• Alternate Text
  • Loading

  • Newsletters
  • Podcast
  • Public Notices
  • 40 Under 40 Nomination
  • Mobile App
  • Subscribe
  • Login
  • News
  • Strategies
  • Entrepreneurs
  • M&A
  • Leadership
  • Regions
    • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    • Manatee-Sarasota
    • Charlotte-Lee-Collier
    • Florida
  • Industries
    • Business Support
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Residential Real Estate
    • Development
    • Finance
    • Food-Beverage
    • Health Care
    • Manufacturing
    • Retail
    • Sports–Entertainment
    • Technology
    • Travel-Tourism
  • Insights
  • More
    • Advice
    • Transactions
    • 40 Under 40
    • Big Book of Business
    • Subscribe
    • Opinion
    • Executive Diversions
    • Change-Makers
    • Reprints
  • News
  • Strategies
  • Entrepreneurs
  • M&A
  • Leadership
  • Regions
    • Regions
    • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    • Manatee-Sarasota
    • Charlotte-Lee-Collier
    • Florida
  • Industries
    • Industries
    • Business Support
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Residential Real Estate
    • Development
    • Finance
    • Food-Beverage
    • Health Care
    • Manufacturing
    • Retail
    • Sports–Entertainment
    • Technology
    • Travel-Tourism
  • Insights
  • More
    • More
    • Advice
    • Transactions
    • 40 Under 40
    • Big Book of Business
    • Subscribe
    • Opinion
    • Executive Diversions
    • Change-Makers
    • Reprints
  • Newsletters
  • Podcast
  • Public Notices
  • 40 Under 40 Nomination
  • Mobile App
  • Subscribe
  • Login

Industries

  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 26, 2005
DREAMTIME Hits Big Time

Former TV reporter John Biffar started his film production company by borrowing equipment from his employer. Now he's shooting for the History Channel and National Geographic.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 26, 2005
Harsh Climate

Value-added jobs rose 0.5% in Sarasota between 2003 and 2004, and average wages improved 1%. This hasn't helped businesses much in finding and keeping qualified employees.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 26, 2005
Real Estate Briefs (Lee/Collier)

Prestige Builders Plans Naples Condo ConversionBoston developer buys land in EsteroSarasota investor banks land for homebuilderDeveloper plans Naples office buildingNaples developer plansresidential subdivision

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 21, 2005
Young but Tested

Successful startup financial institutions along the Gulf Coast have one thing in common: They hire people who've done it before.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 21, 2005
Bllind Faith

AmSouth loaned $3.2 million mostly on the word of a convicted felon masquerading as clergy. Should the bank have seen a problem sooner?

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 21, 2005
The Wal-Mart Challenge

Lesson for developers: How Henry Rodriguez convinced a town the time was right for Wal-Mart.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 21, 2005
Ideas to Money

Are the pieces falling into place for the Tampa Bay area's technology sector? One former Silicon Valley player thinks so.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 21, 2005
Stayin' Alive

A cutting-edge biotechnology company learns there is more to building a successful company than science. Now, it's looking to grow by buying other companies.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 21, 2005
Cancer Trackers

Naples financier Steven Jones wants to turn a small genetics lab in Fort Myers into a cancer-testing powerhouse. He's hired veteran lab director Robert Gasparini to turn it into a profitable venture.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 21, 2005
Business Links

Former Kraft Foods executive David Kakkuri wants Florida Gulf Coast University to become a resource for Southwest Florida businesses.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 21, 2005
BusTracker

Sarasota serial tech-entrepreneur Brad Baker is back again with a new company that monitors the whereabouts of school buses.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 21, 2005
Calendar of Events

The Calendar of Events is avaialble free of charge.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 14, 2005
Unleash the Dogs

Competitive pressures have forced commercial brokers such as Bill Eshenbaugh to adopt new sales strategies.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 14, 2005
Ready for Take-Off

A new study by the MEA Group could make the skies a little friendlier for airline traffic and give theaviation consulting company an edge over the competition.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes
  • November 14, 2005
Legal Briefs (Tampa)

Spoiled dairy spurs Publix to sue truckerSunTrust Bank manager sues bankInsurance company saysfaulty dryer caused fire

  • Law
« 830 831 832 833 834 835 836 837 838 839 »
The best of Business Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest business and commercial real estate news from Tampa Bay to Naples.

Sign Up

Latest News Business Observer

1
  • April 14, 2026
$11.3M Naples home sale sets golf community record
2
  • April 14, 2026
Tampa art museum appoints board member as interim executive director
3
  • April 14, 2026
Sarasota EDC launches CEO Academy
4
  • April 14, 2026
International private college expands office, staff and student body in Tampa
5
  • April 14, 2026
Naples tax preparer working in barbershop pleads guilty to defrauding IRS

More Industries

  • Commercial Real Estate
  • Residential Real Estate
  • Business Support
  • Advertising-Marketing
  • Agriculture
  • Development
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Finance
  • Government
  • Food-Beverage
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Law
  • Manufacturing
  • Philanthropy-Nonprofits
  • Retail
  • Sports-Entertainment
  • Technology
  • Transportation
  • Travel-Tourism

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-362-4848

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Podcast
  • Big Book of Business

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Distribution Points
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Your Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2026 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
×
3 Articles Remaining!
Not a Subscriber?

Click here to Subscribe

Already a Subscriber?

Click here to Login

Sign Up for Daily Brief

Start your day with the top Gulf Coast business news you need to succeed.

Sign Up for CRE Central

Stay updated with a weekly roundup of big deals, market shifts and the people shaping commercial real estate from Tampa Bay to Naples.


Smart People Subscribe.

Turn headlines into game plans. The playbook’s right here.
Subscribe to the Business Observer today.

Subscribe Now