News

UPC Insurance headquarters construction plan advances

A proposal by United Insurance Holdings Corp. to build a new headquarters in St. Petersburg and add 300 jobs would pump up local economic spending by more than $23 million.

That’s among the benefits cited by Mayor Rick Kriseman’s administration, which is recommending the City Council approve a $5 million offer from United Insurance to buy 4.6 acres of city-owned land at 800 1st Ave. S.

Kriseman’s administration chose the offer from United, which does business as UPC Insurance, although Related Development LLC in Miami said it would pay $1.5 million more than the insurance company for the property. Related offered $6.5 million and said it wanted to build luxury apartments on the site.

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Local company advancing virtual reality for medical training

From his corner office in a nondescript white stucco building in South Tampa, Erik Maltais is looking into the future.

As CEO of Immertec, Inc., the 35-year-old is in possession of a revolutionary new form of proprietary VR (virtual reality) technology. Immertec has made tremendous strides in remote presence – a fully immersive 3D experience – for the lucrative medtech industry. It’s called Medoptic Virtual Surgical Observation (VSO).

“Remote presence,” he explains, “is the closest thing possible to being there. Essentially, we can make it affordable to allow any doctor, any student to remote in for consultation, and remote in to observe surgery, from anywhere in the world. To understand and learn how to do it.”

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Chico’s CEO, Raymond James director on how to succeed in retail

In a tumultuous retail landscape, the top executive at women’s clothing company Chico’s FAS Inc. has her own recipe for success.

Shelley Broader, president and CEO of Chico’s, pays attention to customers, not the competition.

“When you focus on what your competition is doing, you’re not focusing on your customers’ wants and needs,” Broader said. “If you focus hard enough on your customer, you make the competition irrelevant, because you will be what your customer needs and wants. You’re competing for their heart and their share of wallet.”

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Media

Inspired Giving Podcast: Michael Jalazo, Executive Director of Ex-Offender Re-Entry Coalition

Michael Jalazo talks tiny homes with big impact, his "why" and community-changing collaborations

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The Hustle

Diane Morton (Warehouse Arts District)

With a passion for local arts and a history of leadership, Diane continually puts her talents to good use in developing the St. Pete arts community.

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Profile

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay

In 2017, nearly 3,000 children were paired with caring adult mentors in the seven-county service area: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Citrus, Hernando and Sumter counties.

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The Shuffle

Jim Adkinson
CFO Strategic Partners

Blaire Martin
Synapse Florida

Influencer

Terri Lipsey Scott
Carter G. Woodson African American Museum

Focus: Pollution

The Hidden Hazard in American Cities: Industrial Pollution [CityLab]

Urban America is haunted by the toxic legacy of long-vanished industries.

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Events

October 6-14

October 11

October 25

ACUMEN: EQ

How Emotional Intelligence Can Make You Better at Your Job [Big Sea]

I know what you are thinking: “I already have a high IQ, so why do I have to worry about my EQ as well?”

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