Florida Trend articles from December 2006

Florida Trend archives from December 2006

A generation of thanks.(Corner Office)(Manatee Community College)
December 1, 2006... It was 1957 when the Florida Legislature awarded a charter to (then) Manatee Junior College. From the first 502 students who met in borrowed space, Manatee Community College has grown to 9,000-plus credit students taking classes in Bradenton...

African-American entrepreneurs.(Readers)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I had to express my pure delight in seeing your profile of African-American entrepreneurs ["Surge," October, Florida Trend. com]. Always forward-looking, you are certainly to be commended for your commitment to showing ALL of Florida's...

Icon: Andres Duany.(Readers)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I read with interest your recent interview with Andres Duany ["Icon," October, FloridaTrend.com], however, I was a little dismayed to see our Traditional Neighborhood Development mentioned in an unflattering light. The development in...

Clarification.(Readers)(Correction notice)
December 1, 2006... The photograph of Barbara Rudd and Samantha Simons in the November issue was taken by Greg Johnston.

Watercolors.(Executive Lifestyles: Collectibles)(David and Lee Ann Lester)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... After David and Lee Ann Lester sold their art fair business, Art Miami, in 1991, they spent a year and a half cruising on their 94-foot Ferretti motor yacht. That's when they got the idea for a floating art gallery. The couple lined up...

Jim Davis: Attorney, Gunster & Yoakley, Fort Lauderdale.(COLLECTIBLE: Medicine Bottles)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... In the 1950s, Jim Davis' uncle operated one of the first dive shops in the Florida Keys. Once in a while his uncle would find old medicine bottles--some still unopened--that had washed up in the mangroves. So he started collecting them. ...

Gary Cohen: Attorney, Grossman Roth, Boca Raton.(COLLECTIBLE: Signatures of Presidents)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Over the past 17 years, history buff Gary Cohen has collected the signatures of all 42 presidents. He got Jimmy Carter's at a book signing. John F. Kennedy's signature is on the cover of a Time magazine. Others are on historical documents...

MVP collectible.(SPORTS FANS)
December 1, 2006... Miami-based Mounted Memories, a sports memorabilia subsidiary of Dreams Inc., has a line of limited edition Super Bowl MVP collectibles. The products, Super Bowl XL Pro-Line helmets and artwork, include the signatures of all 35 living Super...

'A higher level': fitness trainers add a personal touch.(Executive Lifestyles: Health: Personal Training)
December 1, 2006... Personal trainers used to be thought of as a luxury for people who had more money than stamina. Today, executives are turning to them not only to slim down and tone up, but also to help them improve in their athletic endeavors, such as running...

Destination: spa.(Executive Lifestyles: Travel: Ponte Vedra Inn and Spa)
December 1, 2006... The stately Ponte Vedra Inn and Spa, built in 1928, has catered to three generations of loyal visitors with its golf, tennis and beach amenities. For the past year, the resort has quietly rebranded itself as the home of a destination spa,...

JetNetwork FlightCard.(Flight Plans)
December 1, 2006... Website: jetnetwork.com Price: Starting at $2,400/hour Miami-based JetNetwork's "debit card" for charter air service gives executives an alternative to owning a jet. Book flights with 48 hours' notice for business or pleasure. Hourly rates...

Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza.(Hotel Upgrades)
December 1, 2006... Hotel Upgrades--A new program at Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza offers luxury lodging plus gourmet cooking lessons from executive chef Fabrizio Schenardi at the hotel's restaurant, Pelagia Trattoria, starting at $339 a night per...

Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Conference Center and Spa.(Hotel Upgrades)
December 1, 2006... Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Conference Center and Spa in Weston offers a new service that allows Hyatt Gold Passport members to hear a customized wakeup call recorded by friends, family--or even Christie Brinkley.

Intercontinental Hotels Group has opened its sixth hotel under its new brand, Hotel Indigo, and the first newly built under the name.(Hotel Upgrades)
December 1, 2006... Intercontinental Hotels Group has opened its sixth hotel under its new brand, Hotel Indigo, and the first newly built under the name. The $15-million, 95-room boutique property is in Sarasota and is owned by Paradise Hotels of Florida and...

Crowne Plaza Hollywood.(Hotel Upgrades)
December 1, 2006... MHI Hospitality has branded its new 310-room project in south Florida the Crowne Plaza Hollywood through an agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group.

The Villas of Grand Cypress.(Hotel Upgrades)
December 1, 2006... The Villas of Grand Cypress in Orlando is undergoing a $3-million renovation.

