MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Topeka, the fast-growing leader in destination-based music vacations, unveiled a major refurbishment of its Miramar Beach venue in tandem with its 2026 event season. The transformation enhances guest comfort, accessibility, and immersion, further positioning the Northwest…
On a bright afternoon in late winter, the Hotel Effie was flooded with light, warmth, and purpose––850 Business Magazine’s Pinnacle Award luncheon had returned for its 12th year. Each year, 850 Business Magazine presents the Pinnacle Awards to exceptional women…
SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL – [May 11, 2026] – SEASIDE SCHOOL™ celebrated a dazzling and impactful evening on Saturday, May 2, as the inaugural Dancing with the Emerald Coast Stars, presented by Ascension Sacred Heart and in partnership with Fred Astaire Dance Studios…
When I began drawing the framework for Parkman & Associates, I wasn’t trying to build the biggest firm on the Emerald Coast—I was trying to build the right one. A firm grounded in professionalism, clarity, and a level of service…
CAPITAL LOCAL HONORS » Florida State University’s Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education (InSPIRE) announced Alex Riensche’s appointment to lead advanced manufacturing initiatives. He is currently heading the ASTRO | FSU InSPIRE 2026 Tech Challenge, now in its…
The gig economy is largely considered a collection of unaffiliated free spirits who find contract work in their communities or via platforms such as TaskRabbit, DoorDash, and ride-share apps. When even two to five years are required for entry-level jobs,…
The global platform economy “It takes a village.” This African proverb became popular in America in the 1970’s to inspire community involvement in raising families. It speaks to both the cost of bringing up a new generation, as well as…
People often wonder how successful executives reach heights most can only dream about, but there are some common traits among CEOs: grit and a growth mindset. In 2020, a long-term study was published by Daeun Park, et al., establishing a…
In the 2026 “Director’s Issue” of W magazine, Timothee Chalamet portrays “Shend,” a New York local and competitive Yu-Gi-Oh! player. The shots of Chalamet actually playing Yu-Gi-Oh!, set in a typical card shop brimming with wares, are palpably richer with…
In September 2025, the United States Department of War’s Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced a new national defense program: the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD). The 10-year initiative outlines a $151 billion ceiling for contract funding to be…
As the Digital Age makes way for the Intelligence Age and the rise of the metaverse, there are concerns over the amount of time the growing mind is spending soaking up blue lights, altering dopamine thresholds from rewiring the brain…
In today’s environment, growth is no longer driven by strategy alone—it is driven by people. The organizations that scale successfully are those that invest intentionally in leadership, alignment, and culture. Carol Carlan, founder of…
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Not all markets are growing. As new industries rise, others fall. Below is a data-driven look at industry contraction, job shedding, and economic transition across Northwest Florida. Methodology: Analysis by David Ekrut, Ph.D. Data were extracted from the Bureau of…
Progress along the Panhandle can be seen with every downed stand of trees along the Northwest corridor. New suburb developments are sprouting faster than flowers in the spring, bringing new businesses, increased population, and changing demographics. One thing is certain:…
For more than 17 years, the award-winning 850 Magazine has been capturing the essence of Northwest Florida’s vibrant region to share with you, our readers. Northwest Florida is home to one of the states brightest and most promising economies, influenced…
The Tallahassee music scene is characterized by giants. Creed––as beloved in 2026 as ever––has put a globally recognized trademark on our gritty Southern character since 1994. Rapper T-Pain’s stage name stands for Tallahassee Pain, a bittersweet homage to his childhood.…
For decades, Doak S. Campbell Stadium has stood as one of Tallahassee’s most iconic landmarks, a cathedral of college football and the heartbeat of Seminole Saturdays. In 2026, that familiar roar will be joined by something entirely new: the thunder…
Northwest Florida is emerging as an under-recognized hub for coastal resilience expertise, anchored by engineering, environmental science, flood modeling, and civil infrastructure firms that serve both public agencies and private developers. The region’s unique geography, from the Forgotten Coast and…
Dr. Rosa Bernier has been working in health care for 14 years. In the last two, she says, real waves of rural health care advocacy are finally rippling across state as well as federal entities, stakeholders, and partners. “This is…
At meetings of the American Association of Community Colleges, school presidents nearing retirement are feted, their achievements summarized. Typically, recalls Dr. John Holdnak, presidents are saluted in terms of buildings built, degree programs added, or scholarship dollars raised. But for…
When Ryan McKillip, a former renewable-energy safety professional, first saw drones that were inspecting massive wind turbine blades, he was immediately intrigued. Traditionally, to perform this work, rope-access crews rappel hundreds of feet from the top of a turbine. After…
After 17 years of production as a print magazine, our business journal will be predominately online. We will remain in print as special sections inside Tallahassee Magazine and Emerald Coast Magazine, as well as an annual release in winter. As…
In the heart of Florida’s capital region, a quiet manufacturing transformation continues to take shape. The Danish company, Danfoss, and its growing campus in Tallahassee, is driven by energy efficiency, advanced engineering, and rising global demand for sustainable technologies. Through…
An emerging and quickly evolving field, regenerative medicine was just several years ago deemed by the Mayo Clinic as a practice caught between “hope and hype,” as the concept of utilizing stem cells to repair missing or impaired connective tissue…
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Some principles are so fundamental, they are accepted as law. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction in nature. An object in motion will remain in motion until external forces change the object’s trajectory. Heat will diffuse from a…
CAPITAL LOCAL HONORS Holland & Knight announced that 50 attorneys were elected to the firm’s partnership effective Jan. 1, 2026. Among those promoted is Kathryn Isted of the Tallahassee office. Isted’s practice focuses on commercial, administrative, and appellate litigation, with…
