Innovation + Job News

Australia's largest online travel agency is expanding to the U.S. and has picked Tampa as its location.

Webjet was established as a company in the U.S. on Jan. 1 and its website went live on April 1.

Company executives say they chose Tampa because of the labor pool Tampa offers.

A few of Tampa's other travel agencies have downsized, which opened up a place for Webjet with well-trained potential employees.

Webjet is currently looking for customer service employees to answer phones and emails, and plans to hire about 20 employees in the next year.

The company plans to make sure it can handle anticipated growth for the next yea, says Kelly Rieger, VP for finance and business development of Webjet.

Webjet has been in business more than 10 years and previously operated only within Australia.

Based on increased demand in the Australian market, Webjet decided to expand to the U.S. to give Australians the opportunity to travel outside of the country with Webjet. They now have international travel.

Webjet also offers travelers the opportunity to reserve hotels and cars. The hotel services started April 1 and the automobile rental service started two weeks ago.

For more information, contact travel@webjet.com

Writer: Mandy Erfourth
Source: Kelly Rieger, Webjetread on…

Draper Laboratory is adding four new jobs to its Tampa lab at the University of South Florida.

The new positions are for two principal investigators (optical/imaging), a mechanical engineer and an electrical engineer.

The principal investigators will be responsible for leading a research program on developing photonics, plasmonics and imaging technology for medical and biological applications.

Applicants interested in the principal investigator position should have a doctorate in electrical or mechanical engineering, physics, materials science or a similar field.

They should also have experience in photonics, general optics and metamaterials applied to medical and biological problems. The applicant must also be familiar with the micro-electro-mechanical systems process and optics and photonics basics. 

Also required for the principal investigator position is seven to 10 years of experience.

Applicants for the principal investigator are required to have strong written, oral and interpersonal skills, be able to work in a team and be flexible to changing technologies and priorities.

Having experiences with grantsmanship is also a plus.

The mechanical engineer position and the electrical engineer position involve design, analysis and testing of biochemical systems and devices.

To apply for the mechanical engineer position, applicants must have a BS degree in mechanical engineering or engineering mechanics and have more than three years of relevant work experience.

Applicants must have a BS degree in electrical engineering and have more than three years work experience for the electrical engineering position.

Draper Laboratory expanded to Tampa in November 2008 and now has 15 employees. Plans call for a total of 30 employees by next year working at the USF campus in Tampa.

Additional jobs are expected to be posted soon on the Draper website.

Writer: Mandy Erfourth
Source: Shankar Sundaram, Draper Laboratory


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Want to be a part of a marketing agency that has had continuous growth since they opened?

Roger West plans to add a senior creative director to is team in the next four to six weeks.

The requirements for this position are someone who has leadership skills, knowledge of web design and traditional design. They also need to be able to use web design programs like InDesign and Photoshop.

The applicant must also have a strong portfolio.

The position will require the employee to create user friendly web designs, lead marketing campaigns and lead a team of people that do the same thing.

According to Shanna Kupre, marketing manager of Roger West, the company started in 2007 with CEO Michael Westafer and a part time designer who is still on staff.  They worked with a handful of clients and shared a one-room office.

Westafer had success through word of mouth and referrals and he was then able to hire on another part-time designer and a developer.

By the end of 2008, Roger West had a fulltime creative director, hired on Kurpe and increased the staff generally.

Profits also went up by 60 percent from July 2007 to July 2008.

According to Kurpe, the following year Roger West increased the profit with about the same amount as the year before but did not increase the staff.

The numbers are not in for the current year, but Roger West is projected to have grown 60 percent again.

The company has been able to keep growing from year to year despite rough economic times because "we strive to be different," Kurpe says.

For more information, email info@rogerwestcreative.com.

Writer: Mandy Erfourth
Source: Shanna Kurpe, Roger West

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A book begot a movie, a movie begot a community, and a community may beget a movement.

That is the hope of St. Petersburg-based 33 Hope, LLC, a three-person core team with a three-pronged approach to marketing a message of hope.

Tampa native Edward Flom wrote a Biblically-based book entitled Thirty Three: The Story of Hope that chronicles the years immediately following Christ's crucifixion. Flom says he was inspired by a child's reaction to seeing The Passion of the Christ, According to Flom, the boy asked his father, "But Daddy, what happened next?'" Flom helped answer through the book, published in January 2010.

