Northwest Florida Business Climate

May/June 2013

Captain Keith Hoskins Pilots NAS Into the Future Area Military Gives Back

Ethics in Business Awardees Represent Best of the Community How to be a Leader Among Leaders www.nwflbusinessclimate.com

from the

publisher’ s pen

May is Military Appreciation Month, and for this issue of Business Climate, we feature the many ways in which the armed services of this area go above and beyond the call of duty. The military is intertwined with the fabric of our Pensacola area, and we as citizens owe much to our brave men and women, including our freedom, the region's robust economy, our culture and our history. Many nonprofit and charity organizations also owe much to our armed services, as many members of the military give of their own free time to fundraisers, educating the area's youth, feeding the homeless and more. Find out more on page 52.

NAS Pensacola has a new Commanding Officer, Capt. Keith Hoskins, who is the first African-American to hold the position in the station's history. Read about Capt. Hoskins' past as a young man interested in aviation who overcame extraordinary odds, his current role as the leader of a station with exciting times ahead, and his future as the face of the Navy in this region. His story and a Q&A are on page 50.

Speaking of leaders, many area businessmen and city entrepreneurs attended the Refresh Leadership seminar held at the Saenger Theatre, where three dynamic speakers spoke on issues such as employee engagement, teamwork and following your dreams.

Find out all they had to say on page 48. The annual Ethics in Business awards, hosted by the Combined Rotary Clubs of Pensacola, recognized two area leaders this month for their honest business practices and adherence to the Rotary Four-Way Test. Learn who they are on page 46.

Don't forget to read this month's IT Tips, which speaks on the importance of your computer systems and archives complying to government regulations, and how to easily do so, on page 58.

Malcolm Ballinger Publisher

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>businessethics

Ethics in Business Awardees Represent Best of the Community

By Josh Newby The Combined Rotary Clubs of Pensacola recognized the most ethical among their ranks at an awards luncheon on May 6. The awards, presented in partnership with the University of West Florida College of Business, recognize those who exemplify the concept of “service above self” and work to build a positive sense of self-worth within both the business community and the broader community as a whole.

Members of the community submitted nominations for the award.

Criteria for the award are based on adherence to the high ethical standards of honesty, integrity and consistency in dealing with employees, contractors and customers, while positively enhancing the economic wellbeing of the firm’s stakeholders and providing jobs, opportunities and profits. The selection committee also considered participation in activities that are beneficial to the community beyond the provision of economic benefits: service as a leader or

innovator in the firm’s business sector, and adherence to the principles of the Rotary Four-Way Test.

“The winners of this award represent the very best of our business community,” said Ted Kirchharr, district governor for the 2013-14 rotary year. “They exemplify the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise.”

Ron Gillette, owner of Gillette Wheelchair Engineers, was given the award for the small business sector, whose nominees employ 99 or fewer workers. Edwin “Buz” Eddy, city manager of Gulf Breeze, was named for the large business sector, whose nominees employ 100 or more workers.

The past year’s winners—Escambia County Property Appraiser Chris Jones, and Pensacola entrepreneurs and investors Quint and Rishy Studer—were on hand to speak about the importance of ethics in today’s business climate.

“Ethics is your character, your

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moral compass,” said Jones. “As an elected official, I am an extension of the voters, and it is vital to never betray that public trust.”

“When you are values-oriented, you do things and conduct business in a values-driven way,” said Quint. “If you get in the habit of living your life in an ethical, values-driven manner, you will find it easy to pick values over revenue, and therefore profit more in the long run.”

Gillette was noticeably moved by the nomination and subsequent win, as he thanked those who selected him and joked that he hoped their kind words were true. He also thanked his family, who have been instrumental in the success of his small business.

Eddy, who played a major role in the Combined Rotary’s recent food drive that provided more than 100,000 meals to the area’s hungry, accepted his award with grace, thanking those who nominated him and saying that he hoped he would continue to live up to the honor.

Ted Kirchharr, Edwin Eddy, Ed Ranelli

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>management

By Josh Newby

How to be a Leader Among Leaders At the Refresh Leadership seminar at the Saenger Theatre, hosted by Express Employment Professionals, three worldrenowned professionals from business, sports and psychological backgrounds came together to share important strategic and career tenants to a crowd of almost 500 regional leaders. The event was simulcast to 130 cities in the United States and Canada, as businessman and bestselling writer Guy Kawasaki, four-time Super Bowl winner and football analyst Terry Bradshaw, and motivational speaker Amanda Gore charmed and challenged the audience.