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla., February 26, 2026 – The Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Bay County Tourist Development Council (TDC) announce collections for the month of November 2025 were up 7% compared to November 2024, followed…
Cyndi Warren, CPA, Local Partner in Charge – Growth for Warren Averett’s Daphne and Pensacola offices, has been named Professional Leader of the Year at the 2026 P.A.C.E. (Pensacola Area Commitment to Excellence) Awards. Presented by the Greater Pensacola Chamber…
In a not-so-far-off future, commercial flights will possess the ability to operate electrically, and the use of robots will become more commonplace. Piersica, a Tallahassee-based company specializing in high-powered batteries, has developed cutting-edge technology and materials that have the capabilities to…
NORTHWEST Fl. – ServisFirst Bank, a subsidiary of ServisFirst Bancshares (NYSE:SFBS), is pleased to announce the addition of Susan S. Thompson, Founding and Managing Member of Smith, Thompson, Shaw, Colón & Power, P.A., to the ServisFirst Bank Northwest Florida Advisory…
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State University’s Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to approve a three-year contract extension for President Richard McCullough, reaffirming the board’s confidence in his visionary leadership. Since becoming president in 2021, McCullough has guided the university through an era of remarkable progress, strengthening FSU's position as…
EPSD, a decision-enablement advisory working with senior leaders at technology-intensive scale-ups, today announced the appointment of Steve Schwartz as Executive Vice President of Revenue. Schwartz, a South Walton Resident, brings over two decades of experience helping technology companies scale with…
Tallahassee, FL – Business and community leaders from across Northwest Florida descended on the state capital for the 5th Annual Northwest Florida Days. Organized by Florida’s Great Northwest (FGNW), the event served as a powerful demonstration of regional unity, bringing…
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Capital City Youth Services (CCYS) has been awarded $200,000 from Chick-fil-A, Inc. through its 2026 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards® program, which celebrates the work of nonprofit organizations creating meaningful, lasting impact in their communities. The funding will…
Business, civic, and community leaders from across the Panhandle will convene March 4–5, 2026, for the FPL Northwest Florida Economic Symposium, hosted at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. The annual symposium serves as a premier forum for collaboration, idea-sharing, and forward‑looking discussion…
PENSACOLA, Fla. – [FEB 9, 2026] – Florida Blue, the leading health insurer in the state, has named Hong Potomski as market president for Northwest Florida, a newly created position. This role will oversee regional business strategy and community engagement…
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. – Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast has been named to Newsweek’s prestigious 2026 list of the best-in-state hospitals, placing them alongside just 30 other hospitals in Florida. Sacred Heart Emerald Coast is the only hospital in the…
MILTON, Fla. – Buffalo Rock Company celebrated the grand opening of its new Santa Rosa Campus, a 352,800-square-foot facility designed to support growing customer demand across the Gulf region. Local leaders, business partners and community members joined Buffalo Rock leadership and…
Pensacola, Florida (December 5, 2025) – Gulf Winds Credit Union is pleased to announce that Craig Vinson Sr. has joined the leadership team as Vice President of Wealth Management. In this strategic role, Vinson will oversee all wealth management services,…
Out of over 19,000 municipalities across the United States of America, only 20 are invited by the National Civic League to apply for the prestigious All-America City Award. Last June 2025, Tallahassee emerged as one of 10 finalists who took…
In a world that tends to be fast, companies are seeking what lasts. Fueled by the need to create a resilient and relevant regional workforce, FSU InSPIRE (Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education) was conceptualized. InSPIRE’s mission is…
Diane Scholz has spent more than two decades advancing economic development across rural Florida. As the economic development director at the John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government at Florida State University, she works closely with the North Florida Economic…
Since its unassuming beginnings in 2009 as a luncheon for patent-holding faculty at one of Florida State University’s “neighbor” schools, the University of South Florida, the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has settled in the academic scene as the premier…
After a 30-year career in politics, including serving as the chief of staff to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and as a White House staffer under President George H.W. Bush, Sally Bradshaw stepped away from political life to pursue a…
Dr. Sherry Hartnett is a leader in workforce development, mentoring, and higher education. After a successful corporate career in marketing and executive leadership, she transitioned into academia at the University of West Florida, where she founded the Women in Leadership…
According to the U.S. Organ Donation & Transplantation System, more than 100,000 patients are awaiting organ transplantation, with roughly 16 people dying per day on the waiting list. Patients with advanced kidney disease make up approximately 87% of these cases.…
Monique Ellsworth serves as chief executive officer of Second Harvest of the Big Bend, leading regional hunger-relief efforts across North Florida with a focus on access, dignity, and long-term community well-being. Under her leadership, the organization navigated the heightened demands…
Sue Dick served as president and CEO of the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce for 25 years, becoming the first woman to lead the organization. Under her leadership, the chamber expanded programming, strengthened regional economic development efforts, launched workforce and…
If a picture can tell a thousand words, then Sean Murphy, Skye Bailey, and Tyler Trant could fill volumes with their art. Impressively, intricate tattoos canvas their bodies—creative works they are proud to share. “Storytelling is most important,” Murphy says.…
Dana Brooks is managing partner and a shareholder at Fasig Brooks, where she combines her legal expertise with a deep commitment to advocacy and community service. A graduate of Florida State University (BSW, cum laude) and FSU College of Law…
