• 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
    • Healthcare
    • 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
    • Healthcare
    • 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

Results for:

  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • April 23, 2009
Hard times for hoteliers

Tampa hotel broker Lou Plasencia says he hopes he never again experiences days in his industry like he is now. About 40% to 50% of some of his clients — hotel owners — cannot pay their debt service. By this summer, that figure might climb to 60%.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Beth Luberecki |
  • May 20, 2016
Clean start

Joe and Sandy Nelson brought the sparkle back to a local Molly Maid franchise. Hiring the right people — and being unafraid to purge the wrong ones — has driven the comeback.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Kevin McQuaid |
  • May 8, 2020
Gulf Coast hotels face "hair on fire time"

Decimated hotel industry around the Gulf Coast gets creative to combat Covid-19 pandemic

  • Commercial Real Estate
  • By Anastasia Dawson |
  • January 19, 2026
Tampa makes national top 5 ranking for headquarters relocations

It's the first time Tampa has made the annual ranking by Site Selection Magazine of U.S. cities with the best business climate.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Observer Staff |
  • May 7, 2009
Healthy Employees

David Lewis is one of a number of Gulf Coast health industry executives that advocate a corporate commitment to controlling health care costs.

  • Industries
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • November 11, 2014
Hertz delays earnings report

Car-rental giant Hertz says it can't file its latest quarterly earnings report in time because executives are still reviewing financial records dating back to 2011.

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Steven Benna |
  • March 7, 2022
Transactions: Feb. 28 to March 7

Charlotte County shopping center acquisition for $26 million among the week's top deals.

  • Transactions
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • January 11, 2019
Lead the way: Program seeks applicants who want to get ahead

The University of Tampa's Sykes College of Business TECO Energy Center for Leadership has begun to accept applications for its Modern Advances in Leadership certificate program.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • March 8, 2011
Former banker enjoys life on the outside

George Najmy once thought he'd be a banker for life. Now the banker-turned-entrepreneur is on his second non-banking business venture in two years.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jean Gruss |
  • July 8, 2016
No insurance, no problem

Gulf Coast Family Care doesn't accept insurance, but it passes the savings in administrative costs to its patients.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • November 21, 2014
Contentment is the enemy

Visit Sarasota County president Virginia Haley spent a recent lunch hour telling area hotel sales and marketing executives about how good the county has been doing in tourism.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jay Brady |
  • May 27, 2011
Government Digest: May 27

Governmental action from around the Gulf Coast.

  • Florida
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Eric Garwood |
  • September 15, 2025
$132M Sarasota aquarium sets early October opening date

Members get first views on Oct. 6-7 and public on Oct. 8 at the Mote SEA, located near University and Interstate 75 in Sarasota County.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • December 27, 2013
Wood Will

Innovation is rare in the lumber industry. A Gulf Coast entrepreneur set out to change that, and 2014 could be his proving ground.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • July 13, 2010
Key Club wins top prize

Longboat Key Club and Resort received a Successful Meetings Pinnacle Award.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • May 17, 2016
Homebuilder climbs up national top 50 list

It has sold 391 homes so far in 2016.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • By Louis Llovio |
  • May 19, 2026
Allegiant boosts nonstop routes out of Punta Gorda, St. Pete-Clearwater

The discount airline is adding a total of eight new destinations at four Florida airports.

  • Florida
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • April 12, 2013
Sunny Days

Nearly 90 million people visited Florida last year, where they spent more than $70 billion — both record highs. The challenge for area hotels: Repeat the success in 2013.

  • Industries
  • By Anastasia Dawson |
  • February 2, 2026
AI, emerging tech at the forefront of annual annual jobs summit

Speakers from multiple industries across Florida cited emerging technologies and artificial intelligence as a one of the key changes in the way they do business in 2026.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Traci McMillan Beach |
  • November 1, 2013
Gambling gamers

Former Raymond James IT wiz Landon Bass says he knows nothing about video games. That didn't stop him from joining a company to build an online fantasy league for gamers.

  • Strategies
« 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 »
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

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