The Business Journal (Serving Greater Tampa Bay) articles from June 2000

The Business Journal (Serving Greater Tampa Bay) archives from June 2000

Clearwater split over bluff plan.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... * VOTE: Most people are heavily for or against plan The debate is getting ugly. A July 11 referendum in Clearwater about whether to allow a developer to build a $450 million project on the downtown's bluff is pitting neighbor vs....

Scotty' s revamping image.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... * REMAKE: The chain is taking an outlet approach A gut feeling told Scotty's Inc. president Tom Morris that adding dollar stores and closeout departments to his hardware store chain would make money. He started adding those two...

Eckerd explains its plan.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... * CHANGE: The company offers managed care help Largo-based Eckerd Corp. quietly spent the past year in the Tampa Bay area developing a pilot program called "PatientCARE" that uses a team of dedicated clinical pharmacists to help patients...

Waterfalls, trees key to Tampa Bay 1 site plan.
June 30, 2000... * CONCEPT: Designers see center with Florida feel Imagine taking an evening stroll around a circular, waterfall-lined promenade after a day at the office, enjoying a nice dinner, taking in a movie or listening to. live music beneath...

Former Charter executives secure contract for center.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... * MONEY: For-profit business will serve troubled teens Two former executives of bankrupt Charter Behavioral Health Systems have leased a former south Pasco County Charter hospital, spruced it up and opened a new for-profit business. ...

Lightning front office busy through summer.
June 30, 2000... * WORKING: Naming rights, ticket sales among activities The Stanley Cup has been hoisted and hockey season is three more months away, yet things aren't slowing down for the Tampa Bay Lightning during the summer. Along with...

Beef O'Brady's signs agreement to be the team's newest sponsor.(Tampa Bay Lightning)(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... * PRESENCE: Chain's name will get prominent play A popular sports caf[acute{e}] chains is the latest local company to join the Tampa Bay Lightning's charge for corporate participation and improvements within the Ice Palace. Beef...

CORRECTIONS.
June 30, 2000... A story in the June 23-29 edition of The Business Journal reported that the state of Florid a plans a new diabetes-care mail-order program for Medicaid recipients. Due to incorrect information provided by the state, the phone number in the...

ON THE WEB.
June 30, 2000... The Business Journal Serving Greater Tampa Bay now posts originally reported, breaking news stories on its Web site. Stories reported on the Web site since the June 23-29 issue of The Business Journal are: * Genesis Health Ventures...

Dunedin flows with tide to encourage development.
June 30, 2000... The city of Dunedin has adopted the idiom "bend but don't break" in addressing zoning requirements for refurbishing its downtown district. A project along the Dunedin Causeway called SunKetch Townhomes blends commercial with residential...

Sarasota' s redevelopment effort heading northward.
June 30, 2000... Sarasota's Clarke Advertising & Public Relations moves into its new 8,000-square-foot headquarters July 22, giving Sarasota's downtown district a new business and a new look. Jane Robinson, a member of the Sarasota economic development...

State denies UCH, open-heart, other health programs.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... State Agency for Health Care Administration officials recently denied University Community Hospital's bid to open a 46-to 50-bed long-term care hospital in south Pasco County, near Interstate 75. The decision was one of many made by state...

Catholic Health East faces downgrade of bond rating.
June 30, 2000... (John George of The Philadelphia Business Journal contributed to this report.) * IN DEBT: Company posts $27.7 million operating deficit Moody's Investors Service placed Catholic Health East, parent of Tampa's St. Joseph Hospital and...

Restaurant group could make big score on a fumble.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... NFL Players Grill, a themed restaurant considered the "official" eatery of the National Football League, has closed its doors in Orlando and may be looking at relocating to Tampa before the end of this year to take advantage of the extra...

COMMERCIALIZATION ROARS.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... The once-rural character of the Citrus Park/Gunn Highway area in northwest Hilisborough County continues to fade. The latest change is a newly opened Ford Motor Company Quality Care Service Center launched by Bill Currie Ford of Tampa....

IACOCCA THIS.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Lee Iacocca, the former Chrysler Corp. chairman who made himself a household name and face via car ads on television, now is the main pitchman for Olivio, "a new, rich, buttery alternative to margarine. Iacocca is inviting media folks...

LOTTO IN LIVING COLOR.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Beginning July 1, WMOR-TV Channel 32 in Tampa and WWSB-TV in Sarasota will air the Florida Lottery's nightly drawings for Cash 3, Play 4, Fantasy 5, Mega Money and Florida Lotto. The air times for the drawings are 11 p.m. Wednesday and...

TAKING ROOT.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Florida Agriculture Commissioner Bob Crawford said the Division of Forestry commemorated the planting of the state's 6 billionth forest tree seedling June 20. "The planting of this tree marks a milestone for reforestation," Crawford...

CHUGGING ALONG.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... If you are traveling by Amtrak anywhere in the East, South or Midwest, pack a little extra time along with your suitcase. Amtrak officials say increased freighttrain traffic and repairs to CSX tracks in the area may cause "unavoidable...

Tampa Bay area notables take their shows on the road.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Lee Arnold, founder and chairman of Colliers Arnold Commercial Real Estate in Clearwater, recently was a featured speaker at Realcom, a gathering of 1,500 commercial executives in Dallas. Arnold, a 25-year industry veteran, discussed...

LOVE JOINS COLDWELL BANKER.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT Inc. in Tampa hired Jaye Love as its director of commercial services for Florida. In her new position, Love oversees business development, communications, networking, marketing, sales and research for the...

CNM TAKES MERCHANTS WALK.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... CNM Associates, an Atlanta asset-management company with a regional office in Clearwater, was awarded a leasing and management contract by Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers for Merchants Walk in Lakeland. Merchants Walk's 229,383 square feet...

Vanguard Medical finishes major expansion project.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Vanguard Medical Concepts Inc. of Lakeland, a processor of medical equipment for reuse, finished expanding its plant from 35,000 to 60,000 square feet. The medical-equipment-reprocessing firm serves more than 500 medical facilities....

NURSING DEGREE NEWS.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... The University of Tampa is offering serveral new nursing degrees and programs. UT officials plan an information session for registered nurses who want to complete bachelor's or master's degrees. The private university's new master's in...

CLAIM DISPUTE UPDATE.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Delays and denials of payments to doctors and hospitals by managed care companies have become a big deal in recent months. Health care providers have sued HMOs for what providers say are systematic, unjust delays and denials of payments....

LifePath Hospice's Center for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Studies.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... * LifePath Hospice's Center for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Studies plans to award up to five grants to Tampa Bay area researchers doing work in those fields. The grants will be for up to $5,000 each. Applicants whose projects can lead to...

Johnson & Johnson Medical's 2000 Distributor Forum.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... * Asa Moyer has been named one of 20 participants in the Johnson & Johnson Medical's 2000 Distributor Forum in Vail, Colo., July 27-30. Moyer is vice president and general manager of St. Petersburg's Everfill Inc.'s JIT Medical.com division....

Gerardo Santiago.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... * In the brushing-up-on-marketing department, Naples pediatric dentist Gerardo Santiago will race his boat, Zero Cavity, in the June 30-July 2 Sarasota Offshore Grand Prix. Kids visiting the dry pits during the weekend get free toothbrushes.

VISX Star Surgeon.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... * Largo ophthalmologist Stephen Weinstock recently was named a VISX Star Surgeon. That places him among the top 5 percent of doctors performing Lasik surgery, stated VISX Inc. VISX manufactures laser gear used in Lasik surgery.

Bureau of Labor.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... U.S. hospitals now employ slightly more than 4 million people, new Bureau of Labor statistics show. That's an increase of about 32,000 employees from one year ago.

Agency for Health Research and Quality states.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... * Nationally, more than 30 percent of patients are first seen in emergency rooms at the hospitals at which they're admitted, a new report from the Agency for Health Research and Quality states. Pneumonia is the most common reason for...

Florida awarded $32 million for cultural activities.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... The state of Florida awarded $32 million in grants for cultural activities in the next fiscal year. The money is divided into 650 grants for activities ranging from museum exhibitions to theatrical and musical performances. The money...

