Talent : Innovation + Job News

Six Tampa Bay innovators were recently named as Charter Fellows by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), a global nonprofit organization of universities and research institutions. The group is part of a class of 98 Fellows from 54 institutions, which includes leading scientists and inventors from around the world.
 
Tampa Bay's Fellows were selected based on outstanding leadership, product development, and their support of and participation in innovation as a whole. Here are the locals from the complete list:

    •    Richard D. Gitlin, Sc.D., professor of Electrical Engineering, University of South Florida -- Gitlin has more than 45 patents in the field of electrical engineering. His research includes areas such as digital communication, broadband networks and wireless systems.

    •    D. Yogi Goswami, Ph.D., P.E., professor of Chemical Engineering, University of South Florida -- Goswami is co-director of USF's Clean Energy Research Center. He has developed 18 patents, his major accomplishment is a device that uses sunlight to purify indoor air.

    •    Barbara C. Hansen, Ph.D., professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of South Florida -- Hansen is a Director of the USF Center for Preclinical Research and holds a patent in the area of diabetes treatment.

    •    Alan F. List, MD, president and CEO, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute -- List holds several patents, including one involving stimulating growth in stem cells and bone marrow.

    •    Shyam Mohapatra, Ph.D. Endowed Chair, College of Medicine Internal Medicine, University of South Florida -- Mohapatra is director of the Division of Translational Medicine in the USF College of Medicine. His patents and research focus on molecular and cellular inflammation of allergens.

    •    Paul R. Sanberg, Ph.D., D.Sc., Sr. VP for Research and Innovation and President, Research Foundation, University of South Florida -- Sanberg holds over 100 health-related patents worldwide, primarily in the neurology field. His most recent research focused on innovative ways to repair brain damage.

"Tampa Bay should take great pride in this recognition of great minds who are conducting ground-breaking research,'' says Randy Berridge, president of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, a sponsor of the NAI Fellows Program. "Their work has a direct impact on economic development, career opportunities, the potential for entrepreneurial success and our ability to build an innovation economy.''

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Randy Berridge, Florida High Tech Corridor Council; Keara Leach, National Academy of Inventors

Advanced Healthcare Partners of Tampa plans to hire more than 50 people in 2013, including senior and junior level marketing associates with experience in content writing, graphics design, media buying and negotiations, website development and website coding. AHP also is hiring patient coordinators to educate patients on procedures, treatments, medical ethics and financial obligations that are offered by AHP’s healthcare partners.

"As our clients grow, we grow the workforce here in Tampa,'' says CEO Jimmy St. Louis of Advanced Healthcare Partners.

As a full-service healthcare management and consulting agency, AHP offers a collaborative mix of management capabilities to healthcare organizations, providing their clients everything from qualified marketing consultants to complete business and operational management solutions.

AHP's focus is to hire professionals in specialty areas to provide business strategies, marketing and operational expertise, resulting in functional business management practices that effectively produce business growth.

AHP has also launched four new companies this year, including an FDA clearance and approval firm formed by a team of lawyers, legal consultants, and business experts.

"We've seen new jobs created though new initiatives,'' St. Louis says. AHP has additionally partnered with the Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Stimulation (CAMLS) to "learn from one another and to build relationships to extend our reach that turns into a value-add to our clients.''

Writer: Kaye Brown
Source: Jimmy St. Louis and Borda Jones, Advanced Healthcare Partners

Hunter A. Booth, a landscape architect with more than 30 years of experience has opened his new landscape architecture firm, Booth Design Group, Inc. The firm will focus on urban design, planning, sustainability and exotic landscapes, as well as landscape architecture for LEED projects and sustainable design.

Booth's new office is located in downtown St. Petersburg. 

"St. Petersburg has been my home since moving to the area 15 years ago,'' Booth says. "I love the synergy of being located in downtown setting with access to the local government, other design professionals, current projects, dining and attractions.''

