The lunch, speaker, and promotion of the event were sponsored by CBCSRD and the event experienced the largest attendance in several years. To highlight one of CBCSRD’s premier listings, the luncheon was held at the former Watkins Motor Lines/FedEx building in north Lakeland. This campus served dual purpose as the event venue and as a listing preview and tour for attendees. February’s membership luncheon featured Dr. James Farrell, assistant professor of economics and finance at Florida Southern College, who spoke to the group.

The LAR CID group is the Commercial Industrial Division of the association and taps into the collective knowledge and expertise of member commercial real estate professionals. The group offers business-building and career-growth opportunities, such as monthly speakers, weekly pitch sessions, networking, and professional education.

The 2012 Chairman of CID is Greg Smith, Realtor®, and Sales Associate with CBC Saunders Ralston Dantzler Realty, the sponsoring company.

About Coldwell Banker Commercial SAUNDERS RALSTON DANTZLER REALTY

Coldwell Banker Commercial SAUNDERS RALSTON DANTZLER REALTY (CBCSRD), located in Lakeland, Florida, is Polk County’s premier commercial real estate firm. CBCSRD is one of only two brokerages in Polk County with a local presence that offers national and global branding. The other, a sister company CBC Saunders Real Estate, is a land real estate brokerage.

Commercial real estate services include, site selection, disposition, leasing, property management, real estate counseling services, acquisition, portfolio assortment plan, asset management, recapitalization, and development.

For more information, please visit www.SRDcommercial.com.

St. Petersburg, FL: 2/22/12 Florida Blood Services (FBS) is excited to announce a vital community partnership with Tampa Bay area Walgreens.  A variety of store locations will be hosting bloodmobiles from 10 am until 4 pm on each of the Mondays in March as follows:

All lifesaving donors will receive a voucher, which must be redeemed at that location the day of the drive, for a FREE $10 Walgreens gift card.  In addition, donors will receive a wellness check up of blood pressure, pulse, temperature and iron count, plus a cholesterol screening.

Generally, healthy people, age 16 or older, who weigh at least 110 pounds can be blood donors.  Identification is required prior to donation.  For further information, please call 1‑800‑68‑BLOOD (25663) or visit www.fbsblood.org

Florida Blood Services, is a not for profit, community based provider for the blood needs of patients at 46 hospitals in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk Counties, through the generosity of volunteer blood donors.  Almost 1,000 donations are required daily, due to the high quality of medical care in Tampa Bay that serves the most critically ill patients throughout west central Florida.  For further information visit www.fbsblood.org

(Brooksville) – Airdyne Aerospace, a small dynamic business and manufacturer of Roll-On, Roll-Off C4ISR and Aerospace Hardware for C-130’s and other military aircraft is making plans to hire at their Brooksville, Florida location.

Pending final award of a government contract Airdyne is accepting resumes for Senior, Intermediate and Junior Aero Technicians as well as Senior or Intermediate Electrical Technicians to work at their new facility.

Airdyne requests that qualified candidates visit their website,

www.airdyne.org/careers.php for complete job descriptions and other company information. Please submit your resume directly to info@airdyne.org.

“This is an exciting time for the United Way of Manatee County with many opportunities ahead,” said Beth Green, Chair of the United Way Board of Directors. “We are seeking a visionary leader who will help to drive the organization forward in its mission to meet the community’s needs and create lasting, positive changes in Manatee County. We hope to conclude this process by May.”

United Way of Manatee County has contracted with MBJ Group Inc. to assist with recruiting and screening candidates.  Job application procedures and a job description are available at www.MBJGroup.com under Current Searches.

United Way of Manatee County is focused on meeting the needs of the community and creating lasting, positive changes in Manatee County. Established in 1943, the United Way’s mission is to develop the resources and partnerships that make a measurable difference in people’s lives.  By focusing on youth programs, early childhood development, services for the elderly and disabled, as well as serving those who are in crisis, United Way makes an impact on those who need it most. Information: www.uwmc.net or 941.567.4085.

  ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/22/united-way-of-manatee-county-launches-executive-search-41506/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/22/kevin-hourigan-awarded-silver-medal-by-american-advertising-federation-tampa-bay-41504/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/22/kevin-hourigan-awarded-silver-medal-by-american-advertising-federation-tampa-bay-41504/#comments Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:45:32 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41504

TAMPA, FLORIDA, February 2012 – The American Advertising Federation – Tampa Bay (AAF-TB) will present its prestigious Silver Medal Award to Kevin Hourigan, President & CEO of Bayshore Solutions, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to advertising in the Tampa Bay area. The Silver Medal Award is bestowed annually by American Advertising Federation (AAF) chapters throughout the country to outstanding members of their local advertising community. The award will be presented to Mr. Hourigan at the 2012 American Advertising Federation – Tampa Bay (AAF-TB) ADDY Awards Gala on February 24 at The Dali Museum & Mahaffey Theatre in downtown St. Petersburg.

Hourigan has been a distinguished member of the Tampa Bay advertising community for many years. As President & CEO of Bayshore Solutions since 2000, Hourigan has been on the forefront of web design and web development, and the use of the web as an advertising and social medium. Hourigan has been recognized by The Tampa Bay Business Journal and the Gulf Coast Business Review as one of the top 40 executives under 40.

In addition to his professional duties, Hourigan has served on the board or committees for a variety of local organization, including The Tampa Bay Partnership, The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, The CEO Council of Tampa Bay, and is a volunteer for many non-profit organizations including The Spring of Tampa Bay and Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay.

AAF-TB President Heather Christman stated “The Silver Medal is seen as one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon an advertising professional by his or her peers. We are proud to be honoring Kevin Hourigan for his dedication to the industry and to the Tampa Bay area.”

For many local chapters, awarding the AAF Silver Medal is the highlight of their year. It enhances the image of advertising by recognizing a locally well-known person for their advertising and community involvement.

About AAF – Tampa Bay

The American Advertising Federation – Tampa Bay exists to support its members, the community and the advertising industry. Its mission is to promote fellowship, education and career enhancement among members of the advertising community; foster and recognize excellence in advertising; champion public service causes; build an understanding of the role and benefits of advertising at all levels; and encourage advertising self-regulation and continuous improvement to raise industry benchmarks. For additional information on the American Advertising Federation (AAF) – Tampa Bay, The Silver Medal Award or the ADDY Awards, please visit www.aaf-tampabay.org or contact Sarah Jeffcoat at sarah@aaf-tampabay.org.

About The Silver Medal Award

Silver Medal recipients are selected by a panel of judges consisting of past Silver Medal winners and past presidents from each local club of the American Advertising Federation (AAF). Judges use the following criteria when making their selections: contribution to the community, creative ability, contribution to the advancement of advertising, betterment of his/her own company. More information on the Silver Medal award is available at http://www.aaf.org/default.asp?id=110.

This family event is being held DOWNTOWN PALM HARBOR March 29 through April 1, 2012. The event will feature Battle of the Bands, Dancing with the Palm Harbor Stars, Citrus Festival Queen Pageant, the Palmsbury Bake-Off, 5K Run and 1 Mile walk! It’s sure to be a fantastic event with fun things going on four days in a row! For more information on Battle of the Bands, please check out www.citrusbands.com! If you are interested in participating as a vendor on Saturday, March 31, 10am-10pm, please call the Palm Harbor Chamber staff at (727) 784-4287 and they will be glad to send you a vendor application.

For those interested in participating as a Vendor or in the Palmsbury Bake-Off, Miss Citrus Queen Pageant or the 5K and 1 Mile walk you can find the applications for these events at www.palmharborcc.org and click the Citrus Festival tab on the menu. Please feel free to call the Palm Harbor Chamber office at 727-784-4287 and our friendly Chamber staff is glad to assist you with the application process.

This event is being sponsored by: Presenting Sponsor: Brighthouse Networks, Proud Sponsor: Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay Magazine, JG Health Clinics, Tampa Bay Woman Newspaper, Arthur Murray Ballroom Dance Studio of Palm Harbor, Shock Top (Great Bay Distributors), Bringing Home Community News, Huntington Learning Center, Solar Sanitation, Fairway Golf Cart, Beck Graphics, Sign Crafters, Westlake Christian School, Earthscapes Garden Room, Pictor Marketing Solutions, Walmart Supercenter #1513, Paul Dowers Band-In-One, Grant Hemond & Associates and Les Olsen Jewelers. For more information on this event and all things Palm Harbor Chamber, please visit www.palmharborcc.org or feel free to send us an email at phcc@palmharborcc.org! See you downtown next month!

The open houses are for anyone interested in learning more about the degree programs and certificates offered by USFSM and will also include a brief overview of admissions processes, financial aid, and other services. A tour of campus will be available along with the opportunity to meet with Academic Advisors who will discuss prerequisites, transcripts and other pertinent details of the program. Bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and certificate programs will all be addressed at the Open House.

Registration for either open house can be found by visiting www.sarasota.usf.edu and clicking on the “Future Students” tab.  Questions about USFSM can be directed to 941-359-4334.

USF Sarasota-Manatee is a comprehensive university for those interested in pursuing a baccalaureate or master’s degree, professional certification, or continuing education credit.  USFSM offers the prestige of a nationally ranked research university with the convenience of a hometown university, including classes in south Sarasota County and Manatee County.  USFSM

Keep an eye out at your favorite businesses and stores and buy your favorite Girl Scout Cookie varieties, including Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos, Samoas^®, Tagalongs^®, Trefoils, Dulce de Leche and Thank You Berry Munch. New this year in celebration of Girl Scouts 100^th anniversary – Savannah Smiles, a lemon-flavored cookie dusted in powdered sugar named after the city in which Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouts in 1912, Savannah, Ga. Girl Scout Cookie Booth sales end Sunday, March 18.

It’s so easy to find the cookie booths nearest you! A free cookie app can be downloaded for by calling **GSCookies (**472665437) from a mobile phone, or by searching for “Cookie Locator” in the iPhone App Store or Android Market Place. Or, simply visit www.gswcf.org/findcookies and search using the Cookie Locator. Both the app and the Cookie Locator locate cookie booths based on zip codes; booth location information will be available beginning Feb. 24.

Girl Scout Cookies are $3.50 a box, and cash and checks are accepted at Girl Scout Cookie Booths; credit cards are not accepted.

Those who want to support Girl Scouting in their communities but don’t want to enjoy the cookies themselves may opt to contribute to the Cookies from Home Program. This unique program is a way for Girl Scouts to give back to their communities: donations of cookies through the Cookies from Home Program are sent directly to U.S. military troops serving in combat zones overseas through a partnership with Support Our Troops. Donations to the Cookies from Home Program may be made in person through a Girl Scout at a cookie booth, through March 18.

For more information regarding purchasing Girl Scout Cookies and supporting Girl Scouting in your area, visit www.gswcf.org/cookies, or call (800) 881-4475, ext. 1838.

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of West Central Florida (GSWCF) serves nearly 22,000 girls and 11,000 adult members in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter counties. GSWCF receives funding from the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and area United Way agencies. Did you know that more than 53% of all women business owners are Girl Scout alumnae? For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts of West Central Florida, visit www.gswcf.org or call 800-881-4475.

SARASOTA, Fla. (Feb. 2012) – Today Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC (Samsung Mobile) announced the selection of Voalté to provide clinical communication systems for use on Samsung’s smartphones. With this selection, Samsung broadens its offerings in the healthcare field.

“Samsung Mobile is dedicated to providing quality, secure mobile solutions for the rapidly growing field of mobile healthcare,” said Timothy Wagner, Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Sales for Samsung Mobile. “The Voalté One system will be a flagship product used in conjunction with our SAFE™-certified smartphones, including the Galaxy Note with the intuitive S Pen™.”

Samsung is uniquely positioned to satisfy the needs of hospitals and other healthcare providers with a broad line of LED high-resolution displays and Samsung Galaxy™ products, including the Samsung Galaxy Note™, and the Samsung Galaxy Player™.

In collaboration with Samsung, Voalté fine-tuned its Voalté One application to take advantage of the flexibility of Android, the most popular operating system for mobile devices.

“We deliver a rock-solid system combined with a compelling service and support experience that engages our clinical users,” said Voalté’s Vice President of Innovation Trey Lauderdale. “The Samsung Galaxy Player 4.0 and the Samsung Galaxy Note are terrific mobile platforms for nursing.  They are Wi-Fi ready, durable, yet very lightweight and the touch screens are vivid and responsive. This allows us to deliver a great solution on a very affordable device.”

Voalté’s smartphone communications system enables caregivers to send and receive presence-based text messages, make high-definition voice calls across the hospital VoIP system, and receive critical care alarms, providing faster response time to patient needs. Installed in hospitals nationwide, Voalté has put more smartphones in the hands of nurses and hospital workers than any other clinical communications provider.

Samsung will be showcasing Voalté One in Booth 223 at the HIMSS12 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Las Vegas Feb. 20-24.

About Voalté 

Voalté provides compelling software solutions for healthcare institutions that solve communication problems at the point-of-care. Voalté products are designed to be intuitive, high value, mission critical applications running on the latest generation of touch-based smartphones.  For more information, visit www.Voalte.com or call 941.312.2830.

About Samsung Telecommunications America

Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets, wireless infrastructure and other telecommunications products throughout North America.  For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of nine independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Memory, System LSI and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

“I am pleased to bring such a talented broadcast professional back to our Tampa station,” said John Cottingham, president and market leader for Media General’s Mid-South Market and interim general manager for WFLA. “Brad is a strong leader who has served as general manager of two Media General television stations over the past five years. Prior to that, he was WFLA’s marketing director for five years.  His leadership abilities and his knowledge of the Tampa community will be very valuable to our customers and employees.”

Since 2009, Mr. Moses has been vice president and general manager of WNCN-TV, Media General’s NBC affiliate in Raleigh, N.C. From 2007-2009, he was vice president and general manager of WSAV-TV, Media General’s NBC affiliate in Savannah, Ga. Under Mr. Moses’ leadership, WSAV won seven regional Edward R. Murrow awards for outstanding journalism as well as the Georgia Associated Press Broadcasters’ Pacemaker Award as the state’s Outstanding News Organization. From 2002-2007, Mr. Moses was director of marketing at WFLA, where he developed and implemented branding, marketing and promotion programs for the station.

Prior to joining Media General, Mr. Moses was promotion manager for WLS in Chicago. Before that, he served as operations manager and director of creative services during six years at WTVG-TV in Toledo, Ohio. Earlier, he was post production manager for WTOL-TV in Toledo. Mr. Moses graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in communication.

The Tampa DMA is the 14^th television market in the nation, according to Nielsen Media Research.

About Media General

Media General is a leading provider of news, information and entertainment across multiple media platforms, serving consumers and advertisers in strong local markets, primarily in the Southeastern United States. The company is transforming itself over time to a digital media model, while continuing to effectively manage its larger, cash producing broadcast television and print platforms.  Media General’s operations are organized in five geographic market segments and a sixth segment that includes the company’s interactive advertising services and certain other operations. The company’s operations include 18 network-affiliated television stations and their associated websites and 23 newspapers and their associated websites. Media General operates three digital media advertising services companies:  Blockdot, which specializes in interactive entertainment and advergaming technologies; DealTaker.com, a coupon and shopping website; and NetInformer, a leading provider of wireless media and mobile marketing services.

According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 81 million people are affected by at least one form of cardiovascular disease. “Heart disease has become a national epidemic,” explains Leigh Massengill, Chief Executive Officer, “but we can begin to take small steps today to lower our risk tomorrow.”

While high blood pressure, which can lead to cardiovascular disease, cannot be cured, it can be prevented. A common but often overlooked culprit of high blood pressure is sodium intake. The National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI) advises less than 2.4 grams (2,400 mg), or one teaspoon, per day.

Medical Center of Trinity offers monthly community education classes on diabetes, heart health and weight management. Seating is limited and reservations are required. For more information and for reservations, call 727-834-5630.

Classes are conducted by a Registered Dietitian at 9330 State Road 54, Trinity, FL 34655:

Nutrition and Diabetes: Easy Eating for Diabetics
4^th Wednesday of every month
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Heart Healthy Nutrition: Eating for a Healthy Heart
4^th Tuesday of every month

10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Weight Management: Striving For a Healthy Weight

4^th Thursday of every month
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

A Little DASH Will Do You Good was developed by Spirit of Women and is locally promoted by Medical Center of Trinity.

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Attachment: Fact Sheet

About Spirit of Women

Spirit of Women® is a national network of leading hospitals dedicated to improving women’s lives with innovative health and community programs.  Spirit of Women Hospitals touch the lives of millions of women each year through the presentation of educational events, consumer membership programs, annual conferences, marketing communications and grassroots efforts to improve the health and well-being of women everywhere.  Spirit of Women enables participating hospitals to focus on community needs while providing the strength of national support.  Visit spiritofwomen.com.

About Medical Center of Trinity
Medical Center of Trinity is a 236 bed, state-of-the-art, all-private room hospital strategically located in the tri-county area of Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. The facility is located at 9330 State Road 54, Trinity, FL 34655, near the intersection of State Road (SR) 54 and Little Road. Medical Center of Trinity clinical and acute-care programs include:

For more information on Medical Center of Trinity, visit www.MedicalCenterTrinity.com or call (727) 834-4000. “Follow us” on Twitter, or “Like Us” on Facebook.

Institute to Advance Moffitt’s Total Cancer Care™ Approach and Growth of M2Gen™ Subsidiary; Dr. Alan List Elevated to Moffitt CEO Role

TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 2012) – Moffitt Cancer Center’s Institute Board of Directors today announced the creation of a Personalized Medicine Institute aimed at making a national impact in the war on cancer by delivering on the promise of personalized cancer care. Moffitt Chief Executive Officer William S. Dalton, Ph.D., M.D., will dedicate his entire focus to the establishment of the new institute and the growth of Moffitt’s innovative biotechnology subsidiary M2Gen™ as its CEO. Alan F. List, M.D., will advance to CEO of Moffitt. Thomas A. Sellers, Ph.D., will assume the role of center director. The changes will take effect in July.

Moffitt Board Chairman Robert Rothman noted that these changes, driven by the board in collaboration with Dalton, ensure that the right leaders are in place to take Moffitt and M2Gen™ to the next level as a national model for transforming the fight against cancer.

“The time is now because cancer research and treatment is at an inflection point that requires the right mix of visionary leadership and collaboration to realize the promise of personalized cancer care for patients everywhere. Moffitt, under Dr. Dalton’s leadership, is considered a national leader in personalized medicine, and we must capitalize on our success in this important area,” Rothman said.

“The potential impact of the Personalized Medicine Institute based on Moffitt’s Total Cancer Care™ and M2Gen™ is so great that we believe it is critical to have Dr. Dalton’s leadership steering that effort,” Rothman added. “Because of our ongoing succession planning, Moffitt is fortunate to have two highly accomplished leaders within the organization. Dr. List has all of the credentials and experience to be an outstanding CEO for Moffitt and Dr. Sellers is uniquely qualified to serve as center director.”

List joined Moffitt in 2003 and serves as executive vice president/physician-in-chief of Moffitt and physician-in-chief/president of the Moffitt Medical group. In his previous role at Moffitt, he served as program leader of Malignant Hematology. He has proven leadership experience as director of the Leukemia and Blood and Marrow Transplant Program and the Division of Translational/Clinical Research at The University of Arizona. List is recognized for his contributions to understanding the biology of acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Sellers also joined Moffitt in 2003 and has served as director of the Moffitt Research Institute since 2006. A distinguished epidemiologist, he was formerly affiliated with the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. Sellers’ research focuses on epidemiology and molecular genetics to understand the complex interplay between genetic and environmental origins of cancer, with a goal of developing better methods for prevention and clinical management.

“Dr. Sellers and I look forward to building on the momentum created during Dr. Dalton’s tenure and continuing to focus on personalized cancer treatment, pioneering research, quality medical education and community outreach to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer,” List said.

Dalton has served as Moffitt’s president, CEO and center director for the past 10 years, as well as founder and board chairman of M2Gen™. During that time, the center has realized tremendous growth and innovative advances in personalized medicine, including the launch of M2Gen™ and the Total Cancer Care™ approach to developing evidence-based, personalized cancer treatments and information/decision tools for patients and clinicians. Dalton’s accomplishments have made him a national leader in the cancer community. He is president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes, chair of the Science Policy & Legislative Affairs Committee of the American Association for Cancer Research, and was the 2010 recipient of the Personalized Medicine Coalition’s Leadership in Personalized Medicine Award.

Dalton noted that this is the optimum time for him to focus exclusively on personalized medicine by developing the Personalized Medicine Institute and being the CEO at M2Gen™.

“This year will be a time of exciting milestones for Moffitt in advancing personalized medicine,” Dalton said. “Moffitt’s investment in Total Cancer Care™ has positioned us to realize the dream of cancer therapy based on the right treatment, for the right patient, at the right time. Our unique clinical trial matching process has been recognized by an issued patent. M2Gen™ is partnering with Merck and other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to launch the first clinical trials in which patients have been recruited using the world’s largest cancer-focused biorepository, enabled by a revolutionary new IT platform in partnership with Oracle. This approach speeds the clinical trial process, giving cancer patients faster access to drugs that are a good match for their unique genetic characteristics.”

“We salute Dr. Dalton for his leadership that has positioned Moffitt to make a real difference for cancer patients not only here in Florida, but across the nation,” Rothman said. “And we are excited to see Dr. Dalton now have the ability to focus on what has clearly been a passion for him: the promise of a truly personalized approach to cancer care that is within our grasp through the pioneering work of M2Gen™ and Total Cancer Care™.”

About Moffitt Cancer Center

Follow Moffitt on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MoffittCancerCenter

Follow Moffitt on Twitter: @MoffittNews

Follow Moffitt on YouTube: MoffittNews

Located in Tampa, Moffitt Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, which recognizes Moffitt’s excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt is also a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country’s leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” for cancer.

About M2Gen™

M2Gen™ is Moffitt Cancer Center’s wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary focused on advancing personalized medicine by using high quality tissue, clinical data and molecular technology to advance targeted cancer treatments. M2Gen, along with Moffitt and 18 hospitals in a Consortium Network, has created the world’s largest cancer-focused biorepository linked to clinical and molecular data. Since 2006, M2Gen has partnered with Merck & Co., Inc., to fulfill its vision for transforming cancer treatment and improving patient outcomes.

(Brooksville) – The Hernando County Career Fair “Opportunity 2012”, hosted annually by The Hernando Today with partners Career Central, Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce, Pasco Hernando Community College (PHCC), and Hernando County Office of Business Development is scheduled for April 12th at the Spring Hill Campus of PHCC.

Open from 2:00 – 6:30 p.m. employers should plan to meet with hundreds of job seekers from Hernando and neighboring counties. Exhibit space is available for $99 per table if registration is received prior to March 15, 2012. Registration also includes a company listing along with available jobs in a special section of The Hernando Today newspaper.

The Lifetime Spirit Award is presented to an individual (or couple) demonstrating a lifetime record of exceptional generosity in the community, whose direct financial support exemplifies outstanding charitable and civic responsibility that has significantly advanced the mission of several charitable institutions within the community, and whose leadership and example encourages and motivates others toward greater roles in philanthropy.

