Innovation News

Hillsborough County Posts 2 Communications Positions, Hiring

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September 7, 2010

Two communications positions serving Hillsborough County government are open for applicants.Hillsborough County will be hiring a computer graphics designer and a community relations coordinator.The computer graphics designer position involves designing publication covers, brochures, pamphlets, signs, letterheads and other items. To apply for this position the applicant needs a bachelor's degree in arts, fine arts or science. The applicant also needs to have substantial knowledge of design, layout and preparation of graphic art work. This position also requires the applicant to be able to plan, design and create work at a professional level.The community relations coordinator position involves organizing studies to establish program priorities relative to getting funds and resources. This position also involves researching within human relations and planning and performing program analysis and statistical research. This position requires the applicant to have a bachelor's degree and three years of experience in planning, implementing or managing community relations or community education programs, or an associate's degree and four years of experience, or a high school diploma or GED with five years of experience.The applicant also needs to have extensive knowledge of education principles, methods and practices, and must be proficient in English grammar, punctuation, spelling and the use of photographic and audiovisual equipment. Hillsborough County government is offering good benefits with these positions, including participation in the Florida Retirement System, an employer contribution into a deferred compensation program (similar to a 401K plan), short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, sick leave, newborn leave and affordable health, dental and vision insurance. For more information about these positions, contact Willie Puz at puzw@hillsboroughcounty.org.Writer: Mandy ErfourthSource: Willie Puz, Hillsborough County

Latest in Innovation News

AmeriCorps + Big Brothers Big Sisters Of Tampa Bay Seek Mentor Manager

By Mandy Erfourth

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Health

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August 31, 2010

If you like to work with children and need to gain experience for your future, you may want to consider becoming an AmeriCorps member. A partnership between Hillsborough Education Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay and AmeriCorps National Service program has an opening for a full-time mentor manager/support specialist.The mentor manager/ support specialist will work together with other BBBS staff members and AmeriCorps members with students at Leto High School in Tampa to support and engage them. The staff members will also serve as mentors to at-risk kids for elementary and middle schools.The primary functions to the mentor manager position/ support specialist is to provide case management to build a positive relationship between children and volunteers and to ensure kids safety. Applicants for this position must have a bachelor's degree in education, human services or a related field. This position also requires the applicant to have good writing, verbal and problem solving skills, be familiar with Microsoft word, have experience with youth development -- preferably with high school students -- and be able to speak both English and Spanish.The applicant must be able to make a commitment to one year at 40 hours a week and be able to work nights and weekends as needed. AmeriCorps was established in 1993 as a national service program. AmeriCorps focuses on service work in various fields, such as education, natural disasters, environmental protection, community revitalization and youth development.The successful applicant for the mentor manager position will receive a small monthly stipend, health insurance, mileage reimbursement and an education award at the end of the service year.Members cannot be in school or have another job during their service. As an AmeriCorps member, the position will provide the member with real-world experience and great training. Interested applicants are asked to send a resume and application to Mike Trepper at mike.trepper@bbbs.org by Sept. 3. Writer: Mandy ErfourthSource: Mike Trepper, Big Brother Big Sisters of Tampa Bay

