March 18, 2024

Community Portrait

Sarasota County

| 1/1/2011

Notable Firms & Developments

» Benderson Development — Benderson is one of the Sarasota area’s biggest developers of shopping centers and commercial space, with a particular focus on the University Parkway area along the Sarasota-Manatee county line. The company owns or manages property in 35 states.

» Eco Trans Alliance — Eco-Trans makes solar tops that transform battery-powered electric low-speed vehicles like golf carts and trams into solar-electric vehicles.

Osprey Biotechnics
Osprey Biotechnics

» FCCI Insurance Group — Beginning as a workers’ comp firm, FCCI has expanded into other lines and now has $1.8 billion in assets and does business in 14 states. The firm, No. 45 on Florida Trend’s Top 200 Private Companies list, also has been named one of Trend’s Best Companies to Work For.

» IntegraClick — The privately held firm run by youthful executives offers online marketing services. IntegraClick was named the fifth-fastest growing company in the country by Inc. magazine.

» Ivir — The firm designs medical and military modeling and simulation programs and systems.

» L-3 Communications — The company makes the “black box” (it’s actually orange) flight recorders and other instrumentation.

» Lakewood-Amedex — The startup genetic technology firm specializes in biopharmaceuticals, with applications in “gene silencing” and treating infectious diseases.

» LexJet — The firm designs, makes and markets wide-format inkjet printing equipment. The company’s founders have also started a company, Digital Leather, that does custom digital printing on leather.

METI engineer Pat Vitale
METI engineer Pat Vitale works on a medical simulator. [Photo: Fred Victorin / St. Petersburg Times]

» METI (Medical Education Technologies) — The manufacturer of medical training technology, including patient simulators, has more than 200 employees.

» Osprey Biotechnics — The biotechnology firm makes bacteria used in industrial, environmental and agricultural applications.

» Palmer Ranch — The 10,500-acre master-planned real estate development bears the name of Bertha Palmer, who purchased about 90,000 acres in the early 1900s and was influential in Sarasota’s evolution from fishing village to upscale resort town.

» PGT Industries — The door and window manufacturer had to downsize after the real estate collapse but remains a top employer.

» Robrady Design — The design and product development firm takes ideas from concept to market.

» Schroeder-Manatee Ranch — The 48-square-mile Schroeder-Manatee Ranch property sits on the Manatee-Sarasota county line. The company continues to conduct agricultural operations in Manatee and has developed a master-planned residential development, Lakewood Ranch in Manatee, and commercial property in Sarasota County.

» Star2Star Communications — Makes and markets a business telephone system using voice-over-internet protocol.

» Sun Hydraulics — Sun designs and manufactures hydraulic cartridge valves for industrial uses. The company has facilities in the U.K., Germany, France, Korea, China and India.

» Sunovia Energy Technologies — The company, which develops and markets products in the solar technology and LED lighting markets, recently moved to Sarasota and already has plans to expand.

» Tervis Tumbler — The cup manufacturer has had explosive growth under CEO Laura Spencer.

» Willis A. Smith Construction — The commercial construction and planning company specializes in green building.

» Zenith National Insurance — The workers’ comp insurer does business in 45 states.

Window maker PGT Industries
Window maker PGT Industries

Top 10 Employers

  • Publix 1,602
  • PGT Industries 913
  • Venice Regional Medical Center 830
  • SunTrust Bank 819
  • Sun Hydraulics 640
  • Comcast Cablevision 595
  • Sunset Automotive Group 500
  • Ritz-Carlton of Sarasota 473
  • Goodwill Industries 473
  • Longboat Key Club & Resort 417

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