Florida Trend articles from July 2003

Florida Trend archives from July 2003

A family man's last days. (Corner Office).(Editorial)
July 1, 2003... It seems like just yesterday that my brother, Mike, and I were kids spending Sunday afternoons cooking out with our parents and the rest of the big Keever family at the Sunshine Skyway. My how time flies. We lost our mother eight years ago,...

Readers.(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... CITRUS CANKER The letter to the editor in the May issue from Walter Nisbett regarding the citrus canker eradication program is so full of inaccuracies, it demands a response. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services...

The handwriting's on the Tablet. (Executive Lifestyles).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... PC manufacturers like Toshiba have had to ramp up production since introducing the latest Tablet PCs late last year. More than 72,000 Tablet PCs were sold in the fourth quarter of 2002 alone. What do gadget-lovers like about the...

Made in Florida. (Executive Lifestyles).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Software developer Synergistix Data Solutions caters to a very specific type of road warrior--the pharmaceutical sales rep. The Hollywood company's C.A.T.S. (Call Activity Tracking System) software operates on a handheld device. It allows sales...

The write stuff. (Executive Lifestyles).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The IRISpen--a highlighter-sized pen scanner--has been on the market for a couple of years, but the new version released early this year captures text (line by line), bar codes and handwritten numbers with a stroke of the pen. A USB connection...

Wired and wireless. (Executive Lifestyles).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Caffeine-craving Starbucks customers in Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and the Tampa Bay area can access e-mail and tap into the web through a new wireless service the chain has begun offering at 115 of its 150 locations statewide: T-Mobile...

Coming this fall: The Smart Phone. (Executive Lifestyles).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... What it is: A phone with all the capabilities of a Pocket PC, but smaller. It links to PCs, connects to the web, e-mails, beams contact information from one Smart Phone to another with an infrared beam, transfers e-mail from Outlook inbox to a...

Mobile exec must-haves. (Executive Lifestyles).(favorite cellphones for various executives)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... SCOTT CLARK, general manager Gulf States District, Microsoft Can't live without: PocketPC phone. "I've had people ready to step into meeting and I needed to get updated information to them, and they can get that information immediately."...

Part of the solution'. (Trendsetters).(brief profile of Jacqueline Valdespino, partner, Valdespino & Associates)
July 1, 2003... As a University of Miami law student, Jacqueline Marie Valdespino knew two things for certain about law: "I'm not going to practice criminal law, and I'm not going to do divorce work." So, naturally, her first job out of school was handling...

A personal touch. (Trendsetters).(brief profile of Virginia Dorris, CEO of Nelco Cos.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Talk to Virginia "Ginny" Dorris, chief executive of a Bradenton-based professional employer organization, and you get a homespun image of her company, Nelco Cos. For instance, Nelco, founded in 1983, is the oldest privately held "homegrown PEO"...

Fast forward. (Trendsetters).(brief profile of Kelly Overstreet Johnson, president-elect of Florida Bar Association)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Tallahassee born and raised, Kelly Overstreet Johnson has been on the fast track for a while. She finished high school in three years, worked as a legal secretary in college and started attending Bar functions while still in law school at FSU....

Doing a number on swindlers. (Trendsetters).(brief profile of forensic accountant Maria Yip)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... You don't usually think of accountants going on raids--Freeze! We have calculators, and we're not afraid to use them!--but for Maria Yip, it's becoming the usual thing. Director of forensic accounting for Grant Thornton in Miami, Yip...

Banking. (Players).(Bank of America hires Maria Alonso as head of Miami-Dade market)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Bank of America has promoted Maria Alonso to senior vice president/market development manager for the Miami-Dade market, a new position. Alonso was most recently marketing product manager for the bank's international private banking group.

Beverages. (Players).(Todhunter International names Ezra Shashoua CFO)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Ezra Shashoua has been named CFO at West Palm Beach-based Todhunter International, a distiller and importer of rum and other liquors. Shashoua, 48, was most recently CFO of Fort Lauderdale-based NationsRent. He replaces Troy Edwards, who...