“We are gathered here today to share nuggets of wisdom designed to make you and your business better,” said Charlie Bockwith, Pensacola Express franchisee.

Express was responsible for placing more than 370,000 people into quality jobs in 2012.

Guy Kawasaki, former chief evangelist of Apple and founding partner at Garage Technology Ventures, spoke to the crowd about being an enchanter—someone who is empowered and able to change others’ hearts, minds and actions for the better.

According to Kawasaki, the power of enchantment enables one to maneuver through difficult decisions, break entrenched habits, defy the wisdom of crowds and inspire colleagues to work for long-term, mutually beneficial goals.

“In many different ways, in a variety of business settings, I have had to enchant people,” said Kawasaki, discussing the need for the skill in targeted business strategies.

The first pillar of three necessary steps to being enchanting is to achieve likability, according to Kawasaki. Smile with your eyes, accept others and always default to yes. No one has ever been influenced or persuaded to adopt an idea or buy something from someone they didn’t like, advised Kawasaki.

The second pillar is to achieve trustworthiness. Many people are liked without being trusted, and in order to be trusted, Kawasaki said that the first step is trusting others, followed by being a creator, not a leach on resources. Finally, even if the colleague or potential client seems unwavering, it is necessary to find

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something, anything, to agree upon. This way, a relationship that eventually leads to trust can be started.

The final pillar is to perfect the product, service or idea being presented.

Kawasaki said that he has enchanted people with both quality products and not-so-quality products—and has had a lot more success with the former.

“A product today needs to be deep, intelligent, complete, empowering and elegant,” said Kawasai. “It needs to serve as an ecosystem that not only solves a variety of problems or makes life easier in multiple ways, but does so in a sleek and user-intuitive manner.”

Terry Bradshaw took the stage next and spoke on the importance of having a dream, streamlining your desires and working hard to achieve success through persistent self-improvement. He spoke on new ways to think about sacrifice, pain, competition and adversity.

“One of the greatest things in the world is knowing what you want to do, and loving your job,” said Bradshaw. “You have to know what you want to do in order to work to get there by honing in on your specific skills.”

Bradshaw referenced his daughters, who at an early age knew what they wanted to be. He encouraged their dreams and fostered their desires until they were able to achieve what they wanted.

“Sometimes you have to cut all the excess, time-wasting stuff out, in order to truly excel where you want to,” said Bradshaw, referring to both his daughters’ now-careers and his time as a quarterback.

The audience laughed as Bradshaw admitted that he does not consider himself very smart, but he does consider himself a hard worker.

“Sweat never killed anyone,” said Bradshaw. “In big moments, the big people will shine. Failure can drive you to more failure—or it can drive you to perfection. How you emerge from the situation is completely dependent on your outlook.”

Australian motivational speaker Amanda Gore closed out the seminar with an equal parts scientific and

emotional plea to actively pursue a life of joy and wake up the spirit of leadership.

According to research, humans deal with issues and problems in the world with an 80/20 split between emotions and rational thinking. Leaders and bosses should interact with their employees and constituents with that in mind.

Gore pointed out that to impact an organization, one must lead with a change of heart; a change of spirit.

According to Gore, people are no longer a company’s most important asset; the spirit in which people do things is.

“The leader has three primary jobs,” said Gore. “First, hone people’s behavior, not through data sets and reasoning, but through interpersonal connections and relating issues back to the core human condition. Second, create an environment where people can be their best. This environment should be fear-free and feelings should be free to express themselves. Finally, believe in people.

They will respond with your trust by giving you their best.”

Gore emphasized having a contagious attitude of joy. Happy employees are productive employees, and happiness comes from gratitude and freedom from fear.

All fear can be placed into three categories: humiliation (fear of what others think), separation (fear of loneliness or isolation), and uncertainly (fear of failure or fear of the future). All of these fears can be confronted and have a decreased impact in the workplace through leaders’ positive recognition, acknowledgment and validation of employees, things that all humans innately want.

“Be grateful for your employees and tell them why you are thankful to have them on board,” said Gore. “By doing this, you are diminishing fear and promoting joy, thus inspiring them to be their best and be living sources of joy themselves.”

With these unique perspectives on leadership, each of the speakers challenged the audience to go forth, guiding others and creating relationships with trustworthiness, joy and hard work.

