Corporate Report: July 5

Sarasota MWH Global employee appointed VP, principal engineer
MWH Global, a Broomfield, Colo.-based water and wastewater treatment, environmental engineering, sustainable construction and construction management consultant, has promoted Matthew Gribbins of Sarasota to vice president and principal engineer.

Gribbins has been with MWH Global for more than 16 years. He currently serves as the process/mechanical discipline lead for the MWH government and infrastructure group.

MWH Global has nearly 8,000 employees in 35 countries spanning six continents. The company focuses on water, energy and environmental services programs.

Clearwater Chamber creates AchieveHERs business group
The Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce has created its own group for female business leaders. The chamber's president and chairman have appointed Tina Teret, a certified financial planner at Provise, as the new group's chairwoman.

The group, which is being called AchieveHERs, was created following a study of the chamber's female membership looking at the business issues they felt were most pressing. The chamber says the majority of the responses indicated assistance was needed on breaking through the glass ceiling.

The founding committee of AchieveHERs features seven business owners, three politicians, and the CEO of the Johnson, Pope, Boker, Ruppel and Burns law firm.

Modern Coin Wholesale CEO running for numismatists guild board
Ron Drzewucki, CEO of Modern Coin Wholesale Inc. in Sarasota, is running for a seat on the Professional Numismatists Guild's board of directors. The Professional Numismatists Guild sets the rules for its worldwide member coin dealers.

Drzewucki says his experience using technology, e-commerce and social media makes him uniquely suited for the board.

USF Federal Credit Union wins marketing award
The Marketing Association of Credit Unions has awarded USF Federal Credit Union the silver award for a marketing program called “Rewards for U.”

HCP, a strategy and marketing firm based in downtown Tampa, created the campaign “Rewards for U” highlighting the benefits of the credit union's USF rewards credit card.

The Marketing Association of Credit Unions is a non-profit organization composed of credit union-focused marketers.

MarineMax executive hired as Lazydays services vice president
Seffner-based Lazydays has appointed David Witty to its executive management team. As vice president of services, Witty will lead all areas of the company's services business and oversee its Customer for Life initiative.

“[Witty's] background in developing and executing standardized processes in the sales, service and fixed operations business segments in the luxury product category will be beneficial to Lazydays' services organization during this important time,” Tim Sheehan, president and CEO of Lazydays, says in a press release.

Witty joins Lazydays after a more than 18-year career with Clearwater-based boat retailer MarineMax.

Throughout his career, Witty has held key senior management posts directly responsible for the growth and profitability of the company's sales, service and parts divisions. Additionally, Witty served as vice president of operational excellence for five years.

Brown & Brown subsidiary buys Rollins Agency assets
Brown & Brown of New York Inc., a subsidiary of Tampa-based Brown & Brown Inc., has acquired several of the assets of The Rollins Agency.

The Rollins Agency provides a wide range of insurance products and services throughout Connecticut, New Jersey and New York state. The company had annual revenues of $5.5 million.

As part of the transaction, Brown & Brown of New York's existing White Plains, N.Y., office will re-locate to The Rollins Agency's existing office in Rye Brook, N.Y. The combined office will operate under Mark Rollins, principal of The Rollins Agency.

“Our new relationship with Brown & Brown gives us the ability to expand our capabilities in risk management and enhance client service,” Rollins says in a press release.

Sunshine Ace Hardware stores receive Five-star Platinum awards
Ace Hardware Corp. has named Fort Myers-based Sunshine Ace Hardware's stores as “Five-Star Platinum” Ace retailers. The nation's largest hardware cooperative bestows the award on 10% of its top-performing stores.

Stores are judged on customer surveys and mystery shopping results, year-over-year sales and merchandise stock and variety. They are then broken into peer groups based on several criteria, including proximity to competitors and population density. Within that peer group only the top 20% are recognized.

“It is difficult [to obtain], especially with all the pressures we've faced from the downturn and competitors,” Michael Wynn, president of Sunshine Ace Hardware, says. “It helps to keep us sharp and be able to set bigger and better goals for ourselves and our customers.”

Family owned and operated since 1958, Sunshine Ace Hardware operates from six locations in Collier and Lee counties.