The child is the son of Flom's friend Kirk Berendes, who helped Flom get the word out about the book. William Whitacre, an entertainment attorney and investor, came aboard as the third member of the core team. Movie Producer/Writer Cristobal Krusen of Messenger Films wrote a screenplay based on the book, and Nashville music producer Dale Oliver produced its theme song, which is recorded by Christian band Jupiter Wind. Berendes launched a website and is hoping to build a social media campaign in support of the book and movie and the message they contain. Rich Hayes of Digital Lightbridge in New Port Richey created its logo.

"Think 'Faithbook,' " explains Berendes."It is our intent to attract a community of like-hearted individuals to this online environment to serve as the vanguard for the book and a pre-marketing push for future books and movies in the same genre and time period."

All involved agree the movement is about hope. "Both the book and the movie are positive reflections of hope in a time when the world really needed it," says Berendes."In the same way, we believe our message can lead people today to a place where anything is possible."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Sources: Kirk Berendes, 33 Hope; Edward Flom, Thirty Three: The Story of Hoperead on…

Tampa Bay is home to people originally from all across the world. So it's no surprise to see individuals paying homage to other cities, and simultaneously, proudly embracing the Tampa Bay region as home.

One such city that many people here love is the Big Apple, concrete jungle, Gotham City.

Milton Glaser, creator of the iconic I Love NY logo will be part of a live video conference interview at the Art Institute of Tampa on Thursday, July 29, at 5pm.

In addition to the video conference, the "One-on-One with Milton Glaser" event, the film "To Inform & Delight," an independent piece about the designer will be shown, plus a gallery reception of his prints will be on display at the Art Institute. Glaser donated 35 of his prints to the Art Institute of Tampa's permanent collection, which will be on display in their gallery from July 1-Sept. 11, 2010.

An iconic figure in the graphic design industry, Glaser is best known for the I Love New York logo, his Bob Dylan poster, "DC bullet" logo used by DC Comics from 1977 to 2005, and the Brooklyn Brewery logo. Glaser co-founded Pushpin Studios in 1954, New York Magazine with Clay Felker in 1968, established Milton Glaser, Inc. in 1974, and formed the publication design firm, WBMG, with Walter Bernard in 1983.

"We are thrilled that The Art Institute of Tampa decided to host an exhibition of Milton's prints. The prints were donated to The Art Institute, with the hope that the exhibition and subsequent donation serves as inspiration for the students and the community," says Scarlett Rigby, studio manager of Milton Glaser, Inc.

The event is free to the public and begins at 5 pm. Appetizers and beverages will be served. For more information, e-mail: lcampos@aii.edu

Writer: Nancy Vaughn
Source: Lesley Campbell, Art Institute of Tampa; Scarlett Rigby, Milton Glaser Inc.read on…

Sean Murphy, owner of the Beach Bistro on Anna Maria Island, has been wanting to hook up a beach camera for quite some time now.

He says the fact that he is "technologically backwards" prevented him from installing the camera sooner, however, when the BP oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, getting a beach camera installed became a priority.

He wanted to show people that the water and beaches on Anna Maria Island were still in pristine condition and sans oil.

Since the camera has been installed, Murphy says they've had people contact them from all over the world. Patrons from Germany, Britain, Alaska, Asia and South Africa have all been sending feedback to Murphy. "They've commented 'thanks for the camera! It's great to see that the beaches are clear and to be able to still visit Anna Maria for a beach fix,'" says Murphy.

Murphy officially launched the live streaming beach camera on July 20, and plans to leave it up indefinitely. He says people who live up North can keep watch on the beach conditions via the live feed during hurricane season. The camera is supposed to withstand winds of up to 150 mph.

The Beach Bistro will celebrate its 25th anniversary on November 1. The restaurant has consistently received the highest Zagat ratings for food excellence in the state of Florida. Popular items on their menu include fresh Gulf grouper and Gulf Coast bouillabaisse, a seafood stew. The Beach Bistro also provides the food and beverage at The Concession Golf Club, designed by Jack Nicklaus in association with Tony Jacklin, in Bradenton.

For information about the Beach Bistro, click here or to view the live streaming web cam, click here.

Writer: Nancy Vaughn
Source: Sean Murphy, Beach Bistroread on…

The manufacturing industry has evolved to the point where people can make a career out of what were once dead-end jobs and continue to earn a degree while working.