SUPERIOR SERENGETI.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... After a nine-month renovation, the Serengeti Plain at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay reopened. The renovations included adding landscaping and backgrounds to create a seamless, 29-acre environment for African animals. Additions to the...

PAMPERED PATRONS.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... Residents of the luxury condominium project being built next to the Renaissance Vinoy Resort near downtown St. Petersburg will have access to hotel pampering at home. Developers of Vinoy Place, which will have 92 luxury condominiums and...

PACKAGING POLK.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Polk County tourism officials recently learned about "the power of packaging." The Central Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau sponsored a seminar on the topic, led by speaker Joe Veneto. The meeting addressed planning, pricing and...

TeleDymanics Group lands lead-generation patent.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... You may have heard that next month TeleDynamics Group will he issued a patent that covers its automated, interactive sales lead-generation technology. "The latest patent is very broad; it applies to virtually any activity during which a...

GROWING, GROWING, GROWTH.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... Allegiant Technology Group Inc., based in Denver, and Vicious Systems have joined to focus on the multibillion-dollar enterprise relationship management market. Charlotte, N.C.-based Vicious Systems specializes in Web design,...

PARTNERSHIP.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... Unisys Corp. has named Data Management Systems Inc. as a Unisys partner and authorized value-added reseller. Data Management, a Clearwater company, is one of 50 companies across the country to achieve that status. Data Management is a...

Council on Disability says ADA enforcement needed.(National Council on Disability)(Americans with Disabilities Act)(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... The Justice Department will step up its enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act if the National Council on Disability has its way. The council, an independent federal agency, said lack of aggressive enforcement has hampered...

Taxes fund ads touting bluff project.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... * MONEY: A city official said the city has budgeted $120,000 Some opponents of the proposed $450 million development of downtown Clearwater's bluff are incensed that the city is using taxpayers' dollars to pay for mailings and television...

Eckerd plan aims for better pharmacist-patient link.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Patients referred to Eckerd Corp.'s PatientCARE program are seen by pharmacists in semi-private areas in 24 Tampa Bay area Eckerd stores and two BayCare Health System outpatient facilities in Pineilas County. Initial assessments take 30...

CEP PROFILE.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Curt Thomas PERSONAL INFORMATION Name: Curt Thomas Title: President and chief executive officer of Pinellas Association for Retarded Citizens in St. Petersburg, a nonprofit organization. Education: Attended Pennsylvania...

Man of steel.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... A builder's huge Beach Park project should conclude in January Leon Goldenberg leaves his footprints all, over Beach Park in Tampa -- the latest a 5,000-square-foot-plus set. Goldenberg, 52, president and owner of Milford Custom...

Infill development revitalizes underused urban areas.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... SCARCE: As land availability declines, infill demand rises In an effort to control urban sprawl and enhance inner-city image, many Florida cities have moved away from traditional zoning and now allow previously unwelcomed mixed-use...

City officials tout downtowns as great places to live.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... What makes a city truly great? Its people, say business leaders and city officials. How do you make a great city even better? Get more people to live downtown and bring the district to life after business hours, they say. A...

Case studies support build-it-and-they'll-come theory.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Around the Tampa Bay area, some planners already have succeeded in attracting the one element they agree guarantees a vital downtown -- residents. Their housing frequently appears as part of a mixed-use development -- combining...

Handyman Online helps homebuyers do research.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... OPENING: The company has a new office in Tampa A major concern of many homeowners is the fear of paying too much to contractors for basic home repair or renovation. This paranoia often leads to hours of telephone calls and comparison...

Realtor group goes to Washington, keeps it simple.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Representatives of the National Association of Realtors recently traveled to the nation's capital in an effort to reduce bureaucratic meddling. NAR's incoming first vice president, Catherine Whatley, told members of the Senate...

WORK UNDER WAY AT FISHHAWK.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... As development starts in the second phase of a residential village at the masterplanned community of FishHawk Ranch, exclusive builder David Weekly Homes has begun sales of its executive and estate homes. The Houston-based homebuilder reports...

BUILDER NAMED.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Neal Custom Homes has named Ronald Birtwistle builder. He is responsible for all building operations, including nine existing homes and all new home starts, in Gleneagles at the Country Club, a 72-home neighborhood in Lakewood Ranch in...

