In Bay County, Economic Development Projects Are Expanding
From collegiate digital media to automotive manufacturing, Bay County is making its mark.
Author: Steve Bornhoft
Gadsden County Sells Its Story Through a Growing Network of Partners
Establishing an approach and building relationships have been key to their success.
Southeastern Fisheries Association’s Bob Jones Is At Last Pulling in His Oars
Exploring the career that has supported the livelihoods of many and maintained the preservation of a culture.
East Terminal Project Enlarges Port of Panama City’s Footprint
Bolstering warehouse capacity, the Port will have room to grow.
Gadsden County is Home to Industrial Sites in The Making
Low land costs and access to transportation arteries as key advantages to incoming businesses.
Groundbreaking Ceremony Kicks Off the Construction of 250 Room Sandestin Hotel
photo by hannah burke Highgate COO Steve Barick, left, and Walton County Commissioner Tony Anderson, wielded ceremonial shovels as Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort owner Tom Becnel and Sara Becnel, the resort’s vice president of development, looked on. Seven years of…
Pipe Manufacturer Explains Case for Tariffs at Meeting of Bay EDA
photo by steve bornhoft Jonathan Kirkland of Berg Pipe makes discusses how dramatically the world has changed in the last 25 years. The audience for his remarks at a meeting of the Bay County Economic Development Alliance included EDA president…
Phillip Stutts Challenges Business Execs to Use Change to Their Advantage
Six years ago, Phillip Stutts was diagnosed with Achalasia, a rare and degenerative autoimmune disease that disables the esophagus, eventually making eating impossible. For years, he took doctors at their word when they said the disease was incurable, that…
A Question of Property Rights
A state law that voided a county ordinance has brought about disputes among property owners, homeowner and condo associations, tourists, locals and beachgoers.
Employment Law Presents A Rapidly Evolving ‘Legalscape’
A review of employee manuals, procedures, non-compete language and other documents can be an essential step in laying the groundwork for a smooth business launch and operational success.
Okaloosa Touts Features of Shoal River Ranch Industrial Megasite
The site boasts many features that have in the past attracted manufacturing plants.
TMH’s Telemedicine Program Connects Patients and Doctors in New Ways
Technology offers the return of house calls
HCA Pioneers Advances Aimed at Improving Efficiency and Outcomes
Three hospitals in HCA’s North Florida Division have been designated “Hospitals of the Future.”
Raffield Fisheries Are Leading in The Jellyfish Industry
Capitalizing on the commercial market for the cannonball jellyfish
Today’s Powerful Media Mix Affects Us All
photo by saige roberts I once knew a retired engineer who was an efficiency expert and whose not-so-nerdy son worked in the IT Department at the bank that also employed me at the time. The bank president and several…
Walton County’s Tourism Reach Extends to Atlanta
Fully 10 percent of visitors to South Walton County are from the Atlanta market.
Black Lab Inspires Entrepreneur's Shrimp Marinade Business Venture
Abandoned dog and a shrimp marinade kick-starts major entrepreneurial success
Chancellor Madeline Pumariega is in the Business of Opportunity
Miami native leads students to aim higher and secure employment
Coming Home and Giving Back
Two-time Masters golf champion Bubba Watson strayed for a while, to Arizona and Orlando. But now that he has returned to his hometown of Pensacola, Watson, one of golf’s biggest hitters, is leading a drive to bring about a new children’s hospital.
Z is for Zeal
Together, they started their careers at an agency in Atlanta, she on the public relations side of the house, he on the advertising side. But Carrie and Curtis Zimmerman found that the demands of work and metropolitan living left them with little time to spend with their two small children. So it was that, after considering a few alternatives, they moved to Carrie’s hometown of Tallahassee, not intending to start a business, but to enjoy parenthood and be close to family. Almost immediately, however, businesses with whom the Zimmermans had worked in Atlanta sought them out and an agency was born. Today, that agency employs 164 people and has an international clientele and annual billings of $160 million.
