Helene insurance losses likely in billions
Hurricane Helene could cause $3 billion to $6 billion in private insurance losses and as much as $1 billion in losses in federal flood-insurance and crop-insurance programs, according to an analysis Wednesday by the global reinsurance broker Gallagher Re. The analysis came as Helene is expected Thursday night to slam into North Florida as a major hurricane, after whipping up heavy storm surge in coastal communities as it races through the Gulf of Mexico. More from the News Service of Florida.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Florida energy: A disruptive era
Imagine you’re a local power company, and you have to supply electricity to a population that keeps growing like gangbusters. As the moving vans keep coming, you’re expected to keep pumping out more and more juice. How do you do that? Do you just build a new power plant and string up a bunch of power lines? It turns out it’s a bit more complicated than that. More from Florida Trend.
Disrupting – and digitizing – logistics with Miami startup VendorConnect
Giulio Profumo and the seven-person VendorConnect team have already made a mark on Miami’s logistics scene, and they’re just getting started. As one of just two locally-based startups in this year’s Techstars Miami cohort, VendorConnect stands out not just because of its location, but because of its ambitious goal to transform how small and medium-sized logistics companies manage their operations. More from Refresh Miami.
GRU Authority files for temporary injunction over referendum that could dissolve board
The Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority board on Monday filed an emergency motion for a temporary injunction in an effort to keep the GRU oversight referendum off of the Nov. 5 General Election ballot. The motion notes an expedited hearing is necessary as the Authority believes the referendum language has been sent to the Supervisor of Election's Office for placement on the ballot. More from the Gainesville Sun.
Tampa-founded women in tech group launches USF chapter
Since Raechel Canipe founded Women in Tech and Entrepreneurship in late 2022, the organization has continued to expand across the state. WTE has chapters in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale. This week, it's launching another chapter in Gainesville and its first collegiate chapter at the University of South Florida. "We've supported over 5,000 women across 80 to 100 events," Canipe said. "At this point, we're starting to lose track. More from Tampa Bay Inno.
Q&A
Bloomin' Brands CEO David Deno reflects on his tenure
David Deno only planned to stay at Bloomin’ Brands Inc. for five years. The outgoing CEO of Bloomin’, the parent company of Outback Steakhouse, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill, joined the company in 2012 as chief financial officer. In 2019, he took the top job at Bloomin’, succeeding former CEO Liz Smith. Deno is currently in a transitional role through the end of the year to help onboard Mike Spanos, who became CEO on Sept. 3.
» More from Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Business Profile
No stopping Largo costume studio
Tucked in the back of a business park, the owners of a new company are hoping the innocuous little costume shop that opened in August will have a big impact on the entertainment industry. Full Stop Costume Studio, which held a Sept. 12 open house, is owned by Nancy Hutson and Chris Nobels, the industry veterans behind Full Stop Productions, a company they founded in 2020 that creates productions for theme parks, cruise lines and arenas around the world.
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