'Green homes' can cut utility bills, improve air quality.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... The residential real estate market in the Tampa Bay area is breaking all the rules. In a market that traditionally endured opposing forces -- developers and environmentalists -- advances in technology and building methods have created a...

Looking for something It's probably somewhere on Web.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Do you want to find out what it takes to get a Florida real estate license? International Real Estate Digest publishes the requirements at http://ired.com/usa/fl/license.htm Looking for real estate associations in the Tampa Bay area? Here...

Making a sale on a Monday makes a week.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... I'm often asked for the secret to consistent sales performance. The answer: Have a great Monday. Have a great Friday. If you're looking for consistency in selling performance, try these steps. You won't believe how lucky you start to...

Food vendor skips the fat, leaves in the peanut flavor.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... TASTE: Peanut is popular at St. Pete's Famous Italian Ice Inc. Michael Maiorella said he felt a little like George Washington Carver when he came up with his formula for peanut-flavored ice. The St. Petersburg resident worked five...

USF gives MBA scholarship to United Way president.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Kim Scheeler, president of the United Way of Hillsborough County, was chosen by the University of South Florida as its first recipient of an Executive MBA Program scholarship. The scholarship is for executives of nonprofit organizations and...

REALTORS ARE MOVING.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Prudential Tropical Realty has moved its Countryside office to larger space. The new office is in the Northwood Plaza shopping center at 3034 Enterprise Road, Clearwater. The telephone number is (727) 799-2227. The new location has...

Toner Communications Inc.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Steve Toner is principal and senior counselor of the marketing and public relations agency formerly known as Toner Communications Inc. It can be found at http://www.TonerCom.com.

Teasdale Enterprises.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Teasdale Enterprises of Arts and Media launched http://www.adteam.com, an expanded version of the advertising/marketing firm's Web site. It offers links on all aspects of the advertising industry and features the Business User Zone, which...

Long & Associates Engineers/Architects Inc.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... Long & Associates Engineers/Architects Inc. of Tampa has completed design-development drawings and site preparation for the 19,000-square-foot Public Health Unit in Hendry County. Occupancy for the $1.9-million Florida Department of Health...

Orange County School Board.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... The Orange County School Board has chosen GLE Associates Inc., an architectural, engineering and environmental consulting firm based in Tampa, to provide Uniform Building Code Inspection services to the school district. The project includes...

Designwerks Inc.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Designwerks Inc., an advertising and graphic design firm in Palm Harbor, won a contract with Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point.

Copeland's of New Orleans named Teasdale Enterprises of Arts and Media.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Copeland's of New Orleans named Teasdale Enterprises of Arts and Media as its agency of record. The Tampa advertising and marketing firm is creating a multimedia campaign to highlight the New Orleans-style cuisine. The restaurant is on...

Pro Tech Monitoring Inc. has selected Peak/Biety Advertising and Marketing Inc.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... Pro Tech Monitoring Inc. has selected Peak/Biety Advertising and Marketing Inc. in Tampa to develop and implement advertising and branding strategies. Pro Tech uses satellites to track people, including parolees awaiting trial. The...

Sydney a jewel, but olympic problems may come up.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... The threshold factor is that immediate imagery or aura felt or absorbed, almost osmotically, as the consumer crosses the portal or touches the brand. It works great in restaurants, hotels and retail environments. I've preached...

We all need to avoid getting disabled by bad attitude.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... A few weeks back, I saw a bumper sticker that stated, "Grace Happens." I typically don't read things on other people's cars. However, this upbeat slogan grabbed my attention. Then a sequence of events took place that proved this bumper...

Demographic data offered on Business Journal's site.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... Bizjournals.com/tampabay, in partnership with The Business Journal Serving Greater Tampa Bay, has launched Demographics Daily, a Web-only publication with demographic and metropolitan statistics from throughout the country. "Demographics...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... ACCOUNTING Jeffrey R. Lund, Carlos Placau and Ken Richards were promoted at Deloitte & Touche in Tampa. Lund is a partner in the enterprise risk services practice. Macau is an audit partner in the health care practice. Richards is a...

