The Business Journal (Serving Greater Tampa Bay) articles from February 2001

The Business Journal (Serving Greater Tampa Bay) archives from February 2001

Bayshore growing again.
February 23, 2001... UPSCALE: Builders plan big 'Ritz Carlton lifestyle' TAMPA -- Out with the old and in with the new is the rallying cry from a new Tampa Bay area developer hailing from West Palm Beach. Frank Mileto, vice-chairman of New National...

Warehouse project revealed.
February 23, 2001... NATIONWIDE: Others see value in Lakeland area LAKELAND -- Nearly 1 million square feet of speculative industrial building space is planned or under way in Lakeland as major developers continue eying the city as a distribution hub. ...

Legislature's freshmen face tough times ahead.
February 23, 2001... OLD GUARD GONE: Term limits send career politicans back home Sen. Rod Smith, D-Gainesville, is a true freshman. Not only is Smith one of the 62 fresh faces in the Florida Legislature because of term limits, he also is the only true rookie...

Odyssey discovers windfall.
February 23, 2001... NICHE: MacDougald pumps millions into firm TAMPA -- Unlocking the secrets of the deep is a business frontier far from the arcane world of outsourcing employee benefits. To James MacDougald, it is a fascinating frontier with great...

McDonald namesake moves on market.
February 23, 2001... TAMPA -- He does not have orange hair and big feet. He does, not fend off the Hamburgler. But Ronald McDonald does tire of being equated with the hamburger chain icon that shares his name. That's Ronald L. McDonald, who recently opened...

South African trade mission going strong.
February 23, 2001... CLEARWATER -- Enterprise Florida Inc. is doing more these days than promising Florida economic trade and development in foreign countries. They're actually setting up shop. During a Feb. 11 - 17 international trade mission to the...

Lake Wales development goes up for auction.
February 23, 2001... LAKE WALES -- In a quick-turnaround tactic, Lakeshore Development Corp. LLC., headquartered in Hollywood, is betting that a quick profit will be of more value than a long-term investment. The owners of the 500-unit Lakeshore Development...

Banker real estate brokerage on brink.
February 23, 2001... * FIGHT: Realtors: Brokering is not 'financial in nature' CLEARWATER -- The Federal Reserve System and U.S. Treasury Department jointly issued a proposed rule in December that would allow bank holding companies to own and operate real...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers win spin control award for week.
February 23, 2001... This week's Baysider Spin Control Award, if there was such a thing, would go to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the way they promoted their latest ticket price hike. The so-called Pewter Pirates raised ticket prices two of the past three...

BIG HELPERS.
February 23, 2001... Dick Crippen, executive director of community development for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, said publically Feb.20 that he will be heading up the Devil Rays charitable organization that he called Rays of Hope. His preliminary announcement, with...

TAKING TO THE SKIES.
February 23, 2001... Sarasota Bradenton International Airport attracted yet another new airline to its runways. Florida Air, headquartered in Naples, began scheduled intrastate commuter service to Florida cities Feb. 15. Sarasota Bradenton International...

NOT IF BUT WHEN.
February 23, 2001... Now that U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., has said he is not running for governor at the current time, folks are waiting for Holland & Knight LLP managing partner Bill McBride of Tampa to take the official campaign plunge. While McBride is...

Look back at '96 telecom act gives preview of future.
February 23, 2001... February marked the fifth anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, signed into law by Congress to deregulate voice communications and foster competitive services in local markets. A company formed since the act went into effect,...

MAIN STORY.
February 23, 2001... Horizon Marketing Group Inc. in St. Petersburg was featured in the January/February 2001 edition of House of Business magazine. The article was written by St. Petersburg writer Valinda Almeida. The focus is on the virtual "at home"...

COMMON MISTAKES.
February 23, 2001... A recent article in the magazine Business Law Today looks at what it calls common mishandling of critical legal issues by dot-com startups: * Not properly licensing patented technology * "Incautiously" hiring employees of competitors...

IN THE MONEY.
February 23, 2001... * Tampa-based Cyberscapes Interactive Inc., an e-business services and Web integration company, has received an undisclosed investment from Ray Murray, chairman of the board of The Florida Orchestra. Murray has owned more than 25 local...