Booth's business partner, James Beatty, is a registered landscape architect who has also worked on hundreds of projects throughout the Tampa Bay region. Between Booth and Beatty, the team has provided landscape architecture and design for a wide variety of sectors including municipalities, airports, corporate campuses, hospitals, lifecare facilities,  stadiums/arenas, residential, institutions and roadways/trailways.With the opening of their new office, the team plans to expand and hire.

"We anticipate adding one to two jobs this year with graduate landscape architects,'' he says.

Booth Design Group recently worked on projects including the Salvador Dali Museum, the Sandpearl Resort on Clearwater Beach and Harbor Walk at USF St. Petersburg. Booth says his team is currently involved in some multifamily residential projects as well as the creation of a new city park in St. Petersburg.

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Hunter A. Booth, Booth Design Group

Businesses in Tampa have an opportunity to take their innovation up a notch with the arrival of Guy Kawasaki on February 28. Kawasaki will be the keynote speaker at The Art of Innovation event at The Tampa Convention Center in downtown Tampa.

Kawaski, an entrepreneur, bestselling author and Silicon Valley venture capitalist, played a critical role in marketing Apple's Macintosh computers in the 1980s and was named an Apple Fellow in 1995. He is currently managing director of Garage Technology Ventures and co-founder of Alltop.com, an "online magazine rack'' of trending topics on the web.
 
"We're trying to help inspire small businesses to break out of their shell and be more competitive and innovative in their sector,'' says Charise Strandberg, social media marketing manager for Celestar Corporation, which is coordinating the event. "We want Tampa to jump to the next curve, to be in that thoughtful set of innovation.''
 
What does innovation really mean? What does it take to innovate? How do today's businesses innovate to remain competitive? Kawasaki will speak to these things and more, as he provides hands-on learning with specific actions that can be implemented after the event. The topics will be tailored toward the audience and will include strategic steps to creating new products and services, how to break down barriers to innovation, and how set and achieve high goals. 

Attendees will include large and small businesses from the Tampa Bay region, including Florida Blue, Bank of Tampa, Digital Hands and 352 Media.

"A lot of businesses are doing the same thing day after day,'' says Strandberg. "We want to break out of that, to make Tampa an innovation hub. We're only going to do that by bringing people like Guy to Tampa.''

For more information and to register, visit Knowledge M, a division of Celestar.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Charise Strandberg, Celestar Corporation

Because of the large percentage of unemployed veterans, WilsonHCG has launched Operation Transition, a veteran's initiative with a "holistic approach'' to creating sustainable careers and life paths for veterans and their families. The ultimate purpose of the initiative is to acknowledge the commitment of veterans and to support their transition back to civilian life by "providing the career tools they require to present themselves and their experience effectively.''

The concept emerged in the fall of 2011 when WilsonHCG and other companies from around the nation partnered with the TV show Dr. Drew's Lifechangers on the CW Network in an effort called "Putting America Back to Work.'' As Bridget Webb, Wilson HCG senior director of marketing & recruitment technology, sat in the audience, the story of a young marine veteran stood out. On a flight back to Tampa Bay post-collaboration, Webb thought about the significant number of veterans struggling to make the transition after returning from military service.

Webb pitched the idea of creating an initiative to prepare veterans for military to civilian life transition to company CEO John Wilson who loved  the idea; thus Operation Transition came to life and officially launched in the fall of 2012. As many veterans hold degrees and other expert certifications, Webb explains how the program helps them "get acclimated and find jobs'' while fostering an environment where they can get a one-stop collage of tools and resources. The program offers ''free career assessments'' which help veterans translate their unique skills to the current market in addition to helping them build a LinkedIn profile to showcase their expertise.

"We encourage companies to adopt veteran recruitment programs -- to find someone within their organization who is a veteran and who can be their champion,'' Webb says. This provides veterans with inspiration and the "tools they need to be successful which effectively increases the economy in Tampa.''

