Corporate Report

Corporate Report

Former Wild Oats CEO Mays

to lead Source Interlink Cos.

corporate report by Sean Roth | Real Estate Editor

Greg Mays has been appointed chairman and CEO of Bonita Springs-based Source Interlink Cos. Inc.

"I am very pleased that Greg was elected CEO of Source Interlink," Ron Burkle, managing partner of Yucaipa Cos., an investment firm with a significant holding in Source Interlink, said in a press release. "Greg has the perfect combination of leadership and business development skills needed here. His record of managing successful companies for Yucaipa speaks for itself, and the vision he has set for the future of Source confirms my confidence in the value of this investment."

Mays has been on Source Interlink's board of directors since February 2005 and has served as chairman of the company's compensation and corporate governance committees and as a member of the audit committee. He is also currently director of Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc. and Simon Worldwide Inc.

Prior to joining Source Interlink, Mays served as chairman and CEO of Wild Oats Market until it was acquired by Whole Foods Market Inc. late last year. Previously, he consulted for private equity organizations on retail industry and related areas and held a number of senior executive positions in the supermarket retail industry.

Source Interlink Cos., a $2.2-billion media and marketing services company operating in 25 states, is one of the largest publishers of magazines and online content for enthusiast audiences and is also a distributor of home entertainment products.

CPC of America picks BC Tech

to make new medical devices

CPC of America Inc., a Sarasota-based company focused on developing therapeutic devices for use in endovascular procedures, has selected BC Tech to manufacture the MedClose vascular closure system, an extravascular puncture-closure device with a biological sealant used for diagnostic and interventional cardiovascular procedures.

CPC plans to fill a global market need for a safe, reliable, wound- closure system that reduces the time it takes for bleeding to stop and facilitates easier reexamination of wounds if necessary plus faster recovery and return to full movement.

BC Tech will also build prototypes of larger-caliber devices for potential use in percutaneous (needle-puncture surgical) procedures. Initially, BC Tech will manufacture MedClose systems on a limited basis and is not expected to start large-scale manufacturing until the company has obtained commercial approvals.

"We look forward to working with BC Tech to leverage its experience in the successful design, development, and commercial manufacturing of medical devices," Rod Shipman, chairman and CEO of CPC of America, said in a press release. "By building prototypes, BC Tech also will assist us in our strategy to expand the potential applications of the MedClose system to meet other vascular closure needs and, thereby, our opportunities for broader commercialization success."

With a specialized facility in Santa Cruz, Calif., BC Tech is an ISO-certified medical and biotech device manufacturer. It has previously provided devices for Artemis, SurgRx and Aceuity.

Orthopedic Development Corp.

files suit against ex-distributor

Orthopedic Development Corp., Clearwater-based TruFUSE spinal surgery system company, is suing NuTech Medical Inc., charging it with infringing both the patent and trade dress for a drill guide.

ODC filed the suit, as well as a motion for a preliminary injunction, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleging that the design of NuTech Medical Inc.'s NuFix drill is "substantially" the same as its patented product.

The suit stems from an earlier deal in which NuTech agreed to sell ODC's surgery systems in specific states. ODC argues in its suit that a day after that distribution contract expired, NuTech started selling its own version of the allograft product.

The complaint describes the patented instrument as "an elongated hollow metal tube with a handle at one end and a number of teeth, including two large opposed teeth, at the opposite end."

The drill guide is part of a system used to treat facet-joint (joints near the vertebrae) or degenerative back problems such as osteoarthritis. According to the suit, the drill guide allows surgeons to position the drill in the proper vertebrae area during treatment procedures.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued the patent for the drill guide, No. D574495, on Aug. 8. According to the suit, ODC makes and markets the surgery system through minSURG, a wholly owned subsidiary.

A separate suit in the Middle District of Florida, filed by ODC in February, accuses NuTech of theft of trade secrets and breach of contract. ODC is being represented by Holland & Knight LLP and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP. NuTech is being represented by Burr & Forman LLP.

MIVA reaches content deal

with AccuWeather.com

MIVA Direct Inc., the toolbar, home page and content division of Fort Myers-based digital media and advertising company MIVA Inc., has selected AccuWeather.com to be the exclusive provider of weather-related content for MIVA's Alot toolbar and home page brands.

"I believe this new agreement is a good illustration of our strategy for developing and monetizing the Alot toolbar and home page brand," Peter Corrao, MIVA's president and CEO, said in a press release. "We have worked with a website that is a leader in its vertical to develop a free-to- install, interactive widget that we believe will enhance user experience and generate a new revenue stream for Alot."

MIVA has also designed and built an AccuWeather.com-branded weather widget. It can be customized according to a user's location and displays a detailed, two-day weather forecast as well as a five-day outlook. The new widget is hosted and promoted on Alot's newly launched online widget site Alot Buttons. Consumers browsing the site can now add the new weather widget to their Alot Toolbar or home page.

The AccuWeather.com agreement follows the launch earlier this month of Alot's new, fully customizable, toolbar and home page products Alot Toolbar and Alot Home. There are currently 3.2 million active Alot Toolbar users and MIVA Direct's home pages currently generate more than 70 million page views per month.

MIVA is focused on its growing portfolio of consumer destination sites and interest-specific toolbars, through its MIVA Direct division; and running a third-party contextual pay-per-click ad network

Etc...