E-commerce. (Players).(Findwhat.com promotes John Moran to vice president of operations)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Fort Myers-based Findwhat.com, an internet marketing coordinator, has promoted John Moran to vice president of operations, a new position. Moran was most recently the company's director of business affairs.

Education. (Players).(University of North Florida names John Delaney president)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Former two-term Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney has been named president of the University of North Florida. Term limits prevented Delaney from running for a third term. He replaces A. David Kline, who had been interim president since Anne...

Entertainment. (Players).(founder Edwin Stephan retires from Royal Caribbean board)
July 1, 2003... Founder and former longtime president of Miami-based Royal Caribbean, Edwin W. Stephan has retired from the company's board of directors. Stephan, 71, was the cruise line's president from 1969 until 1996, when he became vice chairman.

Financial Services. (Players).(Raymond James FInancial names Hardwick Simmons to board)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Hardwick Simmons, outgoing chairman of the Nasdaq Stock Market, has joined the board of St. Petersburg-based Raymond James Financial.

Government. (Players).(Southwest Florida Water Management District names David Moore executive director)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Southwest Florida Water Management District has named David L. Moore executive director. Moore was most recently deputy executive director of the district and replaces E.D. "Sonny" Vergara, who resigned.

Restaurants. (Players).(Checkers Drive-In Restaurants names Keith Sirois CEO)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Keith E. Sirois has been promoted to president and CEO of Tampa-based Checkers Drive-In Restaurants. Sirois was named interim CEO in May. Before that appointment, he was the burger chain's vice president of franchise operations. He replaces...

Winn-Dixie Stores. (Players: Retail).(names Frank Lazaran president and CEO)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Frank Lazaran has been promoted to president and CEO of Jacksonville-based Winn-Dixie Stores. Lazaran was most recently COO and replaces Allen Rowland, who is retiring after three years at the helm.

Eckerd Corp. (Players: Retail).(names Enzo Cerra senior vice president, Florida stores)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Clearwater-based Eckerd Corp., a subsidiary of J.C. Penney Co., has tapped Enzo Cerra as senior vice president of Florida stores, a new position. Cerra was most recently senior vice president/merchandising and marketing.

A gamble on deregulation. Teco's $2-billion bet hasn't paid off, and analysts say the company isn't likely to rebound soon. (Energy).
July 1, 2003... Five years ago, as deregulation of the electric power markets swept the country, Teco Energy, parent of Tampa Electric Co., decided to jump into the wholesale power market. The potential growth of the unregulated market was seen as an ideal...

Exporting brain power: A new program helps south Florida companies pitch for business south of the border. (Professional Services).
July 1, 2003... Miami is a good place to set up shop for law firms specializing in international litigation. For three years running, readers of AmericaEconomia magazine have chosen Miami as the best place to do business. But competition for clients is growing...

Tiffany & Co. (In the News: Coral Gables).(opens sixth store in Florida)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... CORAL GABLES -- High-end jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co. has opened its sixth Florida store at the upscale shopping malll The Village of Merrick Park

DHL Airways. (In the News: Miami).(to move its headquarters from Chicago to downtown Miami)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... MIAMI -- Air-cargo carrier DHL Airways will move its headquarters from Chicago to downtown Miami. About 22 employees will make the move; others will be hired locally within the coming year, say company executives. DHL is run by former Burger...

American Airlines. (In the News: Miami).(to eliminate about 150 international flight attendant jobs in Miami)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... In its continuing effort to streamline operations, American Airlines will eliminate about 150 international flight attendant jobs in Miami.

City's bond rating. (In the News: Miami).(Miami recovers from fiscal crisis)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... In another sign that Miami has recovered from a fiscal crisis that placed it on the brink of bankruptcy in the late '90s, Moody's Investors lifted the city's bond rating to A3. The city's bonds were at junk status as recently as three years...

Crime. (In the News: Miami).(crime falls in Miami-Dade)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Overall crime in Miami-Dade fell 3.7% last year, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Miami Beach saw the sharpest decline, 8%, followed by unincorporated Miami-Dade, 5.6%, and the city of Miami, 4.4%.

