Florida Trend articles from May 2009

Florida Trend archives from May 2009

Rum fun.(FloridaTrend.com: THE WEBSITE OF FLORIDA BUSINESS)
May 1, 2009... FLORIDA TREND Restaurant Editor Chris Sherman was a judge at the Polished Palate International Rum Festival in Ybor City. Read about his experience and find out who the winners were.

Florida wetlands.(Readers)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2009... I was disappointed with your coverage of the new book "Paving Paradise" [FloridaTrend. cam/Extra]. The entire chapter you ran on your website was filled with one-sided accounts of failed mitigation. The authors failed to differentiate on-site...

Margaret Lowman Icon.(Readers)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2009... Thank you for featuring a woman scientist as your February Icon. As Meg Lawman's childhood friend, I can honestly say that she inspired everyone she encountered in our youth with a passion for the natural world and tirelessly continues that...

What feels right.(Lifestyles: Wedding Photographers)
May 1, 2009... Amy Barry shot 32 weddings in 2008. She owns a portrait studio and wedding photography business just outside of Jacksonville called Capturing Real Life and Couture Weddings. When she started shooting weddings five years ago, couples wanted...

A riot mindset.(Lifestyles: Wedding Photographers)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Yesikka Vivancos shoots for the Associated Press as well as the European Pressphoto Agency, but the Miami-based photojournalist also likes to photograph weddings. She only shoots one wedding a month. She wears all...

Wine & spirits.(Dining)
May 1, 2009... [RED] 2006 Seghesio Old Vine zinfandel Sonoma $35 With zinfandel, vine age counts. The century of Seghesio family love makes it even better. This one is big and brawny but not a brute. It's a sweetie thick with berry jam, cocoa and...

All that Jazz.(JACKSONVILLE)
May 1, 2009... The annual Jacksonville Jazz Festival gets a makeover this year, with a new weekend, May 21-24, and a new location, downtown. Organizers plan a street-party atmosphere with music and festivities in the Laura Street corridor between Hemming...

Story of Cuba.(CORAL GABLES)
May 1, 2009... Carlos Lacamara's play "Havana Bourgeois" looks at the impact of Fidel Castro's revolution on the Cuban middle class. The play charts Castro's path from revolutionary savior of the poor to dictator through the stories of a group of advertising...

Don Shula: former NFL coach, age 79.(Icon)(Interview)
May 1, 2009... * At one time I thought about the priesthood. I went to a retreat when I was at John Carroll University. I was so impressed by this Jesuit priest that gave the retreat that I was ready to follow him and go into the priesthood. Then when I...

A direct route to insurance.(Trendsetters)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] January found a confident Michael Gold sketching a future as one of Florida's larger property insurers and the solution to Florida's homeowner insurance woes. His People's Trust Insurance sells direct, cutting out...

This old town: a plan aims to raise awareness of St. Augustine's role in American history.(HISTORIC PRESERVATION)(Company overview)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In 2007, when Jamestown, Va., held a yearlong, much-ballyhooed "America's 400th anniversary" celebration, Florida historians were a bit miffed. "St. Augustine is the place where America began," says Michael...

The Association of American Colleges and Universities.(Around the State: Players)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * The Association of American Colleges and Universities has elected Miami Dade College President Eduardo J. Padron chairman. Padron is the first Hispanic, Floridian and community college president to hold the...

Enterprise Florida.(Around the State: Players)
May 1, 2009... * Former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense of Panama City has been appointed vice chairman of Enterprise Florida, the board's chief management position. Gov. Charlie Crist serves as chairman. Bense has been a board member for two years.

Department of Children and Families.(Around the State: Players)
May 1, 2009... * Gov. Crist appointed Don Winstead, deputy secretary at the Department of Children and Families, to oversee Florida's $13.4-billion share of the Obama administration's stimulus package.

PBS&J.(Around the State: Players)
May 1, 2009... * John H. Classe Jr. joins PBS&J as regional business sector manager, responsible for directing civil engineering services in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Classe, who had worked at PBS&J from 1992 until 2000, rejoins the company from...