Roper Industries approves 16.5-cent dividend
The board of directors of Sarasota-based Roper Industries Inc. has approved a 16.5-cent dividend per share payable on July 26 to stockholders of record on July 12.

Odyssey Marine sells Oceanica shares, buys others to retain control
Tampa-based Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. sold 8 million shares of Oceanica Resources, S. de R.L. to investment firm Mako Resources LLC for $10 million. Mako was granted the option to buy the shares in connection with Mako's February purchase of 15 million shares of Oceanica Resources from Odyssey.

To maintain a controlling position in Oceanic Resources, Odyssey has also reached an agreement to purchase 1 million shares of Oceanica from another shareholder for $1.25 per share. The deal grants Odyssey the option to buy another million shares for $2.50 per share and voting rights for an additional 3 million shares. Ultimately, Odyssey will own 49.6% of Oceanica with voting rights on a total of 52.6% of the shares.

“The combination of these transactions adds $8.75 million to our cash position and bolsters our balance sheet as we enter the height of our project season with no incremental dilution for Odyssey shareholders,” Mark Gordon, Odyssey's president and COO, says in a press release.

PGT offering PulteGroup building products for Florida homes
North Venice-based PGT Industries has reached a partnership with PulteGroup, whose national brands include Pulte Homes, Centex, DiVosta and Del Webb. All PulteGroup communities in South Florida will feature PGT windows and doors, including products from PGT's impact-resistant WinGuard line.

“PGT brings a lot to the table with their ability to meet the product needs of our various communities and their consistent, complete and on-time delivery,” Dan Gomez, purchasing agent for PulteGroup, says in a press release. “PGT enables us to stay on schedule.”

Seafarer Exploration Corp. receives permit to start excavation
Tampa-based Seafarer Exploration Corp. says it has crossed the final regulatory hurdle to excavate a shipwreck site located off Lantana Beach on Florida's east coast.

The company received a five-year excavation permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and an underwater easement agreement from the board of trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.

A survey of the shipwreck site suggests a large part of the ship lies buried in a relatively compact area.

Tampa's Blick Law Firm launches immigration practice
Tampa-based Blick Law Firm has added an immigration law practice area to assist immigrants in obtaining the proper authorizations to live and work in the United States.

“We've heard from clients, associates, and other friends in the community that their family members are living in fear or in hiding,” Michael Blickensderfer, principal attorney of Blick Law Firm, says in a news release. “Becoming legally authorized to live or work in the United States can feel overwhelming if you haven't mastered the language or are trying to navigate the process alone. There's a real — and justified — fear within our immigrant community.”

The firm recently launched two dedicated websites focused on immigration law, DontDeportMe.com and NoMeDeportes.com. The Blick Law Firm has added two staff members who specialize in immigration law.

Tampa Port Authority reaches petroleum terminal deal
The Tampa Port Authority board of commissioners passed a new agreement to allow four of the port's major oil and gas customers to share in the operation, maintenance and repair work for the new petroleum unloading facilities at the Port of Tampa's main petroleum terminal complex.

The port authority's 25-year common user license agreement is with Kinder Morgan Liquid Terminals LLC, TPSI Terminals LLC, Murphy Oil USA Inc. and Buckeye Terminals LLC.

The agreement is described as offering greater efficiency, larger capacity and greater cost savings for the parties involved in the new complex, which is scheduled to open later this summer. The deal will also generate additional revenue for the port authority.

Two new petroleum berths will replace the Richard E. Knight Pier. The new berths will use the latest technologies available for the movement of oil and gas products and allow for significantly larger vessels than are currently served at the facility.

“The Port of Tampa has and always will be the energy products gateway of the region, and this agreement underscores [our] very strong commitment toward that end,” Paul Anderson, Tampa Port Authority CEO and port director, says in a press release.

The Port of Tampa moves about 16 million tons of petroleum products, gas and jet fuels annually.

At the same time, the port authority has also backed a new agreement to homeport Carnival Cruise Lines ships at the port through 2017. Carnival Cruise Lines is one of the port's main customers, and has been birthing ships from the port since 1994.