Inside this Week’s Member Highlights
Member News
- Absolute Mobile Solutions Makes it Easier for Customers to Learn About AstraCare’s Services with Revamped Website
- Share Your Thoughts with HART
- The Iron Yard is Offering Scholarships
- JLL Completes Lease Renewal with Centre Club at One Urban Centre in Tampa
- NorthStar Bank is Pleased to Announce its New Loan Production Office in St. Petersburg
Member Events
- July 24: Brazil-Florida Business Council Boat Tour and Happy Hour
- July 24: Demo Day at The Iron Yard
New Hires & Promotions
- OAI Announces New Director of Sales for South Florida Market
- Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs Welcomes Gabe Crook and Trevor Godfrey
- Monica B. Mason Joins Trenam Kemker’s St. Petersburg Office
Member Accolades
- Adams and Reese Tampa Partner Appointed Chair of the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar’s Bankruptcy/UCC Committee
- Six Allen Dell Attorneys Named Super Lawyers; One attorney Named Rising Star
- Three Bayshore Solutions Websites Are 2015 “Stevie” American Business Award Winners
- Calhoun International Celebrates 10th Anniversary
- Florida Trend Names Hill Ward Henderson Attorneys to Hall Of Fame, Legal Elite and Up & Comers; HWH Cited by Chambers USA 2015
- Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen Attorneys Recognized as 2015 Florida Super Lawyers
- Thompson, Sizemore, Gonzalez & Hearing Attorneys Recognized by Chambers USA; Attorney Receives Florida Bar President’s Award of Merit
Member News
Absolute Mobile Solutions Makes it Easier for Customers to Learn About AstraCare’s Services with Revamped Website
AstraCare, a home health care services company, prides themselves on providing exceptional care to those in need. While AstraCare’s ability to provide comfort to people needing home healthcare and peace of mind to their families is demonstrated through countless thank you letters, they needed to expand the number of people who know about their services. They also needed a website that made it easier for potential clients to locate pertinent information and file insurance claims. AstraCare recently added exciting new services, including pet-assisted therapy, and needed a way to showcase them.
To aid them in this initiative, AstraCare partnered with Absolute Mobile Solutions, a Tampa digital marketing agency that specializes in responsive website design and digital marketing strategy, to produce a responsive website that features a bright, easy-to-navigate interface and an enhanced ability to schedule consultations. The new site also features clear information for consumers making insurance claims and a profile of AstraCare’s new therapy dog, Bentley.
AstraCare specializes in home health care for seniors, people recovering from surgery and the disabled or frail who prefer to live in their own homes rather than relocate to an assisted living facility or a nursing home. AstraCare strives to create an experience that’s comfortable for clients and worry-free for their families.
“It’s our great pleasure to work with outstanding companies like AstraCare that have such a positive impact in the lives of those in need,” said Alfred Goldberg, president of Absolute Mobile Solutions. “It’s our hope that the new website will allow people to easily find pertinent information and learn about AstraCare’s services via the site.”
“I’d like to thank Absolute Mobile Solutions for working so diligently to produce a beautiful website. I not only appreciate their skill and attention to detail but their ability to capture what we do and represent it in the best possible manner,” said Tanija Constantaras, CEO of AstraCare.
Share Your Thoughts with HART
The Iron Yard is Offering Scholarships
What would you build with a $1,500 scholarship to The Iron Yard?
Bisk Education and the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce are each offering a $1,500 scholarship to our Front End Engineering and Back End Engineering courses starting August 24th, where you can learn web development and build the app of your dreams. Apply now and provide a short 250 word essay explaining what you would build when you graduate from The Iron Yard.
JLL Completes Lease Renewal with Centre Club at One Urban Centre in Tampa
JLL (NYSE: JLL) announces the completion of a 14,139-square-foot lease renewal with Centre Club, a Tampa establishment offering members upscale and casual dining, private dining and meeting rooms and special programming, business and social events at One Urban Centre. The class A office building at 4830 W. Kennedy Blvd. is located in Tampa’s principal business district of Westshore.