Downtown Condos.(REAL ESTATE)
May 1, 2009... Developers in downtown Miami closed 72% fewer condo sales in the fourth quarter of 2008 than they did in the third, according to a report by Bal Harbour-based Condo Vultures brokerage and consultancy. As of year-end, buyers had closed on 12,607...

Perry Ellis International.(Miami-Dade: Players)
May 1, 2009... Clothing maker Perry Ellis International named Anita D. Britt CFO; she had been CFO of Urban Brands.

Ocean Drive magazine founder Jerry Powers, who stayed on after selling his publishing and events company to Greenspun Media Group in 2007, left the company and will start a new firm.(Miami-Dade: Players)
May 1, 2009... Ocean Drive magazine founder Jerry Powers, who stayed on after selling his publishing and events company to Greenspun Media Group in 2007, left the company and will start a new firm. Publisher Courtland Lantaff will take over management of the...

City National Bank of Florida.(Miami-Dade: Players)
May 1, 2009... City National Bank of Florida named Jorge Gonzalez president; he had been regional president of Wachovia for southeast Florida. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Benihana.(Miami-Dade: Players)
May 1, 2009... Richard C. Stockinger, former president of the Patina Restaurant Group, took over as CEO of Benihana.

Ivax Diagnostics.(Miami-Dade: Players)
May 1, 2009... Ivax Diagnostics named Charles R. Struby CEO and president. He replaces Paul E Kennedy. Struby had been senior director of business development at The Medicines Co.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. lifted a cease-and-desist order that had been in place on Great Florida Bank since 2006.(CORAL GABLES)
May 1, 2009... The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. lifted a cease-and-desist order that had been in place on Great Florida Bank since 2006. The order was related to anti-money-laundering controls and Bank Secrecy Act compliance. The FDIC also released Bank of...

Venevision International.(CORAL GABLES)
May 1, 2009... Spanish-language television, film and music producer and distributor Venevision International launched web portal Novulu, which will distribute films, music, mobile and television content directly to consumers. It also created its own channel...

Ivax.(DORAL)
May 1, 2009... Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, which bought Miami-based Ivax in 2006, announced it will lay off 300 at its plant in Doral.

Easton Management.(DORAL)
May 1, 2009... National property management firm Lynd Co. acquired 50% of Easton Management, a division of Easton Group; Easton Lynd Management is now subsidiary of Lynd.

Ocean Bank.(FLORIDA CITY)
May 1, 2009... Miami-based Ocean Bank won a $7.3-million foreclosure judgment against Florida City-based Delmar Homes IV, which owns a vacant 10-acre agriculture-zoned site in the city.

Dade Community Foundation.(MIAMI)
May 1, 2009... Dade Community Foundation President Ruth Shack, who grew the non-profit's assets from $4 million in 1985 to an estimated $167 million in 2007, will step down by year's end.

Macy'S.(MIAMI)
May 1, 2009... Macy's is closing its Florida headquarters and laying off 375 this month; the retailer's department store downtown will remain open.

Miami Herald.(MIAMI)
May 1, 2009... The Miami Herald plans to cut another 19% of its workforce--approximately 175 jobs--reduce salaries between 5% and 10% and require employees to take one-week unpaid furloughs. It also plans to convert its presses to print a slightly narrower...

Performing Arts Center Foundation of Greater Miami.(MIAMI)
May 1, 2009... The Performing Arts Center Foundation of Greater Miami paid off the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts' $14-million bank loan seven years early, leaving it with no bank debt. The Arsht Center and organizations such as the New York...

Lennar Corp.(MIAMI)
May 1, 2009... Lennar Corp. (NYSE-LEN) sued several manufacturers, suppliers and installers of Chinese drywall. Gasses emitted by the drywall have been blamed for corroding electrical wires. The company also began offering buyers a protection plan that will...

