Consumer Products - Hydron Technologies founder, CEO, President and Treasurer Harvey Tauman, 56, was fired by the company's board of directors. The Boca Raton maker of skin care products lost $2.8 million on sales of $8.1 million in 1996 as it shifted its marketing to infomercials and catalogs. The company's primary marketing tool had been the QVC network [FT, Dec. 1994]. Hydron is conducting a national search for a new leader.
Entertainment - Thomas R. Elrod, 49, resigned as president of marketing and entertainment for Walt Disney Attractions to form his own company, Inspirations Inc. Elrod, a 24-year Disney veteran, launched the popular "I'm Going to Disney World" television ads seen after major sporting events and developed a wide variety of theme park promotions. His new company will develop entertainment, sports and leisure projects.
Finance - The Securities and Exchange Commission's new Southeast regional director in Miami is Randall J. Fons, 35. He replaces Charles Senatore, who moves to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith in New York City as first vice president and assistant general counsel. Fons most recently led SEC enforcement in the Midwest.
Healthcare - Sharon Schur takes over as president of the Tampa Bay Hospital Association, which represents 28 hospitals in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Schur, most recently CEO of TGH-University Psychiatry Center in Tampa, replaces retiring President Willard E. Wisler.
Law - Tallahassee's Municipal Code Corp. hired Rear Admiral H.E. "Rick" Grant as executive vice president and COO. Municipal Code writes codes and ordinances for 2,000 local governments in 49 states and publishes the Florida Administrative Weekly. Grant, 53, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was a naval officer for 31 years. He served from 1994 to 1997 as Judge Advocate General, the Navy's top administrator for legal proceedings involving Navy and Marine personnel.
Lobbying - Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) tapped Mary Ann Stiles, 53, and former Florida Rep. Dale Patchett, 47, to lead the business group's lobbying efforts. Patchett, Republican leader for six years, has been a contract lobbyist for AIF for the past year. Prior to that, he worked as lead lobbyist for the Department of Environmental Protection. Stiles will retain her role as legal counsel to Associated Industries Insurance Company Inc. and its affiliated companies, and regain the title general counsel of AIF, a post she held prior to her work with the insurance division.
Management - Gulf Power's Ernie Conner, 46, was elected president of the Florida Sterling Council, the five-year-old organization that focuses on quality management in the public and private sectors. Conner manages Gulf Power's corporate real estate and quality department. Pam Nichols, vice president of First Union National Bank, was named president-elect of the Sterling Council and Fred Messing, CEO of Baptist Hospital of Miami, is secretary/treasurer.
Real Estate - Former University of Miami football coach Howard Schnellenberger, 61, has a new job selling real estate from the Miami Beach office of Wimbish-Riteway Realtors. He is working with son Timothy and wife Beverlee, a veteran real estate broker. Schnellenberger, who coached UM to a national championship in 1983, resigned in 1995 as head coach at the University of Oklahoma.He also is a football commentator for a weekly radio show on WQAM-AM in Miami.
Transportation - Prominent Orlando attorney Egerton van den Berg, 66, was named executive director of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which sets policy and operates Orlando International and Orlando Executive airports. He replaces Bob Bullock, 44, who resigned after three years. During his career with Foley & Lardner, van den Berg was general counsel to the city of Orlando for 13 years and legal counsel for the two Orlando airports.
Miami's Ryder System promoted Glynis Bryan to vice president and treasurer, replacing John F. Brennan, who recently resigned to work for a new financial services company. Bryan joined Ryder in 1984 and was most recently vice president of finance for Ryder International.