Florida Trend articles from December 2005

Florida Trend archives from December 2005

Spotlight on CEOs.(corner office)
December 1, 2005... If you're looking for business intelligence, we've got it right here. The results of our sixth Florida CEO Trends[TM] survey are in, and you can find out what the state's top executives are thinking in our special report starting on page...

Committed to Florida: Bank of America's landmark redevelopment goal is geared toward meeting the priorities of local markets throughout the state.(Advertisement)
December 1, 2005... Last year, Bank of America announced a national goal of $750 billion for community development over ten years. For Florida, that translates into a $36 billion business plan for affordable housing, small businesses and farms, and consumer and...

Tourism.(readers)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... "Obstacles" [October, FloridaTrend.com] was quite interesting and well-analyzed. My wife and I are also visitors from Europe (Dutch but living in France). If I may say so, however, you may have overlooked at least one or two points that play a...

Setting the record straight.(readers)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... I was glad to see your story about the effects of growth on Columbia County's wastewater system ["A Huge Waste," October, FloridaTrend.com]. However, when mentioning the report that was presented to business and civic leaders, I noticed that...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2005... Karen Brand is vice president of communications at the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau. PRS Group of Miami manages $1.7 billion in hedge fund assets, including fund-of-funds, single strategy funds such as convertible bond arbitrage,...

Treasure hunters.(executive lifestyles: Public People, Private Passions)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Geoff Young is an attorney with Ruden McClosky in St. Petersburg. His fiancee, Melisa French, runs her own commercial real estate firm, Brokers Inc., also in St. Pete. When the two are not working, their thoughts are of cave diving in Mexico,...

Fast track.(executive lifestyles: Public People, Private Passions)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... RHEA LAW President / Fowler White Boggs TAMPA The first woman to head one of the state's 25 largest law practices (her list of community activities runs pages long), Rhea Law has always liked doing anything that has a component of speed...

High-flier.(executive lifestyles: Public People, Private Passions)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... STEVEN PERETZ Founding partner / Kluger, Peretz, Kaplan & Berlin MIAMI Once a year, attorney Steven Peretz sets out for what he calls a "soaring safari" out West. An experienced glider pilot, he's logged more than 400 hours in the air. ...

Wave runner.(executive lifestyles: Public People, Private Passions)
December 1, 2005... Michael Fay, president of Miami-based commercial real estate firm Abood Wood-Fay, recently inked a deal to acquire Colliers South Florida, which significantly expands his firm's reach. The deal is great, says Fay--his company will close on more...

Healthier by design: commercial architects are creating buildings that promote better health.(ARCHITECTURE)
December 1, 2005... Such 1990s staples as corporate cafeterias, workplace fitness centers and convenient employee parking are becoming passe. With obesity on the rise nationwide, today's companies are designing buildings that do more to promote fitness. ...

Home on the range.(Lightsey Brothers Inc.)
December 1, 2005... On just one jewel of an island among the Lightsey family's 14,500 acres thrive bald eagles, sandhill cranes, gopher tortoises and 25 other endangered species. Also thriving are cattle. The Lightseys combine the environment and ranching so well...

School days.(SAGEMONT SCHOOL)
December 1, 2005... Renee and Richard Goldman set one condition in 1996 as they weighed whether to start a private elementary school: Their son Brent, a high school teacher and assistant football coach with a doctorate in education administration, had to sign on...

A second chance.(CREATIVE RECYCLING SYSTEMS)
December 1, 2005... Jon Yob had the classic entrepreneur's industrious start, helping at his father's business at age 5, earning his real estate license at 18. At 20, he bought a metals recycling plant in Tampa to generate cash for real estate investing and get a...

Creative alternatives: a pricey real estate market is forcing employers to find affordable housing solutions.(HOUSING IN THE KEYS)
December 1, 2005... Average home prices in the Florida Keys are up nearly 40% this year to about $750,000. That's not good news for the hospitality industry here, which employs thousands of service workers at minimum wage or slightly above. Most service...

University of Miami Department of Psychology's Linda Ray Intervention Center.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... CORAL GABLES -- The University of Miami Department of Psychology's Linda Ray Intervention Center has received a $420,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to support its Consortium for Children in Crisis, a clinical treatment and...

