Addison Davis, Hillsborough County Public Schools superintendent, has announced his resignation after 39 months on the job. Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota Counties school districts have also changed superintendents over the past year. Davis will step down July 14 and said, “It is with a conflicted heart that I have elected to resign from my position,” and “I have been blessed and honored to lead the seventh-largest school district in the nation.”
SunTrax, a Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise project that will be the only high-speed autonomous vehicle (AV) testing facility in the southeastern United States, has opened in Lakeland. The 475-acre SunTrax facility and track can test vehicles in numerous scenarios, from stopping for pedestrians to navigating through storms. The Phase 1 construction started in 2017 and entailed building the 2.25-mile oval test track, which has been operational since June 2019. The infield, which simulates the different environments, was part of the second phase of SunTrax.
Point Chaud Coffee & Crepes has signed a lease for space inside the ARK Innovation Center, which is currently under construction at 1101 4th St. S. in St. Petersburg, according to a Thursday announcement from the Tampa Bay Innovation Center. Since its inception in 2005, Point Chaud has expanded to several locations in Washington D.C. and Maryland. St. Petersburg will be its first Florida storefront. The new cafe, which provides catering for events, will open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. In addition to its coffee and crepes, it will serve salads, paninis, quiches, gelato and offer gluten-free and vegetarian options.
The City of St. Petersburg will host two public design charettes to gather community input regarding Transit Oriented Development (TDO) near and around SunRunner stations. The meetings are June 21 and June 28 at the St. Petersburg College Midtown Campus and will focus on potential density, height, design and “transit-supportive uses” around 32nd and 22nd Street stations. For more information, visit the website here.
Utah-based airline Breeze Airways is launching a new service this fall to Raleigh-Durham from Tampa, according to a Wednesday announcement. The flight service at the Tampa International Airport will kick off Sept. 7 and will be available on Thursdays, Sundays and Tuesdays. The fares will start at $39 for one-way tickets.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' original creamsicle and white uniforms are back for the first time since 2012. The Bucs will don the throwback jerseys Oct. 15 for a home game against the Detroit Lions. An NFL rule change that allows teams to wear multiple helmet designs enabled the return of the orange-toned Bucco Bruce logo.
Dynasty Financial Partners CEO Shirl Penney has been named Florida's Entrepreneur of the Year, according to Ernst & Young's Tuesday announcement. The St. Pete CEO was selected by an independent judging panel of previous winners, business executives, investors and others who evaluated Penney based on his entrepreneurial spirit and core contributions. Penney is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur of The Year 2023 National Awards.
Steven Meier, interim CEO of CareerSource Pinellas since February 2022, has been named permanent CEO. The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to appoint Meier, previously the chief financial officer at the county’s workforce development agency. “Leading CareerSource Pinellas over the past year has been a privilege and I appreciate the county commission’s vote of confidence today," Meier said in a prepared statement.
The University of South Florida’s Board of Trustees authorized a $340 million budget, including $200 million in debt, to build a long-awaited on-campus stadium. The 35,000-seat facility should open in time for the 2026 football season. School officials do not expect the Populous and Barton Marlow design-build team to present a guaranteed maximum price until next year. The board can terminate its contract without penalty until that point.
The Florida Orchestra has named Ignacio Barrón Viela as president and CEO, replacing Mark Cantrell, who announced his departure in February. Barrón Viela is a classically trained cellist, and the former president and CEO of the Reno Philharmonic in Nevada. Prior to that position, he was the executive director of Montana's Billings Symphony. He will begin his tenure with TFO in August.
According to Florida Atlantic University researchers, Tampa Bay metro area tenants must make $84,750.12 annually to avoid “rent burdened” status - meaning they spend over 30% of their income on housing. The study utilized Waller, Weeks and Johnson Rental Index data, which showed the average monthly rent is over $2,100. The metro area is the 18th most overpriced on the index.
WellnessLiving, a Toronto-based software company focused on the health and wellness industry, is expanding to Tampa with a regional headquarters in the Westshore District. The company is leasing 4,000 square feet at Corporate Center II at 4211 W. Boy Scout Blvd., according to a Monday announcement from the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council. The company plans to hire 45 employees for information technology and operations roles, including software development, sales, marketing, account management and recruitment.
