GTE Financial, one of the largest credit unions in Florida, has launched a new mobile app that gives users the ability to replace lost, damaged, or stolen physical credit or debit cards virtually and instantly with a new digital card. The new virtual card can be used for online purchases until a physical card is received in the mail or picked up at a GTE financial center, a news release said. The Tampa-based credit union, with 230,000 members, annually receives 25,000 requests for card replacements after loss, theft, damage or fraud, said Brian Best, president and CEO. GTE Financial worked with Fiserve on the technology.
There were 140 new cases of Covid-19 reported overnight in Pinellas County. Thursday is the eighth consecutive day when more than 100 new cases have been reported. The county's cumulative total now stands at 25,674 cases. There has been 2,660 cases for every 100,000 people in Pinellas County since the outbreak began. In Pinellas County, 819 people have died as a result of the virus. The county's positivity rate — or percent of people who took a test and tested positive for Covid-19 — was 4.01 percent Wednesday, with a two-week rolling average of just under 4.8 percent.
Superior Group of Companies posted net income of $10 million, or 63 cents a share, on net sales of $127.8 million for the third quarter of 2020, the three months ended Sept. 30. Financial results were up across the board for Superior Group (Nasdaq: SGC), headquartered in Seminole and with divisions focused on uniforms and apparel, promotional products and call centers. The company's net income in Q3 a year ago was $3.9 million, or 26 cents a share, on net sales of $89.5 million. Superior Group's uniform and promotional products segments have strong opportunity pipelines and backlogs, while the Office Gurus call center segment is leveraging its work from home solution to increase capacity, CEO Michael Benstock said in a news release. During Q3 2020, the company paid down $8.2 million in debt, which will help it capitalize on potential opportunities that may come up, Benstock said.
The National Football League is planning to limit seating to 20 percent capacity for Super Bowl LV, which will be held Feb. 7, 2021 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The seating will be set up in socially distanced pods and masks will be required for all attendees, according to reports from ESPN.
There were 120 new cases of Covid-19 reported overnight in Pinellas County. Wednesday is the 7th consecutive day when more than 100 new cases have been reported. The county's cumulative total now stands at 25,534 cases. There has been 2,646 cases for every 100,000 people in Pinellas County since the outbreak began. In Pinellas County, 818 people have died as a result of Covid-19. That number has not changed since Tuesday. The county's positivity rate — or percent of people who took a test and tested positive for Covid-19 — was 3.52 percent overnight. The rolling 14-day average is 4.78 percent for positivity rates. Pinellas County's acute care hospitals reported 127 hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of Covid on Wednesday, with a 27.2 percent available bed capacity.
Tampa International Airport and BayCare Health System will continue the airport’s Covid-19 passenger testing program through the end of the year. A pilot that began on Oct. 1 was successful, averaging about 130 to 140 passenger tests per day, and a total of more than 3,000 passenger tests this month, the airport said in a news release. Testing services will continue to be offered on a walk-in basis, seven days a week. Starting on Nov. 2, the testing site will have new hours of operation: Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday and Sunday. There are two types of tests. The polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, a nasal swab test that experts say is the most reliable, and a rapid antigen test, which produces results in 15 minutes. The PCR tests costs $150 and the rapid antigen tests costs $60. Testing is voluntary and open to all arriving and departing passengers. Passengers departing from Tampa to destinations requiring a negative PCR test are advised to take the test three days before departure and can expect results within 48 hours.
Food service vendor Aramark is laying off 143 workers at the Tampa Convention Center. The company has experienced "unprecedented disruption" caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, it said in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification sent to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. The convention center told Aramark it does not expect business to improve for an undefined period of time and will only need Aramark's services in a limited capacity during that time, the Oct. 16 WARN said.
BIC Graphic North America, a promotional products supplier in Clearwater, is changing its company name to Koozie Group, effective Jan 1. The company has operated under the BIC name since 1969. It considered more than 800 new names before choosing Koozie, a brand it has owned since 2009, a statement from the company said. The Koozie name has roots in drinkware, but Koozie Group will still provide a robust assortment of products, categories and 40+ brands that BIC Graphic is known for, the statement said. The company also has a new tagline, "Keep the Good Going," that it said aligns with an updated purpose to provide long-lasting promotional solutions that insulate a brand’s image and preserve a best moment. The company also is implementing a social impact and sustainability commitment program in 2021 called "Keep it Give it."
MarineMax, a Clearwater-based recreational boat and yacht retailer, reported $74.6 million in net income, or $3.37 a share, on revenue of $1.51 billion for the fiscal year ended Sept.30. Revenue was up 22 percent from the prior year and net income more than doubled, the company said in a news release. The boating industry experienced a "foundational shift" in 2020, CEO and President Brett McGill said. The company expanded its customer base and expects many existing and new customers to upgrade to larger boats and additional services in the future. Based on current business conditions and retail trends, MarineMax expects earnings per share in fiscal 2021 to be between $3.70 and $3.90.
The St. Pete Greenhouse has launched St. Petersburg's first small business map in an effort to help residents shop local. The interactive map can be used from any device to find local businesses including restaurants and retailers, and results can be filtered by business type and owner demographics. Business owners can add themselves by clicking here.
Tabish Siddiquie has been named general manager of The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club. Siddiquie will be responsible for all aspects of daily operations. Siddiquie previously served as the general manager of The Ritz-Carlton Denver, which attained its highest ever revenue and profit under Siddiquie’s leadership, a news release said. Prior to that, he served at Ritz-Carlton hotels in Abu Dhabi, Kazakhstan, Grand Cayman and San Francisco. He oversaw food and beverage at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, including the hotel’s members club and golf course, from 2008 to 2011. The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort and Golf Club is a 361-room hotel with a private 72-slip marina, 18-hole golf course, 12-court tennis complex and 5,000-square-foot fitness center
