Sarasota Foundation Seeks Emerging Leaders For Institute, Apply Now

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Higher Education
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April 20, 2010

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation is accepting applications for the 2010 class of the Gulf Coast Leadership Institute. Participants are being sought from across the region for this three-month leadership development program. "Our program will help leaders with individual leadership skills and then use them in the group as they grow through the class," says Teri A. Hansen, president and chief executive officer of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.The Gulf Coast Leadership Institute is made up of seven training sessions that run from May through July, and they are held in Venice. The Fanning Institute, a public service and outreach unit of the University of Georgia, will lead the training. The seven training sessions will cover: understanding leadership, communicating effectively, valuing community diversity, managing conflict, building communities through collaboration, making group decisions and leading community change.Up to 25 participants will be chosen from various industry sectors. To ensure a diverse group of participants, the Foundation will try to get representation from private businesses, government employees, community volunteers and nonprofit organizations, says Greg Luberecki, director of marketing and communications.Applicants are likely to be selected from Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. The deadline to apply is April 23. Interested participants may click here.Fifty-four professionals and volunteers already have graduated from the leadership development initiative.Writer: Nancy VaughnSource: Teri A. Hansen and Greg Luberecki, Gulf Coast Community Foundation

Glide Interactive Of Sarasota Adds Jobs To Develop Websites, Social Media
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Innovation
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April 20, 2010

As consumers and businesses increasingly refer to the resources of the Internet to find information and transact business, the need for companies with well-trained, creative staffs to create websites and provide digital services is growing. One Sarasota company providing those services is Glide Interactive, Inc. It provides web development, graphic design and Internet marketing services to its customers. According to the company's website, Glide Interactive's revenue rose 33 percent from January 2009 to January 2010. Because its list of clients is growing, so is Glide Interactive's staff. The company is looking to fill openings for an experienced PHP developer and Internet marketing specialist and to add more positions later. "People across the country are finding our website and word of mouth is spreading, so we are in a rapid growth phase and are looking to add another five employees by the end of the year," says CEO and President Heath Jordan, who founded the company in 2002. Besides technical skills and experience using them, Heath says, "we are looking for passionate people that have the ability to innovate and the social skills to get along well with a variety of different clients and co-workers." Heath adds that his company is growing because it works hard to help its customers thrive as well. "Success in any business comes from creating winning solutions for clients that helps them achieve their goals," he says. Writer: Brad Stager Source: Heath Jordan, Glide Interactive

Vology Data In Oldsmar Plans To Add 30 New Jobs To Sales Team
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Innovation News
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April 20, 2010

Keeping a business operating means among other things, maximizing value and minimizing costs. One company that tries to do that for buyers of networking and telecommunications systems is Vology Data Systems, located in Oldsmar. Vology, which recently changed its name from Network Liquidators, sells new and pre-owned networking and telecommunications systems to businesses, service providers and the public sector. Its inventory consists of products made by Cisco, Extreme, Avaya/Nortel, HP and Kemp Technologies among others. With $50 million in inventory and customers in 80 countries, Vology is increasing the size of its sales team, by hiring 30 additional people. Vology currently has about 110 employees. Courtney Lawton has the title of "leads management assistant" at Vology. She helps generate leads for the sales staff, which works entirely on a commission basis. She's also a member of Vology's sales recruiting team. "We're looking to expand," she says, adding "it's inside sales so it's hitting the phones." Cold calling for a paycheck can sound like a tough way to earn a living, but Lawton says the rewards are there. "You can make six figures. Our top sales person makes half-a-million a year." According to its website, Vology is a 2009 and 2010 recipient of the Tampa Bay Business Journal's "Best Places to Work" award. One reason may be the relaxed dress code. "You can wear anything you want," says Lawton, who adds that some of the top sales producers prefer flip-flops over wingtips. Writer: Brad StagerSource: Courtney Lawton, Vology Data Systems

Tampa Bay Region Receives $16.9M In HHS Funding
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Buzz
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April 13, 2010

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services recently awarded the Tampa Bay region $16.9 million in the second round of funding provided to centers expanding their health information technology. The two Tampa Bay organizations receiving a portion of the $276.6 million in HHS funding are the University of South Florida and the Community Health Centers Alliance, Inc. in St. Petersburg. The funding will provide thousands of jobs for nurses, pharmacy technicians and training.Read the complete story.

