Florida Trend articles from March 2004

Florida Trend archives from March 2004

The right direction for Florida.(Florida's new strategic plan)
March 1, 2004... As good business leaders know, a solid strategic plan can help an organization focus its energy, get its stakeholders working toward the same goals and help adjust the organization's direction in response to a changing environment. ...

Budget.(readers)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... I appreciate your efforts on attempting to present a balanced story regarding former budget director Donna Arduin ["No Prisoners," December 2003, FloridaTrend.com]. However, by quoting one of her detractors, who had an obvious ax to grind, you...

Charter schools.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... As a parent with a child in a charter school, and who is deeply involved as an attorney representing that charter school, I completely agree with February's Editor's Page ["The Charter Trend," FloridaTrend.com], with one exception. There is a...

An education in wine.(Rick Garced )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Rick Garced knows how to wine and dine others, having served as maitre d' of such tony venues as New York City's former Windows on the World and Beverly Hills' Polo Lounge. As wine director for Apollo Ships Chandlery in Miami, he now decides...

Yo, merlot!(Fine Wine)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Sean Murphy, vice president of Miami-based custom home builder Coastal Homes, says one of the more extravagant cellars Coastal has built was for actor Sylvester Stallone, whose Miami mansion--since sold--sports a temperature-controlled closet...

Price-conscious.( Wine prices)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The devaluation of the dollar has pushed prices of French and Italian wines up 50% within the past year, says Jeffrey Wolfe, owner of Wolfe's Wine Shoppe in Coral Gables. Spanish wines, he says, often provide a better value at under $20 a...

Expertise by the sip.(Wine tasting)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Wine aficionados who may lack the expertise of a sommelier but are eager to learn can check out wine stores like Wolfe's Wine Shoppe (www.wolfeswines.com) in Coral Gables, which offers wine tastings and classes. "Tasting is the only way to...

Tidbits.( Wine )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Florida ranks third in wine consumption, following No. 1 California and New York.... The South Beach Wine and Food Festival kicks off the first week in March (www.sobewineandfoodfest.com) with a food celebrity lineup that includes many of the...

Makeshift cellar.( Wine prices)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Georgeson Shareholder executive David Weeks was short on space in his West Palm Beach house, so he transformed a linen closet into a wine closet, with redwood wine storage units he purchased over the internet, a little paint and some wine wall...

Rocket man.(Pratt & Whitney)(Walter Bylciw)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Engineer Walter Bylciw's standout experience as a leader was heading Pratt & Whitney's bid in the 1980s to supply the engine for the F/A-22, the most advanced tactical fighter the U.S. has. He worked non-stop for four years on the project....

To infinity and beyond.(University Of Florida)(Corin Segal)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... CORIN SEGAL Associate professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering department / University of Florida GAINES VILLE WOW JOB: Executive director of the Institute for Future Space Transport. The UF-led institute's aim is to lower...

'Special' effects.(Aerospace Integration Corp.)
March 1, 2004... In the Afghan war, as the U.S. military's C130 gunships flew low and slow to search out the enemy, they were vulnerable to shoulder-fired missiles. The government turned to Aerospace Integration Corp., a custom problem-solving firm in Fort...

Christine Jennings.(retired)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Just one month after signing a new contract to become Colonial Bank's Sarasota-Manatee president, Christine Jennings has retired. Jennings had been president of the independent Sarasota Bank for the last 11 years. The bank was recently acquired...

David Struhs, secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, and Rhonda Medows, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, have both resigned to work in the private sector.(Government executives)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... David Struhs, secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, and Rhonda Medows, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, have both resigned to work in the private sector. Replacements have not been named.

Poe Financial Group.(Insurance)(appointments)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Former Tampa Mayor William Poe St. is stepping down as president and CEO of Tampa-based Poe Financial Group. James Wurdeman, who is executive vice president, takes over as president and CEO of the insurance holding company. Poe will remain...

Baltimore Sun.(Publishing)(Timothy A. Franklin is appointed as editor and senior vice president)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Former Orlando Sentinel Editor Timothy A. Franklin has been named editor and senior vice president of the Baltimore Sun. Both newspapers are owned by the Tribune Co. A replacement for Franklin has not been named.