An advanced training program started with Peter Straw, executive director at Sarasota Manatee Area Manufacturers Association, when he was approached by Dr. Eric Roe a few years ago.

According to Straw, Roe saw an opportunity to gain some funding by forming a coalition of five Tampa Bay counties, five community colleges and regional manufacturing associations.

This coalition started the banner centers of manufacturing education using funding from Employ Florida.

The idea, Straw says, was to see what manufacturing companies needed and try to find solutions.

A study done by the National Association of Manufacturers showed that 40 percent of applicants did not have the appropriate skills for manufacturing jobs.

Roe had a vision to create national certification in manufacturing. There was already a group called Manufacturing Skills Standards Council in Washington that was all about upgrading entry level skills for manufacturing employees.

So with grant money, Row and Straw held focus groups in five areas around Florida. They brought together manufacturing employers, educators, and workforce and economic development people. According to Straw, they looked to the future to figure out what was needed.

Three years later they have programs that allow people to get certifications from Manufacturing Skills Standards Council that are nationally recognized.

Manufacturing companies are looking to hire people through the Tampa Bay region and have experienced a 14 percent increase in jobs from a year ago.

A certification earned through the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council can help applicants prepare for these openings.

With certification, people also gain 15 credit hours toward an engineering degree with participating colleges.

"It's no longer go to work in manufacturing as a dead end job," Straw said.

Writer: Mandy Erfourth
Source: Peter Straw, Sarasota Manatee Area Manufacturers Association


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Progress Energy has started a Next Generation Demand Response Smart Grid project that involves updating the power grids with smart grid technology.

This will enhance capabilities for renewable energy and give Progress Energy's customers advantages for new programs and opportunities in the future.

As a result, Progress Energy is adding four new jobs to its St. Petersburg office.

The power company is hiring for business process lead, change management lead, senior business process analyst and manager business process management.

All the positions require a bachelor's degree.

The applicants for the business process lead and the change management lead positions must also have more than seven years of relevant work experience.

The business process lead position involves being in charge of the business process management activities for the Smart Grid project.

The change management lead position is responsible for heading up the change management activities for the Smart Grid project.

The senior business process analyst applicant must have five to seven years of relevant work experience. Preference will be given to applicants with technology experience.

This position will involve designing future state processes for the Smart Grid project with a project team.

Progress Energy prefers that applicants for the manager business process management position have a master's degree in business, finance, or engineering and also have more than nine years work experience.

This employee's responsibility's will be creating and implementing a Business Process Management strategy for the Smart Grid project.

Progress Energy is also hiring replacement jobs for two project managers II or III-voltage management system-feeder conditioning, senior  demand side management-project management specialist and lead engineer (combustion turbine and combined cycle).

To apply, visit Progress Energy's website.

Writer: Mandy Erfourth
Source: Suzanne Grant, Progress Energy


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MyUS.com, one of the largest market leaders in international package forwarding, is expanding to Sarasota County and bringing numerous new jobs with them.

MyUS.com is expanding from two locations in Manatee County to a larger building in Sarasota County. With the move they are planning to add up to 165 jobs over the next five years. They currently have 60 employees.

MyUS.com provides U.S. mailing addresses to international companies that are purchasing from U.S retailers. The company has customers in more than 200 countries and territories, and moves approximately 65,000 boxes each month.

Inc. Magazine named MyUS.com one of America's 5,000 fastest-growing companies in 2008.

MyUS.com is out of space in its two existing offices. After a two-year search, company executives decided on a location on McIntosh Road and Clark Road in Sarasota County.

This location is ideal because it has enough space to allow combining of the two existing offices and an expansion of 100,000 square feet  by September.

The Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County helped MyUS.com establish relationships with others in Sarasota County.

Sarasota County Government is awarding MyUS.com with performance-based grants designed to encourage companies to move to Sarasota County and bring good jobs with them.

They will be given $1,000 for each job on initial move in and then $1,000 for each additional job over the next five years. Their maximum additional amount will be $165,000.

To search for current openings at MyUS.com go to their website. Check back for future job postings.

Writer: Mandy Erfourth
Source: Robin Roach, MyUS.comread on…

Two students, Laurie Thomas, writer/director, and Carmen Jimenez, producer, have decided that Lutz, Florida is the perfect place for their coming of age film piece.

