J U N E 12 - J U N E 18 , 2020 | TH R E E D O LL A R S
FLOR IDA’S NE WSPAPER FOR T HE C - SUI T E
Marketing | Firm goes fishing for new ways to promote attraction. PG. 3 PASCO • H ILL SBOROUG H • PIN ELL AS • P OLK • M A N ATEE • SA R ASOTA • C H A R LOT TE • LEE • COLLIER
inside DATA SNAPSHOT
Labor Day
The rate of employees in Florida who belong to a union is on the rise, slightly, but remains behind most other states. PAGE 6
MARKETING
Direct Approach
Christy Vogel has built a marketing firm with an unusual model, a strategy that has been paying off. PAGE 8
MARKETING
The Long Game
With a large number of clients, Crackerjack Media is grappling with a business slowdown through at least the fall. PAGE 10
MARKETING
SIGN Language
On the Mark
Some marketing executives have grown to embrace the work-from-home trend, but they still miss face-to-face contact. PAGE 11
STRATEGIES
Same Boat
Marketing agencies that focus on travel and tourism ask: How do you advertise for travel when people are afraid to travel? PAGE 12
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
A Tribe Called Quest
LandQwest is relying on new executive Stevens Tombrink to build more market share in the Tampa region. PAGE 14
In the new business world, a company’s signage means more than ever to connect with customers. PAGE 7
TOP DEALS
MARKETING ISSUE: PAGES 7-13
Top performing duo leaves firm to start own brokerage. 14 New Jersey company buys senior housing properties for $45.15 million. 15
Jamie Harden | PRESIDENT AND CEO, CREATIVE SIGN DESIGNS
Homebuilder acquires Polk County vacant land for $3.5 million. 15
COURTESY PHOTO
5 Wings and things: Bite into pandemic eating habits. Receive the top Business Observer news of the day in your inbox.
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BUSINESS OBSERVER | JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020
BusinessObserverFL.com
Vol. XXIV, No. 22
AN ALTERNATIVE TO MONEY MARKET FUNDS May is behind us and what an amazing month it was for the markets!! The spread of the deadly coronavirus hammered the markets in March. At its low on March 23, the S&P 500 fell over 35% from its record high in February while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell over 38%. As of the close of trading on June 5, The NASDAQ index is up 9.38% in 2020, closing at an all time high. Meanwhile, as of the close of trading June 5, the Dow Jones industrial Average is down 5.00% while the S&P 500 is down 1.14% year to date.
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Last Friday, the May Nonfarm Payroll Report was released and it was surprisingly strong with the jobless rate dropping to 13.3% from 14.7% in April. The Labor Department stated that the US added a record 2.5 million jobs in May. Analysts had forecast job losses of up to 7.8 million and a jobless rate as high as 21.5%. The widely followed U-6 rate showed a jobless rate for May of 21.2%, down from 22.8% in April, still quite high due to the impact of the coronavirus.
Founded in 1997, the Business Observer is Southwest and Central Florida’s newspaper for business leaders. With offices in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties, the Business Observer is the only weekly business newspaper that provides business leaders with a regional perspective. The Business Observer’s mission is to deliver relevant news and information on Southwest and Central Florida’s leading and growing companies, up-and-coming entrepreneurs and economic, industry and government trends affecting business. The Business Observer is also the leading publisher of public notices on the Gulf Coast of Florida.
The oil market has rallied strongly since crashing into negative territory in April when it reached a record low price of -$37.63 for a barrel of WTI crude oil. Last Saturday on June 6, Opec and its allies agreed to extend their production cuts for an additional month. Opec and its allies plan to meet again June 18 to review the success of their production cuts. As of the close of trading on June 5, West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed @ $39.55/barrel while Brent crude oil closed @ $42.30/barrel.
Editor and Publisher / Matt Walsh, mwalsh@BusinessObserverFL.com Executive Editor / Kat Hughes khughes@BusinessObserverFL.com Managing Editor / Mark Gordon mgordon@BusinessObserverFL.com Commercial Real Estate Editor / Kevin McQuaid kmcquaid@BusinessObserverFL.com Tampa Bay Editor / Brian Hartz bhartz@BusinessObserverFL.com Sarasota-Manatee Editor/ Grier Ferguson gferguson@BusinessObserverFL.com
As the economy recovers the IPO market and Merger & Acquisition activity are showing signs of life. Pliant Therapeutics, ZoomInfo Technologies and Warner Music Group all traded strongly after their IPOs were priced in early June. These IPOs offered proof there is pent up demand by investors for shares of newly public companies. Meanwhile there is talk a bidding war could develop for Grubhub. Uber had offered to acquire Grubhub in May in an all stock transaction for about $63/share. Recent media reports say two European firms, Delivery Hero and Just Eat Takeaway, are each pondering a bid for Grubhub. Sycamore Partners is reportedly seeking to buy JC Penney after the bankrupt retailer emerges from bankruptcy. Last week we learned that AstraZeneca held talks to combine with Gilead in a merger. Each firm is working to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus and if they did combine, they would be one of the largest pharmaceutical firms globally having a market cap well over $200 billion.
Editorial Design /Jess Eng Contributors / Steven Benna, Beth Luberecki, John Haughey
HOW TO REACH US
My weekly radio show is on holiday and will return in September on WWPR 1490 AM. My prior radio shows and columns are available on our website (www.amescapmgmt.com).
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“The road is cleared,” said Galt. “We are going back to the world.” He raised his hand and over the desolate earth he traced in space the sign of the dollar. Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020 | BUSINESS OBSERVER
CoffeeTalk On the side Marc Devisee, owner of a Southwest Florida interior remodeling and construction firm, spent several years thinking about how he could diversify his business in case of a downturn. Instead of sticking to construction, where his firm, Naples-based Tri-Town Construction, does some $8 million a year in revenue, Devisee followed another dream: He set about opening a restaurant, under the brand Seaside, a moniker and vibe he long thought was a good a fit for the region. And despite having no restaurant ownership experience, Fifth Third Bank, through the SBA, gave Devisee a six-figure loan. With those funds and savings, Devisee spent eight months and $1 million into opening Seaside Bar & Grill in Bonita Springs. “I put every penny I had into this,” he tells Coffee Talk. Devisee’s investment, and restaurant dreams, ran straight into a roadblock for the ages: the coronavirus pandemic. Seaside’s opening day, it turns out, was March 17 — the same day Gov. Ron DeSantis signed
an executive order that shut down restaurants. Although Devisee lamented his timing, a friend, he says, told him “every takeout order you sell is one more sale that stops the bleeding.” Devisee shifted to takeout and curbside pickup, with a menu focusing on tavern-style staples that befits a place with seaside in the name, including a mahi-mahi sandwich, seared Ahi tuna, fish tacos, wraps and burgers. Devisee says Seaside had been gaining traction in the community — “We want to be nice a place where people come and hang out,” he says — the last two weeks of May. Then the national George Floyd protests and riots curbed any momentum. “Things were starting to get better,” he tells Coffee Talk. “Then the protests hit, and the restaurant was dead.” A Business Observer 40 under 40 winner in 2017 for his efforts with Tri-Town, Devisee says he’s not the giving-up type. “You can’t just sit and pout that the cards weren’t dealt perfectly,” Devisee says. “This is just another obstacle to overcome.”
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SOME THINGS DON’T CHANGE.
Current affairs
Because of the COVID-19 crisis, Dunn & Co. had to change its campaign for the Florida Aquarium from “Live in the Current” to “Rejoin the Current.”