Occupying the top floor of the office tower’s parking garage, Centre Club plans to make a significant investment to renovate the dining and meeting space. JLL Vice President Deana Beer represented the landlord, TIAA-CREF, in the transaction, while Brandon Wood and Tim McCune, Vice Presidents at Corporate Realty Advisors, Inc., represented the tenant in the renewal.
“As a cornerstone of the Tampa Bay area, Centre Club is an attractive amenity for tenants in the office building and nearby, as it offers a space for executive dining, private luncheons and a popular spot for networking, making it a valued amenity for the office building and the Westshore business community,” said JLL’s Beer.
The 550,000-square-foot trophy building features a number of on-site amenities including the InterContinental Hotel, Shula’s Steak House, two full-service banks, fitness center, conference center, Illy’s coffee bar and much more. The office building’s premiere location in Florida’s largest suburban office market is within walking distance to more than 25 restaurants.
The operators of Centre Club are investing more than $1 million in upgrades that will bring a stylish new décor with enhanced dining and social amenities.
“We are pleased to recommit to One Urban Centre, home of the Centre Club for the past 30 years,” said Tim Jarrett, Centre Club’s general manager. “The upcoming renovation project will ‘reinvent’ the club but allow us to continue to serve our many members located in the building and surrounding areas.”
One Urban Centre currently has a high occupancy rate of 90 percent, with 51,314 square feet of office space available for lease. For leasing opportunities, contact Deana Beer of JLL at (813) 387-1298.
NorthStar Bank is Pleased to Announce its New Loan Production Office in St. Petersburg
NorthStar Bank is pleased to announce the opening of its new Loan Production Office in St. Petersburg, Florida. Pinellas County native and long time banker, Julie Stapf, will lead NorthStar Bank’s newly opened office located at 100 Second Ave S., St. Petersburg. Julie joined NorthStar Bank in 2013 and has more than 25 years of banking experience in the Tampa Bay Area serving the Corporate and Commercial Markets.
Julie is actively involved in the community and currently serves as a Board Member of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay and has been active on the Board since 1999.
NorthStar Bank’s new Loan Production Office is a significant and exciting addition to its existing footprint in the Tampa Bay Market. David Stone, President & CEO commented, “…As part of our continued growth plan, we believe forming an LPO and having an experienced banker run it will further meet the lending needs of our clients and community.”
Member Events
July 24: Brazil-Florida Business Council Boat Tour and Happy Hour
You are invited to the July 24th Brazil-Florida Business Council networking event being hosted by Port Tampa Bay aboard the Bay Spirit II. Port Tampa Bay Marketing and Business Development team will welcome all attendees, followed by a narrated tour of Port Tampa Bay. This special event will provide a unique experience to see Florida’s largest port from the water!
Parking:
Complimentary parking is being provided by Port Tampa Bay at Cruise Terminal 3 (815 Channelside Drive, Tampa). Plan to arrive at 3:45 P.M. A Port Tampa Bay representative will meet you there and escort you to the dock to depart on the tour. The boat tour will start at 4 P.M. and last approximately 1.5 hrs.
Important safety notice:
Passengers must be able to cross the gang plank from the wharf to the boat and back on their own or with assistance from another person in their party. Due to changing tide, the gangplank can potentially require up to six steps to board and disembark from the vessel. Wheelchairs can be brought on board the vessel after guests have physically traversed the gang plank.
Complimentary drinks and appetizers will be offered at the port after the boat tour. Friday casual is the suggested attire. We thank those who have already registered, please forward this message to your business associates.
Almost booked. Register today by clicking here.
We look forward to an informative and fun event.
Welcome aboard!
July 24: Demo Day at The Iron Yard
Join us July 24 at The Iron Yard
Our 8 engineers will present full applications, the culmination of their 12 weeks of training at The Iron Yard to an audience of local tech companies, engineers, and supporters of the tech community. All are welcomed to attend!
Presentations will be from 2pm – 3pm and followed by a happy hour on-site so you can get to know the instructors & graduates in an informal setting. Thanks for joining, we can’t wait to see you there!
