INNOVATION

Women in Construction

To encourage women to seek jobs in the construction sector, Hillsborough Community College’s SouthShore campus, the Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women and the non-profit group Enterprising Latinas are partnering to offer a free workforce training program for low-to-moderate-income women living in south Hillsborough County. During the 15-week Women Building Futures program, the women will learn carpentry, drywall, painting, masonry, flooring and construction administration — and will earn certifications from both the National Center for Construction Education and Research and from OSHA.

“With all of the housing developments being built in (southern Hillsborough), this is the time for women in our region to create their own story of success in the construction industry,” says Enterprising Latinas CEO Liz Gutierrez.

According to the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Forecasting, construction is the Tampa area’s fastest-growing job sector, with the number of jobs growing about 4% a year.

AGRICULTURE

• Tampa-based Lykes Bros. has a new CEO: Johnnie P. James Jr. He replaces Charlie P. Lykes, who retired after 46 years. Lykes Bros. owns 610,000 acres in Florida and Texas.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• The Tampa Bay Wave business incubator and the Nielsen Foundation have created the 2019 Wave TechDiversity Accelerator Program, a national effort to help minority-operated startups. Florida’s lone company among the 11 is ClienTell, a Tampa company that enables contractors to rate their customers via a mobile app. To qualify for the assistance, the startups must be owned or operated by a minority, woman, veteran, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person.
• Mario Iezzoni, 62, has stepped down as New Port Richey’s economic development director, a job he had held since 2013.

GOVERNMENT

• The North Port City Commission approved an ordinance allowing food trucks to operate in the city.
• Gina Grimes is Tampa’s new city attorney, replacing Sal Territo, who will remain with the city’s legal department. Grimes is a shareholder at the Hill, Ward and Henderson law firm in Tampa.

HEALTH CARE

• Elaine C. Thompson announced she’ll retire next year as president and CEO of Lakeland Regional Health. She’ll be replaced by Danielle Drummond, the hospital system’s executive vice president and COO. Baycare appointed Brandon May president of Morton Plant North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey. He replaces Sarah Naumowich, who will become president of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa.

MANUFACTURING

• St. Petersburg’s Jabil, a maker of electronics, data centers, medical devices and other high-tech products, has expanded into the sustainable-packaging market. The company says the packaging will be made from biodegradable and compostable materials.

NON-PROFITS

• Bernice Chu resigned as director of St. Petersburg’s Tom and Mary James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art to establish the International African American Museum in Charleston, S.C.
• Suzanne McCormick, president and CEO of Tampa-based United Way Suncoast since 2014, resigned to become U.S. president of United Way Worldwide, based in Virginia.

REAL ESTATE

• A 660-unit apartment complex called Brandon Town Center is planned for a 55-acre site near the Westfield Brandon mall in Hillsborough County. DR Horton plans to build a development in Pasco County’s Wesley Chapel that will include 366 apartments and 72 townhomes.
• An 11-story, 140- room Marriott-managed hotel is planned for St. Petersburg’s Edge District, just west of downtown.

SPORTS BUSINESS

• The saga over where the Tampa Bay Rays will play in the future has become more convoluted, with the Rays proposing that the team split its home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal starting in 2024. St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman rejected the idea. The Rays are under contract to play at Tropicana Field through 2027.

ENTERTAINMENT

• Merlin Entertainment, a British company that owns Winter Haven’s Legoland and other theme parks, has been sold to an investment group that includes Blackstone, a previous Legoland owner.

TRANSPORTATION

• Sarasota Bradenton International Airport set a record in May with 161,435 passengers.
• Sun Country Airlines has started nonstop service between Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers and Mississippi’s Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport.
• Brian McGonagle is division director of administration at the Lee County Port Authority. He had been the authority’s director of finance.

WORKFORCE

• AJ’s Power Source, which supplies equipment to the Department of Defense and other government agencies, plans to add 20 jobs and expand its Pasco County facility.

 

Read more in Florida Trend's September issue.

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