Sterling healthcare.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Executive vice president and general counsel Eugene Dauchert has been appointed interim president and CEO of clinical outsourcing firm Sterling Healthcare after CEO Dr. Stephen Dresnick requested a leave of absence.

Arca knitting.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... HIALEAH -- Arca Knitting will lay off 115 workers at its Hialeah factory. The manufacturer says the move results from competition from overseas suppliers.

Key West--Mayor Jimmy Weekley lost his bid for a fourth term in a stunning upset to real estate agent Morgan McPherson by 24 votes.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Key West -- Mayor Jimmy Weekley lost his bid for a fourth term in a stunning upset to real estate agent Morgan McPherson by 24 votes. McPherson, 36, has never held office.

Home builder Lennar (NYSE-LEN) will replace Gillette Co. on the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... MIAMI -- Home builder Lennar (NYSE-LEN) will replace Gillette Co. on the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index. The index is one of the key measures of Wall Street performance. Gillette is being acquired by Procter & Gamble.

Bodaclick.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Spain-based Bodaclick, an online wedding portal, plans to open an office in Miami to target the North American and Latin American markets. The company plans to hire 10 full-time employees over the next three years.

Poverty.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Miami ranks first among large cities in the nation for the percentage of poor African-American residents who live in concentrated pockets of poverty. According to a recent study by the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institute, more than 67%...

Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and City Manager Joe Arriola, largely credited with steering the city from the brink of bankruptcy and improving government solvency, are weathering criticism of how the city is spending $255 million in bond money approved by voters in 2001.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and City Manager Joe Arriola, largely credited with steering the city from the brink of bankruptcy and improving government solvency, are weathering criticism of how the city is spending $255 million in bond money...

Spanish Broadcasting System.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Miami-based Spanish Broadcasting System (Nasdaq-SBSA), which owns 20 radio stations in major cities around the U.S., has made its first step into television with the $37.5-million purchase of Miami's WDLP-Channel 22.

Facundo L. Bacardi has been elected chairman of the board of Bermuda-based spirits giant Bacardi.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Facundo L. Bacardi has been elected chairman of the board of Bermuda-based spirits giant Bacardi. The 38-year-old great-great-grandson of the company's founder, Bacardi replaces Ruben Rodriguez. Bacardi's U.S. operation is based in Miami.

Port of Miami.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... MIAMI-DADE -- Despite a 14% decline in cruise passenger traffic this year--its first drop in more than 10 years--the Port of Miami remains the nation's biggest cruise port, according to the International Council of Cruise Lines.

Florida International University.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Florida International University has been awarded a $286,000 grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development to open the Small and Medium Enterprises Center of Excellence, a program to train business executives in Central America and...

Alberto Ibarguen.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... John S. and James L. Knight Foundation President and former Miami Herald publisher Alberto Ibarguen has been named to the board of Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo.

Former Miami-Dade Aviation Director Angela Gittens.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Former Miami-Dade Aviation Director Angela Gittens has been elected to the board of Forest Hills, N.Y.-based JetBlue Airways.

Mount Sinai Medical Center.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... NORTH MIAMI -- Miami-Beach based Mount Sinai Medical Center has submitted an application with the state to build a 269-bed, non-profit hospital in North Miami Beach. The proposed site is adjacent to the north campus of Florida International...

Arts Center Cost Stitt rising.(ESCALATING PRICE)
December 1, 2005... MIAMI -- Blaming a shortage of construction workers and weather-related construction delays, county officials have upped the price tag for the Miami Performing Arts Center by $34.4 million to $446 million. Grand opening is scheduled for next...

Prime time: FAU's ambitions for an on-campus athletic complex are as bold and brash as its football team.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Two years ago, Florida Atlantic University's upstart football team, in just its third season, set NCAA records as the youngest division I-AA team to defeat a division I opponent and as the youngest to reach the national championship semifinals....

The Coral Harbor Apartments at Broken Sound.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... BOCA RATON -- The Coral Harbor Apartments at Broken Sound have sold for $105 million, a record price for an apartment complex in Palm Beach County. The 30-acre site will become a luxury condo complex called Mizner Court at Broken Sound.

