Pinellas County expects to reap $6.7 million from the sale.
Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard expressed his displeasure about the sale, saying the city should have been given the opportunity to bid for the buildings.
Scientology owns about 30 properties in downtown Clearwater, where it has been steadily building a presence since 1975.
TIB's Longe resigns
Tom Longe, the banker who led the sale of TIB Financial to North American Financial Holdings, recently resigned as market president for subsidiary TIB Bank.
As the former CEO of TIB Financial, Longe steered the Naples-based bank-holding company as it sought capital during the downturn. North American Financial Holdings is based in North Carolina and is headed by former Bank of America's vice chairman, Gene Taylor.
In 2010, TIB Bank was the fourth-largest bank on the Gulf Coast from Tampa to Naples with $1.7 billion in assets.
Source buys marketer
A subsidiary of Bonita Springs-based Source Interlink recently acquired Mind Over Eye, a digital marketing and visual effects studio in California. Terms were not disclosed.
Source Interlink, a publisher of specialty magazines such as Motor Trend, says the acquisition will help it create marketing and advertising programs for its advertisers.
Mind Over Eye creates television, Internet, mobile and film campaigns for advertising companies and Fortune 500 companies.
Collier restarts project
Collier Enterprises plans to re-permit its Sabal Bay residential development in Naples to take advantage of the recovery it sees in the real estate market.
Sabal Bay, a 2,400-acre development with room for 1,600 homes, was under contract to be sold to WCI Communities in 2005. However, Bonita Springs-based WCI decided not to proceed with the development as the residential real estate market subsequently collapsed and WCI filed for bankruptcy reorganization.
However, Collier Enterprises executives say recent strong sales at nearby communities Lely Resort and Verona Walk persuaded them to apply for new development permits for Sabal Bay, in south Naples off U.S. 41.
Collier Enterprises estimates the application for new permits will take one year to 18 months. It plans to replace a planned golf course with lakes and nature preserves.