The Beacon Council. (In the News: Miami).(top 20 economic development groups in U.S.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Beacon Council Miami-Dade's public/private economic development agency, ranks among the top 20 economic development groups in the U.S., according to a survey by Site Selection magazine. It is the only group from Florida to make the list....

United Teachers of Dade President Pat Tornillo. (In the News: Miami).(Federal investigation)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Federal investigators are looking into allegations that United Teachers of Dade President Pat Tornillo spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in union funds on lavish vacations, gifts and expensive clothing. Among the questionable expenditures:...

Miami-Dade Community College. (In the News: Miami).(ranks third among community colleges in the U.S. for the level of information technology services available )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Miami-Dade Community College ranks third among community colleges in the U.S. for the level of information technology services available to students, faculty and employees. The rankings are based on survey responses collected by Converge...

Home construction. (In the News: Miami).(housing industry reports decline)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Home construction in the first quarter of 2003 dropped 10.5% in Miami-Dade and nearly 50% in Broward, according to a report from the consulting group Metrostudy. Analysts attribute the drop to a growing scarcity of land in the far reaches of...

Miami International Airport. (In the News: Miami).(baggage and passenger screeners to lose their jobs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... About 195 baggage and passenger screeners at Miami International Airport will lose their jobs as part of a nationwide cutback by the Transportation Security Administration.

Free Trade Area of the Americas. (In the News: Miami).(competition from Atlanta, Georgia)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Miami-Dade, once considered a lock to receive the permanent headquarters--or secretariat--of the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas, is facing unexpected competition from Atlanta. Georgia officials have established a corporation to...

Office shortage. (Downtown Miami).(report on county's office space)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... MIAMI-DADE -- Miami-Dade has the lowest concentration of office space in its downtown core of any big city, according to a study by the Brookings Institution. With just 13% of the county's office space downtown, the study finds, Miami-Dade is...

Flat baroque: was the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra's demise a sign of the times or just bad management? (Arts).(orchestra's bankruptcy filing)
July 1, 2003... As the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra hovers between life and death, there's plenty of blame to go around--and plenty of challenges if three south Florida business leaders are able to rescue the orchestra from a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing....

RailAmerica. (In the News: Boca Raton).(has rescinded an offer to acquire Tranz Rail Holdings)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Short-haul railroad company RailAmerica (NYSE-RRA) has rescinded an offer to acquire New Zealand freight carrier Tranz Rail Holdings.

Florida Atlantic University Foundation. (In the News: Boca Raton).(reports increased financial donations despite poor public opinion)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Interim director of the Florida Atlantic University Foundation, David Lowe, told the Palm Beach Post that despite a barrage of negative publicity over how the foundation has spent its money, fund raising is actually up--almost 15% from July...

Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida. (In the News: Belle Glade).(jury rules against sugar cane cutters who sued cooperative)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... BELLE GLADE -- A West Palm Beach jury ruled against thousands of sugar cane cutters who sued the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida alleging they'd been cheated out of millions of dollars in pay.

Broward union leader Walter Browne. (In the News: Broward County).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... BROWARD COUNTY -- A federal grand jury has added an additional charge of racketeering to corruption charges already filed against Broward union leader Walter Browne, the Miami Herald has reported. Browne is accused of taking money from...

Andrx. (In the News: Davie).(settled with the Securities and Exchange Commission for $100,000 in civil penalties for alleged accounting improprieties)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... DAVIE -- Pharmaceutical maker Andrx (Nasdaq-ADRX) has settled with the Securities and Exchange Commission for $100,000 in civil penalties for alleged accounting improprieties.

Florida Medical Association. (In the News: Fort Lauderdale).(president Robert Cline limits practice due to malpractice premiums)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... FORT LAUDERDALE -- Thoracic surgeon and Florida Medical Association President Robert Cline has announced plans to close his surgical practice to all but emergency care in response to spiraling medical malpractice premiums.

