Banking -- Tim Laney has been promoted to president of Bank of America Florida. Laney, 41, replaces Cathy Bessant, who was promoted to corporate marketing executive after 15 months as president of the bank's Florida operations. Laney was most recently Bank of America's commercial banking executive for Florida. He will remain in Jacksonville. Bessant is moving from Tampa to the bank's headquarters in Charlotte, N.C.
Construction -- Miami-based Coastal Condominiums and Coastal Construction Co. have named Daniel E. Whiteman president of the two companies. Whiteman was most recently executive vice president and replaces Thomas P. Murphy, who will remain chairman and CEO. Coastal Condominiums and Coastal Construction are owned by Miami-based Coastal Construction Group, a construction management company.
Government -- Pete Mitchell has been tapped as Florida director for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson's office. Mitchell, 49, served as chief of staff and deputy state treasurer during most of Nelson's six-year tenure as Florida's treasurer and insurance commissioner. Since 1995, Mitchell has been a governmental affairs consultant for the Tallahassee-based law firm of Pennington, Moore, Wilkinson, Bell and Dunbar.
Healthcare -- Thomas Logan Malone Jr. is the new CEO of Tampa-based Florida Medical Quality Assurance, the state's Medicare peer review organization. Malone, 71, was CEO of Tennessee's Mid-South Foundation for Medical Care. He replaces Mark Michelman, who will remain a clinical coordinator and director.
Media -- Joseph E. Gibbs, co-founder of The Golf Channel, has resigned as president and CEO. Gibbs started the Orlando-based company in 1991 and partnered with golf legend Arnold Palmer to launch the network in 1995. Gibbs is moving on to another venture, Gibbs Investments, an Orlando-based venture capital firm. The Golf Channel has not named a replacement.
Professional Services -- KPMG has promoted George J. Kehl to managing partner at its Tampa office. Kehl, who has been a partner since 1994, replaces Atlee O. Harmon, who is retiring at the end of the month.
New York-based Pricewaterhouse- Coopers named Andrew McAdams office managing partner for its Tampa and Orlando offices. McAdams was most recently head of the company's North Florida Assurance and Business Advisory Services service line. He replaces Ann O'Connell, who will lead the company's Global Human Resource Solutions Group in Atlanta.
Retail -- Delray Beach-based Office Depot has promoted Charles E. Brown to executive vice president and CFO. Brown, 48, was most recently senior vice president of finance and controller. The company had been searching for a CFO since July 2000, when Barry Goldstein retired. Brown joined Office Depot in 1998 as controller.
Michael S. Riley has resigned as chairman of financially struggling Holiday RV Superstores, a Fort Lauderdale-based chain of RV dealers that does business as Recreation USA. Marcus Lemonis, who was recently named CEO, will take over as chairman. The company's CFO, Casey Gunnell, has been appointed to the additional position of president. William Curtis and David Doerge have also resigned as directors. Holiday RV's stock has dropped 70% this year to about $1.26 as of early November.