Florida Trend articles from January 2008

Florida Trend archives from January 2008

Art Basel.(FloridaTrend.com/Extra)
January 1, 2008... Photographer Bill Wisser compiles a slideshow capturing the sights of last month's Art Basel Miami Beach. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Tolf unveiled.(FloridaTrend.com/Extra)
January 1, 2008... Longtime TREND Restaurant Editor Robert W. Toll steps out of the shadows as he retires from his monthly column. Find out what he looks like and read the very first column he wrote for the magazine back in January 1973.

Innovation.(FloridaTrend.com/Extra)
January 1, 2008... Watch video highlights of the recent "Imagining an Innovative Economy" summit in Orlando--a gathering of biotech leaders--and Rollins College President Lewis M. Duncan's presentation.

Historic collection.(FloridaTrend.com/Extra)
January 1, 2008... Jay Kislak started collecting historic manuscripts and art in the 1950s. Now, his collection--on display at the Library of Congress and at FloridaTrend.com/Extra--is worth a reported $100 million.

50 years old and still brand new.(Corner Office)(Florida Trend celebrate it's 50th anniversary)
January 1, 2008... As Florida has grown and prospered, so has Florida business. Along with our readers and our advertisers, FLORIDA TREND has been on an incredible adventure over the past 50 years, and it's time to celebrate our impressive mutual achievements....

Changing mindset.(Readers)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... I have just received my December issue, and I am quite upset. The use of the cover shot and the corresponding headline intimates mental health patients should be housed in the same way as prisoners with double fences and walls of concertina...

Save our residents.(Readers)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... As a native Floridian working as a real estate developer, I am very much interested in seeing our state continue to prosper. I am extremely fearful of the future, and my kids' futures here, in light of the fact that Florida has become a very...

Clarifications.(Readers)(Correction notice)
January 1, 2008... * Florida Atlantic University's nursing school was designed by TLC Engineering for Architecture and SchenkelShultz Architecture. * The new Maitland Town Center will have 675 apartments.

Fashion trends.(Executive Lifestyles: Gems & Jewels)(promotion their works Konstantino Sioulas, Robin Rotenier and Maria Elena)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The best place to spot jewelry trends, says Amanda Gizzi, spokeswoman for New York City's Jewelry Information Center, is on the red carpet at celebrity functions. "We're seeing people pulling away from the big-name...

Designer spotlight: Jane Gordon.(SENDING A MESSAGE)
January 1, 2008... Jane A. Gordon has traveled from Europe to Azerbaijan to South Africa. She started out in commercial real estate, rode the dot-com wave until it crashed, then started her own corporate gift company, WishBrokers.com. Five years ago, she started...

Working at change.(Executive Lifestyles: Health: Workplace Wellness)(Mike Bryce launched Employee Health & Well-Being Program in Employee Health & Well-Being Program)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mike Bryce got the bad news in 2005 just as Hurricane Wilma was thrashing Florida: A good friend and co-worker had died unexpectedly. Bryce, director of human resources at FPL's nuclear division, had reason to worry...

Creative approaches for small companies.(Executive Lifestyles: Health: Workplace Wellness)
January 1, 2008... While big companies like FPL have the resources to fund comprehensive wellness programs, many small companies don't. The Rollin' Oats Market & Cafe in St. Petersburg, for example, offers its 20 full-time and 15 part-time employees discounts on...

Spur of the moment.(Executive Lifestyles: Getaways: Golf Trends)(golfers spending less time in planning tours)(trends in memberships of golf clubs)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The key trends in golf tours these days may be youth, amenities--and spontaneity. According to the Golf Profit Builders consulting group, golf demographics are changing--the 29-49 age group has become the "hot"...

'Green' greens.(Executive Lifestyles: Getaways: Golf Trends)(Golf courses certified by)(Gold Audubon Signature Sanctuaries)(WCI properties)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Eight Florida golf courses are Certified Gold Audubon Signature Sanctuaries. Seven of them are affiliated with WCI properties: * The Old Collier Golf Club, Naples Evergrene, Palm Beach Gardens (WCI) * Hammock Bay Golf & Country Club,...

PGA Merchandise Show.(NEWS)
January 1, 2008... The PGA Merchandise Show opens in Orlando Jan. 17-19 at the Orange County Convention Center.

