It wasn’t easy for Clair Pease to get her first serious construction job. She had pleaded and argued for more than a year for a chance to join a framing crew, to no avail. The boss didn’t believe a woman…
The secret to Paul Brent’s art empire is talent, tenacity and … tiny steps. The affable, 64-year-old Panama City artist and entrepreneur says his journey of a million prints began with a single step of the kaizen kind — the…
Bottom Line: Taking a Bite Out of Taxes Your 2009 tax returns are now in the mail, unless you’ve filed an extension. Think you can rest on your laurels? Hardly. Taxes don’t file themselves, and procrastination almost always costs money.…
“The state has a variety of economic stimulus measures in place to encourage economic recovery. I recommended several stimulus measures designed to help businesses and families in my 2010–11 budget recommendations. The focus of my administration’s agenda is job creation…
850 Regional News Originally published in the Apr/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine The Mood of Business Interesting research shows Florida small business owners are more concerned with keeping their current customers than the rest of U.S. small…
Taste Maker Bourbon’s popularity in the 1970s meant wine was an untapped sales niche for Chan Cox, who decided to take full advantage. Today, he is the go-to guru for all things wine in Northwest Florida, with five retail stores…
Compiled by Daniel Mutter, Linda Kleindienst and Jennifer Ewing Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine CAPITAL Local Honors BB&T has opened a new downtown Tallahassee financial center, which will offer a range of services…
Doctor, Lawyer, Leader For 15 years, Florida Sen. Durell Peaden has drawn upon his experiences as a small-town physician to help shape statewide policy on health care By Christine Jordan Sexton Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850…
Poised for Growth The major economic center for Okaloosa County, Crestview anticipates a new population boom By Lilly Rockwell Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine Civil engineer Jim Weeks is standing near a conference…
Miracle Worker Chuck Colvert has transformed Weems Hospital in his three years at the helm By Lee Gordon Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine In 2006, Apalachicola’s Weems Hospital was at a crossroads. It…
Rough Seas in Panacea Angelo & Son’s Seafood Restaurant fought its way back from a devastating hurricane, but the Wakulla County landmark now faces a new threat from a sputtering economy By Bruce Ritchie Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010…
Taking Flight Already an economic powerhouse in the Pensacola region, the National Naval Aviation Museum will attract thousands of new visitors with its forthcoming National Flight Academy By Jennifer Ewing Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business…
Music Maker Music store president Tony Leonard goes e-commerce in the midst of a changing industry By Daniel Mutter Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine Since the early 1960s, Playground Music has been providing…
Big-Business Printers T-Formation finds a perfect fit in Midway By Daniel Mutter Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine Deafening motors scream as the giant, 18-armed metallic monster presses down new colors onto tightly stretched…
Swett Equity Wheelchair-bound inventor finds a way to help others with mobility impairments enjoy the beach By Zandra Wolfgram Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine When John Swett couldn’t find a beach-friendly wheelchair to…
Helping Ideas Take Flight Bay County Small Business Incubator gives small start-ups a boost By Tony Bridges Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine Two years ago, Joe and Sandy Paffoon had almost more work…
Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine Wow!!! What a GREAT magazine. I read a lot of magazines across a broad spectrum of interests. 850 is one of the best. I do have one quibble,…
Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine Regional News - Feb/Mar 2010 A Friend Indeed Florida is one of the nation’s Top 10 entrepreneur-friendly states, according to a new ranking released by the Small Business…
Banking on Tallahassee Prime Meridian Bank may be the new kid on the banking block, but CEO Sammie Dixon is determined to succeed through tenacity and an emphasis on customer service By Lilly Rockwell Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010…
“We haven’t really had to lay off state employees. I vetoed a reduction in their salaries during the (2009) legislative session. So we’re doing everything we can to hold up the economy here in Tallahassee, in addition to supporting higher…
It’s one of the most emotionally loaded words in business and politics today — outsourcing. But if you’re a small-business owner with a growing clientele, a small profit margin and few employees, outsourcing functions not essential to your core mission…
Human resource departments across North Florida and the country are becoming acquainted with a term called “presenteeism.” It’s absenteeism’s cousin, and it’s proving to be even more costly — and contagious. The Epidemic of Presenteeism Encouraging employees — whether by…
Masters of the Message Public policy is their game, winning votes to pass (or kill) legislation is their aim By Linda Kleindienst Originally published in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of 850 Business Magazine They’re hired guns, put on the…
Proponents are mixing a potent sales pitch that combines petro-dollars, patriotism and the prospect of thousands of new jobs in a struggling economy. But they also must combat the state’s $50 billion tourism industry, environmentalists and the U.S. Defense Department,…
Battling for Business Florida’s major business lobbies prepare for the Legislative Session By Gary Fineout In 2009, Florida’s unemployment rate zoomed past 11 percent and Florida’s businesses were hit hard by the recession. So when lawmakers kick off the…
