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Industries

  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 29, 2008
Friend of the Family

Tampa consultant John Dufresne has carved a successful niche helping family-owned and closely held businesses grow and make transitions in leadership.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 29, 2008
Sublease Undercut

The housing slowdown means companies in that industry don't need all the office space they leased during theboom. The result is an increase in sublease space and that's putting downward pressure on Gulf Coast rents.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 29, 2008
Brokered Loyalty

CLW Real Estate Services Group in Tampa pledges to spend most of its time helping existing clients to grow rather than mining for new ones.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 29, 2008
Smile Factories

Coast Dental Services began in Tampa and is now throughout Florida and Georgia with its sights set nationally.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 29, 2008
Econofists

A prominent panel in Tallahassee continues to debate tax policy that could ultimately become a decision all Florida voters will make. The latest kink: Inviting the Legislature into the process.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 29, 2008
Mission: Achievement

Gulf Coast nonprofits are suffering when it comes to donations, another byproduct of the economic slowdown. At least one group though, is looking to raise its entrepreneurial profile.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 29, 2008
Corporate Report

Walter Industries reduces home divisionBuccaneers sign deal with Connecticut companyRoper Industries buys CBORD GroupPartners Bank adds Leslie as new CFORadiation Therapy Servicessold, no longer publicSirion Therapeutics licenses Sarasota company's drugFox Electronicsintroduces ID systemValpak, IHOP offers Dr. Seuss' sweepstakes

  • Industries
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 29, 2008
Commercial Real Estate Briefs

Contemporary Cabinets buys Coke plantOE Racing moves to Centre buildingInvestor buys tattoo parlorVegas developer plans Westshore ElementTampa developer buys Mercantile BuildingHonolulu investors buy Tampa AutoZoneGVA gets Oldsmar GalleriaPF Holdings buys Lynwood SquareTimberstone Group buys Arborgate landPro-Build closes on Cox Lumber land

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 29, 2008
Gulf Coast Week

Saxon lays off 140: Saxon Mortgage is laying off 140 workers in the Tampa Bay area, according to documents the company filed under the state's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.HART uses grant money: Electric streetcar supporters in Tampa are accusing Hillsborough County's bus agency of hijacking nearly $1 million in federal money previously set aside to extend the streetcar line into downtown.Fee spikes on the table: Despite passionate opposition from homebuilders and contractors in the midst of sharp building downturn, Manatee County commissioners are considering raising building permit feesMurdock Village problems: The redevelopment of Murdock Village, an 870-acre site in Port Charlotte designed as a mixed-use project focusing on retail and residentialNaples raises taxes: The City of Naples raised taxes on new construction in a unanimous decision by the City Council Feb. 20.Gilkey on land-use boardStadium plan criticized: More than 100 people spoke at a recent St. Petersburg City Council hearing on the Tampa Bay Rays' downtown ballpark proposal, with the majority objecting to the project.

  • Finance
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 22, 2008
Happy Days, Again?

Three Gulf Coast banks raised a combined $55 million in start-up capital in less then three months - all from local investors. Didn't someone say something about a recession?

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 22, 2008
Corporate Report

Tampa Electric adds peak-power needSyniverse technology wins Global Mobile AwardFirst Advantage joins with DealerTrackStinger, New Mexico sign services contract

  • Industries
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 22, 2008
Fuel for success

James Shaw plans to do for truck fuel systems what he did for aviation. Success comes from serving others, he says.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 22, 2008
CEO Solutions

CEO groups, such as the CEO Council and The Executive Committee, help chief executives manage their companies and lives.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 22, 2008
Brand Builder

Colleen Chappell, the new CEO of Roberts Communications in Tampa, aims to strengthen companies through strategic partnerships.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff
  • February 22, 2008
Going Coastal

The trick to diversifying a business is to do it before times get tough. Coastal Engineering Consultants' Michael Stephen did it right.

  • Entrepreneurs
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