Captain Keith Hoskins Pilots NAS Into the Future Compiled by Josh Newby

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Capt. Keith Hoskins is the first African-American commanding officer in the history of the Naval Air Station in Pensacola. A native of Parkville, Mo., he graduated from Missouri Western State University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology in 1988, was commissioned after completion of Aviation Officer Candidate School in September of 1989 and was designated a Naval Aviator in February of 1992 in Kingsville, Texas.

In May of 1992, Capt. Hoskins reported to the Naval Military Personnel Command in Washington, DC, for a oneyear tour of duty as an assistant aviation commander detailer. He was then assigned to Fleet Replacement Squadron VFA-106 at Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Fla. Upon completion, he reported for his first operational assignment with the Sidewinders of VFA-86. While attached to the Sidewinders, Capt. Hoskins completed a deployment onboard the USS America, which included extended operations in the Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf. He flew combat missions in support of Operations Decisive Edge and Southern Watch. In June of 1997, he returned to the Gladiators of VFA-106 as an instructor pilot, where he served in the operations and the maintenance departments.

In September of 1998, Capt. Hoskins joined the Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron, the “Blue Angels,” for three seasons from 1999 to 2001. He served as the narrator, opposing solo and lead solo pilot. In his final season as the lead solo pilot, he also served as the teams operations officer. Capt. Hoskins returned to the fleet and was assigned to VFA-25, the Fist of the Fleet, for his Department Head tour where he served as the operations and maintenance officer.

During his tour with the Fist, he completed an extended deployment, flying combat missions in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom.

In August of 2003, Capt. Hoskins reported to the United States Strategic Command where he served as an action officer and then executive officer in the Plans and Policy Directorate. He was responsible for writing, assessing and disseminating high-level policy during the US Strategic Command’s restructuring in the midst of the Global War on Terrorism. In his last year at US Strategic Command, he served as the Aide de Camp to the commander.

After his joint assignment he began his command tour with VFA-15, The Valions, as the executive officer in April 2006. Upon assuming command of VFA-15 in June 2007, Capt. Hoskins led his squadron through turn around cycle and combat deployment onboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

After his command tour, Capt. Hoskins served as the 3rd battalion officer at the United States Naval Academy. During his tour he was selected honorary graduate of the class of 2010. Upon his departure from USNA he attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he received a Masters of Science in National Resource Strategy and Policy with the class of 2012. He then served at the Naval Service Training Command in Pensacola as the national director of NROTC Programs.

Capt. Hoskins has accumulated more than 3,400 flight hours and 570 arrested landings. His personal decorations

include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Air Medal (three awards with combat “V”), Navy Commendation Medal (three awards with combat “V”), Navy Achievement Medal (two awards), and numerous unit commendations and awards.

BC: How has the base changed since you were a Blue Angel?

KH: Due to the efforts of the NAS Pensacola staff in conjunction with Navy initiatives, the base has made significant improvements since my time as a Blue Angel. Unfortunately, the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan changed the landscape, but NAS Pensacola has maintained the ability to conduct all assigned missions.

BC: There have been a lot of changes to military spending lately. Will operations at NAS change as a result?

KH: The Navy’s budget meets operational needs of today and ensures a viable future force. NAS Pensacola is a major provider of the future force of our armed forces and will continue to meet our mission through established operations at NAS Pensacola.

BC: How does it feel to be the first African-American Commanding Officer at NAS? KH: I am blessed to be in the world’s best Naval force that allows all to succeed based on performance and merit. My feelings are more in line of being incredibly honored to have the opportunity to lead at a Naval Air Station that is coined “The Cradle of Naval Aviation.”

BC: The military does so much for this region economically. What are some of the ways citizens can give back?

KH: All our military members in the Pensacola area are the best and brightest from our great nation and are very proud to serve. The local citizens here in the Pensacola area continue to be most appreciative of our service and provide a very military friendly environment.

BC: What first interested you in aviation?

KH: As a young child my father exposed me to aviation through his personal stories of him desiring to be a pilot after WWII. Instead of flying aircraft he jumped from them as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. Also, he helped me build airplane models as a child and the passion ensued within me from then on. My first recollection of stating my desire to become a pilot was after my first Blue Angel show when I was 6 years old.

BC: As Commanding Officer, you are considered a leader in the community. How do you see your role in a region that places a high value on the military and NAS? KH: My role in the community is very simple: I am the face of the Navy in this region. My involvement with the community and partnerships are essential to the continued success of NAS Pensacola and the missions we conduct.

