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Results for:

  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • May 21, 2007
Revenue Rescue

Cliff Carothers grounded his corporate career to invest $500,000 in life savings - plus $1.5 million in loans - into a flying ambulance firm. The results have been sky-high success, with more expansion on the horizon.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • December 31, 2007
Rougher Road

Commercial real estate's exceptional exuberance is forecast to hit a dour note in '08. Still its long-term future looks strong.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • January 26, 2008
Unique 2.0

Mike Montgomery couldn't believe how little technology there was inside a $15 million air conditioning company. So he bought it. And then he changed everything.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Janelle Makowski |
  • February 18, 2005
The Duel

Why is the Bank of St. Petersburg expanding so fast? Maybe the bank's new chairman wants to show upa former colleague who fired him.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • September 19, 2005
Don't Look Back

Brian Tuttle paid a stunning $61.5 million for a 5,800-acre sod farm near North Port to develop the Isles of Athena. He spells out his rules for development.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • February 20, 2006
WANTED: Skilled Workers in Shrinking Industry

Florida's manufacturing sector has lost 78,400 jobs since 1997, but there are still about 400,000 high-paying factory jobs begging for skilled workers.

  • 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 26, 2005
Runnin' Scared

There's nary a beverage can, from Pepsi to Coke to V8, in the supermarket aisle that the Dalton family business hasn't helped create. Three generations of Daltons have had a heavy hand in the company's success.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • May 13, 2005
Struggle for Control

The estate of entrepreneur Paul 'Duke' Smith has spun out of control amid a bitter family dispute.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • May 30, 2008
Data that Works

Some of the biggest names in the hotel industry use DataWorks' software to manage their retail operations.Now, the company has set its sights on international markets and other parts of hotel operations.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • June 27, 2008
Turning the Ship

When John Barnott first took his customer-first, private-business principles to county government, mostof the employees on his watch quit. Now he's got his hands on a Gulf Coast county building department.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • September 25, 2008
Slump Spoilers

Looking for reasons to be optimistic in the constructionand contracting industries that don't mix reality with real wishful thinking? See Butch Mullet. He's got a bunch.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • May 2, 2008
Hands on help

The Gulf Coast is full of retired executives who are ready to help budding entrepreneurs. Abbie Sladick turned to them to help her build a successful business around an innovative idea.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • May 15, 2008
ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR Sarasota-Bradenton: JIM ABRAMS

Jim Abrams is a sought-after executive to almost celebrity-like status. It's easy to see why.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jay Brady |
  • May 28, 2009
Making the Grade

Two-thirds of Gulf Coast House members get A's from two prominent business groups, but only one of 11 senators goes to the head of the class.

  • Florida
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jean Gruss |
  • August 6, 2009
Back Flip

The flippers are back. Speculators have returned in droves to the Cape Coral-Fort Myers residential market, snapping up foreclosed homes at below-replacement costs and quickly selling them for more. Existing single-family home sales jumped 137% in June. Is this 2005 all over again?

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • July 15, 2004
Risk Taker

An established Orlando attorney uproots a successful law practiceto start over in St. Petersburg.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • January 23, 2004
Politics & Money

Holland & Knight LLP is one of the top political campaign contributors of all law firms in the nation.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • December 19, 2003
How High the Rates?

A slight boost in interest rates won't faze bankers in 2004.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • December 19, 2003
Health Care Costs: Up, Up and Away

There's one given when it comes to the cost of medical insurance: Employers and employees will pay more in the new year.

  • Entrepreneurs
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