Tampa-based OPSWAT, a leading provider of critical infrastructure protection (CIP) cybersecurity solutions, has acquired all assets of FileScan.IO, a next-gen malware analysis platform with a focus on Indicators of Compromise ("IOCs") extraction and related threat intelligence data. As a result, FileScan.IO’s founder and CEO Jan Miller has joined OPSWAT as Director of Engineering of Malware Analysis Solutions. OPSWAT will continue to provide organizations, cybersecurity researchers and the academic and government community with FileScan.IO’s free malware analysis service, according to the news release. "Jan continues to develop outstanding technologies over the last decade, and is committed to providing important free resources and innovative technologies to the broad cybersecurity community. With FileScan.IO’s free malware analysis service, community users, regardless of location or size, have access to rapid in-depth file and URL assessments. We look forward to enhancing the technology into an enterprise-grade, robust and mature solution to deliver the most comprehensive and innovative malware analysis platform available today," Benny Czarny, founder and CEO of OPSWAT, said in the release.
McKibbon Hospitality, a Tampa-based leader in hotel development and management, announced the retirement of its three top executives, John McKibbon, Vann Herring and David Hughs. The three executives have brought a combined 94 years of service. “Following 30 years of milestones, achievements and partnership, we couldn’t be prouder to hand over the reins to our trusted next generation of McKibbon leaders,” John McKibbon said in the Friday news release. Randy Hassen succeeds Vann Herring and has been appointed as the new CEO while Bruce Baerwalde has been promoted to President and is responsible for driving peak performance in McKibbon’s portfolio of hotels and restaurants. “Randy and Bruce are exceptional leaders who have dedicated their 25-plus-year careers to McKibbon and serving others,” said Herring. “They have successfully and strategically guided the management company’s continued growth and evolution, navigating every challenge we’ve faced with determination and true leadership.” CFO Joe Taggart succeeds David Hughs and is now serving as the President of McKibbon Hotel Group, while continuing to oversee the financial well-being of all McKibbon entities. The release also noted that J.B. McKibbon IV has been named President of McKibbon Equities, a newly developed arm of the company responsible for new development and asset management of McKibbon-owned properties as well as the McKibbon Family Investment Fund.
The Tampa Bay metro area recorded a 28% home price increase in August compared to a year earlier. According to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, only Miami saw a more significant rise, at 28.6%. The Charlotte area came in third with a 21.3% increase. The recently released report provided data on 20 metro areas and noted a deceleration in housing prices. However, home costs remained well above 2021 levels in all 20 cities. The South and Southeast paced the nation with the largest increases.
Clearwater-based MarineMax Inc. (NYSE: HZO), the world’s largest recreational boat and yacht retailer, reached a new revenue record for the fourth quarter and full year. Revenue grew over 16% to a record $536.8 million for the quarter compared to $462.3 million it earned in the fourth quarter last year. "This growth was despite the difficulties presented by Hurricane Ian which impacted the company’s largest market, Florida. The revenue growth overall was driven by continued strong demand for boating and our selective acquisitions with exceptional strategic growth results," the company's report read. Net income for the quarter was $38.4 million, or $1.73 per diluted share. MarineMax's report included the $4.8 million of expenses, or $0.17 per diluted share, net of tax, associated with Hurricane Ian-related expenses.
St. Petersburg-based Raymond James Financial (NYSE: RJF) reported net revenues of $2.83 billion and net income available to common shareholders of $437 million, or $1.98 per diluted share, for the fiscal fourth quarter. The revenue boost was primarily generated from lending and banking, which helped wealth managers offset declines in fee- and commission-based revenues. The fiscal fourth quarter included a full quarter of results for TriState Capital and SumRidge Partners, which Raymond James acquired and added approximately $25 million of incremental non-compensation expenses sequentially, excluding bank loan provision for credit losses, according to the report. "Notwithstanding the challenging and volatile market environment during the fiscal year, we generated record results with annual net revenues and pre-tax income growth of 13%, which was driven by strong organic growth, particularly in the Private Client Group segment, the benefit of higher short-term interest rates and, most importantly, our advisors’ and associates’ unwavering focus on always putting their clients first,” Chair and CEO Paul Reilly said in the report, noting the recent acquisitions.