However, some things do remain the same. During these uncertain times, we are here for you and ready to assist with what your business still needs: • 50% FEMA Rule Appraisals COURTESY PHOTOS
Dunn & Co. Vice President of Strategy KAMDEN KUHN approach to COVID-19 advertising. So that’s why we took a much more optimistic and inspiring tone.” The first deliverable of Dunn & Co.’s “Rejoin the Current” campaign, a 30-second video, debuted on social media over Memorial Day weekend. It features local celebrities — including WWE superstar Titus O’Neil, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians and Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn — as well as members of the public puckering up their lips and making their best “fish face.” The clip juxtaposes human fish faces with actual fish at the aquarium and concludes with a call to action that urges viewers to make use of the aquarium’s new ticket reservation system. To view the “Fish Face” video, visit www.bit.ly/2zb60BM.
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After Tampa-based Dunn & Co. became the agency of record for the Florida Aquarium in October 2019, it drew up a marketing campaign called “Live in the Current.” It focused on the aquarium’s upcoming 25th anniversary celebration in 2020. As we’re all too aware now, 2020 has turned out to be more bizarre than anyone could have predicted, and so Dunn & Co., led by Vice President of Strategy Kamden Kuhn, went back to work. Its revised campaign for the aquarium, dubbed “Rejoin the Current,” focuses on renewing interest in — and attendance at — the tourist attraction now that it’s reopened in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown. “The day that the aquarium closed, we started working on a reopening campaign,” says Kuhn, who’s been at Dunn & Co. for 10 years and has worked on campaigns for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Rowdies, USF Athletics and Grow Financial Federal Credit Union. “Our goal, at the time that we were all so cooped up, asked the question, ‘How are we going to inspire a community?’” For Kuhn and her colleagues, answering that question started with a noticeable shift in tone — away from the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic and toward the fun and whimsy of the human-animal connection. “We were looking a lot at other COVID-19 messaging that was hitting the airwaves around that time,” she tells Coffee Talk, “and it all felt so very somber and reflective. We wanted to do something altogether different from what had become a formulaic
As your business adapts to the many changes and challenges caused by the pandemic, it seems there is no more “business as usual”.
4 topstories from BusinessObserverFL.com BusinessObserverFL.com
SARASOTA-MANATEE
Developer buys fitness facility Area developer Mark Lukas has acquired the 13-acre Bath and Racquet Club in Sarasota for $5.5 million. According to a news release, if Lukas secures the support of the Sarasota City Commission, he plans to renovate the fitness facility at 2170 Robinhood St. and incorporate it as an amenity in a 207-home, mixed-use development. The sale of the facility, built in 1969, closed May 27. The property includes a 40,000-square-foot fitness facility with a Junior Olympic swimming pool, 29 tennis courts and a full-service restaurant. TAMPA BAY
Insurance firm closes three deals BRP Group Inc., an independent insurance distribution company headquartered in Tampa, has acquired Trinity Benefit Advisors Inc., Rosenthal Bros. Inc. and Russ Blakely & Associates LLC. Trinity Benefit Advisors and Russ Blakely & Associates, known as TRA-RBA, are Tennessee-based providers of employee benefit plan management, as well as marketing and benefit plans designed for middle-market
quote of theweek It was less about selling and more about caring and that we have a solution for you. It was more along the lines of, ‘We are here for you’ and ‘How are you?’” Christy Vogel | Founder and president of Marketing Direction SEE PAGE 8
BUSINESS OBSERVER | JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020
companies. Combined, the firms generated about $17.3 million in revenue last year, according to a news release. Rosenthal Bros., the release states, is a Chicago-based provider of property and casualty insurance, employee benefits and private client solutions to middle-market companies and individuals. The firm did about $18.8 million in revenue last year.
Cancer center names IT executive Elizabeth “Beth” LindsayWood has been named vice president and chief information officer at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. According to a news release, Lindsay-Wood brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience to her new role at Moffitt. She previously worked in senior IT roles at Tampa General Hospital and Sentara Healthcare — in addition to being a partner in a health care consulting firm — prior to joining Moffitt in an interim CIO position. At Moffitt, the release states, she will be responsible for leading the center’s information technology teams and accelerating its digital transformation.
CHARLOTTE-LEE-COLLIER
Builder hires railroad executive Railroad executive John Fall has been named CFO of the Southeast region for Suffolk, one of the largest builders and construction firms in the country. Fall will be responsible for leading Suffolk’s financial operations for the entire Southeast region, which includes locations in Miami, West Palm Beach, Estero and Tampa, according to a statement. Before joining Suffolk, Fall held leadership positions at CSX Transportation, a $12 billion operating company providing rail-based transportation solutions throughout the Eastern U.S., for more than a decade.
State signs option to buy land Alico, one of the largest citrus producers in the country, has signed an option agreement to sell 10,684 acres to Florida for about $28.5 million. The deal, for land on the west side of the Alico Ranch, is part of the Florida Forever program, according to a statement. If the state exercises its option, the land purchase could close by the end the firm’s 2020 fiscal year. Alico sold about 5,500 acres to Florida for permanent protection under the Florida Forever program in 2019.
BY THE NUMBERS 551,000
Total labor union members in Florida, 6.2% of the total workforce, according to a new report PAGE 6
86%
Year-over-year revenue increase at St. Petersburgbased Marketing Direction PAGE 8
14
Employees at Fort Myersbased Spiro & Associates, a marketing, advertising, branding and public relations firm PAGE 10
16
Years Shane and Cheri O’Neil ran the Tampa area office of commercial real estate firm Savills, before leaving to open their own firm PAGE 14
$45.15M
Price Englewood Cliffs, N.J.based Portopiccolo Group paid for three senior living properties in the region PAGE 15
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FROM PAGE 3
Comfort food FORT MYERS n Original hooters style wings, Hooters n Cheese pizza, Citrola’s on College n Pad thai, Bangkok Thai Restaurant n Uhmaze bowl, Uhmazebowls n Egg rolls, Magic Wok
Despite headwinds, David keeps sailing‌
Congratulations! DAVID FLETCHER
Wagner Realty congratulates David Fletcher, RealtorÂŽ, on already closing over $24 Million so far this year in commercial sales, even in these challenging times.
LAKELAND n Tonkotsu ramen, Sabu Ramen n Wings, Winners Circle n One topping pizza, J. Burns Pizza n Crab Rangoon, Shanghai Express n Best burger in town, Champs Sports Grill Note: A cheeseburger from Five Guys is No. 6
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NAPLES n Traditional 16� large pizza, New York Pizza & Pasta n Bone-in wings, Hurricane Grill & Wings n Star luca pizza, Mister 01 Extraordinary Pizza n Potsticker, Araya Sushi Asian Grill n The original BBQ chicken chopped salad, California Pizza Kitchen
COURTESY PHOTO
From bacon and eggs to lobster rolls to cheeseburgers — lots of cheeseburgers —people on the west coast of Florida have feasted on a wide variety of meals during the COVID-19 pandemic. This delicious data comes courtesy of food delivery app Bite Squad, which analyzed the most popular dishes ordered by customers from Lakeland through Naples for delivery since March. The food choices are varied, and so too are the places people are ordering from. The top 10 lists, broken into six regions, include such chains as Hooters, Five Guys and Tijuana Flats and local neighborhood spots, like Pepo’s Cuban CafÊ in St. Petersburg and Perrada Colombiana in Tampa. (Five Guys makes the top 10 list in four areas, and Tijuana Flats and Chick-fil-A make two top 10 lists.) Chicken wings show up often in the lists, as does pizza. Asian food is popular, too including ramen noodles, pad thai dishes and egg rolls. One more foodie note? Although Tampa and St. Pete differ widely in the No. 1 choice — bacon and eggs in Tampa vs. a poke bowl in St. Pete — the cities agree when it comes to treats: Cold Stone Creamery is No. 4 in both regions.
