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.
Community Brands, a St. Pete software firm, has acquired AmericanChecked, Shield Screening and U.S. Information Search. Financial details were not disclosed. The deals deepen Community Brands’ background screening capabilities, a news release said.
Financial services provider USAA opened its second building in the Crosstown Center in Brandon. About 350 employees have moved into the facility, which can accommodate 1,100. USAA has 3,500 local workers, including at an office in New Tampa.
Tampa-St. Pete ranks No. 30 in the new Milkin Institute best-performing cities report. The metro area dropped 15 spots from a year ago. The report measures job and wage growth, as well as high tech GDP gains.
Long running startup showcase 1 Million Cups will host PitchLyst this Wednesday, January 30th. The event is hosted at the St Pete Greenhouse and kicks off at 9 a.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik is among the investors in Sapphire Sport, a $115 million fund that will invest in early-stage startups at the intersection of sports, media, and entertainment sectors.
St. Pete’s James Weldon Johnson Community Library will host Girls Who Code, a program to teach girls in grades 6-12 the basics of computer science and programming. The free program will be on Wednesdays, Feb. 6-April 17. More information is here.
Tropicana Field will become the first cash-free sports venue in North America, beginning with Fan Fest on Feb. 9. Credit cards, Tampa Bay Rays gift cards and Apple Pay can be used at concession stands and retail stores in the ballpark. Read more here.
Publix Super Market Charities is contributing $1 million to the United Way to support those impacted by financial hardship. The emergency funds are to help working families with “an unexpected loss of income,” a news release said.
JPMorgan Chase, among the largest banks in the Tampa Bay area, is looking at ways to help small businesses during the government shutdown. CEO Jamie Dimon also said Chase would commit $1 million to Feeding America and United Way. Read his memo here.
Class Chair Tee Grizzard announced the 2019 Leadership St Pete class project will be Academy Prep.
Progressive Group of Insurance Companies expects to hire more than 10,000 people in the next year, including 1,500 customer services, sales and claims representatives in Tampa. The new hires will support rapid growth. Applications are here.