Operation Transition 2013 is partnering with several organizations to launch an April webinar geared toward sharing specific career assistance to transitioning veterans. In the summer, Operation Transition will have on-site locations where veterans will be "paired with hiring managers who are informed of the veterans' expert skills and who are ready to make the introduction and start the interview process,'' says Webb.

For individuals, companies or organizations wishing to get involved, contact Webb by email.

Writer: Kaye Brown
Source: Bridget Webb, WilsonHCG

With a focus on serving families with disabled members, Positive Behavior Supports Corporation (PBS) is building a network of professionals who can provide quality services in Tampa Bay.

The company strives to ensure stringent internal quality standards in order to impact the families and improve their quality of life, says Clinical Director Jennifer Agganis. The company is currently contracting with board certified behavior analysts, board certified assistant behavior analysts and behavior assistants, thereby offering an alternative for unemployed professionals having a specialized expertise. It also opens doors for teachers, psychologists, doctors and other certified professionals to pursue part-time and fulltime work opportunities.

Many of PBS Corp.'s clients are individuals or families with children who suffer from mental illness and other disabilities that may present behavior and basic skill challenges that limit functional abilities. The firm has a growing demand to support Autism Spectrum Disorder, which includes Asperger's Syndrome, PDD-NOS and Autistic Disorder. Particularly for individuals diagnosed with these disorders or related disabilities, it is important to have behavioral services provided to them in "their naturally occurring environment; it's where their world occurs,'' says Agganis.

In just over three years, the company's overall client base grew from 100 to 600. "It's a constant ebb and flow based upon what each of our clients need,'' says Agganis. One family with a child having specific behavioral needs may require between 8 and 40 dedicated hours, so PBS is "constantly looking for analysts and behavior assistants.''

Additionally, professionals will be offered on-going online training on different behavioral aspects as well as mentorship hours toward ensuring final certification for those that require it.

The firm is expanding its core Tampa Bay services to incorporate speech and language pathologists and licensed mental health counselors. Interested candidates can apply online. For more program information, contact the West Coast Regional Coordinator Milissa Yeagley at 855.832.6727, ext. 1013.

Writer: Kaye Brown
Source: Jennifer Agganis, PBS Corp.

Trash2Cash-Energy, a newly created company in the Tampa Bay Technology Incubator at USF Connect, created a process that converts landfill gases into fuel.

When trash in a landfill is biodegraded, methane gas is produced. The EPA requires landfills to burn this gas on site or convert it into carbon dioxide. There are currently more than 3,000 active landfills in the United States -- 60 in Florida alone -- many of which do not fully utilize the energy produced by the gas.

A team consisting of two faculty members and three graduate students at the University of South Florida saw an opportunity and developed technology that converts this gas into fuel. The revolutionary, patented new process not only provides a renewable source of energy but greatly reduces the amount of emissions produced by the landfills. 

The team is currently developing the process further to see if it can be made commercial. If the technology takes off, the implications for environmental impact are tremendous. The team estimates that the average landfill will produce approximately 7,140 gallons of fuel each day, creating enough diesel to fuel 25 garbage trucks for a week.

The company received $100,000 in initial funding from the Department of Energy as the first place winner of the 2012 MegaWatt Ventures Competition, an annual clean energy business plan competition, and is seeking additional funding from the Small Business Administration.

The next step is to build a pilot plant in the Tampa Bay area that will test the process to see if it's financially feasible for commercial use.

"If we are successful, it will have tremendous impact not just within the community here, but for all of Florida and beyond,'' says Babu Joseph, VP of research for Trash2Cash-Energy and professor at the University of South Florida. "We think we can offer a very lucrative solution that will solve a significant environmental problem and reduce our dependence on imported oil.''

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Babu Joseph, Trash2Cash-Energy

In a continuing effort to develop local artists and integrate arts into the community, the Arts Council of Hillsborough County is offering seven grants of up to $2,000 each to individual artists.