ST. PETERSBURG n Build your own poke bowl, Pacific Counter n Boneless wings, Mugs Sports Bar & Grill n Our blue ribbon fried chicken, PoFolks Restaurant n Create your own ice cream, Cold Stone Creamery n Chicken entree, Oishi Sushi & Japanese Note: The el habano cubano sandwich from Pepo’s Cuban CafÊ is No. 9
5
David is a consistent top producer in all areas of commercial real estate.
David has sold over a quarter of a billion dollars in commercial sales at Wagner. A Division of Wagner Realty
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TAMPA n Bacon and eggs, Village Inn n Salchipapa extreme, La Perrada Colombiana n Cheeseburger, Five Guys n Create your own ice cream, Cold Stone Creamery n Oxtails, Jamaica Jamaica Island Cuisine SARASOTA n Better-for-you burger, Smacks Burgers & Shakes n Full-order wings, Origin Craft Beer & Pizza Cafe n Chick-fil-A Nuggets, Chick-fil-A n Pad thai, Isan Thai Restaurant n Google roll, Pacific Rim
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BUSINESS OBSERVER | JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020
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Many Gulf Coast banks and credit unions have deferred credit card, loan and mortgage payments for individuals and companies harmed financially by the COVID-19 crisis. Grow Financial Federal Credit Union aims to go even further — donating $200,000 to Tampa Bay area small businesses over the summer. The Tampa-based credit union’s “Grow On Us” campaign, conceived by Tampa-based ad agency Dunn & Co., creates open “tabs” customers can use to obtain a wide range of free products and services, ranging from coffee and flowers to yoga and barbecue food. The idea, says Jared Barr, Grow Financial’s senior vice president of marketing, is to brighten people’s day with small treats they might have had to go without because of budget constraints, while simultaneously providing a boost to small businesses in vulnerable industries like tourism and hospitality. “Late last year, we started to be very bold about our mission, which is to serve people and not profits,” Barr tells Coffee Talk. “As the pandemic hit, we started asking ourselves, ‘OK, what can we do to really prove that?’” Membership in Grow Financial, with some $2.7 billion in assets, is not required to take part in the program, but several participating businesses are clients, Barr says. About $19,000 of the $200,000 has been donated so far, adds Bri Wagner, Dunn & Co.’s digital marketing manager. Grow Financial Federal Credit Union’s “Grow On Us” campaign provided free coffee to all Blind Tiger cafe customers June 10.
COURTESY PHOTOS
JARED BARR, Grow Financial’s senior vice president of marketing The “Grow On Us” campaign officially launched May 27. In late May, it provided free candles at Seventh Avenue Apothecary in Ybor City and free coffee at the Blind Tiger cafe, also in Ybor City. On Monday, June 15, fans of Tidal Brewing in Spring Hill can pick up a free four-pack of the brewery’s Porch Pilsner. The credit union, Barr adds, seeks additional small businesses to fill out the “Grow On Us” schedule of open tabs. Although there’s no formal application process, he says, customer recommendations via social media — using the hashtag #GrowOnUs — or other means are welcome. For details on upcoming open tabs, visit www.GrowFinancial.org/ community/on-us.
datasnapshot United approach Hawaii and South Carolina are 4,600 miles apart by plane and are also in different worlds in another way: percentages of union members as part of the overall workforce. Hawaii, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, leads the nation with a 23.5% union membership rate in 2019. On the other side is South Carolina, at 2.2%. Florida ranks No. 37 on the list, with 551,000 labor union members in 2019, a 6.2% rate. That’s up from 484,000 and 5.6% in 2018, the report shows. (The list has 51 spots, including Washington, D.C.) The percentage of unionized public-sector workers is five times greater than private-sector workers, the study shows, according
to a report in the Center Square, a Florida news service. The study also found unionization rates were highest in protective security services, schooling, training and library jobs. And on average, union members make $1,095 per week, compared to $892 for nonunion workers. A look at where states fall on the ranking also correlates, to a large extent, with business climate. On one end states under 5% of union membership, a list that includes Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, often score high on business climate surveys. On the other side, New York, California and New Jersey, high-tax states that tend to pop up often on unfriendly business climate reports, all have union membership rates over 15%.
FLORIDA UNION RATES Year Total jobs Union membership % of all jobs 2018 8,702,000 484,000 5.6% 2019 8,827,000 551,000 6.2%
JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020 | BUSINESS OBSERVER
infocus | marketing |
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BY GRIER FERGUSON | SARASOTA-MANATEE EDITOR
Signed, Sealed, T
he pandemic has ushered in a new wave of signage needs. For restaurants, retail stores, corporate offices and other businesses, signs are a key part of reopening plans. Through signage, companies are commu n ic at i ng c r uc ia l me ssages, from social distancing guidelines to new and altered services. Area signage companies are working quickly to meet these needs. The key for businesses, officials say, is making signage clear, concise and easy to read. What’s also important? Remembering signage can be used for more than practical purposes. Not only can signs be used to let customers know they are open for business, but they can also be an effective business tool to convey a range of messages, from gratitude to empathy to company values. Steve Levison, co-owner and president of Manatee Countybased Performance Copying & Printing, says his company has been working on a greater quantity of signs and posters during the coronavirus pandemic. “Print has always been an important medium of communication, and rumors of its death are greatly exaggerated,” Levison says. “It’s playing a key role in communicating during this pandemic.” Levison says signage about social distancing, along with directional signs and f loor g raphics, has increased dramatically. Signage can help businesses maximize social distancing by indicating specific traffic patterns through a store. Grocery stores, for instance, have installed signage on its store f loors to encourage customers to travel in one direction down aisles. Some businesses have also requested signage to communicate to customers that certain areas of their establishments are closed, such as buffets in supermarkets and restaurants. Although demand for signage has gone up, it won’t be enough to make up for other business lost during the pandemic. “I think the demand will continue, but it won’t have a dramatic impact on the bottom line to printing establishments,” Levison says. “It’s more of a one-off opportunity than an ongoing opportunity, but it’s obviously very welcome.” Levison advises businesses to include in reopening plans where they will post Creative Sign Designs President and CEO Jamie Harden says businesses should harness the power of signage to convey empathy and other cultural, emotional messages as well as more practical messages.
Delivered The signs a company uses, in all kinds of directions, are taking on a deeper meaning as businesses reopen after COVID-19 shutdowns.
COURTESY PHOTOS
STEVE LEVISON, co-owner and president of Performance Copying & Printing, with Vice President and co-Owner DAN LEVISON, says they’ve been working on more signs and posters during the pandemic.
COURTESY OF CREATIVE SIGN DESIGNS
signs. He also says messages on signs should be clear and concise, especially for people who haven’t been in the facility or store previously. Companies should consider guidelines and requirements from the CDC, too, plus federal, state and local governments when creating messages. Businesses can also go beyond the basic and display signs that speak to larger, more emotional concepts. “Businesses need to have the attitude, ‘What can we do to help you, and how can we satisfy you as a customer?’ Because in the end, that’s all that really matters,” Levison says. Like at Performance Copying & Printing, business has been a mixed bag during the pandemic for Tampa-based Creative
Sign Designs. “You have some things we’re doing related to the virus itself,” President and CEO Jamie Harden says. “But we’ve definitely experienced some level of slowdown with the economic stall.” Lately, Creative Sign Designs has worked on signs for health care organizations and corporate offices. Those customers are posting coronavirusrelated signs in break rooms, restrooms, lobbies and other areas. “A lot of it is around trying to give some graphics and reminders about what people should be doing,” Harden says. A common sign subject lately has been reminding people to wash their hands for 20 seconds. He’s also made f loor graphics to remind people to remain 6 feet apart — some-
thing people wouldn’t have requested in the past, he says. Signs asking people to use hand sanitizer and wear masks have also come up recently. Harden agrees with Levison: Businesses should harness the power of signage to convey empathy and other cultural, emotional messages. Companies might want to consider adding internal communication signs, for instance, that express gratitude for employees. “I think this is a time to really show thankfulness for your employees and appreciation,” Harden says. “There’s a lot of opportunity for empathy right now.” He’s also seen customers use signs recently to reemphasize their company’s values and mission. With all kinds of signs, from the more practical to the more value-oriented, Harden says businesses must first answer a key question: “W hat’s the real point you’re trying to get across?” He also cautions against doing the same old, same old when it comes to signage. “I think we’re in a new world now,” Harden says. Use colors, shapes or other design elements to capture the attention of a potential customer or to help a patient. “Really try to do something to work to differentiate the brand,” he says. “I think that’s going to be a critical element in this rebuilding time — differentiating.”