Carnival Corp.(MIAMI)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Carnival Corp. (NYSE-CCL) saw record bookings for the week ended March 1. Chairman and CEO Micky Arison declined his 2008 bonus, citing the company's stock price and general sensitivities to executive compensation....

Real estate broker Carlos Justo.(MIAMI)
May 1, 2009... Real estate broker Carlos Justo, who specialized in selling mansions, dealt with numerous famous clients and began buying high-end real estate, filed for bankruptcy, citing $20 million in debts.

Major League Soccer franchise.(MIAMI)
May 1, 2009... The city dropped its bid for a Major League Soccer franchise.

SafeStitch Medical.(MIAMI)
May 1, 2009... Medical device maker SafeStitch Medical (OTCBB-SFES) received Food and Drug Administration approval to market its esophageal dilator, which the company says is the first to indicate the pressure being applied to the esophagus--a measurement...

South Beach Wine & Food Festival.(MIAMI BEACH)
May 1, 2009... The annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival raised $2 million for Florida International University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. A 12% drop in sponsorship revenue...

Irene Marie Models.(MIAMI BEACH)
May 1, 2009... Irene Marie Models, a mainstay in the South Beach model booking industry since founder Irene Marie moved it there in 1989, shut down and was considering a bankruptcy filing after seeing revenue fall 90% during 2008.

Developer Michael A. Stern.(MIAMI BEACH)
May 1, 2009... Developer Michael A. Stern filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Attendance at the 2009 Miami International Boat Show was down 26% this year to 96,736.(MIAMI BEACH)
May 1, 2009... Attendance at the 2009 Miami International Boat Show was down 26% this year to 96,736. Attendance at the concurrent Strictly Sail Miami was down 13% to 19,723.

Marlin hotel.(MIAMI BEACH)
May 1, 2009... Brazilian retail developer Mario Valadares da Costa paid $5.5 million for the Marlin hotel, which includes a record studio where artists such as U2 and Shakira have recorded.

The Palms Hotel & Spa.(MIAMI BEACH)
May 1, 2009... The 243-room Palms South Beach hotel, renamed The Palms Hotel & Spa, is completing a multimillion-dollar renovation and has opened the country's first Aveda beach resort concept spa.

Wayne Huizenga.(MIAMI GARDENS)
May 1, 2009... Wayne Huizenga completed his sale of the Miami Dolphins NFL team, Dolphin Stadium and surrounding land to New York real estate developer Stephen Ross.

TelePlus World Corp.(MIAMI LAKES)
May 1, 2009... Telecommunications company TelePlus World Corp. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The Apple Organization.(NORTH MIAMI BEACH)
May 1, 2009... Phyllis Apple, founder and CEO of PR firm The Apple Organization, is retiring after 30 years and shutting down the business.

Snowball effect.(WORKFORCE)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Schaumburg, Ill.-based Motorola found its own Razr a tough act to follow, and that's meant trouble for its revenue, stock price and employment in Plantation, the west Broward city where it employed 2,500 earlier this...

Bluegreen.(BOCA RATON)
May 1, 2009... Timeshare company Bluegreen (NYSE-BXG) laid off 3,000 workers last year and closed offices as it swung from a $31.9-million profit in 2007 to a $516,000 loss.

Texas restaurant chain Uncle Julio's opened a restaurant in Boca Raton, its entry into Florida.(BOCA RATON)
May 1, 2009... Texas restaurant chain Uncle Julio's opened a restaurant in Boca Raton, its entry into Florida. New York-based supermarket chain Western Beef entered the Florida market with a store in west Boca.

Boca Raton Resort & Club.(BOCA RATON)
May 1, 2009... The Boca Raton Resort & Club reopened its 212-room Beach Club after extensive renovations.

First Data.(CORAL SPRINGS)
May 1, 2009... Colorado-based First Data is shedding 105 more jobs this month, following 159 layoffs announced in February as it moves call center work to other sites and vendors. The facility will continue to employ 500.