Victory Women's Golf Tour.(NEWS)
January 1, 2008... Mystic Dunes Golf Club in Celebration near Walt Disney World hosts the Victory Women's Golf Tour April 28 through May 4 as the tournament travels from Florida to Maryland with purses totaling $800,000.

Taylormade Performance Labs at Grand Cypress Academy of Golf in Orlando and Hot Stix Golf at Walt Disney World's Osprey Ridge course are creating customized clubs using technology.(CUSTOM CLUBS)
January 1, 2008... Taylormade Performance Labs at Grand Cypress Academy of Golf in Orlando and Hot Stix Golf at Walt Disney World's Osprey Ridge course are creating customized clubs using technology that captures the movements of a golfer's swing. ...

Ginn Reunion Resort.(RESORTS)
January 1, 2008... Ginn Reunion Resort in Orlando has opened the Annika Academy, named for Annika SGrenstam. Students can play at the resort's three signature courses. Classes include seven to nine people and are led by Sorenstam's longtime coach, Henri Reis.

Captiva Island Golf Club.(RESORTS)
January 1, 2008... The Captiva Island Golf Club at South Seas Island Resort near Fort Myers, ranked one of the best short courses in the world by the Professional Golfers Association, has unveiled $4 million in upgrades.

Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort.(RESORTS)
January 1, 2008... Through Feb. 2, the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort is offering guests a free round at Baytowne Golf Club or the Links Course, with an upgrade to the Raven Golf Club--site of the Boeing Championship--with a stay at some beachfront villas. The...

Bon appetit! It's been a wonderful 34 years. Now, it's time to step back.(Executive Lifestyles: Dining and Spirits)(Robert W. Toll is writing his last column)(Personal account)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Julia Child was right: "You meet the nicest people in the food business" A friend from my pre-foodie, Foreign Service days in Norway, she was responding to my change of careers a zillion calories ago--back in 1973,...

James Robert Cade: (Physician, Gatorade inventor. Cade died Nov. 27 at age 80. The following is excerpted from a 1996 interview as part of the University of Florida Samuel Proctor Oral History Project.).(Icon)(Biography)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * I think I was surrounded with a bunch of people who loved me. That would make any childhood good. * (In high school) I played a game, how low a grade could I make and not fail. You really have to know your...

A strong foundation.(Trendsetters: Universities)(overview of Saint Leo College)(Organization overview)
January 1, 2008... Go back a decade. Saint Leo College had plenty of pride in its past. Yesteryear included being the first Catholic college in Florida in 1889. In 1898, the Pasco County college broke the law to enroll a black student. In 1973, it went...

Bitten by the science bug.(Trendsetters: Universities)(Tom Unnasch's occupation overview)(Occupation overview)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tom Unnasch's career has taken him throughout Africa and Latin America. He's been up close with cholera and spent one birthday driving 10 hours to escape Ivory Coast during a coup. This month, his career takes...

Nursing a niche.(Trendsetters: Universities)
January 1, 2008... In the five years since Nova Southeastern University launched its nursing program amid a shortage of nurses and an even more critical shortage of faculty, it has taken some non-traditional approaches, grown to 538 students on campus, online and...

An economy in transition: the chamber's New Cornerstone Revisited report points to a maturing Florida.(FLORIDA'S FUTURE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Findings in the Florida Chamber's New Cornerstone Revisited report, released in December, suggest a state that is still strongly defined by growth--but one whose economic infrastructure is maturing. The trends:...

State-managed investment pool.(BlackRock Inc. gets the contract to manage state funds)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... A run on a state-managed investment pool for local governments caused the State Board of Administration to freeze the fund temporarily last month. Local governments had withdrawn close to $14 billion, about half of the funds from the pool, in...

Ramping up.(PORT OF MIAMI)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Facing fierce competition from nearby seaports, the Port of Miami is getting a makeover. Upgrades include a new customer service program and major renovations to the port's appearance. By midyear, the port will...

Antique show.(ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT)(Original Miami Beach Antique Show returns to Miami Beach Convention Center)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Original Miami Beach Antique Show returns to Miami Beach Convention Center and will run from .Jan. 31 -Feb. 4. With 45 years of history, the show attracts more than 1,000 exhibitors from the U.S. and abroad,...

Burger King Corp.(Players)
January 1, 2008... Burger King Corp. has named Armando Jacomino president of the Latin America region. Jacomino replaces Julio Ramirez, who was promoted to executive vice president, global operations. Jacomino had been a vice president.