To promote its curbside service, Performance Copying & Printing installed a window graphic sign with a 1950s roller-skating carhop motif.
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BUSINESS OBSERVER | JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020
BusinessObserverFL.com
infocus | marketing |
BY BRIAN HARTZ | TAMPA BAY EDITOR
ONE Direction A marketing firm founded during the previous economic downturn has found validation for its unorthodox business model amid the chaos of the COVID-19 crisis.
D
uring economic downturns like this one from COVID-19, the natural inclination for many businesses is to cut costs — and such trimming often starts with marketing and advertising budgets. Consequently, ad agencies take a financial hit. Not so for St. Petersburgbased Marketing Direction, a 10-year-old company that has thrived on a business model that provides outsourced chief marketing officers to businesses that don’t have the need or budget for a full-blown marketing department. Founder and President Christy Vogel says the COV ID-19 shutdown was a boon for the firm, which took on three new clients and is in the process of securing a fourth. In May, Marketing Direction’s yearover-year revenue was up by 86%, she says, and the firm is on track to crack the $1 million mark, for the first time in its history, in 2020. “Unfortunately, what we’re seeing with some other marketing agencies out there is that overnight they’ve lost most, if not all, of their clients,” Vogel says, “especially those agencies that serve hospitality and other industries that are most affected by all of this.” One of the key elements that’s helped the firm get through the crisis, beyond its model, is that it works primarily with B2B clients, many of whom qualified as providers of essential services under guidelines issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Case in point: St. Petersburgbased DDP Medical Supply, a distributor of health care products. “Instead of scaling down,” Vogel says, “they’re saying, ‘No, we need to ramp up quickly.’”
A lthough more work was coming in from a variety of clients, that also represented a big challenge for Marketing Direction, which has 21 staff members, the majority of whom are independent contractors. Vogel, 52, says the company had to quickly devise new communication strategies for clients that underwent major transitions in the way they do business because of COVID-19. For example, Tampa-based Product Fulfillment Solutions executed a big shift, going from a supplier to retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond to selling directly to consumers. “A B2B company switching to B2C, it looks completely different — and your marketing is completely different as well,” Vogel says. “So as business strategies are shifting, your marketing strategy would have to change at the same time.” Marketing Direction’s most in-demand service is what Vogel calls “taking inventory” — comprehensive reviews of clients’ communication to their customers. That means examining and often tweaking the content of websites, social media posts, email communications and paid media campaigns. Vogel says the most effective change for many clients during COVID-19 has been a simple shift in tone. “It was less about selling and more about caring and that we have a solution for you,” she says. “It was more along the lines of, ‘We are here for you’ and ‘How are you?’” But unlike the economic downturn of the late 2000s and early 2010s that unfolded slowly, this change in messaging had to happen extremely quickly, Vogel says. The financial crisis, she says,
constructs a strategic blueprint full of specific line items, work-hour estimates and expected deliverables. “Each line item shows how many hours it will take for our team to complete it, as well as any kind of hard costs that are involved,” she says. “So each month, they’re paying for exactly what we’re prov iding them — no more, no less. It’s transparent to the client.” In a time of the coronavirus, certainty itself can be a valuable commodity.
“was almost like a snowball that slowly got going and then really started catching speed. Whereas with COVID-19, everything’s been much more cut and dried.” Social media posts, in particular, posed a challenge in that they are often set up and approved weeks, sometimes a month, in advance. Marketing Direction’s CMOs — or lead marketers, as Vogel calls them — “had to look forward to what’s already set up and approved and eliminate some that were no longer sensitive,” Vogel says. “We had to make adjustments on the fly.” Marketing Direction’s lean business model proved to be another asset. The company employs a pool of experts in nearly every core marketing skill set, including strategy, social media, content writing, search engine marketing or graphic design. The lead ma rketers ca n then activate whatever expertise is needed to help a p a r t ic u l a r client. “Our clients only pay for what’s needed,” Vogel says. “The lead marketer orchestrates the entire team.” Marketing Direction’s clients s i g n l on g-t e r m agreements. But i n ste ad of h aving them pay a flat mont hly reta iner fee, Vogel spends about a mont h getting to know a client’s specif ic needs and then
Our clients only pay for what’s needed. The lead marketer orchestrates the entire team.” Christy Vogel | founder and president of Marketing Direction
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BUSINESS OBSERVER | JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020
pandemic response | leadership Executives across the region continue to grapple with strategies and how to run their business during the pandemic. These stories are an ongoing look at different approaches business leaders are taking.
LEARN MORE: To read about how other executives have addressed the crisis, and more stories about how companies are adapting, visit www. BusinessObserverFL.com/spotlight/ coronavirus.
Peggy Wilson, Wilson Creative Group TITLE: Founder EMPLOYEES: 15 Working situation: 80% office, 20% home Biggest WFH or WFO challenge: Readjusting to each new environment and its distractions. WFH, college kids eating my internet bandwidth while on Zoom with clients. Four dogs wanting to be pet while it’s thundering out, while on Zoom. Most important business lesson you’ve learned in the shutdown: It is my primary role to be there for my employees. They are the backbone of our success, and my leadership is setting the example. My support, care, concern for them and their families, showing them how much they mean to me. Taking care of them now; they will support me and empathize with me in droves when we will be in need of it. How far out into the future are you looking for the business? We always preach “Have a plan.” So we work on long-term plans for our clients. We’re currently planning for next season, starting August/September 2020, running through June/ July 2021. For our agency, we’re only planning about six
months in advance. But we’re quick to readjust and make changes as necessary. What marketing trend will last beyond the COVID-19 pandemic? Online activity: search and increased awareness through virtual experiences. Public relations: Folks will discover the importance and credibility of earned media. Relationships and great journalism are the underlying value in getting published. Of course, we’re very confident here. What’s the biggest marketing fad right now you’d like to see go away? Moving too fast, [being] reckless and lacking a vision. Cheap shots and being too opportunistic. Additionally, the overabundance of studying and analyzing information. It’s what people need to do to rationalize and interpret how we got here, but with no crystal ball, it’s burning a lot of hours. How do you maintain your spirit/morale during these tumultuous times? I look up. I look around at what I have built against all odds, and it is worth celebrating. I’m fortunate and have a great many reasons to smile and share happiness. This experience has reminded me [that] life has disrupters. This disrupter
is uncomfortable because we don’t have a road map. But I’m ready — and I’m armed with such an amazing team of energetic learners and experts. They deserve positive and visionary leadership. So I will guide them into change, and only positivity, passion and happiness will do. That, and a fresh-squeezed margarita. Books, articles, TV shows, podcasts and/or audiobooks you’ve focused on: Oh wow, my sources are all over the place. The book I’m reading right now is a very relevant historical nonfiction, Jon Meacham’s “The Art of Power: Thomas Jefferson.” I find history repeats itself in very different ways.