Tampa Museum Of Art Hosts UT Premiere Event
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Arts
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April 13, 2010

The Tampa Museum of Art will hosts students and faculty from the University of Tampa to premiere digital installation pieces, live performances and music in an event the university is calling Arts Nexus. The collaborative event was brought to life by Todd Smith, executive director of the Tampa Museum of Art, and UT College of Arts and Letters Dean Haig Mardirosian.This free event is open to the public and takes place on April 15 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.Read the complete release.

USF Researchers Transform Sawdust Into Fuel
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Buzz
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April 13, 2010

A team of USF researchers was recognized at the 2010 Global Venture Challenge in Tennessee for its creation of a process that transforms sawdust into jet fuel. The research team, consisting of USF chemical engineering professor John T. Wolan and graduate student Ayed Ali Gardezi, discovered an environmentally clean catalyst technology that uses a reactor to transform biomass into fuel.The team is currently in the process of raising money for a pilot-scale plant.Read the complete story.

USF Physicists Make Nanoelectronics Breakthrough
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Buzz
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April 13, 2010

A recent discovery in nanotechnology by University of South Florida physicists will lead to a major breakthrough in the development of graphene-based electronics. Graphene is currently the preferred material of use for manufacturing nanoelectronics because it can perform at speeds up to 100 times faster than silicon. The research of Dr. Matthias Batzill, Dr. Ivan Oleynik, graduate student Jayeeta Lahiri, undergraduate Pinar Bozkurt and postdoctorial associate You Lin was recently published in Nature Nanotechnology. Read the complete release.

Stetson U In Tampa Earns Fifth Win At National Trial Competition
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Buzz
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April 13, 2010

For the second time in the 2009-10 academic year, Stetson University students have won a national mock trial competition. This is the school's fifth win at the event since they began participating.Stetson Law team members Brock Johns, Katelyn Knaak and Trina Sams participated in the National Trial Competition held in Dallas on March 27. They surpassed six other schools -- including Northwestern Law and Yale Law School -- in preliminary rounds to beat Stanford in the final round.Read the complete release.

Bradenton Earth Day Event Attempts Guinness Record
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Buzz
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April 13, 2010

State College of Florida in Bradenton will host EarthFest 2010 in honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22. The event was organized by Earth Club member Shane Henry in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most plastic bottles collected in an eight-hour period.Manatee County Utilities, Waste Pro Bradenton-Sarasota and Keep Manatee Beautiful Inc., are among the event's sponsors.Read the complete release.

Sarasota Construction Company Boosts Industry And Arts
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Arts
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April 13, 2010

Holland Construction has devised its own economic stimulus package, called an EF-10, which allows companies with strong credit to choose their own construction financing arrangements, defer fees or establish their own ownership or equity position for a project. "Although we detect a loosening of the equity markets, obtaining adequate financing remains a key obstacle in the initiation and completion of many construction projects," says CEO Joe Holland. "We believe the EF-10 program will offer an attractive and compelling solution to certain companies, and allow them to move forward with their plans. Our ability to successfully implement this plan will benefit end-users, the subcontractor industry and the overall business economy in our local markets." Craig Campbell, vice president of Holland's Florida office, says Holland Construction isn't acting as a financier on every project. "In some cases, yes, we are," he explains. "In other cases, we'll bring in a partner. In other cases, we'll use a bank. It really depends on the deal and what is going on at the time. I don't want to create the perception that we're a bank, because we're not. It's a case-by-case situation based on what's best for us and the person we're working with." Campbell says that three companies are currently negotiating with Holland for projects that would take advantage of the EH-10 offer. Two of the companies are in Southwest Florida. Holland Construction also is currently working on a renovation of the Robert and Beverly Koski Production Center for the Asolo Theater. The Center's campus, located at 1009 Tallevast Road in Manatee County, contains approximately 45,000 square feet of space used for production facilities, set building and costumes and prop collections. The project will provide 12 new jobs during construction, which will be completed in summer 2010. BMK Architects of Sarasota is designing the renovation. Holland also is building a law office on Manatee Boulevard.Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Craig Campbell, Holland Construction

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