The Bank of Tampa named Scott Gault as market president for Hillsborough County. Gault previously was market president for Pinellas County. A new Pinellas president has not been named. Gault will continue to lead the bank’s SBA and treasury services.
A month after Synovus Financial bought FCB Financial Holdings, Synovus said it will close the FCB branch at 130 S. Westshore Blvd. in Tampa. It will close on May 3. There are nearby branches at 4488 W. Boy Scout Blvd. and 4003 W. Neptune St.
The Florida Center for Cybersecurity published Cyber Defense for SMBs, a free resource for small and medium-sized businesses, to help them be better prepared to respond to and recover from cyberattacks. It’s available for download here.
The Florida Institute of Oceanography at USF will receive a $1.9 million grant. The funding will continue to support a fisheries and spawning habitat research effort launched from a previous grant, said U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.
AM Best upgraded ratings for Auto Club Insurance Co. of Florida. The Tampa insurer now has an “A-“ (excellent) financial strength rating and an “a-“ long-term issuer credit rating, reflecting a strong balance sheet and operating performance, AM Best said.
Catalina expects to emerge from Chapter 11 in the coming weeks, after a bankruptcy judge in Delaware confirmed the company’s reorganization plan. The St. Pete-based digital media company filed for bankruptcy in early December so it could cut debt.
The University of South Florida will officially unveil a new National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) Commemorative Plaza during a ribbon cutting ceremony on campus this week. USF is the first non-historically black college in Florida with this type of physical representation.
The city of St. Petersburg and St. Petersburg College are among 300 organizations on the 2019 Best Workplaces for Commuters list. The program is managed by the Center for Urban Transportation Research at USF.
Innovative Foodservice Group in Tampa bought JES Restaurant Equipment Inc. in Greenwood, S.C. for an undisclosed price. Innovative — formerly known as BJ Beltram and a portfolio company of Trivest Partners — plans to pursue more add-on deals.
Purchasing Services Inc., a group purchasing organization in St. Petersburg, has shorted its name to PSIvet. The new name reflects added programs and services for the 5,000 independent veterinary practices that are members.
The economy in Tampa-St. Pete could contract by 16.8 percent by 2099 from direct climate-change impacts, Brookings said. The report takes into account coastal property damage and mortality, among other factors.
iSocrates is launching Digital First Fridays. The meetup series starts Friday, with Mayor Kriseman and the digital marketers from the Rays and the Lightning. The St. Pete EDC announced the tech firm has moved to St. Petersburg, as reported by St. Pete Catalyst.
