Florida to tap $19 million in federal cyber-security money after all

A few hours after Florida's chief elections official Ken Detzner stated there would not be any federal monies coming to help protect elections this fall, Gov. Rick Scott issued an order directing the Florida Department of State (DOS) to draw down $19 million in federal funding. The money, which would be used to further enhance cybersecurity, was part a federal spending bill signed earlier this year. The bill included $380 million for states to harden their election systems against the ongoing threats of cyber-attacks before the 2018 election. See the news release here.

St. Petersburg’s Jabil expands in Israel with new innovation center

St. Petersburg-based contract electronics company Jabil announced Wednesday it has expanded in Israel by opening an Optics Technology Innovation Center. The 2,000-sqaure-foot complex is in Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Pratt & Whitney to add 215 jobs in $100 million Palm Beach County expansion

Jet engine developer Pratt & Whitney said Wednesday it would add 215 jobs by 2020 in a $100 million expansion at its campus in northwestern Palm Beach County. The new investment will support the expansion of the campus and new equipment needed for manufacturing, engineering, and the development of new technologies. See annnouncements from Pratt & Whitney or Gov. Rick Scott. and read more at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Top Florida banker’s push for regulatory relief pays off

The chair of the Florida Bankers Association is cheering Congressional passage of a bill that rolls back some of the banking regulations enacted in the wake of the financial crisis a decade ago. Bankers have said the Dodd-Frank restrictions meant they had to hire more compliance officers to ensure they were following the law. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

The evolution of Spirit Airlines

Spirit built its business by competing on price. It breaks down ticket prices and charges extra for all kinds of things traditional airlines include -- like printing boarding passes and on-board snacks. The strategy has helped Spirit to have one of the highest profit margins among U.S. airlines. More from WLRN.