Corporate Report: January 11

Big Truck Rental promotes new president
Tampa-based refuse truck rental business Big Truck Rental LLC has promoted Robert Mecchi to president of the company as part of its two-year business growth transition plan.

Mecchi, an 11-year veteran in the waste industry, served as president of Perkins Manufacturing prior to joining Big Truck Rental in 2010 as vice president of business development. He is the current chairman of the Waste Equipment Technology Association (WASTEC) Board of Governors.
The company says Mecchi was instrumental in forging its new current relationship with Heil, a garbage-truck body manufacturer.

“The past two years have really presented some challenges in terms of our economy — as well as the dynamics within the refuse rental market segment,” Scott Dols, owner and CEO of Big Truck Rental, says in a press release. “Robert has done a fantastic job in developing and executing a comprehensive plan that puts Big Truck Rental on a solid growth trajectory.”

Big Truck Rental is one of the companies under the umbrella of Trucks.com, a multi-faceted business that offers new trucks, used reconditioned trucks, truck parts, rental trucks and route-ready trucks through many well-known Web-driven store fronts, such as Trucks and Parts of Tampa, and RouteReadyTrucks.com.

Fort Myers's Yippy buying research firm HighBeam
Fort Myers-based Yippy Inc. reached an asset purchase agreement with The Gale Group Inc., to purchase all of the assets related to the HighBeam Research and HighBeam Business products.

HighBeam Research is an information service with access to content from thousands of newspapers, magazines, academic journals, newswires, trade magazines and encyclopedias. HighBeam Business was developed to help businesses access HighBeam's proprietary software and publication database, including industry reports, company profiles and contact information.

Yippy says the acquisition will reinforce its position as a research-oriented search engine and will provide access to thousands of credible, professional, published sources.

“Yippy wants to provide its users with the best and most trusted tools to educate themselves on the Web,” Edward Noel, Yippy's CEO, says in a press release. “With our clustering search technology and Highbeam's extensive archive, we believe this will take us to the next step in becoming the featured destination for online research and learning.”

Massachusetts Instant Oil Change buying Fort Myers quick lube stores
Metrolube Enterprises Inc., a Massachusetts-based Valvoline Instant Oil Change franchise, purchased 39 quick lube stores in central and southern Florida from Southern Express Lubes. The purchase covered 37 Mobil 1 Lube Express sites and two Shell Rapid Lube oil change service centers. The stores, located predominantly in Fort Myers, Orlando, Palm Beach and Miami, will be rebranded under the Valvoline Instant Oil Change banner over the next two months.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition brings Metrolube's total store count to 55, with 50 of those stores in Florida.

“Florida is a great market for us, and this acquisition provides us the opportunity to fill in the market with an industry-leading combination of service, selection and value to Florida drivers,” Bob Ladas, owner of Metrolube Enterprises, says in a press release.

The purchase is one of the largest ever made by a Valvoline Instant Oil Change franchisee.

Brown & Brown subsidiary buying Gilbert RV Insurance assets
Brown & Brown of Kentucky Inc., a subsidiary of Daytona Beach- and Tampa-based Brown & Brown Inc., has acquired many of the assets of Orlando's Gilbert RV Insurance Inc. and Recreation Insurance Management Inc. (collectively known as Gilbert RV Insurance).

Founded in 1992, Gilbert RV Insurance provides personal lines, property and casualty insurance products and warranty products for RVs, trailers, boats, motorcycles and other power sport vehicles. Gilbert RV Insurance had combined annual revenues of $2.4 million.
Following the sale, Gilbert RV Insurance's operations will operate as a branch location of Brown & Brown's recreational vehicle division.

“The acquisition of Gilbert RV Insurance, along with our prior acquisitions of RV America and Reed Brothers, allows Brown & Brown's recreational vehicle division to become the preeminent supplier of personal lines and commercial insurance products to the RV, auto, marine and power sport industries,” Scott Penny, regional president and chief acquisitions officer of Brown & Brown Inc., says in a press release.

As Seen On TV, eDiets hire CeeLo Green as brand ambassador
Clearwater's As Seen On TV Inc. and CeeLo Green (whose real name is Thomas DeCarlo Callaway) have entered into a strategic partnership. The entertainer will be the brand ambassador for eDiets.com Inc., a pending acquisition of As Seen On TV Inc. Green will use the program's fresh, diet meal delivery service as he attempts to lose weight.

As the brand ambassador for eDiets, Green will work collaboratively with the company to develop and launch a marketing plan.

eDiets is a provider of personalized nutrition, fitness and weight-loss programs. Its diet meal delivery service is sold directly to members on its website, eDiets.com.

Green will receive an initial fee, a royalty and warrants to purchase shares of As Seen On TV common stock. The license agreement is for a minimum of two years.

Green is a singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor. Initially, he came to prominence as a member of the southern hip hop group Goodie Mob, later launching a critically acclaimed solo career and forming Gnarls Barkley with Danger Mouse. On Feb. 27, Green will debut the stage show “LOBERACE” at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.