JM Family Enterprises.(DEERFIELD BEACH)
May 1, 2009... Toyota importer and diversified auto company JM Family Enterprises, the largest independent distributor of Toyotas and Scions in the world, cut 500 jobs across its U.S. locations, blaming the recession and auto sales downturn.

AutoNation.(FORT LAUDERDALE)
May 1, 2009... Taking a page from the Hyundai playbook, AutoNation (NYSE-AN) will cover six months of car loan or lease payments of up to $500 a month, for free, to any buyers of new and used vehicles at its south Florida dealerships who become unemployed in...

Muvico.(FORT LAUDERDALE)
May 1, 2009... Cinema chain Muvico sold theaters in Boca Raton, Davie, Boynton Beach and Maryland to Texas-based Cinemark Holdings as part of a financial restructuring that allowed it to pay off debt. As part of the restructuring, Iongtime investor Joseph...

Calypso Deepwater Port liquefied natural gas terminals.(FORT LAUDERDALE)
May 1, 2009... Gov. Charlie Crist says he opposes the Calypso Deepwater Port liquefied natural gas terminals proposed by Suez Energy North America for several miles off Fort Lauderdale, effectively killing the project.

Saveology.com.(FORT LAUDERDALE)
May 1, 2009... Saveology.com, a comparison shopping website, is hiring 250 for its headquarters to handle inbound calls.

West Palm Beach opened three new piers on the downtown waterfront as part of its Waterfront and City Commons redesign.(FORT LAUDERDALE)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: West Palm Beach opened three new piers on the downtown waterfront as part of its Waterfront and City Commons redesign. The city is tearing down its old library and moving waterside Flagler Drive to...

Freedom Plastics.(FORT PIERCE)
May 1, 2009... The local plant of bankrupt Wisconsin plastic pipe maker Freedom Plastics was sold to North Carolina-based plastic pipe maker Silver-Line Plastics for $3.8 million. Before it was closed, the plant employed 30, down from 125 at its peak....

Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino.(HALLANDALE)
May 1, 2009... Saying its debt level was too high, Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino owner Magna Entertainment, based in Ontario, filed for bankruptcy court protection. Magna's controlling shareholder and largest secured lender, MI Developments, has bid to...

TOUSA.(HOLLYWOOD)
May 1, 2009... Home builder TOUSA, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection last year, plans to lay off 67 and cease trying to get new build-to-order sales and instead focus on finishing homes under construction and selling off its remaining...

Administrator Duncan Ballantyne.(MARTIN COUNTY)
May 1, 2009... County commissioners dismissed county administrator Duncan Ballantyne, citing a need for new leadership.

Orchid Grove.(POMPANO BEACH)
May 1, 2009... Alabama-based Regions Bank filed a foreclosure action against Orchid Grove, a 385-unit townhouse and 96-unit condo project that's a joint venture of Fort Lauderdale's Coscan Homes and New York's Tarragon. The bank appointed a receiver to manage...

Point Blank Body Solutions.(POMPANO BEACH)
May 1, 2009... Body armor maker Point Blank Body Solutions announced it is shutting down its Oakland Park plant, laying off 89.

Perfumania.(SUNRISE)
May 1, 2009... Discount retailer Perfumania plans to lay off 95 employees as it closes a local warehouse and moves some jobs to its new headquarters in New York.

Schwab, Twitty & Hasner Architectural Group.(WEST PALM BEACH)
May 1, 2009... Omaha-based architecture and engineering firm Leo A Daly acquired 42-person Schwab, Twitty & Hasner Architectural Group based in West Palm Beach. Terms weren't disclosed.

Wilmington Trust.(Southeast: Players)
May 1, 2009... Wilmington Trust appointed Vice President Ted E. Furniss managing director in North Palm Beach and Christopher Woythaler assistant vice president.