"The arts are what give us a quality of life,'' says Teri Simons, director of program services for the Arts Council of Hillsborough County. "They bring us together as individuals. Creativity of a community is a pretty good measure of the quality of the community.''

Since 1989, the Council has awarded $600,000 in grants to individual artists through this program. Last year's winners included Erin Cardinal Wright, who choreographed and directed a dance film called "The Enormity of Two,'' which explores the common threads that bring two people together.  

"The goal is to enable the artists to pursue a project that will help them take their career to the next level,'' says Simons. "That might be through education, a specific medium or technique, or maybe equipment.''

The council is also looking for ways people can bring the arts back into the local community to benefit the citizens. For example, last year's grant winner Crystal Haralambou used the funding for education and support of Shakespeare Behind Bars, a nonprofit program that uses theater to help juvenile justice offenders develop life skills and successfully reintegrate back into society.

Funds for this year's grants are provided by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the Council's FIVE by FIVE art event.

The Council also funds a grant program for arts groups and cultural organizations, which typically opens in August.

Requirements and an application for the individual artist grants can be found on the Arts Council website. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, January 18, 2013.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Teri Simons, Hillsborough Arts Council

Artists in Tampa Bay will soon have an additional platform to make their work more accessible to the public. Daniel Markovich, the most recent winner of Awesome Tampa Bay's microgrants program, is transforming dated novelty sticker vending machines into portable dispensers that will include things like prints, sticker art and photography created by local artists.

"Art plays a huge role in the culture of a city,'' says Markovich, owner and designer for Etchd Unlimited. "With so many talented people very often overlooked, I sought out to find a way to help distribute their work that is fun, affordable and engaging.''
 
The inspiration for the project came from Markovich's own experiences at art shows, where he always wanted to take something home with him but found the price tags on most pieces to be out of his range. The vending machines will provide a way for those on a limited budget to access local artwork.
 
Awesome Tampa Bay is an independent, self-funded community of philanthropists that aims to further Tampa Bay's awesomeness through the quarterly distribution of $1,000 microgrants. The grants are provided with no strings attached and no claims of ownership over the projects, giving the recipients more control and free range than with traditional grant programs.

"We select projects based on multiple criteria but specifically those that can have a big impact with a micro grant; Daniel's project does just that,'' says Razi Amador, dean of awesomeness for Awesome Tampa Bay. "It gives local artists visibility and local venues a chance to participate in the arts movement in a unique way, and we think that is awesome.''

The application deadline for the next Awesome Tampa Bay grant is February 1.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Razi Amador, Awesome Tampa Bay

Kavaliro Staffing Services, headquartered in Central Florida, is expanding into the Tampa market, creating more than 60 local jobs.
 
"Kavaliro is very excited about officially moving into the Tampa market,’' says Mark Moore, president of Kavaliro Staffing. "We have a substantial reach already into the Tampa/St Pete area, with more than 1 million dollars in revenue being generated in that market this year.  To expand our opportunities and better service our customers, this move is crucial to our growth and success.''
 
While the company will maintain its headquarters in Orlando, Moore says there is a great deal of growth planned for the Tampa office.
 
"Our intention is to see the same level of growth we have seen overall as a company in the last two years,'' he says. "We are expecting triple-digit growth for sure with a minimum expectation of 60 to 80 new jobs created.''
 
The positions that Moore plans to create with his company’s expansion will be primarily in the IT, administrative and accounting fields. He says there will also be some sales and human resources positions.
 
"These new positions will be created and spread out throughout 2013.''
 
Kavaliro’s local office is located at 1228 East 7^th Ave. in Tampa.
 
Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Mark Moore, Kavaliro Staffing Services

Tampa Bay businesses now have a way to make sense of the often ambiguous analytical data available about their website and other digital media platforms. A franchise of E-Nor, a web analytics company originating in Silicon Valley, recently opened in Temple Terrace.

