Wednesday's Afternoon Update

Will Short Gorham | 4/4/2012

Florida boasts more than 300 Spanish companies

Spanish firms continue to view South Florida as a key entryway into the US and Latin American markets, boosting the local economy with their investments and creating thousands of jobs. Spain is the country with largest number of companies established in South Florida, said Spanish Trade Commissioner Mario Buisán García. About 60% of the more than 300 Spanish companies in Florida are established in Miami. [Source: Miami Today]

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Wealth Management Sector Portrait Last August, Sabadell United Bank acquired Lydian Private Bank, which had $1.6 billion in assets. For Sabadell United, it was a strategic move to add a wealth management component. By buying Lydian, Sabadell added five offices in new markets in Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Naples and eastern Palm Beach County. » Private Banking: Sabadell Bank & Trust

South Florida workers in denial about health, survey says

Seven out of 10 workers (71 percent) in the Fort Lauderdale-Miami metropolitan area say it's not likely they or a family member will be diagnosed with a serious illness like cancer. And 62 percent of workers located in Miami said they were not likely to be diagnosed with a chronic illness, such as heart disease or diabetes, according to the 2012 Aflac WorkForces Report released Wednesday. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

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Lee County tourism goes digital

Tech-savvy travelers will have more facts on the Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel at their fingertips after Lee County tourism promoters roll out new digital products. See a roundup of the offerings, which should be ready by early summer, at the Fort Myers News-Press.

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National spotlight on Miami as Marlins open ballpark

The dress rehearsals are over. Time, at last, to raise the roof on a colorful new era for baseball in South Florida. The Miami Marlins will hold a gala coming-out party in their $515 million showpiece ballpark Wednesday night for a national television audience on ESPN. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

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The Granary brings alive adage of 'health is wealth'

The building that houses The Granary Whole Foods store in Orange Park was built in 1887 and the towering Hickory tree just behind it has been standing for more than a hundred years. The shop resembles an old country store, with wood barrels and some ceramic crocks used to store grains and produce. But inside the two-story food store, which used to be a house, customers can find the most modern health foods. [Source: Florida Times-Union]

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Out of the Box Office perk? How about a cruise? How did your company show employees its appreciation for a job well done in 2011? A catered buffet lunch in the big conference room? A gift card for a chain restaurant? A night of bowling? How about a three-night cruise to the Bahamas for everyone in the office? Once you've stopped laughing you can weep in envy, because this really happened. After the first of the year, when the rest of us were back at work and memories of the office holiday party had faded, employees of Uproar public relations were boarding a Royal Caribbean cruise ship at Port Canaveral bound for Nassau and Coco Cay. » More from the Orlando Sentinel » Uproar official site

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