Local Buzz

In the world of food distribution and retail, collaboration is the key to success. Two notable leaders in the industry, Cammie Chatterton, chief executive officer of Bay Food Brokerage, and David Habib, chief executive officer of Yo Mama’s Foods, recently joined forces in a partnership that has proven to be both strategic and personally rewarding.

Omni Public has appointed Jackie Toledo, former Florida State Representative and civil engineer, as vice president of operations. Toledo will lead the firm’s legislative affairs efforts and help guide organizational growth. Toledo served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2016 to 2022, representing District 60. During her tenure, she advocated for transportation and infrastructure

The YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg has appointed William “Bill” Tapp as board member emeritus following his retirement from the board of directors in March, after 25 years of service. Tapp joined the board in 2000 and served as its 34th chair from 2006 to 2007. He is recognized for his leadership, financial support and

Precision Build has acquired Tampa Steel Erecting Company, a longtime Tampa-based steel fabricator known for its work on major infrastructure and architectural projects, including the geodesic dome at Epcot’s Spaceship Earth. Tampa Steel Erecting Company, founded in 1945 and owned by the Clark family since its inception, will now be wholly owned by Precision Build.

Cybersecurity company ReliaQuest has raised more than $500 million in a new funding round that values the company at $3.4 billion. The round was led by EQT, KKR and FTV Capital, with participation from Ten Eleven Ventures and Finback Investment Partners. The funding will support continued innovation in ReliaQuest’s AI-driven security platform, GreyMatter, and fuel

World Electric Supply, a Sonepar company, has completed the rebranding of Electric Supply of Tampa, officially bringing the business under the World Electric Supply name. The rebranding follows Sonepar’s 2023 acquisition of Electric Supply and the alignment of its electrical contractor operations with World Electric Supply. The utility division of ESI was integrated into Irby,

Regions Bank has reopened its downtown Tampa branch following a full renovation, aimed at delivering a more personalized, tech-forward banking experience. Located at the base of the 100 N. Tampa St. tower, the redesigned branch eliminates the traditional teller line, in favor of one-on-one service with local bankers. The updated layout features technology upgrades such

Comcast Business has expanded its connectivity services across Central Florida and Tampa Bay, launching new client services teams in Clearwater, Lakeland, Kissimmee, Orlando, St. Petersburg and Tampa. The move aims to support enterprise customers—many located outside of Comcast’s traditional service areas—with services including global secure networking, advanced cybersecurity and unified communications. One of the first

Hooters Inc. and Hoot Owl Restaurants, two of the largest Hooters franchisees, have agreed in principle to acquire more than 100 company-owned restaurants from Hooters of America. The buyer group includes original Hooters founders and franchisees who currently operate about 30% of the brand’s franchised domestic locations. These operators run 14 of the top 30

Pat Geraghty will step down as president and chief executive officer of GuideWell and Florida Blue, at the end of 2025. Geraghty has led the organization since 2011, overseeing its transformation from Florida’s largest health insurer into a national health solutions enterprise with operations across the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Under his

TD Bank has been ranked No. 1 in Florida for customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study. TD earned a score of 688 out of 1,000 — 28 points above the regional average, rising two spots from last year’s ranking. The study evaluates consumer satisfaction in areas such as account

Port Tampa Bay welcomed the SEASPAN LIMA vessel this week, as part of Maersk’s new America Shuttle 2 service, marking the service’s first call at the port. The weekly container service connects Tampa with Cartagena, Colombia and is part of Maersk’s new global East-West Network, under the Gemini Cooperation. It expands Port Tampa Bay’s access