Local Buzz

The Community Foundation opened a new Pinellas County office in St. Petersburg at 110 Central Avenue. The Foundation has a principal office in Tampa and maintains staffing, or offices, in several areas within the five counties it serves. The Foundation also launched a new initiative Mental Health First Aid. The initiative teaches people in key

MarineMax, based in Clearwater, has acquired SkipperBud’s, based in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois and its affiliate, Silver Seas, adding 20 locations to the MarineMax footprint in the United States. With the acquisition, MarineMax adds locations in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, California, Washington and Florida. It also expands MarineMax’s real estate holdings with the addition of 11

The Centre Club, a private city and social club in Tampa, named John Glaser its new general manager. Glaser has more than 20 years of hospitality industry experience and was previously in the role of general manager of The Club at Moraya Bay in Naples and the Mixon Bath and Racquet Club in Charleston, South

Leadership Tampa Bay has named their 2020-2021 board members. The organization named board members during their annual meeting at the Centre Club. Click through the gallery to see who will be leading the organization in the next year.[image_slider_no_space on_click=”prettyphoto” height=”300″ images=”9304,9339,9306,9338,9308,9309,9310,9334,9337,9313,9314,9315,9316,9317,9340,9319,9347,9321,9322,9323,9324,9341,9326,9342,9328,9329,9330,9343″]

Kevin Kiermaier, a center fielder for the Tampa Bay Rays, was named 2020’s Dreammaker of the Year by the Children’s Dream Fund. Kiermaier was recognized at the organization’s virtual 2020 Dreammaker Luncheon for his work with the Kiermaier’s Kids program. With a $25,000 donation to the Children’s Dream Fund, Kevin Kiermaier, and his wife, Marisa,

Patrick Ahern, Tampa Bay’s vice president of commercial banking at ServisFirst Bank, was appointed to serve as a member of the Hillsborough County Industrial Development Authority. The Authority provides financing of industrial projects that are beneficial to the community, including manufacturing plants and pollution and waste control facilities. Ahern will serve as a member through

Engel & Völkers Belleair has listed one of the last, vacant, buildable, lots on Clearwater Beach. The lot, listed at $26,900,000, is located at 551 Gulf Boulevard, at the base of Sand Key Bridge. It offers the opportunity to develop 3.2 acres into the next destination resort, condominium or restaurant, a statement said. The property

Older Lundy & Alvarez, a law firm based in Tampa, opened a fourth office location, at 200 North Garden Ave., Clearwater on September 1, 2020. The new location is currently the law office of Koch & Hoffman PA, which will merge its practice into Older Lundy Alvarez & Koch. KY. M. Koch, along with associate

For the month of August, Boulevard Burgers & Tap House, on St. Pete Beach, is featuring “Fido Sliders.” The mini burgers are an entrée add-on for guests that dine with their dogs. The burgers cost $3 through August 31. In addition, the restaurant is doing a month-long Yappy Hour with $4 well drinks and $5

The Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center at the St. Pete Pier is jumping feet-first into Shark Week. On August 14 and August 15, the center if offering educational activities and programs focused on sharks. Located on the over-water walkway approaching the Pier, the Discovery Center encompasses about 3,000 square feet of indoor space, with 2,000

TypTap Insurance Company, a home and flood insurance provider in Tampa, is planning to expand its services nationwide. The company has asked Florida insurance regulators for approval of its expansion plans, a statement said. With that approval, TypTap will be able to seek approvals from regulators in other states and expand its operations across the

Clearwater Marine Aquarium has fulfilled its 14-year vision of providing a new habitat to Winter the Dolphin. The 1.5 million gallon habitat was developed to provide state of the art care for CMA’s resident dolphins. CMA’s new $80 million project, including the Ruth and J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex, is home to rescued bottlenose dolphins Winter,