Noven Pharmaceuticals.(Players)
January 1, 2008... Miami-based Noven Pharmaceuticals named Michael D. Price vice president and CFO. He succeeds Diane M. Barrett, who retired. Price previously worked at Bentley Pharmaceuticals.

Fresh Del Monte Produce.(CORAL GABLES)
January 1, 2008... Fresh Del Monte Produce (NYSE-FDP) sold 10 million shares of common stock at $28.97 a share.

Pacer Health.(MIAMI)
January 1, 2008... Pacer Health (OTCBB-PHLH), a Miami-based owner of acute-care hospitals, medical treatment centers and psychiatric facilities in the Southeast, plans to sell an acute-care hospital in Georgia to Saint Joseph's Health System of Atlanta for an...

Urban Development Boundary.(MIAMI-DADE)
January 1, 2008... County Mayor Carlos Alvarez dealt a blow last month to developers looking to expand the county's Urban Development Boundary closer to the Everglades. Alvarez's veto of three projects seeking to develop outside the UDB included a Lowe's...

Foreclosures.(MIAMI-DADE)
January 1, 2008... The county stands to lose $11.8 billion off its tax base due to recent foreclosures in the subprime lending market, according to a new report from the Center for Responsible Lending. Based on subprime loans made in 2005 and 2006, the report...

Anti-fraud government strike force.(MIAMI-DADE)
January 1, 2008... Since launching last March, an interagency anti-fraud government strike force team has indicted 120 defendants in Miami-Dade County for Medicare fraud.

Healthcare challenge.(MEDICAL)(Interview)
January 1, 2008... Alan Levine, former head of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, took the top job at the North Broward Hospital District in 2006. Last October, the district changed its name to Broward Health. FLORIDA TREND: How do Broward...

Special exhibits.(ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT)(Boca Raton Museum of Art )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Boca Raton Museum of Art will present two special exhibitions starting Jan. 25: Degas in Bronze: The Complete Sculptures, a collection of 73 of the artist's works that are rarely exhibited together, and Tiffany...

Florida Atlantic University.(BOCA RATON)
January 1, 2008... Florida Atlantic University has received approval for a new graduate college, which will oversee most aspects of graduate education at the university.

Office Depot.(DELRAY BEACH)
January 1, 2008... Ziff Asset Management has purchased more than 17 million shares of Office Depot (NYSE-ODP), giving the hedge fund a 6.4% stake in the company. The company has had to restate earnings because of accounting errors.

ID Interactive.(DELRAY BEACH)
January 1, 2008... Wrestler Hulk Hogan has partnered with Delray gaming design firm ID Interactive to create a range of video slot machines in cooperation with the National Indian Gaming Association.

Florida Furniture Mart.(FORT PIERCE)
January 1, 2008... ComNet Realty plans to convert the Florida Furniture Mart to a biotechnology research park.

TOUSA Inc.(HOLLYWOOD)
January 1, 2008... Home builder TOUSA Inc. reported a third-quarter loss of $619.7 million and is considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Max Planck Center.(JUPITER)
January 1, 2008... The town council approved $260,000 for the Max Planck Center.

HearUSA.(WEST PALM BEACH)
January 1, 2008... HearUSA (Amex-EAR) has expanded into Charlotte, N.C., buying two private practices with combined estimated revenue of $2.4 million.

Leaving the slump behind.(DEVELOPMENT)(developing slum areas in florida)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When the real estate slump first hit Florida two years ago, Naples developer Todd Gates began sniffing around Central America and Caribbean markets for business opportunities. Gates, chairman of a Naples-based...

Grandma Moses.(ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT)(art exhibitions)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota is presenting Grandma Moses: Grandmother to the Nation, an exhibit of the artist's work Jan. 26-April 20. This exhibition will present Moses' paintings over three decades....

Gevity.(Players)
January 1, 2008... Michael Lavington was elevated from COO to chairman and CEO of Gevity. He replaces Erik Vonk. You can reach Amy Keller at akeller@floridatrend.com

TransGenex Nanobiotech.(Players)
January 1, 2008... John Lucas was named president and CEO of TransGenex Nanobiotech, a Tampa-based nanobiotechnology company. He was previously chairman and CEO of EpiCept Corp. and GmbH. You can reach Amy Keller at akeller@floridatrend.com

Bank of St. Petersburg.(Players)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Katie Pemble was named CEO and president of the Bank of St. Petersburg. She was the bank's COO and head of Pemble retail banking. You can reach Amy Keller at akeller@floridatrend.com

WCI Communities.(BONITA SPRINGS)
January 1, 2008... BONITA SPRINGS -- WCI Communities (NYSE-WCI) is trimming its staff by 575.