Tampa’s Straz Center Creates Next Generation Ballet For Ages 16-21

By Nancy Vaughn

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Arts

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August 31, 2010

The David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts has created another opportunity to develop young talent and launch them into stardom. The Next Generation Ballet (NGB), founded by Peter Stark, a renowned international coach of ballet and chair of the dance department at Patel Conservatory, will nurture the development and careers of talented, young dancers and audiences. Ballet patrons will have an opportunity to experience these young dancers who are being groomed for professional employment through high levels of instruction, coaching and performance opportunities led by Stark, who is serving as NGB's artistic director."It's really thrilling for me," says an enthusiastic Stark. "Basically we are starting a ballet company and modeling it from something that really hasn't been done in the ballet community."The idea for NGB is a hybrid between a youth ballet company and a professional ballet company. It is modeled after the successful New World Symphony in Miami, which combines professionally trained musicians with students in the area of classical music. For the upcoming 2010-2011 season, NGB will feature eight apprentice dancers, 12 trainee dancers and the most accomplished students from Patel Conservatory Youth Ballet.This new concept will allow audiences to experience local talent and dance that is of international quality. Apprentice dancers can participate with NGB for two to four years and will dance in two annual productions. "We have some really exciting talent and what is great about being at the Straz Center is that we have its backing and incredible theaters, really amazing sets and costumes for the productions that we are putting on stage," says Stark, who taught ballet in Orlando for 10 years before moving to Tampa. Five families of Stark's students have already relocated to the Tampa Bay region so their teens can participate in this company.First season NGB dancers will be featured in The Nutcracker this December, along with guest artists from New York City Ballet and Boston Ballet. One of Stark's former students ,Jeffrey Cirio, won the Princess Grace Award and will be a guest performer in the Nutcracker. First auditions for The Nutcracker were held on Aug. 28, and a second audition is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 11. The NGB will also perform in A Midsummer Night's Dream on May 14, 2011.Writer: Nancy Vaughn and Mandy ErfourthSource: Peter Stark, Next Generation Ballet & Patel Conservatory

Pasco EDC, Pasco Hernando Workforce Team Up To Create Jobs

By Mandy Erfourth

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Innovation News

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August 31, 2010

Pasco Economic Development Council and Pasco Hernando Workforce Board/Career Central are teaming up to improve training and job creation.Pasco Hernando Workforce Board/Career Central approved a new contract with Pasco Economic Development Council that started on July 1. The partnership is to help attract companies to the area and improve training to meet employers' needs.There are many key points that the PEDC and workforce are going to be working on throughout the year. They are planning to reach out to the youth in the Pasco County career academics. PEDC and workforce are also planning various job fairs hosted by Career Central. The next one is on Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Spring Hill Career Central. Career Central is also working on assistance to professional placement network in coordinating speakers for meetings, focus groups with employers to evaluate services and entrepreneur classes. PEDC and Workforce plans to hold surveys to identify employee trends and training needs. They are also going to have a call program and visits to primary industries, develop networks for entrepreneurs to provide them technical assistance and encourage Pasco employers to use the job order and placement service through Career Central as well."2010 will be an exciting year for economic and workforce development," says Sean Malott, account executive of PEDC.PEDC is continuing to work on numerous projects, including, expansions of its workforce section of the website, assertively perusing state funded grants and training opportunities and it will also be improving their marketing efforts in supplying the Pasco business community with better services. Writer: Mandy ErfourthSource: Sean Malott, Pasco Economic Development Council

Edward Jones To Add 100 Offices, 200 Jobs Over 10 Years In Tampa Bay

By Mandy Erfourth

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General

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August 24, 2010

Want to work for a company that's ranked among the best companies to work for in the country and will be adding 200 jobs in the next 10 years?Edward Jones will be adding 100 or more offices to the Tampa Bay area over the next 10 years. Each Edward Jones' office usually has one financial advisor and one branch office administrator. There are some cases that there are two branch office administrators. With the addition to these offices, there will be 100 added financial advisors and 100 added branch administrators. "The plan is to continue to recruit high quality people," Kenny Locke, regional leader of Tampa Bay of Edward Jones, says.According to Locke, Fortune Magazine ranked Edward Jones the second best company in the country to work for in an annual survey. As a result of the survey, the company gets a lot of interested applicants. Edwards Jones is looking for people who have had success and progression in their career thus far. "We are very selective in the candidates as we hire them, but we think there is tremendous opportunity specifically in the Tampa Bay market so we're going to continue adding on," Locke says. Millions of baby boomers will be retiring over the next 10 to 15 years, in result there is a demand for Edward Jones' services. Edward Jones has been around since 1922 providing financial services. The way the company works is it builds a relationships with its almost seven million clients on a face to face bases. Edward Jones currently has offices from St. Petersburg to Crystal River and over to Bartow. It has approximately 70 financial advisors.Writer: Mandy ErfourthSource: Kenny Locke, Edward Jones

