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Southwest/Tampa Bay In the News - May 2005
OpenNetwork Technologies, a home-grown technology company, has been acquired by Houston-based BMC Software for $18 million. All 40 OpenNetwork employees are expected to keep their jobs at the Clearwater location.
Fort Myers -- Southwest Florida International Airport had its busiest month ever in January, with a 14% increase in passenger traffic over January 2004. More than 675,000 passengers traveled through the airport in January, surpassing the previous record of 600,000 in
one month.
Manatee County -- Prime Star Legacy Resort is buying the Legacy Golf Club at Lakewood Ranch for an undisclosed price and plans to upgrade the course to an Arnold Palmer signature course and build a boutique-style golf resort, which will be managed by Sonesta Hotels. A bistro, upscale restaurant, European spa and cultural center are also in the plans.
Osprey -- Laura A. Spencer has been tapped as COO of Osprey-based Tervis Tumbler, a new position. Spencer is also CFO of the insulated drinkware maker.
Sarasota -- Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has named Roger Birkel president and CEO. Birkel has 35 years of non-profit experience, including executive positions at the Baltimore Zoo and St. Louis Zoological Park.
St. Petersburg -- David S. Goodman, St. Petersburg's assistant director for development services, has been promoted to economic development director. Goodman replaces longtime Director Ron Barton, who retired to spend more time with his family.
The University of South Florida's St. Petersburg campus may be the first in the world to use a new type of technology to teach a pilot course on autism. The handheld Microsoft Windows' Creative Zen Portable Media Center will allow students to take classes anytime and anywhere. Professor V. Mark Durand, an autism expert, received a $900,000 grant to use the new technology, which is like an iPod with video.
First Advantage Corp. (Nasdaq-FADV), a business solutions provider, has acquired California-based Credit Information Group, the nation's largest data provider, in an all-stock deal worth about $550 million.
Tampa -- Plans for a new Tampa Museum of Art have been scrapped. Trouble with the museum plans climaxed in 2003 when Mayor Pam Iorio delayed ground-breaking, concerned that the city would be stuck paying more than it had agreed to for the 150,000-sq.-ft. museum. The delay increased the cost of construction by $10 million. Museum backers had pledged to Iorio they could raise the extra money but couldn't agree on terms for a bank loan.
The Tampa Bay Conservancy, a new conservation land trust, has dedicated its first nature preserve. The Myron and Helen Gibbons Nature Preserve is just south of Tampa in Riverview, where development is quickly eating up available property. The Gibbons family said they wanted to protect their land from development.
Chris Sullivan, one of the founders of Outback Steakhouse, has stepped down as CEO, handing the reins to Bill Allen, president of west coast concepts. Also, President Paul Avery has been named COO, replacing Bob Basham, another company founder, who will become co-chairman, along with Sullivan.
Delta Air Lines plans to cut 300 to 350 maintenance operations jobs at Tampa International Airport as part of the airline's plans to save $240 million over five years. Some employees will be eligible for other Delta positions around the country.
Tampa Bay -- A recent study by Robert Half Technology indicates that high-tech job hiring in the Tampa Bay area will remain flat over the next year. A poll, which included responses from 100 Bay area chief information officers, showed that 13% of executives plan to increase staff while 11% plan cuts. Seventy-four percent expect no changes in hiring.
Men's Health magazine recently placed St. Petersburg and Tampa among the top five most depressed cities in America -- the only two cities from Florida to make the list, ranking behind Philadelphia and Detroit. The magazine based its ratings on number of suicides, anti-depressant sales and number of days residents reported being depressed. Nearly 1.3-million anti-depressant prescriptions were filled last year in the Bay area.