Bonita Springs-based Source Interlink Co. and American Media Inc. reportedly are close to signing a merger deal.(BONITA SPRINGS)
January 1, 2008... Bonita Springs-based Source Interlink Co. and American Media Inc. reportedly are close to signing a merger deal. American Media publishes the Star and the National Enquirer. Source Interlink's magazines include Motor Trend and Soap Opera...

Bealls.(BRADENTON)
January 1, 2008... BRADENTON -- Bealls has opened a new headquarters in east Bradenton and is looking for a new president to lead an expansion of the company's retail division.

EnVont.(COLLIER COUNTY)
January 1, 2008... COLLIER COUNTY -- EnVont, a nanotech research and development company, is moving its headquarters and research facilities from Michigan to Collier County.

Hi-Stat Manufacturing. (MANATEE COUNTY).
January 1, 2008... MANATEE COUNTY -- Hi-Star Manufacturing is closing its Manatee County plant and firing 300 employees.

SRI International.(ST. PETERSBURG)
January 1, 2008... ST. PETERSBURG -- The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command awarded SRI International a $36.5-million, five-year contract to design a new port security system.

TECO Energy.(TAMPA)
January 1, 2008... TAMPA -- TECO Energy is selling its shipping business to an investment group for $405 million to pay for out-of-state power plants and failed investments.

Well-grounded.(TECHNOLOGY)(Interview)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Howard Lance hits the five-gear mark this month as president and CEO of Melbourne-based Harris Corp. FLORIDA TREND: What is causing such strong growth, and how do you expect that to play out in the future? ...

Childhood games.(ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT)(exhibiton on toys of childhood)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Opening Jan. 18: Kid Stuff: Great Toys from Our Childhood, an exhibit on old friends from the past 50 years, including Barbie, G.I. Joe, Mr. Potato Head, Lego, View-Master, Tinkertoy, the Magic 8 Ball and the Radio Flyer wagon. The show will...

Walt Disney World Resort.(Players)
January 1, 2008... Walt Disney World Resort has promoted Shannon McAleavy to senior vice president of public affairs, replacing Jerry Montgomery, who fills a new senior vice president position overseeing Disney's worldwide conservation and environmental...

Bank of America.(Players)
January 1, 2008... Ed Timberlake has retired as central Florida market president for Bank of America. John Moskos, a wealth management executive with the bank, has taken over his role. You can reach Diane Sears at dianetrend@aol.com

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando.(ORLANDO)
January 1, 2008... In a clinical trial at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, doctors are treating patients who have cancer near the spine by using a new technique that guides radiation treatment through implanted wireless Beacon transponders the size of a grain...

Orlando International Airport.(ORLANDO)
January 1, 2008... Orlando International Airport has added German airline Lufthansa, which now offers six non-stop flights a week to its hub in Frankfurt, increasing the number of OIA's international flights by almost 17.5%. The airport also has announced plans...

Orlando Utilities Commission.(ORLANDO)
January 1, 2008... Orlando Utilities Commission has donated $1 million to the future Dr. P. Phillips Orlando Performing Arts Center, specifically to assist with "green" initiatives toward water and energy conservation. Community contributions have hit $84...

Feliciano "Felix" Ramirez.(LAKE COUNTY)
January 1, 2008... The town of Mascotte has sworn in Feliciano "Felix" Ramirez, the first Hispanic mayor elected in central Florida.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University alumnus James Hagedorn, chairman and CEO of Scotts Miracle-Gro lawn and garden products.(VOLUSIA COUNTY)
January 1, 2008... Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University alumnus James Hagedorn, chairman and CEO of Scotts Miracle-Gro lawn and garden products, has pledged $2.5 million to help build an aviation complex on campus.

JW Marriott.(WINTER PARK)
January 1, 2008... JW Marriott will operate a 250-room luxury resort and spa on the site of the former historic Langford Hotel. Work is set to start in May.

Well-served.(NON-PROFITS)(Clara White Mission's services)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For more than 100 years, the Clara White Mission in downtown Jacksonville has helped the hungry and the homeless, earning a reputation for transitional programs that enable people to become self-sufficient again....