Jessica Eckley, Crackerjack Media FIRM: Crackerjack Media; founded in 2014 as Eckley Media EMPLOYEES: Five Working situation: We designed our business to primarily be work-from-home or collaboratively executed in client environments. So we’ve been fortunate that the transition was not a difficult one for our team. We’ve continued to work from home during the COVID-19 period. Biggest WFH or WFO challenge: Sometimes the biggest work-from-home challenge has been embracing the juggle. The first few weeks included the balance of competing work schedules and homeschooling. It was a strain on both my time and attention that I know many clients experienced as well. Amusingly, I took a business approach by filling my daughter’s phone calendar with appointment reminders for each virtual class, links and assignments. Most important business lesson you’ve learned in the shutdown: Even when the world is slowing down, you must keep pushing forward to be as proactive as possible for your clients. Face-to-face interactions and out-of-home habits changed daily. We quickly adapted campaigns
—Mark Gordon
Exercise or stress relief you’ve turned to during the crisis: Being home makes it tough to stay motivated. I’ve tried to mix up my exercise routine – from lifting weights to yoga classes via Zoom and even jumping on the Peloton. I’ve found ways to burn my extra energy.
How far out into the future are you looking for the business? We have to remain flexible to serve our clients’ changing needs. A large portion of our clientele is in the sports and entertainment industry, and currently, live events represent one of the most extended recovery timelines. We’re working with partners on how to best adapt to meet changing safety recommendations, remain connected with audiences and drive their business forward. For many, that means examining late fall 2020 and early 2021.
What’s the biggest marketing fad right now you’d like to see go away? That’s tough! Although I’ve enjoyed the Facebook and Instagram Live
What are you most looking forward to post-lockdown/ pandemic? Continuing my quest for less worry. And in six months, looking back at how we’ve helped so many, supported one another and thrived in new ways and under such conditions. Oh, and movie theater popcorn with extra butter.
offered by industry organizations and universities. I have to admit, I’ve found time to binge-watch plenty of programs, too. “Schitt’s Creek” and “Ozark” were both fantastic this season, and I just finished “Defending Jacob.”
to help foster digital or virtual engagement, connected clients to community partners in need and even worked with local groups to support social distance messaging.
What marketing trend will last beyond the COVID-19 pandemic? COVID-19 has inspired an enhanced focus on social responsibility and corporate action. We’ve seen brands quickly pivot campaigns to highlight community commitment and create more authentic connections.
Exercise or stress relief you’ve turned to during the crisis: I think I referenced fresh-squeezed margaritas earlier? In all seriousness, I’m growing a new garden and nurturing my array of citrus trees. Key limes make the best margaritas. Ever.
Last trip to out of the house: I had lunch at Forbici, and it was my first dining experience at a restaurant in a while.
options presented by both brands and artists, I’d love to see that go away. It would be a sign of the shift toward inperson gatherings again. How do you maintain your spirit/morale during these tumultuous times? If I’m working, you’ll typically find me playing music in the background. It helps keep the spirit up. The lockdown has also given us more time together
at home as a family. Whether playing with the dogs or completing a new project, we’ve made the most of it. Books, articles, TV shows, podcasts and/or audiobooks you’ve focused on: Our business relies on staying current, so most days, I’m catching up on daily news, articles and insights. My free time has allowed me to participate in several webinars and courses
What are you most looking forward to post-lockdown/ pandemic? I’m a big believer that sports and live experiences help unite communities, push past crises and heal. As an events-focused agency, I’m most looking forward to Tampa Bay welcoming back its residents and visitors to our community’s next big event. Whether I’m there as a guest or as part of a team working behind the scenes, you can bet I’ll be watching the fanexperience and how they’re enjoying socializing with others again. — Mark Gordon
JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020 | BUSINESS OBSERVER
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Chris Spiro, Spiro & Associates TITLE: Chief Creative Officer FIRM: Firm handles marketing, advertising, branding and public relations. EMPLOYEES: 14 Working situation: The entire agency went WFH on March 13. Planned to open back up June 8. Biggest WFH challenge: The best way to describe my challenge is to title it, “Old dogs learning new tricks.” As much as my firm is highly technologically sophisticated, I was not mentally prepared for what WFH entailed. We had the technology in place. We had the systems in place. It took me about two weeks to find my groove and develop my personal systems. I still went to the office every two to three days in order to check mail, grab client materials (which I would then scan in) and check on the overall physical office. Most important business lesson you’ve learned in the shutdown: People need people and while my clients, subcontractor base and staff adapted extremely well to communicating digitally, nothing can replace the warmth of a smile or an embrace. As much as we directed many of our clients to a more digital presence, a true media mix is still the most impor-
conversations about the state of our nation as well as its future. I am also blessed to have children who are polar opposites of each other, so I am really kept on my toes.
tant thing in presenting your brand, your creative and your calls to action. How far out into the future are you looking for the business? We have three paths running: day-to-day getting the shop back open and returning to some sense of normalcy; what it may look like if prognosticators are correct, and we have a second wave of the virus; and what [the agency] looks like a year from now. Another lesson learned from coronavirus: Screw your long-range plans. There is no planning for a global pandemic! What marketing trend will last beyond the COVID-19 pandemic? I truly see the WFH model finding its place in our industry. Over the years, there have been fewer and fewer of the large mega-agencies with multistory offices in metropolitan locations. Now there is a movement to smaller shops, with elite senior management who pair WFH teams together versus having staff to get the best strategy and creative. But I also believe this to be cyclical. There is nothing as exciting as sitting in on a creative, brand or strategy meeting face-to-face and building off of each other’s concepts. That gets lost on a Zoom, Skype, Go-To-Meet-
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COURTESY PHOTOS
ings, Microsoft Teams, What’s App, Slack or FaceTime call. What’s the biggest marketing fad right now you’d like to see go away? Everything in our industry can be bought on the internet for less. I really want to run an ad that disclaims “We Fix $99 Logos Properly and Legally.” So many companies looking to do things on a budget do not realize what they are exposing their brand to. Including the DIY television commercials and online social media infomercials. Hire local. Hire professional. Save yourself the frustration, legal wrangling and possible brand overhaul as a result. How do you maintain your spirit/morale during these tumultuous times? I moved from a large home to a highrise overlooking a marina
and have taken to running more. In addition, I do wellness checks on my family members. I am blessed with a 102-year-old grandmother who is going to outlive us all and a 78-year-old mother who is just as cantankerous, and I reach out to them often. Finally, my true lifeline is my children. They keep me going and thinking. Both are professionals, and both have turned to Dad for counsel during these uncertain times. This has led to amazing
Books, articles, TV shows, podcasts and/or audiobooks have you’ve focused on: I finally watched “Game of Thrones.” I binge-watched it over two weeks, and it sucked me in. Currently, I am bingewatching “Longmire” on Netflix. I have been downloading a ton more podcasts for my runs and walks and enjoy listening to true crime books. I read so much during the day at my job that at night, I just want to veg and be entertained. What are you most looking forward to post-lockdown/ pandemic? No. 1, hands down is going to see my daughter in Denver and my son in Orlando. After that, simple gatherings with friends and family that don’t focus on pandemics, rioting and looting. — Mark Gordon
My true lifeline is my children. They keep me going and thinking. Both are professionals, and both have turned to Dad for counsel during these uncertain times. This has led to amazing conversations about the state of our nation as well as its future.”
Patricia Courtois, On Ideas TITLE: Patricia Courtois, executive vice president and chief client officer EMPLOYEES: 24, in Jacksonville headquarters and Sarasota
How far out into the future are you looking for the business? I think at this point, one year out is about all we can do. While saying that, figuring out how to bring everyone back to the office setting safely is a day-to-day concern.
Working situation: Combining WFH and office. Our physical office is officially closed with WFH for all, but it’s so peaceful there with everyone gone, that I go in two to three days a week just to get a break from my dining room table. I also find that if I’m home, I’ll be multitasking to the hilt — too many distractions! We also connect with our team across all offices every morning on Zoom. It’s a great way to make sure everyone is doing OK.
