Sound Bytes Summer 2024

Capital // Local Happenings

It’s Official: A Tallahassee College Has A New Middle Name

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 522 into law, renaming Tallahassee Community College as Tallahassee State College, effective July 1, 2024. A group of TCC leaders were invited to attend the signing, including TCC president Jim Murdaugh, trustees Eugene Lamb, Jr., Frank Messersmith, Karen B. Moore, Monte Stevens, Charlie Ward, Jr., vice president and chief of staff Candice Grause, and student body president Jullion Griffin. They were joined by SB 522 sponsor Sen. Corey Simon and Sue Dick, president and CEO of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.

Local Honors

» Florida State University has named acclaimed researcher and industry leader Kathleen Amm as the new director of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (National MagLab), the largest and highest-powered magnet laboratory in the world and the only facility of its kind in the United States. Amm, who served as director of the Magnet Division at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), began her tenure as lab director on May 6. She earned her doctorate from FSU in 1998 and was advised by the National MagLab’s founding director, Jack Crow, during the early days of the formation of the lab’s headquarters at FSU. As National MagLab director, she will be responsible for operations at FSU and the lab’s satellite locations at the University of Florida and Los Alamos National Laboratory. She will oversee more than 500 scientists/employees and welcome more than 2,000 visitors each year. 

» Leon County Government received three Project of the Year awards from the Big Bend Branch of the American Public Works Association (APWA). Each year, APWA spotlights exceptional projects that meet project goals within budget and exceed public expectations. The North Gadsden Street Sidewalk Improvement project won an award in the category of Best Performance. This project enhanced and added sidewalks and crosswalks along North Gadsden Street, leading to improvements in safety and connectivity. Ben Boulevard Drainage Improvements Phase 2 won in the category of Stormwater. The project improved the drainage system and added roadway conveyance to successfully allow stormwater to flow into a drainage basin. Visitor Information Center–Amtrak Station won in the category of Historical Reservation/Preservation. The project restored and transformed Tallahassee’s historic Amtrak train station, turning the building into a multifunctional space including a visitor information center and gift shop, the Visit Tallahassee office and a community room.

Travis Yelverton

» SmartBank announced the addition of Travis Yelverton, vice president and corporate relationship manager, to its Tallahassee team. Yelverton is a lifelong resident of Tallahassee who earned a finance degree from Florida State University. He brings to SmartBank an extensive background in commercial banking, finance and economic development.

» Capital City Bank recognized 31 of its best and brightest sales and service leaders at its annual Star Summit event. Tallahassee network support tech Tijuana Eberhardt and client experience manager Scott Gerber received additional recognition as the recipients of the distinguished Ripple Effect and Mountain Mover awards. The Ripple Effect and Mountain Mover are two of four top honors conferred at Star Summit.

Tijuana Eberhardt

Scott Gerber

» In 2022, Electronic Arts launched The John Madden Legacy Commitment to Education, a reflection of Madden’s passion for education and creating opportunities for young people in underrepresented communities. The Commitment includes the EA Madden Scholarship Program, which is open to undergraduate students at historically Black colleges and universities and offers financial support, mentoring and career readiness support. In 2024, of 24 scholarship recipients, three were Florida A&M University students: Jimelle Brewster, Benjamin Lawson and Howard Smith.

New & Notable

» AtWork, a leading staffing franchise for empowering job seekers and facilitating company growth, has opened its newest location in Tallahassee. AtWork Tallahassee is owned by Elevate Business Solutions, Inc., a local group committed to helping the area’s economy thrive by connecting qualified job seekers with rewarding opportunities. AtWork puts nearly 40,000 individuals to work each year in administrative, light-industrial, accounting and finance, hospitality, IT and management positions. The Tallahassee location will help local schools with staffing and recruitment needs and focus on college students seeking work. 

Rick Kearney

» Bring Me A Book Forgotten Coast (BMABFC) recently received a generous donation from Rick Kearney and The Beatitude Foundation. The money received will enable the expansion of services in Gulf County, including the distribution of more than 6,000 books at BMABFC’s Book Bonanza, an annual event that encourages summer reading. BMABFC is a literacy initiative in Franklin and Gulf counties that inspires children ages 0-12 to read through a variety of programs such as reading aloud to children enrolled in Head Start, public schools and nursery school classes, as well as the annual Book Bonanza. 

Happenings

» APTIM, an environmental and resilience firm focused on developing the next generation of environmental and sustainability scientists, professionals and thought leaders, has partnered with Florida A&M University. The FAMU School of the Environment’s Sustainability Institute provides experiences that inspire students to advance sustainable solutions to food security. APTIM has donated money to support the institute’s EnergyWaterFood ClimateNexus. Initiatives include Nexus Scholars-in-Residence, which provides 20 undergraduates with scholarships and mentorship, and the Nexus Global Summit, a space for international thought leaders to solve complex environmental challenges.

Emerald Coast // Local Honors

Brokerage Wins Honors

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida has been recognized with the Berkshire Elite Circle Award, a designation given to the Top 50 companies in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices global network. The company, which ranked No. 26, was honored during a ceremony held at the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices annual sales convention in New Orleans. In addition, the brokerage’s 30A headquarters was recognized as the No. 7 office within the global network for gross commission income. Sales executive Anne Winicki was honored as the No. 7 individual agent for gross commission income, earning the prestigious Top 25 Individual Sales Agent Award. In addition, Winicki was honored with a Chairman’s Circle Diamond Award for her excellent sales performance in 2023, placing her in the top ½ of 1 percent among nearly 55,000 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network agents.

» Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club received multiple honors at the 2024 Perfect in Walton County Awards. The Gulf-front club earned the prestigious Diamond Winner award for Best Golf Course and won double Platinum Winner awards for Best Wedding Venue and Best Fine Dining for its on-site restaurant, Vue on 30a.

» Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund of Pensacola, a recent recipient of ClearlyRated’s Best of Accounting Award for providing superior service to clients, has been included in Accounting Today’s list of Regional Leaders. This is the eighth year the firm has been recognized as a Regional Leader in the Gulf Coast for achieving year-to-year growth. Founded in 1944, the firm offers a full range of professional services, including specialized consulting services for many industries and high-net-worth individuals.

Heather Sprigler, Diane Green, Colin Kirkwood

Top Agents Recognized

Newman-Dailey Real Estate announced its top performers for 2023. Its Real Estate Sales Division recognized Shannyn Stevenson with the Top Sales and Top Listing Agent awards. Other 2023 Top Producers include Heather Sprigler, the second highest-performing agent for listings and sales; Diane Green, the third-highest performer for sales; and Colin Kirkwood, the third-highest volume of listings within Newman-Dailey’s real estate division.

New & Notable

» Beck Partners, one of Northwest Florida’s leading commercial real estate firms, has announced its acquisition by Stirling. Stirling is headquartered in Covington, Louisiana, and has additional offices in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, Shreveport, Hammond, Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola. Stirling’s acquisition of Beck Partners expands its Pensacola office, adds a Tallahassee office and adds 30 employees. It also brings additional licensure not previously held by Beck Partners in Arkansas, Georgia and Texas. Its diverse service lines will expand Beck Partners’ presence throughout the Gulf South and beyond with its commercial brokerage, asset and property management services, development and redevelopment activity, and acquisitions and investments. 

» Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club announced the appointment of Mark Hodgdon as its new general manager. Hodgdon has held significant roles at other prominent establishments including the Hilton Atlanta Airport, Los Cabos Collection, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, The Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Starwood Hotels & Resorts at The Phoenician, and The Ritz-Carlton and Huntington Hotel & Spa. With a career spanning more than four decades, Hodgdon has a track record of fostering positive team dynamics and enhancing guest and member satisfaction.

» Pensacola International Airport (PNS) has welcomed Breeze Airways, offering nonstop flights to Tampa and one-stop/no-change plane service to Norfolk, Virginia. The two destinations will have twice-weekly service on Mondays and Fridays starting June 28. Breeze Airways is the eighth airline to offer flights at PNS.

» CO:LAB, a business incubator set up by FloridaWest to encourage entrepreneurship in the greater Pensacola area, has welcomed Wellin5 owner William Masih. Launched first in Canada in 2019 and expanded to the U.S. in 2020, Wellin5 is a virtual therapy app that provides post-therapy support and significantly improves therapist-client relationships. Starting with mental wellness, Wellin5 aims to provide a wide range of services to boost the overall sense of health and well-being over the course of the next few years as part of its long-term vision.

» PenAir Credit Union announced the appointment of Andrew Reynolds as chief strategy officer. Prior to joining PenAir, Reynolds served as the chief growth officer at Blue Eagle Credit Union in Virginia where he played a pivotal role in driving strategic initiatives and fostering growth. He served as chief financial officer at Valley Star Credit Union, also in Virginia. Reynolds will be called upon to play a crucial role in PenAir’s continued success and growth.

Happenings

HCA Goes High School

Partners HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and the Okaloosa County School District (OCSD) announced the opening of the Health Academy of Northwest Florida on the hospital’s campus. The Health Academy of Northwest Florida is the first high school health academy to be housed on an HCA Healthcare hospital campus anywhere in the country. It provides high school students interested in health care careers with the opportunity to earn industry certifications and either directly enter the workforce or continue their studies following high school graduation. As part of the partnership, HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital provided a 6,375-square-foot space to OCSD for the academy, including two classrooms and two labs. Students who successfully complete the practical nursing program will have job placement opportunities throughout HCA Florida Healthcare. In addition, if employed by an HCA Florida Healthcare facility, tuition reimbursement will be available for students wishing to continue their education.

Nonprofit Uplifts Women

Habitat for Humanity Walton County has announced that the sixth annual Hard Hats & High Heels luncheon held at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa raised more than$16,000. The funds raised will support the Women Build Initiative, which empowers women through education and training and enables them to comfortably use power tools and work at construction sites. The money will also be used to help build homes for deserving families in Walton County. During the luncheon, Habitat for Humanity presented its Power Women Awards, recognizing women in the community who have shared their time and talents to benefit the organization and its work. The 2024 Power Woman of the Year is Karah Young, president of the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation. DCWAF has provided more than $1.9 million to Walton County Habitat for Humanity over the last 12 years. The 2024 Glamour to the Hammer award went to Kim Crotwell for her dedication and volunteerism over the years.