Hollywood Fashion Center. (In the News: Hollywood).(real estate company Millenium's new plans for shopping center)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The long-vacant Hollywood Fashion Center will see new life under the redevelopment plan of Weston-based real estate company Millennium. The company says it is planning an 'upscale discount shopping and family entertainment center."

The Seminole Tribe of Florida. (In the News: Hollywood).(elects chairman)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Seminole Tribe of Florida has elected Mitchell Cypress chairman. Cypress replaces James E. Billie.

Hollywood Greyhound Track. (In the News: Hallandale Beach).(charged with tax fraud by Internal Revenue Service)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... HALLANDALE BEACH -- The Internal Revenue Service has charged five tellers at the Hollywood Greyhound Track with conspiring to defraud the IRS for allegedly helping a man cash tickets for gamblers who wanted to avoid reporting their winnings.

Dreams Inc. (In the News: Plantation).(sues Shaquille O'Neal for breach of contract)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... PLANTATION -- Sports collectibles company Dreams Inc. (OTCBBDRMS.OB) has sued basketball star Shaquille O'Neal, alleging he didn't live up to the terms of a deal that, among other things, required him to sign a specific number of souvenirs.

Port Everglades. (In the News: Port Everglades).(regains control of Port Everglades acreage)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... PORT EVERGLADES -- County commissioners have taken back control of a 97-acre section of Port Everglades, terminating the lease of Flagler Development and negotiating three new deals for the property. The county expects to reap about $1.1...

Commissioner Judy Culpepper. (In the News: Stuart).(steps in to run St. Lucie chamber of commerce)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... STUART -- Former St. Lucie County Commissioner Judy Culpepper has stepped in as interim executive director of the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce. Former Executive Director Al Rivett has resigned for personal reasons.

Gertz Builders & Developers. (In the News: Wellington).(is building shopping center development)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... WELLINGTON -- A 22-acre shopping center development in front of the Mall at Wellington Green is scheduled for completion in August. Fort Lauderdale-based Gertz Builders & Developers is building the 133,000-sq.-ft. center.

Down to the wire. (Convention Center).(Contractor Clark Construction will complete building in time for first booking)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... WEST PALM BEACH -- Contractor Clark Construction has assured county commissioners that the $83.7-million downtown convention center will be completed just in time for the first scheduled show in November. Commissioners have been unhappy with...

Harvesting hope: A decades-old housing problem in Manatee County now has a champion. (Farmworkers).(County Commissioner Pat Glass )
July 1, 2003... Manatee County's 13,000 farmworkers earn an average of $7,000 a year. One in five of those workers live on farmers' properties in camps where conditions are regulated by the government. A number of factors, including zoning laws, limit the...

Market Street Mortgage. (In the News: Clearwater).(acquired Memorial Park Mortgage)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... CLEARWATER -- Market Street Mortgage has acquired Houston-based Memorial Park Mortgage, which has offices throughout Texas. Financial terms were not disclosed.

March Performance. (In the News).(plans relocation to Collier County)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... COLLIER COUNTY -- March Performance, an automotive parts manufacturer, plans to move its headquarters from Michigan to Collier County if it can secure more than $200,000 in grants offered through the Collier County Economic Development Council....

Bonita Bay Group's Verandah. (In the News).(wins 'green building' certification)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... FORT MYERS -- Bonita Springs-based Bonita Bay Group's Verandah community in Fort Myers is the first in the state to be certified as a "green development" by the Florida Green Building Coalition. Certification requires developments to protect...

Stetson University College of Law. (In the News: Gulfport).(rated number one by U.S. News & World Report)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... GULFPORT -- U.S. News & World Report has ranked Stetson University College of Law tops in the nation in trial advocacy training for the sixth time since 1995.

Grubbs Construction. (In the News: Hernando County).(file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... HERNANDO COUNTY -- Grubbs Construction has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company, which listed debts of more than $10 million, closed its asphalt plant in Brooksville and moved operations to Hudson.