What marketing trend will last beyond the COVID-19 pandemic? Promoting working remotely will be a big game-changer. Research is showing consumers are starting to tire of the “We’re in this together” messaging, but they will still want to connect with brands that are sincere about the role they play in a consumer’s life.
Biggest WFH or WFO challenge: Because we are so collaborative, I miss the camaraderie of being together. We do make up for that with Zoom calls, but nothing beats being together in person.
What’s the biggest marketing fad right now you’d like to see go away? Brands using the Zoom meeting format for their commercial spots. We can all relate to the Zoomers who are not able to connect, so it’s getting a little tired.
Most important business lesson you’ve learned in the shutdown: We can work remotely with no loss of productivity. It’s also helped us connect with each team member on a very personal level — to see what they are dealing with and how we can be better leaders in helping everyone reach their potential.
How do you maintain your spirit/morale during these tumultuous times? Being grateful that our family is healthy and that we live in a beautiful place that allows us to enjoy the great outdoors while being socially distanced. When not working, we started a couple of huge projects around the house that have been on the
back burner. Just being out in the flower garden and getting my hands dirty has felt really great. I’m riding my bike more, and we’re kayaking and playing some golf, too.
Exercise or stress relief you’ve turned to during the crisis: I do a Pure Barre workout at least four times a week (just hit 1,000 classes!) as well as bike, walk, kayak and golf.
Books, articles, TV shows, podcasts and/or audiobooks have you’ve focused on: I’ve got two books going simultaneously, “The Price of Illusion” by Joan Juliet Buck (former editor-in-chief of Paris Vogue), and “Alexander Hamilton” by Ron Chernow. I love listening to the podcast “How I Built This” on NPR. And I’m binge watching every episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Great British Bake Off.”
Last trip out of the house: Groceries (but basically all of the above activities). What are you most looking forward to post-lockdown/ pandemic? Three things: being back with my teammates, a dinner party with friends and traveling to Jackson Hole, Wyo. to hike and explore Yellowstone with our son who lives and works out there. — Mark Gordon
Just being out in the flower garden and getting my hands dirty has felt really great. I’m riding my bike more, and we’re kayaking and playing some golf, too.”
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BUSINESS OBSERVER | JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020
BusinessObserverFL.com
MARKETING
BY GRIER FERGUSON | SARASOTA-MANATEE EDITOR
COURTESY IMAGES
Miles Partnership produced recent marketing for Hawks Cay Resort that puts a fun spin on social distancing guidelines.
Travel
TIME The pandemic has made marketing travel and tourism a tricky business. Destinations and marketing agencies are having to rethink many strategies.
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aples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jack Wert says that up through March, the area was having another record year. Several others in tourism reported similar projections. Then things started to fall apart, courtesy of the pandemic.
The impacts will continue to be felt for months, industr y of f icia ls say, and some have reverted back to a line from the 2008-2009 recession, when many business owners lamented f lat revenue is the “new growth.” In April, for example, Wert says tourist tax revenue was off 83%. “My guess is this year if we could get back to 50% of where we were, I think if we can achieve that goal, we really are doing well,” Wert says. In a sign of the coronavirus times, many convention and visitors bureaus, as well as marketing agencies that focus on destination marketing, have shifted efforts quickly. In some cases, that’s meant pausing digital marketing campaigns. In others, it’s meant putting out new campaigns to address evolving consumer worries. One key: They’ve kept a close watch on data and consumer sentiment, using the travelers themselves as their guide.
DIG IN Sarasota-based marketing agency Miles Partnership, which specializes in travel and tourism promotion, saw many of its clients immediately pause media campaigns. Miles shifted to focus on developing tools and resources its clients would need to weather the storm. The company, for one, developed an online marketing academy that provides resources for business owners and operators. It includes tips about search engine optimization, evaluating analytics and more. It’s a product Miles is selling to destination marketing organizations, so they can offer it to their businesses, from restaurants to retail establishments. “For us as an organization, we see it as our job not only to support the destination marketing organizations, but ultimately, we’re reliant on the health, stability and well-being of the businesses within the community,”
Miles Partnership Vice President of Marketing Andrea Wood says. “Without those businesses, there is no product, no travel and tourism offering within the destination. It’s important to us to get businesses back on their feet in order to have thriving communities that are working for locals and travelers.” Miles has also been busy helping clients develop marketing campaigns that promote safe travel. “The sentiment currently has been, ‘We’re here when you’re ready,’” Wood says. “Just in the last week or so, the message is shifting to safety and reopening protocols.” That can be seen in the company’s work for the state of Colorado. Recent marketing efforts there include visuals and an animated series with characters, like a moose and other wild animals, that set examples for how to be a considerate and thoughtful traveler.
Miles Partnership’s marketing efforts for the state of Colorado include visuals and an animated series with characters, like a moose and other wild animals, setting examples for how to be a considerate traveler.
JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020 | BUSINESS OBSERVER
Wood says there’s been a huge shift in consumer sentiment in terms of how people are choosing destinations. Research shows people want to understand the safety protocols and what to expect when they arrive. People are also looking at more rural destinations since larger metro areas might be a concern in terms of exposure to the coronavirus. “The state of Florida is well positioned as are other destinations that have a more rural outdoor offering,” Wood says. “We dug in really quickly in developing road trips and itineraries for outdoor activities.” The coming months will also bring concerns about how marketing dollars will be impacted by the decrease in tourism thus far. “Our greatest concern is the uncertainty over funding,” Wood says. “Destination marketing organizations are funded through the bed tax. Revenues from the bed tax are down significantly this year due to the shutdown, so that’s going to have a direct impact on our clients’ budgets and their ability to really be part of the solution in bringing travel and tourism back to our local economy.” BED HEAD The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau, on cue with Wood’s statement, pulled back its national and international advertising as soon as the first governor’s order came down about the coronavirus. But the CVB didn’t stop advertising completely — following a marketing truism to
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It’s important to us to get businesses back on their feet in order to have thriving communities that are working for locals and travelers.” Andrea Wood | Miles Partnership always keep your brand top of mind. It put together a video it shared on social media with the message: “We know you’re not going anywhere right now, but just know — neither are we.” It’s had several iterations of that messaging and plans to continue using it through June. It’s also promoted a local message. The CVB has a spot running on local broadcast television encouraging residents to get off the couch and head to their favorite restaurant for dine-in or takeout. “That’s really the first time we’ve ever messaged anything locally,” Wert says. “Our residents are probably the most important people we have to market to right now.” The agency also unveiled a Paradise in Place section of its website with virtual experiences from attractions, beach webcams and a guide to restaurants offering takeout and delivery. In July, Wert plans to reach out further, targeting coastal Florida cities as well as Orlando and Jacksonville. “We get in-state business from a lot of people this time of year,” he says. “We think that will continue, but it won’t be the numbers it was before.” One major impact Wert expects this summer is the loss of
international traffic. About 20% of the area’s visitation is from Europe, but there’s no point in marketing to travelers there now. “The direct German flights we’ve had for almost 30 years now are just almost nonexistent,” he says. “There’s almost no way for Europeans to get here.” It won’t go totally dark with efforts in that part of the world, though. The organization will continue to reach out to tour operators and agents, so people will keep the area top of mind. “When we get flights back, we want people to remember this destination,” Wert says. Visit Sarasota County also paused its digital campaigns when t hings went sour in March. Vice President Erin Duggan says the organization still had a presence on social media; it just didn’t have a call to action because it wasn’t appropriate at the time. Its pa r t ners in Sa rasota County, such as the ballet and circus, started creating virtual experiences that Visit Sarasota pushed out to its audience. “You didn’t have to be a resident to take advantage of the virtual experiences,” Duggan says. Now it’s targeting people by using behavior marketing.
