Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Wednesday's Afternoon Update

Florida boasts second-highest reduction in unemployed workers

Florida has posted the second-highest reduction in unemployed workers over the past year, according to a new analysis of U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The number of unemployed in the Sunshine State dropped to 795,432 in June 2012, compared to 983,797 unemployed workers in June 2011 – a reduction of 188,365. Florida also ranked fifth for employment gains, adding 70,900 nonfarm jobs over the same time period. More at the South Florida Business Journal.


Wells Fargo to increase Florida presence

Is Wells Fargo & Co. getting too big? Shelley Freeman doesn't think so. Ms. Freeman, regional president for Wells Fargo's Florida Community Bank, said the bank plans to open additional branches and hire about 200 more bankers in Florida over the next year. More at Miami Today.


Space Coast brightens on jobs increase

CEO Sounding Board

What trends are you seeing in hiring and what’s happening with employment costs?

Floridian
CEO Frank Crum tells us:

"We see a strong trend in hiring. It was up last year by over 10%, and it’s up so far this year about 10%. The sectors I see the strongest are the service sectors like restaurant and hotels."

» Read more from Crum and other Florida CEOs.

A year after the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shut down the shuttle program, eliminating at least 7,000 contractor jobs in the area, the employment outlook is improving. Joblessness in central Florida’s eastern coast was 9.4 percent in June, down from 11.7 percent in August 2011, the month after the last shuttle launch. More at Bloomberg Businessweek.


New Florida group promoting natural gas vehicles

Fifteen companies are banding together to promote the use of natural gas-powered vehicles in Florida and seek incentives from the state. The Florida Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition touts natural gas as a clean, efficient alternative to gasoline and diesel. More at the Associated Press.


Tropicana to lay off workers at Bradenton facility

Tropicana will lay off about a dozen workers at its Bradenton facility by the end of the month for cost savings, a company spokesman said. The juice giant has seen its sales squeezed by the recession as consumers turn to more value-oriented brands, a trend that has Tropicana unveiling new-look bottles and marketing efforts to keep pace. More at the Bradenton Herald.

Profile
Building a fitness empire

PhotoGainesville Health and Fitness owner Joe Cirulli’s lifestyle is action-packed, but he has found that spending more time thinking can lead to a successful business. Cirulli, who recently served as president of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, runs a powerhouse of health and fitness, but he began cultivating his entrepreneurial talents long before the multimillion-dollar center hit its stride.

» Read an interview at the North Central Florida Business Report
» See a 2008 profile of Cirulli in Inc. Magazine.
» Watch Joe Cirulli speak about starting his business: