Business Observer

Steven Hennigan has been named CEO and executive director of the Lee County Port Authority. The previous CEO and executive director, Benjamin Siegel, retired as of April 1, and Hennigan had been serving as interim executive director since then. Previously, he had been deputy executive director of aviation and COO for the Lee County Port Authority.

A month after placing CEO Josef Matosevic on leave, Sarasota hydraulic cartridge valve manufacturer Helios Technologies has terminated him, saying he had “consensual personal relationship” with an employee. The company made the announcement in a statement after the markets closed Monday. The statement says, “terminated Mr. Matosevic" ... for violating “company policy and demonstrating behavior that was inconsistent with the company’s shared values and code of business conduct and ethics.” https://lnkd.in/ePS9CtQt

Lakeland-based SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate has someone scaling the walls of leadership: Tyler Davis. He originally joined the firm in 2019 as an asset manager before being named CFO. In his role, Davis is tasked with geographic expansion of the company and the introduction of more lines of business.

Manatee County-based Feld Entertainment is making moves on its leadership team. Juliette Feld Grossman has been named the new CEO of Feld Entertainment, following in the footsteps of her father, Kenneth Feld, who first joined his father, Irvin Feld, in the family business in 1970. Also, Stephen Yaros is being promoted to president. Since starting with Feld in 1990, Yaros has held numerous positions and was most recently the senior vice president of global media and Supercross.

Tampa City Councilwoman Gwen Henderson, fresh of retiring from the Hillsborough County School District, recently opened a bookstore. The book industry, with e-books and audio books, has multiple competitive fronts. Henderson is looking for more revenue streams, including possibly adding coffee.

In this week's episode of From the Corner Office, sponsored by Kerkering Barberio, William Raveis, founder of William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance, shares what he has learned throughout his legendary real estate career. Takeaway tip: Have a vision and an end game. 👏 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/eXMdMySa

Have you ever had to learn a lesson the hard way? In tomorrow's episode of From the Corner Office, William Raveis, founder of William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance shares what he's learned in his legendary real estate career. Including, the importance of delegating. Catch up on past episode here: https://lnkd.in/enkWWb4C

Polk County entrepreneur Jack Harrell Jr., CEO of Harrell’s, died in his home in Lakeland on July 13 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor. Harrell was 68. Harrell’s, a 500-employee manufacturing company focused on fertilizer and turf maintenance chemicals, was founded by Harrell's grandparents Ormond and Lucille Harrell in Lakeland in 1941. It started as a feed store and grew to multiple locations before pivoting from retail to manufacturing in 1985 under Harrell's leadership.

Episode 58 of From the Corner Office is here! Erin Cigich, CEO of Perform[cb], discusses a discuss a key lesson she learned in communicating transparently when making an acquisition. She also shares some solid leadership advice, such as, there is not a one size fits all approach to making your team happy. Thanks to our sponsor, Kerkering Barberio, you can listen now: https://lnkd.in/eDn2AGAD