FLORIDA MAKES THE GRADE.
February 23, 2001... The University of Florida ranks sixth and is the only state university or college to score on a list of 72 "Top Tech-Transfer" higher education institutions issued by the Southern Growth Policies Board. The schools were ranked...

WIRED.
February 23, 2001... A Tampa Bay Technology Conference is scheduled from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the Doubletree-Westshore.

Mental health center taps funds to expand programs.
February 23, 2001... As national agencies strive to increase recognition and acceptance of mental illness, Directions for Mental Health is expanding programs to serve more people from its Clearwater base. Directions received state funding to introduce a new...

LEARNING SPACE.
February 23, 2001... Cryo-Cell International Inc. donated space at its headquarters to Morton Plant Hospital for childbirth education classes. The Clearwater company jumped at the opportunity to give back to the community by supporting expectant parents, said...

CALLING YOUTH WORKERS.
February 23, 2001... Youth development workers can spend March 5 exploring new research on changing sexuality, contraceptive use and pregnancy patterns among children. The University of South Florida School of Social Work; the USF Collaborative for Children,...

CHART NOTE.
February 23, 2001... Utopia Home Care Inc. chose Government Employees Credit Union of Florida as its official credit union provider of financial services for its staff. Utopia is a home health care agency contracted to the state of Florida. Employees at...

Office, warehouse sales lead to big year for Loftin.
February 23, 2001... Loftin Real Estate Inc. in Lakeland followed its biggest year on record with another huge year in 2000, thanks to two major deals that closed out the year. The 40-year-old firm finished the past year with more than $40 million in...

CONTRACTORS LOAD UP.
February 23, 2001... It appears local and out-of-town contractors are finding plenty of commercial work in the Tampa Bay area these days. Walbridge Aldinger, a Michigan-based construction firm with an office in Brandon, recently was awarded three...

Building Owners and Managers Association.
February 23, 2001... The local chapter of the Building Owners and Managers Association will present its annual Toby Awards on Feb. 28 at The Centre Club atop the Wyndham Westshore hotel in Tampa. The ceremony will begin with a 6 p.m. reception, followed by...

Blake Eagle.
February 23, 2001... Blake Eagle, chief executive officer of the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries, will address the local chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women on March 6 at The Centre Club in Tampa.

Jonathan Paletti.
February 23, 2001... Jonathan Paletti joined @DUTTE-Realty.com as an industrial broker. He was formerly with Hayes & Associates as a senior associate.

Mark Trudel.
February 23, 2001... Mark Trudel, an 11-year construction management veteran, joined Angle & Schmid as a project manager.

Tampa builder hits big time on network television.
February 23, 2001... David Weekley Homes, with offices in Tampa, in conjunction with the NBC-TV morning news show Today and OurHouse.com, began building a home in Tampa for the first-ever "Today Builds A House" project. The construction, which began Feb. 7,...

DEVELOPER HONORED.
February 23, 2001... Tampa-based luxury developer Bella Vista Group Inc. has been named among the top developers worldwide by Unique Homes magazine. As a recipient of the award, Bella Vista Group will be featured in the magazine's "Megadevelopers" section of...

FILE NOW OR PAY LATER.
February 23, 2001... As far as procrastination issues go, this isn't one of them. The deadline for filing for homestead exemption is Feb. 28. The Florida Association of Realtors reports that any Florida property owner with legal title to a home and who...

MANGO GROVE GROWS HOMES.
February 23, 2001... Tampa-based home builder American Heritage Homes will build 181 homes at Mango Grove, a new community in Tampa located on CR 574 in Mango near, the junction of Interstate 4 and Interstate 75. Development is under way, and model home...

Tourism groups keep their eye on state legislators.
February 23, 2001... Leaders of industry associations say they'll be on the lookout during the legislative session for efforts to increase taxes on tourists and moves to use the money for anything but tourism. "Each year, there's 20 to 30 places that want...

GAS PRICES RISE.
February 23, 2001... Tourists may already be getting enough of a beating at the gas pumps. Just in case you hadn't noticed ,gasoline prices in Florida are up nearly 3 cents a gallon this month, AAA Auto Club South said self-serve, regular unleaded prices...

POINT. CLICK. I DO.
February 23, 2001... Planning a wedding in Polk County is getting easier by the minute. The Central Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau has a new link from its Web site, http://www.sunsational.org, directing visitors to information about wedding planning....