The company's name is derived from Noor, the traditional Mediterranean word for light. As a certified Google partner, the company's expertise is in bringing to light meaningful digital analytics that will help businesses better understand their market. Many companies already access data for free through Google analytics, but they might not realize the full potential of how valuable the data can be to their growth.

"The digital economy is really growing rapidly, and big data is a major part of its progress,'' says Bilal Saleh, principal partner for E-Nor and owner of the Tampa franchise. "With all that's going on online and with social media, companies have tons of data they don't have real access to or insight about.''

Saleh has worked in the telecommunications industry for the past 20 years at companies such as Motorola and MCI Communications. He and E-Nor's founder, Feras Alhlou, started their careers together at Precision Systems Inc (Psi) in St. Petersburg in 1990. Alhlou, an MBA graduate from the University of South Florida, moved to California. PSi was acquired by a California-based company.

The technical work is currently being done by E-Nor's parent office in California, but as the local office grows, the plan is to become a fully functioning operation, covering the southeastern U.S.
 
"The Tampa Bay area is really growing in the IT sector,'' says Saleh.

"There's a lot of emphasis on growing the IT talent in the area. We're very upbeat about the future of these services in the Tampa Bay area.''
 
E-Nor is hosting a two-day, hands-on training workshop focused on Google analytics January 22 – 23, 2013, in Tampa. The agenda includes in-depth information about market segmentation, data tracking and generating reports. For more information, visit E-Nor's website. 

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Bilal Saleh, E-Nor

Have you ever tried to find something to do on a Friday or Saturday night, only to drive around from venue to venue and not find what you're looking for? Do you want to listen to live music, but not know where to find it? Or, maybe you want to know what's happening at the beach before you arrive.
 
St. Petersburg-based Eyecrawler is here to help. Download the free app on your Smartphone for access to a network of people currently at each venue. Content is created in the form of a "blink'' with the option for a photo and/or comment. Users see and interact with a live blink stream from locations in close proximity to their device, filtered by categories such as live music, sports or karaoke.

"We're creating a perspective so you can find out what's going on everywhere before you arrive,'' says Shaun Rubrecht, founder of Eyecrawler.  "It gives you a better idea of where to go and what to do.''

Unlike other social networks, you don't have to be directly connected to someone or "follow'' them in order to see what they have posted. The content is open to everyone, and users can interact with each other instantly. 

Companies can build and manage advertising campaigns directly through the app. There's also a widget that websites such as Hobnob St. Petersburg are using to post a content stream directly on their site.

The network eventually plans to add content to more categories such as family friendly (people are already adding blinks at the Saturday Morning Market in St. Petersburg) and then expand to all U.S. cities, eventually going global.

Eyecrawler's official launch will take place Thursday, December 13, at Naughty Noel, hosted by Nova 535 in St. Petersburg.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Shaun Rubrecht, Eyecrawler

Many businesses value educational attainment and appreciate the impact on the local economy. Bradenton IT support and consulting firm United Systems Computer Group not only recognizes the external benefits, but takes it one step further to integrate it into the company culture. 

Now in its eighth year of business, the company delivers IT support services to small- and medium-sized businesses in the Tampa Bay region. The company is growing and thriving in a down economy, something they attribute, in part, to the value placed on employee educational attainment.

"Education is paramount to our success,'' says David Spire, president and CEO of United Systems Computer Group.

In addition to the typical tuition reimbursement, the company takes it a step further by providing paid time off for employees to study. They also have an on-site lab where employees can take a study break during the work day. Education is also an integral part of each employee's individual strategic plan.

In a world where long work hours are encouraged, the company truly supports work/life balance by telling employees to go home if they're working too long. Spire has even been known to pay for an employee to go on a date with his wife. "I don’t care if you like me, as long as your wife likes me,'' jokes Spire. 