Tampa Tribune.(Publishing)(Frank M. Denton appointed as editor)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Frank M. Denton has been named editor of the Tampa Tribune. Denton replaces Gil Thelen, who was named publisher of the newspaper last year. Denton had been editor of the Wisconsin State Journal for the last 18 years.

Harcourt Inc.(Publishing)(Raymond Fagan appointed as CFO)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... School book publisher Harcourt Inc. has tapped Raymond Fagan as CFO. Fagan comes to Orlando-based Harcourt from Interpublic Group, a New York-based global marketing company, where he was CFO. He replaces Steve Richards, who left Harcourt in...

Darden Restaurants.(Restaurants)(change of positions)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Darden Restaurants President and COO Dick Rivera has resigned less than four months after taking the additional post of president of Darden's Red Lobster subsidiary. Joe Lee, chairman and CEO of Darden, will assume operating responsibilities...

Outback Steakhouse Inc.(Restaurants)(Paul Avery is promoted as president)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Paul Avery has been promoted to president of Tampa-based Outback Steakhouse Inc. and will oversee operations for Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill and Cheeseburger in Paradise. Avery had been president of Outback...

Home Shopping Network.(Retail)(appointments)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Marty Nealon has been promoted to president of U.S. operations for St. Petersburg-based Home Shopping Network. Nealon had been the TV and internet retailer's executive vice president of merchandising since 2002. She replaces Bob Rosenblatt, who...

Progress Energy.(Utilities)(appointments)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... William Cavanaugh is retiring as Progress Energy CEO this month and will retire as chairman in May. Raleigh, N.C.-based Progress Energy operates Progress Energy Florida. Taking over as CEO is Robert B. McGehee, who will remain president and...

Sister act: can siblings balance co-CEO duties at Claire's Stores?(Retail)
March 1, 2004... Robert Rubin successfully operated as a co-CEO at Goldman Sachs alongside Stephen Friedman for two years. When he joined Citigroup as vice chairman in 1999, after a stint as President Clinton's Treasury secretary, he figured the co-CEO setup...

Matters of perception: Miami-Dade is working hard at curbing public corruption, but image lags reality.(Ethics)
March 1, 2004... Robert Meyers bas an unenviable task. As executive director of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust, how can he change the perception that government in the state's largest county is fraught with fraud and corruption when each...

Baptist Health Florida.(In The News)(best companies)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... CORAL GABLES -- Baptist Health South Florida has been named to Fortune magazine's list of 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2004. The non-profit company was No. 51, up from 85 a year ago.

Stressful City.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MIAMI -- Miami is the second most stressful city among the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas, trailing only Tacoma, Wash. The rankings, compiled by the research firm BestPlaces, are based on divorce, suicide and alcohol consumption rates...

Baseball-only stadium.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MIAMI -- City officials have unveiled a proposal for a baseball-only stadium for the Florida Martins adjoining a renovated Orange Bowl. The $375-million project is the latest in a string of proposals to lure the World Series champions closer to...

Kraft Foods International.(In The News)(relocation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MIAMI -- Kraft Foods International, which includes such brands as Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Maxwell House and Post cereal, has announced it will relocate its Latin American regional headquarters from New York to Miami. An exact location has hot...

Civilian Investigative Panel.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MIAMI -- The city's fledgling Civilian Investigative Panel, created only months ago in the wake of allegations of police misconduct, has begun hearings to determine whether the city's police department violated protesters' rights and civil...

William Taylor.(In The News)(Burger King)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MIAMI -- Florida's first black Burger King franchisee has shuttered rive inner-city restaurants amid a bitter legal dispute with the Miami-based fast-food giant. About 200 workers have lost their jobs. Willie Taylor, who opened his first...

Ritz-Carlton South Beach.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MIAMI BEACH -- After more than two years of delays, the Ritz-Carlton South Beach has opened. The 375-room hotel is the third Ritz-Carlton in Miami-Dade.

Total flights dropped 23%, and passenger-seat volume dropped 13% over the past three years at Miami International Airport, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Transportation.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MIAMI-DADE -- Total flights dropped 23%, and passenger-seat volume dropped 13% over the past three years at Miami International Airport, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Transportation. County officials blamed high landing fees...

Miami-Dade School Board.(In The News)(oversight board)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MIAMI-DADE -- After months of tense negotiations, a state oversight board has agreed to release $44 million in construction money to the Miami-Dade School Board. The oversight board threatened to withdraw funding if local officials did not...

