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Results for:

  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Brian Hartz |
  • April 18, 2023
Exit interview: Inaugural St. Pete EDC head reflects on tenure

As he prepares to bid farewell to the agency he helped create, J.P. DuBuque leaves behind a legacy of business recruitment and job creation success that will be difficult to match.

  • Leadership
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Louis Llovio |
  • March 20, 2024
Tampa apartment tower could change downtown dynamic for renters

The AER building in the heart of Tampa's art district allows renters to get a piece of the city at the same level as million-dollar condo buyers.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Kevin McQuaid |
  • April 23, 2021
Gulf Coast metros cited for lack of attainable housing

Urban Land Institute study singles out Naples, Sarasota and Fort Myers metro areas as among the nation’s “least affordable” regions for housing

  • Commercial Real Estate
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • October 13, 2025
Behind-the-scenes look at the $6.8B Gas Plant proposal

An opportunistic and entrepreneurial group takes on a decades-old, confounding development challenge in an historic — and historically overlooked — swath of downtown St. Pete.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Louis Llovio |
  • October 9, 2025
Brian Spear, 39

40 Under 40 winner Brian Spear is CEO of Sunrise Capital Investors.

  • Class of 2025
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Louis Llovio |
  • November 9, 2025
Price slashed on premier Fort Myers Beach development site

In the week's top commercial real estate news, a Pasco property sold to adult living developer, a Tampa office building sells, and a Collier developer funds a wildlife corridor project.

  • Florida
  • By Denise Federer |
  • February 19, 2026
Fair or equal? How to split up ownership of a family business

Emotions and money are in play when deciding the future of a family business. Over-communicating is essential when making long-term decisions.

  • Advice
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • June 25, 2007
Coffee Talk

Ray Jay in play? Nay, they say: Shares of regional retail brokers shot up earlier this month in response to Wachovia Corp.'s announced deal to buy A.G. Edwards for $6.8 billion, creating the nation's No. 2 regional broker.Gulf Coast bank deal nearly complete: The sale of one Sarasota's most successful community banks is one step closer to being complete, as federal regulators have approved the $77 million deal between People's Community Bank and Birmingham, Ala.-based Superior Bancorp.Allen to the rescue, and make it quick: In its biggest acquisition to date, Naples-based software company Allen Systems Group completed the purchase of Mobius Management Systems for $211 million.Hip restaurant chain still might hit Sarasota: Coffee Talk hears that P.F. Chang's, the trendy Chinese bistro chain, will be coming to the Sarasota market after all - only not to Pineapple SquareMotley Fool takes aim at Jabil Circuit: The financial performance at Jabil Circuit, the St. Petersburg-based electronic products solutions company, drew the attention of one of the writers for the Motley Fool personal finance website recently.NCH Healthcare sells lab company: Naples-based NCH Healthcare, responding to competitive pressures on hospital services, sold off DSI Laboratories to LabCorp, the laboratory testing giant.Go ahead, befriend your colleagues: It turns out executives are comfortable with employees becoming friends with co-workers while on the job

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • July 6, 2007
Corporate Report

Forestry Resources Inc. buys Englewood firmGevity lowers forecast, cites slower client growthGreystone hires Stanford GroupMoneyShow.com teams with KCIXCPT signs pactwith dental collegeNetWolves system awarded U.S. patentAmscot Financial taking bill paymentsNeoMedia CFO, board member resignRapid Pathogen adds Sarasota locationPCT to handle Hurricane Glass ShieldOdyssey Marine moving to NASDAQ

  • Industries
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • September 28, 2006
Master Planner

Naples-based engineering firm WilsonMiller rode the wave of master-planned communities in Florida and now has more than 600 employees around the state. CEO Alan Reynolds uses careful planning to grow.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • December 22, 2006
Corporate Report

Progress Energy chooses site for plant Walter Industries finishes spin-off of Mueller Water ProductsSherman named president, CEO of Bank of Florida-SouthwestMid-Atlantic Restaurants LLC borrowing from GE CapitalNew Outback president coming from Mexican Restaurants chainHealth Integrated pairs with Horizon Blue Cross Blue ShieldValleyCrest buys St. Pete landscape firm

  • Industries
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • August 24, 2007
WCI bets on Bal Harbour

WCI Communities' executives fight to keep the company's cash coming in as they soothe anxious lenders who are owed $1.9 billion. Meanwhile, billionaire investor Carl Icahn and two hedge fund allies formed a majority on a newly created board to be elected Aug. 30.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • February 22, 2008
Ensured Frustration

Tallahassee's first attempt at legislating property insurance rates failed. Get ready for the sequel.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • September 2, 2005
Double Whammy

Regulators said Fort Myers-based First Community Bank had too many construction loans and not enough people fighting terrorism. Bankers take note.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • September 23, 2005
Shaking Up the Industry

Steven Johnston says he's changing the real estate industry with a 2% commission business model. His competitors disagree.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • December 16, 2005
How to Raise Capital

Three Florida CEOs, who collectively raised $24 million in venture capital within the past year, provide an insider's view on financing growth.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • August 1, 2005
'Winning Again'

Bay Communities has been on a spree, spending $200 million on Florida apartments. One of the figuresbehind the firm is Boston's ex-'Condo King,' an extraordinary dealmaker who built his empire while in federal prison.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • May 12, 2006
Entrepreneur 2006 Finalists

For the past eight years, the Review editors and staff have evaluated the performance and stories of the best entrepreneurs in the Sarasota-Manatee area. This year, that job expanded to finding the top entrepreneurs from Tampa Bay to Naples.Selecting the final 15 (five from each region) was based on several factors: 1) The financial performance and employee growth of each entrepreneur's company over the last three years. 2) The details of that growth, what we call the "wow" factor: How did they do it? What kind of challenges did the entrepreneur overcome? What were the conditions of the individual's industry and the economic climate in which he opeerated?Over the next week, the Review will continue to pare down the list. In next week's issue, we will name an overall winner and three regional winners from each area. Here are the top 15, listed alphabetically:

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • May 27, 2005
Renaissance Restaurateur

Paul Mattison is a culinary renaissance man - right down to the obligatory Italian connection.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • June 13, 2005
Made in China

China is taking on Detroit with its new line of luxury automobiles at affordable prices. Sarasota's Bill Fisher is part of the Chery movement.

  • Entrepreneurs
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