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Area Military Gives Back

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The men and women of the military have done so much for the local Gulf Coast area beyond simply being the biggest economic driver in the region, helping supply thousands of civilian jobs, serving as a hub of naval education and protecting the region from enemies foreign and domestic. Many members of the armed forces want to do even more, which is why some volunteer with local charities and nonprofit organizations.

These volunteer hours are performed of their own free will, and are performed outside the scope of their official position within the military.

Blue Angel and Habitat for Humanity volunteers

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Local philanthropic organizations ranging from Big Brothers Big Sisters and Meals on Wheels to the United Way, Ronald McDonald House and area youth sports programs benefit greatly from the voluntary, unofficial service of the area’s military men and women.

This year, the Pensacola Council Navy League presented Sgt. Bandele Howes with 2013’s Margaret Flowers Civic Award for his outstanding community service as a mentor to area inner-city youth and volunteer at local charity events. His award included a $1,000 certificate of deposit to Navy Federal Credit Union, which just goes to show how much this area values the selflessness of its military.

After more than 12 years of service in the US Air Force, Howes has found himself in Pensacola serving as the lead instructor of Aircraft Structural Maintenance for the Community College of the Air Force for enlisted personnel within the 359th Training Squadron, Detachment 1 at NAS Pensacola.

“I provide lectures on theory, operation and maintenance,” said Howes. “I also provide hands-on training for new airmen in the career field.”

Howes credits his drive and inspiration from his family and his eagerness to mentor others.

“I joined the military to provide a better quality of life for my family,” said Howes. “Ever since I can remember, I have enjoyed teaching and helping people.”

He selflessly serves the local community in various ways. Howes juggles between coaching three youth sports, supporting the Ronald McDonald House, cleaning yards, visiting veterans Bandele Howes and marching with other airmen representing the Air Force in local Margaret Flowers Civic Award, all of whom served their parades. Community service is something Howes community in some capacity outside their official believes every service member should do. duties, and many of whom were key in raising “We are all influenced by individuals in our thousands of dollars for charities. community,” said Howes. “You never know how you Once of those candidates is Anthony Avila. Since can impact someone’s life until after its changed, so January 2012, Boatswain’s Mate First Class Anthony choose to be a positive influence.”

Avila has been a leading petty officer at Naval Aviation Technical Sergeant Howes has 18 more months at Schools Command at NAS Pensacola.

NAS Pensacola before transferring. He will continue to “I am in charge of folks who re-write the Navy serve in the Air Force as long as he can with hopes to Search and Rescue and Water Survival lesson plans,” one day make chief master sergeant. said Avila.

Howes was just one of 15 candidates for the

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Anthony Avila With more than 10 years of service in the Navy, Avila works diligently to ensure future sailors are given the correct training in order to better serve in a professional and safe manner.

When Avila is not hard at work leading sailors, he is spending his free time serving as a volunteer with the Special Olympics. After volunteering at a local Special Olympics event, Avila was impacted by the athletes.

“It changed my whole look at life and I promised to always help those that are less fortunate or those who just need a little push in the right direction, no matter

what the situation may be,” says Avila.

Making others happy inspires Avila to serve his community.

“I think everyone should give back to their community, because that’s what makes us stronger as a whole,” said Avila.

Avila will serve at NAS Pensacola for two more years before being stationed on a ship or become a recruit division commander at Naval Station Great Lakes.

Another inspirational volunteer and member of the armed forces is Felicia Perez. For more than two years, Aviation Boatswain’s Mate First Class Felicia Perez has served as the leading petty officer for the Air Training Department within the Naval Air Technical Training Center at NAS Pensacola. There she serves as the building manager, administrative assistant to the leading chief petty officer and supervisor to all instructors assigned within the department. Perez’s passion has always been community service.

During her 14 years in the Navy, Perez has volunteered for the Northwest Florida Big Brothers Big Sisters Program, the Salvation Army and coordinated volunteers to beautify various properties through Habitat for Humanity. Her offduty community involvement drives her every day.

“Helping people to learn and grow inspires me to want to learn more to be able to help others,” said Perez.

Having always been a strong supporter and advocate for today’s youth, Perez devotes much of her spare time to inspire children to want a successful future and hopes others volunteer, as well.

“The truth is, we likely cross paths with a volunteer at least once, if not several times a day,” says Perez. “Volunteers are critical partners in societies around the world.”

Perez will soon report for duty on the USS Gerald Ford (CVN-78) in Norfolk, Va. Petty Officer Richard Curney has demonstrated exemplary dedication to the young people of Perdido Key over the past year. He is a counselor with the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program and an active member and volunteer with the Perdido Bay Youth Sports program, where he coaches youth football teams. He has also helped coordinate over $2,600 in May/June 2013

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fundraising for the football program and helped support the Pensacola Navy Youth Baseball Team. In addition, he has volunteered to help prepare the fields and facilities at the Southwest Escambia Sports Complex to ensure all events and competitions are conducted safely and in a well-maintained environment.

“Coaching is really my passion, which is something I want to do when I retire next year,” said Curney. “When I was young, a lot of coaches helped keep me out of trouble and I want to try to train and mentor these kids and same way I was.”

Curney has also volunteered in Key West, where he was previously stationed, and worked with three other coaches to help raise $12,000 for youth sports team down there.

“Volunteerism from both military and civilians help make the community stronger,” said Curney. “This is a military community, so there is a lot we can do to help and support a positive outlook for the area.”

In addition to individual efforts, crewmembers and pilots of the nowgrounded Blue Angels put their free time and off days to good use over the month of April, working with Habitat for Humanity to build a house for a family in need. The volunteers helped with the foundation, framing and construction of a brand-new home near NAS Pensacola.

Although budget cuts have forced the cancellation of 2013 air shows and practice demonstrations, the Blue Angels remain committed to their mission of enhancing Navy recruiting and credibly Felicia Perez representing the Navy and Marine Corps aviation by reaching out to their local community for speaking events and variety of local charities are facilitated through the volunteer opportunities.

Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), which serves as an “These guys are more than willing to pick up the easy, no-hassle program that promotes and supports hammers and nail guns to help those in need,” said philanthropy for all federal employees, giving them the Mike Lindsey of Blue Angels Public Affairs. “They opportunity to improve the quality of life for all. The could’ve had these days off and just relaxed, but campaign runs from September to December, and is instead decided to come out here and do what they the only campaign authorized to solicit and collect could to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.” contributions from federal employees in the workplace Military and federal workers in the region contribute on behalf of charitable organizations. in other ways, too, by letting their money do the work.

“The CFC is unlike other charity campaigns because Automatic payroll deductions or cash donations to a

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Richard Curney the federal employee makes their own choice about where their money goes,” said Ron Denson, director of the EscaRosa CFC. “They have a choice from national and international charities, to nonprofits run locally.

Local beneficiaries of their generosity include the American Red Cross, the Boy and Girl Scouts, Manna Food Pantries, Covenant Hospice, and the Boys and Girls Club, among others.”

The EscaRosa CFC includes all federal personnel— military and civilian—from Naval Air Station Pensacola,

Whiting Field, Corry Station, Saufley Field, and downtown federal offices of the Escambia and Santa Rosa county areas.

The national CFC is known to be the most inclusive workplace giving campaign in the world, with the number of participating charities estimated at over 20,000. All charities go through an intense screening process to ensure they are legitimate nonprofits that benefit those who need their services most.

“Those who give through the CFC have a sense of comfort knowing that these agencies have been screened, are eligible, and are using their finances wisely,” said Denson.

In 2012, local federal workers and members of the military gave more than $750,000 to the charity of their choice, which equates to about $200 given per participant. While the overall local campaign has experienced a slight decline recently, per participant giving has actually increased. In the hands of these nonprofits, the money they do receive goes further than many would believe possible, and reaches more people than imagined.

DeDe Flounlacker, executive director of Manna Food Pantries in Pensacola, said that the donations received from the CFC are valuable to the organization and its cause.

“The donations received through the CFC enable Manna to provide healthy food to thousands of children and families in Northwest Florida,” said Flounlacker. “As a local grassroots organization, it takes our entire community’s support to ensure the needs of the hungry are met. Our CFC donors make it possible for people in need to have food tonight and many nights to come.”

The Pensacola region has been truly blessed by the presence of outstanding, selfless military men and women in the area, and the benefits of their service continue to show forth in our daily lives in innumerable ways.

Various portions contributed by Ensign Jacqui Wengler

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>it tips

By Mike White

Frequently Asked Questions: Regulatory Compliance

What regulations am I likely to encounter?

State and federal regulations often set rigorous standards for data protection and privacy. Depending on your industry, your IT infrastructure will need to meet these requirements, and Your IT Cloud Backup can help.