“No matter how your day is going, you always feel better after you engage with Bob Blalock,” says Managing Partner, Cliff Walters. “And this community is so much better off due to Bob’s selfless engagement and leadership over many years.  We are proud of Bob and so glad he is still changing lives through his service to clients in our Firm and through his community service for all of us.”

In the words of Senator Bob Johnson, Chairman of New College, “Bob Blalock is not only the pillar of integrity and excellence in the practice of law, but he has chosen to give much of his time and talent to nonprofit organizations.  Bob is an icon.  One could not do better in the spirit of this award to be so recognized.”

A lifetime resident of Bradenton, Bob Blalock lends his personal and professional expertise to community organizations, encourages volunteerism and philanthropy and quietly has made a significant impact on both Manatee and Sarasota Counties.  As a board member of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Bob was instrumental in developing the strategic alliance between the Ringling Museum of Art and Florida State University, thus securing the future of this educational institution within our community.  In appreciation, the Education Center building bears his name.

Bob has either served on the Board or been a key figure in raising funds, starting endowments and working with clients to support numerous local organizations including Southeastern Guide Dogs, Just for Girls, South Florida Museum, ArtCenter Manatee, Manatee Players, New College Foundation, Florida West Coast Symphony (Sarasota Orchestra), United Way, Anna Maria Island Community Center and the center’s Endowment Trust Board.

As a founding Board member and driving force behind the establishment of the Manatee Community Foundation, Bob “birthed” an organization whose mission is connecting the charitable interests of donors with ongoing needs in the community.  As donors, Bob and Marlene Blalock established a personal legacy, the Marlene and Bob Blalock Fund at the Leadership Level.

Other Spirit of Manatee Award honorees include the Manatee High School Key Club – Young Spirit Award, Champs Sports – Community Spirit Award, John Vita – Volunteer Spirit Award, Chris and Sue Egler – Volunteer Spirit Award, and Hugh and Karen Miller – Leadership Spirit Award.

About the Spirit of Manatee Awards

The Manatee Community Foundation started the Spirit of Manatee Awards seven years ago to publicly recognize those individuals and organizations that embody the philanthropy spirit of Manatee County.  With an annual theme of A Celebration of Giving, the Awards is a tribute to the honorees and is a testament to the importance of honoring those who have given so much of their time and treasure to help others in the Manatee County community.   More on the Awards, and on the Manatee Community Foundation, can be found at www.manateecf.org.

About Blalock Walters, P.A.

Blalock Walters is a full-service law firm built on a foundation of integrity and hard work. As the largest firm in Manatee County and the fourth largest firm in the Sarasota/Bradenton market, it serves a wide range of large and small clients in diverse industries. For more than 80 years, the firm has been a trusted adviser in resolving the legal needs of individuals, leading businesses, and other institutions throughout Southwest Florida and beyond.  Blalock Walters has offices in Manatee and Sarasota Counties. For more on the law firm, visit www.blalockwalters.com.

  ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/22/blalock-walters%e2%80%99-bob-blalock-honored-with-spirit-of-manatee-%e2%80%9clifetime-spirit%e2%80%9d-award-41486/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/22/new-college-announces-3-million-gift-second-largest-in-college%e2%80%99s-history-41484/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/22/new-college-announces-3-million-gift-second-largest-in-college%e2%80%99s-history-41484/#comments Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:14:12 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41484 (SARASOTA, Fla) — New College of Florida has announced what is believed to be the second largest individual gift in the College’s history. The gift, which is part of the Heidi H. Boothe estate, is expected to top $3 million in assets and property when liquidated, according to attorney Bob Johnson, administrator of the Boothe estate. The gift was made in honor of Boothe’s daughter, Sharon Boothe Rider, a New College graduate, who died unexpectedly in 2004.

“This magnificent gift testifies to the powerful effects that a New College education can have across the generations,” said New College of Florida President Mike Michalson in announcing the gift. “Certainly the Boothe family name will live through the beneficial impact of this gift in the decades to come.”

Heidi H. Boothe was one of the early pioneers of Tallevast, Fla. For more than 50 years, she owned and operated a substantial cattle ranch in the area and was known for her hard work and outgoing personality, as well as for her love of animals and interest in environmental conservation.  She also was renowned for her spirit of adventure.  Breaking the gender barrier, Boothe was one of the first female pilots to join the Sarasota Flying Club. She loved to race cars as well and counted an antique Porsche among her prized possessions. She died on October 10, 2011, at the age of 90.

Boothe’s gift, which is believed to be second only to a $3.752 million gift to New College from the Jane Bancroft Cook Estate in 2003, continues a milestone fundraising run for New College. Over the past 18 months, the College has raised more than $20 million in outright and planned gifts, as part of its $60 million New College Promise Campaign.

For more information on the Heidi H. Boothe gift to New College of Florida, or to learn how you can support Florida’s honors college for the liberal arts and sciences, please contact the New College Office of Public Affairs at (941) 487-4150; publicaffairs@ncf.edu or the New College Foundation at (941) 487-4800; foundation@ncf.edu.

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Founded in 1960, New College of Florida is a national leader in the arts and sciences. Consistently ranked among the top public liberal arts colleges in America by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and The Princeton Review, New College attracts highly motivated, academically talented students from some 40 states and nearly 25 foreign countries. A higher proportion of New College students receive Fulbright awards than graduates from virtually all other colleges and universities in the United States.

Proceeds from this special event will be used to support the Payton Wright Foundation in its fight against pediatric brain cancer. The Payton Wright Foundation, is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit public organization founded in 2008 by Patrick and Holly Wright. The Wrights established The Payton Wright Foundation in memory of their daughter Payton who passed away at the age of 5 from brain cancer. The Wrights made a promise to their daughter to do whatever they could to help other families who are caring for a child this disease. The foundation keeps this promise by providing support to these families and helping to fund pediatric brain cancer research.

“We all tend to forget that health insurance only covers so much. When a family is caring for a child with brain cancer, their only focus is to save their child’s life. It should not be worrying about their bills or how to get to treatments. The Payton Wright Foundation financially assists families so that they can concentrate on their child’s care.” states Holly Wright.

Those participating in the tournament and or attending the banquet will not only have the time of their lives, but will also have the opportunity to help children and families who are battling this terrible disease.

Registration for the golf tournament begins at 10:00am.  The fee is $200 per golfer and includes greens fee, cart, box lunch, gift bag, and banquet ticket.

The banquet will begin at 6:00pm. Those not participating in the tournament may choose to attend the banquet for a fee of $50.00 per person.

Currently, the foundation is seeking event sponsors and donations for the silent auction. All sponsors receive mention in the event program, on the Payton Wright Foundation website, and the Payton Wright Foundation Facebook page.

Those interested in donating to the silent auction, becoming a sponsor, or learning more about the Payton Wright Foundation, should email Holly Wright at holly@paytonwright.org or call 941.228.4886.

You may also visit the foundation’s website. www.paytonwright.org Please help the Wrights keep their promise to Payton, and join the battle against pediatric brain cancer.

  ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/22/the-payton-wright-foundation-announces-its-4th-annual-golf-tournament-dinner-41481/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/22/fashion-industry-association-hosts-first-annual-business-seminar-41479/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/22/fashion-industry-association-hosts-first-annual-business-seminar-41479/#comments Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:09:41 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41479 The Fashion Industry Association will host its first business seminar to educate fashion professionals on the basics of business formation on Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 12-1 p.m. at Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant’s W Azeele location. Tickets are $25, and include soup or salad, an entrée and drink. Attorney Dave Jeffries of Fee & Jeffries will discuss proprietorship, partnership, incorporation, and operation agreements, and will also take questions from attendees.

Who: Dave Jeffries has extensive experience assisting entrepreneurs in developing legal strategies to protect their ideas, relationships and money. Jeffries also helps entrepreneurs navigate decisions related to launching a new business or product, including the choice of a legal entity, the legal requirements related to raising capital, and issues between business owners.

What: Jeffries will explain business formation issues that deal with operation agreements, partnership, proprietorship and incorporation.

When: Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 12-1 p.m.

Where: The seminar will be held at Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant, 2500 W Azeele Street, Tampa, Fla.

Website: http://www.thefia.org/FIA-Business-Seminars

(Sarasota, Florida) Forks & Corks, the four-day food and wine festival presented by The Sarasota-Manatee Originals, was “a complete success,” says Kate Atkin, executive director of The Sarasota-Manatee Originals. The festival, which ran January 27-30, 2012, featured interactive food and wine seminars, vintner events at area Originals restaurants, a trade tasting for restaurants, retail and hotels, and The Grand Tasting at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art.

Atkin says that the all-day event at the museum, The Grand Tasting, attracted more than 1,500 attendees. “We experienced the fastest sell-out ever,” she says. “The Grand Tasting was sold out eight days after tickets went on sale!” The Grand Tasting featured signature dishes from over 40 Originals member restaurants, wines from more than 80 vintners, live entertainment, and a charity wine auction to benefit The American Red Cross. According to Atkin, the silent auction raised more than $6,000. The event also raised more than $25,000 for The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art. New this year was a retail wine area where guests were able to buy bottles of wines sampled at the event

“We sold more than 4,000 bottles of wine in the retail area,” says Michael Klauber, co-chair of The Grand Tasting and co-proprietor of Michael’s on East. “It was so popular that we’ve decided to include it again next year.”

The festival also featured winemaker events at Originals member restaurants and two wine seminars. One seminar, presented by leading Italian vintners, showcased some of Italy’s most prestigious wines. A second seminar, presented by winemakers from Oregon, California and France, explored the intricacies of Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

“It was a truly inspired festival—from start to finish!” says Klauber. “Every event was sold out. It’s very heartening to participate in something that works so smoothly and delights so many people.”

Klauber says that a main objective of Forks & Corks is to reinforce the Sarasota-Manatee region as a significant culinary destination. “The restaurant industry is a vital part of our community’s economic make-up,” he says. “In terms of how we sell Sarasota to the world, we see our part as integral to the big picture as are our pristine beaches, wonderful climate and rich cultural amenities.”

Atkin says that the event is also an important way for Originals restaurants to market themselves—especially in a tough market. “Participating restaurants almost always report increased revenues immediately following the event,” she says. “The Grand Tasting is an invaluable tool to introduce menus and services to hundreds of people who may never have stepped through their doors.”

Next year’s festival is January 25-28, 2013. “We’re already getting requests from vintners to be a part of it, and from the public to purchase tickets,” Atkin says.

For more information about the fifth annual Forks & Corks festival, visit www.freshoriginals.com/forksandcorks.

2012 FORKS & CORKS FUN FACTS

Winemaker events/dinners

·        17 different winemaker events took place over the weekend at various Sarasota-Manatee Original member restaurants, private residences and at event partner’s resort.

·        589 guests attended these events, which included casual tastings, luncheons, and multi-coursed, formal dinners.

·        26 different winemakers from around the globe were guests of honor at these winemaker events.

Forks & Corks University

·        17 visiting winemakers were guest panelists on three different educational seminars, including an Italian wine session, Pinot Noir session, and Cabernet session.

·        100 people attended these sessions, which included a gourmet four-course luncheon at Michael’s On East.

·        Bottles of wine used in the FCU: 255.

Retail Public Tastings

·        Retail tastings occurred at five local wine retailers: The Butchers Block, Magnum Wine and Tastings, Michael’s Wine Cellar, Morton’s Gourmet Market, Sarasota Fine Wine & Tasting

·        Attendees: More than 400

·        Bottles of wine sold: More than 1,000

The Grand Tasting

·        Over 1,500 attendees

·        Sold out tickets in mere 8 days!!!

·        86 wineries showcased the best of their varietals

·        352 different wines were available to sample at the Grand Tasting

·        Over 3,100 bottles of wine were used at the Grand Tasting

·        42 of Sarasota-Manatee Original member restaurants provided samples to attendees of their finest fare

·        Over 44,000 samples of food were prepared and served at the Grand Tasting

Overall:

·        Over $60,000 in wine sales were recorded during Forks & Corks weekend

·        The Grand Tasting event raised more than $25,000 for John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art

·        Over $6,000 was raised at the event’s silent auction for the American Red Cross

·        Over 4,000 bottles were sold at the Grand Tasting

·        14% of ticket purchasers were from outside the state of Florida

·        22 different home states were represented at F&C

·        14% of ticket purchasers reside in Florida in counties other than Sarasota and Manatee

·        72% of ticket purchasers reside in either Sarasota or Manatee counties

Sarasota, Florida – February 2012 – Over 400 guests in will gather at Michael’s On East on Friday evening, when the Education Foundation of Sarasota County’s Evening of Excellence kicks off with a reception at 6:00 p.m.  Party-goers will enjoy an elegant dinner followed by a live auction of 25 pieces of original student art work, led by auctioneer Jimmy Dean.

Awards of $500 to $2,000 will be presented to each of the 25 winning students. Combining the generosity of art award sponsors with proceeds from the event, over $40,000 in monetary and in-kind donations will be awarded to the student artists, art teachers and high school art departments.

[Media representatives are invited to cover the event during cocktail hour, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.; please contact Laura Breeze at 941-927-0965 if you would like to do so.]

[Please see 2012 Student Award Winners list, attached.]

Evening of Excellence is not only an innovative art program but also an established Sarasota social gathering that raises substantial funds each year, benefitting 41,000 students in the public schools through the work of the Education Foundation.  Since 1996, the program has raised more than $2 million for Sarasota County’s public schools while raising awareness about the powerful role the arts can play in learning.  Last year’s event grossed over $252,630 in cash and in-kind gifts, including a live auction total of nearly $30,000.

This year’s theme is See the Ordinary. Create the Extraordinary., taking inspiration from the student whose award-winning 2011 work was adapted for the event invitation. Chris Cremer and Meg Mahoney are chairwomen of this year’s volunteer event committee.

Masterpiece Sponsors are Al Weis & Bob Harris of Advanced Network & Services and the Herald-Tribune Media Group.  Maestro Sponsors are Bank of America and Mills Gilbane.

Connoisseur Sponsors include Fawley|Bryant, Jeff and Cindy Kaiser, Jon F. Swift, Inc. and The Swift Family Foundation, McIntyre Elwell & Strammer General Contractors, Inc., Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, Tandem Construction, Lakewood Ranch and Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc.

Virtuoso Sponsors are Engineering Matrix, Inc., Norton Hammersley Lopez & Skokos, P.A., Ringling College of Art and Design and SchenkelShultz Architecture.

Artiste Sponsors include Advanced Masonry Systems, Bruce and Lisa Beckstein / Gene and Anne Beckstein, Florida Power & Light, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Harvard Jolly Architecture, Helios Education Foundation, Matthews Eastmore, H. Gladstone and Betty Pritchard McKeon Charitable Trust, George W. McGonagill, Scott Pinkerton of Pinkerton Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, SCENE Magazine, TOTeMS Architecture, Inc. and WilsonMiller–Stantec.

U.S. Trust sponsored the Juried Art Show Reception at Ringling College in January, when the top 25 winners were announced.  IDS – Interior Design Society of Sarasota sponsored invitations.

Student art awards include the Advanced Network & Services Best in Show Award, presented to the overall top-scoring student from the juried competition.  Rachael Tuffland, a Phoenix Academy freshman, captured the 2012 Best of Show title for her electronic media piece, Chicken Comb-Over.

The Omar Y. Cooper Artistic Achievement Award goes to a high school junior who also receives a year-long mentorship with an arts professional.  Merit awards to top-scoring students will be presented by Bank of America, Sherry and Tom Koski, ME3 Consulting Engineers, Dr. Ken and Chris Pfahler and Tervis.

Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery and Studio will present its student art award for achievement in photography.  Other awards include the Caldwell Trust Company Art Award for a Venice student, the Chris Cremer and Meg Mahoney Student Art Award, the Freeman Orthodontics Art Award, and the Hees & Associates Art Award.

Gerald S. Kaplan sponsors the Nancy Kaplan Art for Today Award in honor of his wife, an artist.  The Caroline and Michael Zucker Free Spirit Art Award encourages a young artist to explore new horizons in his or her imagination.   Other prizes go to young artists who explore a variety of artistic media to express what inspires them the most:  the Helen C. Martin Extraordinary Creativity Award and Art Awards from The Morin Family, Susan and Philip Morris, The Palm Avenue Wealth Advisory Group @ UBS, Taylor Tollerton Collins/Professional Benefits Inc., Sabal Trust Company, Southwest Construction Services, Inc., Sutter Roofing Co. of Florida and TRC Worldwide Engineering.

Five students receive Honorable Mention Awards of $100 each this year.

The student artists donate their winning art works, which are then elaborately framed by local galleries that donate their time, materials, and talent.  Participating framers are Art & Frame of Sarasota, Collectors’ Gallery and Framery, Final Touch Frame and Gallery, Frame It Up & Gallery, Gulf Breeze Art & Framing, Gulf Gate Frame Center, Jessica’s Picture Framing, Julie London Picture Framing, Kennedy Studios Graphics and Framing, Soicher Marin of Florida, Uptown Framers/Framers of the Arts, and William Hartman Gallery.

The Evening of Excellence volunteer committee headed by Chris Cremer and Meg Mahoney includes Cathi Bell, Sherry Burd, Taylor T. Collins, Jackie Cutrone, Chellie Gardiner, Jenny Hime, Iris Kleiber, Alina Klein, Helen Martin, Shelley McDaniel, Leanne McIntire, Peg McKinley, Alix Morin, Lisa Moore, Carol Noah, Hartley O’Brien, Janice Piedra, Yen Reed, Becky Rives, Elizabeth Rose, Stephanie Shaw, Dotti Sechrist, Janey Swift, Catherine Swift-Verly, Anita Zimmerman and Caroline Zucker.  Lindsay Letts is the program director. 

Individual tickets are $200, $250 for patrons.  For more information, call the Education Foundation at 941-927-0965 or see the web site at www.EdFoundation.net.

About the Education Foundation of Sarasota County

Dedicated to quality education for all children, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County was founded in 1988 as an independent, not-for-profit organization working in partnership with Sarasota County Schools and the community.  With the support of individuals, families, businesses, civic groups and foundations, the Education Foundation awards more than a million dollars each year to initiatives that elevate our public schools to the top of Florida’s education system:  teacher classroom grants, fine arts programs, scholarships and mentorships, Literacy for Life, the Texcellence Home Computer Donation Program, Teacher of the Year, Academic Olympics and the Regional Science, Engineering and Technology Fair.  For more information visit EdFoundation.net or call 941-927-0965.

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Centurion Strategies Expands Special Capabilities in Healthcare, Technology and Consumer Brand Marketing, Public Relations and Advertising into Sports and Entertainment

NFL Linebacker Kirk Morrison Joins Centurion Strategies as Director

TAMPA, Fla.–Feb. 22, 2012–Centurion Strategies, a high-level public relations, marketing, advertising and crisis management agency announced today its expansion of services into sports and entertainment, naming current NFL player Kirk Morrison as director of business development.

“As I’ve continued to excel in my professional sports career, I have sought the opportunity to join another team, and was happy to find one that values my experience both on and off the field,” said Morrison, a seven-year NFL veteran and current linebacker for the Buffalo Bills. “I know the game, as well as the business surrounding the game. My role at Centurion will be to help our clients exceed their goals by providing them with trustworthy and proven guidance, while strengthening the company’s commitment to service and integrity.”

Morrison, co-host of a national Fox Sports Radio show every Saturday and a frequent commentator on ESPN, NFL Network and Yahoo Sports, will work closely with Lauren Renschler, Centurion’s director of public relations. Morrison and Renschler boast a wealth of combined experience, and share an impressive work ethic and dedication to overachievement.

“Kirk has a unique understanding of what clients seek and brings to the table what most agencies lack: a dynamic personality, business savvy and a tough, competitive edge that leads to excellence in all he does. It’s these assets that make him the perfect fit for our team,” said Michael Bilello, president and CEO of Centurion Strategies. “Our clients, private label and professional athlete, appreciate our unique method of doing things and the successes we accomplish together. We’ll continue to build on that.”

About Centurion Strategies

Centurion Strategies is not your typical marketing, advertising and PR team. We break ranks to deliver fast and effective results for clients, on time and within budget. With more than 10 years of high-level public relations, crisis management, sales and marketing, integrated advertising and community affairs experience, we’ve built a solid reputation not only for the agency, but for our clients. Having worked with state and federal government agencies; professional athletes and entertainers; Fortune 500 companies, as well as small- to medium-sized businesses, we’ve adopted a hybrid playbook.

Visit Centurion Strategies at: www.centurion-strategies.com

Media Contact
Centurion Strategies

Lauren Renschler, 813-732-0180
lauren@centurion-strategies.com

ST. PETE BEACH, FL, February 2012 – Nature’s Wicker and More will bring its eco-friendly furniture outdoors and hold its first ever tent sale this Saturday and Sunday, February 25-26, 2012, in St. Pete Beach. For most, this will be a first time encounter with such unique high-end indoor and outdoor contemporary furniture that truly personifies Florida living.

The company’s eco-friendly indoor furniture is made from water hyacinth and rubber tree wood. Water hyacinth is an invasive plant that takes over fresh waterways and is common even here in Florida. Its fast rate of regeneration and it being an exotic species, makes water hyacinth perhaps the most eco-friendly and sustainable material available for any wicker or rattan style furniture. Frames are constructed of wood from the rubber tree, another highly sustainable product. After approximately 30 years, the rubber tree no longer produces latex and is considered a waste product of the rubber industry. The trees are cut down to make way for new seedlings, but the wood still has its strong and durable composition that makes it perfect for furniture.

The contemporary outdoor furniture that will be on display is made with the strongest materials available to withstand our harsh Florida climate for years with minimal maintenance required. The hand-woven wicker material is UV coated to protect from the sun and is made from a non-toxic resin material.

The event will be held from 9am-5pm both days and will include a free glass of wine on Saturday from 12pm-5pm, a free raffle for eco-friendly furniture items, and great deals on unique high-end furniture. Tents will be set up in front of Lou’s Florist and Wine Garden at 7800 Blind Pass Road, St. Pete Beach, FL 33706. More information on styles that will be available at the tent sale can be found on the company’s website at www.NaturesWickerAndMore.com.

Founded by a former Peace Corps Volunteer and long time employee of The Nature Conservancy, Nature’s Wicker and More is highly committed to being environmentally and socially responsible in the manufacturing of their furniture. But even beyond the workplace, their goal is focused on conservation and improving the livelihoods of the people in the surrounding local communities where their products are made. Nature’s Wicker and More functions as a wholesale company, but also sells locally to the public from their showroom in St. Petersburg, FL, as well as at other events throughout the Tampa Bay area, offering very affordable prices on high-end furniture.

CONTACT:
Josh Thomas, President
Nature’s Wicker and More
2756 25th Street N
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
Phone: 727-321-5511 Fax: 813-793-5511
Email: sales@natureswicker.com
www.NaturesWickerAndMore.com

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March 1 is the deadline for the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) Bay Partners Grants. The purpose of the annual program is to promote environmental education, community involvement and stewardship to improve the overall quality of Sarasota Bay and its tributaries. Organizations can receive up to $3,000 for projects that benefit Sarasota Bay. SBEP has awarded $150,000 in grants to more than 90 organizations since 2002.

