Tampa Bay Business News and Top Stories

It’s not a traditional business event, but it will be funny business. Six Tampa Bay entrepreneurs and chief executive officers will be performing live, stand-up routines at the Tampa Improv, on September 6, at The Entrepreneur & CEO Stand-Up Challenge. The show is curated by “humor scientist,” and Las Vegas headliner, Matt Kazam in a

With the announcement of Forbici Modern Italian coming to Sundial, in St. Petersburg, the owners of Sundial, Paradise Ventures, say it could offer a major transformational use of the property for the benefit of the surrounding neighborhood and the city of St. Petersburg. Moving into the space previously occupied by Locale Market, Forbici will provide

The University of South Florida and the Florida Institute of Oceanography unveiled a 117-foot, twin-hulled research vessel during a homeporting event Wednesday at the USF St. Petersburg campus, outside the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub. FIO, which is hosted at USF and supports all institutions in the State University System, operates the state-of-the-art vessel which

Jacobs Mitsubishi – Wesley Chapel is the 100th dealership to complete construction, and open for business, as part of the brand’s global Visual Identity Program. Introduced in 2019, the program was designed to improve the customer experience through a premium Mitsubishi Motors retail environment, according to a statement. “Anyone who has paid attention to the

After 12 years of leadership, Andrew Messick has announced he will be retiring in 2023 from his position of president and chief executive officer for The IRONMAN Group. Messick will remain a stakeholder and member of the board of directors following the recruitment and appointment of a new CEO, according to a statement. “Being the

April Grajales is returning to Regions Bank as market executive and commercial banking leader, in Tampa and surrounding communities in Hillsborough County. Grajales originally served Regions in consumer banking and commercial banking roles from 2003 until 2011. She has since gained 12 years of additional financial services experience serving middle-market and multi-national corporations, with roles

An attorney, a real estate investor and a serial restaurateur walk into a bar … no, this is not the opening of a joke, it’s the reality of the founders of Next Level Brands.  The founding team is made up of Joseph Guggino, an attorney and investor, Andrew Wright, founder, chief executive officer and managing

Lona by Chef Richard Sandoval, a Fort Lauderdale-based Mexican restaurant, plans to open its newest location in Tampa, this month. It will open in the space formerly occupied by Garrison Tavern. With award-winning Chef Richard Sandoval and Chef Pablo Salas leading the culinary team, Lona’s arrival in Tampa marks a significant milestone for the restaurant

She cruises around Clearwater in a Rolls Royce SUV with her custom “FASTer Way teal” interior, she captains her own boat and her family helped to fund the opening of a church. She doesn’t play around with goals or ambition. She’s not bothered by “haters.” She has more than 280,000 social media followers. She’s a

After six hours in the Tampa Bay Business and Wealth office, five external judges selected a record-breaking 49 finalists for the 2023 Apogee Awards. The Apogee Awards is a unique awards program, created by TBBW magazine, to recognize distinguished c-suite leaders whose dedication to their industries and communities deserves particular recognition. Presenting sponsors of the

The day Roy Hellwege, formerly the central Florida president for Lake Michigan Credit Union, agreed to meet with us, he was completely at ease, lighthearted and seemingly content to chat as long as we wanted to. He had nowhere to be that day. Undoubtedly, it was a change of pace from when he was the

There is nothing quite like an exceptional hotel experience, including amenities such as a fitness center and pool. While hotels can offer attractive temporary living space for business trips, or vacations, they often lack the ability to provide the comforts of home. Combining the service, and amenities, of a boutique hotel with the comfort of