“For example, if you are dining out in Tampa or Orlando, that would be a behavior that would say to me you might be interested in a Sarasota vacation versus a person not leaving the house at all,” she says. “I wouldn’t want to waste marketing dollars on them.” In the next few weeks, Visit Sarasota will market to travelers in driving markets. “We are not looking to start back in air markets until we see that consumer confidence in air travel goes way up,” Duggan says. To encourage people in and near Sarasota to patronize area restaurants, Visit Sarasota adapted its summer restaurant campaign, Savor Sarasota, to the pandemic. This year, it’s marketing both dine-in and to-go options to customers. TICKETS TO PARADISE Like many peers, when travel essentially stopped in midMarch, St. Petersburg-based Paradise Advertising & Marketing reacted immediately, pausing campaigns and assessing the situation, says Rudy Webb, senior vice president of client partnerships. The firm does destination marketing for a number of destinations in the state and
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throughout the Southeast. Webb thinks there will be two types of travelers — the resilient traveler ready to make a decision to travel and the reluctant traveler who might need more information, coaxing and time to make a decision. Paradise is developing strategies to communicate with both. “The only thing we can do is let the data lead and drive our decisions,” Webb says. The firm is studying traveler sentiment studies that show statistics like where people are traveling and the distances they’re traveling. Paradise and others in travel marketing will work with clients to analyze those sentiments as well as keep in mind local sentiment about welcoming visitors back. “Obviously, tourism is such an important economic driver to the state of Florida and the nation,” Webb says. “It’s important to keep the economy running but at the same time be safe and smart.”
Visit Sarasota adapted its summer restaurant campaign, Savor Sarasota, to the pandemic. This year, it’s marketing both dine-in and to-go options to customers.
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BUSINESS OBSERVER | JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020
BusinessObserverFL.com
New Jersey firm buys senior housing properties
K.L. MCQUAID Portopiccolo Group, a family-run private equity firm based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., has acquired a trio of senior housing properties for a combined $45.15 million in Collier and Sarasota counties, property records show. Portopiccolo Group bought the pair of nursing homes and an assisted living facility in Naples, Sarasota and Venice from entities controlled by Omega Healthcare Investors, a Hunt Valley, Md.-based company that owns nearly 1,000 senior housing sites nationwide. Omega Healthcare had spent $44.27 million to buy the same facilities in November 2016, according to county property records. Even with the sale, the company maintains more than 120 properties throughout Florida, including dozens along the Gulf Coast, according to its website. Combined, the Lakeside Pavilion Care and Rehabilitation Center, Pinebrook Venice and the Springboard Care and Rehabilitation Center contain 360 beds, state records indicate. Lakeside Pavilion is located at 2900 12th St. N., in Naples, and Springboard Care is at 4602 Northgate Court, in Sarasota. Of the three properties, the 1240 Pinebrook Road senior housing site fetched the most, at $21.05 million, likely because of its status as a skilled nursing facility and based on its occupancy and income. Officials from Portopiccolo Group did not respond to an inquiry for comment on its acquisitions. The company’s website says that its vision is one of “aggressive investing” and “accelerating performance.” “Integral to Portopiccolo Group’s success is our keen understanding of the key financial performance variables necessary to realize the potential of every asset,” the company’s website states. Major investment firms from HCP Inc. to Blackstone Group have acquired senior housing properties throughout the region in recent years to take advantage of Florida’s aging demographics and wealth concentration. Last May, HCP bought a pair of Discovery Village See COLUMN page 15
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STEVENS TOMBRINK has joined LandQwest Commercial Real Estate Services as managing director of its Tampa office.
A Good Fit Fort Myers-based LandQwest needed a CRE vet to boost its image and run its office in Tampa. Stevens Tombrink needed a new challenge. What happened next…
S
tevens Tombrink knew he wanted to work for LandQwest Commercial Real Estate Services the first time he drove down to the commercial real estate brokerage and property management firm’s Fort Myers’ headquarters from Tampa. It was the signs. “I’m in the car, and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Does LandQwest have every listing down here?’ Because it sure seemed like it from all the company’s signs I was seeing, for retail centers, office properties and industrial projects,” Tombrink says. “I was definitely impressed. You’re not accustomed to seeing that in Tampa Bay, where no one brokerage firm dominates the market. As I got to know more about the company, though, it wasn’t surprising. They put their clients’ interests first. A lot of firms will say things like that, but they really do it.” As LandQwest’s new managing director of its Tampa office, Tombrink will have the chance to direct the brokerage’s direction and add to the company’s number of listing signs — both through recruitment and leveraging his own wealth of contacts, developed over some three decades. Those who k now Tombrink, who has participated in deals with a transactional volume in excess of $450 million, believe his experience is ideally suited to the job. “He’s been a fabulous market leader for a number of years,” says Patrick Kelly, re-
gional managing partner at commercial real estate brokerage Franklin Street, who worked with Tombrink when the two were at investment firm Redstone Commercial, in Tampa. “He’s touched on all the major asset classes, a nd that makes him a very wellrounded leader,” Kelly adds. “And on top of that, he’s a good guy, and that comes through. W hen you’re recruiting, that means a lot.” At LandQwest, a 15-yearold firm with offices in Naples and Orlando in addition to Tampa and Fort Myers, Tombrink is charged with expanding the firm’s brand throughout Tampa Bay, adding agents (the company has four in Tampa currently) and enhancing the firm’s sector coverage. “The goal is to become a true full-service brokerage, with landlord and tenant services in retail, office, investment sales and industrial sectors,” says Tombrink, 62. “Eventually, I’d like to see us expand into multifamily and hospitality, too.” T hos e goa l s won’t be easily achieved. Although LandQwest is well known in Lee and Collier counties, where it often dominates, the firm faces greater competi-
I’m in the car, and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Does LandQwest have every listing down here?’ Because it sure seemed like it from all the company’s signs I was seeing, for retail centers, office properties and industrial projects.” Stevens Tombrink | LandQwest Commercial Real Estate Services
tion in the Tampa Bay region from the likes of larger and more entrenched companies, such as Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers International, CBRE and JLL. Not t hat L a ndQ west doesn’t have the horsepower or historical presence. The firm’s 35 agents and property managers generate in excess of $5 million in revenue annually. LandQwest’s property management arm oversees more than 2.4 million square feet of space, and the company’s Tampa office has been around for more than a decade. LandQwest’s leaders, however, hope Tombrink’s cache will take the firm to the next level. John Mounce, a founding LandQwest principal, notes Tombrink has been successf ul in grow ing orga nizations previously. And Rokki Rogan, another LandQwest founding principal, says that Tombrink possesses another important quality that sets him apart. “He understands the intricacies of property management and how valuable that service is for our clients,” Rogan says. Tombrink gleaned t hat knowledge through years of working in commercial real estate in Tampa and through affiliates with key industry groups including NAIOP, formerly the National Association of Office and Industrial Parks, and the International Council of Shopping Centers, See QWEST page 15
JUNE 12, 2020 – JUNE 18, 2020 | BUSINESS OBSERVER
QWEST from page 14 of which he’s chairman next year for its Florida convention. “What I appreciate the most about Stevens is he has a really good way with people,” says Ron Wheeler, the retired president of St. Petersburg shopping center owner Sembler Cos., who hired Tombrink in early 2009 to pursue acquisitions of distressed assets. “He’s super positive, and he’s got a great dry sense of humor,” Wheeler adds. “And he knows the real estate business really well. I consider him to be a
COLUMN from page 14 properties containing almost 400 beds, in Bradenton and Fort Myers, for nearly $85 million. In April 2017, Blackstone’s massive multiproperty deal with Welltower involving thousands of beds resulted in four area senior housing properties trading hands, in Sarasota and Winter Haven, for a combined $61.2 million, records show.
