Sarasota : Innovation + Job News

Weary caregivers of chronically ill loved ones may be able to sleep a little sounder this summer.

CareAlert, an electronic sensor alert system, goes on the market in June, according to its creator, Dr. Meredeth Rowe. Rowe is on the faculty at USF's College of Nursing. The system is comprised of silent motion detectors and a handheld device that gives off a sound alert and text message communicating a patient's whereabouts in the house. This is especially useful for those caring for Alzheimer's and dementia patients who tend to stray when getting up to go to the bathroom at night. 

Rowe says the CareAlert system will go a long way toward protecting not only the patient, but the caregiver too.

"Caregiving and lack of sleep are related to heart disease," says Rowe. "Poor sleep is one of the reasons caregivers have poor health. When I was working on ways to provide caregivers better quality of sleep, I looked for systems and there were none. I realized that unless I invented a system that allowed them quality sleep, I was never going to have an impact on improving their sleep.''

Rowe partnered with others such as Stephen Greenstein and RoBrady Product Design to help her develop a system. This formed the genesis of Caregiver Watch, LLC, the company through which CareAlert will be sold.

Rowe says trials run on the CareAlert system resulted in 86 percent reduction in injuries to patients with dementia, and she hopes to begin a study that will identify ways to help caregivers relax that will coincide with the launch of the CareAlert system in June.

The ultimate goal of that research is to understand why caregiver health is worse as a result of the caregiving experience. All of the research will take place at the caregiver's home using Skype and iPad technologies along with a sleep interventionist, says Christina McCrae, an associate professor at the University of Florida. "We’ll be measuring for heart disease and see if they get better when sleep improves."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Dr. Meredeth Rowe, Caregiver Watch, LLC 

A Sarasota company taking "drug interaction" to the next level is reaping benefits and hiring new employees to meet demand.

voiceTech, a technology services company that provides interactive solutions to the pharmacy industry, launched ServiceLink-Rx in September 2011. The product enables patients to interact with their pharmacy to fill prescriptions, receive vital health information and be informed of special discounts via text, email or phone call through their cell phone or computer. voiceTech President Tim Garofalo says the success of the product has necessitated a move from Venice to bigger facilities in Sarasota, along with the hiring of more people to meet demand. 

"My crystal ball says five to seven people in 2012," he says. "The talent pool in Sarasota and south Tampa is promising. the move will bring us closer to that and provide more space and room for growth."

Garofalo says positions he intends to fill include technological as well as administrative. "Candidates for technological positions need to be tech savvy, of course," he says. "But they don't necessarily need a degree. We're looking for sharp people with a strong skill set. And they need to have good people and customer service skills as they will be going out to visit clients at times. Administrative candidates need to be good with paperwork and detail oriented."

Garofalo credits the ServiceLink-Rx product with the growth voiceTech is enjoying. "We’ve been providing Interactive Voice Response (IVR) solutions for a long time," explains Garofalo. "Cell phones -- particularly smart phones -- have changed the technology. We've created an application that allows the user to interact directly with the computer system in the pharmacy and track user preferences. This is sparking our growth." 

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Tim Garofalo, voiceTech
 

Suncoast Community Capital recently announced major investments from two major financial institutions to support its collaboration with an urban entrepreneurship program. 

SCC, which is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties, has formed a partnership with the Kauffman Foundation's Urban Entrepreneur Partnership program to further develop small and emerging businesses reach their goals and create jobs. Wells Fargo recently invested $50,000 in the program and the Bradenton Central Community Redevelopment Agency invested $40,000.

Mike Kennedy, SCC president and CEO, shares three ways the investments in the partnership will stimulate economic development in the area.

"First, UEP-coached entrepreneurs are going to create badly needed, good-paying jobs," says Kennedy. "Next, it’s going to create a relationship with our region and the world’s most-renowned and largest foundation devoted to entrepreneurship. Finally, Kauffman UEP has a track record of delivering results in the communities it serves. The UEP has identified $204 million in opportunities for its clients, helped secure $87 million in contracts for them, increased their business revenue by 44 percent since 2005 and increased their profits by 24 percent."

