Author

Missy Kavanaugh

Missy Kavanaugh's Latest Articles

Pasco County Looks To Entrepreneurs For Growth In Florida’s Economy
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Development News
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April 6, 2010

If recent statistics are correct, Pasco County is becoming a haven for the entrepreneurial spirit. According to data released by YourEconomy.org, businesses employing fewer than 100 employees increased nearly 36 percent throughout Pasco County, and contributed to a 31 percent increase in employment between 2005 and 2007. Given that a recent report by the Small Business Administration indicates that small businesses and entre­preneurs will play important roles in the nation's economic recovery, this may be good news for the expanding communities of Pasco County. Pasco's leading employers are in the retail and health industries. As in communities throughout the U.S., too many people living in Pasco found themselves out of work as the economy began to slide downward. John Hagen, president and CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council, attributes the spark in small business to displaced workers starting businesses to replace previous employment as hourly workers for bigger companies. "We have a strong network of hospitals and other health care providers," says Hagen. "But we have an interesting niche in environmental firms that has spun out of the construction business. We think we could play a key role in clean water, environmental remediation and clean energy." While it's impossible to predict what will transpire in the next five years, Hagen says he feels optimistic. "We feel a strong upward momentum developing. The public and private sectors are really joining together in an unprecedented way here in Pasco. It is a very positive economic environment at the moment, despite the negative national and international business environment."Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: John Hagen, Pasco Economic Development Council

Port Of Tampa Expands, Prepares For More Panama Canal Traffic
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Development News
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April 6, 2010

When the expected cargo blitz surges through the expanded Panama Canal in 2014, the Port of Tampa plans to be ready. The Tampa Port Authority has finished its latest phase of a long-term expansion that will eventually accommodate more than 1 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units, a measure used for capacity in container transportation) per year. "We are very pleased to work with our partners Ports America, the Executive Shippers Council and our container carriers to ensure Tampa is well-positioned to serve the anticipated growth in Central Florida's overseas trade," says Richard Wainio, Tampa's port director and CEO, in a news release. "We will continue to move forward with a business-like approach towards investment in Tampa's container facilities". The latest phase increases paved storage space from 25 to 40 acres and adds another 2,100 feet of berth length. The terminal also added four cranes along its 43-foot-deep water channel to accommodate more container traffic through the port. More than 150 key exporting firms in the region should benefit from the Port's additional container space, because it may save them time and money traveling to more distant ports. In addition, the Florida Department of Transportation is building a ramp and connector leading from the port to ultimately connect with both Interstate 4 and Interstate 75 for faster access to commercial hubs in Orlando and Atlanta. The Interstate 4 corridor between Tampa and Orlando is the 10th-largest economy in the country, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of more than $272 billion. "The roadway will link Interstate 4 with the Selmon Expressway just west of 31st Street in Tampa," says John McShaffrey, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Transportation. "It will be east of downtown on the east side of the port and will link the Selmon with I-4 to significantly improve the movement of people and goods." McShaffrey says the new roadway will have exclusive truck lanes to keep Ybor City traffic congestion to a minimum. Writer: Missy KavanaughSources: Richard Wainio, Port of Tampa; John McShaffrey, Florida Department of Transportation

Tampa USF College Of Nursing Ranks High In NIH Funding
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Development News
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April 6, 2010

The University of South Florida College of Nursing is gaining ground in the competitive arena of medical research. Three major projects funded by the National Institutes of Health moved the college from 66 to 30 in the latest NIH funding rankings, which positions USF as an attractive institution for accomplished faculty and research-oriented students looking for a university to call home. "The ranking is a credit to the skill, persistence, creativity and experience of our faculty," says Kevin Kip, PhD, executive director of the Research Center at the USF College of Nursing. "The fact that we've managed to substantially expand our research portfolio in such a competitive environment at a time when the NIH is funding fewer and fewer grant applications is quite an accomplishment." The NIH funded three research projects last year that totaled $1.5 million, nearly triple the funding the college has enjoyed over the last four years. Funding in 2009 was $2.8 million compared to $1.3 million in 2007. The projects included palliative and end-of-life care, stress reduction in breast cancer survivors and postpartum stress and immunity. "NIH funding is the Cadillac of funding and it's a very competitive process," says Kip. "Our five-year plan is to be in the top five. We have several applications that are being reviewed right now." Kip says the nursing college is pursuing a federally funded institutional training grant given only to strong post doctoral research programs. "The federal grant we're going after now is a called a T32 grant. If you can show that you have a strong research program you can build on that. You can only get the kind of funding we're going after when you have a certain volume of research going on." Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Kevin Kip, USF College of Nursing

Haines City Hospital Continues To Expand, Add Medical Services
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Development News
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March 30, 2010

Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center in Haines City is growing at an accelerated pace to keep up with community needs, says CEO Jay Finnegan. "We have experienced double-digit percentage growth in ER visits this past year, particularly in the area of cardiac catheterization," Finnegan explains. To meet this demand, the hospital's cardiac catheterization lab is undergoing a $2 million construction that will be completed in July 2010. In addition, the hospital renovated ER space not directly used for patient care into areas that would allow for more treatment. An urgent care facility on Cypress Gardens Boulevard opened in August 2009 to accommodate non life-threatening emergencies. "We added 40 beds to our fourth-floor surgical unit and 2009 was the first full year of use," says Finnegan. "But despite that addition, we're still at full capacity." Finnegan says Heart of Florida plans to build out a fifth floor to add an additional 40 beds, and plans are underway to begin construction on another five-story tower to accommodate more patients. In addition, the hospital recently acquired digital mammography equipment for its imaging center, thereby enhancing its diagnostic services. Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center has grown from a small community hospital to being the primary health care source for Haines City, Winter Haven and surrounding communities. The urgent care facility is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Writer: Missy Kavanaugh Source: Jay Finnegan, Heart of Florida Regional Hospital

Lakeland Gears Up To Build Special Park For Toddlers, Families
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Development News
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March 30, 2010

Construction will begin in April on a Lakeland playground to be devoted solely to young families with toddlers ages 3 to 5. The Sunflower Preschool Playground is to be completed in time for its grand opening on Dec. 4, 2010. "We are very eager to start this play opportunity," says Bill Tinsley, director of Lakeland Parks and Recreation. "We have already started some preliminary design of the park and we know it is going to feature unique playground equipment that is currently not available in our community. Young families are going to be thrilled when this park is completed." The Sunflower Preschool Playground is to be built in the Mirror Lake district at Barnett Family Park, named for Carol and Barney Barnett of Lakeland. Mrs. Barnett is the daughter of George Jenkins, founder of Publix Supermarkets. It is hoped that the toddler playground will augment the success of the Common Ground Playground, another Lakeland city park. "Common Ground is just so successful and crowded, you can barely find a place to park," explains Weezie Vreeland, who is spearheading fundraising for the project." And once the older children come, it's hard for toddlers to keep up. We just thought it would be nice to give the little ones their own space." According to Vreeland, the planned equipment is designed specifically for toddlers to provide a sense of comfort and spatial stability, especially for children with disabilities such as autism. In addition, the plans provide for plenty of shade and room for strollers, as well as an 18-foot square sandbox and other amenities to suit young families. The project funds grew from a memorial fund for Vreeland's grandson, John Kyle, who died in 2008. Additional funds have been raised by the Lakeland Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, as well as private donors.Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Weezie Vreeland, Sunflower Preschool Playground

Brown & Brown Insurance Company Moves Into New Clearwater Office
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Development News
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March 30, 2010

The Pinellas County office of Brown & Brown Insurance has moved into a LEED-certified building at 83 Park Place in Clearwater. The insurance company was previously located at 17757 US Highway 19 N. "We liked the fact that it was a green building and it provides convenient commuting for our employees between Clearwater and Tampa," says Dana Ludwig, vice president of the Pinellas location. The Class A, LEED-Gold-registered commercial space is designed to collect rainwater from its drainage system, which can then be used to irrigate the building's landscaping. In addition, the building's solar-banned windows are triple paned and wind rated for 130 mile-per-hour winds. "In our business we keep a lot of records," Ludwig explains. "This building is much safer in an area prone to hurricanes and high-storm winds. When our team went through the selection process, we believed if we could get a green building it would make a positive statement about our company."LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark that measures sustainability in design, construction and operation as well as water efficiency, materials, resources and indoor quality. The building's official certification is pending completion of additional construction. Brown & Brown Insurance is ranked by Business Insurance magazine as the sixth-largest independent insurance intermediaries in the world, with locations throughout the United States and England. The 70-year-old company enjoys favorable rankings from Standard & Poor's, as well as from Forbes and Fortune magazines. "We're encouraged by the demand for green office space," says Paul Engelhardt, vice president of Hallmark Development, the company leasing the building. "Having well-respected companies like Brown & Brown embrace the principles of green building is further proof that the earth-friendly building is here to stay."Writer: Missy Kavanaugh Source: Dana Ludwig, Brown & Brown Insurance

Bradenton Communications Company Gets $15 Million Investment
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Development News
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March 30, 2010

A Bradenton wireless communications tower company recently received $15 million from a private investment fund to expand business throughout several states, including Florida. Tarpon Towers, wireless communications infrastructure company specializing in the acquisition and development of wireless communication towers, received the funds from Spire Capital Partners, a leading private investment fund specializing in communications technology, on March 15, 2010. A managing member of Spire Capital will join Tarpon's board of directors as part of the transaction. "We are excited to have Spire Capital join the Tarpon family as we feel Spire's extensive experience in the tower sector and strong industry relationships will be invaluable to Tarpon as we continue to build our business and create shareholder value," says Ronald Bizick, Tarpon co-founder and CEO. The need for more towers and the capital required to fund them arose from increased use of wireless technology such as smart phones and other devices that rely heavily on cellular transmission. "Growth in our business is dependent on access to capital and we are seeing numerous opportunities to put capital to work at attractive returns," adds William Freeman, Tarpon's co-founder and president. The investment will make possible more than 100 towers in 14 or 15 states, which will positively impact service through such carriers as Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. Tarpon currently owns 85 towers throughout Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, Michigan, Connecticut, New York and California. Tarpon Towers is based in Bradenton and has operated under its current management team since 2008. The company was able to add five new positions last year due to a previous investment of $50 million. Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: William Freeman, Tarpon Towers