Brown & Brown Inc.

increases dividend

Tampa- and Daytona Beach-based Brown & Brown Inc. reports that its board of directors voted to increase its quarterly cash dividend rate to 7.5 cents per share, a 7.1% increase from the current rate of seven cents per share, with the first payment at the new dividend rate to be made on Nov. 19 to shareholders of record on Nov. 5.

Brown & Brown Inc. and its subsidiaries offer a broad range of insurance and reinsurance products along with risk management, third-party administration, managed health care, and Medicare set-aside services and programs.

Concession club rated ninth

in Golfweek's top 100 list

The Concession Golf and Country Club in Bradenton was ranked as the ninth-best residential course in the United States in Golfweek magazine's recent list of the top 100 residential golf courses.

The Concession joined two other Jack Nicklaus golf courses in the magazine's top ten Castle Pines in Castle Rock, Colo., in second place, and Mayacama in Santa Rosa, Calif., in third place.

Sarasota CVB picks Rocca for

German, Scandinavian outreach

The Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau, the county's official tourism marketing entity, has signed an agreement with Yvon Rocca, owner of Holiday & Sun Travel, to market Sarasota County as a tourist destination to the German and Scandinavian markets.

Rocca, who resides in Berlin, will be working with tour operators, travel agents and media and will also handle visitor information requests and brochure distribution.

Rocca represented Sarasota County for six years prior to the attacks on September 11, 2001, which caused a large reduction in the bureau's marketing budget. Rocca also represents Manatee County and the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

Walter Industries board to

issue new quarterly dividend

The board of directors for Tampa-based Walter Industries Inc. has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 10 cents per common share, payable on Dec. 5 to shareholders of record at the close of business on Nov. 7.

Walter Industries is a producer and exporter of metallurgical coal for the steel industry and also produces steam coal, coal bed methane gas, furnace and foundry coke and other related products. The company also operates a mortgage financing and affordable homebuilding business.

Fifth Third picks Call to head

S. Florida bank operations

Cincinnati-based Fifth Third Bancorp announced that David Call has been named president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank, South Florida. Call previously held the same positions for Fifth Third Bank, Ohio Valley.

Call began his career at Fifth Third Bank in July 2002 as vice president and regional commercial market manager of the bank's Ohio Valley affiliate. He completed numerous commercial and retail banking assignments before being promoted to president and CEO in 2005. His most recent efforts included leading the integration of First Charter Bank, further diversifying the bank's footprint and guiding its entry into fast-growing southeastern metropolitan markets.

"In addition to his relevant experience, David has the background, motivation and commitment to position the South Florida affiliate for continued success in the future," Terry Zink, executive vice president and head of affiliate administration, said in a press release. "He has provided excellent service for Fifth Third Bank and I have the utmost confidence in David as he undertakes this role."

Former West Virginia Governor Bob Wise appointed Call to the board of Job Investment Trust. He is also a member of the executive committee for A Vision Shared's Tax Modernization. He is a board member and past president of the ProTec Group Inc. and serves on the board of the West Virginia Golf Charities, Huntington Area Development Corp. and West Virginia Roundtable.

RK

Illum Productions to provide animation for "9 to 5" show

Sarasota-based animation and visual effects studio Illum Productions has been chosen by Peter Nigrini Design Studios of New York to create 2D and 3D animation for the Broadway run of "9 to 5: The Musical."

The production features an original score by Dolly Parton and is directed by Joe Mantello, formerly of "Wicked."

Illum Productions will animate a fantasy sequence in which the musical character Violet Newstead dreams that she is Snow White singing to bluebirds while demolishing the castle of the evil Franklin Hart Jr.

The show recently finished a six-week run at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and will head to the Marquis Theatre on Broadway in April.

L-3 to provide flight recording systems for Airbus

L-3 Aviation Recorders, the Sarasota division of New York City-based L-3 Communications, has been selected to supply flight recording systems, including cockpit voice and flight data recorders and accelerometers, for the Airbus A350 XWB.

"This significant win demonstrates the confidence that Airbus has in L-3 as well as their unwavering commitment to equip its aircraft with the best recording technology possible," Bruce Coffey, president of L-3 Aviation Recorders, said in a press release.

The recording system to be provided for the A350 XWB will be developed largely from the L-3 system that is used in Airbus A380 aircraft.

L-3 introduced its first, commercial, solid-state, flight data recorder in 1989 and has since become one of the aerospace industry's leading manufacturers of flight recorders.

The crash-protected L-3 recorders, better known as "black boxes," provide investigators reliable aircraft information from the period of time that precedes an accident.

British gas grill maker moves

U.S. division to Sarasota

Cinders Slimfold LLC has relocated its United States sales and marketing division to Sarasota. The 25-year-old British company designs and manufactures folding gas grills for the commercial rental, restaurant and outdoor professional markets.

"We have done business in Florida for many years," Karen Swift, company executive director, said in a press release. "The fact that Florida provides a selling season opposite of our European market led us towards making Florida our home state. Our attorneys in Tampa suggested we take a look at Sarasota and its charms. I was charmed and impressed, so we stayed."

Cinders Slimfold received relocation assistance from the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County, helping the company to identify a Realtor and ultimately select an office on Main Street in downtown Sarasota.