Kennedy explains that businesses will be admitted to the program based on their willingness and ability to grow their businesses to scale and creating jobs. But points out that certain industries present ideal opportunities. 

"We bet on the jockey and not the horse," says Kennedy. "Therefore, the entrepreneur’s commitment and make-up are important. However, Kauffman does like our region’s mix of businesses related to manufacturing, agriculture, aquaculture and Port Manatee, just to name a few.Therefore, we’ll look for opportunities in those sectors as we evaluate applicants."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Mike Kennedy, Suncoast Community Capital

With all of the uproar over proposed banking fees, many people are exploring their options to move their money from big banks to credit unions. GTE Federal Credit Union (FCU), a member-owned credit union serving Tampa Bay, reports an increase in new member applications. Over the past month, the credit union has experienced a 31 percent increase in applications.

“Consumers are looking at banking in a different way now,” says Brian Best, senior VP of member solutions and chief lending officer at GTE FCU. “It’s important for individuals to know that credit unions were designed to help and benefit the member, which is the owner. Banks are designed to benefit shareholders. ”

Due to bank customer anger over fees and the movement of Occupy Wall Street, protesters declared Nov. 5 “Bank Transfer Day” and encourage those who hold accounts at banks to move their money to credit unions. GTE FCU sweetened the deal by offering $5 a month to new members for a 12-month period.

“Credit Unions have been around since the great depression and were formed to help people,” says Best. “With the recent economy, the thing that provides more momentum towards credit unions is that they have always been around to help people during tough times. ”

Best goes on to say that credit unions do not have to charge fees to customers like banks do because of the way credit unions are set up.

We are designed as a not-for-profit, therefore we don’t have to meet significant plateaus of earnings and profits,” he says. “This means we don’t have to charge the fees that banks have to in order to meet a certain profit.”

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Brian Best, GTE Federal Credit Union

C Products Defense Inc., a manufacturing company that supplies ammunition for law enforcement, the military and rifle companies, plans to relocate from its facility in Connecticut to Manatee County. The relocation will create approximately 100 jobs in the Tampa Bay region.

“Our first two hires are military vets,” says Larry Panka Sr., president of LCJ Wholesale, sister company of C Products Defense. “We are looking to hire more military veterans. We will have 20 new employees by the end of the year, and then plan to add 20 employees each year for five years. ”

C Products Defense Inc. was founded seven years ago by Panka. In that time, the company has grown to be the largest manufacturer of AR magazines. Panka says that with the move to Manatee County he hopes to grow his company even more.

“We are looking to grow our business into the largest in the industry,” Panka says. “We also want to move into different types of product that complement our current line. ”

In order to meet these goals, Panka plans to hire personnel in management and manufacturing at his facility in Manatee.

“I have found that Florida workers here are hard workers,” Panka says. “They want to work, they get it. ”
To fund the move, Manatee County gave C Products Defense, Inc. a $100,000 performance-based incentive grant.  According to Panka, the county has been a great help in his effort to grow his company.

“Manatee County has made our move here seamless,” Panka says. “Their help and incentives have been exceptional. ”

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Larry Panka, C Products Defense

1^st Choice Industries, a construction, property management and business solutions company in Sarasota, experienced a 30 percent increase in sales in 2011 over 2010, and has hired 18 employees since January 1. Due to continued growth and success, the company plans to hire an additional 10 employees by the end of the year.

“We will be hiring in each of our divisions,” says Gary Simone, CEO of 1^st Choice Industries. “Positions include customer service, field technicians, cabinet workers and electricians. While we have had a successful year, we are gearing up for an even brighter 2012.”

1^st Choice Industries was founded in 1983 and started as a family business. In the 1980s, Simone worked alongside his father and brother in New Jersey getting the company off the ground. The company moved to Sarasota in 2004.

“We were drawn to the area primarily because of the weather,” says Simone. “We also had a pretty large business volume in the Southeast. We still have offices in New Jersey, but our corporate headquarters is in Sarasota and we plan to stay here. ”

The company has grown from a family business with a handful of employees to a headcount of nearly 100. Simone says he and his team have even bigger plans for their company.