Tampa Artist Creates 3D Art, Draws Inspiration From Ancestors

By Nancy Vaughn

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Arts

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August 24, 2010

Elio Lopez comes from a family of inspirational movers and shakers. That inspiration is reflected in his work as an artist, and his most recent painting captures the important roles his grandfathers played in Ybor City's cigar industry. Wilfredo Rodriguez, Lopez's Cuban maternal grandfather, has been documented as the last surviving lector. A lector was hired by cigar workers to read aloud the news and literature to keep them current on what was happening in their industry and the world. Cigar factory management and elected officials frowned upon the reading in the workplace and attempted to abolish the practice in an effort to gain more control of the workers. Servando Lopez was Lopez's Spanish paternal grandfather and a master cigar maker in Tampa. Servando was active in politics and is known for creating the first unionization in Ybor City's cigar factories. The successful formation of the union was also the end of lectors in cigar factories. Management agreed to the unionization as long as the lectors were dismissed. Like a tragic story, the beginning of one good thing came at the demise of another good thing. Paying homage to his grandfathers, Lopez has painted "El Lector" to share their story and celebrate the wins that were achieved by both of their efforts in historic Ybor City's cigar industry."I always wanted to honor my grandfathers for what they did," says Lopez. "I don't believe they ever got the recognition they deserve for what they contributed to this city."Aside from the history and story-telling that is encompassed in this painting, Lopez has also used a 3D painting technique and further explored a collage effect in the artwork. Lopez is known for his invention of the resist painting technique, where the artwork begins by drawing the negative space instead of the positive space (the outline around the subject is the negative space). In El Lector, Lopez uses a unique molding compound called moulage (French for mold), which adds to the uniqueness of the painting. Moulage is an eco-friendly mold made from seaweed that is non-toxic, can be used repeatedly and is safe to put on the skin."The environment is very important to me. A lot of art materials can be rather bad for the environment. This is a way to get the best of both worlds," says Lopez. "I can keep myself pushing techniques forward, but at the same time I'm doing my part to keep the environment safe."El Lector will be unveiled at the Louise & Arnold Kotler Art Gallery in the John F. Germany Library on Wednesday, Sept. 8, at 6:30 p.m. His painting launch also serves as a celebration of National Literacy Month, highlighting the importance of the literacy movement among Cuban, Italian and Spanish immigrant who worked Ybor City's cigar factories, as well as Hispanic Heritage Month.Writer: Nancy VaughnSource: Elio Lopez, artist

Join The Chit Chat, Pecha Kucha Volume 6 In Tampa

By Nancy Vaughn

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Arts

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August 24, 2010

The creative show with the often mispronounced name, Pecha Kucha, will host Volume 6 on Friday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m., in the Lafayette Room at Mise En Place.After a call for presenters, a two-minute presentation is given to Kenneth Cowart, Pecha Kucha Tampa Bay organizer.The 20 image, 20-second presentation style program has brought together a diverse roster of presenters for Pecha Kucha V6. "It's [Pecha Kucha] evolving to get people from all different walks of life," says Cowart. "I'm pretty inclusive about who can present. As long as it's not a direct advertisement for their company, and it's a new, unique idea or something that someone else might be interested in. Anyone who wants to talk about something they're passionate about."For instance, Jereme Monette is an AP world history and philosophy honors teacher at Plant City High School who is passionate about educational travel. "The reason I like attending [Pecha Kucha] is because it's such a neat way to share ideas, kind of a cultural exchange. A place where people who care about Tampa, St. Pete and the surrounding areas can get together and really kind of discuss ways that we can make the area better, or more importantly, ways that we are making the area better."Monette will present for the first time at Pecha Kucha V6. He wants to share the amazing impact that educational travel can have on students and the community in general. "It's one of those things where it's difficult to appreciate how valuable mass transportation can be for a community or a high speed rail until you've kind of gone off and experienced a place firsthand and seen how amazingly helpful it can be and how it can improve the infrastructure of an area."Other participants include: Hadrian Alegarbes - environmentWendy Babcox - photographic artistDavid Bailey - architect John Dollus - 3D realizationLeslie Elsasser - 2D artistBruce Monroe - artistTed Van Cleave - photographic artistAdmission to the Pecha Kucha V6 event is $5, and you can RSVP on Facebook. The next Pecha Kucha Tampa Bay event is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 22, 2010.Writer: Nancy VaughnSource: Kenneth Cowart, Jereme Monette, Pecha Kucha