SATSair.(Travel News)
December 1, 2006... Travel News--Air taxi service provider SATSair has expanded into Florida. The company, based in Greenville, S.C., also is purchasing 50 Cirrus SR22 aircraft: from Cirrus Design, with options on 50 more, in a $45-million deal.

Clearwater has pumped $30 million into a beach beautification program.(Travel News)
December 1, 2006... Clearwater has pumped $30 million into a beach beautification program as part of a renovation that involves more than $1 billion in private development by area hotels, condominiums and condo/hotels.

Florida's best restaurants: the famed Hall picks up three peers, and four restaurants are welcomed into Golden Spoon-winning ranks.(Executive Lifestyles: Dining and Spirits)
December 1, 2006... It's been a banner year for the Golden Spoons--three new inductees into the Golden Spoon Hall of Fame and four first-time Golden Spoon winners. All are chef-owned or partnered. Marching triumphantly into the Hall are Angelo Elia of Fort...

Max Mayfield: director, National Hurricane Center, age 58).(Icon)(Interview)
December 1, 2006... I've been here 34 years. I like that Forrest Gump story when he was running across the country and people were waiting for him to say something and he just said, "I'm tired, and I think I'll go home now." People think the real challenge is...

Longtime interest.(Trendsetters: Trade and Transportation)(Arthur R. Savage)(Biography)
December 1, 2006... Arthur R. Savage A.R. Savage & Son, Tampa President, CEO Beyond work: Savage and his wife, Tracy, have four children under age 13. On the sea: Savage owns a small, personal runabout and also takes the helm when the SS American...

Rapid response.(Trendsetters: Trade and Transportation)(Company overview)
December 1, 2006... Arrival: 1961, from her native Cuba after she and other students were jailed by Castro for nine days following the Bay of Pigs invasion. Her parents owned business schools in Cuba. Started work at a packaging company that year. Early...

Peter Quinter.(Custom Made)
December 1, 2006... Peter Quinter, 42, always had an interest in cultures and languages. He even missed the start of his last gear of high school to finish a live-abroad program in Greece. He also always wanted to be a lawyer. No surprise then that he became a...

Joyce Elam.(Notables)
December 1, 2006... As executive dean, Joyce Elam, 57, runs FIU's College of Business Administration, ranked seventh in U.S. News and World Report's listing of business school undergrad programs with a focus on international business....

Daniel Berrebi.(Notables)
December 1, 2006... Daniel Berrebi, 42, founder of Paris-based ocean transport firm Unishipping, has moved to Miami to start BRB Yachts and soon will launch a fast-ferry service to Bimini in the Bahamas.

Tunnel vision.(Trendsetters: Trade and Transportation)
December 1, 2006... Charlotte Gallogly World Trade Center Miami, President Collects: Ethnic arts and crafts and dolls from foreign countrie0s. "I don't see myself retiring." Frequent-flier miles: 1.5 million. "I give them away all the time." ...

Going bare: more business owners are forgoing insurance--some with the blessing of their lenders.(INSURANCE)
December 1, 2006... When David S. Daniels and his partners at Bayshore Properties of St. Petersburg bought a historic building in downtown's McNulty Station this September, they knew they'd be in for a windstorm-insurance wallop. But they had no idea how big a...

Enrollment trends.(STATE UNIVERSITIES)
December 1, 2006... ENROLLMENT TRENDS--Minority enrollment at Florida's 11 public universities rose 4.8% from fall 2005, compared with a 2.6% jump in overall enrollment, according to the Florida Board of Governors. Hispanic enrollment jumped 7.3%, while...

Report card.(K-12)(Hoover Institution's Koret Task Force report on Florida)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... REPORT CARD--A report by the Hoover Institution's Koret Task Force praises Florida for the progress it has made over the past eight years under Gov. Jeb Bush's A+ education reform plan. But the panel also points to some shortcomings, including...

Shopping centers.(COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... SHOPPING CENTERS--Seventeen shopping centers comprising 3.1 million square feet were sold in Florida's major metro retail markets during the first half of the year, according to a report by Boca Raton-based Woolbright Development. The...

Mansion steps.(Statewide)(Charlie Crist elected Governor of Florida)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... STEPPING OUT--Two-term Republican Gov. Jeb Bush and wife Columba have a last dance at the Governor's Mansion before they head back to Miami, Bush leaves office one of the most popular governors in modern state history. STEPPING...

