Florida Trend articles from March 2005

Florida Trend archives from March 2005

Recommended without reservations.(corner office)(Editorial)
March 1, 2005... Like most people, you probably have your own list of "best restaurants"--the places you depend on for an extra special meal, to celebrate with family and friends, to entertain clients, to recommend to others. Whether it's the menu, the service...

Citizens insurance.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... I loved the article "Too Many Mansions?" [February, www.FloridaTrend.com]. Finally some exposure to the truth. As long as someone like Susanne Murphy, Citizens corporate counsel, is afraid to look at the big picture with Florida's changing...

Bob Graham tribute.(readers)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Thanks for the tribute to former Sen. Bob Graham ["Tribute to Bob Graham," January, www.FloridaTrend.com]. Graham is someone I've always admired. I received an assignment in 1989 from my employer at the time, the Panama City News Herald,...

Well-heeled.(Shou'Ture presents fashionable shoes)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... What is it about shoes that will make women shell out hundreds of dollars? It's more than about being well-shod; there's something indescribably feel-good about slipping into a pair of Hollywoulds, Constanca Bastos or Lily Holts--just some of...

Off the clock.(Executive Fashion for Women)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Activewear is leaving the gym and going practically everywhere but back to the office. Miami-based Blue Fish Activewear rang up sales of more than $3 million last year with its stylish body-hugging workout gear. What makes the line so popular?...

Entrepreneur afoot.(Executive Fashion for Women)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Caryn Grossman hadn't meant to go into business. She arrived at the University of Central Florida to see her oldest off to college. She was wearing a pair of attention-grabbing flip-flops she had designed and found herself taking orders from...

Hot designers.(Executive Fashion for Women)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Rachel Goldberger, vice president and divisional merchandising manager of designer sportswear at Neiman Marcus in Dallas, says among Florida designers, Etro, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors are worth...

High fashion retailers.(Executive Fashion for Women)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A Nose for Clothes * Where: Nine stores in south Florida * What: Fashion-forward clothing for work, play and special occasions * Spring Style Picks: A.Z.I. Bling Bling jeans, $140; Basil & Maude Boho Chic embroidered skirt, $110;...

Nothing to sneeze at.(Allergies)
March 1, 2005... If you're holding a tissue in your hand right now, chances are you're one of every five or six Americans with allergies or asthma. And chances are you're suffering from Florida's annual burst of oak tree pollen, which starts in mid-February and...

Two for the record books.(Retail and Commercial Banking)
March 1, 2005... U.S. Century Bank Watching Octavio Hernandez and his U.S. Century Bank in Miami, you might think banking is a can't-lose proposition. In 2002, Hernandez and his founding group raised $30 million to start the bank, a record sum for Florida,...

Turnaround specialist.(trendsetters)(Brief Article)(Biography)
March 1, 2005... First Commercial Bank of Florida, Orlando: Chartered 1999. Year-end 2004 assets: $365 million, up 49%. After-tax profit: $3.2 million, up 77.8%. Six offices in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Bio: 48, born in Jacksonville and raised...

Outlasting tech.(trendsetters)(Brief Article)(Biography)
March 1, 2005... First Citrus Bank: Chartered 1999. Year-end assets: $145 million, up 20% from 2003. Earnings: $820,000 after-tax, up 45%. Two offices in Tampa. Bio: 41, holds the Esse Quam Videre award, the University of Tampa's highest alumni achievement...

A wealth of experience.(trendsetters)(Brief Article)(Biography)
March 1, 2005... Northern Trust of Florida: $29 billion in assets, up 5% from 2003. Twenty-five offices from Key Biscayne to Vero and Naples to St, Petersburg. Bio: 41, a native of South Bend, Ind., where his dad was director of development for Notre Dame....

Waiting game: the FTAA is stalled, but Miami's campaign to land its headquarters presses on.(Free Trade Area of the Americas)
March 1, 2005... In December, Guatemala endorsed Miami's bid to house the headquarters, or secretariat, of the Free Trade Area of the Americas. It was the sixth endorsement, state officials bragged, helping Miami distance itself from Atlanta, which also wants...

University of Miami.(Walter H. Coulter Foundation gives grants)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... CORAL GABLES -- The University of Miami has received a $13-million grant from the Walter H. Coulter Foundation to establish a center dedicated to transferring biomedical research into approved drug therapies and medical devices. Brothers...