Heritage event.(ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Kingsley Heritage Celebration, formerly a fall event at Jacksonville's Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, is moving to February. The event features heritage presentations each Saturday, and a Feb. 23...

Regeneration Technologies (Nasdaq-RTIX) and Tutogen Medical (Amex--TTG), two of the nation's leading manufacturers of biological implants, are merging in a $263-million deal.(ALACHUA)(Regeneration Technologies Inc. and Tutogen Medical Inc.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Regeneration Technologies (Nasdaq-RTIX) and Tutogen Medical (Amex--TTG), two of the nation's leading manufacturers of biological implants, are merging in a $263-million deal. Both Alachua-based companies make medical implants from human and...

Southern Archaeological Research.(GAINESVILLE)
January 1, 2008... Southern Archaeological Research received a five-year, $5-million contract from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command's southeast division to conduct archaeology, architectural history and underwater archaeology on military bases across...

Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau.(JACKSONVILLE)
January 1, 2008... The Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau launched a new tourism strategy that began with a name change, Visit Jacksonville. Future promotional emphasis will include medical tourism, meetings and special events and natural...

Trailer Bridge.(JACKSONVILLE)(Malcolm McLean invests in truck-freight company)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The family of Trailer Bridge founder Malcolm McLean is putting its 47.8% stake in the Jacksonville-based marine-and truck-freight company up for sale. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the sister and children of McLean,...

First Coast Community Bank.(NASSAU COUNTY)
January 1, 2008... First Coast Community Bank led Nassau County on the FDIC's market share list for the fourth year in a row. The bank had $192.2 million in deposits, the highest in the county, and grew its market share to 22.36%.

Positive vibes.(DEVELOPMENT)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Two-story, cinder-block lodgings accommodating spring breakers along Panama City Beach are rapidly disappearing, replaced by towering resorts targeting family vacationers and Boomer retirees. Thousands of new condo...

West Florida history.(ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT)(Pensacola Museum of Art reopnes with art exhibition)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pensacola's Museum of Industry has reopened with a new permanent exhibit, Smacks, Tracks, Piers and Pines: The Origins of Industry in West Florida. The exhibit highlights early regional economic resources of clay,...

Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.(Players)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Daniel J. Rowe has been hired as CEO of the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. He'll also serve as president of the Bay County Tourist Development Council. Rowe formerly was deputy commissioner of...

Marpan Recycling.(TALLAHASSEE)
January 1, 2008... Marpan Supply owner Kim Williams is opening an environmentally friendly waste recycling plant next month. Marpan Recycling will convert 500 tons per day of waste from construction sites and land clearing into cardboard, newsprint and...

Water Utility Wastewater Treatment division.(TALLAHASSEE)
January 1, 2008... Tallahassee's Water Utility Wastewater Treatment division has received certification, a first among Florida wastewater utilities, under the Environmental Management System program of the International Organization on Standardization. The...

Escambia Treating Co. Superfund site.(PENSACOLA)
January 1, 2008... The Environmental Protection Agency has started a $22-million cleanup of the Escambia Treating Co. SuperFund site, clearing the way for a 26-acre commerce park. The EPA will excavate a 17-acre, 30-foot-deep cell to bury and seal 400,000 cubic...

Bernard F. Sliger.(TALLAHASSEE)
January 1, 2008... Bernard F. Sliger, president of Florida State University from 1977 to 1991, died Oct. 10 at age 83 after an apparent stroke. Under the popular president's tenure, enrollment grew by more than a third to 29,000 and the number of National Merit...

50 years ago: from the archives: April 1958: Florida Trend's first issue.(Florida Trend Anniversary)(Company overview)
January 1, 2008... This year marks FLORIDA TREND'S 50th anniversary. As part of our celebration, we'll produce a section each month that looks back at previous issues to highlight how much Florida has changed in the past half-century --and to spotlight issues...

2008 industry outlook.(tourism, insurance industry and transportation industry)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... From the $1.5-billion state budget shortfall to the housing slump and insurance, industries across Florida face challenging issues in the year ahead. Tourism is grappling with increased global competition; transportation with less gas tax...

Shades of green: not all 'green' plans are equal. But some companies and governments are taking real strides in sustainability.(Industry Outlook)
January 1, 2008... Built by railroad magnate Henry Plant, the Belleview Biltmore Hotel spans 21 acres overlooking Clearwater Bay. It's one of the largest wooden structures in the world. The 110-year-old Victorian landmark was in danger of being demolished until...