Fourth of July sparks thoughts of Wall Street's history.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... The birth of our nation and the history of Wall Street tie closely together. In 1609, Henry Hudson founded a colony called New Amsterdam at the mouth of the Hudson River. As the American colonies grew, New Amsterdam became an important...

Build a better.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... State lines offer one of the biggest advantages promoters of stock fraud typically use. The con artists cross the lines with impunity while state regulators often get stuck on one side using a patchwork system of cooperation from counterparts...

Choosing not to cell out.(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... I hold no love for cellular phones, even though occasionally see their value. I also know that more and more of them will crop up as time passes - even as part of a wardrobe item or a kitchen appliance. This disconcerting piece of news...

Where's the 'good old girl' network?(Brief Article)
June 30, 2000... At least once during the lifetime of a woman in business, she has been confronted by the "good old boy" attitude. Countless sales have been lost and job opportunities have vanished because a woman has not been "one of the guys." May be...

Don't tax stressed intellectual properties.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 30, 2000... The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) generates its entire income from fees paid by the patent and trademark applicants. Current government fees for filing a trademark are $325 per class of goods or services. ...

Tampa tower to fetch $50 million.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... CHANGE: A New York firm will buy the building Tampa's cylindrical skyscraper recently got a name change. By the end of next week, it should have a new owner, too. Colonnade Properties LLC, a New York-based real estate investment...

Resort makes 'upscale' changes.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... UPGRADE: The Tradewinds seeks 'more elegant' image Ask Drew Toth what he likes best about the TradeWinds' $20 million renovation, and he's likely to point to the palm trees. That's 16, 23-foot palm trees in the new, enclosed lobby of...

Arvida ups its profile in Bay area.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... BUYOUTS: The firm is gaining share in acquisitions Get ready to start seeing a lot more of those bluebird Arvida signs around the Tampa Bay area. Arvida Realty Services in Clearwater, the residential real estate arm of...

Demand running high for DaimlerChrysler's new auto.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... HOT WHEELS: PT Cruiser taking area dealers by storm DaimlerChrysler's popular new PT Cruiser found its way to the Tampa Bay area via Mexico, and it drives drivers wild. The truck/van/car ensemble blends the retro look of the late...

Hillsborough, MacDill sign historic cooperation pact.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... Hillsborough County Commissioners signed a historic agreement June 20 with MacDill Air Force Base -- a pact to support and coordinate with one another on initiatives of public safety, joint emergency training, family services and advisory...

KEYSHAWN AND THE CITY.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... What do Keyshawn Johnson, James Gandolfini and Sarah Jessica Parker have in common? All three will appear on Home Box Office this fall. Johnson, the newest big name to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lineup, will appear occasionally during...

TOUGH TICKET, EASY CREDIT.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... Showing it's never too early to attach your corporate logo to a major sporting event, Visa USA already has announced a sweepstakes offer for credit card users to win a trip to Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa. About 7,000 supermarkets will...

MOVING ON.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... Shannon Bond, president of the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, announced her resignation June 15 to pursue a business opportunity with her husband in the Jacksonville area. Bond began her Chamber career as vice president in March...

LAZARUS COMPUTERS?(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... Some research shows that three-quarters of old computers get stored in most people's homes simply because they don't know what to do with them. But now there's a way to give those computers new life. Goodwill Industries-Suncoast....

Tampa ad firm reaches out, touches AT&T.(Schifino Lee gets AT&T Business Services contract)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... Overnight success takes more than a day. "We are a one-year overnight success," said Paola Schifino, president and partner of a Schifino Lee, an 11-member firm that steadily has won complicated and prestigious projects from the...

AvMed names new executive director.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... AvMed Health Plan named managed care veteran Sandra "Sandy" Hamilton the new executive director of its Tampa Bay area office. Hamilton takes responsibility for AvMed sales and marketing in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee, Herando,...

Health care returns as No. 1 policy issue.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2000... Health care -- not taxes or regulatory reform -- is the No. 1 public policy concern of small businesses, two recent surveys state. "We haven't seen that for a number of years," said Todd McCracken, president of National Small Business...