VICTORY AT SEA.
February 23, 2001... The SS American Victory, Florida Orchestra and WUSF-FM are teaming up to host the "Victory at Sea Concert" in Tampa at 6 p.m. on March 3. The concert will be held alongside the SS American Victory, at 705 Channelside Drive, adjacent to...

Tech investment initiative resurrected.
February 23, 2001... The effort to build high-tech industries in Florida is fueled by investment dollars. And business advocates hope expanding a 2-year-old legislative initiative to encourage technology investment will rev up the state's high-tech engines....

Cash crunch facing Florida Legislature.
February 23, 2001... For the past two years, Florida's chugging economy perked, filling state coffers with ever-larger amounts of money. As Republican's are known to do with a surplus, Gov. Jeb Bush and the GOP-controlled Legislature handed out the largest...

Power brokers remain relatively same in Tallahassee.
February 23, 2001... With so many new faces in the Florida Legislature, it's sometimes hard to tell who the power brokers are. But when it comes down to it, the people pulling the strings are mostly, those who have been around Tallahassee for years. They're...

Senate president: Private business should help with train.
February 23, 2001... TAXES: McKay says tourism tax won't be spent elsewhere During his legislative career, Senate President John McKay, R-Bradenton, has rarely held a news conference or issued a press release. He is known as a quiet, deliberate man who...

Relocation conference to discuss Internet, technology.
February 23, 2001... ORLANDO -- The Southeastern Regional Relocation Council will present its spring conference March 15-16 at the Adams Mark Hotel and Resort in Orlando, near the Florida Mall Gene M. Romagna of The Learning Group will be the featured speaker,...

Sports executive group helps with change.
February 23, 2001... TAMPA -- It is difficult for professional athletes to say goodbye to a sport that they grew up playing and that compensated them very well. It might be even tougher to give up the glare of stadium and arena lights for the simple glow of...

BAY AREA 50 STOCK WATCH.
February 23, 2001... BAY AREA 50 STOCK WATCH From 2/15/01 to 2/20/01 (Compiled by Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.) Market ...

EXECUTIVE PROFILE.
February 23, 2001... PERSONAL, INFORMATION Name: Jack A. Glasure Title: Senior vice president, Richard French & Associates, a public relations and marketing firm in St. Petersburg Education: Associate's from Manatee Community College; Bachelor's in...

Cooking with Donza.
February 23, 2001... "Auntie, what are you cooking today?" It's a question that warms the heart of Donza Drummond of St. Petersburg. She loves to cook, and she freely shares the fruits of her passion with her family, friends, or just about anyone who is...

Battle lines being drawn.
February 23, 2001... Speaker of Florida's House of Representatives challenges power of Bar Association A legal gauntlet of sorts has been thrown down by the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, Tom Feeney, R-Oveido. The Florida Bar...

Keeping pace with technology a must for area attorneys.
February 23, 2001... TAMPA -- Steve Burton wants every lawyer in Hillsborough County to get up to speed on the latest technology. A partner in Broad and Cassel Attorneys at Law, Burton is chairman of the Hillsborough County Bar Association technology section...

Hospitality law moves into Central Florida classroom.
February 23, 2001... TAMPA -- John Bolanovich likes to wear many hats these days. When the attorney at Allen Norton & Blue's Tampa office isn't playing "legal eagle" in Tampa Bay area courtrooms, he's teaching a law course at the University of Central Florida...

Attorney goes 'above, beyond' serving as a patient advocate.
February 23, 2001... TAMPA--Attorney Cynthia Sass will be the first to tell you she's no hero. "I just don't consider myself a hero. I like to help people out. "In what I do, I feel that I make a difference in people's lives and help them in their...

'Love in the Workplace' seminar heats up in Tampa.
February 23, 2001... TAMPA -- The "love contract" comment caught everyone's attention. It was a suitable topic the day before Valentine's Day. It was even more appropriate for the occasion. John W. Robinson IV, head of the labor and employment law...

German students invade Tampa area circuit court.
February 23, 2001... Deutsch can be heard spoken in courthouse halls in Hillsborough County now through March 6. The 13th Judicial Circuit is the only American site selected to host students from the University of Munster, Germany, who are studying American...

MINDS MEET ON THE BEACH.
February 23, 2001... More than 600 attorneys and administrators representing about 300 private and public universities gathered Feb. 18-20 at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach for Gulfport-based Stetson College of Law's 22nd National Conference on...