Lakeland Summit Addresses High-Speed Rail Connecting Tampa, Orlando
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Development News
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March 30, 2010

The Lakeland Civic Center hosted a group of businessmen, community leaders and visionaries  on March 24, 2010, who gathered to discuss the high-speed rail proposed between Tampa and Orlando. It marked the first meeting of its kind since President Obama announced that Florida would receive $1.25 billion toward railway construction. Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, Lakeland Mayor Gow Fields and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer listened as representatives from the Tampa Bay Partnership, Central Florida Partnership, Florida Rail Enterprise and other entities with a stake in the proposed rail system presented their findings and plans related to the proposed route, which would run from Tampa's Ybor City and the Orlando International Airport. "We start today to create a vision, a template for connectivity," says Ed Turanchik, founder of ConnectUs, a grassroots organization. "High-speed rail builds a bigger community from smaller ones." Representatives from Florida Rail Enterprise presented an overview of the high-speed rail plan, which provides for stops at USF Polytechnic in Lakeland and Kathleen Avenue locations, Walt Disney Resort and the Orange County Convention Center. Dyer of Orlando and Ronnie Duncan of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) spoke about their region's plans for additional rail service to augment transportation from the high-speed system to key locations throughout Orlando and the Tampa Bay area. These reports and others from Orlando's SunRail and Tampa's transit system sound promising, says Shelley Lauten, president of myregion.org and project director of Connecting for Global Competitiveness: Tampa Bay Central Florida Super Region. The Tampa-Orlando rail line is designed to become part of a bigger network that will link Orlando with Miami. Proponents of the plan say construction along the Interstate 4 corridor could begin as early as February or March of 2011, and conclude in 2015. Writer: Missy Kavanaugh Source: Ed Turanchik, ConnectUs

Port Manatee Contracts With Natural Gas Company, $150 Million Impact
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Development News
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March 23, 2010

The Manatee County Port Authority has entered into a long-term agreement with Port Dolphin Energy, which will provide Florida with another source of natural gas to meet the growing demand for alternative energy sources. The project is expected to be completed by 2013, and will pump more than $150 million into the local economy during the next 20 years. "With the addition of Port Dolphin to our growing family of energy-related companies, Port Manatee exhibits its leadership as an incubator for local jobs and regional economic growth," says Larry Bustle, chairman of the Manatee County Port Authority. "This agreement reinforces the port's financial strength with a new, recurring revenue stream." According to figures released by Port Dolphin Energy, the project's estimated $150 million stimulus will come in the form of jobs, tax revenue and supplies and services. The project makes it possible for liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers to connect with Port Dolphin's offshore facility 28 miles off the coast of Manatee County, which in turn connects to an undersea pipeline system that comes onshore at Port Manatee. The supply coming in to the port complements the state supply provided by Florida Gas Transmission Co. and Gulfstream Natural Gas System pipelines. Studies indicate that natural gas is cleaner, safer, more easily accessible and easier to store than oil. The Dolphin Energy project meets the objectives outlined in the Florida Public Service Commission's Ten-Year Plan that call for a more balanced fuel supply.Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Larry Bustle, Manatee County Port Authority

Three Tampa Bay Firms Join Forces On Bradenton Construction Project
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Development News
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March 23, 2010

The Law Office of Lavely & Whyte P.A. has contracted Holland Construction to build its new corporate headquarters on Manatee Avenue East in Manatee County. The plans for the 4,000-square-foot office space will be designed by local architect team Moore2Design.The building is expected to be an aesthetic asset to the area. "The new building will really command a presence in this area near downtown Bradenton, says Craig Campbell, vice president for Holland Construction's Florida office. "Designed with a Mediterranean architectural style, the building will contain a very prominent clock tower, ensuring the building's visibility. We are looking forward to getting started on the construction."Holland was chosen due to a longstanding relationship between Steve Lavely and Holland's Vice President Craig Campbell. "I have known and worked with Craig for years, and am confident that he will bring his in-depth expertise and knowledge to our project, states Lavely.The construction company expects to break ground this spring, with completion planned for the fall. The company intends to subcontract work locally during the six-month construction phase.The project is a blending of local industries. While Holland Construction, previously Hostetter Construction, is based in Hanover, Penn. a Southwest office is located in Sarasota. Moore2Design is based in Palmetto and is comprised of husband-and-wife team Jon and Victoria Moore. The company's portfolio spans several industries, and features local building such as the Evolve Wellness Center and Day Spa in Palmetto, and the Countryside Christian Church in Clearwater. Lavely & White currently has offices in Bradenton, Sarasota and St. Petersburg. Four employees of the firm are expected to move into the new offices upon completion of the project.

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