Schools, businesses, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, churches, and civic groups with the Sarasota Bay Watershed in Sarasota and Manatee counties are eligible. The watershed boundaries are from Anna Maria Sound south to the Venice Inlet as well as all of the barrier islands. Prior projects have included wildlife gardens and landscaping featuring Florida native plants, micro-irrigation projects, land contouring to create bioswales, signs that promote Bay-stewardship, and education programs among other projects.

Bay Partners Grant applications must be received at the SBEP offices by 4pm on Thursday, March 1 to be eligible. Applications can be emailed as a Word document or PDF file to Sara Kane at sara@sarasotabay.org. Regular mail applications are also welcome, but please send four hard copies to SBEP at 111 South Orange Avenue, Suite 200W, Sarasota and the zip code is 34236.

You can learn more about the grant program online by visiting the Get Involved page on the SBEP website at sarasotabay.org. The website also lists the 14 grant projects that were funded for 2011. Inquires are welcome at 941-955-8085 or sara@sarasotabay.org.

The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program is dedicated to restoring the area’s greatest natural asset—Sarasota Bay. Its unique program strives to improve water quality, increase habitat and enhance the natural resources of the area for use and enjoyment by the public. Sarasota Bay is one of 28 estuaries in the United States that have been named by the U.S. Congress as an “estuary of national significance.” Partners include Sarasota County, Manatee County, City of Sarasota, City of Bradenton, Town of Longboat Key, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Southwest Florida Water Management District, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ODESSA, FL (PRWEB) February 2012 – The Launch Pad, a small business IT services provider, has been ranked No. 72 on the fifth annual MSPmentor 100 list, a distinguished list and report identifying the world’s top 100 managed service providers (MSPs). Up from No. 92 in 2011, with a three year sales growth of over 245%, The Launch Pad also ranked No. 2 in the state of Florida and No. 58 of the top 200 North American MSPs.

All of the honorees can be found by visiting http://www.mspmentor.net/top-100-msps

The MSPmentor 100 report and the MSPmentor 200 North America Edition is based on data from MSPmentor’s global online survey, conducted October-December 2011. The MSPmentor 100 report recognizes top managed service providers based on a range of metrics, including annual managed services revenue growth, revenue per employee, managed services offered and customer devices managed.

“2011 was a year of evolution for MSPs and re-strategizing the MSP delivery model.” said The Launch Pad CEO, Ilene Rosoff. “We have all worked very hard to continue to be relevant and to grow as cloud services and other “deskless” technologies move into the SMB realm. I am proud of our team and ithe innovation we and other successful MSPs continue to build into our services and for our client’s success.”

“Nine Lives Media and MSPmentor congratulate The Launch Pad for earning this distinguished honor and for its leadership position in North America,” said Amy Katz, president of Nine Lives Media, a division of Penton Media. “As our expanded survey results reveal, the annual MSPmentor 100 survey attracts MSPs from across the globe. Qualifying for our MSPmentor 100 Global Edition list is a great accomplishment.”
“MSPs on this year’s global 100 list lifted their annual recurring revenues 28 percent to $1.04 billion, an incredible showing considering the economic uncertainty all IT services providers faced,” said Joe Panettieri, editorial director of Nine Lives Media. “Those MSPs are now managing 2.7 million desktop and mobile devices for customers, an incredible jump of 50 percent from 2010.”

MSPmentor, produced by Nine Lives Media, is the ultimate guide to managed services. MSPmentor features the industry’s top-ranked blog, research, Channel Expert Hour Webcasts and FastChat videos. It is the number one online media destination for managed service providers in the world.

Founded in 1992, The Launch Pad provides a suite of IT management and IT support services nationwide. Nonprofit organizations, professional service firms and small manufacturing companies are among those businesses benefiting for the RevITup™ suite of hosted applications, data backup and recovery, green technologies and turnkey virtualization solutions. With this latest designation The Launch Pad finds itself with a growing trophy case of awards. In 2011, for the 3rd straight year, the company was lauded by Inc. 5000 and Tampa Fast 50 of fastest growing companies. The Launch Pad is proud to announce they are officially offering managed IT franchise opportunities nationwide.

About Nine Lives Media Inc.
Nine Lives Media Inc. defines emerging IT media markets and disrupts established IT media markets. Founded in 2008, Nine Lives Media Inc. has generated profitable, debt-free growth since its inception. The company’s market leading blogs and online destinations include MSPmentor, The VAR Guy, Talkin’ Cloud, VARtweet and MSPtweet. For more information, visit NineLivesMediaInc.com.

About The Launch Pad
The Launch Pad is a leading managed IT services provider to small- and medium-sized businesses and nonprofit organizations. By delivering premier, fixed-fee managed IT infrastructure, data protection and software services; The Launch Pad offers a smart, worry-free way to plan and manage technology and web systems. With The Launch Pad’s technology expertise and integrated team approach, businesses gain vital competitive advantages—increased productivity, enhanced infrastructure reliability, protection for crucial information assets and freedom to focus on your core business. The Launch Pad’s credo; You pursue your vision, we’ll manage the technology. For more information, visit http://www.launchpadonline.com
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A long standing tenant, rojo Architecture expanded and renewed their lease for 1,992 square feet of office space.  rojo specializes in hospitality, commercial, religious, education and residential projects.

Taco Bus, a popular local authentic Mexican street food restaurant chain, leased a 1,577 square foot administrative office.

JC III & Associates, a mortgage solutions company focused on standard and specialized documentation reviews, staffing, industry specific software solutions and operations consulting, leased a 68,158 square foot service center.  JC III was represented by Jimmy Johnson of CNL Commercial Real Estate.

ABOUT NETPARK: Netpark is the largest office and technology center in Tampa. The complex is currently 77% occupied and offers over 200,000 square feet of available space. With its state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure and unparalleled amenities, such as a dining facility, health club, conference center and childcare, this 1,000,000 square foot corporate environment can equally accommodate businesses of all sizes. Its proximity to I-4, I-275, I-75 & US Highway 301, makes Netpark one of the most convenient business locations in the entire Tampa Bay region.

Netpark, www.netparktampabay.net, is managed and leased by Daymark Realty Advisors, Inc.,

www.daymarkrealtyadvisors.com, and has been recognized for its extraordinary design and functionality by BOMA, NAIOP and CORENET Global.

-NP-

2.  Saint Leo University Donation to Pasco EDC takes Microloan Fund Over the Top

3.  Ashton Woods Homes Promotes Kate Powell to General Sales Manager in Tampa

4.  Eat Here Wins Sarasota Herald Tribune’s Reader’s Choice Award

5.  Marauders Release 2012 Promotional Schedule

6.  Realize Bradenton announces the 2012 Bradenton Blues Festival December 1, 2012 §Downtown Bradenton

7.  Bank Owned Properties – SOLD by Ross Realty Group

8.  Leadership Sarasota Class of 2012 Announces Class Project: Easter Seals Southwest Florida

9.  Largest Parade of Homes in Years Coming Next Month

10. Manatee Avenue Office Space Leases

11. African American Read-In at Cook Library to celebrate Black History Month

12. CLW Real Estate Services Group Launches New Website

13. Prudential Tropical Realty Names New Manager For Trinity Office

14. Matthew Blackshear joins Shutts & Bowen’s Tampa Office 

15. Mornings With The Mayor 

16. Home Resource Named Gulf Coast Retailer For Asian Furniture Designer Kenneth Cobonpue 

17. 2012 New College Juried Student Art Exhibition Announces Winners

18. AAUW-Venice Branch Sponsors Academic Olympics

19. McCausland Takes Helm As Executive Director of USF Alumni Association

20. Decorative Interiors By Mary Ellen Brings Home Staging and Home Staging Certification Training to Southwest Florida

21. PSCU Financial Services Continues as Lead Business Partner for 2012 Credit Union Miracle Day Family of Races

22. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida Fiesta Day

23. Girl Scouts Celebrates 100 Years

24. 2012 Corinthian Gala Supper Club & Speakeasy

25. Commercial solar system to be used for training of fire fighters of Manatee Fire District

26. Unveiling Of Public Art “Chrysalis Launcher” Located Within The 14th Street Community Redevelopment Area

27. Pelagia Trattoria Returns To Top Chef Of The Year Tampa Bay For Its Third Year: Are You Up For The Challenge?

28. Ashton Woods Homes Opens Two New Single Family Model Homes at The Landings in South Tampa

29. 2012 The Berries Are Coming Contest!

30. Gator Cleaning Solutions Discusses the Importance of a Clean Environment

31. Carlos Andres Ramirez, PE, Joins Bayside As Senior Traffic Engineer

32.  Netpark leases over 70,000 square feet

“Bayside is very excited to welcome Carlos to our team. He brings over 11 years of engineering experience specializing in traffic studies and design,” said Bayside President Kimberlee DeBosier, PE. “Carlos’ expertise will be of great value to our clients.”

Ramirez received his Bachelor and Master degrees from the University of Florida and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Florida.

Bayside Engineering, Inc. offers general civil engineering, transportation and traffic engineering, construction engineering and inspection, and surveying and mapping services throughout Florida.  Bayside is located in the Channel District of Tampa.   For additional information on how Bayside can meet your engineering, and surveying needs, visit our website at http://www.baysideng.com or call (813) 314-0314.

TAMPA, FL (February 2012) – February is here and for Floridians this is often the peak of cold & flu season. While the weather has been relatively mild thus far helping to minimize the outbreaks, the threat for colder weather is always nearby as evident by these recent cold fronts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that each year approximately 20,000 children under the age of 5 are hospitalized because of flu-related complications.

While sanitizing high touch zones like desks, doorknobs, faucet handles, countertops and toys are crucial in keeping diseases at bay, managing to properly disinfect while not exposing to harmful chemicals is a delicate balance. Green cleaning provides an amicable resolution to this challenge by using healthier, more eco-friendly components in all cleaning supplies.

“Studies have shown that clean surroundings play a vital role in productivity and health,” says Marcus Meyer Founder and CEO of Gator Cleaning Solutions.

Some schools in the bay area have chosen to switch over to green cleaning in order to promote healthier indoor air quality. Research has shown a clear link between poor indoor air quality and sick students and staff. Poor air quality within schools can cause asthma, certain types of cancer and other diseases. Green cleaning products can improve poor air quality and many schools have started to make the switch.

Gator Cleaning Solutions has dedicated itself to providing educational and health care facilities around the bay area with a quality, fully customizable cleaning strategy that ensures that their facilities reflect a clean, polished and healthy environment.

“It is with continued research and commitment to quality that our company is able to provide educational and health facilities with safer surroundings,” says Meyer.

For more information and other useful tips, visit their website at www.GatorCleaningSolutions.com or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GatorCleaningSolutions.

About Gator Cleaning Solutions

Gator Cleaning Solutions offers clients a fully customizable cleaning strategy to ensure that their facilities reflect a polished, professional image. Over the past eight years, Gator Cleaning Solutions has had the privilege of providing business owners, property managers, environmental engineers and office managers a solution to maintaining a clean, healthy and productive workplace while reflecting a professional business image.

Gator Cleaning Solutions has had incredible success and is considered the expert in cleaning solutions by many. Gator Cleaning Solutions proudly serves a wide variety of clients spanning twelve counties throughout the bay area.

Gator Cleaning Solutions continually researches the most proven and environmentally safe products and procedures to ensure that they provide a spotless, sanitary, and orderly atmosphere for health facilities, educational facilities, businesses and more! It is with this consistent research and commitment to quality that the company continues to grow and succeed. To learn more about Gator Cleaning Solutions visit the website, www.GatorCleaningSolutions.com.

Florida Blueberry Festival Teams Up With Beef O’Brady’s

(Brooksville, Florida) The Florida Blueberry Festival is pleased to announce it has teamed up with Beef O’Brady’s for the “2012 Berries Are Coming Contest”. Watch your local Beef O’Brady’s for an appearance of Bo Bluesberry on his magnificent steed announcing the arrival of the ultimate berry – The Florida Blueberry. Scan the QR code for your chance to win an IPAD, Beef O’Brady’s Gift Certificates, Blueberry Bucks, and Concert Tickets. Bo will be appearing at Beef O’Brady’s throughout the 17 county blueberry growing region promoting the Florida Blueberry as well as the upcoming Festival scheduled for May 4‐6, 2012. Ready to enter right now? Visit www.floridablueberryfestival.org or www.facebook.com/floridablueberryfestival and submit your entry today!

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The Florida Blueberry Festival is a three day event kicking off on the evening of Friday, May 4th and continuing through Sunday, May 6th. Many events are planned to highlight the Florida Blueberry and the 17 county growing region. Located in the northern Tampa Bay region, Brooksville will host the inaugural festival. Exciting events are planned throughout the weekend including a “Get the Blues” Parade, Blueberry Stomp, Juried Art Show, 100+ vendors featuring fine arts & crafts, multiple stages of musical entertainment and much more. This family friendly festival offers something for everyone from toddlers to seniors. Enjoy the car show, the all day blueberry breakfast, enter your child in the “Cool Blue Ice Challenge”, or simply enjoy a delicious blueberry shortcake while strolling through the picturesque streets of downtown Brooksville.

Florida Blueberries are only available during March, April and May so plan to come out and celebrate this little blue dynamo. Pick up a basket of Fresh from Florida Blueberries or take home your own bush for your backyard. Visit www.floridablueberryfestival.org for event details, parade applications, sponsorship, and vendor opportunities.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

•   Michael Heard, President – The Florida Blueberry Festival, Inc., 352‐754‐4173
•   Valerie Pianta, Media Vice‐Chair – The Florida Blueberry Festival, Inc., 352‐540‐6400

Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing at Ashton Woods Homes, said new homes at The Landings range in size from 1,556 square feet of living space to 1,730 square feet.

Homes at The Landings are priced from $229,900.

Ashton Woods Homes is building 25 new single family homes in the current phase at The Landings.

Ashton Woods Homes, headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies with operations in growth communities in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Killeen, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, Raleigh and Tampa.  For more information, visit http://www.ashtonwoods.com .

February 21, 2012 – Join the who’s who of Tampa Bay’s elite chefs and sign up to participate in the Child Abuse Council’s 3^rd Annual Top Chef of the Year Tampa Bay Event, to be held at the A La Carte Pavilion on March 26, 2012.

Do you know a wonderful chef? The Child Abuse Council (CAC) is currently seeking applicants to participate in this one-of-a-kind annual event. Up to twenty five of Tampa Bay’s premier chefs will participate in this culinary adventure, competing side by side to take home the coveted Top Chef of the Year Tampa Bay trophy. Many will try and only one will win – are you the next Top Chef of the Year Tampa Bay?

This event gives chefs complete freedom to create a dining experience like no other. With no prior restraints or requirements, Top Chef of the Year Tampa Bay encourages chefs to channel their inner creativity to design everything from menu to décor. Each chef prepares – tableside – a five course meal with accompanying wines (or other libations) for a table of 12 or 15 people. Chefs also provide their own linens, china, centerpieces and more to create a world within the venue specific to each chef’s unique vision.

Participating chefs provide an auction item to help raise much needed funds for the Child Abuse Council. The chef that raises the most money for the CAC will be named “Top Philanthropic Chef of the Year Tampa Bay” and recognized the evening of the event. Joining us again this year as Master of Ceremonies is media personality Jack Harris from AM Tampa Bay.

Over the past 3 years, the Child Abuse Council has had the pleasure of teaming up with many executive chefs and restaurants within the Tampa Bay area. Some restaurants, such as Pelagia Trattoria, have been involved with Top Chef of the Year Tampa Bay since its inception in 2010. The first Top Chef of the Year Tampa Bay title winner was then Executive Chef Daniel Goldich from Pelagia Trattoria. With the Pelagia’s dedicated history of participation in this event and previous win, it’s no surprise that newly appointed Executive Chef Andrew Basch from Pelagia is ready for this year’s challenge. “I participated the first year of this event, working alongside the former Pelagia chef who took home the title as the competition’s first Top Chef of Tampa Bay so I know the pressure that all of the chefs will face that night. It is a great opportunity to put all of our skills as professional chefs to the test. There is no margin for error and no way to cover up any missteps because your guests are watching everything you do,” said Pelagia Executive Chef Andrew Basch. “But it is a friendly competition among chefs and it raises money for a very worthwhile cause. I am proud to once again represent Pelagia and battle to win back the title.” With such enthusiastic executive chefs, it is easy to see why Top Chef of the Year Tampa Bay has grown into the successful event it is today.

If you think your culinary skills are a “cut-above” the rest, visit the Top Chef of the Year Tampa Bay website at www.topcheftampabay.org to learn more about the event, print a copy of the chef application and see an up-to-date list of participating chefs and restaurants. Perspective chefs may also contact Development Director, Maria Lewis, at (813) 673-4646 x224 for any other questions or event information.

Since 1977, the Child Abuse Council has worked to build stronger families in the Tampa Bay region through prevention and family education programs. We envision a world without child abuse, where children grow up in nurturing families that are free from violence. For more information on the CAC, please visit our Web site at www.childabusecouncil.com.

LOCATION:  NORTHWEST CORNER OF 9TH STREET W. AND 12TH AVENUE W.

The Bradenton Downtown Development Authority (BDDA) is thrilled to welcome its first commission of major public art to the 14th Street Community Redevelopment Area.  Chrysalis Launcher will be a high profile landmark, which will help visitors locate the Village of the Arts – Bradenton’s artist community.

The BDDA, Public Art Advisory Board and its partner Manatee Apparel Graphic’s  invites the public to the unveiling on Friday, March 2 at 5:30PM at the corner of 9th St W and 12th Ave W, on the corner of the Manatee Apparel Graphics property. (Manatee Apparel Graphics will hold an Open House starting at 5PM). Please come inside and design your very own FREE T-shirt! Following the unveiling, the celebration shall continue in the Village of the Arts where the “First Friday Art Walk” takes place including live entertainment and gallery visits.

The sculpture is monumental in scale – 21-ft tall including the base, and was constructed to meet Florida state wind code standards for safety.

Artist Catherine Woods states:  “The Chrysalis Launcher aims colorful wings of art down the Village Street. The colorful wings flutter out and alight on objects in the Village. The sculpture is tilted at a dynamic angle to invite visitors into the Village, introducing them to the metamorphosis that art has made in the Village. “

The DDA and its Public Art Advisory Board wanted a landmark sculpture to mark one of the many gateways to the Village of the Arts.  Community members including many residents of the Village of the Arts participated in the project process. Public Art is one of the programs of the BDDA to revitalize downtown Bradenton and its nearby neighborhoods through arts, culture and heritage.

The training is scheduled to take place at Solar Direct headquarters, on March 20th, 21st and 22ndof 2012 and is designed to expose firefighters to solar power systems in a commercial setting. The training will cover the following topics: Commercial Solar System Basic Design; Electrical principles of Solar systems including disconnection in case of fire; Safety including accessing roof with solar modules installed.

“With the increased prevalence of solar systems on residential homes and commercial buildings, it is important to consider the impact on the community at large,” said Kirk Maust, CEO and Senior Engineer of Solar Direct. “Safety is very important – properly engineered systems are designed to meet National Electric Codes (NEC) and National Fire Protection Association guidelines to ensure they do not represent a fire hazard. Firefighters will encounter these systems, and potential electrical hazards when accessing buildings during a fire and need training to understand and avoid those hazards.”

About Solar Direct

Solar Direct, based in Sarasota, FL, provides a wide range of traditional solar solutions for residential, commercial, recreational, industrial, agricultural, educational, governmental, and all off-grid applications. Solar Direct hosts the Internet’s top visited e-commerce destination for solar and renewable technology products. Looking toward the future, Solar Direct is committed to accelerated growth, providing an advantageously informed and truly inspired purchasing experience for consumers, and fostering new relations by partnering with others in the environmental community. ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/21/commercial-solar-system-to-be-used-for-training-of-fire-fighters-of-manatee-fire-district-41435/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/21/2012-corinthian-gala-supper-club-speakeasy-41433/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/21/2012-corinthian-gala-supper-club-speakeasy-41433/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:44:22 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41433 After-Party Tickets Available

SARASOTA, Fla. (Feb. 2012) While Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, Inc.’s 2012 Corinthian Gala with a Supper Club & Speakeasy through the decades theme is a sold-out event,

tickets are still available for the Corinthian Club portion of the event from 10 p.m. to midnight.  It will feature a disc jockey from Inpulse Entertainment playing tunes from the 1970s through

today. An open bar and light bites will be included in the $75 per person cost.

Co-chairs Kim Githler and Susan Jones—along with their dedicated committee—have organized this unique and entertaining evening for all age groups.  The evening will begin in the Cocktails & Cole lounge featuring the Abe Guard Orchestra performing tunes written by Cole Porter.  Dinner will be served in the Peacock Room with speakeasy music by the Z Street Band. Following dinner, the room will be transformed into The Corinthian Club.

Proceeds from this Gala, which is held every three years, will benefit the Foundation’s ENVISION initiative to provide opportunities for leading-edge healthcare for the community far into the future.  In addition, a special challenge will be introduced to raise $75,000 restricted for Sarasota Memorial’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to match a $75,000 grant from philanthropists Eliza and Hugh Culverhouse and a $75,000 grant from The Burruss Foundation Trust.

Event sponsors include SKANSKA as the Premier Lead Sponsor; Williams, Parker, Harrison, Dietz & Getzen as a Corinthian Sponsor; Northern Trust as a Platinum Sponsor and Joan A. Mendell as a Gold Sponsor.

Call the Healthcare Foundation office at (941) 917-1286 to register or for more information.

After-party reservations can be made online at smhf.org.

Though cookies, camping and crafts remain the most commonly known Girl Scout activities, girls today are doing so much more.

-        Celebrating 100 Years: Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Ga. on March 12, 1912, with 18 girls, 100 years later, Girl Scouts includes 3.2 million members (girls and adults) throughout the U.S. and 92 countries overseas through USA Girl Scouts Overseas. Locally, the second troop in the U.S. was founded in 1913 at Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa. Today, GSWCF serves nearly 22,000 girl members and 11,000 adult members throughout eight counties in west central Florida.

-        2012 is the Year of the Girl: To further develop girls into the leaders of tomorrow, GSUSA has declared 2012 the Year of the Girl, a declaration designed to focus national attention on girls and the issues they face. Year of the Girl is a celebration of girls; recognition of their leadership potential; and a commitment to creating a coalition of like-minded organizations and individuals in support of balanced leadership in the workplace and in communities across the country.

The Year of the Girl declaration serves as the foundation for Girl Scouts’ broader, multiyear, multipronged effort to break down societal barriers that hinder girls from leading and achieving success in everything from technology and science to business and industry.

-        More Than a Troop: Girl Scout troops remain the most popular way of participation – for younger Girl Scouts. As girls grow up, their interests and time commitments change, what with the introduction of sports, dance and music, not to mention increased school work. So, too, has Girl Scouts grown.