RSVP here: http://www.meetup.com/The-Iron-Yard-Tampa-Bay/events/223110338/
New Hires & Promotions
OAI Announces New Director of Sales for South Florida Market
Outdoor America Images (OAI), the leading provider of visual branding solutions, announces Ray Perry as Director of Sales for South Florida. In this role, Perry will provide executive sales and operational management, while focusing on new business and financial opportunities to increase OAI’s market share in the South Florida region.
“Ray is a 20-plus year sales and marketing veteran, his impressive background and experience in the professional sports and marketing industry will serve as a major benefit to our clients and organization,” says Michael Garcia, President and Founder of OAI. “We are thrilled to have Ray’s drive and expertise as part of OAI’s team.”
His extensive sales and operational experience in sports sponsorship sales, development and management in his former role as the Director of Network Operations for the Beasley Broadcast Group and as a member of the Orange Bowl Committee, will provide OAI’s dynamic sales team with executive management and methods for strategic market planning. Perry’s thorough understanding and working knowledge of the out-of-home advertising industry from his former role as the Regional Sales Manager for GSM Worldwide Media will provide expert guidance for creating innovative marketing campaigns to OAI’s diverse markets.
Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs Welcomes Gabe Crook and Trevor Godfrey
Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A., a professional accounting, assurance, and tax services firm headquartered in Tallahassee welcomes Gabe Crook and Trevor Godfrey to the Assurance Services Department.
In 2007, Gabe Crook received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Florida State University in Panama City, Florida. He transitioned into public accounting from the Office of Insurance Regulation where he supervised 60 insurance companies, reviewed quarterly data, and handled inquiries from regulated companies. As an accounting manager from 2012-2013 at Dothan Acceptance Corporation, Gabe managed a 1.5 million dollar floor plan and monthly audits. His total professional experience includes over 12 years of accounting and management in the property and casualty, governmental, and automotive industries.
Trevor Godfrey received his Bachelor of Accountancy and Master of Accountancy from Missouri State University. He is a licensed CPA, and has three years of accounting experience working with not-for-profit, governmental, and retail industries. He has worked on various projects producing financial statement audits, agreed-upon procedures, financial statement compilations, and bookkeeping. Trevor will be working from the THF Tampa office and is a member of the Tampa Bay Emerge and the Clearwater Young Professionals.
Both Gabe and Trevor are members of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Thomas Howell Ferguson welcomes Gabe and Trevor to the Assurance Services Department.
Monica B. Mason Joins Trenam Kemker’s St. Petersburg Office
The law firm of Trenam Kemker is pleased to announce that Monica Mason joined the firm as Senior Counsel and will practice in the Business Transactions Group. Her practice will focus on intellectual property law with a specific focus on company representation in trademark, copyright and domain name matters. Prior to joining the firm, Monica was a Shareholder/Senior Attorney at Fowler White Boggs which merged last year with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. She received her undergraduate degree from Duke University and her J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College Of Law.
Member Accolades
Adams and Reese Tampa Partner Appointed Chair of the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar’s Bankruptcy/UCC Committee
Adams and Reese Partner Lynn Sherman, in the firm’s Tampa office, has been appointed Chair of the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar’s Bankruptcy/UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) Committee. Sherman will serve a one-year term as Chair.
Sherman has served on the Business Law Section’s Executive Council for eight years, and is a former Vice Chair of the Section’s Bankruptcy/UCC Committee, and Chair and Vice Chair of the Communications Committee.
The purpose of the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar is to provide an organization within The Florida Bar for members interested in corporation, banking, business, bankruptcy, computer and cyber law, anti-trust and franchise law, litigation and related areas of law, as well as to provide a forum for the discussion and exchange of ideas leading to the improvement of the laws relating to these areas of law.
Practicing law since 1983, Sherman represents financial institutions, special servicers of securitized commercial mortgages, creditors, trustees, landlords, debtors, and other parties in all aspects of Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcies, out-of-court workouts, loan modifications and restructuring, foreclosures, enforcement of judgments, enforcement of security interests, and creditors’ rights litigation.
