Local Buzz

Clearwater Marine Aquarium will be debuting their new Manatee Rehabilitation Center on June 28th. The state-of-the-art facility, including ozone treatment and medical habitats with false bottoms, will accommodate manatees needing restorative care, affected by habitat loss, boat strike wounds, cold stress syndrome and environmental factors. Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Chief Executive Officer, Joe Handy, and Chief

Merlin Entertainments’ LEGOLAND® Florida Resort is excited to announce Franceen Gonzales as its new Park President. Gonzales has more than 30 years of experience in amusement parks, water parks, hotels and family entertainment. She will oversee all park operations for LEGOLAND Florida Resort, LEGOLAND Water Park, Peppa Pig Theme Park, LEGOLAND Hotel, LEGOLAND Pirate Island

The Centre for Women’s Tampa Bay Women’s Business Center has appointed Jennifer Schultz as a new Program Director. Schultz has served in pivotal roles within the United States Navy and federal government and has shown leadership and innovation throughout her career. Jennifer is excited about her new role and is “thrilled to join the Tampa

Embarc Collective’s Builder Series is featuring Joe Lopano, the CEO of Tampa International Airport. With Lopano’s leadership as CEO for the past 13 years, Tampa International Airport has attracted new international routes and been named the #1 Large Airport, in customer satisfaction, by J.D. Power, in 2022 and 2023. During the event, Lopano will share

Florida Polytechnic University, in Lakeland, has secured $5.7 million in the upcoming state budget for a new Student Achievement Center, to fund the project’s preliminary design stage. The funding was included in the 2024-25 fiscal year budget. The budget will take effect July 1. DeSantis vetoed one Florida Poly line item — $3 million for

The Florida Aquarium and the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) are teaming up with Hillsborough County Public Schools and ZooTampa at Lowry Park to inspire young girls in middle and high school to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through the Tampa Bay all-girls summer camp. This immersive, week-long camp offers

CITY Furniture, a family-owned American furniture and mattress retailer and fine upholstery manufacturer, announced that it has raised $691,987 for the American Heart Association, this year. This achievement surpasses CITY Furniture’s initial pledge to raise $650,000, through their 5% Giving Pledge. Andrew Koenig, CEO of CITY Furniture, and his wife Deana have been leading the

Tampa Bay Innovation Center, an innovation and entrepreneurship center for technology businesses, will hold its June Speaker Series on Thursday, June 27, at 8:30 am at the ARK Innovation Center, located at 1101 4th Street South, St. Petersburg, FL. “Busting the Top Five Myths of Venture Capital,” will include serial entrepreneur, Rachel Fisher. TECH Talk

Alair Homes has strengthened its presence in Southwest Florida with the addition of Alair Redington. Owned and operated by Simon Amesbury, owner of the Alair South Tampa location, Alair Redington is set to make an impact in the local, luxury, custom and renovation home market. Alair Redington’s flagship project will be a waterfront home, in

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is creating a new law enforcement unit to focus on artificial intelligence-driven cybercrime, with Florida Polytechnic University providing technical and research support. “Modern law enforcement needs to stay ahead of the technological curve, when it comes to preventing, fighting and solving crime. With the incredible upside potential benefits of artificial

Four students who participated in the Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay’s 3DE program, this school year, graduated at or near the top of their class, with an additional seven students earning scholarships for excelling in the program’s learning experience. Ciara Ferlita of Chamberlain High School and Isabella Rodrigues of Hillsborough High School each graduated as

Tinsley Creative, a full-service brand management firm, is giving itself a dose of its own medicine with a comprehensive rebrand. The firm’s name will remain the same but it’s getting a fresh look, with a new logo, website and marketing materials. “We’ll begin our 25th year in business later this year and collectively, we felt