Now, in addition to the traditional troops, girls can participate in Girl Scouts in the ways that interests them most, through pathways: troop, camp, travel, series and events. Each pathway is not exclusive – if a girl is interested in more than one, she can choose to be in more than one. That’s girl-led, and that’s what Girl Scouts is about.

-        What About Badges? Girls can still earn popular long-time badges such as Cook, Naturalist, and Athlete − topics as relevant today as they were in 1912 − but now they also have badges such as Product Designer, Digital Movie Maker, Customer Loyalty, and even the Science of Happiness. And new “Make Your Own” badges at every level give girls the opportunity to explore any interest they choose.

To stay relevant, badges now come in categories: Legacy, Financial Literacy, Cookie Business, Skill-Building, and Make Your Own. There are also awards such as a pin called My Promise, My Faith, which helps a girl celebrate what her faith and the Girl Scout Law have in common. The badge portfolio, called The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting, also complements GSUSA’s National Leadership Journeys, which help girls explore how to be leaders in their own lives and in the world around them as they take on projects to prevent bullying, protect the environment, and more.

-        Girls are Interested in STEM: The Girl Scout Research Institute released a study on Feb. 14, 2012 that affirm girls’ interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Generation STEM: What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, says that while a majority of today’s girls have a clear interest in STEM, they don’t prioritize STEM fields when thinking about their future careers. Some figures:

o   74 percent of teen girls are interested in STEM subjects and the general field of study. Further, a high 82 percent of girls see themselves as “smart enough to have a career in STEM.”

o   Yet, few girls consider it their number-one career option: 81 percent of girls interested in STEM are interested in pursuing STEM careers, but only 13 percent say it’s their first choice. Additionally, girls express that they don’t know a lot about STEM careers and the opportunities afforded by these fields, with 60 percent of STEM-interested girls acknowledging that they know more about other careers than they do about STEM careers.

o   57 percent of those studied concur that if they were to pursue a STEM career, they would “have to work harder than a man to be taken seriously.”

Girl Scouts works to introduce STEM opportunities to girls, as well as give them insights into STEM careers and how they see themselves fitting into these fields.

In addition to these topics, we have a number of 100^th anniversary celebration events – EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION!

-        Week of the Girl
March 12 – 16
Lake Parker Park, Lakeland
Girls in grades K – 12 will experience history and traditions as they explore Girl Scouts’ progression over the past 100 years. They’ll enjoy age-appropriate games, crafts, singing, swaps and much more!

-        Girl Scouts’ Birthday Bash with the Tampa Bay Lightning
March 17
Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa
Party with the Lightning and wish Girl Scouts a very happy birthday! We’ll get the party started with face painting, balloon artists, Girl Scout history games and crafts, snacks, and more at the Tampa Bay History Center! The celebration continues as the Lightning take on the St. Louis Blues at 7 p.m. at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

-        Girl Scouts’ Birthday Bash at LEGOLAND
March 31
LEGOLAND, Winter Haven
It’s Girl Scout Day at LEGOLAND! Everyone can Conquer the Dragon coaster as you return to a time of knights, princesses and castles. Feel like a giant as you walk through the incredibly detailed cities of Miniland USA. Drive LEGO-themed cars through city streets and earn your own driver’s license. Girl Scouts will have the opportunity to participate in special workshops just for them, geared specifically for their grade levels.

-        Girl Scouts Discover the World – 100^th Anniversary Celebration
April 14
Tom Varn Park, Brooksville
Vanguard High School, Ocala
Explore the past, see what is happening today and help realize the future through girl-designed, interactive activities and displays!

-        Happy Anniversary, Girl Scouts!
April 21
Tigertown, Lakeland
Be a part of something 100 years big! Let’s go for a record! Join us in reciting the Girl Scout Promise and Law at the same time and forming the number “100″ out of people!

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of West Central Florida (GSWCF) serves nearly 22,000 girls and 11,000 adult members in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter counties. GSWCF receives funding from the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and area United Way agencies. Did you know that more than 53% of all women business owners are Girl Scout alumnae? For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts of West Central Florida, visit www.gswcf.org or call 800-881-4475.

St. Petersburg, FL, Feb 2012 – It may not feel like spring yet, but it’s time for credit unions to organize runners, volunteers and contributions for the Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc., Family of Races including the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run^® on April 1 in Washington, D.C, and the new Credit Union SacTown Ten-Mile Run in Sacramento, California. PSCU Financial Services is the lead business partner for Credit Union Miracle Day, which has generated $5 million in donations to Children’s Miracle Network since the credit union industry began sponsorship of the Cherry Blossom Run 10 years ago.

PSCU Financial Services continues to invest in these events because they spotlight attention on the credit union difference among influential legislators and decision-makers, while simultaneously helping children across the country obtain much-needed medical care. Each credit union’s contributions are returned to local CMN hospitals in their community. Children’s Miracle Network hospitals treat more than 17 million critically ill children every year.

“It’s important for credit unions, CUSOs and their business partners to present a united front for the credit union industry amid ongoing uncertainties in the legislation and regulation of the nation’s financial services industry,” said Michael Kelly, CEO, PSCU Financial Services. “These events showcase the consumer advantages inherent in credit unions’ cooperative structure and delivery of financial services.”

The 2011 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run generated almost $600,000 in donations and involved dozens of credit unions and CUSOs representing all 50 states. More than 7,000 credit union members participate as runners and over 500 credit union volunteers participate in this event that attracts runners from across the globe. Credit union members and staff can donate directly to children’s hospitals using the race’s online giving site www.cucherryblossomfundraising.org.

About Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc.

Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc. is a family of races benefitting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals under the umbrella of Credit Unions for Kids. CUMD proudly sponsors the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run in Washington, D.C., the Credit Union SacTown Ten-Mile Run in Sacramento, California, and two Freedom Runs for our troops overseas. Over 120 members of Congress are Honorary Race Chairs. For more information, visit www.miracleday.org.

About PSCU Financial Services

Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, PSCU Financial Services is the nation’s largest credit union service organization (CUSO) and serves more than 1,500 financial institutions nationwide. As a non-profit cooperative, the company is owned by more than 680 member credit unions representing 16 million credit, debit, prepaid and online bill payment accounts. Its Contact Centers handle more than 18 million inquiries a year.

PSCU Financial Services offers 24/7 member support through four Contact Centers: its Eastern operations center in St. Petersburg, Fla.; a Western operations center based in Phoenix, Ariz.; and two call centers in Detroit, Mich. These Contact Centers perform member servicing and new member acquisition, cross-selling and automated lending solutions as well as support for debit/credit/prepaid cardholders, online bill payment and electronic banking subscribers.

Established in 1977, PSCU Financial Services offers its members a full range of processing options, any combination from full service to in-house pass through processing for credit, debit and ATM transactions. As a leader in the credit union movement, the company offers gateway access to national and regional networks. It also provides full function ATM terminal driving services. For more information, visit PSCU Financial Services’ website at www.pscufs.com.

In this position, McCausland is responsible for leading the association in its mission to foster a mutually beneficial, lifelong relationship between the University of South Florida and its alumni, while boosting membership in the organization. He will lead staff in planning and delivering programs designed to inspire interest, loyalty and pride among current and future alumni, and work collaboratively with the USF Alumni Association National Board of Directors, the USF Foundation Board of Trustees, local chapters and societies and other internal and external constituencies of the University of South Florida System.  McCausland succeeds John Harper, ‘76, who led the Alumni Association since 2006 and has retired.

“We are very pleased to have Bill lead the Alumni Association,” said Joel Momberg, USF Advancement Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the USF Foundation. “He not only brings a wealth of experience and talent but as an alumnus himself, Bill also brings the true personal passion of a former Bull.”

McCausland was previously chief operating officer for the Ex-Students’ Association of The University of Texas, better known as the Texas Exes. During that time, the organization grew membership by more than 31 percent, increased assets by 43 percent, increased scholarship endowments by 30 percent, and established a $166 million continuing care retirement community, Longhorn Village.

Prior to joining the Texas Exes, McCausland worked in the telecommunications field for 21 years. He was senior vice president of operations both for Viziqor Solutions, a systems software services company in Missouri, and before that, for HighwayMaster Corporation in Dallas. While completing his MBA at USF, McCausland worked for GTE Telecommunication Services in Tampa.

McCausland earned a Bachelor’s of Journalism from The University of Texas and an MBA from the University of South Florida. He has been married to Anne for 26 years and has two daughters, Taylor (21) and Blair (17).

About the USF Alumni Association

The USF Alumni Association is a self-funded, nonprofit organization comprised of former students and friends of the University of South Florida. Our mission is to connect alumni, support students and strengthen USF. There are more than 255,000 USF alumni worldwide. For more information, log on to www.usfalumni.org, like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/USFalumni or follow us on Twitter @USFAlumniAssn.

Sarasota, FL – February , 2012 –  Its members already donate thousands of hours every year to Academic Olympics, serving as moderators, monitors and judges for the area high school competition.   For the third year in a row, the American Association of University Women – Venice Branch added its financial support for the high school competition, becoming an OLYMPIC BRONZE sponsor for the 2012 matches and Sarasota County’s All-Star Team.

Presenting a check for $1,000 before the Valentine’s Day match between Pine View and Suncoast Polytechnical, AAUW-Venice Branch president Shirley Reid congratulated the volunteers and coaches for over three decades of service.  “We are proud to work with the Education Foundation of Sarasota County to deliver a program that stimulates and challenges the best young minds in our community,” she said.  Reid presented the sponsorship check to Susan Scott, the Education Foundation’s new executive director.

The college bowl-style competition is the only program for area high schools that provides the opportunity for competitive team efforts in academics comparable to athletics.

The annual series kicked off last month with matches among nine local high schools.  Weekly “round robin” competition continues through March.  Matches begin on Tuesdays at 3:15 p.m. and the public is welcome.  Schools require check-in at the main office.

The Education Foundation of Sarasota County produces the series in partnership with the schools.  Each participating high school appoints a team coach or coaches to work with hundreds of would-be competitors and field teams.  Both Venice and Sarasota branches of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) support the program by recruiting, training and deploying volunteers.  The Military Officers Association of Sarasota donates prizes awarded to the student teams.  The program’s OLYMPIC GOLD sponsor is the Dart Foundation.  Other contributors underwrite participants with gifts of $100 to sponsor a student.

The young Olympians are some of Sarasota County’s most academically talented students.  Each has earned a place on his or her school team through a rigorous competition at the school level.  Nine teams are competing this year, including a team from each of the comprehensive public high schools in Sarasota County.   Participating schools are Booker, North Port, Pine View, Riverview, Sarasota, Venice, Suncoast Polytechnical, Sarasota Military Academy, and Cardinal Mooney High School.

Results following the first six matches:

School                                                Win/Loss

Pine View                                            6/0

North Port HS                                      4/2

Cardinal Mooney                                 4/1

Riverview HS                                      4/1

Booker HS                                           3/2

Sarasota HS                                        2/3

Suncoast Polytechnical                       1/5

Venice HS                                           0/5

Sarasota Military Academy                 0/5

On March 20, semi-finals matches will determine the four finalist teams.  The day-long finals tournament will take place starting at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 24 at the Sarasota County School Board auditorium in The Landings.  The tournament is free and open to the public.

In April, Sarasota County’s Academic Olympic All-Star Team advances to the Florida Education Commissioner’s Academic Challenge in Orlando.  Over the years, members of the Sarasota County teams have won scholarships and competed nationally with Team Florida.

About the Education Foundation.  Dedicated to quality education for all children, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County was founded in 1988 as an independent, not-for-profit organization working in partnership with Sarasota County Schools and the community.  With the support of individuals, families, businesses, civic groups and foundations, the Education Foundation awards more than a million dollars each year to initiatives that elevate our public schools to the top of Florida’s education system:  teacher classroom grants, fine arts programs, scholarships and mentorships, Literacy for Life, the Texcellence Home Computer Donation Program, Teacher of the Year, Academic Olympics and the Regional Science, Engineering and Technology Fair.

For more information or to sponsor an Academic Olympics student, visit www.EdFoundation.net or call 941-927-0965.

Juror Kim Russo, head of the fine arts department at Ringling College of Art and Design, made the award selections, which were announced by New College art professor Kim Anderson.

The first place winner with a $300 cash prize was Ben Sims for his work “Group Performance” in acrylic on board. Originally from Liverpool, England, Sims completed his bachelor’s degree in December 2011 and now works for the National Park Service at DeSoto Memorial Park in Bradenton, Fla. He has also set up a studio in downtown Sarasota to continue his artwork. His piece will become part of the campus collection to be displayed in the new Academic Center at the corner of U.S. 41 and College Drive.

“Our judge felt that Ben’s work exemplified a level of professionalism on par with the top talent at other institutions,” said Anderson in making the award. “In fact, she was quite impressed with all of the talent here at New College.”

Sims said that his three years at New College were terrific. “It’s a great school, with a lot of freedom, small, just right,” he said.

Second place with a $100 cash award went to Eugenie Fortier, a fourth-year thesis student originally from Québec, Canada. Her piece, titled “Roof,” was assembled from wood, asphalt, shingles and fabric. She is studying art and art history at New College.

Third place with a $50 prize went to Sherry Haber for her two oil portraits, “Burst” and “Tremble.” Haber is a fourth-year thesis student in art from Brooksville, Fla.

“I was shocked and very excited, honored to be selected,” Haber said.

Honorable mentions for the show went to Coral Chepren-Moore (North Port, Fla.), Melinda Thackrah (Largo, Fla.) and Lily Carbone (Annapolis, Md.)

The other students participating in the 2012 show are Leah Duncan, Kyra Berman-Gestring, Emily Martin, Alexandra Miranda, Suzanne Olvey, Spencer Riolo, Analeah Rosen, Richard Sampson, Lace Jayne Spencer and Alexander Wyllie.

Directions: At the intersection of U.S. 41 and University Parkway, turn west toward the Ringling Museum, then left at Bay Shore Road. Isermann Gallery is located at the rear of the PepsiCo Arcade behind Mildred Sainer Pavilion. For more information, contact New College Professor of Art Kim Anderson at kanderson@ncf.edu or 941-487-4670.

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Founded in 1960, New College of Florida is a national leader in the arts and sciences. Consistently ranked among the top public liberal arts colleges in America by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and The Princeton Review, New College attracts highly motivated, academically talented students from some 40 states and nearly 25 foreign countries. A higher proportion of New College students receive Fulbright awards than graduates from virtually all other colleges and universities.

“Kenneth Cobonpue is at the cutting edge of Asia’s chic furniture design industry,” said Michael Bush, owner of Home Resource. “His unique and striking pieces are in keeping with our continuing search for furniture brands that prioritize quality and timeless design.” Home Resource will carry the new introductions of his 2012 line in addition to classics like the Yoda Easy Chair, Ying & Yang Easy Armchair and Wave Dining Table.

Based in Cebu City in the Philippines, Cobonpue takes his inspiration from nature and is known for his use of organic fibers, including rattan, bamboo, buri and abaca. His furniture has appeared in such Hollywood films as “Ocean’s Thirteen,” “Made of Honor” and “Spread,” and can be found in leading hotels and resorts in Paris, London and the Caribbean.

Cobonpue studied Industrial Design at the Pratt Institute in New York and apprenticed at leather workshops in Italy and Germany. He attributes his natural talent to his mother, Betty, a famous local designer working with rattan, and expanded what he learned at his mother’s side to create his own unique, modern look – an alternative to the Western definition of modern design.

ABOUT HOME RESOURCE           

Home Resource is the premier contemporary and modern furniture retailer on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Owned by Michael and Kathy Bush, Home Resource showcases the latest designs and iconic pieces from around the globe, including Fritz Hansen, Knoll, Estel, COR, Interlübke, DEDON, Vitra, Herman Miller, Adriana Hoyos, Moroso and many others.

The Home Resource showroom is located at 741 Central Avenue in the Rosemary District in downtown Sarasota, Florida. For more information, please visit www.homeresource.com.

“Accessibility is key to local government and the Mornings with the Mayor program allows residents to express their views,

ask questions and provide feedback on issues of concern.”

LAKELAND, FL (February 21, 2012) – Mayor Gow Fields invites local residents to attend the next Mornings with the Mayor event that will take place at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 15th at the Apostle Henry Ross Family Life Center located at 1302 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue.  Breakfast will be served at 7 a.m. and the Mayor will begin speaking at 7:30 a.m.

Citizens that attend these informal breakfast sessions get to hear from the Mayor about key issues and initiatives taking place within the City before he invites questions from the audience.  This is a chance for residents to address their individual concerns to Mayor Fields on topics that that directly affect them.

Mayor Fields said, “Accessibility is one of the keys to local government and Mornings with the Mayor provides the opportunity for our citizens to share their views, ask questions and provide feedback on issues that are directly affecting them.” He added, “I look forward to interacting with our residents on a personal level during these events.”

Those attending will have to pay for their own breakfast but the Apostle Henry Ross Family Life Center will feature a full breakfast that includes orange juice and coffee for $8.50. The premise behind the Mornings with the Mayor program is to make elected officials more accessible to residents in the community and to promote one-on-one communications.

This program allows residents an informal and comfortable forum in which to meet with the Mayor to talk about issues, ask questions, voice concerns and offer comments or suggestions.  Mayor Fields said, “It’s also an excellent way for us to gather candid feedback about how people feel things are going in our City; what amenities they particularly enjoy, areas they feel could use improvement, or what they’d like to see in the future.”

“A first-rate real estate lawyer with a substantial transaction and litigation practice, Matt Blackshear is certainly well on his way to the upper echelons of the area’s real estate attorneys,” said Lee Nelson, Real Estate Practice Group leader for the Firm’s Tampa Office.  “Matt brings terrific experience handling complex transactions and litigation cases on a whole matter basis, including matters for substantial developers, lenders, landlords and investors.  His skills have carried Matt around the state and given him invaluable exposure that will continue to pay dividends.”

Higbee noted that Blackshear is the thirty-fifth attorney to join Shutts & Bowen’s expanding Tampa office, which recently moved to 34,000 square feet of brand new space at Corporate Center IV — or “the Shutts & Bowen Building” as it is becoming known in the Westshore Business District as a result of the Firm’s name affixed prominently atop the building.

Within the Shutts Tampa office, practice groups include corporate and securities, mergers and acquisitions, trusts & estates, intellectual property, commercial litigation, banking, tax, immigration and international business, bankruptcy, real estate, health care and employment law matters. “Tampa Bay has an expanding economic base of Fortune 500 and local entrepreneurial companies that require increasingly sophisticated representation,” Higbee noted. “Shutts & Bowen is well positioned to provide creative, institutionally-oriented legal services to a growing number of those businesses in Tampa and throughout West-Central Florida.”

“We are particularly delighted to have Matt Blackshear join the firm,” said Shutts & Bowen Executive Committee member J. Donald Wasil.  “Matt has proven himself to be very capable in matters for major, sophisticated clients that are quite discriminating.”

Blackshear described himself as a “full-service real estate lawyer with a passion for satisfying clients’ multifaceted litigation and transaction matters.”  He added “Shutts & Bowen’s Tampa office impressed me from the outset.  They share my dedication to client service and teamwork necessary to satisfy clients with multiple cases and accomplish their goals every day. The opportunity is unique and allows me to add my skills and practice to an already dynamic group while providing a terrific long-term platform for expanding my state-wide practice and helping the Firm extend its footprint.”

Nelson added “Whether negotiating a complex debt restructuring for a site on the east coast, the disposition of a large golf complex in central Florida or an office lease in Tampa, Blackshear’s poise, intelligence and overall capabilities shine through, in addition to his fantastic legal skills.  He’s a lawyer that really gets it and clients respect that.”

“From my perspective, I can see why Shutts & Bowen is celebrating its 103^rd year and I am ready to continue its legacy of leadership and exceptional legal services” Blackshear explained.

Founded in 1910, Shutts & Bowen is a full service, Florida-based law firm with six offices across the State.  Its 225 attorneys are dedicated to providing first-rate legal services, new and innovative approaches to problem solving and the highest degree of professionalism and community service.

Shutts & Bowen values its relationships with business and individual clients, as well as relationships formed over the years with referring national and international law firms and companies.  Firm clients are offered a diverse and complete range of high quality and responsive legal services. With a business focus, the firm represents major industrial corporations and life insurance companies, utilities companies, securities brokerage firms, transportation concerns, national and international financial institutions, local banking firms, major foreign companies, health care organizations, local municipalities, local corporations, and individuals and smaller enterprises of every nature.

www.shutts.com

Stephenson’s management background spans more than 21 years and includes several high-level positions with Chili’s and Baker’s Square.  He became a real estate sales associate in 2000 working with a GMAC franchise in Milwaukee, WI.  Most recently, Stephenson managed the Clearwater and Clearwater Beach offices for Coldwell Banker.  He has been recognized on numerous occasions throughout his real estate career for leading his offices to achieve outstanding levels of sales production.

“Dan’s extensive management background and years of experience as a real estate associate are a definite advantage because of the in-depth knowledge and expertise he brings to his team,” stated McQuigg.  “This combined with his passion for technology and obvious enthusiasm for his work creates a strong foundation for successful leadership and makes him an asset to Prudential Tropical’s management team.”

Prudential Tropical Realty has 17 offices located throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties.  Locally owned and operated since 1959, the Prudential Tropical Realty team offers residential, commercial, property management, relocation, title and mortgage services. For more information please visit the company website at www.prudentialtropical.com.

Among the features on the homepage, the new site introduces links to each line of service at CLW. Users can quickly choose the service they’re looking for and link to a seamless view of information and resources. “The new website is easier to scan, read and navigate” added CLW Principal, Doug Rothschild. “This is about building a relationship with a new audience by making the site interactive and at the same time giving our longtime clients what they have come to expect.”

More information can be found by contacting CLW Real Estate Services Group through the information below, or through the recently launched website at www.clwrg.com.     ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/21/clw-real-estate-services-group-launches-new-website-41408/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/21/african-american-read-in-at-cook-library-to-celebrate-black-history-month-41406/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/21/african-american-read-in-at-cook-library-to-celebrate-black-history-month-41406/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:05:58 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41406 SARASOTA (February 2012) – On Wednesday, February 22^nd, the community is invited to attend the African American Read-In at the Jane Bancroft Cook Library from 11am – 1pm.  This event, endorsed by the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association, is being held in celebration of Black History Month.

The Read-In will provide opportunities for those in attendance to hear and read works by African American authors including poems, short story and novel excerpts.  Questions about the Read-In can be directed to the Cook Library at 941-487-4888.

USF Sarasota-Manatee is a comprehensive university for those interested in pursuing a baccalaureate or master’s degree, professional certification, or continuing education credit.  USFSM offers the prestige of a nationally ranked research university with the convenience of a hometown university, including classes in south Sarasota County and Manatee County.  USFSM

Mirroring a continuing uptick in new-home-buyer traffic and sales, this year’s Tampa Bay Parade of Homes boasts a 26 percent increase in entries from last year, and a whopping 70 percent rise from the market bottom in 2009, reports Marshall Gray of M/I Homes and  president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association, which hosts the parade each year.

Gray says the three-year upward trend in parade entries is a strong indicator that the housing market is improving and that in 2012, as many industry experts predict, builders should see improvement in the Tampa Bay area, Florida and across the nation.

