Software technology firm ConnectWise will relocate its global headquarters from the Westshore area to an office tower in downtown Tampa. ConnectWise will occupy 65,500 square feet in the Park Tower Building on floors 1, 12, 23, 24, and 25, with ample space and options for future growth, the company announced on Monday. “As our company continues to grow and have a positive impact on small and medium-sized businesses around the globe, we are excited to have a presence in the vibrant, revitalized downtown area, and we look forward to our logo being featured prominently atop the building,” ConnectWise CEO Jason Magee said in the release. “This move is designed to help build brand awareness and solidify ConnectWise as a beacon in the Tampa business and technology scene. We also believe it’s important to prioritize working with local businesses to help build out the new space and support the Tampa economy.” The first floor will house the ConnectWise Center of Excellence, a multi-purpose showcase and exhibition space. In addition, ConnectWise will partner with local artists to enrich its multi-use space with unique artwork.
Sarasota-based Roper Technologies (NYSE: ROP), which designs software, will sell its subsidiary Zetec to Quebec-based Eddyfi/NDT in a $350 million deal, the company announced Tuesday. The deal will be all-cash and is expected to close by the end of the year. “Eddyfi/NDT is an ideal home for Zetec, and the combination of these businesses will be a great fit for Zetec’s talented employees and loyal customers,” Neil Hunn, Roper’s President and CEO, said in a statement. “We are thankful to everyone at Zetec for their many years of contributions to Roper and wish them continued success with their innovative work in nondestructive testing."
The University of South Florida announced its Morsani College of Medicine was selected as a site for clinical trial testing of the Moderna mRNA-1273 Covid-19 vaccine on pediatric patients. The vaccine will be tested on children from six months to 11 years old. Moderna hopes to enroll 12,000 kids from the U.S. and Canada for this Phase 2/3 research study, called KidCOVE. USF Health research physicians now seek Tampa Bay area volunteers to participate in the KidCOVE study to evaluate their safety and immune responses. Three out of four participants will receive the vaccine, and all participants will be monitored for 12 months for their health and safety.
Former employee Ralph Puglisi, who previously worked within a direct service organization of the University of South Florida, pled guilty in federal court to embezzling at least $12.8 million on Thursday, according to court documents filed in the Middle District of Florida. He was an accounting manager for the University Medical Service Association (UMSA), a nonprofit that provides staffing and other support for the university’s health care businesses. According to an investigative report from Greenberg Traurig, it found that Puglisi made at least $12.86 million in non-business charges on UMSA credit cards from June 2014 through November 2019. The charges were for “rent payments, extensive home renovations, travel, chartered yachts, and contributions to women affiliated with an interactive adult website.” Puglisi could face up to 20 years in prison.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Tampa-based tech firm Syft a patent for its tech that tracks the location and status of a deceased person. Syft's management and tracking solution was created to helps hospitals ensure the safe and correct way of handling deceased patients. "Properly managing deceased patients is an essential task for hospitals, but unfortunately, many are relying on outdated and inefficient processes," CEO Todd Plesko said in a prepared statement. "The accelerated patient deaths due to Covid-19 exposed significant vulnerabilities that hospitals have related to ensuring the proper management of deceased patients."
AdventHealth is now halting elective procedures at three more campuses. Starting Aug. 16, AdventHealth, which has multiple Tampa Bay campuses, will temporarily stop non-urgent procedures that require an overnight stay at the Dade City, Sebring and Zephyrhills campuses. All AdventHealth West Florida Division hospital locations will continue to perform same-day procedures that do not require an overnight stay. The news follows the organization stopping elective procedures at the Wesley Chapel, North Pinellas and Carrollwood campuses.
Tourist development tax collected for the month of June in Pinellas County was the highest in the county's history at roughly $8.27 million– a 94% year-over-year increase from 2020. One of the most significant findings was is St. Pete/Clearwater’s average daily rate (ADR). In the month of June, the county saw an ADR of $189.57 – 30.3% higher than June 2019 and more than $20 higher than the state’s monthly figure. Average occupancy for the month was 80.6% with six days reporting more than 90%. Despite Red Tide and the uptick of the Covid-19 Delta variant, July 2021 numbers are pacing similarly to June with occupancy and ADR outpacing record-setting 2019 metrics, according to VSPC.
The Pinellas Board of County Commissioners completed its selections to the Pinellas Redistricting Board during Tuesday's meeting. Each commissioner had previously nominated one person to represent their district, and the commission then voted on four at-large members out of a pool of 22 applicants. The original nominees are: Mark Weikrantz, Mary Lousie Ambrose, Allison Nall, Ron Schultz, Christian D. Ruppel, James P. Everett and Esther Eugene. After four rounds of voting, the four at large members selected are: Bruce Livingston, Brian Aungst, Johnny Boykins, and Karen Owen. The group of 11 members will being meeting this month.
St. Petersburg native Hollis Amley has been appointed Canterbury School of Florida's next Head of School, effective July 1, 2022. She is currently Head of Upper School at St. John’s School in Houston, Texas, a position she's held for the past seven years. Amley succeeds Mac Hall, who is retiring after 17 years as Canterbury's Head of School. She will be the 9th Head 0f School since the private school's establishment in 1968.
Clearwater-based startup KnowBe4 Inc. (NASDAQ: KNBE), a provider of the leading security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, has made a donation to maintain beehives. KnowBe4 made a donation to the Pinellas Beekeeper's Association to purchase and maintain 11 honey beehives, which will essentially add 220,000 to 385,000 bees to the planet. “This last year has been perhaps the most exciting year in KnowBe4’s history, as we became a public company; but rest assured, we are just getting started,” KnowBe4 CEO Stu Sjouwerman said in a statement. “The honey bee project is a great way to celebrate our anniversary because we have to maintain and take care of our business to help it grow, just like the honey bee population. Donating to maintain honey bee hives is a meaningful way with real, positive effects for our planet to celebrate this exciting milestone.”
The Society of Professional Journalists presented 12 Sunshine State Awards to WUSF-FM, including first place in two categories. Top honors went to Stephanie Colombini for serious feature reporting and Carl Lisciandrello for best news website. Awares went to 10 different staff members.
GOLFTEC, a leader in golf lessons and club fittings, has opened a state-of-the-art instruction and club fitting center at 8808 4 th St. N. in St. Petersburg. The 3,600-square-foot new facility will have five teaching/practice bays along with a putting green and is staffed by certified coaches. GOLFTEC is known for its teaching technology – including advanced motion measurement, video analysis and premium launch monitors, according to the company's announcement. The GOLFTEC St. Petersburg location will also feature the company’s enhanced custom club fitting program. The St. Petersburg Director of Instruction is John Kursel, he has taught over 17,000 golf lessons. GOLFTEC has several locations in Tampa Bay including in Clearwater, South Tampa, Carrollwood and Sarasota.