Euro Fund Properties.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... FISHER ISLAND -- The exclusive 216-acre residential island community off the southern tip of Miami Beach has been acquired by a French investment group, Euro Fund Properties, for an undisclosed price. About 675 condo units have been built on...

Miami Herald Publishing Co.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... MIAMI -- Citing continuing losses, the Miami Herald Publishing Co. has pulled the plug on Street Weekly, its free, entertainment-oriented tabloid launched in 1999 to compete with Miami New Times and other alternative weeklies.

Computer Associates International.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Islandia, N.Y.-based Computer Associates International has opened a regional headquarters in Miami to oversee its Central America and Caribbean operations. The company, which specializes in management software, reported worldwide revenue of...

Fontainebleau Hilton.(acquisition by Turnberry Associates)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... MIAMI BEACH -- The famed Fontainebleau Hilton hotel will be acquired by Aventura-based Turnberry Associates from developer Stephen Muss for an undisclosed price. The new owner will pump about $150 million into the property over the next two...

Institutional Investor.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... MIAMI DADE -- Institutional Investor magazine ranks Stuart Miller of Lennar Corp. (NYSE-LEN) and Micky Arison of Carnival Corp. (NYSE-CCL) as the best chief executives in their industries. The magazine's annual Best CEOs in America ranking is...

Cutler Ridge.(planning for the incorporation of independent municipality)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Residents of the Cutler Ridge section of southwest Miami-Dade have voted to incorporate. After county officials and local residents agree on a charter, the area will become the county's 35th independent municipality.

Assurant.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Specialty insurance provider Assurant, which employs about 1,700 at its south Miami-Dade subsidiary, will be spun off from its Belgium-based parent, Fortis. A year ago, Fortis sold off 65% of Assurant but now hopes to sell the rest of the...

Developer William A. Graham.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... MIAMI -- Developer William A. Graham, chairman of Miami Lakes-based The Graham Cos., has received the Beacon Council's Jay Malina Award, given annually to the executive who has "contributed the most to the growth of his or her industry in...

Rate of violent crime.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... OPA-LOCKA -- This city of 15,000 in northwest Miami-Dade has the highest rate of violent crime in the nation among cities larger than 10,000 residents, according to a report released by the FBI. Opa-locka is one of the state's poorest cities...

"Mean Streets".(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... SOUTHEAST FLORIDA -- The Miami-Fort Lauderdale area is the fourth most dangerous in the nation for pedestrians, according to the "Mean Streets" study conducted by the Surface Transportation Policy Project. The nation's three most dangerous...

Taking a gamble.(Elections)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... MIAMI-DADE -- Miami-Dade voters will go to the polls March 8 to decide whether to allow Las Vegas-style slot machines at horse and dog tracks and at jai-alai frontons. If approved, the county is expected to receive an estimated $3.5 million in...

Fall guy? The economic recruiter who helped land Scripps steps down amid the ongoing controversy.(Scripps Research Institute)
March 1, 2005... Two years ago, business development board President Larry Pelton helped to score a deal for Palm Beach County that most economic development boosters could only dream about: The internationally renowned Scripps Research Institute would open a...

NewBeauty.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... BOCA RATON -- NewBeauty, a glossy magazine devoted to the joys and perils of plastic surgery, has made its debut, published by Boca-based Sandow Media Corp.

Waterfront homeowners.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... FORT PIERCE -- Waterfront homeowners who fear that hurricane repairs to a sandy bluff will impede their access to the beach are seeking an injunction to prohibit county officials from undertaking any repairs on the road that runs between their...

Seven residential developments.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... INDIANTOWN -- Builders are zeroing in on this unincorporated, one-stoplight Martin County town, with plans for seven residential developments that could bring thousands of homes to the area. Senior planner Martin Hudson says 1,498 residential...

Florida Crystal Corp.'s Okeelanta mill.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... PALM BEACH COUNTY -- New contract terms that cut into overtime pay for farmworkers and the number of available positions for local tractor-trailer drivers led to a five-day strike by employees of Florida Crystal Corp.'s Okeelanta mill. A...

75 homes on 15 acres.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... PORT ST. LUCIE -- The city's planning board has approved plans to build 75 homes on 15 acres where city officials had hoped to develop a 100-acre park. The approval scraps a previously approved plan for 115 multifamily units on the site. The...