The 2001 Internet Law Office.
February 23, 2001... The 2001 Internet Law Office is available from Minneapolis-based West Group Inc. The legal publishing and practice management firm maintains a branch office in Tampa. Called by the West Group "a new and better way to practice law in...

Administrative Partners Inc. and Orion Law Management Systems.
February 23, 2001... Tampa-based Administrative Partners Inc. and Orion Law Management Systems in Atlanta have together created veelo.com, a time, billing and integrated general ledger package for the legal industry. veelo.com is powered by Orion Law Management...

Expansion of intellectual property rights.
February 23, 2001... Expansion of intellectual property rights around the globe will be discussed by national, state and educational leaders at a law symposium scheduled for March 24 at the University of Florida. The symposium on intellectual property,...

The Young Lawyers Section.
February 23, 2001... The Young Lawyers Section of the St. Petersburg Bar Association hosted a judicial reception on Feb. 21 at the P. Buckley Moss Gallery, 190 4th Ave. N.E. in downtown St. Petersburg. Sponsors included Fisher & Sauls P.A., Best Evidence...

The Family Medical Leave Act.
February 23, 2001... "The Family Medical Leave Act -- The Court's View" is the theme of a seminar scheduled for March 15 by the Tampa law firm Ruden McClosky Smith Schuster & Russell P.A. Call (813) 221-8027 for further information.

Charles Bavol and Jack Fernandez.
February 23, 2001... Charles Bavol and Jack Fernandez of Bavol Bush & Sisco P.A. in Tampa recently spoke at the fifth annual Drug and Medical Device Litigation Conference in New York City. They co-presented "Medical Device Manufacturer Liability: Civil and...

Ron Smith and Anton Hopen.
February 23, 2001... Clearwater patent attorneys Ron Smith and Anton Hopen of Smith & Hopen PA on Feb. 15 awarded the spring 2001 Smith & Hopen Patent Bar Scholarship Award to Eric Pellenbarg of the University of Florida College of Law. According to the...

Holland & Knight LLP.
February 23, 2001... Holland & Knight LLP has become the first law firm in the United States to be recognized by the Points of Light Foundation for Excellence in Corporate Community Service. Former President George Bush presented the award to Holland &...

Law firms.
February 23, 2001... Law firms Charles Lewis ranked by number of local [1] lawyers Rank Name Lawyers last Address ...

Cross promos offer easy solutions.
February 23, 2001... With the economy tightening up, now is the time to consider how to squeeze maximum value out of those scarce marketing dollars. Cross promotion comes to immediate mind as one of the easiest and most efficient strategies for achieving that...

Marshall Advertising ready for new challenges.
February 23, 2001... RISK: Couple leaves behind comfort of corporate world TAMPA -- You could say the small business gods are smiling down on the husband and wife tag team at Marshall Advertising. Kevin and Jennifer Marshall have snagged major accounts in...

Program offers ins and outs of international trading.
February 23, 2001... You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know there's gold in them thar' international business hills. With this in mind, The Department of Business and Economics at Florida Southern College and the International Trade Association of...

CONTRACT CORNER.
February 23, 2001... There's been a lot of wheelin' and dealin' going on. Here are some of the latest agreements: * Context, a Tampa firm that specializes in writing, for the Web, inked a deal with the African American Financial Resource Alliance to develop...

THE ENVELOPE PLEASE.
February 23, 2001... The West Pasco Chamber of Commerce has announced the finalists for The Business of the Year Awards. In the 25-employees-or-less category, the finalists are: Balkcom Associates Inc., Dentistry by Ken Martin & Associates and Florida Luxury...

When floodgates open, keep your head above water.
February 23, 2001... Old Isaac Newton told us that what goes up must come down. This time we're not talking apples. We're talking bacon -- the kind folks try to bring home. If the economy isn't in the ditch yet, a lot of people's livelihoods already are. You...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.
February 23, 2001... ACCOUNTING Edward J. Hallgren joined Gregory Sharer & Stuart PA in the tax department. He specializes in the review and preparation of complex tax returns and is based in St. Petersburg. Lisa Swanson joined the audit team of Aidman...

