Florida Trend articles from April 2003

Florida Trend archives from April 2003

Our founder's vision. (Corner office).
April 1, 2003... When Tampa businessman Harris Mullen started FLORIDA TREND in 1958, survival was his business plan. Launching a statewide business magazine in those days was "a brazen proposition," to use his words. At that time, Texas and California were...

Readers.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2003... HIGH-SPEED RAIL (Viewpoint) Even though we expect media coverage--good and bad--whenever our company takes a public position on important issues, it is rare that reputable publications such as FLORIDA TREND fail to give us the...

First National Trust Co. (Players: Banking).(Ellen C. Vanderburg named OFO)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Ellen C. Vanderburg has been named to the newly created position of OFO of Naples-based First National Trust Co., the private banking subsidiary of F.N.B. Corp., also based in Naples. Vanderburg, 47, was most recently national manager private...

Woolbright Development. (Players: Development).(Larry Bernick named COO)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Boca Raton-based Woolbright Development, a real estate investment firm, has tapped Larry Bernick as COO, a new position. Bernick, 42, was most recently vice president of Sterling Centrecorp, a Canadian real estate company.

CNL Hospitality Corp. (Players: Development).(John A. Griswold named president)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... John A. Griswold has been named president of Orlandobased CNL Hospitality Corp., a hotel financing company. Before joining CNL Hospitality, Griswold was president of New York-based Tishman Hotel Corp. Griswold replaces Thomas J. Hutchison Ill,...

Taylor Woodrow. (Players: Development).(Dwight Thomas named president of U.S. Tower Division)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Bradenton-based Taylor Woodrow, a planned community developer, tapped Dwight Thomas as divisional president of its newly created U.S. Tower Division, which will oversee all condominium projects for the company. Thomas, 50, was most recently...

Florida Atlantic University. (Players: Government).(Toni Jennings named lieutenant governor)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Gov. Jeb Bush has tapped Toni Jennings, 53, as Florida's first woman lieutenant governor. Jennings, a Republican from Orlando, served 24 years in the state Legislature, including two terms as Florida Senate president. She replaces Frank Brogan,...

Florida Housing Finance Corp. (Players: Government).(Orlando Cabrera named executive director)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Miami attorney Orlando Cabrera has been named executive director of the state's Florida Housing Finance Corp. Cabrera, a partner in Holland & Knight's Miami office, replaces Mark Kaplan.

Stein Mart. (Players: Retail).(Michael D. Fisher named CEO)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Jacksonville based Stein Mart, a clothing retailer, has named Michael D. Fisher CEO. Fisher replaces John H. "Jack" Williams Jr., who retired after 23 years with the company. Fisher was most recently president and COO.

International Speedway. (Players: Sports).(James C. France named CEO)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... James C. France has been named CEO of Daytona Beach-based International Speedway. France, 58, replaces his brother, William C. France, 69, who will continue as chairman. James C. France was most recently president and COO. Lesa Kennedy,...

Microsoft's Gulf States. (Players: Technology).(Scott Clark named general manager, Gulf States District)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Scott Clark has been promoted to general manager of Microsoft's Gulf States District, based in Tampa with offices in Birmingham, Ala., and Fort Lauderdale. Clark, 39, replaces Andy Zupsic, who was named general manager of Microsoft's Singapore...

West Palm Beach-based Onus Corp. (Players: Telecommunications).(Paul G. Osland named CEO)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Paul G. Osland has been promoted to chairman, CEO and president of West Palm Beach-based Onus Corp., a network solutions provider. Osland, 45, replaces Ronald L. Blake.

Cooking up a good time. (Executive Lifestyles).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The latest trend in home entertaining puts dinner-party guests to work in the kitchen learning to cook. Miami Beach-based chef Amanda Cushman says the cooking allure is easy to explain: "Once you've been to all the expensive trendy restaurants,...

Remodeling. (Executive Lifestyles).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Kitchens and their appliances are getting a whole new focus as more people entertain at home. "Eighty percent of our remodels involve opening up the kitchen into another room, the family room, the living room, an eating area," says Bill...

Silver linings. (Executive Lifestyles).(Silver Queen)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Missing a silver place setting or serving spoon? Silver Queen in Largo is one of only a handful nationwide that specializes in matching discontinued silver patterns from a $10 butter spreader to $1,000 punch ladle. "Colonial patterns are...

Software with a twist. (Computers).(Riptide Software)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... Phil Loeffel remembers his first computer, a TRS-80 he got at age 9. Now, the 34-year-old has "literally a dozen" computers at home "and enough parts to build a dozen more." A man of varied passions, Loeffel also liked volleyball--he played...

Taking heart. (Healthcare).(Bioheart)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... In 1998, Howard Leonhardt sold his 12-year-old medical device company for $62 million. A few months later, when Medtronic acquired Leonhardt's acquirer, his former unit was valued at $124 million--not bad for a guy who upon arriving in south...

A good call. (Telecom).(Florida Digital Network )(Company Profile)
April 1, 2003... That Mike Gallagher's telecom business still exists is accomplishment enough given the industry's flameout. His Florida Digital Network is not only growing, but also will make a profit this year on a projected $130 million in revenue. ...

Water bugs: A Tampa company has come up with the nation's only drug to combat illness caused by a common waterborne parasite. (Pharmaceuticals).
April 1, 2003... When the conversation turns to water W contamination, much of the discussion revolves around how the U.S. is protecting its water supply from terrorists. But a less high-profile form of water contamination may be more of a threat to...

Click it! (Technology).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Poison Help www.aapcc.org A handy list of poison information centers nationwide--including facilities in Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville--is available from the American Association of Poison Control Centers, aapcc.org. The site also...

Home of the NCAA. (Tech Briefs).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Fort Lauderdale-based SportsLine.com has signed a deal with CBS Sports and the NCAA to provide the official NCAA championship website through 2006. The new site, ncaasports.com, will replace sites used previously, including finalfour.net. The...

Hispanic car buyers. (Tech Briefs).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Terra.com, the Miami-based U.S. Hispanic web portal of the Spanish internet company Terra Lycos, is teaming up with web marketer Autobytel on a Spanish-language site for car shoppers. The site, which can be accessed by clicking on "auto" on...

Coming clean: having a clean credit history is essential for small-business owners. (Finance).
April 1, 2003... Wanda Bee, a broker/associate for Re/Max Advance Realty in Miami, didn't know someone had stolen her identity until she decided to purchase a piece of property. Her credit report revealed that two years earlier someone had obtained two credit...

Employee or contractor? Business owners who routinely classify workers as contractors must follow the rules or face IRS penalties. (Employment).
April 1, 2003... Christine Barney uses independent contractors regularly in her business, Coral Gables-based RBB Public Relations. And she's been doing so successfully for five years. "We have clients who need special expertise on a spot basis, like a...

Hope amid uncertainty: state budget cuts and global unrest cast a shadow on Florida's economy, but signs of strength are still visible. (Economic Yearbook 2003).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Florida has its share of problems this year: Possible spillover effects from continuing national-level economic woes and a war with Iraq; a strapped state budget facing a possible $4-billion shortfall; a tourism market where a record 75.5...

Vital Statistics.(statistical list by county)
April 1, 2003... VITAL STATISTICS POPULATION TOP 5 COUNTIES MIAMI-DADE 2,349,637 BROWARD 1,719,691 PALM BEACH 1,203,090 HILLSBOROUGH 1,075,448 ORANGE 980,167 BOTTOM 5 LIBERTY 7,377...

The struggle to work together. (Southeast).
April 1, 2003... Officials in southeast Florida are touting a regional approach to marketing, economic development, transportation and other planning initiatives, yet the challenges facing each of the region's four counties remain diverse. In Miami-Dade,...

Money talks. (Treasure Coast).(includes Vero Beach limits construction project)
April 1, 2003... Trinity Episcopal Church in Vero Beach wanted to build a 50-foot-high church topped by a 58-foot steeple and cross. In Vero, anything above 50 feet requires a referendum, so the church went to the voters in November. It lost by a 3-2 ratio. ...

Steady growth. (Southwest).
April 1, 2003... Growth in southwest Florida continues at a steady pace--eight of the 10 counties in the region posted faster population gains than the state from 2002 to 2003. Collier County alone posted a population surge--4.05%--almost three times the state...

Super Bowl dividends. (Tampa Bay).(Illustration)
April 1, 2003... Still beaming after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl win, regional economic development officials hope the victory translates into business gains. "The national and international recognition this brings--you can't pay for that," says Rhea...

Genetics University of Florida. (Florida's Intellectual Property).
April 1, 2003... The University of Florida is a national leader in the development of powerful new diagnostic tests, novel therapeutic agents, therapies for human diseases and superior plants and animals to feed the world's ever-expanding populations. The...

Driving force. (Central).(Florida)
April 1, 2003... Area leaders hope to use a 20-year transportation plan as a model of cooperation for the various governmental jurisdictions within the Orlando metropolitan area. "A year from now, we could easily have a regional plan," says Joel Hass,...

Shaken but determined. (Space Coast).(Florida)
April 1, 2003... Florida's ever-growing space coast entered the New Year with high expectations. But the loss of the space shuttle Columbia on Feb. 1 has cast a long shadow of uncertainty over the area's economy. While economic and industry experts say it's too...

The Florida Lottery: contributing to the economy through commerce and education.(Florida Lottery services)
April 1, 2003... The Florida Lottery was introduced in 1988 to raise additional revenue to improve public education. Since then, Lottery games have contributed more than $12.5 billion to the state's Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. But the Lottery's benefit...

Grappling with growth. (North Central).(Florida)
April 1, 2003... The north central region boasts beautiful rolling hills, vast public forests, abundant water sources, scenic coasts and the cultural amenities of the University of Florida. The region's attractiveness, though, invites steady population growth...

TEC grows leaders: who grow companies. (Special Advertising Report).(growth of Mechanical Services Inc.)
April 1, 2003... Bill Dillard credits TEC for helping him develop the management skills necessary to grow Mechanical Services, Inc. into a profitable $46 million company and successfully navigate its sale. In 1986 Dillard was coping with fallout from an...

Military benefits. (Northeast).
April 1, 2003... Area leaders have traditionally snapped to attention whenever the U.S. military comes calling. But as recently as two years ago, some were quietly grumbling about the dwindling economic importance of the region's military-industrial complex....

Workforce issues. (Big Bend).(Florida)
April 1, 2003... The big bend region's core economic strength--the hub created by state government and higher-education in Tallahassee that brings both brainpower and white-collar jobs to the region--is also its Achilles' heel. As Gov. Jeb Bush begins his fifth...

A position of strength. (Northwest).(northwest Florida)
April 1, 2003... Northwest Florida's skilled, motivated and somewhat untapped workforce -- largely a spinoff from the region's military presence -- is attracting employers' attention. Both Navy Federal Credit Union and ResortQuest International, two major...

'Back to basics': expanding convention centers are competing fiercely for business that's harder to come by. (Conventions).
April 1, 2003... With business travel still sagging in a post-Sept. 11 economy and war on everyone's mind, Florida's convention centers are forging ahead with expansion plans and aggressive marketing campaigns. The competition is fierce: Nationwide, 84...

'No more wiggle room'. (Education).
April 1, 2003... Florida's universities and community colleges say insufficient funding threatens their vital role in the state's economic development. For the past four years, Gov. Jeb Bush and his advisers have publicly touted the role of the state's 28...

Jackpot! A casino builder strikes it rich in a deal with the Seminole Tribe, but now the tribe is balking. (Litigation).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... When the Seminole Tribe wanted to open a casino on its property in Coconut Creek several years ago, it entered into a risk-free deal with a casino builder. Under the contract, Coconut Creek Gaming, an Orlando-based subsidiary of North...

First amendment violation? (Sales Taxes).
April 1, 2003... The way Boca Raton tax lawyer Allen Libow sees it, the Florida Department of Revenue owes a lot of people a nice fat refund. His list would include newspaper, book and magazine publishers and their readers, makers of software and computers...

Cheeseburgers (and more) in paradise. (Dining with Tolf).(numerous restaurant openings and closings)
April 1, 2003... Florida newcomers include a new Jimmy Buffett partnership, bamboo club and Asian and Latin offerings in Miami. Wonder of wonders! A Hooters has actually closed--in Boca Raton of all places. The short-shorts and signature T-shirts will be...

Preparing our children to become good readers. (Special Advertising Report: Just Read, Florida!).(Advertisement)
April 1, 2003... The goal of Governor Jeb Bush's Just Read, Florida! Initiative is to have every student in Florida's public schools reading at or above their grade level by 2012. To reach that goal, parents, educators, businesses and the community must look...

Top Rank Florida.(top-ranked accounting, law firms)(Directory)(Illustration)
April 1, 2003... Top rank florida[TM]. www.FloridaTrend.com/TopRank ACCOUNTING FIRMS 2003 Last Florida/Regional Rank Year Name Headquarters Phone 1 1 ...

'Nature's crazed antics'. (Editor's Page).(restoring the Kissimmee River)
April 1, 2003... Paddling down the Kissimmee River deep in south central Florida, I see an accumulation of sand and debris along the inside of a bend in the river. To me, it's a sandbar and a rest stop for a tired kayaker. For Lou Toth, it's progress--and...