“We are positioning ourselves for a long-term business and growth plan,” Simone says. “We have diversified our services in the industry, which has helped us continue to grow. Our projects span from a small $100 repair to a broader $500,000 project. The future looks bright for our company. ”

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Gary Simone, 1^st Choice Industries

Voalté Inc., an innovative health care communications technology company in Sarasota, plans to expand its current facility and add 50 jobs in the next three years. The company, which was founded in 2008, created a smartphone application that enables healthcare professionals the ability to communicate via smartphone. Sales of the technology have been successful and the company is preparing for a growth spurt.

"We are adding 30 percent space at our current facility this year," says Rob Campbell, CEO of Voalté. "We are targeted to triple in size over the next three years."

The company's growth can be attributed to the growing popularity of smart phones and an aging population.

"With the growing number of aging baby boomers, there is more and more pressure on hospitals to offer more services," Campbell says. "The number one root cause of serious events at hospitals is poor communication, therefore improving communication at the point of care is top of mind. We at Voalté find ourselves at an ideal spot for success between the dramatic growth of health care intersecting with the dramatic growth of smartphones and tablets."

Along with the expansion of Voalté's facility in Sarasota, there is a need for additional staff to support operations at the growing company. The business currently employs 22 people, but plans to add 50 positions over the next three years.

"As our business grows, we will be expanding our team in the areas of business development, sales and marketing and field services," Campbell says. "There is a high level of talent in the area to recruit from."

Voalté Inc is located on Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota.

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Rob Campbell, Voalté Inc

In an effort to stimulate the Tampa Bay economy and create jobs, Suncoast Workforce will host a business summit in Lakewood Ranch on August 12th to discuss "economic gardening" and how it can benefit local businesses. Representatives from GrowFL, a Florida government program, will be on hand to offer advice and answer questions.

"Economic gardening is about growing your own business," says Joan McGill, VP of business development at the Sarasota Economic Development Corporation. "It's about putting time and efforts into a business that is already in the community."

The goal of economic gardening is to grow existing businesses as opposed to focusing on startups. The concept was pioneered by Chris Gibbons in Littleton, CO in 1989. After 15 years, Littleton saw a 135 percent increase in new jobs. GrowFL, an official economic gardening technical assistance program for Florida, was created in 2009.

At the business summit, representatives from GrowFL's technical team will provide an overview of what their programs offer. Local executives will discuss their own experiences and perspectives on economic gardening during an interactive panel discussion.

"Our goal at Suncoast Workforce is to educate businesses about what resources are available to them," says Sally Hill of Suncoast Workforce. "Our hope with the summit is to offer local business owners more information about economic gardening. Suncoast Workforce representatives will also be available for employers looking to expand their workforce."

The business summit will be August 12th from 7:45 a.m. to 10 a.m. in Lakewood Ranch at the Polo Bar & Grill, 10670 Boardwalk Loop.

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Sally Hill, Suncoast Workforce; Joan McGill, Sarasota Economic Development Corporation

Rapid Pathogen Screening (RPS) in Sarasota plans to expand its workforce of 25 to approximately 200 in the next five years. The bio-technology company is developing test kits, which will be able to spot the flu and sexually transmitted diseases without waiting for lab work. They are also working on a kit that will test for exposure to nerve agents, including Sarin and VX. In order to get these kits to market, the company will need to add to its staff.

"Our growth is facilitated by the company's expectation to bring many new rapid, point-of care diagnostic tests to market over the next several years," says Thomas Orsini, CEO of RPS. "We will be hiring highly accredited professionals in the areas of science, research and development, sales, marketing and finance. We expect to add these positions over the next five years."

RPS was founded in 2004 and opened its state-of-the-art research laboratory in Sarasota in 2006. The company's first product was the RPS Adeno Detector, which can test for viral conjunctivitis, otherwise known as "pink eye" in the physician's office. RPS soon realized that the same technology used to detect viral conjunctivitis could also detect other diseases.