Licensed in both Florida and New York, she has been recognized among the top Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights attorneys by Florida Super Lawyers®, Best Lawyers in America®, Florida Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite, and listed among “Tampa Bay’s Top Attorneys” by Tampa Bay Magazine. In 2014 and 2015, Sherman has been ranked among the Top 50 Women Florida Super Lawyers® and also the Top 100 Overall Florida Super Lawyers®.
Sherman is a frequent speaker and author on matters involving creditors’ rights, secured transactions, and bankruptcy law.
Sherman is a former adjunct professor at her alma mater, Stetson University College of Law, where she earned her J.D. in 1983. She also received an LL.M. in Taxation from the New York University School of Law in 1989. Sherman received her bachelor of science at Florida Southern College in 1980.
Six Allen Dell Attorneys Named Super Lawyers; One attorney Named Rising Star
Six attorneys from the Allen Dell law firm have been named as Super Lawyers for 2015. One attorney was named by Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star.” The attorneys receiving these honors are:
Super Lawyers
- Donna L. Longhouse, Tax, Trust and Estates
- Marian P. McCulloch, Marital and Family Law
- Cynthia A. Mikos, Health Care and Administrative Law
- Joseph W. N. Rugg, Health Care and Corporate Law
- Amy D. Singer, Marital and Family Law
- Gary Walker, Health Care and Corporate Law
Rising Star
- Michelle G. Hutt, Family Law
Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented multiphase selection process. Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement (Superlawyers.com).
The Allen Dell law firm, with 22 practicing attorneys, provides representation in over 30 areas of the law, including the three areas mentioned above, and serves the Tampa Bay area as well as clients throughout Florida. For more information, go to AllenDell.com.
Three Bayshore Solutions Websites Are 2015 “Stevie” American Business Award Winners
Bayshore Solutions is pleased to announce three customer websites as 2015 “Stevie” American Business Award winners. The Awards program selected the websites of J.C. Newman Diamond Crown cigars, BioSpine Institute and HealthPlan Services for top recognition in their respective categories.
The American Business Awards are a premier national business awards program. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” the awards recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. More than 3,300 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, and more than 200 executives worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s Stevie Award winners.
Bayshore Solutions’ website design for J.C. Newman Diamond Crown Cigars won a Silver Stevie Award for consumer products websites. Bronze Award Honors were given to BioSpine Institute for healthcare websites and to HealthPlan Services for insurance websites.
“We are extremely impressed with the quality of the entries we received this year. The competition was intense and every organization that won should be proud,” said Michael Gallagher, President and Founder of the Stevie Awards. “To those outstanding organizations that received Stevie Awards, the judges and I are honored to celebrate your many accomplishments. You are setting a high standard for professionals nationwide.”
“The American Business Awards is a prestigious competition that Bayshore Solutions submits our work to for evaluation,” said Kevin Hourigan, President and CEO of Bayshore Solutions. “We are honored that our work has earned three 2015 Stevie Awards, and that J.C. Newman, BioSpine Institute and HealthPlan Services are receiving such national recognition.”
Click to read more about these 2015 “Stevie” American Business Award-winning websites.
Calhoun International Celebrates 10th Anniversary
As Calhoun International marks our tenth year in business, we take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to our business partners. Thank you for helping us make the past ten years so successful.
Florida Trend Names Hill Ward Henderson Attorneys to Hall Of Fame, Legal Elite and Up & Comers; HWH Cited by Chambers USA 2015
Thomas Henderson
Hill Ward Henderson is pleased to announce that Founding Shareholders, Thomas N. Henderson, III and Benjamin H. Hill, III and Shareholder David T. Knight have been named to the prestigious “2015 Florida Legal Elite Hall of Fame.” This is the seventh year in a row that both Mr. Hill and Mr. Henderson have been recognized with this designation and the second year for Mr. Knight. The Hall of Fame honors long-term legal career excellence.
