Florida Trend Exclusive
Florida MBA Standouts

As the economy struggles to rebound, Florida's universities are working harder to attract students to their MBA programs. Schools are adding international components to their programs, including more study abroad, and recruiting international faculty who bring global perspective and business cases to the classroom. Read more...

Rebecca Menditto juggles a full-time job, extracurricular activities and MBA courses at the University of North Florida. [Photo: Will Dickey]

---

Jackson committee approves mass layoffs

A committee of Jackson Health Systems’ governing board approved executives’ plan to “right-size the organization” by cutting 1,117 jobs. The committee’s approval is intended to make it harder for county commissioners to stop mass layoffs at Miami-Dade’s public hospitals. [Source: Miami Herald]

---

Florida counties call on Gov. Scott to veto controversial Medicaid reimbursement bill

County governments across Florida are really mad over legislation that they say creates the worst type of government. State lawmakers passed a controversial bill that would shift $300 million in disputed Medicaid bills to counties. Currently, those bills are paid with revenue sharing cash from the state. But now Florida wants to take some of that money to cover the backlogged bills. [Source: WTSP]

---

Florida Supreme Court will hear university tuition dispute

The Florida Supreme Court will decide who can set tuition and fees at state universities. The justices unanimously agreed Thursday to take an appeal of a lower court's decision. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled the Legislature rather than Board of Governors has tuition- and fee-setting authority. [Source: AP]

---

Legislature shifts power to governor's office

Thanks to the Legislature, Gov. Rick Scott has a little more power. More power to supervise agency rulemaking. More power to remove members of local jobs agencies. More power to dish out millions of dollars to help businesses relocate to Florida. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

---

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› 2 Jacksonville businessmen hope products get boost from Walmart contest [Florida Times-Union]
Lean and Mean Ice Cream and Veterans Farm Datil Salt are part of Walmart’s new Get on the Shelf competition. More than 4,000 companies have entered, posting videos of their products on Walmart’s webpage, Getontheshelf.com. Viewers can vote for their favorites, but Walmart’s a little vague on what happens then.

› Gorilla Theatre sets a course for a new future [Tampa Tribune]
The Gorilla Theatre may have closed its doors in Tampa two months ago, but the company is still alive and kicking. Founder Aubrey Hampton's death in 2010 left the theater in the dark about its future. But Sandy Locher, the Gorilla's Board of Directors president, said the upheaval has encouraged supporters to dig in their heels.

› Gainesville Commission approves incentive program for businesses [Gainesville Sun]
On Thursday, Gainesville city commissioners established two incentive programs intended to entice high-tech companies to locate in one of the city's four community redevelopment areas. Both incentives would come from the property tax revenues generated in a CRA.

› Trump goes bottom-fishing for golf courses [Businessweek]
Investors from Donald Trump to luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers Inc. are wagering there’s money to be made buying golf courses after a building boom fueled by Tiger Woods’s popularity led to a glut.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Florida attorney general fires chief of Medicaid fraud investigations [Times/Herald]
State Attorney General Pam Bondi demoted the head of her Medicaid fraud investigative unit and fired another top staffer this week, citing reports of poor leadership and employee discontent.

› Lending group sues Smith Advertising [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Smith Advertising & Associates Inc., already being probed by federal investigators over an alleged check-kiting scheme, is being sued by a jilted creditor. The lawsuit by Sarasota's Receivable Management Funding LLC -- or RMF -- alleges that Smith principals Gary T. Smith and his son, G. Todd Smith, engaged in fraud and misrepresentation in convincing the investment group to provide more than $17 million to the firm.

› Workforce draft audit finds agency lacked financial controls [Orlando Sentinel]
A draft audit of Workforce Central Florida has found that the agency — under its previous management — lacked required financial controls and systems to ensure the agency followed state and federal rules. The audit identified 17 separate problems, some serious, some relatively minor paperwork issues.

› Shark Tank’s Daymond John to headline entrepreneur event [Miami Herald]
The FundingPost, an organization that aims to bring entrepreneurs and investors together with nationwide events, is holding a Miami VC and Angel Event on March 22. This event will focus on early-stage venture Investing, exploring how to meet and pitch investors effectively.

› Florida's First Statewide Tattoo Regulations Take Effect [WCTV]
Statewide standards for the tattoo industry are beginning to take effect in Florida, thanks to legislation passed by State Senator Eleanor Sobel (D-Hollywood) in 2010. Tattoo artists will have six months to obtain a license, which requires mandatory testing, hygiene standards, and instruction in the prevention of communicable diseases. The bill also allows for state inspection of tattoo parlors and provides that licenses must be renewed yearly.

?