» Agenda Awards and Accolades
▪ Gov. Rick Scott and Volunteer Florida CEO Chester Spellman recently recognized Tallahassee’s Debra Trent and Stefon Gavin of 50 Large with the Champions of Service Award. Trent and Gavin are tutors with the 50 Large program, a Leon County Schools effort to match at-risk youth with coaching and support mentors. The purpose is to break the cycle of multiple discipline referrals, suspensions and truancy. Gavin is a peer tutor and mentor to the young men in 50 Large and helps them make healthy choices as they face the challenges of daily life. Trent works with 50 Large students to provide academic support, focused mentoring, character development and life skills. ▪ For the third year in a row, Dan Parisi, director of new business development at Rowland Publishing Inc. has been named Top Producer in overall advertising sales at the regional publishing house. In 2014, he sold the highest dollar volume Parisi for two of the company’s flagship publications, Tallahassee Magazine and 850 — The Business Magazine of Northwest Florida. ▪ E. Edward Murray, Jr., CCIM at NAI TALCOR, has achieved the prestigious SIOR Office designation from the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors, a Washington, D.C.-based international professional organization of more than 3,000 commercial real estate professionals, 2,800 of whom have earned the coveted SIOR designation. Individuals who hold the SIOR designation are top producers in the commercial real estate field and are represented in more than 630 cities in 29 countries around the world. To achieve the SIOR designation, Murray completed at least five years of creditable experience in the highly specialized field of real estate leasing at NAI TALCOR; met stringent education requirements; and demonstrated professional ability, competency, ethical conduct and personal integrity.
Photos courtesy individuals pictured
Economy ▪ U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham and the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce recently sat down to talk about issues affecting local businesses and the community at large in the capital city. The roundtable discussion took place during a meeting of the Chamber’s Business Advocacy Committee and covered topics such as health care, enhancing research and training programs, the importance of local highereducation institutions and federal support for projects that will create jobs.
Nick Williams/Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce
Aegis
▪ Aegis Business Technologies took home several honors at Tallahassee Society of Association Executives’ annual event, including Supporting Organization of the Year; and Aegis Account Manager Garrett Lucas took home the trophy for Associate of the Year.
U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham addresses the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce’s Business Advocacy Committee.
▪ Silver Airways is now offering service between Tallahassee Regional Airport and Fort Lauderdale International Airport, and an additional flight to Orlando International Airport as well. “Fort Lauderdale is one of our top three destinations. We are happy to work with our partner, Silver Airways, as we continue to enhance the intrastate services offered at TLH,” Director of Aviation Chris Curry said. “Nonstop, daily flights between Fort Lauderdale and Orlando will provide the residents in our community with greater connectivity within the state.” Silver Airways is one of three major commercial air carriers servicing the Tallahassee market, along with American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.
Appointments and Transitions ▪ Jeremy L. Susac, a partner with the Florida business law firm Berger Singerman, is now a member of the Florida Energy System Consortium advisory board. Susac is a member of Berger Singerman’s Government and Regulatory Team, and his practice focuses on energy and environmental law and water/wastewater regulation. Based in the firm’s Tallahassee office, Susac has extensive experience with regulations governing entities subject to the jurisdiction of the Florida Public Service Commission, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. ▪ Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long is now president-elect of the newly formed Florida Association of County Managers Inc. The FACM is a professional association of chief executive officers created to address common challenges and opportunities that affect county governments. County managers from throughout the state recently attended the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) Legislative Conference in Tampa to formally establish the FACM as an affiliate of the FAC.
▪ Heather Mitchell, formerly president and CEO of United Way of the Big Bend, is now vice president for resource development at Tallahassee Community College and executive director of the TCC Foundation. ▪ Shannon Wood is now a mortgage loan consultant for Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union. Wood’s job is to work with Realtors and business leaders throughout the community to promote the mortgage division’s loan products and services. Wood has Wood more than 10 years of experience in the credit union industry. Before joining Gulf Winds, Wood worked for nearly five years as assistant vice president of the Home Loan Department at Envision Credit Union. ▪ Brett Cyphers of Tallahassee has been named the new executive director of the Northwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board. Cyphers previously served as the assistant executive director since June 2012 and replaced Jon Steverson, who has been appointed as secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Cyphers is a veteran of the U.S. Army and Florida National Guard and holds a degree from Florida State University. ▪ The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Tallahassee Chapter recently installed new officers for 2015. The installation took place at the Versi Lounge in the 101 Restaurant in December. The new officers are President Sam McKay of Staybridge Suites; Vice President of Restaurants Mike Schmidt of The Egg Café & Eatery; Vice President of Lodging Michelle Wilson of Hampton Inn & Suites; Treasurer Emily Johnson-Truitt of Springhill Suites; and Secretary Russell Daws of Tallahassee Museum. The chapter also swore in a new board of directors: Adam Corey of 101 Restaurant,
tallahasseeMagazine.com March–April 2015
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