Orsini says that as the company grows, he plans to keep the headquarters in Sarasota. "RPS chose Sarasota for its headquarters based on the potential for state and community support, and the desire to partner with other biotechnology companies to attract and retain world-class talent," he says. "Additionally, the community and its geographic location are attractive to existing employees and recruits."

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Thomas Orsini, Rapid Pathogen Screening

Octex LLC, a manufacturing company in Sarasota that specializes in injection molding, is planning to expand its current facility and create 80 jobs over the next five years. The company has grown and found success in medical product manufacturing. Octex also serves customers in other fields including, aerospace and consumer products. With all of the success the company has experienced there is a need for add to the company's current 33,000-square-feet facility.

"We are adding 26,000 square feet to our current facility," says Vincent Cataldo, sales manager for Octex. "We hope to break ground soon and have the expansion completed by the end of the year."

Octex was founded in 1990 and currently has 61 employees; however that number is expected to increase greatly. "We expect to create 80 jobs in the next few years," Cataldo says. "We will be hiring individuals to work in administration and manufacturing."

In July 2010, Octex became certified as an ISO 13485 Medical Device-Quality Management System approved company. The certification allowed Octex to expand its customer base and supply injection molded medical components to various medical device manufacturers in the U.S. and around the world. The expansion into this niche market has helped drive the company's growth to where it is today.

The company is receiving aid to help with the expansion in the form of a performance-based incentive grant of $200,000 from the Sarasota County government. The Economic Development Council of Sarasota helped Octex by consulting and advising the company about various programs to help facilitate the expansion project.
 
Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Vincent Cataldo, Octex, LLC

LEDTOLITE Inc., which designs and manufactures eco-friendly LED lighting fixtures, plans to create more than 25 jobs in the next five years.

The company, founded in 2001 by two lighting engineers, originally had its headquarters in France, but moved to Florida in 2009. LEDTOLITE is currently located in Nokomis, but will be relocating to a larger facility in Sarasota. According to Aaron Robison, lead technical engineer and sales coordinator, Sarasota is a great location for this business.

"This area is far more manufacturing-oriented than other locations," says Robison. "We can also get most of our machine work done locally, which is great."

The company services a variety of industries including high-end retailers, museums, galleries, government buildings and private residencies.
 
Robison attributes the company's growth to high-quality products and service.

"We offer a very high-end product. And, comparable to products of similar stature, our pricing is more competitive," says Robison. "Generally, we have specialty products that we can custom build for our clients, and technicians that can design and manufacture those products for the customer."

In order to continue its growth, Robison says the company will be hiring. "It is anticipated that we will be creating 25 jobs or more," he says. "The positions we will be hiring for will be technicians for assembly, sales and technical representatives, administrative positions and managerial roles."

While the hiring is planned for a five-year span, Robison says about a third of the hiring will take place in 2011-12.

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Aaron Robison, LEDTOLITE

In honor of National Small Business Week, May 16-20, the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will hold its second annual growth expo. The free day-long event provides small businesses with information regarding sales strategies, available funding and how social media can boost marketing campaigns.

The expo hosted by the SBDC at USF will be held throughout the week at various locations in Hillsborough, Polk, Pinellas, Highlands, Pasco, DeSoto, Hernando, Manatee, Sarasota and Hardee counties.

"We had 200 people at last year's conference," says Jim Parrish assistant director of the growth conference. "This year we will have similar workshops, but have also added a town hall meeting component, where we hope to have government representatives on hand to answer attendee's questions regarding legislation which will affect small business."

Parrish says the event will include various workshops including Certifications for Growth, where minority business owners can learn how to become government certified, and Growing Globally, which will provide business owners information on new markets and executing trade plans, as well as a workshop on how to use social media to acquire customers and promote products and services.

While the growth conference is open to the public, Parrish says the event is geared more toward those who are already in business.

"Our target audience for the conference are those who are in small business looking to grow," Parrish says. "This conference is not for people wanting to start a business. Small business owners who are interested in attending the growth conference can register via our website."