Fort Lauderdale.(Southeast: Players)
May 1, 2009... Carl Tsang was hired as CFO by Fort Lauderdale-based Charter Schools USA, operator of 18 charter schools in Florida, and as CFO of Charter Schools' development arm, Red Apple Development. Tsang formerly was CFO of Unico Holdings, a...

Palm Beach County.(Southeast: Players)
May 1, 2009... Gov. Charlie Crist appointed former Boca Raton Mayor Steven Abrams to fill the Palm Beach County commissioner seat vacated by Mary McCarty when she resigned amid federal corruption charges. Abrams is a partner at Fort Lauderdale law firm...

House rules.(FORECLOSURES)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Trying to fortify the 12th Judicial Circuit against a torrent of foreclosure cases, Chief Judge Lee E. Haworth enacted a series of changes to the circuit's foreclosure procedures last December, including one that...

Florida Power & Light.(ARCADIA)
May 1, 2009... Florida Power & Light has started work on the first commercial-scale solar photovoltaic power facility in Florida. Due to be operational by the end of the year, the plant will use 90,000 photovoltaic panels to generate enough electricity to...

Ave Maria Gallery and History Exhibit.(AVE MARIA)
May 1, 2009... The Ave Maria Gallery and History Exhibit has opened downtown. Apart from a tribute to the late Pope John Paul II, the gallery will exhibit historical items relating to Tom Monaghan, the town's founder.

Landscape ordinance.(BARTOW)
May 1, 2009... Polk County commissioners approved a revised landscape ordinance that encourages low-volume irrigation, mulch and other water-saving measures.

Sleek Audio.(BRADENTON)
May 1, 2009... Sleek Audio, an earphone manufacturer, expects to create 15 jobs this year.

Church of Scientology.(CLEARWATER)
May 1, 2009... The Church of Scientology has reopened the historic Fort Harrison building downtown following a $40-million renovation. The one-time hotel will be used as a retreat.

Medical Examiner Complex.(HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY)
May 1, 2009... The new Medical Examiner Complex opened with room for 150 cadavers, compared to just 40 at the old facility.

Hillsborough Community College.(HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY)
May 1, 2009... Hillsborough Community College received a $1.68-million grant to train students in auto mechanics and repair.

University Community Health.(LAND O'LAKES)
May 1, 2009... University Community Health has opened a $21-million. 50-bed hospital in the Connerton community.

Manatee Community College.(MANATEE COUNTY)
May 1, 2009... Manatee Community College has won state approval to begin offering a bachelor's degree in nursing, the school's first four-year degree.

Naples Municipal Airport.(NAPLES)
May 1, 2009... Since January, the Naples Municipal Airport has cut more than 30% of its workforce.

School district.(POLK COUNTY)
May 1, 2009... The school district has received a $1.3-million grant to implement programs to help ease the transition from middle school to high school.

Charlotte County Airport.(PUNTA GORDA)
May 1, 2009... The Charlotte County Airport has been awarded $2.5 million in stimulus funds from the Federal Aviation Administration. The money will be used to improve the main ramp.

GPS Industries.(Sarasota)
May 1, 2009... GPS Industries of Canada has moved its headquarters to Sarasota County, where it employs 21. The company designs and markets global positioning systems and wi-fi networks.

University of South Florida's College of Marine Science.(ST. PETERSBURG)
May 1, 2009... The University of South Florida's College of Marine Science has launched the $2.1-million research vessel "R/V WeatherBird II," a 115-foot, 300-ton ship equipped with high-tech devices and sensors designed to study the ocean's biological,...

Glazer Children's Museum.(TAMPA)
May 1, 2009... Construction is under way on the Glazer Children's Museum downtown. It is expected to open in spring 2010.

Tampa International Airport.(TAMPA)
May 1, 2009... Tampa International Airport will get $8 million in federal stimulus money. The grant will partially fund a $52-million project to rebuild a taxiway between the two main runways.

OneTouch Direct.(TAMPA)
May 1, 2009... OneTouch Direct, a call center operator, plans to hire up to 400 workers by June.