VITAS Healthcare.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MIAMI-DADE -- VITAS Healthcare, a privately owned hospice-care provider, has been acquired by Roto-Rooter, the Cincinnati-based company best known for its plumbing and drain-cleaning business. The deal is valued at about $400 million in cash...

Miami Gardens.(In The News)(Incorporation opponents)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MIAMI-DADE -- Only months after voting to incorporate as an independent municipality, residents of Miami Gardens are launching a petition drive to reconsider the move. Incorporation opponents are worried that city services could be slashed to...

Key West International Airport.(In The News)(Transportation Security Administration)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MONROE COUNTY -- Key West International Airport has received $195,000 in grants from the Transportation Security Administration to upgrade security.

Economics lesson: Nova says the costs of operating its community mental health clinic far outweigh student benefits.(Healthcare)
March 1, 2004... A 20-year-old community mental health clinic that paired Nova Southeastern University psychology students with poor, chronically iii mental health patients will be out of business by summer, leaving state social workers scrambling to come up...

Academic School for the Arts.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BOCA RATON -- School district officials are investigating how to recoup more than $180,000 invested in the now-defunct charter Academic School for the Arts. The district closed the school in December following a series of poor reviews and...

IBM engineers.(In The News)(added 44 patents)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BOCA RATON -- IBM engineers in Boca Raton added 44 patents last year to the company's overall total of 3,415, more than any other company. IBM's voice-recognition technology division is headquartered in Boca Raton.

Suspended Animation.(In The News)(zoning request by cryonics research company denied)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BOCA RATON -- City council members rejected a zoning request by the Suspended Animation cryonics research company for a laboratory to conduct experiments in tissue preservation and to offer human liquid nitrogen suspension. The council...

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BOCA RATON -- Palm Beach County's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has opened a branch in Boca Raton, its first branch location. The West Palm Beach-based organization will divide monthly events between the two locations.

Schools Superintendent Frank Till.(In The News)(school lunch program)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BROWARD COUNTY -- Schools Superintendent Frank Till is looking into whether a private food services company could help the school district save money on its school lunch program. The county's program prepares more food items from scratch than...

Sheridan House Family Ministries.(In The News)(facility opposed by neighbors)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... DAVIE -- Plans by Sheridan House Family Ministries to develop a facility for single mothers and troubled teens have survived a challenge by nearby residents, who argued they were not given enough time to object to the plans before they were...

Growth plan.(In The News)(sewage treatment plant opposed)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... PORT ST. LUCIE -- A group of property owners has asked a panel of St. Lucie County judge to stop city officials from going forward with plans for a sewage treatment plant on grounds that the 408-acre site for the facility was illegally annexed....

Riverfront entertainment district.(In The News)(to be developed)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... PORT ST. LUCIE -- The city will spend $1.8 million for a 10-acre parcel along the St. Lucie River as part of a plan to develop a riverfront entertainment district.

Cancer treatment center.(In The News)(Martin Memorial Health Systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... PORT ST. LUCIE -- The county's first full-service cancer treatment center, a $4.2-million, 7,800-sq.-ft. facility, is scheduled to begin treating patients this summer. The center is a project of Martin Memorial Health Systems.

A revised growth plan for rural west Palm Beach County features a scaled-down vision for residential and retail development more in keeping with the area's rural, equestrian character.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ROYAL PALM BEACH -- A revised growth plan for rural west Palm Beach County features a scaled-down vision for residential and retail development more in keeping with the area's rural, equestrian character. Last year's controversial plan for 2...

All Care Medical Supply and Interactive Cardio Pulmonary Inc.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... STUART -- All Care Medical Supply and Interactive Cardio Pulmonary Inc., a home medical and respiratory services company, has been purchased by Walgreen's. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Sandy Pines children's psychiatric hospital.(In The News)(case)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... TEQUESTA -- The former plant manager for the Sandy Pines children's psychiatric hospital has sued his former employers, charging that he was fired for raising concerns about allegedly abusive practices at the facility. Before he was fired,...

Palm Beach County household income.(Florida Trendline[TM])(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... Palm Beach County has 11 municipalities with at least 20,000 residents each. Following are the 11 and the median household income for each: Median Municipality 2000 Population ...