Incentive Grants Help UTC Fire And Security Preserve, Add Jobs In Manatee

By Mandy Erfourth

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Innovation News

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August 24, 2010

Incentive grants from the state of Florida and the Manatee Board of County Commissioners will help United Technologies Corporation Fire and Security keep existing jobs and add new ones. The plan is for UTC Fire and Security to preserve 227 jobs at GE Security that the company obtained earlier this year. The company is also planning on adding 23 new jobs. This is being made possible by the approval of incentive grants provided by the state and Manatee County.UTC Fire and Security could receive as much as $92,000 over five years. The company will receive the money as it adds and retains high-wage jobs.These incentive grants are made possible because UTC Fire and Security's headquarters will be located in a facility in Lakewood Ranch in Manatee County.UTC Fire and Security, part of United Technologies Corporation, supplies high technology products and services to building and aerospace businesses across the globe and has more than 1 million customers. Manatee commissioners, the Manatee Economic Development Council and the state are continuing to work to bring growth and good jobs to the community. Positions will be posted as they come available on UTC Fire and Security's career page. Writer: Mandy ErfourthSource: Eric Basinger, Manatee Economic Development Council

Insignia Bank Expands, Hiring For Two Positions In Sarasota

By Mandy Erfourth

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General

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August 24, 2010

Insignia Bank is expanding its residential real estate division and hiring people to fill two positions in Sarasota. Insignia Bank is searching for two experienced residential lenders because of the expected increase in demand in the residential real estate market. Applicants should have three or more years experience in the local market. The two new employees will join Laura Dorsey, residential lending executive of Insignia Bank, in providing exceptional customer service and knowledge of the residential lending market.According to Charles G. Brown III, chairman and CEO of Insignia Bank, expanding its residential lending division is a priority because, as a community bank. the company feels it's important it expands as it offers a variety of loans in addition to portfolio products. Insignia Banks offer conventional, fixed rate and adjustable jumbos and super jumbos, FHA, VA, USDA, reverse mortgages, as well as customized portfolio products and other products. Its primary functions are consumer and commercial deposit services, commercial real estate lending, residential and commercial mortgages, and investment services.For more information about these positions contact Dorsey at 941-342-5005.Insignia Bank, Brown says, welcomes many applicants because they may expand even more depending on the response of talent that results from this initial search. Insignia Bank has three locations in Sarasota. The downtown office is located at 333 North Orange Ave. at the corner of Fruitville Road and North Orange Avenue. A branch is located at 5850 Fruitville Road and another is in Bradenton at 6145 Exchange Way in Lakewood Ranch.Writer: Mandy ErfourthSource: Charles G. Brown III, Insignia Bank

Wide World Security To Hire 100 Employees Over Next Five Years, New Jobs

By Mandy Erfourth

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Innovation News

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August 17, 2010

Wide World Security will be training individuals in Manatee County in numerous markets for private and public agencies. The security firm's Bradenton headquarters plans on hiring 100 employees over the next five years for an eastern Manatee County training center. The Bradenton center was created in 2009 to train for police and fire departments, hazardous materials and FEMA. Wide World Security also provides and trains for private security. The Manatee Economic Development Council has assisted Wide World Security with applying for incentive grants of $178,330 from the Manatee Board of County Commissioners.The Manatee Board of County Commissioners will award up to $100,000 of grants over the next five years as the company hires new employees. This grant is a performance-based incentive and requires Wide World Security to pay its employees an annual wage that exceeds 115 percent of the county average. The other $78,330 is to refund the company for transportation impact fees once the certificate of occupancy on the first phase as been received. The first phase is scheduled to open in the first half of 2011. This will include 15 instructors and operations personnel in a 25,000-square- feet command center with an office and training center as well as an indoor shooting range. The facility is on 400 acres on SR 70 about 11 miles east of Interstate 75. Wide World Security is run by two disabled veterans, Dell Hyland and Lyle Allen. Hyland is a retired Marine with 17 years of experience in security. Allen is a decorated Army veteran and has been a combat engineer and recruiter. Wide World Security is waiting for state regulation approval for providing security for corporate, residential and celebrity protection. They also will be certified by the Veterans' Administration.Writer: Mandy ErfourthSource: Eric Basinger, Manatee Economic Development Council