Business leaders concerned by income gap

Income inequality will remain a persistent problem despite brighter prospects for U.S. companies globally, according to an annual survey of Harvard Business School alumni. The wealth disparity alarmed many of the executives, and 45 percent said rising poverty levels could hurt their businesses. The respondents also said they worried about the growing concentration of wealth among a sliver of the population, but weren't sure how to reduce inequality. More from the AP and Fortune.

See also:
» Can profit sharing address income inequality?
» Your turn: Do you find the growing income gap worrisome? (quick poll)

Natural-gas pipeline to Florida draws environmental concerns

Florida environmental group has joined the opposition against a $3 billion natural-gas pipeline that would extend from Alabama through Georgia and into Central Florida. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Your Florida bank teller may be in New Mexico

Banks of all shapes and sizes are changing the way they cater to customer needs, and many of these changes are occurring within the bricks-and-mortar branches. Technology has helped banks reduce, or maintain, the number of staff members physically planted in a branch. [Source: Miami Today]

Did Florida jump the gun on patent reform?

Multiple patent reform bills targeting patent trolls, entities that gather patents to enforce with no intent of commercial use, are currently under debate in Congress, but many states are choosing not to wait. [Source: Daily Business Review]

More Cuban migrants still risk sea crossings

The number of Cuban migrants risking sea crossings to U.S. soil has surpassed last year's tally, even as Havana and Washington have restored diplomatic relations. [Source: NBC Miami]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Florida Supreme Court won't hear teacher performance pay case [WFSU]
The Florida Education Association is disappointed the state Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to the state’s teacher performance pay law. The law more closely ties teacher pay to student test scores, but teachers have argued the way the state calculates student progress is unconstitutional.

› CSX reports difficulties in reaching profit goals for the rest of year [Florida Times-Union]
Jacksonville-based CSX railroad says it will be difficult to hit its profit goals in the second half of the year because coal demand is even weaker than expected.

› Marine industry job fair to grow at this year's Fort Lauderdale boat show [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
With the marine industry on the rise, a bigger job fair is coming this year to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

› UCF among top 15 most innovative schools in U.S. [Orlando Business Journal]
In the latest ranking of U.S. universities, the University of Central Florida is giving Cornell University and even Harvard University a run for their money.

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› Embraer breaks ground on new Titusville facility [Orlando Business Journal]
Embraer’s fourth project in Brevard County is now officially underway. Embraer officials broke ground Wednesday on a new facility for the company’s Aero Seating Technologies division at Spaceport Commerce Park in Titusville.

› Tampa looks to Dublin for economic development strategies [Tampa Bay Times]
Some of Tampa's trade missions over the past four years have been about recruiting new airlines (Lufthansa from Germany, Copa from Panama). Some have been about trying to line up contracts for local manufacturers or supply companies (Chile, Brazil). And some, like the latest one, to Ireland, are about meeting people.

› Citizens insurance-rate hikes approved for 2016 [Orlando Sentinel]
The state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. on Tuesday received approval of rate changes for 2016, with some tweaks that are expected to spread additional costs to policyholders in coastal areas.

› Fashion designer targets Hialeah manufacturing jobs [Miami Today]
When Rene Ruiz was a child growing up in Cuba among what he describes as a lot of misery, he escaped reality by going to old movies. Today, Rene Ruiz Designs is known in Miami as well as internationally for exquisitely crafted gowns.