During this year’s parade, home-building companies from across the region will display the latest new-home designs and housing trends, says Gray.  Model homes will be judged by a panel of local Realtors® as well as local and out-of-market building-industry professionals, who will consider site plan, curb appeal, design, materials, outdoor living spaces, architectural detailing and workmanship.

Model homes will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday throughout the parade.

Headquartered in Brandon, Fla., the TBBA is a professional organization serving Tampa Bay-area construction-related businesses in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. These include builders, developers, suppliers, subcontractors, lending institutions, architectural and engineering firms, as well as other related businesses.

The TBBA promotes professionalism and continuing education within the tri-county building-and-development industry, while encouraging industry participation in the community at large.

For further information about TBBA, call (813) 571-TBBA, or visit www.tbba.net.

SARASOTA, FL, February 2012. The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Sarasota Class of 2012 is pleased to announce Easter Seals of Southwest Florida (“ES”) as the beneficiary of this year’s Class Project. The Leadership Sarasota Class of 2012, comprised of 30 professionals working in Sarasota County, will be creating a much needed mobility path for ES.

The goal of the project is to provide an opportunity for ES participants to experience the outdoors without boundaries. The new pathway is designed to be accessible by all, including individuals who use wheelchairs and/or walkers as their primary method of mobility.

ES owns over 6 acres of land at their Braden Avenue site and the new path will link existing paved areas to others, thereby connecting the greenhouse and outdoor growing plots. Adding this new linkage will allow easy access to the gardens and provide a chance for ES participants to enjoy the outdoors, to exercise, and even to participate in physical therapy outside.

The ES Art Initiative Program artists will also be helping to create an art mural on nearby sheds, and community partners such as Loveland Center and Oak Park School will be adding mosaic designs into the pathway. The class is seeking in kind donations to add picnic tables, landscaping and additional elements for the mobility path.

If you would like additional information or may be able to provide in kind donations please contact Caroline Tanner of Easter Seals, ctanner@easterseals.org or Erin Barker of Leadership Sarasota, erin.barker@ringling.fsu.edu.

About Easter Seals Southwest Florida

Easter Seals Southwest Florida began in 1946 as Happiness House, offering help and hope to children with disabilities and their families. Today its programs extend throughout the lifespan and include therapies, activities and opportunities for children and adults with disabilities.

About the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Program

The Chamber’s Leadership programs are designed to nurture and engage the leadership skills of potential and current leaders by providing an atmosphere that stimulates and fosters diverse viewpoints, resulting in innovative answers to the critical questions facing our community. The program strives to create awareness and to connect leaders with issues; it is not an academic leadership training program.

Leadership Sarasota County’s programs, which started in 1984, includes community immersion, leadership training, and educating participants in “how things work” in our community and our county.

(Bradenton, FL) Bradenton’s getting ready for the blues. On Saturday, December 1, 2012, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Realize Bradenton will host the 2012 Bradenton Blues Festival, a family-friendly day of inspired blues music, food and art at the redesigned Riverwalk, along the Manatee River in downtown Bradenton.

“This is a great location for an outdoor festival,” says Dave Gustafson, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, explaining that the festival site, overlooking the Manatee River, can accommodate up to 2,500 people. “It’s also the perfect kick-off event to celebrate the completion of the Riverwalk redevelopment project. The Bradenton Blues Festival will definitely attract people from outside the region to our area; this will really be something special.”

The 2012 Bradenton Blues Festival is the result of many months of planning and “collaboration between a host of local organizations, businesses and community leaders,” says Isham.

She explains that the idea for the festival was born after several meetings with Jack Sullivan, operations officer of the internationally acclaimed Blues Revue magazine, headquartered in Bradenton’s Village of the Arts. Blues Revue promotes festivals nationwide, including the annual Tampa Bay Blues Festival.

“After many conversations, Jack introduced me to Paul Benjamin, who founded and still produces the North Atlantic Blues Festival in Rockland, Maine,” says Isham. “With their help and expertise, we’ve been able to pull in world-class artists for one heck of an inaugural festival.” She adds that the music will feature national acts with a mix of local flavor.

Food, art and educational initiatives will also be major components of the festival, says Isham. “We’re partnering with Bradenton’s cultural non-profits, and best restaurants and artisans to showcase the great culinary and artistic talent we have in Bradenton.” She adds that on Friday, November 30, the festival will feature an outreach program to Manatee County high school students, entitled “Blues in the Schools,” during which festival musicians will share their talents and professional advice with area students.

Isham says that funding for the festival will come from a number of sources, including commercial and individual patrons and sponsors, food and arts vendors, and T-shirt and poster sales.

“The Bradenton Blues Festival is a major economic development strategy that helps promote the city of Bradenton and Manatee County as a great place to live, work, play, and visit,” says Isham.

“Dozens of Bradenton-based businesses and organizations are supporting this event,” says Isham. “We’re a close-knit family ready to rock our region with a world-class festival!”

Sponsors to date include the Bradenton Downtown Development Authority, Ad-VANCE Talent Solutions, Artefact Design, BGD Design, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Blues Revue (the world’s Blues Magazine), Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Bradenton Herald, Bright House, Courtyard by Marriott, Fetch Pet Care, Iaboni Real Estate, Jacque and Al Vieira, Jeffcoat Blueprint, LA Events Inc., Manatee Apparel Graphics, Manatee Printers, Mary GrandPré, Richard and Christy Messer, Sarasota Guitar Company, Suncoast Gems, Turner Tree and Landscape, Tinsworth Orthodontist, and Zamikoff, Klement, Jungman & Varga. Businesses interested in joining the growing list of supporters should contact Johnette Isham at johnette@RealizeBradenton.com.

Isham says that tickets for the 2012 Bradenton Blues Festival will go on sale in mid-March when the Bradenton Blues Festival website goes live with the announcement of the festival line-up. Graphic and web design have been donated by Realize Bradenton’s design group of Artefact Design and BGD Design, the team responsible for the Realize Bradenton communications.

The 2012 Bradenton Blues Festival is organized by Realize Bradenton, a non-profit organization that builds community and promotes economic development through collaborative events, strategic partnerships, and interactive strategies. For more information about Realize Bradenton, visit www.realizebradenton.com.

About Realize Bradenton

Realize Bradenton is a non-profit organization that builds community and promotes economic development through collaborative events, strategic partnerships, and interactive strategies. We help make downtown Bradenton one of the best riverfront communities in the country. For more information, visit: www.RealizeBradenton.com.

“The Ambiance…”

Eat Here offers a trendy take on classic cuisine, and menu preparations are served in a variety of small sharing plates. Filled with vibrant décor and sculpture from the area’s most recognizes artists, its ambiance is further accentuated by giclée reproduction tabletops, bright sunflowers and a French antique riddling rack that had been repurposed into a welcoming community table. Guests can relax in an intimate indoor setting, or dine al fresco at the Eat Here city-side deck (located next to the outdoor fountain in the courtyard) or on the beautiful roof-top deck of the bar.

“The Menu…”

Menu selections include smoked salmon & crème fraîche pizza, lobster tacos, island ribs, New Orleans-style seafood stew and best cut sirloin short steak. The beer list features owner-operated craft breweries from America and around the world, while the wine list presents a broad, by-the-glass offering of comfortably priced varietals.

“The Bar…”

Diners can enjoy an after-dinner drink at the upstairs bar, where premium liquors, specialty cocktails, and classic martinis are served. During the bar’s Happier Hour and a Half, patrons receive free pizza from 5-6:30 p.m. and the best pour in town. The bar also features a few dinner selections from the main dining menu, along with several staples such as lobster and braised beef tacos, creative pizzas and artisan cheeses and charcuterie.

“Live Entertainment…”

On Fridays, Eat Here showcases Fun by the Fountain, whereby both diners and passers-by can enjoy outdoor music, circus-style acts and other live performances. At the upstairs bar, nationally recognized musicians stop in to perform on select Thursday and Saturday evenings.

*****

Eat Here is located at 1888 Main St., Sarasota. The restaurant and bar are open from 5 p.m. nightly. The upstairs bar is open until 10 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Visit eathereSarasota.com to view the online menu, or call 941-365-8700 for more information

###                                                         

Mike Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes in the Tampa area, said Powell has been with Ashton Woods Homes for four years and has more than eight years of experience as a sales executive.

Ashton Woods Homes, headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies, with operations in growth communities in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Killeen, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, Raleigh and Tampa. For more information, visit http://www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.

Pasco County, Florida — Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc. is proud to announce a total of $220,000 has been raised for its new microloan fund program, thanks to a generous donation by Saint Leo University.

“The Pasco EDC is a valuable partner with Saint Leo University and the Donald R. Tapia School of Business. The council has worked closely with our business students, faculty and staff in helping companies grow,” said Dr. Michael Nastanski, Dean of the Donald R. Tapia School of Business at Saint Leo University.

Dr. Nastanski added that the Donald R. Tapia School of Business is committed to a long and prosperous relationship with Pasco EDC. In addition to the $25,000 donation, Saint Leo University will share its faculty and students to help evaluate projects and provide technical assistance to successful applicants.

“Saint Leo’s donation to the fund has put us over the top,” said John Hagen, Pasco EDC President/CEO. “We said we would go when we received commitments for at least $200,000. We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Saint Leo’s award-winning faculty and outstanding business students to make a difference for small businesses in our community.

Excitement has been building and the inquiries are beginning to flood into Pasco EDC. According to Hagen, “The phones started ringing when we went public with our plans and haven’t stopped since!” On Tuesday, February 21 the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners is meeting to approve the fund’s lending policies and procedures so that Pasco EDC may begin lending as of March 1.

The microloan program will not only lend money to small businesses located in Pasco County, but will offer free technical assistance and training to help work through the challenges of starting or growing a new business. “We believe that there are many people with great ideas and skills who simply lack the money and resources to get started — or to expand. We want them to succeed,” said Hagen.

Loan applicants must be for-profit companies located in Pasco County, and borrowers must show they have the experience and resources to be successful business operators. Proceeds may be used for working capital, inventory, supplies, furniture, fixtures, machinery and equipment, but not to purchase real estate or to refinance existing debt. Please call the Pasco EDC at 813-926-0827 for more information or to consider donating to the fund.

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With many hours of work, a huge dose of positivism and help from the SBDC, Sean built a true global company. But, getting to this point hasn’t been easy. This young entrepreneur has gone without a vacation since starting the business in 2007. He overcame the obstacles of starting a global business not only by relying on his technical and managerial skills, but also by surrounding himself with a group of positive employees.

“When you are starting a business, it is important to have someone support you, encourage you and believe in you, the SBDC did that for me,” said Sean. “I truly feel they care about my success. With determination, a passion for what you do, and support from the SBDC, it is possible to be truly successful in starting your own business.”

Starting with the SBDC

After finishing his MBA, Sean wanted to learn more about the world of starting an import/export business. He began attending the SBDC’s International Trade Certificate Program with a scholarship provided by the SBDC. As he received start-up consulting and conducted research, he found there was a great need for translations. Sean’s fluency in Spanish, French and Arabic landed him his first contract for $6,000. After translating he discovered he disliked the work and immediately hired his first employee. Sean continued attracting new clients and working with the SBDC to develop strategies to promote the business. SBDC’s Certified Business Analyst, Daniel Scott, spent more than 20 hours working with Sean in developing his Internet marketing and social media plan. He also received assistance from other SBDC consultants with taxes, payroll, Quickbooks, HR and financial management.

Sean’s global vision and love for language and culture transformed Day Translations, Inc. into a cosmopolitan company with a network of about 400 freelancers, who translate more than 100 languages. Sean has most recently added interpretation, voice over and talent casting to his offerings. He plans to continue growing the business while learning Hebrew. He says he will continue to utilize SBDC services for as long as he remains a small business.

Some of his most famous clients include:

• HBO Boxing
• Telefonica
• Cornell University
• UNICEF, Deutsch Bank
• Hilton Hotels.

To serve global clients, Sean created a network of offices and employees located in:

• Washington DC
• Chicago
• New York,
• London,
• Dubai,
• Colombia,
• Argentina
• Costa Rica

Member of the FL & National Association of SBDC Networks

State Designated as Florida’s Principal Provider of Business Assistance, the Florida Small Business
Development Center Network serves every county in Florida. The SBDC at USF region spans a 10-county area providing not-cost consulting and offering more than 450 entrepreneurial programs each year. Its Certified Business Analysts
are specialized in industry-specific sectors to help small businesses make sound decisions in a complex and ever-changing marketplace.

The Florida Small Business Development Center Network is   funded in part through a
cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and a partnership
with  higher-education institutions, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce and other organizations dedicated to economic prosperity through small business success.

2.  Manatee County NAACP President Announces Resignation 

3.  St. Petersburg’s own Second Time Arounders to march in the 2012 St. Patrick’s Day Parade!

4.  Three Inspiring Female Role Models Volunteer as Celebrity Hosts for the American Girl Fashion Show

5.  Jazz Great John Lamb, Actor-Singer Sharon Scott, Poet Peter Meinke headline entertainment for 2012 Studio@620 Honors

6.  Come out and see YOUR Second Time Arounders Marching Band! 

7.  Branding agency Schifino Lee launches national campaign for Tampa Bay Sports Commission to promote “New Now.” 

8.  The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation (MCSF) Establishes Scholarship in Memory of Tampa Bay Resident, Gunnery Sergeant Terry Ball Jr. 

9.  Northgate Office Space Leases

10. Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg’s New DW12 IndyCar Opens to Public at The Mahaffey

11. Nuevo Advertising Group™ Designing New Website for Fertility Center and Applied Genetics of Florida, Inc.

12. Johnson Smith Company Named AIIM Best Practices Award Finalist for Use of OCR for AnyDoc^®

Johnson Smith selected OCR for AnyDoc^® through systems integrator CPT Intelligent Technologies, Inc. to streamline the processing of thousands of mail order forms and accompanying payment checks they receive annually.

The Carl E. Nelson Best Practices Award presented by AIIM, the Association for Information and Image Management, recognizes excellence in the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) field. The term “Best Practices” denotes a standard of excellence that has been achieved within an organization and refers to a process or implementation that can be quantified, adapted, and repeated.

Paper mail orders generate forty percent of Johnson Smith’s business. The company leverages OCR for AnyDoc to lift the handwritten data from the order forms and validate it against the retailer’s business rules for fast and accurate order fulfillment. Using OCR for AnyDoc, the catalog giant drastically reduced processing costs, achieving a return on investment (ROI) in just 6.4 months, and will net more than $1.5 million in total savings in the first 5 years.

“Johnson Smith achieved better results than we had planned, and eliminated nine manual touch points,” said Ellen Pullman, IT Manager for Johnson Smith. “Most importantly, our customers reap the benefits as we are able to fulfill orders more quickly and accurately. We reduced our order turnaround time from 2.5 days down to 1 day, and quicker access to order information allows us to streamline merchandise restocking and minimize backorders.”

The AIIM Best Practices Award will be presented at The San Francisco City Club during AIIM’s Annual Awards Celebration on Wednesday, March 21.

Johnson Smith is the sixth AnyDoc client named a finalist for the AIIM Best Practices Award, following Sterling National Corporation in 2010 for automating the processing of incoming insurance notices.

About AnyDoc Software
AnyDoc Software has been developing award-winning document, data capture, and classification solutions since 1989. More than 3,000 clients and 70,000 users worldwide in 45 countries rely on AnyDoc solutions to eliminate millions of hours of manual data entry while improving their productivity and data accuracy. Any paper form or document including invoices, remittances, and checks can be automatically processed with full data capture without the need for manual keying. Clients include: Fastenal Company, Sony Pictures Entertainment, BlueCross BlueShield, the U.S. Census, LeasePlan, Coop, and more. For additional information, please visit www.AnyDocSoftware.com.

Nuevo Advertising Group™ is administering the center’s current website while designing and building a new site and addressing search engine optimization issues. The Fertility Center and Applied Genetics of Florida, Inc.’s main office is located in Sarasota, but patients come from all over the United States.

About Nuevo Advertising Group™
Nuevo Advertising Group™ is a full service Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations. Its focus is on bridging the gap between businesses and the Hispanic community through concise advertising messages delivered through the most effective mediums. Nuevo Advertising Group™ launched www.nuevotranslation.com, a focus division of Nuevo Advertising designed to better serve the growing translation needs of businesses. ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/20/nuevo-advertising-group%e2%84%a2-designing-new-website-for-fertility-center-and-applied-genetics-of-florida-inc-41365/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/20/honda-grand-prix-of-st-petersburg%e2%80%99s-new-dw12-indycar-opens-to-public-at-the-mahaffey-41363/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/20/honda-grand-prix-of-st-petersburg%e2%80%99s-new-dw12-indycar-opens-to-public-at-the-mahaffey-41363/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:56:55 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41363 -Now thru Saturday, Feb. 25 only-

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (February 2012) –Feel like you’ve just stepped off the racetrack at the Honda Grand Prix!  Here’s your chance to feel like an IndyCar driver  - come take your picture with the new DW12 IndyCar on display at The Mahaffey, now thru Saturday, February 25.

The Mahaffey has opened its doors to fans of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, allowing visitors to take photographs with the concept car Dan Wheldon helped test last year. The car is named posthumously in his honor. DW12 will make its St. Petersburg debut this March.

Media interviews are available. Please call Ledora Brown at 727-821-5155 x106 to arrange in advance.

What:  Open display for DW12 Indycar; photography allowed

When:  Monday, February 20 – Saturday, February 25

Mon. – Th.: 9am – 5pm

Fri.: 9am – Noon

Sat.: Noon – 6pm

Where: The Mahaffey, 400 First Street South St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Why: The Mahaffey is opening its doors to its newly renovated lobby to allow race fans to view and photograph the new DW12 Indycar named after hometown hero Dan Wheldon. The car will make its St. Petersburg debut at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg March 23-25, 2012.

Tampa, Florida – February 2012 – the Tampa Bay volunteer tournament committee for the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation is pleased to announce a scholarship named in honor of Tampa Bay resident Marine Gunnery Sergeant Terry Ball.

Gunnery Sergeant Ball succumbed to injuries on August 5, 2005, resulting from a roadside bomb near Al Karmah, Iraq.  Gunnery Sergeant Ball left behind a wife and 3 children.   The Tampa Bay committee will launch the scholarship at this year’s 18^th annual charity golf tournament on Monday, March 26, 2012. The event will be held at the Emerald Greens Golf Resort located @ 13903 Clubhouse Dr. in Tampa.

Major General – Gene Deegan, Tampa Bay committee leader stated “each year we are overwhelmed by the generosity of individuals and members of our local business community in Tampa Bay. It is through this continued support that we have been provided with the opportunity to recognize Gunny Ball for his sacrifice by naming a scholarship in his honor.”

Donations made via internet @ www.MCSF.org/TampaBayGolf  will go directly to the Gunny Ball Scholarship fund.

Federal Tax ID # is 22-1905062

About the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation

Established in 1962, the MCSF, a nonprofit organization has helped accomplish what many Marines cannot – enabling their children to pursue their dreams of obtaining a college education. To date, the Foundation has provided over $67 million dollars in financial assistance to over 28,000 sons and daughters of Marines and Navy Corpsman.

For more information regarding the tournament, a tax deductable donation or to apply for a scholarship please contact: Major General – Gene Deegan @ 813 968-9635 or visit our website @ www.mcsf.org.

TAMPA, Fla. (February 2012) – By the end of 2012, nearly $120 million will have been invested to improve local sports facilities including the Tampa Bay Times Forum and the University of South Florida Athletic District. The Tampa Bay Sports Commission is spreading the word that these venues are “new now” in a targeted, multi-media advertising campaign to event organizers across the country.

Titled “Experience New Now,” the national campaign details the massive renovations and venue improvements made at local sports facilities, while promoting the Tampa Bay area as a premiere destination for amateur sports events.

The campaign was created by Tampa-based branding and marketing agency Schifino Lee. It kicked off with a redesign of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission logo into something that demonstrates the fun and energy of the destination itself, while also communicating the positive economic impact sporting events have on the Tampa Bay area. The logo is accompanied by the brand promise of “Gameday. Every Day.” Schifino Lee then launched phase one of the campaign focusing on the Tampa Bay Times Forum, creating a new website (www.TampaBayisNewNow.com), print advertisement and innovative 3- dimensional direct mail piece to highlight how the forum is “New Now.”

The second phase, to begin in late spring in conjunction with the reopening of the USF Sun Dome, will feature the new venues and renovations at University of South Florida. The third phase will highlight several other local sports facilities and roll out in the latter half of 2012.

“This campaign not only refreshes the Sports Commission’s image, it also reminds people locally and nationally about Tampa Bay’s variety of sporting venues,” said Paola Schifino, principal of Schifino Lee. “Throughout this campaign we will promote the venues as fan-friendly and newly-renovated through dynamic advertising, digital media and direct mail.”

The Tampa Bay area is already a popular destination for national amateur sporting events, hosting such events as the NCAA’s Frozen Four tournament at the Tampa Bay Times Forum this coming April, the first time the national hockey championships have ever been held in the Southeast. The Sports Commission is aiming to grow the area’s status as an attraction by bringing in more events including NCAA tournaments, high school championships, and youth and amateur events.

In 2011, the Tampa Bay Sports Commission brought 114 sporting events to the area that filled approximately 109,000 hotel room nights, and with the launch of the “Experience New Now” campaign, that number is expected to rise to 120,000 in 2012. “Tampa Bay sports venues have a significant economic impact on the Tampa Bay area,” said Paola Schifino, principal of Schifino Lee. “The key is to get the attention of event organizers, share our story with them, and hopefully draw even more visitors to the area in the near future.”

For more information, please visit www.TampaBayisNewNow.com.

About Schifino Lee:

Founded in 1993 by Paola Schifino and Ben Lee, Tampa-based Schifino Lee Advertising & Branding works across a number of industries, including manufacturing, automotive, technology, entertainment, and financial. Its clients include such leading organizations as WellCare Health Plans, Gerdau, Johns Hopkins, AM 820 News, and Vigo-Alessi Foods. Information is available at www.SchifinoLee.com.

Performance schedule:

March 9 – Combined concert with the Northeast High School Viking concert band, jazz ensemble and percussion ensemble. 7pm – 9:30pm. Address: 5500 16^th Street North, St. Petersburg

March 17 – Savannah, Georgia’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade! (second largest in the world)

March 22 – Festival of States Illuminated Night Parade, 6pm – 9:30pm, downtown St. Petersburg…plus a concert following the parade

March 24 – Chasco Fiesta Parade, 1pm, New Port Richey. http://www.chascofiesta.com/

April 6 – Fast (First) Friday, 6pm, downtown St. Petersburg at Central Avenue

Consider joining the band next year! If you’ve ever played an instrument, danced a routine, twirled a baton or rifle, or waved a flag in a high school or college marching band, you’re qualified. This can be your chance to perform a “second time around” with a great group of folks just like you who love music, people, or performing!

The Rounders, have been around for 30 years with many charter members still playing and marching. Our performances are local, regional, national, and international!

So please come out and see what we are all about!

Please visit www.secondtimearounders.org for information on the activities for the upcoming season.

For additional questions or information, send your email to: communications@secondtimearounders.org

***

The Greater St. Petersburg Awesome Original Second Time Arounders Marching Band, founded in 1983 by Bill Findeison, the conductor, and Herb Melleney, then director of the Festival of States, was formed to perform for the Festival of States celebration in St. Petersburg, Florida. With over 500 members ranging in age from 18 to 84 and performing 5-7 times per year, the band only requires experience in a High School or college marching band.

In addition to the six 2012 honorees, the Honors evening will feature performances by musicians, singers, dancers, and literary luminati. Bassist John Lamb’s professional career in music included three years with the Duke Ellington Orchestra and appearing on stage with other outstanding jazz artists and composers, such as Billy Strayhorn and Paul Gonsalves, around the world. Born in Florida, he returned here to a career in education, teaching music in Pinellas County public schools for over 30 years. His latest CD release is “Coversations-North of the Border.”

Actor-singer Sharon Scott is well known to Tampa Bay area audiences for her work in plays (King Hedley II at American Stage, Black Nativity at St. Petersburg’s Palladium, Mahalia at Studio@620). In New York, she starred in a one-woman show called High-hat Hattie, based on the life of Hattie McDaniel, who won the Academy Award for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind. Her New York appearances won Scott praise from the New York Times. She has also toured the world in the cast of Ain’t Misbehavin’. Her powerful voice and singing style will be showcased at the Studio@620 Honors.

Peter Meinke is a prize-winning poet and author who has published poetry to national acclaim beginning in the 1960’s with works first appearing in The New Republic. Since then, he has authored seven books of poetry. For his first collection of short stories, The Piano Tuner, he received the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction in 1986.  Among other awards are two National Endowment of the Arts fellowships, the O’Henry Award, and three prizes from the Poetry Society of America. He has also written two works of non-fiction and two children’s books. He is the City of St. Petersburg’s Poet Laureate, and presently writes a column for the weekly Creative Loafing.

Since opening in 2004, The Studio@620 has encouraged and inspired the visual and performance arts, lively public discussions and partnerships with other groups. All have flourished. Studio Honors began as the Social Justice Pioneer Awards, which recognized some of the most influential people of our age, including John Hope Franklin, Susan Sarandon, John Lewis, Herb Snitzer, Ray Arsenault, and St. Petersburg’s own premier jazz musician Buster Cooper.

The Tampa Bay Times is the presenting sponsor for the 2012 Studio Honors. Friends of the Studio sponsors include Sylvia Rusche, Rob Bowen, and Sonia Raymund.

Studio@620 co-founder and Artistic Director Bob Devin Jones will produce and direct the 2012 Studio Honors celebration. Nate Najar is the musical director. Glass artist Duncan McClellan designs and creates the Studio Honors awards. Studio@620 trustees Amber Brinkley and Kim Jackson are the gala co-chairs. The gala committee also includes David Ellis, Studio@620 co-founder, and Board of Trustees officers Alizza Punzalan, president; Simone DeLoach, vice-president; Dar Webb, treasurer, and Sydni Ann Shollenberger, secretary.

The 2012 Studio Honors will begin at 6:20 p.m. on Saturday, March 24. Individual tickets for dinner and entertainment are $175 or $1,500 for a table of ten. Sponsorships are available as are program ads. A limited number of chance opportunities for a one-week stay at a Tuscan villa in Italy are also available for $50. All proceeds from Studio Honors benefit the Studio@620, a 501(c)(3) entity. Reservations are required: contact 727.895.6620 or info @studio620.org or www.studio620.org

Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent 9 years in the Florida care system, living in 14 placements before being adopted. Ashley’s memoir Three Little Words about her experience is a New York Times Best Seller and is currently being used in classrooms across the country. She has a passion to share hope with struggling youth and professionals, encourage adoption and permanency, and promote community action. Denise Mueller, an active JLMC member who serves on the American Girl Fashion Show committee discovered Ashley while researching foster care in Florida. “The closest thing to understanding what life is like in the foster care system without being a foster child is to read Ashley’s memoir. Her story is incredibly inspiring and fits perfectly our League’s focus of aiding foster children and children in need.”

Summer Smith is a reporter and fill-in anchor for Bay News 9’s Manatee county’s newsroom. Smith began her broadcasting career as an intern working on ABC’s 20/20 in New York City. She has worked at Bay News 9 for six years. Smith is a Manatee County native and she and her husband, Bryan, and two children, live in the area. Smith gives back to her community by serving on the board of directors of Meals On Wheels and the Bradenton Yacht Club. Summer has been with the Fashion Show since the beginning-this is her fourth time contributing as a celebrity host.

Ellie Ohlman has, in a sense, worked her way to celebrity host status. She has been a teen commentator for the last two seasons of the fashion show. She qualifies for celebrity host status as this year’s DeSoto Queen and the first Queen to represent the Hernando DeSoto Historical Society at the Miss Florida Pageant in July.  Her platform for the pageant is “Community Service: Start Young.” Ellie is passionate about volunteering and giving back to the community. She wants to encourage young people to volunteer because they want to contribute rather than because they have to contribute. She leads by example, currently she volunteers for Southeastern Guide Dogs and has reached her “Gallon Status” with Florida Blood Services.

The American Girl Fashion Show is a fundraiser for JLMC’s community projects benefitting foster children and other children in need. With such inspiring leaders as our celebrity hosts, Junior League members hope our mission will stay in the spotlight during the day’s fun and educational fashion presentations. If you are interested in sponsoring, volunteering, or attending the Fashion Show, please visit their website at http://www.jlmcagfashionshow.org

About the Junior League of Manatee County:

The Junior League of Manatee County (JLMC) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Community projects benefit children in need with an emphasis on foster children.

  ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/20/three-inspiring-female-role-models-volunteer-as-celebrity-hosts-for-the-american-girl-fashion-show-41351/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/20/st-petersburg%e2%80%99s-own-second-time-arounders-to-march-in-the-2012-st-patrick%e2%80%99s-day-parade-2-41349/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/20/st-petersburg%e2%80%99s-own-second-time-arounders-to-march-in-the-2012-st-patrick%e2%80%99s-day-parade-2-41349/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:42:57 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41349 Savannah – Here we COME!

(ST. PETERSBURG, March 2012) – Nearly 400 members of the Second Time Arounders Marching Band will be hitting the road again in March! This time, to Savannah, Georgia, March 15-18, for the second largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the WORLD!
Stepping off at 10:15 a.m. sharp, the three-hour parade consists of over 350 units, including several U.S. military divisions, many award-winning bands, and the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales. PLUS, back by popular demand, The Greater St. Petersburg Area Second Time Arounders Marching Band!
Ages 18-85, the Second Time Arounders Marching Band is the first all ages band in the country! We perform locally, nationally, and internationally, and give back to our community by supporting the arts and music programs.

For more rehearsal and trip schedule, please visit www.secondtimearounders.org or:

For media information:

kmastenbrook@tampabay.rr.com

Telephone: (727) 421-2344

————–

The Greater St. Petersburg, Awesome, Original, Second Time Arounders Marching Band, founded in 1983 by Bill Findeison, the conductor, and Herb Melleney, then director of the Festival of States, was formed to perform for the Festival of States celebration in St. Petersburg, Florida. With over 500 members ranging in age from 18 to 85 and performing 5-7 times per year, the band only requires experience in a High School or college marching band.

The band has made appearances in festivals and marched in parades all over the world including Key West, FL; Portland, OR; Orlando, FL; Dublin, Ireland; San Antonio, TX; Savannah, GA; New York City, NY in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade; and most recently at the Calgary Stampede in Calgary Canada just last year!

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States,” says Larry Prescott, executive director of Grand Villa of Largo, an assisted living and memory care community. “That is why it is important to take care of your heart.”

Cardiovascular disease generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as infections and conditions that affect your heart’s muscle, valves or beating rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease. While some conditions may be congenital or hereditary, many forms of cardiovascular disease can be prevented or treated with healthy lifestyle choices. Prescott has assembled the following information and healthier living tips.

Exercise
Daily exercise can reduce the risk of fatal heart disease. The physical activity helps you control your weight and reduce chances of developing conditions that may put strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also reduces stress, which may also be a factor in heart disease.
While even a few minutes of daily exercise offers heart benefits, 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity is recommended. “Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous, but it needs to be consistent. If a 30-minute workout is too much, break it up into three 10-minute mini-sessions,” says Prescott. “Activities can be as simple as taking a walk or doing some gardening. And if motivation is a problem, many senior living facilities or community centers offer exercise classes and programs you can join.”

Avoid tobacco products
One of the biggest risk factors for developing heart disease is tobacco use. Chemicals in tobacco can damage heart and blood vessels, causing a narrowing of the arteries that can ultimately lead to a heart attack. In addition the nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke can cause your heart to work harder and increase your risk for heart attack. Eliminating tobacco use reduces the risk of heart disease dramatically within just one year.

Eat a heart-healthy diet
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can help protect your heart and reduce your chance of developing high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Limiting fat, cholesterol and salt is also important. Heart-healthy eating isn’t about cutting back. It’s about moderation and making the right choices.

Most people need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet. The goal is five to 10 servings a day. Eating that many fruits and vegetables can not only help prevent heart disease, but also may help prevent cancer.
Following a heart-healthy diet also means drinking alcohol only in moderation. That means no more than two drinks a day for men and one a day for women. At that moderate level, alcohol can have a protective effect on your heart. More than that becomes a health hazard.

Health Screenings
High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage the heart and blood vessels, but many don’t know if their levels put them at risk. Regular screenings are critical to determine if action needs to be taken to get those levels under control. Here is what a physician will look for:

Blood pressure: Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every two years. More frequent checks may be necessary for those at higher levels. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury.

Cholesterol levels: Adults should have their cholesterol measured at least once every five years starting at age 20. As with blood pressure, more frequent checks may be necessary for those with higher levels. You may need more frequent testing if your numbers aren’t optimal or if you have other risk factors for heart disease.

Diabetes screening: Since diabetes is a risk factor for developing heart disease, many physicians will screen adults for diabetes. This will depend on certain risk factors, such as being overweight or a family history of diabetes.

2.  Veredus CFO Stacy Gramling a Finalist for CFO of the Year

3.  Doubling U.S. Exports Through Tampa Small Businesses

4.  PlusOne Solutions Signs Agreement with Danby Products

5.  Pep Rally To Start Spring Training With A Bang

6.  Morean Arts Center Announces CSA Tampa Bay Artists

7.  Access Healthcare Announces Its Lecture Series for the Month of March

8.  Wilson Technology Group Attends BICSI Conference

9.  Withlacoochee Water Authority Welcomes Two New Board Members

10. Welcome home planned for wounded Marine

11. Fintech Salutes Local Military Personnel “Here’s To Our Heros!”

12. Jennifer Wilson, Licensed Realtor for LFL Marina Realty, Announces Beacon WiFi Upgrades at Longboat Key Club Moorings 

13. Gary Rose Promoted to President of FMS Purchasing & Services

14. Pier 22 Presents Cooking with Angus Beef by Executive Chef Greg Campbell

15. SBDC at Pinellas County – Business Classes, Feb. 27 – March 2, 2012

16. Spring Swings at the Historic Palladium Theater!

17. Tampa Company is Making People Better by Paying Employees to Read Each Month

18. Woodmen Of The World & Young Eagles Offer Free Flights

19. Watson Clinic XpressCare at Lakeland Highlands Welcomes Additional Family Medicine Specialist 

20. Play about Eugene O’Neill to be presented in staged reading on Monday, February 27, at freeFall Theatre, St. Petersburg

21. The Blueberries Are Coming!  

22. Lake Hollingsworth Hydrilla Treatment

23. Grand Opening Of H2U Ellenton Center 

24. E&E Stakeout Booth at ‘Sundays in Belleair’ to Benefit Staffer Who Lost Everything in Fire

25. Contingency Telecom Auditing Hosts FREE Informational Session

26. Sarasota Orchestra Association to honor Teacher of the Year Victor Fernandez At “Denim and Diamonds” Gala March 27 § The Founders Club

(Sarasota, FL) Anne Scott, president of the Sarasota Orchestra Association (SOA), announced today that the organization will honor Victor Fernandez, a Booker Middle School music teacher, conductor for the Sarasota Orchestra’s Youth Orchestra, and Sarasota County’s 2012 Teacher of the Year, at SOA’s annual gala, “Denim and Diamonds,” March 27, 6:30 p.m., at The Founders Club, 3001 Founders Club Drive, Sarasota. The event includes cocktails, a silent auction, and an award presentation followed by an elegant dinner. Tickets are $100 per person for open seating; $125 for patron seating, which is reserved. To purchase tickets, call 941-685-0425. Proceeds benefit the Sarasota Orchestra and its Youth Orchestra Program. For more information about this event, contact Cece Dwyer, event chair, at 941-371-3442.

“This accomplished young teacher’s dedication to music education is an inspiration to all of us,” says Scott. “It’s our honor to thank Victor for the motivation and support he brings to aspiring young musicians in our community.”

The evening kicks off with cocktails and a silent auction where guests can bid on such prizes as an aerial tour over Venice and Sarasota, a catered dinner for 12 in an elegant private home, and a golf foursome and luncheon at The Founders Club. Dinner and entertainment in The Founders Club’s private dining room follows.

“We encourage music lovers to don their favorite jeans and best bling and enjoy a lovely evening in an inspired ambience,” says Scott. “Guests will not only have loads of fun; they’ll also be supporting the Sarasota Orchestra and its stellar youth programs. It’s the most fun you can have with your boots on!”

For information about the Sarasota Orchestra Association, visit www.soassociation.org.

About Sarasota Orchestra Association

The Sarasota Orchestra Association’s mission is to support the Sarasota Orchestra and its Youth Orchestra Program. Founded in 1957, the all-volunteer Sarasota Orchestra Association has grown steadily in membership and impact and, over the past seven years, has raised and contributed more than $1 million.

Bradenton, FL 2/17/2012- Contingency Telecom Auditing LLC (CTA), Florida’s premiere telecommunications auditing firm, will be hosting two free informational sessions, Thursday March 1, 2012 at the Keiser University Auditorium.

Session 1         8:00-9:30 (followed by Q&A) Continental Breakfast

Session 2         3:00-4:30 (followed by Q&A) Midday Snack

Each year, millions of dollars are lost due to unnoticed telecom billing errors. In fact, some studies show at least 20% of all telecom charges are a mistake, often in favor of the telecommunications carrier. Guest speaker Tami Wankoff, Director of Telecommunications Auditing for CTA, will guide session attendees through the basics of telecom billing, discussing how common errors occur and how they can be prevented.

Related topics will include:

Becoming a Sleuth- How to uncover internal department mistakes potentially worth thousands of dollars to your bottom line.

Learning a New Language- Gaining a basic understanding of telecom lingo

Cost vs. Value- Do directory listings matter in a modern world?

To register for the seminar, e-mail Marketing@ConTelAudit.com or call 941-896-7735 by February 27, 2012. Keiser University Auditorium is located at 6151 Lake Osprey Drive, Lakewood Ranch.

Contingency Telecom Auditing LLC (CTA) is headquartered in Bradenton, FL and provides a wide variety of telecom auditing services. Their core offerings include a check and balance view of invoices against contracted costs; then a comparison of the current costs verses the industry standard. A typical audit may consist of an analysis of Local and Long Distance Services, Toll- Free Services, Audio/Video Conferencing Costs, Cellular Communication, PBXs related costs, as well as Voice and Data/Wave Circuits. For more information about CTA visit www.ConTelAudit.com, contact Marketing@contelaudit.com or call 855-Audit-Me  (855 -283 – 4863) ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/contingency-telecom-auditing-hosts-free-informational-session-41331/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/ee-stakeout-booth-at-sundays-in-belleair-to-benefit-staffer-who-lost-everything-in-fire-41328/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/ee-stakeout-booth-at-sundays-in-belleair-to-benefit-staffer-who-lost-everything-in-fire-41328/#comments Sat, 18 Feb 2012 23:52:06 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41328 Long-time employee Heather Richardson was on vacation when electrical fire ravaged home.

 BELLAIR BLUFFS (Feb. 2012) – Owners Eugen Fuhrmann and Chef Erwin Scheuringer have  announced that E&E Stakeout Grill will donate the proceeds from all sales at the restaurant’s booth at the March 4 “Sundays in Belleair” event to Heather Richardson, a staff member whose home recently burned down.

“Heather has been with us so long she’s virtually part of the structure of E&E,” said Chef Erwin Scheuringer. “She does everything, from server to working behind the bar, and all of our regulars know her and have been asking how they can help her out. She lost everything; she’s having to start over from scratch.”

Richardson was out of town at the time of the blaze which is suspected to have been caused by an electrical short in a malfunctioning garage door opener.

The “Sundays in Belleair” concert series returns to the Dimmit Recreation Center, 918 Osceola Road, Belleair) on March 4 from 4:30-8:30 p.m. The featured entertainment is Downchild, scheduled to appear at 6:30, with Roy Powers & The Last Exit Blues Band and Peter McGraw scheduled to take the stage at 4:30 and 5:30 respectively. Tickets to the event are $5 in advance and $10 day-of-show (advance tickets available at Bella Vino and Beans About Cooking that share The Plaza 100 with E&E Stakeout and at the community center.)

The fare served at the E&E Stakeout Grill booth will be posted on the restaurant’s web site,  www.3bestchefs.com, prior to the event.

E&E Stakeout Grill, a seafood-oriented steakhouse located at 100 N. Indian Rocks Road in Belleair Bluffs, has been serving the Belleair area and the beaches since 1985. E&E Stakeout Grill serves dinner daily and is open for lunch on weekdays. Hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday; 4 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and 4 to 10 p.m on Sunday. Daily specials and the full menu are posted at www.3bestchefs.com

For more information on Sundays in Belleair, visit www.SundaysInBelleair.com

The public is invited to attend this fun and informative event which will include free bone density and lung function screenings, refreshments, door prizes and health information from head to toe.  One day only, during the Grand Opening Event, annual h2u memberships will be offered for only $15 per person or $25 per couple (normally $20 per person, $35 per couple).

Living a healthier lifestyle is easier when you have the support of like-minded people. At H2U, that’s exactly what you’ll find – active, engaged members who never take good health for granted. H2U members enjoy timely health and wellness information, print and online newsletters, a quarterly magazine delivered to their home, interactive health tools, an extensive health library, discounts from national and local sources, h2u center activities and events as well as invitations to hospital-sponsored activities.  Upcoming events at h2u Ellenton include a Getting More from Your Technology lecture as well as a free Heart Smart Screening.  For more information about h2u memberships, visit us at BlakeMedicalCenter.com/h2u.

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More about Blake Medical Center

Blake Medical Center is a 383-bed, acute-care, full service hospital and a leading provider of quality, affordable healthcare serving our community since 1973. Blake offers a wide range of healthcare services including: 24-hour emergency care, open-heart surgery, cancer care, joint replacement, back surgery and rehabilitation among many others. Blake is proud to provide free health education, screenings and support groups to improve the health of our community. For information about hospital services or events or to receive a free physician referral, call 1-888-359-3552. ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/grand-opening-of-h2u-ellenton-center-41326/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/lake-hollingsworth-hydrilla-treatment-41323/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/lake-hollingsworth-hydrilla-treatment-41323/#comments Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:31:41 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41323 LAKELAND, FL (February 2012) – Polk County Parks and Natural Resources Invasive Plant division in cooperation with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will treat Lake Hollingsworth for hydrilla begining on Feb. 27th, weather permitting. The entire lake will be treated by air boat, using the aquatic herbicide SONAR.

Once the herbicide treatment has been applied to Lake Hollingsworth, using water from the lake to irrigate could result in injury to irrigated vegetation.  An irrigation precaution is recommended for at least 90 days during the SONAR treatment process. The City of Lakeland Division of Lakes and Stormwater will be monitoring the herbicide concentrations in the lake throughout the hydrilla treatment period with water sampling and lab tests.  Area residents will be notified when the herbicide concentrations have dissipated and it is safe to resume irrigation with lake water.

There are no restrictions for fishing or swimming associated with this treatment. SONAR is approved for use in lakes by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Hydrilla is an exotic aquatic plant spread easily by boats throughout the state’s lakes and rivers. It clogs waterways, making recreational activities difficult or impossible and it chokes out beneficial native plants. Managing and treating it is necessary for the health of Florida’s waters and to enable continued recreational boating and other aquatic activities.

For questions or concerns about this treatment, please contact Bryan Finder at 863-534-7377 (Lead Environmental Technician for Polk County Invasive Plant Section) or Kelle Sullivan, 863-534-4074 (Regional Biologist for FWC).

(Brooksville, Florida)  Get ready Florida, the Blueberries are coming!  A three day event kicking off on the evening of Friday, May 4^th and continuing through Sunday, May 6^th will highlight the Florida Blueberry and the 17 county growing region.  Located in the northern Tampa Bay region, Brooksville will host the inaugural festival.  Exciting events are planned throughout the weekend beginning May 4^th with an early evening “Get the Blues” Parade featuring floats, marching bands, civic groups, and dance troupes, followed by a Blueberry Stomp, Food Truck Rally and culminating with a concert starring Never Stop Believin’ the ultimate Journey tribute band.

Continuing the festivities on Saturday and Sunday there will be more than 100 vendors featuring fine arts, crafts, food, and a variety of other blueberry themed items for sale.  A Juried Art Show will spotlight artistic talents in photography, fine art, plein air, and 3 dimensional art.  Entries will be displayed at a unique outdoor art gallery located at Brooksville City Hall.  Musical entertainment will be featured throughout the festival on multiple stages with headliner entertainment each evening that includes acts such as The Blues Brothers and Black Honkeys Band and Warren Silvers.

This family friendly festival offers something for everyone from toddlers to seniors.  Enjoy the car show, the all day blueberry breakfast, enter your child in the “Cool Blue Ice Challenge”, or simply enjoy a delicious blueberry shortcake while strolling through the picturesque streets of downtown Brooksville.

Florida Blueberries are only available during March, April and May so plan to come out and celebrate this little blue dynamo.  Pick up a basket of Fresh from Florida Blueberries or take home your own bush for your backyard.   Visit www.floridablueberryfestival.org for event details, parade applications, sponsorship, and vendor opportunities.

“E.G.O. is one of the strongest, most intriguing new plays I have read,” said New York-based Steven Ditmyer, director and instructor at The Neighborhood Playhouse and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Ditmyer directed an earlier reading of this play.

Four of Tampa Bay’s finest actors provide an up-close-and-personal look at Eugene O’Neill, the father of modern American Drama, the only play playwright to have won four Pulitzer Prizes–the last awarded posthumously for Long Day’s Journey Into Night–and the only American playwright ever to have won a Nobel prize.

Jim Sorensen portrays O’Neill and his passions: for his second wife, Agnes (Natalie Symons), and third wife, Carlotta (Jeni Bond), both of whom he expected to serve his ultimate passion, to be “an artist or nothing.” The result is a triangular conflict in which the women fight for his attention and against his readiness to discard anything—and anyone—that gets in his way. The play further reveals O’Neill’s restriction that Long Day’s Journey Into Night should not be read until 25 years after his death and never, ever staged—but Carlotta has her own ideas. Ward Smith plays a double role, as Eugene’s brother Jamie and his son, Eugene Jr.