Seeking a new vision.(Development)(State Road 7)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- City commissioners are considering a development moratorium for a stretch of State Road 7, also known as U.S. 441, to give them time to develop a new vision for the heavily traveled roadway, which is blotted with used-car lots,...

Expanding empire.(Law Enforcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... COOPER CITY -- Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne will supervise Cooper City's tire and police departments, over the objections of some residents who wanted to keep the city's departments. City officials believe the merger will save money and improve...

9-1-1: Lee County's trauma center is on life support--one of four in the state in financial trouble.(Healthcare)
March 1, 2004... Lee Memorial Hospital executives have warned state officials that it may no longer be able to maintain its trauma center if lawmakers don't step in before June. The public, non-profit hospital estimates that it's losing more than $10...

Lake Mirror Tower.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LAKELAND -- The historic Lake Mirror Tower, one of only three high-rises in town, will be converted to a 76-unit apartment building. The nine-story tower, completed in 1935, was once a hotel and more recently a residence for senior citizens....

Beach Residences.(In The News)(construction)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LIDO KEY -- Construction is under way on the Beach Residences, a 12-story luxury condo tower being built by Bradenton-based Taylor Woodrow's U.S. Tower Division. The 88 condo units, including eight penthouses, will range from $1 million to $4.5...

Benderson Development Co.(In The News)(moving its headquarters)
March 1, 2004... MANATEE COUNTY -- Buffalo, N.Y.-based Benderson Development Co. is moving its headquarters to Manatee County. The private commercial developer operates in 36 states and has about 1,000 employees. About 50 to 75 employees will move with the...

First National Bancshares of Florida.(In The News)(appoints Leroy Selmon)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... NAPLES -- One week after pro football hall of famer Leroy Selmon took a six-week sabbatical as the University of South Florida's athletic director, he was named to the board of Naples-based First National Bancshares of Florida and its...

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.(In The News)(satellite office)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... NAPLES -- The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute has opened a 3,000-sq.-ft. satellite office in Naples adjacent to Naples Community Hospital.

Florida Trend editorial planning calendar.
March 1, 2004... Florida Trend Editorial Planning Calendar MAY Annual Publication June ...

All Children's Hospital.(In The News)(plans to build a hospital)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ST. PETERSBURG -- All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg plans to build a $270-million hospital two blocks from its current location near downtown. The new building would include 240 beds and a separate ambulatory care center. The hospital...

Payless Car Rental.(In The News)(arrangement with Australia's Network Car & Truck Rental)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ST. PETERSBURG -- Payless Car Rental has formed exclusive car rental arrangements with Australia's Network Car & Truck Rental, which has 90 locations in Australia, and Germany's Sixt Rent A Car, which owns offices in 50 countries. Payless, a...

Chris Parker, co-founder of the Bonefish Grill restaurant chain, was killed in January in a boat accident in Tampa Bay.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ST. PETERSBURG -- Chris Parker, co-founder of the Bonefish Grill restaurant chain, was killed in January in a boat accident in Tampa Bay. Parker, 37, launched Bonefish in 2000 in St. Petersburg with Tim Curci. The chain, now owned by Outback...

Switch and Data.(In The News)(acquires Meridian Telesis)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... TAMPA -- Switch and Data has acquired Philadelphia-based Meridian Telesis, an internet telecommunications and data storage company, for an undisclosed amount. The move gives Switch and Data, a provider of internet connection technology...

Centro Ybor.(In The News)(developers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... TAMPA -- The city is on the hook for more than $9 million it loaned on behalf of developers of Centro Ybor. The two development companies and a group of German investors say they can't make the loan payments because of lagging sales at the...

Glass art.(Art)(exhibition)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ST. PETERSBURG -- Famed glass artist Dale Chihuly has designed a collection of glass art tailored for and commissioned by St. Petersburg's Museum of Fine Arts and the Orlando Museum of Art ["Display of Glass," page 31]. The show marks the first...

Downtown rush: condo mania is reshaping downtown Orlando.(Housing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... In what some see as the coming of age of downtown Orlando, more than 1,500 condominium units are either under development or being planned. From urban high-rises to former hotels to converted apartments, the condo craze is reshaping downtown....