Most often, regulations govern industries and the way information is kept and transmitted. Some industryspecific regulations include: • Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Section 404 for Accountants • PCI DDS Requirements 3, 4, 7, and 9 for Retailers • Gramm-Leach-Bliley Section 501 (b) for Bankers • HIPAA’s Security Rules for Medical and Dental Offices • State Legislation like MA 201 CMR 17 and similar laws How do these regulations impact data security, storage, backup and recovery?

While these laws govern different industries, all address three common, key items: • Protection of data from loss/destruction • Encryption of data over open networks • Limited physical access to stored data Regulations prescribe standards for how information is stored, secured, archived and accessed. In some cases, companies are required to maintain records for a period of years and ensure they’re well-safeguarded. Working with Your IT Cloud Backup, you can create the IT infrastructure you need to support relevant compliances.

Your IT Cloud Backup can be a key part of your overall solution, as it offers a highly secure backup supported by redundant data centers that meet or exceed regulations regarding protection, encryption and physical access.

What’s my risk if we’re not compliant with industry regulations?

If you fail to comply with relevant regulations, you could

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face heavy fines and penalties. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for HIPAAcompliance enforcement. Credit card providers will fine retailers who don’t follow PCI guidelines. The SEC oversees Sarbanes-Oxley, which can carry criminal penalties for violations.

Penalties can be substantial. Several multi-million dollar fines have been issued against healthcare providers and insurers found in violation of HIPAA guidelines. In 2012, the agency started turning its attention to smaller providers; a five-physician practice based in Phoenix was fined $100,000 in 2012 following an investigation that found the practice failed to safeguard patient information and take other security measures.

PCI violations can often carry five-figure penalties against small, independent retailers who don’t safeguard consumer credit card data. In short, the risk is substantial and real.

Beyond fines and punitive action, you can face the risk of lawsuit liabilities and the damaging impact to reputation and lost business that negative publicity would inevitably bring.

Will I be compliant if I use Your IT Cloud Backup?

Your IT Cloud Backup is a cloud backup, archiving and recovery solution that automates the processes of securely backing up electronic data and file recovery. It was created with these data protection regulations in mind to satisfy the broad need for a safe, reliable, and cost-effective method of backing up data offsite and allowing full file restoration at any time from any authorized location. Your IT Cloud Backup provides a highly secure solution that can be used to meet or exceed regulatory compliance when scheduling, encryption and archiving rules align with regulations.

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business news bits you should know

>aroundtheregion Covenant Hospice named as prestigious 2013 Hospice Honors recipient Covenant Hospice has been named a 2013 Hospice Honors recipient, a prestigious award recognizing hospice agencies providing the best patient care as rated by the patient’s caregiver. The not-for-profit hospice organization earned the recognition for care delivered at the Joyce Goldenberg Inpatient Residence and at the Inpatient and Palliative Care Center at West Florida Hospital. Established by Deyta, this prestigious annual honor recognizes the top 100 agencies that continuously provide the highest level of satisfaction through their care as measured from the caregiver’s point of view. Deyta used the Family Evaluation of Hospice Care (FEHC) survey results from over 1,200 partnering hospice agencies contained in its national, FEHC database with an evaluation period of January through December 2012. Deyta used the five key drivers of caregiver satisfaction as the basis of the Hospice Honors calculations.

Baptist Health Care Foundation accepting nursing scholarship applications Baptist Health Care Foundation (BHCF) is accepting scholarship applications from college-bound students. Through a gift from the Luther and Kathy Taylor family, BHCF will award a $2,500 nursing scholarship.

Applicants are evaluated on academic excellence and extracurricular activities.

Scholarships are granted without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, disability, marital status or any other status protected by law. The awarded scholarship will be deposited directly to a student’s account at his or her college or university.

Applications are available by visiting BaptistHealthCareFoundation.org.

UWF students earn top awards at national IT conference University of West Florida students earned top honors at the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) National Collegiate Conference, held in St. Louis. More than 700 students from 100 schools attended the conference. The student chapter of AITP at UWF is the professional organization for the Computer Science Department. It has been active and funded by SGA for 20 consecutive years under the direction of Dr. John W. Coffey, the chapter advisor. In addition to winning numerous regional and national competitions, the UWF AITP chapter has won the Student Chapter Outstanding

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Performance Award (SCOPA) five times, and the Region Seven (Southeastern U.S.) Outstanding Student Chapter of the Year Award three times.