Community redevelopment agency.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... RIVIERA BEACH -- A committee appointed to look into the city's struggling community redevelopment agency has blamed a lack of oversight and faulty budget practices for creating the agency's difficulties. A five-page report issued by the...

A 20-year legal battle among non-profit hospitals competing for heart surgery programs has ended in an agreement.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... STUART -- A 20-year legal battle among non-profit hospitals competing for heart surgery programs has ended in an agreement that will allow Martin Memorial Medical Center, Boca Raton Community Hospital, Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Boynton...

Regional economic development plan.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... TREASURE COAST -- Economic development officials in St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River and Okeechobee counties are organizing to develop a "friendly, cohesive policy" for luring new businesses and jobs, says Bob Stevenson, chair of the Workforce...

Norton Museum of Art.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... WEST PALM BEACH -- The William Randolph Hearst Foundation has given the Norton Museum of Art a $1.7-million endowment to establish a curator's chair for art education.

Palm Beach County Convention Center.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The 350,000-sq.-ft. Palm Beach County Convention Center had its official debut, hosting a Sports and Leisure Expo and a Red Cross Charity Ball. This month the facility will be the site of a three-day financial expo.

Palm Beach Post editor Edward Sears has retired after 20 years.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Palm Beach Post editor Edward Sears has retired after 20 years, replaced by managing editor John Bartosek.

Environmental threat.(Development)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... BROWARD COUNTY -- A report issued by three environmental organizations, including the National Wildlife Federation, ranks Broward County fourth in the country in terms of places where development demands exceed available land. The report charts...

Downtown Oasis: after 20 years of struggling, downtown Fort Myers is getting a major face lift.(Development)
March 1, 2005... Downtown Fort Myers bustles with I activity each weekday, with some 8,500 workers commuting to work from the suburbs. But there's little night life, and past efforts to revitalize the city's center never took off. In 2001, the city paid...

Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... BELLEAIR -- The Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa will not be demolished to make way for new condos because developers say they could not win public support for the project. The historic Biltmore, which opened in 1897, will continue to operate,...

Central Cape Business Park.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... CAPE CORAL -- Construction on the Central Cape Business Park, the first Class A business park in Cape Coral in 15 years, began in January. The park will include 10 retail spaces and 48 parcels that will include office, display and warehouse...

Stetson University law professor Robert N. Davis.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... GULFPORT -- Stetson University law professor Robert N. Davis has been confirmed as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, a 15-year appointment. One of seven judges, Davis served in the Navy Reserves Joint Intelligence...

Tampa Sports Authority.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... HILLBOROUGH COUNTY -- County commissioners are considering doing away with the Tampa Sports Authority, which runs Raymond James Stadium and has some oversight over the St. Pete Times Forum, Legends Field and three golf courses. The authority...

Publix Super Markets.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... LAKELAND -- Publix Super Markets will roll out a Hispanic food brand early this year to try to capitalize on the growing Hispanic population in Florida. It will offer frozen plantains and mojo marinade, among other foods.

Eagle Pointe.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... MANATEE COUNTY -- Milwaukee-based Homes by Towne is planning a 1,313home community named Eagle Pointe on 700 acres in north Manatee County that it purchased from longtime tomato grower Dan McClure. The community, designed around an eagle's...

Trust for Public Land.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... SOUTHWEST FLORIDA -- The Trust for Public Land has purchased a 12.8-mile stretch of land from Jacksonville-based CSX Transportation that stretches from Sarasota to Venice. The land was formerly two railroad corridors and will be converted into...

Cox Lumber Co.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... ST. PETERSBURG -- Juan B. Quesada has been named president of Cox Lumber Co., succeeding Robert E. Fehr, who is retiring. Quesada had been senior executive vice president at the company. He joined Cox in 1979. Cox Lumber is Florida's largest...

First Advantage Corp.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... First Advantage Corp., a background screening company, will move its headquarters from downtown St. Petersburg to the city's Carillon office park in April. Corporate staff as well as the employment backup screening group and investigative...

Raymond James Financial Services.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... National Association of Securities Dealers censured Raymond James Financial Services (NYSE-RJF) and fined the company $10,000 for failing to adequately supervise a broker. The broker set up a partnership account with one of his customers,...