Top duo leaves Savills to start their own firm Shane and Cheri O’Neil, who jointly led the Savills plc commercial real estate brokerage office in Tampa for more than 16 years, have left the tenant representation specialist to start their own company. In addition to representing tenants in all facets of their space needs, the newly formed ONeil Commercial Advisors intends to provide listing, property and project manage-
solid guy and a good friend to this day.” Tombrink, a Dade City native, got his start in real estate in 1985, after graduating from Florida State University and a series of jobs in insurance and sales. At Sha n non P roper t ie s, where Tombrink worked for seven years, he leased up the Ohio company’s regional portfolio. That led, in turn, to a job directing the leasing efforts throughout the Southeast for financial services firm USAA Real Estate. During his 11 years with the Texas-based company, Tom-
ment, investment and other services for landlords and investors from its quarters in the Morgan Stanley Tower in downtown St. Petersburg. “It seems to us that there’s a real void of local and even regional commercial real estate brokerages and service providers in the Tampa Bay area, and we plan to fill that,” says Cheri O’Neil, who opened the Studley Inc. — now Savills — office in Tampa in 2004 and had been a senior vice president with that firm. “Our vision is to reintroduce the personal service of a local or regional firm,” Shane O’Neil says. The O’Neils each have more than three decades of experience in the Tampa area commercial real estate business, representing such clients as Stonegate Mortgage, Feld Entertainment, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, TECO and law firm de la Parte & Gilbert. Four years ago, Cheri O’Neil represented Centauri Insurance in its site selection and development of a new
transactions |
brink oversaw an office of five and a portfolio that topped 3.2 million square feet. When USAA decided to phase out its internal leasing team, Tombrink joined commercial real estate brokerage Grubb & Ellis in Tampa as its managing director and executive vice president, overseeing 16 agents. From there he joined Equity Inc., another Ohio firm, which had big plans to develop in Tampa until the last decade’s economic recession took the proverbial wind from its sails. But the crisis brought opportunity in the form of Sembler, where Tombrink spent
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30,000-square-foot headquarters in Lakewood Ranch. The property and casualty insurer’s $9 million project was the largest new office deal in the Sarasota-Manatee submarket for all of 2016. “We plan to focus on the bricks and mortar of the commercial real estate
CHARLOTTE NONE
Buyer: Sorei LLC Seller: MGM Enterprise Address: 12065 Metro Parkway, Fort Myers Property Type: Warehouse Price: $1,225,000
Buyer: BMCK Inc. Seller: Circle K Stores Inc. Address: Not listed Property Type: Retail store Price: $1,204,265
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“I discovered they have a great platform in terms of branding, technology and marketing,” Tombrink says. “It’s a nice mousetrap. I was impressed.” Tombrink’s goal with the company is to both grow its bra nd recog n it ion a nd its number of agents, to more than double its current number a year from now, focusing first on retail agents and expanding to other sectors from there. “I t hin k for us to be at 10 to 14 agents wou ld be ideal,” Tombrink says. “To be successful, we’ll just have to be persistent.” — K.L. McQuaid
SHANE O’NEIL had been with Savills plc for more than a decade before co-founding ONeil Commercial Advisors.
business, not the process that often can hinder a larger corporation,” Cheri O’Neil says. “We can and will be more reactive to the needs of our clients. For instance, we now have the resources to handle the landlord side of the business and property management in house. We no
longer have to say no to that when asked.” The O’Neils, whose son, Ryan, also is interning at OCA, hope to have five additional brokers on board at the firm by mid-2021.
PINELLAS Buyer: 30328 Clearwater FL LLC Seller: 30328 Property LLC Address: 30328 U.S. Highway 19 N., Clearwater Property Type: Vacant commercial land Price: $4,220,000 Previous Price: $3,523,500, February 2013
Buyer: Schwartz Dalton Real Estate LLC Seller: Maxpak Inc. Address: 2808 New Tampa Highway, Lakeland Property Type: Commercial building Price: $2,500,000 Previous Price: $1,300,000, September 1998
Buyer: BMCK Inc. Seller: Circle K Stores Inc. Address: 24086 U.S. Highway 19 N., Clearwater Property Type: Retail store Price: $1,556,100 Previous Price: $600,000, December 2006
SARASOTA Buyer: Venice FL Senior Housing Propco LLC Seller: 1000 Aston Gardens Drive LLC Address: 1000 Aston Gardens Drive, Venice Property Type: Senior housing Price: $58,758,000 Previous Price: $69,385,700, November 2011 Buyer: Ozer Bros Sarasota LLC
BY STEVEN BENNA | CONTRIBUTOR
LEE Buyer: Danash LLC Seller: SB-Vets-1 LLC Address: Cape Coral Property Type: Commercial building Price: $4,000,000
Buyer: BMCK Inc. Seller: Circle K Stores Inc. Address: 3825 Tollgate Blvd., Naples Property Type: Retail store Price: $1,251,508 Previous Price: $1,725,000, December 2006
nine years as a vice president buying retail centers that had been singed, and sometimes scorched, by the downturn. By early 2018, there were few distressed assets to go after, though, and Tombrink left to join Kelly at Redstone Commercial as a senior vice president to focus on business development. Like USAA, though, Redstone ultimately pivoted to focus on internally generated development, leaving Tombrink without a clear direction. Last November, LandQwest’s founders called to say they were in the early stages of looking for a player/coach for Tampa.
CHERI O’NEIL had been with Savills plc in Tampa for more than 15 years.
DEEDS/MORTGAGES The following real estate transactions more than $1 million were filed in Charlotte, Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota county courthouses. The information lists the seller, buyer, amount of sale, previous price and date, mortgage and lender, if available, address and book and page of the document.
COLLIER Buyer: Naples FL Senior Housing Propco LLC Seller: 4800 Aston Gardens Way LLC Address: 4800 Aston Gardens Way, Naples Property Type: Senior housing Price: $60,356,000 Previous Price: $85,464,900, November 2015
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HILLSBOROUGH Buyer: Tampa FL Senior Housing Propco LLC Seller: 12951 W. Linebaugh Avenue LLC Address: 11702 Lake Aston Court, Tampa Property Type: Senior housing Price: $43,218,000 Buyer: Sun City Courtyard FL Senior Housing Propco LLC Seller: 231 Courtyard Boulevard LLC Address: 231 Courtyard Blvd., Ruskin Property Type: Senior housing Price: $36,849,000 Previous Price: $34,450,400, November 2015 Buyer: Sun City Center FL Senior Housing Propco LLC Seller: 1311 Aston Gardens Court LLC Address: 1311 Aston Gardens Court, Ruskin Property Type: Senior housing Price: $28,728,000 Previous Price: $36,676,000, November 2015
MANATEE Buyer: BMCK Inc. Seller: Circle K Stores Inc. Address: Not listed Property Type: Retail store Price: $1,638,851 PASCO Buyer: OFT Investments LLC Seller: Matrix LLC Address: 1515 Gunn Highway, Odessa Property Type: Warehouse Price: $1,840,000 Previous Price: $1,275,000, September 2008 Buyer: Urgent Care Developers of Trinity LLC Seller: Adam Smith Enterprises Inc. Address: Trinity Property Type: Vacant commercial land Price: $1,700,000
Buyer: Chiropractic Business Academy Inc. Seller: Alternative Portfolios LLC Address: Drew St., Clearwater Property Type: Vacant commercial land Price: $1,100,000 Previous Price: $675,000, April 2013 POLK Buyer: Meritage Homes of Florida Inc. Seller: HMD West LLC Address: Haines City Property Type: Vacant land Price: $3,465,000 Previous Price: $655,700, August 2017
Seller: Luis and Jo Ellen Hasbrouck Address: 2007 51st St., Sarasota Property Type: Warehouse Price: $2,000,000 Buyer: BMCK Inc. Seller: Circle K Stores Inc. Address: 1166 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey Property Type: Retail store Price: $1,483,800 Previous Price: $1,775,000, November 2006
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