St. Petersburg-based Dynasty Financial Partners has formed a partnership with Allocate, a digital investment platform that provides investors a streamlined way to access venture funds and co-investments, according to a Wednesday press release. The partnership will provide Dynasty network partner RIAs with a digital solution that will give them the ability to invest in venture capital funds on behalf of their clients. “Venture capital has increasingly been an appealing investment opportunity for independent financial advisors to offer their high-net-worth clients,” Ed Swenson, co-founder amd COO of Dynasty Financial Partners, said in the release. “We are thrilled to partner with Allocate to open up access to the private innovation economy for our Network advisors and their private wealth clients without the friction points of high minimums and the burden of having to do their own diligence and discovery. Carter Reum, co-founder of venture firm M13 and Allocate investor, said, "the Dynasty-Allocate partnership will widen access to venture managers, while also lessening the administrative burden for those venture GPs attracting capital.”
Mayor Ken Welch and the Tampa Bay Rays are teaming up to host a “Rays Up the Flag ceremony at St. Petersburg City Hall in honor of the team recently clinching a playoff spot for the fourth straight season. The event is open to the public and takes place at 175 5th St. N. on Thursday, Oct. 6th. The ceremony, which is open to the public, begins at 11:30 a.m.
After a two-year hiatus, the Pinellas Park Police Department (PPPD) is hosting the 2022 National Night Out at England Brothers Park Tuesday night. The family-friendly event takes place at 5010 Dave McKay Way from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. and will feature a bounce house for kids and live music. In addition to the PPPD, participating law enforcement agencies include the St. Petersburg, Kenneth City, Treasure Island and Veterans Affairs Police Departments, along with the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agency. Special guests include Audrey Henson, a Florida House candidate, and Eric Lynn and Anna Paulina Luna, both Congressional candidates.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has named David B. Isaacks as the new director of the St. Petersburg-based Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN 8) effective Oct. 9. He will oversee the Sunshine division, which includes Florida, South Georgia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Isaacks most recently served as the executive health system director of the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System since July 2021. He previously served as the executive director at the Kansas City VA Medical Center. He joined VA in 2006 and has severed in several other leadership roles, including in St. Petersburg. Under the new role, Isaacks will oversee the delivery of health care to nearly 780,000 Veterans and an operating budget of $5.6 billion, according to the VA's announcement.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch extended his state of local emergency order Saturday through Oct. 9. The executive order, signed Saturday night, allows Welch to remove disaster-related debris and prohibit price gouging. According to the legislation, Hurricane Ian brought sustained winds of 60 mph and gusts of up to 77 mph to St. Pete. The city also received four inches of rain, which Welch stated: “was exacerbated by the fact that the ground was already saturated.” He added those combinations of factors resulted in widespread power outages and damage to public and private property that continues “to pose an immediate danger to the public health, safety and welfare that requires emergency action." The city began debris collection Monday morning.
The Tampa Bay Innovation Center's next startup accelerator program will focus on innovations and emerging markets in climate tech. The accelerator program will start the week of Jan. 9 for early-stage tech ventures, which include startups in the agtech, marine science, manufacturing and weather monitoring spaces, according to TBIC's Monday announcement. Duke Energy and PODS Moving and Storage are supporting the program and will assist TBIC by providing industry insight and resources including domain expertise, customer contacts and mentors. The accelerator program will consist of weekly group workshops supplemented by one-on-one mentoring. Applications are now open for this program.
The Small Business Administration has opened a Business Recovery Center in Tampa to help companies rebound after Hurricane Ian. The center, which opened Monday morning, will help impacted Florida businesses submit disaster loan applications. The local BRC is located at the Chloe Coney Urban Enterprise Center on Hillsborough Avenue. Other BRCs will be opening across the state in affected counties.
St. Petersburg-based Raymond James Investment Management, a global asset management company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Raymond James, announced Monday that its new brand identity is now effective. The initial news of the rebrand for the company, formerly known as Carillon Tower Advisers, was announced in June. “The strong support we received from our associates, boutique investment managers, and clients when we announced our new brand name was gratifying,” Bob Kendall, president of Raymond James Investment Management, said in a news release. “We’ve already seen the benefits of becoming more closely aligned with the Raymond James family, and we look forward to our shared path of success ahead.” Raymond James Investment Management’s boutique investment managers, which includes Chartwell Investment Partners, ClariVest Asset Management, Cougar Global Investments, Eagle Asset Management, Reams Asset Management (a division of Scout) and Scout Investments, will continue to retain its individual brand identities, according to the release.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies notched a comeback win on the road versus Monterey Bay FC Sunday night. Following the 2-1 victory, the Rowdies pull within three points of Memphis 901 FC for second place in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standing. The win also capped off a week of disruptions and postponements due to Hurricane Ian. The Rowdies scored both goals in the second half of Sunday night’s match and will now finish the regular season at Al Lang Stadium. The three-match homestand begins on Saturday, Oct. 3, against the Loudoun United FC on Hispanic Heritage Night. Tickets can be purchased online at rowdiessoccer.com or by calling 727-222-2000.
In light of Hurricane Ian disrupting St. Petersburg City Government operations, the deadline to apply for the vacant city council District 7 seat has been extended. The district was vacated following former Councilmember Lisa Wheeler-Bowman’s abrupt resignation Sept. 14 and spans a large portion of South St. Petersburg. The new deadline to submit required documentation is by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7. Applicants must deliver submissions in person to the City Clerk’s Office located in City Hall, at 175 5th St. N. in St. Petersburg. For eligibility requirements, process information and further details, visit the website here. Residents can also submit questions for candidates until that date through a form on the website.
Friday night’s win over the Houston Astros guarantees the Tampa Bay Rays will make the playoffs for the fourth straight season. The Rays won the previous two American League East Division titles but will settle for a wild card berth this season, the second in four years. The news could not have come at a better time for Tampa Bay fans, as the region is still dealing with the impacts of Hurricane Ian. The team conducts Spring Training about 80 miles south of St. Petersburg, in Port Charlotte, which received the brunt of the Category 4 storm’s impact. Tampa Bay (86-71) beat the Astros (102-55) 7-3 Friday night. Despite the loss, Houston clinched home-field advantage through the postseason.
According to a Friday afternoon release, the Pinellas County School (PCS) district plans to reopen all of its facilities Monday, Oct. 3. Hurricane Ian's winds knocked trees down on some campuses, but PCS crew assessments showed no structures sustained significant damage. Six county schools remain without power: Fairmont Park Elementary, Frontier Elementary, Lakeview Fundamental Elementary, Northwest Elementary, Safety Harbor Elementary and St. Petersburg High School. However, Duke Energy officials assured their PCS counterparts that they would restore service by Sunday. The release also stated that workers would deep clean and sanitize all schools used as shelters.