Don Shula, now 80, quit coaching after the 1995 season, but during his 32 years on the NFL sidelines he learned many lessons that helped him successfully transition into a business career. A Conversation with Don Shula He holds…
I want to issue a challenge to you, the Northwest Florida reader of 850. Put your doubts aside. Don’t wonder if you are capable of posing a question to our state’s leader. This is an opportunity that the governor and…
St. Joe announces 2009 losses  JACKSONVILLE — The St. Joe Company on Tuesday announced a net loss of $130 million, or $1.42 per share, for 2009. That compares with a $35.9 million loss ($0.40 per share) for 2008. “In…
WEST BAY — The St. Joe Company (NYSE:JOE) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm, to market for sale or lease more than 1,000…
DID YOU KNOW? There are 34,470 military retirees living in Okaloosa County, making up more than 20 percent of the county’s population. Military retirees have made the town of Crestview, which has grown by 40 percent since 2000, one of…
DID YOU KNOW? According to the Hass Center for Business Research and Economic Development, while the size of the total military force in the U.S. declined by 23.7 percent from 1975 to 2005, the military employment in Escambia County declined…
DID YOU KNOW? According to the Hass Center for Business Research and Economic Development, while the size of the total military force in the U.S. declined by 23.7 percent from 1975 to 2005, the military employment in Bay County actually…
DID YOU KNOW? According to the Hass Center for Business and Economic Development, defense spending in Florida comprises an estimated 7.5 percent of the state’s gross product. Northwest Florida is most heavily reliant on defense-related dollars, which represent nearly 35…
DID YOU KNOW? According to the Hass Center for Business and Economic Development, about 35 percent of Northwest Florida’s regional output is driven by defense spending, versus 18 percent for Northeast Florida, 5 percent for Central Florida and 3 percent…
Daddy’s Girl After working beside her father for decades, Michelle Styron has moved on from oil to real estate, with great success By Daniel Mutter As a little girl, she could be found in the back warehouse of Tate…
Woe, Christmas Tree Area Christmas tree farms persevere despite tough donditions and diminishing returns By Lilly Rockwell Farmer Bill Maphis spends his days worrying about trees. Specifically, whether the nine acres of Christmas trees on his Chipley farm…
On a Mission Helping sick and impoverished people around the world is a calling for Dr. David Keen By Lee Gordon Dr. David Keen has so many jobs that sometimes it’s hard to remember them all. He is the…
Kenny Knox’s Dream 18 Pro golfer Kenny Knox is your guide as you take a tour of his 18 favorite public golf holes in Northwest Florida By Linda Kleindienst and Daniel Mutter The day is mild, a gentle…
Tupelo Tango Drought, dredging, pests and disease haunt region’s tupelo honey industry By Jason Dehart Buzzing around the fields and flowers of Northwest Florida is a tiny economic dynamo, the most behind-the-scenes kind of worker you’ll find. The humble…
Young Independents Entrepreneurial spirit thrives in Phillip and Madra McDonald By Zandra Wolfgram Madra and Phillip McDonald grew up around the corner from one another in Miramar Beach, but they didn’t see each other until they applied for jobs…
Stepping Up Following the destruction wrought by Hurricane Ivan, Pensacola hopes to revitalize its economy with a new downtown Maritime Park By Jennifer Ewing Most recent visitors to the Pensacola area probably paid little heed to the Trillium site…
A Red Carpet All-Star Samantha Strickland brings fame to Florida Commerce By Daniel Mutter The TV reality show craze has given viewers the opportunity to see who is fastest at losing weight or racing around the world, how Jon…
Strength in Numbers From funeral directors to magazine publishers, professional associations represent the collective interests of their members — and provide a boost to Tallahassee’s economy By John Kennedy You don’t often use Washington, D.C., Chicago and Tallahassee in…
American Success Story At nearly 80 years old, family-owned Boyd Brothers Inc. is an example of good old-fashioned hard work and ingenuity By Wendy O. Dixon The year 1931 was not an ideal time to start a business. Investors…
Surf Dreams Trying to avoid a wipeout in the Panama City Beach surfing business By Tony Bridges Panama City Beach isn’t exactly known for its intense surfing action. Sure, there are some good, consistent swells off the jetty at St.…
Betty Castor, former state senator and Florida Education Commissioner, has joined Pennington, Moore, Wilkinson, Bell & Dunbar to launch the Center for Education Policy, an advocacy center for education. Sound Bytes: Our ear to the ground in the 850 Compiled…
In 1986, entrepreneur Rick Kearney left his job as a systems engineer for IBM, moved to Tallahassee and converted his own house into a homeless shelter. Standout CEO Has Focused on Philanthropic Efforts By Jennifer Ewing In 1986, entrepreneur…
Force Fields The economic influence of the military in Northwest Florida is undeniable — and in negotiations on everything from oil exploration to endangered species, it’s a component of our livelihood that should not be underestimated By SCOTT JACKSON It…
You’ve heard it before: "My life is on my smartphone." What you probably haven’t heard is this: If your employer provides that laptop, BlackBerry or iPhone, then you should have no expectation of privacy. The Intersection of Work & Life…
You’re trying to keep premiums at a minimum, but does your business have enough insurance protection? ChancesNot Worth Taking When did you last check your insurance coverage? Re-evaluate your policy now — before disaster strikes By Gary Fineout After…