PSC student named National Gold Scholar Pensacola State College student Rachel Andrews has been named a 2013 CocaCola Community College Academic Team Gold Scholar. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Academic Team program by recognizing 50 gold, 50 silver and 50 bronze scholars nationally and providing nearly $200,000 in scholarships each year. Each Gold Scholar receives a $1,500 scholarship and a special medallion.

Students make All-Florida Academic Team Pensacola State College students Rachel Andrews and Jennifer Hill have made the 2013 Phi Theta Kappa All-Florida Academic Team. Each year, the PTK All-Florida Academic Team recognizes outstanding students in the Florida College System for their academic achievement, leadership and service to the community. The chancellor of the Florida College System, in partnership with the Phi Theta Kappa Florida region, recently hosted an awards ceremony at Daytona State College where each student was presented a medallion. Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for two-year colleges.

817 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. Pensacola Opera is recommended for a $20,000 grant to support the expansion of its Artists in Residence program in fall 2014. The Artists in Residence program will bring six young professional opera singers to Pensacola.

The six artists will be selected from a national audition process which attracts over 600 applicants each year. The artists will spend ten weeks touring an educational opera for children and a variety of concert programs for adults. The tour will be designated for Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton and Bay counties, with a focus on outreach to at-risk youth and military families.

Gulf Coast Enterprises listed among the Top Places to Work in the Tampa area Pensacola-based Gulf Coast Enterprises, an agency created to provide employment for people with disabilities, is among the “Top 100 Places to Work in Tampa Bay,” according to the Tampa Bay Times. The newspaper publishes a “Top Places to Work” list annually. Depending on the number of people on their payrolls, employers are classified as large, midsize or small. GCE was ranked fourth among the top 30 businesses listed in the midsize category.

Greater Pensacola Chamber surpasses 91 percent mark of its Vision 2015 goal Officials at the Greater Pensacola Chamber have announced that it is already more than 91 percent of the way to reaching its goal of 3,000 high-wage jobs in Greater Pensacola – nearly two years sooner than the original target date. The Vision 2015 Benchmarking & Metrics Task Force, which is charged with validating how many jobs are committed to the region due to the Chamber’s economic development efforts, tallied the number of announced jobs that meet Vision 2015 criteria and determined that 2,748 jobs have been committed to Greater Pensacola with the help of the Chamber since the Vision 2015 initiative began.

Five Flag Paddleboard Classic a success, raises $3,450 for the Eagle Fund Many dedicated standup paddleboard racers battled beautiful but cool and windy conditions at Coastal Paddle Company’s Second Annual Five Flags Paddleboard Classic at The Grand Marlin on Pensacola Beach on Saturday, April 20. The successful event featured a one-mile race, a three-mile race and a one-mile kids fun race with courses slightly modified due to the water conditions in the Santa Rosa Sound.

Additionally, $3,450 was raised for The Eagle Fund of the Andrews Institute Foundation via a raffle of a 2013 YOLO Board Original Sea Turtle standup paddleboard. The Eagle Fund offers wounded military servicemen and women access to high quality care that might otherwise be difficult for them to obtain.

Pensacola Opera receives National Endowment for the Arts grant to support Artists in Residence program National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa has announced that Pensacola Opera is one of

University of West Florida student accepted to Harvard internship The University of West Florida Department of Mathematics and Statistics is continuing its tradition of producing skilled students who utilize their strong educational background to excel in joint programs at

elite universities across the country. Ruth Ashley, a senior mathematics major, was recently accepted to participate in Harvard University’s Research Experience for Undergraduates internship program during the summer 2013 semester.

Locals lead state FPRA Jeff Nall, vice president of communication and development at Council on Aging of West Florida, was installed as state president of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) at its recent annual conference. Also elected by peers throughout Florida to serve on the 20122013 executive committee as vice presidents were Valeria Lento, director of communications for Visit Pensacola, and Gordon Paulus, senior corporate communication specialist with Gulf Power Company. Lento will serve as vicepresident of planning and research. Paulus will serve as vice-president of the annual conference. University of West Florida graduate Katy Robinson will also serve on the 2012-2013 executive committee as student chapter services chair. FPRA, the nation’s oldest public relations organization, will celebrate its 75th anniversary under Nall’s leadership.

Cox recognized inspirational student heroes in Escambia County Cox Communications hosted its annual Inspirational Student Hero Awards May 2.