Sue Straughn
There was a time when Sue Straughn was disappointed in herself for going into the television news business. She had wanted to be a social worker, but accepted an entry-level clerk-typist position at WEAR while a student and, she says,…
Myra Williams
If it were possible to create a canopy road out of sabal palms, Myra Williams would be a great candidate to get the job done. She grew up in rural Louisiana in the shadow of majestic live oaks and brought…
Jennifer Conoley
Growing up, Jennifer Conoley and her parents and her brother were profoundly affected when the paper mill in Port St. Joe was shuttered. Her father had worked as an electrician at the mill and there would be no way for…
Virginia Glass
Beyond dispute, Virginia Glass is the grande dame of Realtors in Tallahassee and a woman that has been reminded countless times that buying a home or a commercial property frequently is among the most stressful experiences in a person’s life.…
Kristine Rushing
Kristine Rushing is a student of leadership whose role involves evaluating processes and helping each of her team members grow in areas including workplace skills, best practices, goal setting and community development. In August, one of Rushing’s favorite authors, John…
Jeanne Dailey
Jeanne Dailey grew up in a small town near Toledo, Ohio, and went to an art school in Adrian, Michigan, but she wasn’t content to remain a struggling creative for long. She joined a friend at East Carolina University and…
Susan Davis
todd douglas photography Courts awarded custody of Susan Davis to her father when she was 4. And, while he scrambled to make a living for many years doing odd jobs before he became a junior high math teacher, Dad was…
Karen B. Moore
It would be fitting, if in Karen Moore’s case, the “B” stood for beneficent. I am fortunate to have her as a friend. Karen graciously agreed to serve as a guest speaker at a class I teach in the Strategic…
Patricia B. McCray
If, in Patricia McCray’s case, her middle initial were to stand for “beatitude,” or certainly “butterfly,” it would be fitting. McCray is unique among all Pinnacle Award winners in the four-year history of the program in that she spent three…
In a Lifetime, Several Crossroads
A few days a week, you can find me running along a triangle that carries me from Tallahassee’s Merchants Row Boulevard to Tram Road to Capital Circle SE and back to Merchants Row and the point of beginning. Routinely, I…
A Two-Fold Purpose
Steve Bornhoft A summertime STEM camp hosted by FSU PC introduced students to sharks and dogfish to spark their interest in biology and other sciences. STEM curriculum aims to launch early academic pursuit of science, technology, engineering and math. …
Pinnacle Award Honorees 2017
This year’s Pinnacle Award winners represent fields ranging from broadcast journalism and motivational speaking to economic development and corporate communications. The awards, presented by 850 Business Magazine, honor women who have distinguished themselves professionally and as community servants.
‘Predicting the Future By Creating It’
With a nod to the creator of the 1960s series, The Jetsons, Stan Connally, the chairman, president and CEO of Gulf Power, pointed out that the future is now. Behind him, a slide on a projection screen featured a self-guided…
Buffalo, Rice and a Dog Named Blue
Miss Autumn’s Barquery dog foods are made by Victoria McDowell in her kitchen.
Taking the Long View
As an attorney in Atlanta, Kim Rivers discovered an appetite for forging big deals that she found to be in relatively short supply upon moving back to Tallahassee, where she had served as a student body president at FSU. She thought about trading Florida’s capital city for a metropolitan environment, but saw Tallahassee as an ideal place to raise her son. Today, she is still making deals while working to make Tallahassee an even better place to live.
Looking to the Future
Panama City has some of the finest cataract surgeons around, drawing in doctors from around the country to learn new techniques. And to think it all happened because Dr. Bret Fisher had the desire for a climate change.
Pitch Perfect
Marine Wheels, a small business that works on boat propellers, is a sophisticated operation that knows how to ensure the props on your boat give the best possible performance in the water.
Building the Team
Wave of new physicians reflects TMH’s commitment to excellence
Service Learning
FAMU consultancy projects unite students and businesses
Gulf Power Economic Symposium
Gulf Power Co. lived up to the watchwords for its 20th economic symposium, connecting representatives of various economic sectors, economic development officials and community leaders in engaging ways designed to promote the growth of Northwest Florida. A total of 525…
Building a Workforce
Florida State University-Panama City, Gulf Coast State College and Haney Technical Center are all working to gear curriculum and degree and certificate programs to the anticipated needs of employers.
Alignment Bay County
Patterned after a similar initiative in Nashville, a group made up of business leaders and educators is working to improve the chief product of Bay County schools: high school graduates.