The Regal Empress. (In the News: Manatee).(ship sold to Imperial Majesty Cruise Line)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... MANATEE -- The Regal Empress cruise ship, which operated out of Port Manatee, was sold for $1.75 million at auction following its seizure by U.S. Marshals because the ship's owner owed $750,000 to an engine repair company. The 50-year-old...

Empire Distilleries. (In the News: New Port Richey).(to open soon)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... NEW PORT RICHEY -- Empire Distilleries will open this summer in a $1-million, 29,000-sq.-ft. building that used to be a used-car lot. The distillery and winery will initially create 10 jobs.

ParkSide Mall. (In the News: Pinellas Park).(purchased by Boulder Venture South)
July 1, 2003... PINELLAS PARK -- Boulder Venture South, a Belleair Shore developer, has bought the struggling ParkSide Mall for $12 million. Boulder executives aren't disclosing what changes, if any, will be made to the mall.

St. Anthony's Health Care. (In the News: St. Petersburg).( is planning a $30-million renovation)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... ST. PETERSBURG - St. Anthony's Health Care in St. Petersburg is planning a $30-million renovation, including new units for cardiac critical care and women's health, an upgraded oncology department and an expanded emergency room. The renovations...

Acterna Corp. (In the News: Sarasota County).(is moving its Manatee County operation to Sarasota County)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Germantown, Md.-based Acterna Corp., which recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, is moving its Manatee County operation to Sarasota County The owner of the Manatee office space is suing the communications software manufacturer...

Sarasota County's 2050 growth plan. (In the News: Sarasota County).(in top fifteen urban development plans reviewed by Congress for the New Urbanism)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Despite criticism that Sarasota County's 2050 growth plan will create sprawl, the Congress for the New Urbanism, a national group of more than 2,300 architects, developers and planners, has picked 2050 as one of the top 15 development plans in...

Tampa Theatre. (In the News: Tampa).(receives grant from Verizon)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Verizon has given the 77-year-old Tampa Theatre a $10,000 grant to help computerize ticketing and membership program operations.

Reptron Electronics. (In the News: Tampa).(sold its distribution business to Jaco Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Reptron Electronics, an electronics manufacturer in Tampa, sold its distribution business for $10.4 million to rival Jaco Electronics of Hauppauge, N.Y. Reptron's distribution business accounted for 34% of company sales and about 95% of total...

Internet broadband. (In the News: Tampa).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Tampa ranks second in the nation in internet broadband use. In an Opinion Research Corp. poll for America Online, Tampa was ranked behind San Francisco. Fifty-six percent of adult internet users in Tampa, which beat out Boston, Houston and...

WestShore Plaza. (In the News: Tampa).(to be marketed by Morgan Stanley)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Owners of WestShore Plaza in Tampa have hired Morgan Stanley to market the mall to prospective buyers. Grosvenor International, a British investment company that owns the mall, says it has not decided to sell but wants to test the market to see...

Carnival Cruise Lines. (In the News: Tampa).(new ship to be based at Port of Tampa)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Carnival Cruise Lines plans to base a new ship--Carnival Miracle--at the Port of Tampa starting in November 2004. The ship will hold 2,124 passengers, with 80% of its cabins boasting water views. The Miracle will travel to Grand Cayman, Costa...

On location in Tampa. (Entertainment).(John Travolta to star in movie shot in Tampa, Florida)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... TAMPA BAY -- Actor John Travolta, a frequent visitor to the Tampa Bay area because of his involvement with the Church of Scientology in Clearwater, will co-star in the Marvel Comics superhero movie The Punisher. Filming starts this month in...

Mickey's no-fly zone: critics question Disney's motives in pushing for expanded flight restrictions over its parks. (Security).
July 1, 2003... When Walt Disney World decided it wanted a no-fly zone over its parks in Orlando and California--ostensibly for security purposes in the wake of terrorist alerts--it lobbied Congress, which ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to create...

70-acre residential project. (In the News: Alamonte Springs).(Emerson International )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- Emerson International announced a 70-acre residential project on the Butler Chain of Lakes, with 22 lakefront lots on Lake Tibit in a gated community of 71 upscale homes.