Ben Hill
Less than two percent of the active Florida Bar members who practice in the State of Florida are listed in the Legal Elite Hall of Fame. Attorneys listed have been consistently ranked in the top tier in Legal Elite voting over many years.
David Knight
The following 10 firm attorneys were named “Florida Legal Elite” throughout the state of Florida for their excellence in legal service: Rocco Cafaro, Amelia M. Campbell, Mark J. Criser, Timothy C. Ford, Troy A. Fuhrman, Robert M. Fulton, Linda D. Hartley, Thomas N. Henderson, III, Benjamin H. Hill, IV, R. Craig Mayfield and Ethen R. Shapiro. In addition, Shane T. Costello and David L. Luikart, III were named “2015 Florida Up & Comers.” This was the first time Mr. Costello has been listed.
Hill Ward Henderson received many rankings and citations for its attorneys and practice groups for the 14th consecutive year in the recently published Chambers USA by the internationally acclaimed research group Chambers & Partners, based in London. Four practice areas of the firm were highlighted and ranked in the publication for excellence in service – Corporate M&A and Private Equity; General Commercial Litigation, Taxation and Real Estate.
In addition, 13 attorneys at the firm were cited as “leaders” in their respective practice areas being ranked by Chambers USA:
- E.D. Armstrong, III – Real Estate: Zoning / Land Use
- John C. Connery, Jr. – Tax
- Ben Dachepalli – Construction
- David S. Felman – Corporate M&A and Private Equity
- Katherine Frazier – Real Estate
- Thomas N. Henderson, III – Real Estate
- Benjamin H. Hill, III – General Commercial Litigation
- Timothy A. Hunt – Construction
- David T. Knight – General Commercial Litigation
- James Robbins, Jr. – Real Estate
- Brian Sparks – Tax: Estate Planning
- Dennis P. Waggoner – General Commercial Litigation
- Alton C. Ward – Tax: Employee Benefits
Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen Attorneys Recognized as 2015 Florida Super Lawyers
Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen congratulates the following attorneys who have received recognition as a 2015 Florida Super Lawyer
- Andrew M. Brown – Medical Malpractice – Defense
- James W. Goodwin, II – Business/Corporate
- Joshua Magidson – Business Litigation
- Janet Goldberg McEnery – Labor & Employment
- William B. Taylor, IV – Environmental
Rising Stars
- Brian J. Aungst, Jr. – Medical Malpractice – Defense
- Jamil G. Daoud – Estate Planning & Probate
Thompson, Sizemore, Gonzalez & Hearing Attorneys Recognized by Chambers USA; Attorney Receives Florida Bar President’s Award of Merit
We are proud to announce that Gregory A. Hearing continues to be recognized by Chambers USA. Mr. Hearing’s expertise ranges from union bargaining work to employment litigation.
We are proud to announce that Thomas M. Gonzalez has been recognized again this year by Chambers USA for his comprehensive knowledge across labor and employment issues.
The law firm of Thompson, Sizemore, Gonzalez & Hearing is proud to announce that Kevin D. Johnson received a Florida Bar President’s Award of Merit at The Florida Bar’s 65th Annual Convention last week at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton.
Gregory W. Coleman, the 2014-15 Florida Bar president thanked Johnson for leading the creation of The Florida Bar’s new Practice Resource Institute, or PRI.
While Johnson was serving as chair of the General Practice Solo and Small Law Firm Section of The Florida Bar in 2013-14, he was asked to serve on the Vision 2016 Technology Committee. In May 2014, Coleman, then president-elect of the Bar, asked him to chair the newly created Special Committee on Technology/Office Tools and Resources with a fast-track assignment: to assemble a toolbox of technology solutions for Bar members and create a website presence with practice information and assistance.
“Within just a few months, Kevin and his committee were ready to unveil The Florida Bar’s new Practice Resource Institute,” Coleman said. “This is an accomplishment that is unheard of in Bar years. The new PRI platform is one of the best member benefits we have ever created.” Johnson is a shareholder in the Tampa firm Thompson, Sizemore, Gonzalez & Hearing, P.A., where he concentrates his practice on employment law.
Tampa Bay Chamber 