Cox recognized 48 students from Escambia County with the Cox Inspirational Student Hero Award during the ceremony.

Recipients were students who have overcome extreme challenges in life, such as mental or physical disabilities, severe medical conditions, language barriers or family adversity. The students were chosen by a committee of leaders at their school.

During the event, Cox presented the students with an engraved medallion and certificates of honor from Cox. Congressman Jeff Miller was on hand to recognize the students with a certificate.

UWF, WFHPI and Gulf Power unveil plans for Multicultural Resource Center Gulf Power Company and Southern Company have donated $605,000 to the West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc. (WFHPI) to transform one of its downtown properties, the Beacon Building, into “The Voices of Pensacola,” a multicultural resource center highlighting the city’s diverse history. The new center will feature displays representing the varied cultural groups who have shaped Pensacola’s

history. Potential exhibits will showcase the Native American, Asian, Hispanic, AfricanAmerican, Greek, Jewish and European cultures. It will also include: two stages for oral history, storytelling, and musical performances; two acoustically controlled Aural Exhibit spaces where oral histories can be heard and recorded; a research room; computer research stations and more.

Gulf Winds FCU awards $7,500 in scholarships to area students Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union is proud to announce the recipients of the 2013 Gulf Winds Scholarship Program. The Gulf Winds scholarships honor pioneer members for their dedicated service to the credit union and its members. In memory of these distinguished members, the scholarships are established in their names. The award is a $2,500 scholarship to assist three deserving credit union members who are high school graduates and are beginning their first year of undergraduate education. These scholarships will provide a one-time award for use at any accredited college, university or trade school.

Gulf Shores named one of America’s Best Beach Towns by Parents Magazine Parents magazine has named America’s 10 Best Beach Towns, one of which is Gulf Shores. This summer, Parents designated family vacation hotspots that deliver all the ingredients for a magical stay: pristine ocean, beach safety, and a boatload of inland fun. As a bonus, despite their paradisiacal locations, the 10 Best Beach Towns are affordable—no hotel room starts at a higher price than $289 per night, and several come in below $200.

Baptist Health Care: Outstanding partner in education Baptist Health Care (BHC) received the Outstanding Partner in Education award on May 2 at the 29th annual appreciation luncheon honoring outstanding school volunteers, teachers and partners in education from the Escambia County School District. BHC received this award for its partnership with C.A. Weis Elementary School. The award was presented to BHC by Malcolm Thomas, superintendent of Escambia County School District, Debbie King, superintendent’s representative and Congressman Jeff Miller.

BHC was one of only two organizations to receive this distinguished honor.

peopleonthemove< Combined Insurance Services’ Todd Torgersen earns new designation Todd Torgersen, President, Combined Insurance Services, has recently completed the course work and examinations required to earn the designation of “Certified Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Professional.” The materials provided in the course work offer insight into the Health Care Reform law’s requirements and potential strategies for employers. Combined Insurance Services, located in Pensacola, focuses on benefit programs for employer groups and individuals.

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa appoints new manager of hotel operations Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, the largest full-service beachfront resort on Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, has announced the appointment of Jackson Cherry as the resort’s new manager of hotel operations. Cherry’s responsibilities encompass all operational aspects of the hotel, including food and beverage, rooms, recreation, security and the Serenity by the Sea spa.

University of West Florida to welcome new Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Affairs The University of West Florida announces Joffery Gaymon as the new Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Affairs, effective July 15, 2013. In this position, Gaymon will be responsible for directing recruitment and admissions, financial aid, records and registration, and campus wide enrollment management oversight.

In addition, she will work with other senior university officers and the Board of Trustees, to collaborate in the development of recruitment, marketing and retention strategies to achieve university-wide enrollment, retention and graduation goals on the undergraduate and graduate levels.

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>businessscene ...at the Viva Florida 500 Social

Evan Levin and Dana Bledsoe

Bruce McAlpin and John Asmar

Nancy Fetterman and Carter Quina

Jerry Maygarden and Will Merrill

Rita Lee and Rob Overton

Stan Connally and Lewis Bear, Jr.

...at the 2013 Law Week Luncheon

Teri Levin, Mayor Ashton Hayward, Maria Davis

David Bear and Mayor Ashton Hayward

Pensacola Police Chief Chip Simmons

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Janet Holley and Pam Childers

Don Spencer and Rep. Jeff Miller

Lewis Bear III, David Stafford and David Bear