Florida's Turnpike.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... BROWARD COUNTY -- To ease traffic in one of the state's fastest-growing areas, construction will begin next month to widen Florida's Turnpike to eight lanes throughout Broward County. The $600-million project is scheduled to be completed in...

With a net worth of $2 billion, Fort Lauderdale's Wayne Huizenga topped Subway founder Fred Deluca ($1.5 billion) for the distinction of wealthiest Broward County resident.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... With a net worth of $2 billion, Fort Lauderdale's Wayne Huizenga topped Subway founder Fred Deluca ($1.5 billion) for the distinction of wealthiest Broward County resident. Nationwide, the two ranked 133rd and 207th in Forbes magazine's annual...

Broward Alliance.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... The Broward Alliance, the county's public/private economic development agency, has launched a campaign to keep local businesses from relocating outside of the county. The tag line, "Always Broward County: We make it our business." The Broward...

Broward Community College north campus.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... COCONUT CREEK -- Construction has begun on a $9.5-million facility at Broward Community College's north campus that will teach business skills to elementary and middle school students. The Junior Achievement Huizenga Center for Free Enterprise...

Town administrator Chris Kovanes.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... DAVIE -- The Davie Town Council suspended town administrator Chris Kovanes following unspecified allegations of criminal wrongdoing.

CyberGuard.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... DEERFIELD BEACH -- Computer security firm CyberGuard has been acquired by Secure Computing Corp. of San Jose, Calif., in a $295-million cash and stock deal. CyberGuard employs 270.

Automotive Hall of Fame.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Jim Moran, founder of Southeast Toyota Distributors and honorary chairman of Deerfield Beach-based JM Family Enterprises, has been inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit.

Office Depot.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... DELRAY BEACH -- Office Depot (NYSE-ODP) has paid the U.S. $4.75 million to settle allegations that it sold products from countries such as China and Taiwan that do not have reciprocal trade agreements with the U.S.

The number of home sales, the average price of single-family homes and the overall value of transactions in Fort Lauderdale all fell in September--the first time that's happened all year, according to the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... FORT LAUDERDALE -- The number of home sales, the average price of single-family homes and the overall value of transactions in Fort Lauderdale all fell in September--the first time that's happened all year, according to the Realtor Association...

Arby.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Arby's plans to lay off 80 as it moves its corporate headquarters to Atlanta.

$50-million rail line.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... City and county officials are pushing plans to build a $50-million rail line in downtown Fort Lauderdale. A north-south Ioop and east-west Ioop would help commuters access some of the region's high-traffic areas. Future plans call for lines to...

Lago Mar Resort and Club.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... The famed 52-year-old oceanfront Lago Mar Resort and Club will undergo a $15-million upgrade and expansion.

VF Corp.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... PLANTATION -- Greensboro, N.C.-based apparel manufacturer VF Corp., whose brands include Lee and Wrangler Jeans, Nautica and The North Face, has opened an office in Plantation, employing 38. Q

Wilma's Wrath.(HURRICANE DAMAGE)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... SOUTH FLORIDA -- Almost 2.5 million people lost power when Hurricane Wilma whacked southeast Florida in late October. Early reports put Florida damage estimates from Wilma, which hit around Marco Island on the west coast before heading to the...

On the fly: a resurging eagle population is forcing developers to change their plans.(DEVELOPMENT)
December 1, 2005... In 2000, Vanderbilt Partners planned to build a high-rise condominium complex on 532 acres near Wiggins Pass in north Naples. But the parcel was home to an active eagle's nest, and the planned development was in the middle of a "primary...

Charlotte County opened its first regional library in October.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Charlotte County opened its first regional library in October. Some $8.9 million in funding for the 42,000-sq.-ft. facility came from the 1998 1% sales tax initiative and a $500,000 grant from the state.

Honeymoon Island State Park.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... DUNEDIN -- Honeymoon Island State Park had the second-highest economic impact of any state park last fiscal year, pumping more than $30 million into the economy, according to the Florida Park Service. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key...

Professional Risk Solutions.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... FORT MYERS -- As part of its national expansion plan, Professional Risk Solutions, a New Jersey wholesale brokerage insurance firm specializing in executive and professional liability insurance products, has opened a Fort Myers office.

Haemacure Corp.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... MANATEE COUNTY -- The Canadian-based Haemacure Corp., which specializes in the development of biological adhesives, biomaterials and surgical devices for acute wound care, is investing $10 million in a new facility on Tallevast Road that will...

Bank of Florida Trust Co.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... NAPLES -- The Bank of Florida Trust Co. named Scott Kellett executive vice president and president of Private Bank for the West Region. Kellett is former senior vice president and Florida private client gmup manager for Fifth Third Bank...

First Advantage Corp.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... ST. PETERSBURG -- First Advantage Corp., a global risk mitigation and business solutions provider based in St. Petersburg, has acquired Texas-based Road Manager Financial Services. Road Manager, a subsidiary of Volvo Commercial Finance, assists...

Late-season blow.(HURRICANE WILMA)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... SOUTHWEST FLORIDA -- Hurricane Wilma took a $180-million swipe at the state's citrus growers when it tore through southwest Florida in late October. Florida Citrus Mutual reported that up to 17% of the fruit crop in those areas, including...

Taylor Woodrow's Tower Division.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Taylor Woodrow's Tower Division is expanding to all Florida markets north of 1-4, including the Florida Panhandle, and as far west as Gulf Shores, Ala., and Biloxi, Miss. The company recently razed the old Adam's Mark Hotel on Clearwater Beach...

Cox Target Media.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Cox Target Media recently broke ground on a 470,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility along 1-275, where it plans to double its production capacity for Valpak, a direct mail coupon provider.

Lydian Bank & Trust.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... TAMPA -- Lydian Bank & Trust has tapped Cary Putrino, former regional president for Northern Trust Bank of Florida and chairman of the board of BayCare Health System, as its new regional president.

Pepin Heart Hospital & Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Local philanthropists contributed $5 million toward the construction of the $50-million, 125,000-sq.-ft. Pepin Heart Hospital & Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute.

Class project: a regional effort looks at boosting the number of science and math teachers.(EDUCATION)
December 1, 2005... While central Florida can boast of having NASA and a host of high-tech companies in its back yard, the faculties at its local schools mirror those nationwide in having too few qualified math and science instructors: One in three teachers in the...

Ocean Center.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... DAYTONA BEACH -- Construction is under way on a $57-million renovation of the Ocean Center designed to almost double the center's size to 500,000 square feet. Completion is set for late 2007.

In February, United Airlines will start offering two daily flights between Daytona Beach International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... In February, United Airlines will start offering two daily flights between Daytona Beach International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. The flights will be on 50-seat Mesa Air Group jets under the United Express brand.

95-acre site.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... A 95-acre site along Interstate 95 near the Bellevue Avenue Extension and Williamson Boulevard has been purchased for almost $6.7 million by North Delaware Land Acquisition Co. The pasture land formerly was owned by Norpak Corp. of New Jersey,...

Debary--A $6.6-million industrial facility under construction off Springview Commerce Drive will include 100,000 square feet of class A office and warehouse space.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... DEBARY -- A $6.6-million industrial facility under construction off Springview Commerce Drive will include 100,000 square feet of class A office and warehouse space. Springview CommerCenter is set to open in the spring of 2006.

U.S. Highway 17.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... DELEON SPRINGS -- The Florida Department of Transportation is studying the impact of the planned widening of about six miles of rural U.S. Highway 17 from DeLeon Springs to Barberville. The study will continue while the project is under...

Ruth's Chris Steak House.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... LAKE MARY -- Ruth's Chris Steak House has settled into its new headquarters in Heathrow, relocating after its New Orleans base was struck by Hurricane Katrina. The company had been operating out of an office in downtown Orlando.

Enterprise Florida's new CEO.(IN THE NEWS)(John Adams)(chief executive officer)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- John Adams brings a varied list of credentials with him as Enterprise Florida's new CEO. Adams, 51, formerly economic development executive director of Laredo, Texas, holds a doctorate in history from Texas A&M University, has...