O'Neil's philosophy diverges from long-held notions.
February 23, 2001... CAN SLIM sounds like a diet drink But it's not an elixir for losing calories, it's a formula for making money used by millions of investors. It was developed by William O'Neil, publisher of Investor's Business Daily, one of the nation's...

Confidence vote for freshmen legislators.
February 23, 2001... As we prepare for the 2001 session of the Florida Legislature, many professional political watchers are fraught with concern over how all the new legislators will handle their jobs. Thanks to voter-endorsed term limits, Florida has 62 new...

The driving spirit of business.
February 23, 2001... CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- I've never understood the fascination with auto racing as a sport, but I have developed a firm grasp for its significance as a business. Auto racing, particularly NASCAR, is the darling of the sports business industry....

Women attorneys need an association.
February 23, 2001... Each January, the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (HAWL) joins forces with the Hillsborough County Bar Association and the George Edgecomb Bar Association to sponsor a continuing legal education seminar and luncheon focusing on...

HOW DO YOU define personal success?
February 23, 2001... Alvina Miller Senior business assistance specialist St. Petersburg area Chamber of Commerce St. Petersburg Doing what makes you happy and reaping the rewards of hard work and dedication. From a holistic approach -- including...

Duke-Weeks stays course in Bay area.(Duke-Weeks Realty Corp.)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2001... * KEY EXEC DEPARTURES: Pullback rumors spawned TAMPA -- Duke-Weeks Realty Corp. is not scaling down its development efforts in the Tampa Bay area despite cutbacks in other major areas of Florida, its, president said last week. "We...

Penny tax shortage punts some projects.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 16, 2001... * PAC REACT: Completed projects seen as good for home builders, Pinellas County communities Dozens of businesses put up money three years ago to support a campaign for the Penny for Pinellas sales tax now under government scrutiny...

Payless Car Rental revs up to diversify.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 16, 2001... * HOTEL ROOMS, MORE: Growth in travel, technology ST. PETERSBURG--It does feel good to pay less. While the advertising slogan is aimed at selling shoes, Michael J. Harley, the chief operating officer of Payless Car Rental System Inc.,...

INSIDE LOOK.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)(Illustration)
February 16, 2001... INSIDE LOOK Travel management professionals' most challenging duties Policy enforcement 26% [*] Travel vendor negotiations 17% Travel policy development ...

Tech firm hopes to regroup in Tampa.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 16, 2001... FOREFRONT ON THE MOVE: Credit line, contacts secured TAMPA -- In November, Santu Rohatgi decided to pack his company's bags, leave Sarasota and head north to Tampa. Forefront Technologies Inc., a producer of technology for Web-based...

Small businesses take issues to Congress.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 16, 2001... ADVOCACY GROUP: Event yields list of concerns to voice LONGBOAT KEY -- Consultant Mark Deion runs a small business and has a lot on his plate. He came to Longboat Key from Warwick, R.I., to tell that to members of Congress. "We are...

Multifamily housing spreads in north St. Petersburg.(Brief Article)
February 16, 2001... * IN DEMAND: Residential boom means more is needed ST. PETERSBURG -- In an attempt to salvage undeveloped property, recoup costs and appease residents, a local developer is trying to ensure a unique and acceptable residential product. ...

On the Web.(Brief Article)
February 16, 2001... The Business Journal Serving Greater Tampa Bay posts originally reported, breaking news stories on its Web site. Stories recently reported on the Web Site include: * Stampede Worldwide Inc. chief operating officer John Whitman Jr....

SETTING IT STRAIGHT.(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
February 16, 2001... In the Jan. 12-18 issue of the Business Journal Serving Greater Tampa Bay, incorrect rankings were reported in the supplement "Florida business Journals: The state's fastest growing companies." The correct rankings are: Martini Graphic...

Trends drive partnership, lead to new trade exhibit.(Boatbuilding 2001)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2001... * SIDE BY SIDE: Associations bring shows under one roof TAMPA -- Two large and distinctly different manufacturing associations joined forces to create Boatbuilding 2001, a new marine trade convention in Tampa that will join with the top...

Waterchase developer encounters 'life and limb' scenario.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 16, 2001... For developer Taylor Woodrow sweating the details of producing a $40-million community involves some shade trees. Woodrow's 500-acre site is on Race Track Road near the Hillsborough-Pinellas county line. The challenge is relocating 60 oak...