Guiding growth.(ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT)
December 1, 2006... Regions Bank Miami-Dade President Angel Medina Jr. is serving a one-year term as chairman of the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade's economic development agency. F.T.: What will be the greatest challenges in attracting companies to relocate and...

Homestead Hospital.(Players)
December 1, 2006... Health administration veteran Bill Duquette has been named CEO of Homestead Hospital, succeeding Bo Boullenger, who has accepted a similar post at Baptist Hospital of Miami.

R. Alexander Acosta.(Players)
December 1, 2006... R. Alexander Acosta has been sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

Miami Business Forum.(Players)
December 1, 2006... The Miami Business Forum, a coalition of Miami-area executives, has named former U.S. ambassador Paul Cejas as its new chairman.

Coconut Grove Bank.(Players)
December 1, 2006... Attorney Charles A. Schuette has been elected chairman of the board of Miami-based Coconut Grove Bank. Founded in 1926, the bank is Miami's oldest.

$5-million gift.(EDUCATION/RESEARCH)(University of Miami gets $5-million from City National Bank of Florida Chairman Leonard Abess )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The University of Miami has received a $5-million gift from City National Bank of Florida Chairman Leonard Abess to fund the university's Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy. The 4-year-old center facilitates research on environmental...

Cirque du Soleil.(MIAMI BEACH)
December 1, 2006... MIAMI BEACH -- Fighting an escalating battle with concert promoters eyeing a long-term lease for the city's Jackie Gleason Theater, Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil has withdrawn its proposal to house a permanent troupe here.

Dole Fresh Flowers.(MIAMI BEACH)
December 1, 2006... Dole Fresh Flowers, the largest producer of fresh-cut flowers in Latin America, has laid off about 50 workers at its Miami headquarters.

Italian Trade Commission.(MIAMI BEACH)
December 1, 2006... MIAMI-BADE -- The Italian Trade Commission has opened an office in Miami to help promote trade and business opportunities between Italian and U.S. companies in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and parts of the Caribbean.

Housing agency.(MIAMI BEACH)
December 1, 2006... The Miami-Dade Inspector General's Office has issued a scathing report on the county's beleaguered housing agency pointing out that administrative and management expenses in one of the agency's largest programs accounted for 85% of total...

Florida Marlins.(MIAMI BEACH)
December 1, 2006... Despite repeated rebuffs from state lawmakers for help financing a new baseball stadium, the Florida Marlins are reviewing competing proposals for a new state-of-the-art domed facility. Hialeah officials are proposing a $430-million ballpark,...

Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department.(MIAMI BEACH)(cases of enmbezzlement)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... A former Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department employee is being charged in an embezzlement scheme that netted more than $1 million, prosecutors say. The department is also under scrutiny over revelations that it paid more than $4 million the...

E-governments.(TECHNOLOGY)(Miami-Bade among top ten technology savvy counties)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Miami-Bade ranked 10th nationally among large counties in the 2006 Digital Counties Survey, recognizing local governments' use of and commitment to technology. The annual rankings are compiled by the Center for Digital Government and the...

Formula for growth.(PACESETTER)
December 1, 2006... Tong Argiz is the sort of boss who encourages partners to e-mail assignments to staffers at 7 or 8 p.m. and expect them to have the work done the next morning. Not that he's the boss from hell. The managing partner of fast-growing...

Adler Group.(LEADER BOARD)
December 1, 2006... Brett W. Harris was named president and chief operating officer of Miami-based Adler Group, a commercial real estate firm. Harris previously oversaw a large portfolio of commercial real estate for Adler.

Adler Development.(LEADER BOARD)
December 1, 2006... Jose M. Martinez was named president of Adler Development, a division of Adler Group. He was previously executive vice president of Adler Development.

Miami Business Forum.(LEADER BOARD)
December 1, 2006... Paul Cejas, chairman and CEO of PLC Investments, a private investment firm in Miami and a former ambassador to Belgium, was named chairman of Miami Business Forum.

Dade County Medical Association.(LEADER BOARD)
December 1, 2006... Dr. Randy Miller, who is board certified in cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery, was named to the board of directors of the Dade County Medical Association.

Florida Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors.(LEADER BOARD)
December 1, 2006... William D. Pruitt, board member and audit committee chairman of Kos Pharmaceuticals and PBSJ Corp., was elected president and CEO of the Florida Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors, a non-profit group focused on shoring...