Gyroscope-production facility. (In the News: Haines City).(to be opened by Technology Research Consultants)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... HAINES CITY -- Technology Research Consultants of Huntsville, Ala., will open a gyroscope-production facility for military helicopters, employing 35 by the end of the year and up to 60 within three years.

AT&T Corp. (In the News: Lake Mary).(to cut 194 information technology jobs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... LAKE MARY -- AT&T Corp. planned to cut 194 information technology jobs by the end of June as part of a previously announced consolidation program.

Rezonings. (In the News: Leesburg).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... LEESBURG -- One day after a self-imposed moratorium on property rezonings expired, Lake County commissioners approved rezonings for seven tracts that could lead to 669 homes. Officials tabled the most controversial request, one by LPG Urban and...

Harris Corp. (In the News: Melbourne).(wins contract with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control to produce control electronics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... MELBOURNE -- Harris Corp. (NYSE-HRS) has won a $22-million contract with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control to produce control electronics for mobile rocket launchers for the Army. The contract is an extension to a series of contracts...

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. (In the News: Orlando).(to shut down its hotel reservations center, eliminating 93 jobs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... ORLANDO -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide will shut down its hotel reservations center, laying off 93. The move will not affect the nearly 300 employed in Starwood's timeshare call center, also in Orlando.

CNL Hospitality Properties. (In the News: Orlando).(to acquire RFS Hotel Investors)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... CNL Hospitality Properties announced a $688-million deal to acquire RFS Hotel Investors of Memphis, Tenn., a purchase that would add 57 properties to its portfolio. The deal would cost CNL $383 million in cash. It will also assume $305 million...

Lockheed Martin. (In the News: Orlando).(awarded contract to integrate long-range missile with the Navy's F/A-18 attack aircraft)
July 1, 2003... Lockheed Martin landed a $53-million, five-year contract to integrate a long-range missile with the Navy's F/A-18 attack aircraft. The missile has been in the Air Force's inventory for more than a decade but is now being added to the Navy's...

SemperCare. (In the News: Orlando).(is opening a 35-bed long-term care hospital on the campus of Florida Hospital)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... SemperCare of Plano, Texas, is opening a 35-bed long-term care hospital on the campus of Florida Hospital. The facility is for patients who require hospital stays of more than 25 days or who cannot be taken off life-support systems. SemperCare...

BBA Aviation. (In the News: Orlando).(signed a 10-year lease for nearly 45,000 square feet of space)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The parent company of Signature Flight Support, BBA Aviation, has signed a 10-year lease for nearly 45,000 square feet of space at the Company's present location in the Signature Plaza building downtown. One interesting result of the deal is...

Former SurgiLight CEO Jui-Teng Lin. (In the News: Orlando).(sentenced to federal prison for his role in a pump-and-dump scheme)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Former SurgiLight CEO Jui-Teng Lin was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison for his role in a pump-and-dump scheme involving SurgiLight stock (OTCBB-SRGLE.OB).

Florida Mall. (In the News: Orlando).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Florida Mall is losing its Eddie Bauer store but gaining 10 specialty retailers. The Eddie Bauer closing is part of the chain's decision to shut 60 underperforming stores nationwide, with the south Orlando location the only closure in Florida....

Osceola News-Gazette, Osceola Shopper and South Orange News. (In the News: Osceola).(sold to Independent Newspapers)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Sun Media of Toronto has sold the Osceola News-Gazette, Osceola Shopper and South Orange News to Independent Newspapers of Bryn Mawr, Pa., as part of a larger transaction. Terms of the deal were not released.

The U.S. Specialty Sports Association . (In the News: Osceola).(will relocate its national headquarters from Virginia to Osceola County, Florida)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The U.S. Specialty Sports Association will relocate its national headquarters from Virginia to Osceola County, landing in leased space in Celebration while it builds a facility at the Osceola County Stadium. USSSA coordinates amateur sporting...