Channelside.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... TAMPA -- The owners of Channelside have put the downtown entertainment complex up for sale. No sales price was disclosed. ORIX Real Estate Equities had invested more than $49 million into building the complex.

SAXoTECH.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... SAXoTECH, a content management and online production systems company, is moving its headquarters from Rockville, Md., to Tampa, creating 30 technology jobs. SAXoTECH's clientele includes the Washington Times, New York Times Regional Newspaper...

Luna Guitars.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Luna Guitars has launched a line of guitars and basses featuring slimmer necks and lighter bodies specifically for women. The guitars were designed by architectural stained glass artist Yvonne de Villers, whose mother often experienced pain...

WalMart Supercenter.(City Commission approves site plan)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... TARPON SPRINGS -- After 12 hours of contentious testimony, the City Commission voted 3-2 to approve a site plan for a Wal-Mart Supercenter on the Anclote River. Residents argued that the property was zoned incorrectly for a big-box retailer,...

Pay protest.(University of South Florida increases Judy Genshaft's salary)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... TAMPA -- Judy Genshaft, president of the University of South Florida, is now the second-highest paid university president in the state after the school's board raised her salary by 5% to $342,720 and awarded her a $35,000 bonus. Students...

Home field: UCF makes a push for its own on-campus football stadium.(University of Central Florida planning)
March 1, 2005... The University of Central Florida's continued march toward the big leagues is under scrutiny as it studies the feasibility of adding that most necessary of campus amenities: A football stadium. The UCF Golden Knights football team will join...

Saltwater Boat Group.(Brunswick Corp. acquires and merge SeaPro Boats and Sea Boss Boats )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... EDGEWATER -- Brunswick Corp. bought North Carolina boat manufacturers SeaPro Boats and Sea Boss Boats and merged them with its Boston Whaler division to create Saltwater Boat Group, which is based in Edgewater.

Florida Select Citrus.(creditors acquires food processing company)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... GROVELAND -- Florida Select Citrus was taken over by creditors during Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, and its facility was leased to Howie-In-The-Hills-based Silver Springs Citrus. Silver Springs Citrus is expanding and hiring some of the...

Dixon Ticonderoga.(Fila-Fabbrica Italiana Lapis ed Affini to acquire its US rival)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... HEATHROW -- Dixon Ticonderoga will be acquired by Italian competitor Fila-Fabbrica Italiana Lapis ed Affini for $23 million plus debt, which puts the value of the deal at about $60 million.

Tupperware Corp.(plans to cut jobs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... KISSIMMEE -- Tupperware Corp. (NYSE-TUP) plans to cut 250 manufacturing jobs at its Hemingway, S.C., plant as part of its ongoing shift of production work overseas. The move is expected to save the company $6 million annually but will cost...

NovaStar Mortgage.(planning)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... LAKE MARY -- Kansas City, Mo.-based NovaStar Mortgage plans to open an operations center in Lake Mary that will employ about 170 within three years. Seminole County and Lake Mary each kicked in $51,000 in incentives, which qualifies the company...

First Federal Savings Bank of Lake County.(Colonial Bank (Montgomery, Alabama) acquires the banking company)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... LEESBURG -- Alabama-based Colonial Bank is buying First Federal Savings Bank of Lake County in a cash/stock deal worth $232 million. The move would more than triple Colonial's branches in Lake County to 21 and give it additional branches in...

Datamax Corp.(Dover Corp.'s subsidiary Dover Technologies acquires the computer peripherals company)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Datamax Corp. was acquired by Dover Technologies, a subsidiary of New York-based Dover Corp. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

CNL Ltd.(partners of the company filed lawsuit)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Partners of CNL Ltd. sued the company in Texas, claiming the proposed $1.6-billion merger between CNL Restaurant Properties and Dallas-based U.S. Restaurant Properties is designed to bail out CNL's restaurant trust at the expense of more than...

Lockheed Martin.(United States Army contract signed)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Lockheed Martin's (NYSE-LMT) Orlando facility gained a $30-million Army contract to build simulation equipment for operating tanks and Humvees under the Army's 2005 Close Combat Tactical Trainer program.

DME Corp.(United States Marine Corps signs contract with the electronic equipment maker)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... DME Corp. was awarded a six-year contract with the U.S. Marine Corps to design and manufacture testing equipment for high-tech military electronics. The contract, potentially worth $138 million with options, calls for DME to deliver 100 new...