College Park Village.(Demetree Builders plans)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Demetree Builders plans to start construction in spring 2007 on a $100-million residential and retail complex called College Park Village at Edgewater Drive and Par Street in College Park. The site at the former Edgewater Corporate Center will...

The Florida Mall Hotel.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... In a $23-million renovation project scheduled for completion in mid-2006 at the former Adam's Mark in south Orlando, Edinburgh Management is repositioning The Florida Mall Hotel as a first-class meeting destination. Besides doubling the...

Advanced Power Electronics.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Advanced Power Electronics has been awarded a two-year, $750,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant from the Army to create a hybrid power system for combat vehicles that is small enough to fit into a space the size of a 1969 Volkswagen...

myregion.org.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... In a $175,000 survey by myregion.org of central Florida values, 70% of area residents cited growth as their top concern, and 64% said they expect their quality of life to decrease in the next five to 10 years because of it.

American Motorcycle Institute.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... ORMOND BEACH -- The American Motorcycle Institute plans to build a $26-million campus on 27.5 acres at the Destination Daytona site under development along Interstate 95 in Ormond Beach, where a new Harley Davidson dealership now doubles as an...

Orlando Sanford International Airport.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... SANFORD -- Orlando Sanford International Airport lost one of its carriers when TransMeridian Airlines went bankrupt in October. Other airlines have offered to help passengers who already held tickets.

City's historic downtown.(Residents protest )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... WINTER PARK -- A slew of multimillion-dollar developments under construction or planned in the city's historic downtown has drawn ire from residents, who have been packing into municipal meetings to protest. Among the most debated: The...

Rollins College.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Rollins College now has a house on campus for its presidents and their families. The 7,200-sq.-ft. residence on Lake Virginia is on the east side of the campus. D

Rebuilding credibility: Jacksonville's EDC turns to a new director to turn things around.(ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT)(Interview)
December 1, 2005... Ron Barton has a tough job. The agency he was recently hired to lead, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, may be the most controversial institution in the city. A series of questionable incentive deals, culminating in the...

The Florida Wildlife Federation and a Clay County environmental group have challenged the county commission's master development plan for the 30,293-acre Lake Asbury area.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... CLAY COUNTY -- The Florida Wildlife Federation and a Clay County environmental group have challenged the county commission's master development plan for the 30,293-acre Lake Asbury area. The groups claim the plan will "adversely impact...

County Commissioner Christy Fitzgerald.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... A citizens group formed in the wake of the county's illegal dumping scandal has announced it will seek to recall County Commissioner Christy Fitzgerald, the board member with close ties to the former Department of Public Works head at the...

Armor Holdings.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... JACKSONVILLE -- Armor Holdings (NYSE-AH) inked a $110.1-million contract with Oshkosh Truck Corp. to produce armor kits for the Marine Corps' Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement program.

Florida Ports Financing Commission.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Ron Baker, Jacksonville Port Authority's deputy executive director and CFO, has been named chairman of the Florida Ports Financing Commission.

Portland, Ore.-based Wallace Theaters will build a $14-million, 14-screen Hollywood Theater at the River City Marketplace.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Portland, Ore.-based Wallace Theaters will build a $14-million, 14-screen Hollywood Theater at the River City Marketplace, the first cinema complex on the city's Northside.

Jeffrey Goldhagen.(IN THE NEWS)(Duval County Health Department )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Jeffrey Goldhagen will leave the Duval County Health Department after failing to negotiate a contract with the state Department of Health. Goldhagen, who led the local health department for 12 years, was fired and then temporarily rehired last...

Orlando developer Cameron Kuhn announced plans for River Watch at City Centre.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Orlando developer Cameron Kuhn announced plans for River Watch at City Centre, a 33-story high-rise project that features residential condominiums, a hotel, parking and first-floor retail and commercial space.

Thomas Creek Preserve.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Developers unveiled plans for Thomas Creek Preserve, a 6,000-acre mixed-use community near Jacksonville International Airport. The subdivision will be built in two phases, with construction scheduled to run from 2007 to 2018.

EverBank.(IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... EverBank named Blake Wilson president and CFO and John Surface executive vice president of corporate development.