The playwright

Jo Morello has written three plays about Eugene O’Neill, which have won over a dozen awards. In addition, in January the Eugene O’Neill Society named her as its newsletter editor and a board member. A freelance writer as well as playwright, she has recently written articles on O’Neill’s work for American Theatre magazine (December 2011) and the Eugene O’Neill Society Newsletter (November 2011). In addition to the Eugene O’Neill Society, she is a member of the Eugene O’Neill Foundation, Dramatists Guild and the American Association of Community Theatres.

Her O’Neill plays have been presented as productions or staged readings across the country including the Neighborhood Playhouse, NYC; Provincetown Theater, MA (Eugene O’Neill Society’s 6th International Conference); the Old Barn at Tao House, O’Neill’s California home (10th Anniversary presentation, Eugene O’Neill Foundation Playwrights’ Theatre); Banyan Theatre Company, Sarasota; Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Original Short Play Festival, NYC; and publication by eoneill.com.

Morello’s playwriting awards include three individual Artists Fellowships and three Artists Enhancement Grants from Florida’s Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs; the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center Young People’s Drama Project; Choate Rosemary Hall’s Discovery contest; and Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Children’s Theatre competition.

The director

Susan Forbes has worked in the professional theatre for 30 years as an actor, director and dramaturg. Her work has taken her to many theatres including The Muny, Kenley Players, Trinity Repertory Company, Pasadena Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, The Opera Company of the Palm Beaches, The Hangar Theatre and The Irish Classical Theatre. As an educator, she has taught in a variety of environments including Ohio University, the Northwest Children’s Theatre, Wells College and SUNY Empire State College.

During her career, Forbes has worked with such “greats” of stage and screen as David Hyde Pierce, Billy Crystal, Cloris Leachman, Tim Conway, Robby Benson, Stacy Keach, Don Ameche, Hinton Battle and Jodi Benson.

Her directing credits include Stop Kiss, Reckless, Squeeze Box (off-Broadway), Vessels, Homebody/Kabul, Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, An American Daughter, Quilters, A . . . My Name is Alice, Crimes of the Heart, As You Like it, Durang/Durang, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, No Exit, The 15- Minute Hamlet, Nunsense, The Club, Cloud Nine, Top Girls, The Yellow Wallpaper, I Stand Before You Naked, Godspell and many others.

For further information, contact jo@jomorello.com or visit http://jomorello.com/1202reading.html or jomorello.com/playwright.php.

Dr. Remmer received his medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, FL, and performed his internship and residency in family practice at the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in Tallahassee, FL.  He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Florida Academy of Family Physicians, and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. Dr. Remmer is board-certified in family medicine.

Watson Clinic XpressCare at Lakeland Highlands is located on the corner of Lakeland Highlands Road and County Road 540A in South Lakeland, and provides prompt, convenient care for patients ages 2 and up.  The facility welcomes current Watson Clinic patients on a walk-in basis, as well as non-Clinic patients.  XpressCare at Lakeland Highlands is open Monday-Friday from 8 am to 8 pm, Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm, and Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm.  No appointment is required, and an on-site lab drawing station and x-ray services are available for timely service and results.  For more information, please visit www.WatsonClinic.com or call 863-393-9472.

About Watson Clinic LLP:  As one of the largest multispecialty medical clinics in the southeast, Watson Clinic provides comprehensive healthcare services to residents of Lakeland and surrounding communities.  First established in 1941, Watson Clinic has grown to include over 200 board-certified physicians representing over 40 medical and surgical specialties.  The Clinic continues the legacy of improving the delivery of health care at the Main Clinic, 1600 Lakeland Hills Boulevard in Lakeland, as well as at 16 other convenient locations in Polk, Pasco and Hillsborough counties. More information is available at:  www.WatsonClinic.com.

LAKELAND, FL- On March 10^th, 2012, Lakeland area young people ages 8-17 will have the opportunity to take to the skies as Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) hosts a Young Eagles Flight Rally at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport.

The rally is part of the EAA Young Eagles Program, created to interest young people in aviation.  Since the program was launched in1992, Volunteer EAA pilots have flown more than 1.6 million young people who reside in more than 90 countries.

“Free airplane rides are just part of the Flight Rally,” said Sal Capra, spokesman for the event. “We hope to build one-on-one relationship between pilots and young people, giving a new generation a chance to learn more about the possibilities that exist in the world of aviation.”

Pilots at the event will also explain more about their airplanes allowing young people to discover how airplanes work and how pilots ensure safety is the prime concern before every flight.

Following the flight, each child will receive a certificate making them an official Young Eagle. Their name will then be entered into the “World’s Largest Logbook,” which is on permanent display at the EAA Air Adventure Museum in Oshkosh, WI.

Those attending the flight rally on March 10^th are asked to come to the hangar west of the blue roofed airport terminal, 3480 Airfield Dr West, Lakeland, FL. 33811 and look for event signage. The event begins at 9:00 a.m. and will conclude by early afternoon  (2pm). For more information, please call Sal Capra: 863.206.3991.

Special thanks go to the local pilots, the staff of Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and to Columbia Air Services for their help and sponsorship.

The program is run by a committee of employees who pick out a book each moth that is motivational or specially focused on a theme appropriate to their business.  The company then purchases and distributes the books to all the employees to keep as a gift.  If the employee reads the book, with in the month timeframe, then they receive a $50.00 bonus.

“The goal of the program is in the name, to Make People Better, better employees, better husbands, better wives, better fathers, and better mothers,” said Robert Kantor, CEO.  “It’s just one thing we have in place to improve our company culture, build a positive workplace and create overall happiness for our employees.”

The Making People Better office reading program has been in place several months.  Books read include Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh, The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn, and The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Suncoast Coffee Service and Vending is not participating in the recession and also offers their employees a free employee healthy lunch program, family retreats, and a variety of educational  and volunteer opportunities.

Visit www.coffeeserviceandvending.com or call 855-LUV-JAVA for more information on Suncoast Coffee Service and Vending.

###

Sat., 3/10
Amor de Tango, Argentine Dance & Music
An evening of tango where seductive, sensual dance and music join to present the passionate love story told by six international dancers, a quartet and vocalist. (VIP ticket includes post-show dance party with the cast in the Side Door Cabaret).
7:30 p.m.

Thu., 3/22
An Evening with Broadway’s “Belle,” Susan Egan
Susan Egan has traversed all four corners of the entertainment industry, making powerful impressions in theatre, film, television and music. She headlined on Broadway as Thoroughly Modern Millie, won critical acclaim as Broadway’s (longest-running) “Sally Bowles” in Cabaret, starred in Triumph of Love and State Fair, and received Tony Award and Drama Desk nominations for Best Actress as the original “Belle” in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. She’s been seen on film in 13 Going on 30, Gotta Kick It Up, countless independents and voiced the animated characters of “Meg” in Disney’s Hercules, and “Lin” in the Academy Award-winning Spirited Away, among others. She spent two seasons on WB’s Nikki and guest-starred on HOUSE, NUMB3RS, NYPD Blue, Arli$$, Drew Carey, Party of Five, Great Performances, and more.  Egan sings with symphonies worldwide, has over 40 recording credits including five solo CDs, and was named Best Vocalist of the Year by TalkinBroadway.com.
7:30 p.m.

3/24-25
Cirque des Voix: Circus Sarasota & Key Chorale, Magic in Tampa Bay
Blending the sublime beauty of the human voice with the graceful strength of the human body, Cirque des Voix will take you on a journey that celebrates the grace and thrills of the world’s greatest circus performers with stunning choral music from renowned composers like John Williams, Beethoven, Orff, Jenkins & Morricone. A production of Sarasota’s acclaimed Circus Sarasota, Cirque Orchestra, Key Chorale and Young Voices.  Co-artistic directors Pedro Reis and Joseph Caulkins.
3/24, Sat – 8 p.m.
3/25, Sun – 4 p.m.

Sat., 3/31
Great Guitars of Jazz: Bucky Pizzarelli, Graham Dechter, Nate Najar
Three acclaimed jazz guitarists plus an all-star band come together for the first time in Tampa Bay on the Palladium’s acoustically perfect mainstage – the legendary Bucky Pizzarelli, Los Angeles favorite Graham Dechter, and St. Petersburg’s own Nate Najar, plus Washington, D.C.’s Chuck Redd, on drums and Nikki Parrott, the New York City bassist and singer. Only Tampa Bay performance.
8 p.m.

Also Coming in March!

3/2, 4, 6
Saint-Saëns’ Samson & Dalila
Presented by the St. Petersburg Opera, under the direction of Mark Sforzini.
Fri., 3/2, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 3/4, 2 p.m.; Tues., 3/6 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM St. Petersburg Opera, www.stpeteopera.org , (727) 823-2040

Fri., 3/9
Paul McKenna Band, Side Door Celtic
Presented by Caberfeidh Productions
The Paul McKenna Band, winners of the 2009 Scots Trad Music Award for Best Up and Coming Act, have included the Palladium on their U.S. tour.  Living Tradition calls The Paul McKenna Band “The best band of their generation.
8 p.m.

Sun., 3/11
Common Ground, Side Door Jazz
Presented by Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association
Common Ground was the house band at the Hurricane on St. Petersburg Beach, five nights a week from 1986 to the mid-1990s. This all-star reunion of the Tampa Bay area’s top jazz musicians will be a concert not to miss!  Featuring David Moss, sax/flute; Richard Drexler, piano; Mark Neuenschwander, bass; and David Hardman, drums.
3 p.m.

Wed., 3/14
ENCORE 12! Continues
St. Petersburg Opera Chamber Ensemble
Works by Corelli, Puccini, Snell, Mozart, Chabrier, Sforzini. Sarah Shellman, violin; Fred Gratta, cello; Brent Douglas, piano; Mark Sforzini, bassoon; Clay Ellerbroek, flute; Stephanie Sager, soprano.
7:30 p.m., post show reception with the artists

Fri., 3/16
A Wonderful Guy – the Songs of Richard Rogers
Presented by St. Petersburg College Musical Theatre Workshop
Celebrate 60 years of Broadway with the students of St. Petersburg College’s Musical Theatre Workshop. You’ll hear the jazzy hits of Rodgers & Hart (I Could Write a Book, Thou Swell, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered) and the heart-felt songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein (O What A Beautfiul Morning, Hello Young Lovers, Climb Ev’ry Mountain) performed by the some of the Bay area’s best & brightest vocal talent!
7:30 p.m.

Sat., 3/17
Jazz Songbirds, Denise Moore and Theo Valentin, Side Door Jazz
Honoring Women’s History Month, jazz songbirds -Denise Moore and Theo Valentine pay tribute to some of their favorite female jazz artists. Denise will sing tunes by Diane Shuur & Etta James and Theo will represent Billie Holiday and Phyliss Hyman . The band features Billy Marcus, piano, Stephen Bucholtz, drums, and Alejando Arenas, bass.
8 p.m.

Wed., 3/21
Jazz Evening for Nepal, Side Door Jazz
Supported in part by WUSF Public Media, Adams and Reese LLP, Konica Minolta, Nuance Galleries and The Palladium
Hear great music and help a great cause. Come enjoy an evening with local jazz greats featuring jazz drummer Mark Feinman. The all-star band features Alejandro Arenas, bass; Amanda Gerttula, violin; Denise Moore, vocals; John O’Leary, piano; Jeremy Powell, sax; Rodney Rojas, sax; Austin Vickrey, sax; Dwane White, trumpet; Kevin Wilder, piano.  A portion of the proceeds will support a food program for more than 1,0000 children in Nepal. For more information visit www.GlobalActionCoalition.org.
7:30 p.m.

Wed., 3/28
ENCORE 12! Final Concert in Series
Trio De Minaret
Works by Mozart, Browning, Shostakovich. Lei Liu, violin; Lowell Adams, cello; Grigorios Zamparas, piano, Hein Jung, soprano.
7:30 p.m., post show reception with artists

Fri., 3/30
The Peace Project, Master Chorale of Tampa Bay in Concert
The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, under the direction of Artistic Director, Dr. James K. Bass, will present The PEACE Project, a collage of music that explores different aspects of the human experience tied together with inspirational texts. Repertoire will include classical music by Rachmaninoff, Paulus, & Bernstein as well as gospel and jazz music with guest performers, vocalist, Sharon Scott, saxophonist, Valerie Gillespie, and narrator, Kevin Beckner. Come join the 150-voice Chorale in this exciting and unique concert. You won’t want to miss it!
8 p.m.

April Highlights

Mon., 4/9
Sarasota Pride Comedy Night

Presented by Sarasota Pride, 8 p.m.

4/13-14
Tampa Bay BluesFest After Shows, 10:30 p.m.

Wed., 4/18
Charlie Albright in Concert, Critically Acclaimed Classical Pianist
Final show in Palladium’s Young Concert Artist Series, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., 4/21
A Grand Night for Broadway: Three Men and a Baby…Grand!, 8 p.m.
Three of Broadway’s shining lights, Brian Lane Green, Lee Lessack and John Boswell present their signature collection of lively showtunes and Rat Pack favorites in a spirited performance nominated for Best Revue!
(Tickets available for performance alone, or Gala package which includes: show, pre- and post-show receptions. Gala benefits Friends of the Palladium)

Tues., 4/24
Tampa Bay Symphony presents “Young Artist Winner,” 8 p.m.

Fri., 4/27
The Piano Men, Starring Jim Witter
Celebrating the music of Billy Joel, Elton John, and Music of the ‘70s
8 p.m.

Sat., 4/28
Una Voce: The Florida Men’s Chorale in Concert,
Dwight M. Thomas, artistic director

  ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/spring-swings-at-the-historic-palladium-theater-41311/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/sbdc-at-pinellas-county-business-classes-feb-27-march-2-2012-41307/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/sbdc-at-pinellas-county-business-classes-feb-27-march-2-2012-41307/#comments Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:15:40 +0000 PCSBDC http://madduxpress.com/?p=41307

Business Classes, Feb. 27 – March 2, 2012

Understanding SBA Loans   Feb. 28     12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Does your small business need a loan? Small Business Association (SBA) representatives will walk you through the most relevant SBA programs available to small businesses seeking credit, and how to increase your chances of getting loans. Cost: $10

]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/sbdc-at-pinellas-county-business-classes-feb-27-march-2-2012-41307/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/pier-22-presents-cooking-with-angus-beef-by-executive-chef-greg-campbell-41305/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/pier-22-presents-cooking-with-angus-beef-by-executive-chef-greg-campbell-41305/#comments Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:12:42 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41305 Pier 22 announces a new cooking class: Cooking With Angus Beef on Thursday, February 23, 2012 from 6pm.

Enjoy an up close and personal demonstration by Chef Greg as he guides the class through some of the more difficult beef production techniques as well as through the breakdown of the larger standard cuts of meat. Chef Greg walks through a step by step preparation of: Beef Rillette shredded beef pâté, brie and baguette, White Bean Cassoulet cannellini bean stew with beef bacon, Beef Bourguignon mira poix stewed beef with pot vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes, Filet seared, natural jus, confit potatoes, fried spinach and grilled asparagus, and Key Lime Meringue Pie. The price is $ 29.95 per person (plus tax, tip and beverages) and includes an instructional syllabus and five-course sample of each dish. This is a great class for backyard grill masters or those serving delicate dishes to the finest of friends.

The Cooking With Angus Beef class coincides with Pier 22’s new Butcher Board Menu.  The menu provides a unique quality that no others in the region have been able to replicate.  Pier 22 purchases an entire organically grown, pesticide free Angus beef cow from a local ranch that then processes the meat to the restaurant’s exact specifications.  These are healthy, docile animals that feast on a “gourmet” salad bar of clover, wheat, oat, rye grass, millet and are all USDA certified organic. Pier 22 offers a variety of selected cuts of meats which changes routinely to bring only the best highest quality preparations for you and your guests to enjoy. The Butcher Board Menu is available with the regular Dinner Menu beginning at 5pm daily.

Reservations for the cooking class are required and can be made by calling 941.748.8087.  Pier 22 is located at 1200 First Avenue West, in Downtown Bradenton on the Manatee River. ]]> http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/pier-22-presents-cooking-with-angus-beef-by-executive-chef-greg-campbell-41305/feed/ 0 http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/gary-rose-promoted-to-president-of-fms-purchasing-services-41303/ http://madduxpress.com/index.php/2012/02/18/gary-rose-promoted-to-president-of-fms-purchasing-services-41303/#comments Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:00:14 +0000 Press Release http://madduxpress.com/?p=41303 Tim Gregson Assumes Chairman/CEO Position at Clearwater, FL Company

Clearwater, FL; February 2012 — FMS Purchasing & Services, Inc. of Clearwater, FL (www.FMSPurchasing.com), one of Florida’s “Best 100 Companies to Work For,” has announced the promotion of Gary Rose to President of the industry leading group purchasing organization (GPO).  The announcement was made by Tim Gregson, previous President of FMS, who now moves into the role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Gregson noted that Rose brought a deep reservoir of food service and hospitality industry experience with him, especially the management of large and growth-oriented distribution companies.  That experience has helped FMS continue its stellar growth.  Rose joined FMS in 2008 from U.S. Foods where he was a divisional President.   He has led FMS’ expansion of its customer base by developing new customer relationships in Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New York, Texas and Virginia.  Reporting directly to Rose in his new position will be Vicki Kerley, Vice President of Sales, and Ron Peabody, Vice President of Operations.

In his new role as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gregson will remain actively engaged in supporting the overall scope of business as well as leading FMS’ involvement in the numerous trade and industry associations the company is currently aligned with.

Gary Rose, reacting to Gregson’s announcement, said:  “I am both humbled and very excited about my new responsibilities at FMS.  As a proud employee of this organization, the past couple of years have solidly reinforced my many years of respect for the wonderful culture that Tim Gregson has established here. I look forward to my expanding engagement with our entire base of valued customers and vendor partners alike.  We continue to pursue new opportunities to deliver a service and value proposition that creates mutually beneficial success for all.”

FMS Purchasing & Services, with sales of over $245 Million and 23 years in business, is the largest independent group purchasing organization in the southeast U.S.  It provides substantial procurement savings to a variety of businesses, educational, religious and non-profit organizations.    The FMS GPO program offers its members the opportunity to engage in a variety of value propositions ranging from food service distribution to medical supplies, wireless communications, office supplies, and several other product and service categories.  FMS has been honored for two years in a row (2010, 2011) as one of Florida’s “Best 100 Companies to Work For” by Florida Trend business magazine (http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110727006007/en/FMS-Purchasing-Services-Named-%E2%80%9C2011-Company-Work).

#####

About FMS Purchasing & Services, Inc. It is the largest independently-owned group purchasing organization in the Southeast United States. It has been in business over 22 years.  FMS is endorsed by many professional associations. The company is committed to serving the needs of its customers by saving them money, while providing quality products and service.  They accomplish this by aggregating the purchasing volume of their members and using that leverage to negotiate discounts with manufacturers, distributors and other vendors.
FMS started in 1989 as a small group purchasing program for retirement facilities in south Florida.  The company grew throughout the state of Florida and eventually has expanded throughout much of the United States.  It then expanded its budget-saving programs to the ministry, schools and hospitality fields.

FMS Purchasing & Services’ corporate offices are located in Clearwater, Florida.  It has additional sales representation in Tampa, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Orlando, Sarasota/Ft. Myers, Pensacola and Myrtle Beach, SC.

[Longboat Key, FL – February 2012] Jennifer Wilson, who recently attained her Real Estate Broker’s License for LFL Marina Realty located at Longboat Key Club Moorings, is pleased to announce the completion of a full Beacon WiFi upgrade at the Marina. The WiFi service is complimentary to Marina slip-holders. Available in over 200 locations, Beacon WiFi is the premier provider of wireless high-speed internet access for the Marina community and is currently available in over 200 locations.

As one of the first Marina’s to offer complimentary WiFi service to its slip-holders for the past eight years, Longboat Key Club Moorings continues its tradition of service excellence through upgraded technical systems and new amenities on a continual basis.  The Marina also recently renovated its hot-tub and pool deck area with new tiling.

“I am excited that we have completed the installation of the Beacon WiFi upgrade for our boaters,” said Jennifer Wilson, Yacht Club and Leasing Manger for Longboat Key Club Moorings. “We are a very guest-centric Marina and offer the best boating experience that can be had on the West Coast of Florida. Installing this new system allows for greater wireless quality and improved internet speed for our guests.  That is extremely important to our boaters who arrive looking for a seamless and enjoyable experience once they have docked. We take great pride in continually making improvements for the satisfaction and enjoyment of our guests.”

Spread over 37 acres and offering 291 storm-protected slips, Longboat Key Club Moorings is the largest deep-water resort Marina on Florida’s West Coast, accommodating yachts from 35 to 150 feet.  Located at ICW MM 79.5 by sea, or at 2630 Harbourside Drive, Longboat Key, Florida by land, the Marina offers direct access to Sarasota Bay, the Intracoastal Waterway and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico.

Longboat Key Club Moorings is a Certified Florida Clean Marina, a 2011 Sarasota Herald Tribune “Reader’s Choice Finalist for Best Boatyard and Marina” and is the recipient of ValvTect’s 2011 “Marina of the Year Award”. For more information about Longboat Key Club Moorings and slip rentals or purchase, please contact Jennifer Wilson at jennifer.wilson@longboatkeyclub.com, or by calling (941) 383-8383.  Please visit our website at www.longboatkeymarina.com.

About Longboat Key Club & Resort

Longboat Key Club & Resort is Sarasota’s premier AAA Four-Diamond beachfront resort and private club renowned for its distinctive guest service and unparalleled amenities. Easily accessible from two international airports, the resorts on-site amenities include: championship golf; 25 Har-Tru tennis courts; a state-of-the-art Fitness Centre; Island House Spa offering over 50 services; six unique restaurants; a 291 slip deep-water marina; and a private white sand beach. Located at 220 Sands Pointe Road, Longboat Key, Florida, reservations can be made by calling (941) 383-8821, (800) 237-8821 or by contacting us online at www.longboatkeyclub.com.

Dill Air Force Base attended the event, in addition to the Mayor of Tampa and a number of Tampa Bay’s top business leaders.

Fintech, the leading provider of electronic data and payments for alcohol purchases, thought it would be only natural to sponsor all cocktails for the attending military personnel as a way to show our appreciation for everything they do in our community as well as for our country.

“Being a veteran, I can really appreciate the stress and hardship military personnel and their families endure during wartime and I consider it a privilege to be able to give back in any way possible” said Scott Riley, CEO of Fintech.

Keynote speaker Colonel David W. Sutherland offered his vision for the “Sea of Goodwill,” a groundswell of support engulfing our service-members as they return home.

Fintech is honored to show our support for the men and women who defend our country.

Fintech, located in Tampa, Florida, is an electronic data and payment solutions company which allows alcohol distributors to be paid electronically by their retailers, as opposed to cash, check or money order. Fintech now serves over 230,000 relationships in all 50 states.