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Jim Parrish, SBDC at USF

Medical Education Technologies, Inc. (METI) is currently hiring 35+ people to work at its Sarasota headquarters. The company manufactures patient simulators for training purposes.

"Our patient simulators offer nurses and other future healthcare providers-in-training the ability to practice their skills before interacting with human patients," says Holly Young, director of human resources at METI. "Our simulators can emulate heart attacks, open heart surgery and other medical symptoms and procedures."

The company started in 1996 with five employees, currently employs 223 and is growing. "Currently we have 36 positions we are looking to fill," Young says. "We are hiring clinical educators, a director of quality, software engineers, a customer service manager, QA engineers, customer service technicians and an e-marketing specialist."

According to Young, the company is hiring due to the amount of clients it has obtained. "Sales have been up, which is really driving the hiring," Young says. "We also acquired the company that makes the web-based learning program, Learning Space, which has helped business as well."

Learning Space allows customers the ability to train and conduct performance assessments through an online software application.

Young says that in addition to the qualifications for each position, METI is looking for certain qualities and characteristics in potential employees. "We are looking for self-starters with an entrepreneurial spirit," Young says. "Nursing or healthcare experience is a plus, to know the methodology of what we make and how it is used."

METI is located at 6300 Edgelake Drive in Sarasota.

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Holly Young, Medical Education Technologies, Inc.

A diversity conference will be held on April 6 in Palmetto for business leaders and professionals who are seeking tools, techniques, best practices and strategies to enhance diversity leadership, recruitment and management.

The conference is hosted by the Latino Community Network, the State College of Florida and the Suncoast Workforce.

According to Ximena Granada, chair of the diversity conference, the event will be a great networking opportunity for those in the business community.

"Attendees have the opportunity to create a network in which to share ideas and develop a strategic advantage through the implementation of diversity initiatives," says Granada. "Conference participants will have the opportunity to continue this conversation and participate in the planning of future conferences by online collaboration through the Manasota Diversity Council's website."

Granada explains the inspiration behind hosting the inaugural conference: "There is a need to change attitudes and perceptions about diverse populations. This conference is a step towards opening the door to appreciating diversity."

Granada points out that as we enter further into a global economy, it is imperative that people understand and respect those from different cultures other than their own.

"We need to overcome stereotypes and to be able to celebrate and respect each individual for their worth as a human being," Granada says. "Only then will we be able to harness the innate potential each of us has."

The conference consists of presenters, networking opportunities and workshops. Some of the topics of the workshop sessions include women in leadership, strategies for engaging a multigenerational workforce and uncovering unconscious bias.

The Manasota Diversity Conference will be held at the Manatee Convention and Civic Center in Palmetto on Wednesday, April 6.

Source: Ximena Granada, Manasota Diversity Conference
Writer: Kimberly Patterson

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The 2011 Suncoast Career Expo will be held on April 1st in Sarasota.

The event is hosted by the Suncoast Workforce in partnership with the  Sarasota Economic Development Council, The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and the University of South Florida.

"This is our largest expo of the year, we plan to have 80 employers in attendance," says Sally Hill of Suncoast Workforce. Employers attending the event include Bank of America, Bright Star Healthcare, Comcast, the Eaton Corporation, Hyatt Regency and several government entities.

Hill says that in addition to the career fair, there will be a guest speaker offering job search techniques including resume writing and networking. There will also be community-based organizations and educational institutions on hand.

"A typical job fair has employers that job seekers talk to, and that is it," Hill says. "At our job fair, we have value-added services, including career counselors and education professionals who can advise job seekers helping them find the right career fit."

For job seekers who know what job they are looking for, Hill advises that they be prepared to speak with employers.

"It is important that job seekers not only bring a recent copy of their resume with a distinct objective of the job they are looking for, but be able to articulate their experience as well," Hill says. "The more details a job seeker can provide, the better the employer can evaluate them as a candidate. "

There is no fee for either job seeker or employer to attend the Suncoast Workforce Expo, which will be held at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Convention Center, 8005 15th Street E. in Sarasota. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. and will close at 1 p.m.

Source: Sally Hill, Suncoast Workforce
Writer: Kimberly Patterson