Cynthia Barnett | 4/1/2011

Gainesville/Alachua County

Stepping up to the Plate

ROOKIE PLAYER: Innovation Gainesville — The new collaboration among business, academic and government leaders was established to market the local economy for emerging fields including biotechnology, healthcare and green technologies.

EMERGING STAR: Bren-Tronics Energy Systems — The maker of lithium-ion cells for rechargeable batteries took over an existing battery-manufacturing plant at the Phoenix Commercial Park in Alachua and is undergoing a $10-million upgrade that will help it expand and create 15 jobs.

HEAVY HITTER: Grooveshark — Gainesville online music-sharing company Grooveshark is poised to grow again this year, after a new partnership with internet radio company Livio Radio that aims to get Grooveshark into cars and homes.

Impact Players

Craig T. Davenport

Craig T. Davenport, CEO, Xhale Innovations — The longtime medical-device industry executive and private investment firm manager in Orange County, Calif., recently relocated to Gainesville to become CEO of Xhale Innovations, which has developed a hand-hygiene system for use in hospitals.

Dorrie Hipschman, executive director, Cade Museum —

Dorrie Hipschman

Dorrie Hipschman arrived in Gainesville last year to become executive director of the Cade Museum, after serving for nine years as executive director of The Building for Kids in Appleton, Wis. Hipschman previously was executive director of the Stockton Children's Museum in California and the Platte River Parkway Trust in Wyoming.

John Fleming, president, Trimark Properties — Trimark has developed apartments in Gainesville for years but now is looking to develop office and research sites surrounding Innovation Square.