J.P. Brooker, director of Florida Conservation, and local Tik Tok star Trash Caulin will dress up and go “trash or treating” Thursday morning to spread awareness on Halloween litter. The two will hit the streets of St. Petersburg’s Old Northeast Neighborhood at 10:30 a.m. Thursday to pick up plastic litter. A report from the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) found food wrappers are a top source of pollution. In 2019, ICC collected more wrappers than cigarette butts - the top item for 30 years. Caulin has amassed over 1.6 million Tik Tok followers and the Ocean Conservancy hopes recordings of the event will inspire people to properly dispose of Halloween trash.
The Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections is reminding voters that the deadline to request mail ballots is 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 29, for the Nov. 8 elections. To request a ballot or view samples, residents can visit votepinellas.gov or call 727-464-VOTE (8683). Voters can return mail ballots at 25 remote locations throughout Pinellas, including the three elections offices. Residents can also turn in completed ballots at the offices between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Nov. 7 and election day. The Supervisor of Elections stresses that voters should allow at least one week for the postal service to deliver mailed ballots. For more information, visit the website here.
St. Petersburg-based ARK Invest is joining Duke Energy and PODS Moving and Storage as a corporate organization supporting the first-ever climate tech accelerator program. The Tampa Bay Innovation Center accelerator 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. “The strategic partnership will expand next-gen technologies to assist with climate tech solutions as well as spur the growth of the Tampa Bay entrepreneurial ecosystem,” ARK Invest founder and CEO Cathie Wood said in a news release. "This team of partners provides forward-looking research, so entrepreneurs can develop solutions that will solve the negative impacts of climate change." The supporting companies will assist TBIC by providing industry insight and resources, including domain expertise, customer contacts and mentors. The program will conclude in March 2023. Applications are open for this program.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has issued over $1.39 billion in federal grants, disaster loans and flood insurance payments in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. According to a Tuesday release, the National Flood Insurance (NFIP) received more than 42,000 claims and pay over $184 million to policyholders. Individual assistance is available in 26 counties, including Pinellas. NFIP policyholders can also receive up to $1,000 in reimbursements for supplies like sandbags and lumber, along with storage expenses. For more information, visit the website here.
According to a Zillow analysis, mortgages in the area increased by 93.9% over the last year. The study shows the average mortgage payment in September was $2,016. Zillow, a real estate platform, stated that local home buyers now spend 35.5% of their income on housing, well above the 30% cost-burdened threshold. According to the report, it is “extremely unlikely” that home values will fall to previous affordability levels. Read the full analysis here.
Construction has kicked off for Fortune 500 company IFF's new Global Citrus Innovation Center at the Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland. The nearly 30,000-square-foot building will support global citrus research and development, and will include sensory and experience venues, research labs, processing, analytical departments, a fully equipped citrus garden and amenities for hosting customers and partners, according to the joint announcement on the groundbreaking. “Our students and faculty are making real contributions in growing the tech industry by influencing the designs of pioneering technologies and real-world solutions. We’re excited about the cross-disciplinary learning opportunities for our students through this partnership in fields such as metabolomics, automation, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and biometric data capture and analysis, to name a few," Florida Poly President Randy Avent said in a news release. The new center is expected to be completed in 2023.
A 3-year-old is safe, and a suspect is in custody following a four-hour standoff with police early Tuesday morning. The St. Petersburg Police Department said a domestic incident occurred at 11:39 p.m. Monday night at a home on Norfolk St. N., near 18th Avenue. Police were called around 12:30 a.m. and were told that Matthew Perkins, 32, was “acting erratically” and took the child. With the assistance of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, officers located Perkins on Gandy Boulevard. He then crashed his truck under the I-275 overpass and refused to negotiate with police for four hours. Officers closed Gandy in both directions during the standoff. The SWAT team deployed its robotic dog, SPOT, to make provide a live video of Perkins and the child. Police also attempted to communicate through SPOT. At about 4:30 a.m., due to a heightened concern for the child’s safety, officers moved in and extracted the boy and arrested Perkins without injuries.