A gift for giving.(CEO SPOTLIGHT)(Linda B. Carter, President, CEO / Community Foundation of Broward, Fort Lauderdale)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... LINDA B. CARTER, SO President, CEO / Community Foundation of Broward, Fort Lauderdale Focus: A range of philanthropic work, from creating and managing donor funds to running a non-profit resource center to providing infrastructure to...

Sian Ocean Resort Residences.(Real Estate)
December 1, 2006... Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts was selected to operate Sian Ocean Resort Residences on the Intracoastal Waterway on Hollywood Beach. The 311-unit condo/hotel is slated to open this month, according to MCZ/Centrum Development Corp. and MHI...

Loft 3.(Real Estate)
December 1, 2006... Jorge Perez's Related Group unveiled a project aimed at helping address the need for workforce housing in Miami. The developer, which has a division focused on "attainable housing," plans to build Loft 3, a 495-unit condominium project with...

Biscayne Centre.(Real Estate)
December 1, 2006... SMK Cape Horn Development Group opened a sakes office at Biscayne Centre as it redevelops the eight-story building at 11900 Biscayne Blvd. in North Miami into an office condominium.

A big splash.(HEADS UP)
December 1, 2006... The cruise industry supported more than 128,000 jobs, paying nearly $4.8 billion in income in Florida last year, according to a study commissioned by the International Council of Cruise Lines. The report says Florida derived more benefit...

PDA--meetings & events.(South Florida extra)(Calendar)
December 1, 2006... PDA--Meetings & Events Date Event Location Nov. 30- Leisure Travel Conference Greater Fort Lauderdale/ Dec. 3 & Winter Cruise-a-thon Broward County Convention ...

Dirty work.(WASTE MANAGEMENT)
December 1, 2006... St. Lucie could become the nation's first county to use technology that vaporizes landfill waste, County officials gave the nod to Atlanta-based Geoplasma to fund and build a $425-million facility that uses plasma arcs to turn waste into...

Adding up.(FINANCE)(South Florida sees job growth in accounting and finance fields)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The number of accounting and finance jobs is growing across most of south Florida. Other stats from Robert Half International: 11% percentage of CFOs in the region who plan to add staff in the fourth ...

Addressing a need.(NURSING)(College of Nursing & Health Sciences)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Florida International University's School of Nursing is now a free-standing college, dubbed the College of Nursing & Health Sciences. The move is aimed at attracting more students. In addition, FIU's Foreign-Educated Physician to Nursing...

DHL Express.(Players)
December 1, 2006... Hans Hickler will succeed John Mullen as CEO of Plantation-based DHL Express in the U.S. Hickler joined DHL Express in 2004 as executive vice president of strategy and business implementation and was previously CEO at APL Logistics.

The Parkinson's Institute.(Players)
December 1, 2006... Will Ray, former Palm Beach County-based vice president of external affairs and lead fund-raiser for Scripps Research Institute, has been named chief development officer for The Parkinson's Institute in Sunnyvale, Calif.

Golstein Lewin & Co.(Players)
December 1, 2006... Boca Raton-based Goldstein Lewin & Co. has promoted Erika Lewin-Harris to director of business development. She will also head the company's community relations.

Martin Mahan.(Players)
December 1, 2006... Bank of Florida is eliminating its COO position. The Fort Lauderdale-based bank's parent company, Bancshares of Florida, has entered into a separation agreement with Martin Mahan, its executive vice president and COO, who has spent more than a...

CentraCore Properties Trust.(BOCA RATON)
December 1, 2006... BOCA RATON -- Geo Group, a correctional and mental health services firm, is buying Palm Beach Gardens-based CentraCore Properties Trust, a corrections real estate investment trust. The acquisition will result in a $396.1 million in holdings...

Nabi Pharmaceuticals.(BOCA RATON)
December 1, 2006... Nabi Pharmaceuticals agreed to sell its PhosLo drug to a U.S. subsidiary of German drug maker Fresenius AG for up to $150 million in cash and royalties on sales. PhosLo is aimed at reducing dangerously high phosphate levels in the blood.

Office Depot.(DELRAY BEACH)
December 1, 2006... DELRAY BEACH -- Office Depot (NYSE-ODP) has agreed to buy a controlling interest in an office products and services dealer in China. The purchase of AsiaEC allows Office Depot to leverage operations in Japan and South Korea, according to the...

