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Results for:

  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Grier Ferguson |
  • April 28, 2017
Biz Kids

More than a dozen middle school and high school students recently pitched their original business plans and ideas to panels of investors. Validation — and cash — was on the line.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Traci McMillan Beach |
  • October 17, 2014
Economic forecast

Tampa Bay

  • Industries
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Andrew Warfield |
  • December 21, 2024
Retiring SRQ airport chief rose from janitor's closet to executive suite

Rick Piccolo began his 53-year career scrubbing toilets at a Buffalo airport. He will leave SRQ after 30 years doing nearly every airport job along the way.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jim Stinson |
  • October 3, 2023
Florida ranks second nationwide for most expensive home on market

Palm Beach County is in the news again for scoring the highest asking price for a home.

  • Florida
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • May 22, 2008
Commercial Real Estate Briefs

GLL Partners buys Naples PromenadeNew York investment firm buys Laguna Bay unitsPunta Gorda company buys Wal-Mart storeBOOKS-A-MILLION SET FOR MERCATO IN NAPLESPreston family sells 46 acres for SevenShoresTJM Properties acquires Bradenton OaksWal-Mart Stores plans to expand Cattlemen storeEola Capital closes on Westshore landGoodwill Industries-Suncoast buys ex-motel, vacant landInternational firm Praxair buys Tampa warehouse

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Matt Walsh |
  • November 5, 2010
The Real Rick Scott

Talk to the people who worked by his side, sat on Columbia's board of directors or sat across him at the negotiating table. The Rick Scott they knew was honest 'as a Boy Scout' and revolutionized health care.

  • Florida
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • July 22, 2022
Health products firm rises above industry challenges, founder's vaccine comments

Despite the noise over Dr. Joseph Mercola's vaccine opinions, the company that bears his name continues to thrive.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • December 1, 2006
Coffee Talk

Coffee Talk appreciates a good David slays Goliath story, especially during the holiday season, and the case of the Bellehumeurs versus St. Louis-based national brokerage firm A.G. Edwards definitely fits the bill.Median sale prices for existing single-family homes fell across the Gulf Coast of Florida in October versus the same month last year. A positive exception was the Tampa Bay area, which saw median prices level off, according to figures from the Florida Association of Realtors (FAR).Coffee Talk bets that Bruce Sherman and Gregg Powers at Naples-based Private Capital Management are celebrating the $300 million check they recently got from Baltimore-based Legg Mason.Take the folks at Business 2.0 magazine off the Christmas card list. The magazine's New Rules of Real Estate issue pegged Southwest Florida as the number two area in its "Where not to buy" list. Cape Coral-based Whitney Information Network's shares fell 31% Nov. 21 after it said the Securities and Exchange Commission is conducting an investigation of its stock-market education programs and corporate acquisitions.Entrepreneur and Net Infuse CEO John Turner didn't take just any vacation this year: The 44-year-old took on Mount Everest - the world's highest peak - to prove he could and to raise money for The Children's Home, Tampa.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • December 14, 2006
Coffee Talk

What's the future for Source Interlink? Sarasota County is considering nearly tripling its impact-fee assessments on new developments, despite the sluggish housing market.MarineMax, left out of Boating Industry magazine's annual top 100 listCoffee Talk realizes, obviously, that no one who reads the Review can be categorized as a bad boss. Still, the results of a Florida State University study on the employee-employer relationship are telling, in terms of what it means for employee performance and retention.Here's another indication that Florida's growth is pushing inland: Naples-based TIB Financial is opening a TIB Bank branch in Sebring. Gary Hoyle expected to be busy when he announced plans earlier this year to take the Peach's Rise and Dine breakfast/lunch concept national on a franchising basis.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • April 6, 2007
'Best Year Ever'

Rising interest rates boosted income at Bank of Tampa, which had as much as 36% of its deposits in checking accounts in 2006. As for real estate loans, the bank has a lower percentage than other community banks.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • March 14, 2008
Coffee Talk