30-year electric service deal.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... APOPKA -- The city agreed to a new 30-year electric service deal, which includes a buyout clause, with Progress Energy Florida.

Cypress Gardens.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BARTOW -- Gov. Jeb Bush and the Cabinet took the final step necessary for a Georgia amusement park operator to take over Cypress Gardens, approving a state purchase of a conservation easement. Polk County commissioners had already agreed to...

Downtown Celebration.(In The News)(acquisition)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... CELEBRATION--New York investment firm Lexin Capital bought downtown Celebration from Wait Disney Co. for an undetermined price. Lincoln Property Co. will continue to manage the facilities.

Bass Anglers Sportsman Society.(In The News)(location change of headquarters)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... CELEBRATION--The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society will move its headquarters from Montgomery, Ala., after Osceola County officials approved $110,000 in incentives and the state agreed to kick in $440,000. The organization expects to employ about...

Adam's Mark Resort.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... DAYTONA BEACH -- Pyramid Advisors of Boston has purchased the Adam's Mark Resort in Daytona Beach and the Adam's Mark Clearwater Beach as part of an eight-hotel deal for $236 million. Pyramid will renovate and rebrand the hotels.

LPGA development.(Ladies Professional Golf Association)(single-family homes )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... DAYTONA BEACH -- City planners approved a project calling for 582 single-family homes and 130 town homes in the LPGA development after the developers, MKSP Volusia Partners and Indigo Development, agreed to provide land for a fire station and...

Alaqua Country Club.(legal cases)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LONGWOOD -- Members of the Alaqua Country Club who hold a mortgage on the property filed a foreclosure lawsuit after the struggling club shut down.

1,000 acres.(Mascotte City Council planning)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MASCOTTE -- The Mascotte City Council annexed nearly 1,000 acres, which it plans to rezone to enable the construction of more than 1,600 homes.

Harris Corp.(In The News)(contracts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MELBOURNE -- Harris Corp. (NYSE-HRS) was awarded a one-year, $96-million Pentagon contract to rebuild the Iraqi media network. Plans call for Harris and two Middle East media companies to rebuild the television and radio broadcast...

Symetrics Industries.(In The News)(Symetrics Industries contract with united states.Department of Homeland Security )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MELBOURNE -- Symetrics Industries will help develop a system to protect commercial airliners from terrorist missile attacks under a contract awarded by the Department of Homeland Security. The department's two-phase deal could be worth $100...

Barnie's Coffee and Tea Co.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ORLANDO -- Barnie's Coffee and Tea Co. opened its first location in Kuwait and expects to open another this month. Barnie's also has franchise agreements for stores in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and other countries in the Middle East.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women and Children.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ORLANDO -- The Orlando Regional Healthcare System scaled back expansion plans for the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women and Children for the second time. The new design calls for an 11-story, $100-million building connected to the existing...

Friendly Restaurants.(In The News)(mergers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ORLANDO -- Central Florida Restaurants LLC plans to pay $3.15 million to buy 10 of 11 Friendly Restaurants in central Florida from Friendly Ice Cream Corp. of Wilbraham, Mass. The deal calls for Central Florida Restaurants to build 10...

Express Scripts Inc.(In The News)(Express Scripts Inc acquisitions)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ORLANDO -- Pharmaceuticals distributor CuraScript Pharmacy Inc. says it will be acquired by Express Scripts Inc. of St. Louis for $335 million in cash.

Adelphia Communications.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ORLANDO -- Adelphia Communications plans to open a national call center in south Orlando, hiring about 80 people this month and building to 450 by July or August. The operation will fill the former Lexmark call center that was closed in 2003.

San Francisco Oven restaurant chain.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ORMOND BEACH -- Tim Curtis and Gale Lemerand have bought the Florida franchise rights to the San Francisco Oven restaurant chain. The Ohio-based chain has two restaurants open and more than 80 in development in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and Florida....

1.3-million-sq.-ft. open-air shopping mall.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... WINTER GARDEN -- The Sembler Co. of St. Petersburg announced plans for a 1.3-million-sq.-ft. open-air shopping mall. The project is in the early stages and won't open before 2006.

Nicholson Homes.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... WINTER GARDEN -- Nicholson Homes bought 216 homesites off Buckeye Loop and Highway 27. The homes will be priced at $120,000 to $160,000.