Muvico Theaters.(FORT LAUDERDALE)
December 1, 2006... FORT LAUDERDALE -- Muvico Theaters has wrapped up a $64-million financing deal with an institutional investor. Part of the money will be used to build Muvico Boynton Beach 14, an anchor of the 1.2-million-sq.-ft. Boynton Beach Mall. The theater...

AirTran.(FORT LAUDERDALE)
December 1, 2006... AirTran is adding daily non-stop flights to Fort Lauderdale from New York's Westchester County Airport. The flights will begin on Dec. 21.

Gulfstream Park.(HALLANDALE BEACH)
December 1, 2006... HALLANDALE BEACH -- The state has given the nod to Gulfstream Park to operate slot machines at its horse race track. Gulfstream expects to have 516 slot machines. Mardi Gras Gaming & Racing Center received its slot machine license last month.

BabyUniverse.(JUPITER)
December 1, 2006... JUPITER -- BabyUniverse has received $2 million in new financing. The online retailer and content publisher received the money from affiliates of Wyndcrest Holdings, a company controlled by BabyUniverse CEO John Textor. The money is earmarked...

Maersk Line.(PORT EVERGLADES)
December 1, 2006... PORT EVERGLADES - Denmark-based Maersk Line is adding service to and from the east coast of South America. The company expects its service to handle 26,000 container moves each year.

Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies.(PORT ST. LUCIE)(new facility)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... PORT ST. LUCIE -- The Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies plans to build a 100,000-sq.-ft. facility 29 miles north of Jupiter's Scripps Florida. The county awarded $56.5 million in incentives to the La Jolla, Calif.-based researcher....

Beaches.(St. Lucie County)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... ST. LUCIE COUNTY-- Hit hard in 2004 by Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, the county has planted 164,646 new plants, most of them sea oats, along its beaches to help restore and preserve the coastline. Funding for the project included more than $4...

Governor's Office of Film & Entertainment.(SOUTH FLORIDA)
December 1, 2006... SOUTH FLORIDA -- The Governor's Office of Film & Entertainment says 14 productions and one digital media company took advantage of state incentives totaling $5.6 million. Nine of those productions took place in south Florida.

1st United Bank.(WEST PALM BEACH)
December 1, 2006... WEST PALM BEACH -- 1st United Bank is opening a branch at 1700 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. It is slated to open next spring.

Jacuzzi Brands.(WEST PALM BEACH)
December 1, 2006... Struggling Jacuzzi Brands is going private. The company is selling out to New York-based equity firm Apollo Management in a deal worth $1.25 billion.

Cleveland Clinic.(WESTON)
December 1, 2006... WESTON --The Cleveland Clinic purchased for an undisclosed sum Tenet Healthcare Corp.'s 51% stake in the 150-bed Cleveland Clinic Hospital.

BALD clout.(POLITICS)(Bay Area Legislative Delegation)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... While the region's 38 lawmakers comprise 25% of the state Legislature, they have rarely coordinated their various agendas, limiting the group's overall effectiveness. Last March, the group decided to formally organize as the Bay Area...

OSI Restaurant Partners, parent company of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill and six other chains, is going private in a $3.2-billion deal.(Southwest)
December 1, 2006... OSI Restaurant Partners, parent company of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill and six other chains, is going private in a $3.2-billion deal. An investor group including Bain Capital Partners, Catterton Partners and Outback founders...

Charlotte Sports Park.(CHARLOTTE COUNTY)
December 1, 2006... CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- The Charlotte Sports Park will get a $27.2-million makeover to host the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who will make the site their spring training headquarters in 2009.

Palm Island Marina.(CHARLOTTE COUNTY)
December 1, 2006... The Florida Department of Environmental Protection designated The Palm Island Marina in Cape Haze as the county's first "clean marina" for exceeding required environmental regulations by reducing water use, installing water protection...

Florida CareerLINK's website (floridacareerlink.com).(CLEARWATER)
December 1, 2006... CLEARWATER -- Job seekers who complete a "dream job profile" on Florida CareerLINK's website (floridacareerlink. com), can receive free text message alerts when jobs meeting their selection criteria appear on the site. If job seekers give...

Avantair.(CLEARWATER)
December 1, 2006... New York's Ardent Acquisition Corp. is purchasing the fractional airline Avantair for 7 million shares of Ardent stock and the assumption of $33.2 million in debt.

LandQwest Commercial Real Estate.(FORT MYERS)
December 1, 2006... FORT MYERS -- LandQwest Commercial Real Estate of Fort Myers and Tampa has opened a property management division headed by Mary Tardiff.