For Sale: Fort Myers City Hall: City Hall is for saleBroker goes 'green' with incentives: Diane Lawson, a commercial real estate broker and developer with Sarasota-based Abbey Realty & Management, is especially keen on green for St. Patrick's Day this year.Tribridge grows through acquisition: Tampa-based Tribridge started 10 years ago as a firm that helped companies make better use of technologyChico's new blame: Foreclosures in key statesGold Coast taps another beer:One of the Gulf Coast's largest beer distributors has won a small victory in the area's beer battles by buying the rights to sell Rolling Rock beer in Sarasota and Manatee counties from a competitor.Laser brings design into focus: The Tampa office of planning, engineering and surveying firm Wade Trim is betting on the future buy using a high-tech measurement tool that may become an industry norm.Naples attorney defends National Century execs: Naples attorney Brian Dickerson has been spending a lot of time in Ohio. He may be there for a while and it's not because he's snowed in.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • July 1, 2005
Real Estate Briefs (Sara/Mana)

Realtor buys property, plans Mango Bay HideawayEastwood Associates buys Wood Street DevelopmentDevelopers buy Rusty Pot RanchTwo developers planning Ellenton subdivisionEarthworks Land Development moving to 33rd StreetBenderson Development buysStickney Point project

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • March 10, 2006
Their Own Agenda

The legislative priorities of small businesses don't mirror those of Florida's big corporations.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • May 20, 2005
Bank Turn

A group of south Hillsborough County business owners, rebuffed by thrift regulators, decide that starting a state-chartered bank makes better sense.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • September 25, 2008
Ratings Services: F

Wall Street's crisis built as ratings services let loose subprime scourge.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • October 23, 2008
Coffee Talk

+ Economic incentives:Be careful what you getAs is the case with just about every daily newspaper in the country, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, owned by the New York Times Co., is struggling to survive the economic downturn.+ Ellert leavesFifth Third BankAfter just nine months as president and chief executive officer of Fifth Third Bank South Florida, Kent Ellert has left the bank.+ ForeclosuresDaily falters,but will continueIt is somewhat counterintuitive that a company focused on foreclosures should be in desperate financial straights.+ Gulf Coast entrepreneurto run for local officeAlan Zirkelbach, one of the more accomplished entrepreneurs on the Gulf Coast, is making a run in the political arena.+ Early Halloween scare:Economist's predictionsIt's not even Halloween yet and Robert Allsbrook, the chief economist for Regions Bank, is already scaring the wits out of business owners on the Gulf Coast. + Africa is calling.Is the Gulf Coast answering?What area is rich in natural resources, has a good workforce and is looking for Gulf Coast industries to partner and do business with?+ Homebuilders groupstake out the 'homebuilders'Apparently, there's a lot in a name. Just ask Jane Goodwin, executive vice president of the organization formerly known as the Home Builders Association of Sarasota County.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • November 28, 2008
Coffee Talk

+ Homer's wine fest:Dough for D'oh!This awful year in business can pretty much be summed up with one word: D'oh!+ Obama electioncould help Largo firmGeoPhama, a Largo pharmaceuticals maker, is hopeful that the new Obama presidency will be good for the company, which is seeking government approval for breakthrough drugs, including an ovarian cancer detection device - the president-elect's mother died of ovarian cancer.+ Melting Potneeds a wheelbarrowPlenty of business awards are given out each year on the Gulf Coast.+ Naples to hostventure forumContrary to what you might have read, venture capital hasn't disappeared. It's probably sitting in T-bills waiting for the right opportunity.+ Tampa scorecardimproves slightlyThe latest economic scorecard for the Tampa Bay area, compiled by the Tampa Bay Partnership, showed a slight improvement, although the Bay area ranked in last place overall among six southern markets.+ Super Bowlleads to Super contestForget the Super Bowl, the 'Big Game' being played in Tampa Feb. 1. + Junior Achievementdinner draws big crowdWith the Gulf Coast's economy weakening, it was a pleasant surprise to see more than 650 people recently attend Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida's induction of Todd Gates and Paul Marinelli to its business hall of fame.Gulf Coast foreclosurescontinue to riseHome foreclosures rose at the steepest pace in the Naples-Marco Island area

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • December 11, 2008
Control the Controllables'

An energetic new division president for Beall's knows the department store chain has succeeded by knowing the Florida consumer. She also knows the economy and competition present serious challenges.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • May 15, 2008
ENTREPRENEUER OF THE YEAR OVERALL WINNER: BARRY SHEVLIN

Barry Shevlin has $500 million dreams for his company, already a big success that started off with a $3,000 loan.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • March 5, 2009
'Unstoppable Passion'

The name Bob Roskamp carries significant weight in Gulf Coast development and philanthropic circles. Its heft, however, was born of tragedy.

  • Strategies
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