For more information on Fintech, please visit www.fintech.net
Media Contact: Alexandra Sherwood – asherwood@fintech.net – 1.800.572.0854 ext. 267

This weekend, a very special welcome home is planned.

Airport employees and community members will greet Corporal Mike Nicholson with bagpipers, an honor guard and flag waving friends and supporters on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 1:45 p.m. in the main terminal near the Airside F shuttle.

Cpl. Nicholson, 22, is the son of John Nicholson, who has worked for 13 years in Tampa International Airport’s Planning and Development department.

Cpl. Nicholson lost both legs and his left arm while on combat foot patrol in Afghanistan in July when a hidden explosive went off. He has endured 23 surgeries, but is making an extraordinary recovery, learning to walk again with the help of prosthetics. His mother, Mary, has been with her son in Bethesda, where he has been recovering at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. His father has traveled frequently to Bethesda to be with them.

“All of our service men and women deserve to be recognized as heroes,” said Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano. “But this young man has a special place in the hearts of our airport family.”

A motorcade that will include the Patriot Guard Riders, Tampa police officers and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies will lead Cpl. Nicholson from the airport, down Bayshore Boulevard and then to Christ the King Church for a ceremony.

LECANTO, FL, February 2012 — Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority representing Citrus, Hernando, Marion and Sumter counties announced two new Board members:  City of Ocala Councilman John McLeod, replacing Councilman John Priester; and Marion County Commissioner Charlie Stone, replacing Commissioner Mike Amsden. The Board began preparing for the selection and hiring of a new executive director by approving a job description and a process for advertising, screening and presenting candidates for Board interviews and selection.  Advertisements will run in regional newspapers, the Florida Administrative Weekly, and the Authority’s website at www.wrwsa.org. Applicants will have until close of business on March 30th to apply. Mr. Jack Sullivan will be retiring later this year after managing the Authority over the past 30 years as a consultant through an annual services contract.  Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, Ron Basso, P.G. presented the Authority Board an update on the North Sumter County Data Collection program, a joint project between the District, the Authority and The Villages of Sumter County. Mr. Basso explained that the program is intended to gather sufficient data for refining necessary groundwater availability modeling in the region. Mr. Basso was very pleased to report that, “with one remaining test well yet to be completed, the program is coming in well-under the projected total cost of $100,000.” The Authority’s next meeting will be March 21, 2012 at 4:30 p.m., in the Lecanto Government Building, Room 166, 3600 Sovereign Path, Lecanto, Florida 34461.

Chuck has been a member of BICSI since 1992   He is a past Board member and currently serves on several committees to include:  Codes; Membership; Speakers Bureau; and Marketing.  Chuck is a credentialed RCDD. A BICSI RCDD has successfully completed and passed an extensive exam on the fundamentals of telecommunications distribution design.  All RCDD’s have a minimum of 5 years of distribution design experience.

Chuck will be speaking In May in Tampa for the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).

###

Wilson Technology Group, Inc.) is a Florida Certified Electrical Specialty Contractor (ES12000217) specializing in managed network services and  a wide range of IT and telecommunications products, sales, and service for  all size businesses:  small, medium and large.  Wilson Technology Group also provides  consulting and design, project management and quality assurance. For more information, call 352-796-9891 or go to the web site:  www.wilsontechgroup.com.

                  24332 Dorsey Smith Rd., Brooksville, FL  34601

www.wilsontechgroup.com

• March 8 – Taking care of asthma and COPD, and other lung conditions…the right way.
• March 22 – Diabetes mellitus is a serious condition:  Let’s do better now and we will worry less tomorrow.

Both lectures will be held at 5:15PM at Access Healthcare’s main office at 5350 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606 and will be conducted by Maria Scunziano-Singh, MD.

Dr. Maria is board certified in internal medicine and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. She earned her medical degree from New York Medical College and completed her residency training at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. During her education Dr. Scunziano received the Joan M. Liman, MD Award (for Allied health professional entering the field of medicine) and the Enrico Fermi Scholarship/Certificate of Merit.

Dr. Maria’s practice focuses on combining traditional medicine with holistic treatments to maximize patients’ healthcare and nutrition. She is passionate about health, and enjoys educating patients about health matters. She practices at Access Healthcare LLC’s primary location at 5350 Spring Hill Drive.

For more information about additional lectures for the future and to register for one of her lectures call 352-688-8116 or register online at www.AccessHealthcareLLC.net, click on calendar of events.

About Access Healthcare

Access Healthcare, LLC is a multiservice medical practice consisting of over 95 healthcare providers, almost 500 employees in over 50 locations throughout Florida. Our healthcare professionals provide a wide range of services not only in our offices but within patients’ homes. Yes, we make house calls.

Our medical services include:

• Blood draws
• Holter monitor
• Physical therapy and rehab
• Vascular study
• Nuclear stress testing
• Echocardiogram/EKG
• Carotid Dopplers
• Venous Dopplers
• Arterial Doppler
• Ultrasound
• Bone density testing
• Pulmonary function testing
• Anodyne treatment
• Treatment of injuries resulting from Automobile Accidents including soft tissue injuries

Access Healthcare LLC’s main office is located 5350 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606. For more information call 352-688-8116 or go to www.AccessHealthcareLLC.NET.

The nine participating local artists for the CSA Tampa Bay 2012 season are: Natty Moss Bond, Nancy Cervenka, Cheryl Ann Day-Swallow, Davey Gilles, Vince Kral, Pamela Rubenstein, Richard Seidel, James Swallow, and Nick Toebaas. These artists for CSA Tampa Bay’s first season were chosen yesterday through a juried process, by which the following art luminaries reviewed each and every submission: Bob Devin Jones, Director of Studio@620; Gail Eggeman, Saturday Morning Market; Emily Gurtman, art advocate and collector.

“Community Supported Art is similar to Community Supported Agriculture that many people would be familiar with,” stated Interim Executive Director Wayne David Atherholt. “The buy local concept has been around for a long time and has gained traction in areas beyond local farms. This program is modeled after both the agricultural model and one involving art in Minnesota,” Atherholt added. Community Supported Art in Minnesota was created by mnartists.org and Springboard for the Arts.

“It is a good way to expose nine artists to fifty potential collectors and each share is only $300 – so you are getting nine pieces of art for that price.”

“Our CSA Tampa Bay project is a win-win for everyone. The artist gets their work in the hands of 50 collectors, the collectors get an amazing bargain, and the Morean gets the privilege of connecting the two,” stated Amanda Cooper, Curator of Exhibitions. “It’s also a great program for first-time collectors and people who want to familiarize themselves with the local arts scene.”

What is Community Supported Art? Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy seasonal food directly from local farms. With the same buy-local spirit in mind, CSA Tampa Bay encourages interested parties to support local art, artists and collectors.

The selected artists will receive a commission to create 50 “shares” for the program. Interested consumers/collectors will purchase a share from the Morean Arts Center and in return receive a “farm box” of locally produced artwork this spring. Featured works will include items such as: a run of screen prints, series of small tea cups, run of photographs, and small original paintings. Each member share will receive one piece from each of the 9 CSA Tampa Bay featured artists. The pick-up evening on May 12th will occur at the Morean Arts Center and will be an event in itself.

The goal of the CSA Tampa Bay program is to support artists and to create an engaged community of local arts supporters and collectors. CSA Tampa Bay supports artists: in the creation of new work, to establish relationships with local collectors and patrons, and to participate in the launch of an exciting new model of art support and distribution. CSA Tampa Bay share member benefits include multiple works of art from local emerging and mid-career artists at a fantastic value! Additionally, CSA Tampa Bay members have the opportunity to develop relationships with the local artists and art community, discover new artists, explore a variety of disciplines and support artists’ careers and a vibrant community.

For more information on CSA Tampa Bay or purchase a share, please contact Guest Services at 727.822.7872.

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The Morean Arts Center, with roots dating back to 1917 as the Art Club of St. Petersburg, focuses on an innovative, community-oriented approach to art and art education. The mission of the Morean Arts Center is to connect people with art and to contribute to the economic development of the region. Operating under the Morean Arts Center includes the Chihuly Collection, Glass Studio & Hot Shop and the Morean Arts Center for Clay.

Third-Annual Event Set for February 25th

Bradenton, Fla. – The Pittsburgh Pirates and Bradenton Marauders will hold their third-annual Pirates Pep Rally on Saturday, February 25. The event will run from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and admission is free.

The Pirates partner with Realize Bradenton to present the Pirates Pep Rally. The event is held on Old Main Street in downtown Bradenton.

The Pep Rally is a recent addition to the Pirates’ long-standing commitment to being an active community partner. Pirate’s players and staff will attend the event. There will be autograph sessions with players. Pirates’ Manager Clint Hurdle and Team President Frank Coonelly will be featured speakers.

Fans of all ages will find enjoyable activities at the Pep Rally. Family games, face-painting, prize giveaways, fantastic food and musical performances are other planned activities. Several community organizations will be represented.

Bradenton has been the Spring Training home of the Pirates since 1969. The Marauders, Pittsburgh’s High-A affiliate, gave Bradenton a Florida State League presence in 2010.

For more information about the Pirates Pep Rally, call 941-747-3031 or visit www.BradentonMarauders.com.

About Danby Products
Founded in 1947, Danby Products is one of North America’s largest household appliance
marketing companies. Danby’s strength is in identifying and developing innovative, quality products at competitive pricing that fit the lifestyles of today’s consumers. The Company’s products are marketed under seven retail names: Danby®, Danby Designer®, Danby Diplomat®, Danby Premiere®, Simplicity® (Canada only) and Danby Silhouette®, as well as private brands for major retail stores. All of Danby’s products meet and exceed all environmental safety standards and offer UL, CSA, NRTL and ETL recognized standards approvals. For more information on Danby and its products, please visit www.danby.com.

About PlusOne Solutions:
PlusOne Solutions (http://www.plusonesolutions.net) is an industry leader in the development and implementation of quality standards-based background screening and compliance management services in support of safe contracting programs for those who provide in-home and on-premise services. Our Safe Contracting Program may consist of a comprehensive criminal background check, nine-panel drug screen, motor record review and adherence to notification requirements as defined by the Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and/or insurance verification. PlusOne is a member of National Association of Professional Background Screeners.

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TAMPA, FL – February  - Veredus, a Tampa FL-headquartered Information Technology staffing company and privately-held firm, today announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Stacy Gramling, was a finalist for CFO of the Year, Tampa Bay, in the Large Company category. Stacy joined Veredus as a Consultant in January 2006 and became the full-time Chief Financial Officer in January 2008. During this time, Gramling has helped the company double in size. This year, Veredus, is forecasting fifty percent growth which would take it to almost $100M in revenue. Gramling was chosen as a finalist out of over 200 nominations.

“We are thrilled that Stacy won this award” said Dan Rodriguez, CEO of Veredus. “She has been instrumental in our company’s success and has implemented a number of systems and processes which have allowed Veredus to create a scalable model . Additionally, a number of Veredus’ clients’ were finalists as well. It is a testament to the types of companies we partner with, as well as the robust business community in Tampa Bay.” Gramling is a CPA with over 20 years of diverse accounting experience.

Veredus was formed in 2000 by a group of staffing professionals who believed that technology and innovation were the keys to a better staffing model. That commitment to innovation and great results is still at work today and demonstrated through its unprecedented growth.

Veredus is based in Tampa, FL but also has offices in Maitland, FL, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Richmond, VA, Miami, FL, Washington, DC, Chicago, IL and Dallas, TX and manages all types of Information Technology staffing. Veredus has been ranked as one of the Best Places to Work in each of the markets it serves as well as one of the Best Staffing Firms to work for in the country.

Veredus can be reached at: (813) 936-7004 in Tampa, (407) 244-244-3641 in Orlando, (404) 846-9392 in Atlanta, (919) 278-2987 in Raleigh, (804) 441-6123 in Richmond, (954) 713-9406 in Miami, (703) 956-2850 in Washington, DC, (312) 854-2860 in Chicago and (214) 347-9250 in Dallas, TX. For more information, visit http://www.vereduscorp.com.

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(Tampa, Fla.) — The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) make the pathway to winning government contracts easy for businesses by bringing buyers from federal, state and local government agencies and prime contractors all in one place. Averaging 400 attendees each year, 2012 marks the silver anniversary of the Government Small Business Conference, which is being held May 2-3, 2012.

“It’s all about knowing where to look and who to go to,” said SBDC/PTAC Procurement Specialist Charlene Bostic. “Selling to the government can be quite lucrative, but businesses need help navigating procedures, which vary from company to company and agency to agency — that’s where we come in.”

The conference takes this premise a step further by offering seminar tracks and round table panels designed specifically for businesses in different stages of the contracting process. Topics include doing business with large corporations and government agencies, writing winning proposals, getting certified and obtaining security clearances. Also presented are subjects that complement business’ efforts in selling to the government, which include exporting, financing and marketing.

The two-day event isn’t only about educating business owners on the procurement process, it also gets them in front of the specific representatives looking to buy their products and services. Plus, the first 10 veteran-owned businesses to register get free conference admittance.

“My company was born through the direct assistance of the SBDC and PTAC,” said Giovanni Suarez, president and owner of a service-disabled, veteran-owned firm — National Information Assurance Corporation (NIACORP). “Their guidance and continued support through their Annual Government Small Business Conference, seminars and consulting allows us to grow, learn, and nurture relationships with industry partners and other business owners.”

In less than seven years, Suarez took NIACORP from a one-man shop to a company with 12 full-time employees and sales near $2 million. Suarez is presenting at this year’s SBDC/PTAC Annual Government Conference to teach business owners how to obtain and maintain federally required security clearances. His company offers security clearance services for small business, which represents an 80 percent savings to the soliciting business as there is no need to pay for a full-time employee with clearances in order to bid on a project.

Date: May 2-3, 2012

Location:  Higgins Hall, 5225 N. Himes Ave. Tampa, FL 33614

Cost:   

• Before April 15: $175
• After April 15:  $225

Registration & Details: http://www.sbdctampabay.com/2012-government-conference

• First 10 veteran-owned businesses to register get free conference admittance.
• Lunch provided with full conference registration.

Previous representatives include: U.S. Special Ops Command, Jabil,
Lockheed Martin, MacDill Air Force Base, Department of Veteran Affairs, General
Dynamics, Raytheon, Harris and City of Tampa Purchasing, just to name a few.

About PTAC: The Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center Program (PTAC) helps Florida businesses understand the government procurement process and provides free consulting services to entities with primary or branch offices in Florida that are seeking to sell their goods/services to federal, state or local governments; this includes assistance with identifying government projects, proposal writing guidance, small business program application assistance (M/WBE, DBE, SDVOSB, 8a, HUBZone) etc. The program is funded in part by the Department of Defense and operates under the umbrella of the SBDC Network.

As a member of the National Association of SBDC Networks and State Designated as Florida’s Principal Provider of Business Assistance, the Florida Small Business Development Center Network serves every county in Fla. The Network is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and partnerships with higher-education institutions, economic development organizations and chambers of commerce.
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The memorandum signing event originated in 2010 with the NEI linking the national association of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) with the Department of Commerce, EX-IM Bank and the Department of Agriculture to provide business owners technical assistance with market research, export financing, foreign governments and documentation compliance.

“We always tell entrepreneurs that no business is too small to go global,” said Small Business Development Center Regional Director and International Trade Specialist Eileen Rodríguez. “This is especially important for our businesses as Florida is the nation’s fourth largest export state and ninety-five percent of its exporters are small and medium-sized companies!”

Young Tampa entrepreneur, Sean Hopwood, understood the numbers behind statistics showing 95 percent of the world’s consumers lie outside the United States. He started Day Translations, Inc. with SBDC assistance four years ago and, now, hit $1.2 million in sales. Before hiring new employees and gaining overseas offices, he completed the SBDC’s six-week International Trade Certificate Program and start-up consulting. As his business grew he needed strategies for Internet marketing, taxes, payroll, HR and financial management. Now, he serves clients from Argentina to Dubai throughout 13 locations.

“It’s not about Tampa competing against Miami or another state— it’s Tampa competing against India and Brazil,” said Sanchez in explaining how we must collaborate in increasing Tampa’s position as a transportation and shipping hub in one of Florida’s fastest growing regions.

Tampa’s role in the NEI is supported by the City and its seven partners including:

• The Tampa Port Authority: Florida’s largest port by cargo tonnage and one of the nation’s largest ports by area.

• The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority: one of Florida’s top five airports in air cargo handling.

• The Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation: a leading promoter of activities to increase foreign direct investment and host and coordinate international trade delegations.

• The Tampa Bay Partnership, Small Business Development Center, University of South Florida, and University of Tampa advance the region and state’s development, implementation, and expansion of export education programs and activities.

Small Business Export Ready Programs:

• Small Business Development Center’s Florida Export Series is a three- part track to get businesses on the path of exporting – offered twice a year.

• Small Business Development Center’s International Trade Certificate Program (ITCP) provides seven modules to teach individuals and businesses how to conduct business on a global level. It’s one of a few NASBITE International accredited trade. assistance programs in the world – and the only one in Florida.

• Small Business Development Center’s no-cost, international trade consulting for beginning and mature companies. The Small Business Development Center also offers consulting in a variety of areas to help current and potential exports with – financing accounting taxes, marketing, web strategy and more.

• Export Marketing Services Are in In partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Enterprise Florida, Inc. and the U.S. Commercial Service, the Florida SBDC Network is excited to announce a scholarship to assist qualified manufacturing small businesses in Florida who are “new-to-export” to identify growth strategies through the development of customized Export Marketing Plans. The cost for preparation of an Export Marketing Plan is $3,000. Qualifying companies are eligible for a $2,500 scholarship, making the cost to your company $500.

The memorandum includes signatures by:

• Francisco Sanchez, Under Secretary, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

• The Honorable Bob Buckhorn, Mayor, City of Tampa

• Sandra Murman, Vice Chair, Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners

• Richard Wainio, Port Director & CEO, Tampa Port Authority

• Joe Lopano, CEO, Hillsborough County Aviation Authority

• Eileen Rodríguez, Regional Director, Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida

• Gordon Gillette, Chair Elect, Executive Committee, Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation

• Stuart Rogel, President and CEO, Tampa Bay Partnership

• Maria Crummett, Ph.D, Associate Vice President for Global Affairs, University of South Florida

• Ron Vaughn, President, University of Tampa

www.SBDCtampabay.com 813.905.5800

2.  TECH TRENDS: Using Web Technology to Close Sales Faster & Easier

3.  The Beach Bistro Hosts the 15^th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade

4.  Applications Now Available for Business Owners Seeking Personalized Coaching from Kauffman Foundation Program

5.  Renowned musicians, The Amernet String Quartet, to perform at De Soto National Memorial

6.  Baltimore Orioles Doing Good For Goodwill Manasota

7.  PRSA Tampa Bay Announces Leadership Team; Membership Mixer Event February 21st

8.  The Armed Forces History Museum Presents A Lecture On The Dade Massacre 

9.  Giving Matters presents its annual “Gems of Philanthropy Luncheon” With Carla A. Harris: “Maximizing the Multiplier Effect of Giving”

10. Biovest to Present on BiovaxID® Personalized Lymphoma Vaccine at San Francisco Cancer Biologics Conference

11. Carlson Studio Marketing Adds Account Manager to Staff

12. Troy University to celebrate 125^th birthday with year of celebration

13. Manatee Economic Development Corporation’s 24^th Annual Hob Nob Bar-B-Que 

14. Top Chef Of The Year Tampa Bay Seeking Chef Applicants/Nominations

15. Springfest Fine Arts and Crafts Festival Features National Artists, Boosts Local Economy

16. New College of Florida Announces Writer-in-Residence Shira Dentz

17. Blue Skye Loan Officers Named Five Star Mortgage Professionals

18. Guy Harvey Outpost Splashes Onto St. Pete Beach

18. Home-Tech Brings High-Tech Approach to Air Conditioning and Appliance Repair

19. Student Exhibit: Opening at the Anna Maria Island Art League 3/2/2012

20. Pending sales spike in January 2012; prices also rise

21. Tampa Theatre to Host 13^th Oscar Night® America – Tampa Bay Party Sunday, February 26, 2012 

22. Stetson, American Bankruptcy Institute present bankruptcy seminar in Tampa in March

23. Colliers International Tampa Bay Wins Leasing Assignment For Premier Office-Hotel Complex In Downtown Tampa

24. Neal’s Woodbrook Continues To Sell Strong – Home Builder’s Newest Community Is A Hit

25. New Bright Life, LLC Honors Founder, George H. Schofield, PhD, As A Revolutionary Speaker For People Over 50

26. Business and Professional Women/St Petersburg-Pinellas Present “Working Women’s Forum 2012: Why do state and federal elections matter to working women?”

27. Palm Harbor Citrus Festival

28. Chamber Honors Service Members at Military Appreciation Banquet

29. Suncoast USSSA Baseball To Host 48 Youth Teams For President’s Day Weekend Tournament

This weekend is a special one for youth baseball and Sarasota County.  Suncoast USSSA Baseball will host 48 youth travel baseball teams from Idaho, Georgia, Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Naples, Ft. Myers, Tampa, Clearwater, Plantation, Sebring and Lakeland who will face local teams from Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties in the USSSA President’s Cup. Of the 48 teams, 37 are staying in Sarasota hotels for the Presidents’ Day holiday weekend, several for three and four nights. Games will be played at Ed Smith Stadium, the Buck O’Neil Baseball Complex and the Central Sarasota County Little League fields at Twin Lakes Park and the Nick Lucas Baseball Complex. All games are open to the public, with admission $6 for a day pass or $10 for a weekend pass.

Suncoast USSSA Baseball has partnered with the Baltimore Orioles to provide some of these youth with the opportunity to play on the main field at Ed Smith Stadium.  This two-day tournament, which starts Saturday, February 18, will feature two All-Girls 13 and under and 14 and under baseball teams playing against the boys in their age divisions. The two girls “Dream Teams” include the very best female baseball players in the United States with players representing 11 different states.

The Orioles have provided Ed Smith Stadium for a series of games on February 18, which begins at 9 a.m. with the 13U Girls Dream Team facing the Sarasota Gap to Gap team. The 14U Dream Team will play the Charlotte Stingrays team at 11:15 a.m. The 14U Dream Team will then face the Florida Rage team at 1:30 p.m. USSSA State Director William Saunders will present the Orioles with a plaque to honor the club as their MLB Partner of the Year and the Dream Team will present the Orioles with a jersey in a ceremony before the 9:00 game.

Another highlight of the two-day tournament is the 11 and under Elite 10 Championship.  The nine top-ranked 11U teams in Florida and the #1 team from Georgia will play games all weekend to determine the best team in the southeastern United States. The local Sarasota Salty Dawgs will face teams from Atlanta, Miami, Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando and Naples.

CONTACT:              Ron Filipkowski                                   Monica Barlow

USSSA Baseball                                   Baltimore Orioles

941-928-0862                                   410-547-6160

Oriole Park at Camden Yards – 333 West Camden Street – Baltimore, MD 21201

1-888-848-BIRD – www.orioles.com