Maitland-based 770 Uptown LLC paid $3.6 million for the 17,600-sq.-ft. downtown office building now being leased by Orange County Official Records.(Principal Group LLC sold its building)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Maitland-based 770 Uptown LLC paid $3.6 million for the 17,600-sq.-ft. downtown office building now being leased by Orange County Official Records. Principal Group LLC in Longwood sold the property, located near South Street and the East-West...

Regional Development/192 LLC.(investment company bought land from Seminole Tribe)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... OSCEOLA COUNTY -- A Maitland investment group called Regional Development/192 LLC has bought 1,200 acres from the Seminole Tribe for $25 million. The tract, planned by the Seminoles to house a casino that was opposed by county officials, now...

Walt Disney World.(new service)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Walt Disney World announced a service that allows guests of Disney hotels to check their luggage at their home airport and have it delivered straight to their hotel rooms. The service also includes bus transportation from Orlando International...

A. Duda & Sons.(chief executive officer Ferdinand S. Duda retires )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... OVIEDO -- Ferdinand S. Duda retired as chief executive officer of A. Duda & Sons and turned the reins over to his brother, Joseph Duda. Ferdinand Duda will become chairman. Joseph Duda has been president of the family-owned agribusiness and...

Orlando Sanford International Airport.(traffic)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... SANFORD -- Orlando Sanford International Airport logged a record 1.83 million passengers last year, up 46% from the previous year.

First Callen National Bank of Florida.(federal charter)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... WINTER PARK -- A group of investors from Orlando and Georgia received a federal charter for First Callen National Bank of Florida, with the first location planned to open in Winter Park by June.

Growth limitations.(Electronic Arts Tiburon to develop new game in cooperatio with Arena Football League)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... MAITLAND -- The central Florida division of Electronic Arts (Nasdaq-ERTS), EA Tiburon, has signed a contract to produce a new game in cooperation with the Arena Football League. Terms of the deal were not released. EA Tiburon says the biggest...

Cloud of turmoil: Edward Waters College stumbles again just as it began to bury its troubled past.
March 1, 2005... In seven years as president of Edward Waters College, Jimmie Jenkins led the school from the brink of academic and financial bankruptcy to the threshold of respectability. Enrollment at the historically black college had risen from 300 to...

Residential development.(city officials negotiates with Adar Developers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... BAKER COUNTY -- County officials are negotiating with Miami-based Adar Developers over a potential residential development on 3,600 acres near Macclenny.

Hanging deaths.(investigations of students' deaths)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... BRANFORD -- The hanging deaths of three middle school students in a three-month period has led to a series of community meetings among parents, school officials and mental health professionals. Investigators believe the deaths may have been...

The Hilton University of Florida Conference Center.(taxation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... GAINESVILLE -- City officials want The Hilton University of Florida Conference Center to start paying property taxes. The hotel, which is fighting the move, has been tax-exempt since it opened in 2000 because it was built on state-owned land....

Beacon Hill.(condominium development)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Beacon Hill, a $1.8-million, 14-unit condominium development, is being built on a one-acre lot two miles from the University of Florida at SE 16th Avenue and Williston Road.

University Mazda.(Scott-McRae Group bought a dealership and changes its name)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Jacksonville-based Scott-McRae Group bought the former University Mazda auto dealership on North Main Street, renaming it Duval Mazda of Gainesville.

University of Florida researcher Catherine Price.(program to identify patients' mood developed)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... University of Florida researcher Catherine Price announced she has developed a program to help identify which elderly patients will suffer changes in memory, mood or attention span following surgery.

Duval County School Board.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... JACKSONVILLE -- The Duval County School Board wants the city of Jacksonville to stop charging the district for roadwork associated with new schools. City officials have billed the district $2 million for road-widening projects as part of a...

Sheriff John Rutherford.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... At a news conference announcing that hundreds of Jacksonville deputies will now carry controversial Tasers, Sheriff John Rutherford allowed himself to be shot by one of the stun guns. After screaming and momentarily collapsing, Rutherford...

Drinking in public.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A county judge sided with two homeless men in declaring the city's law against drinking in public unconstitutional. Judge Charles Cofer said the law was vague and selectively enforced, citing fans who are allowed to drink outside Alltel Stadium...

John Reyes.(In The News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... John Reyes, vice president of sales for the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, is the new president of the Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau.