Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier was elected to serve as vice president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, effective immediately. Altmaier said he would continue to serve in his state role.
YPrime, a healthcare software company in Pennsylvania, received a significant investment from private equity firm Flexpoint Ford. Ballast Point Ventures in Tampa has backed YPrime since 2013 and said it will retain a minority stake.
WellCare Health Plans posted sales and profit gains last year. Net income for the managed health care provider was $439.8 million, or $9.29 a share, on revenue of $20.4 billion. In a news release, the Tampa company increased earnings guidance for 2019.
The $185 million sale of the Renaissance Vinoy last year was a finalist for “Transaction of the Year,” one of several awards at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit. A group led by Tampa Bay Buccaneers co-owner Bryan Glazer bought the hotel from RLJ Lodging Trust.
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.
