Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Wednesday's Afternoon Update

Florida banks hit "pivotal point"

Banks in the Sunshine State hit a benchmark on March 31 that they haven’t seen since early 2009. The ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets fell below 5 percent in every region of Florida during the first quarter of 2013, according to a report from Monroe Financial Partners Inc. More at the Tampa Bay Business Journal.


A look at the four Cade Prize finalists

From a pool of 81 applicants, four finalists go head to head Thursday night for the fourth annual Cade Museum Prize. The winner will walk away with $50,000 courtesy of the Community Foundation of North Central Florida, $10,000 in free legal services from the firm Edwards Wildman and, past winners say, a shot of credibility that can help woo potential investors and customers. Read more from the Gainesville Sun and see our profile of one of the finalists: Didrick Medical.


Humana hiring 170 more in Tampa Bay

Business Profile

UltraTech

ultratech
UltraTech International co-President Mark Shaw managed to make spill containment sound sexy during a talk he gave at the TED technology conference earlier this year. Shaw was invited to address the conference after a company video — demonstrating how its Ultra-Ever Dry product repels liquids using a nano-particle coating — scored more than 4 million hits on YouTube.

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» UltraTech

Humana is apparently in a healthy internal competition over which of its Tampa Bay operations can grow the fastest. Its latest jobs boost: Humana's NetPark campus in east Tampa is adding 170 call center jobs, primarily telesales positions to market the company's Medicare benefit plans and other products. More at the Tampa Bay Times.


Celebration of Biotechnology to highlight growth, international recognition

Florida’s biotechnology industry continues to boom amid new research discoveries, rounds of funding and collaborative work traversing across the state. Now, Alachua is ready to celebrate its contributions. More at the Gainesville Business Report.


Dolphins owner pledges half his fortune

Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross is getting rid of half of his $4.4 billion fortune — all for the sake of charity. Ross became on Tuesday one of the new nine members to join the Giving Pledge, which is a long-term, global initiative created by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates that aims to inspire deeper engagement in philanthropy and increase charitable giving globally. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Work/Life Balance
Help at home is critical for doctor moms

condoAs women have come up the ranks in the male-dominated field of medicine, they have changed the practice, taken a more nurturing approach to interacting with patients and families and made it more acceptable to openly talk about challenges of many years of schooling, training, a high-stress environment, long and unpredictable hours — and motherhood.

» Full story from the Miami Herald