Graduate students in Columbia University's MFA film program, Thomas and Jimenez are currently residing in Tampa and are in pre-production for the movie, Prima Donna. After a visit to her brother who lives in Tampa, Thomas found that she really liked the atmosphere and environment. Thomas says she found Tampa Bay to be very cinematic and they decided that it'd be the ideal location for Prima Donna.

Described as a tragic, coming-of-age film, Prima Donna is a about a 13-year-old African American girl who is an aspiring country music singer. The young girl's love for country music is inspired by her father. The father/daughter team set off on a road trip toward a singing competition. On the way, the girl's gambling father convinces her to stop at a gambling party, "... and that's where their relationship falls apart," says Thomas giggling, as she doesn't want to give away the juicy bits of the film.

The short-piece Supertwins is a sample project and an exploration of the film, working in the themes and ideas that Jimenez and Thomas are exploring for Prima Donna.

Thomas and Jimenez thought the most difficult part of the film would be casting a 13-year-old African American girl who sings country music, however, that turned out to be the easiest part of the project. Working with local Tampa and St. Petersburg middle and high schools, they held casting calls with the drama departments and found their lead. Actors in the film are: Sabri Morgan, Ronald Graham and Vincent Stalba.

During pre-production, Prima Donna is in team-building stages, finding resources like locations and equipment, and holding rehearsals with the actors. The shoot dates are August 7-11, 2010, and they'll be finalizing the last of their production needs before going into the five-day shoot.

Click here for more information about Prima Donna, or here to contribute or donate to the Prima Donna film project.

Writer: Nancy Vaughn
Source: Laurie Thomas, Prima Donna

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"Change is life in motion. Anything that lives changes," says Afsaneh Noori.

Noori is the founder and president of Socio-Tech Systems, Inc., a consulting firm that supports organizations in develop balance strategies for transformational change and the founder of the soon to air, Change Thrivers Radio.

Noori is the author of the Change Thrivers Resource Guide which reviews the cycle of change, the predictable stages of change and understanding the emotional responses to each one of the stages. It also addresses the techniques that can help people through the stages, harnessing the power to make change work for them.

For years Noori has been conducting workshops, hosted speaking engagements and women's circles to discuss "change" and she wanted to have a way of reaching more people. "I wanted to bring in information, inspiration and tools to empower women to live authentic lives and work through the challenges that many have experienced in the many roles they play as mothers, wives and business owners," says Noori.

ChangeThriversRadio.com will launch on Monday, July 26, and the first radio show will air on Monday, Aug. 2. The radio show will address four different categories: change in business and business success; personal empowerment and growth; relationships, children and family; and women's health.

Noori says that we can't always choose change, but we can always choose our attitude and reaction to it. "My mission is to deliver that message to those who want to learn it and apply it to their lives," says Noori.

To learn more about Afsaneh Noori, click here and visit ChangeThriversRadio.com on July 26, 2010 or tune in to www.blogtalkradio.com/change-thrivers the first and third Monday of every month at 6:30 pm starting on August 2. For more information or to be a guest on the show, e-mail: info@changethrivers.com or visit their Facebook fan page.

Writer: Nancy Vaughn
Source: Afsaneh Noori, Change Thriversread on…

Want to work for a nonprofit organization that helps the mentally ill, substance abusers and the homeless?

WestCare is now hiring two positions for their Gulf Coast Florida division.

WestCare is hiring a crisis intervention/prevention specialist and a behavioral technician.

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in a health-related field for the crisis intervention/prevention specialist position.  The applicant must also have a valid Florida driver's license.

Some of this position's responsibilities include providing intensive care to children with SED, and executing and running programs like Respite, Daily Living Skills, Case Management and Crisis Intervention.

Interested applicants for the behavioral technician position must have a minimum of one year experience with clients in a residential setting and a valid Florida driver's license.

This position is for the Residential SA Treatment program and there are several shifts available.
There is an overnight shift from midnight to 8 a.m. and daytime and evenings.

The Behavioral Technician's position involves daily care and supervision of homeless clients with substance and mental health problems. The employee must follow program rules and insure the safety of all residents.

WestCare is a nonprofit organization that gives a wide range of health services in residential and outpatient settings. Services provided  include substance abuse and addiction treatment, homeless and runaway shelters, domestic violence treatment and prevention, and mental health programs.