Support from the business community is essential to increasing educational attainment in the region, a goal of the Graduate Tampa Bay initiative launched in March of this year in conjunction with the Talent Dividend. A 1 percent increase in the number of Tampa Bay residents with college degrees would result in an additional $3 billion for the region in the form of increased productivity, innovation and social benefits.

A perpetual learner himself, Spire is currently pursuing an MBA degree at Webster University's Sarasota campus.

"I'm the champion for my people,'' says Spire. "If I make their existence in the organization solid and enjoyable, they're going to take that out to our clients. Our clients are happy, and that's based on the happiness of our staff.''

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: David Spire, United Systems Computer Group

EXMO, winner of Tampa's third annual Startup Weekend, represents the Tampa Bay region in the first-ever Global Startup Battle. The team is competing against 137 other regional Startup Weekend winners for a chance to travel to Rio De Janeiro for the Global Entrepreneurship Conference, as well as other prizes to help with the company’s launch. ?

EXMO is an interactive platform designed to facilitate communication between organizers, vendors, sponsors and attendees to help people EXperience MOre at conferences and other events. The app provides a localized feed that integrates with other social networks, allowing for real-time virtual interaction. Virtual conversations can occur pre-event, during and post-event, allowing for more personalized connections.

?The motivation for the concept came from co-founder Todd Goldberg, who was looking for a better way to connect with people at large events. As he prepared to attend Startup Weekend, he realized the only way to connect with other attendees was through Facebook or individual messaging. The original idea was to provide attendees with a way to communicate even if they didn’t know each other.

"During Startup Weekend, the concept evolved into a full conference solution that not only provides an amazing attendee experience, but also enables event organizers to offer more,'' says Nancy Vaughn, co-founder of EXMO and principal, pr & marketing director for White Book Agency.

The founders, all of whom reside in the Tampa Bay area, worked together for the first time at Startup Weekend Tampa. Their identification and understanding of the target customer ultimately led to their selection as the winner. 

The next step is additional feature enhancement and a beta release using Tampa Bay technology events, expected in late January. 

"The Tampa Bay area has a growing and diverse tech community, with many events bringing people together from all aspects of the industry,'' says Karl White, co-founder of EXMO and Founder of Charisma Studios. "We would love to be able to lead the way with a global flagship product, promoting both Tampa Bay’s technology events and its highly skilled community.''

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Todd Goldberg, EXMO; Nancy Vaughn, White Book Agency; Karl White, Charisma Studios

Visual Alliance Media, Moonstruck Marketing Group and Good Dog/Bad Dog Creative Design will be merging to create Exakt Marketing, a full service marketing agency in Tampa. As part of the merger, the newly created company plans to create seven jobs.
 
"There are two overarching reasons to why we decided to merge,'' says Kerek Lee, CEO and partner of Exakt Marketing. "The first stemmed from the realization that we couldn't be experts in every aspect of marketing whether we wanted to or not. Also, coming together allowed us to bring together three organizations that were experts in their own respective areas of marketing. We can’t begin to stresss enough the importance of cohesive marketing strategy as it relates to a brand and an organization’s success.''
 
Visual Alliance Media specialized in social media marketing, while Moonstruck Marketing and Good Dog/Bad Dog specialized in creative design. Lee says that the merger will allow Exakt the ability to offer clients a full range of services including branding, graphic design, website development, search engine optimization and social media marketing.
 
In order to give clients the array of services Exakt plans to offer, Lee says the new company will need to expand right away.
 
"We are anticipating bringing on two sales positions prior to the end of this year,'' Lee says. "We’re also expecting to add two to three additional positions in the realm of social media management, web development and design. The remaining positions will be filled over an approximate 18 month period.''
 
Exakt Marketing plans to serve several different market sectors; with an emphasis on hospitality, health/wellness and conference planning.
 
Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Derek Lee, Exakt Mareting