►Liberty Group appointed Stacy Royalty as general manager and Kimberly Merilus-Arrigo as director of sales for the Hampton by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton, a dual-branded hotel in downtown Tampa.
►Moss Construction promoted Toby Manulak to vice president in the firm’s Tampa office.
► Michelle Bauer, chief operating officer of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, earned the designation of certified economic developer, a national recognition that denotes a mastery of skills in economic development, professional attainment and a commitment to personal and professional growth.
Shutts & Bowen elevated Brittany Bustillo, Lauren L. Stricker and Lauren A. Taylor to partnership in the firm’s Tampa office.
►New York investment firm Strategic Office Partners has acquired a six-story office building at 8125 Highwoods Palm Way, Tampa, from Highwoods Properties of North Carolina, for $37.5 million.
►Lufthansa has expanded its TPA-Frankfurt nonstop flights from four days weekly to six days via Tampa International Airport.
►Tampa-based HG Management broke ground on a $28.3-million TownePlace Suites by Marriott extended-stay hotel in downtown Orlando.
►GTE Financial opened a community financial center at 11480 U.S. Highway 301, Riverview, and has anti-skimming ATMs and free-standing interactive teller machine pods, branded as GTE OnScreen.
►Tampa-based Bloomin’ Brands (Nasdaq: BLMN) named David Deno chief executive officer
►Port Tampa Bay named Mark “Clay” Clayton Hollis III its new chief of staff.
►Ultimate Medical Academy has committed to retain UMA headquarters and operational functions in Tampa, with new leases at 3101 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., and 9309 N. Florida Ave., with UMA’s Clearwater Campus operating under an existing lease.
►Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa promoted James Manuel, formerly general manager at The Rez Grill, to director of fine dining and Christopher Lynn, formerly assistant manager at The Rez Grill, has been promoted to general manager.
►Premier Sotheby’s International Realty opened a new South Tampa office at 744 S. Village Circle.
►Buddy Brew Coffee opened its sixth location in the Park Tower office building at 400 N. Tampa St., Tampa.
►Wm. Cary Wright, a shareholder at Carlton Fields in Tampa, was named a fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers at the organization’s annual meeting.
►AAA plans to build a Car Care Plus facility in Tampa at 1515 N. Westshore Blvd.
►The Franciscan Center in Tampa has appointed Wendy Leigh as CEO and executive director.