WestCare specializes in helping difficult-to-treat cases.

To apply for the crisis intervention/prevention specialist, email your resume and salary requirements to jean.jones@westcare.com or fax to Jean Jones at 727-551-0668.

To apply for the behavioral technician email your resume to jholland@westcare.com or fax to James Holland at 727-825-0573.

Writer: Mandy Erfourth
Source: Kathleen G. Rodman, WestCareread on…

Oscor Inc., a medical device manufacturer that has been increasing research over the last three years, is now expanding to Palm Harbor  and bringing 70 new high-paying jobs to the Tampa Bay region.
 
Pinellas County won out as the location for Oscor Inc.'s expansion over Minneapolis.
 
Oscor not only researches new medical devices, it also designs, develops, manufactures and markets them too. The company produces specialized implantable cardiac pacing leads, venuous access systems and diagnostic catheters, and sells them in more than 35 countries.
 
New medical devices undergoing research include: the Angios Catheters, Adelante Introducers Series, and a new line of interventional coronary and peripheral vascular diagnostic catheters and introducer sheaths.
 
Florida is helping make Oscor's expansion possible using state-funded programs like Qualified Target Industry. This program makes it possible for expansion by offsetting the cost for Oscor.
 
The Governor's Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, Enterprise Florida, and Pinellas County with QTI help businesses in Florida bring high paying jobs with a high-skill level to Pinellas County. The companies receive tax incentives for every new job created.
 
Pinellas won out because of its central Florida location, the pool of talent in the Tampa Bay region and available facilities.
 
The 50,000-square-feet building picked for the expansion fits Oscor's needs and has a large section of land that the company plans to use for future expansion.

To view current job openings at Oscor, visit the company website.

Writer: Mandy Erfourth
Source: Stacey Swank, Pinellas County Economic Development

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Tervis Tumbler Company of Sarasota County plans to expand its plant in Venice, adding 80 jobs by the end of 2010 to meet growing demand for its popular drinkware products.

In south Sarasota County since the 1960s, Tervis Tumbler will thus bring its total employees up to 400.

A new 40,700-square-feet building should be ready to occupy during the first quarter of 2011.

The Tervis Tumbler Company manufactures insulated double-walled drinkware that keeps hot drinks hotter longer and cold drinks cooler longer.

Tervis products can be purchased on the company website and at 6,000 retail outlets across the country.

Tervis is also adding new products and designs to its inventory, including new drinkware decorated in Disney characters.

To keep up with the new product line, Tervis will be expanding its sales and marketing departments.

Sarasota County is awarding Tervis $100,000 over the next three years as a performance-based incentive grant for the 214 jobs added.

The grant requires Tervis to pay employee annual wages greater than the county average.

To search for current openings at Tervis Tumbler, visit the company website.

Writer: Mandy Erfourth
Source: Kim Livengood, Tervis Tumblerread on…

Want to work for an industry leader in innovative postcard marketing? PostcardMania is looking to hire a junior copywriter and a marketing consultant in its Clearwater offices.
 
The junior copywriter will be expected to design ads for print and the Web and create copy for in-house e-marking and news releases, collaborate with a creative team and write for multiple formats.
 
Applicants must have one to two years of creative writing experience, knowledge of Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook, and strong writing, communication and organization skills. The applicant chosen must also be self-motivated. Familiarity with a PR writing style is also a bonus.
 
PostcardMania is also looking for an experienced sales representative for its marketing consultant position.
 
According to Ferris Stith, public relations and social media manager, PostcardMania receives on average 700 leads each week. The person hired as a marketing consultant will be expected to have phone and closing experience to keep up with the company's standards for responding to the leads.
 
PostcardMania, a full-service direct mail marketing company, has been around since 1998 and has helped businesses across the country in 350 industries. Services provided include graphic design, printing, mailing list acquisition and mailing services.
 
The company employs 150 and generated more than $18.5 million in revenue in 2007.
 
PostcardMania has won many awards, including being recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the USA.

"We have worked hard not to lay off anyone due to the economy and have been able to keep a steady range of employees," Stith says.

Interested applicants may email Human Resource Manager Dianne Ruggerio at dianne@postcardmania.com.

Writer: Mandy Erfourth
Source: Ferris Stith, PostcardManiaread on…