Corporate Report: Nov. 1

Falls River Group hires GE exec as managing director
Naples-based mergers and acquisitions advisory firm Falls River Group LLC has hired John Rowell as its managing director.

Rowell has more than 20 years of finance experience, including 12 years in mergers and acquisitions with General Electric. At GE he initially focused on technology and sourcing. Most recently, Rowell led the M&A Group at GE Aviation, including the $5 billion acquisition of Smiths Aerospace.

Sabadell Bank & Trust promotes new S.W. Florida president
Miami-based Sabadell Bank & Trust has promoted Scott Kellett to regional president of Southwest Florida. He will oversee private banking, wealth management and fiduciary services within the Naples, Fort Myers and Sarasota markets.

Kellett joined Sabadell in 2010 and has more than 18 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to his promotion, Kellett served as the executive vice president and market executive for Southwest Florida and led the initiative to open Sabadell Bank & Trust's Naples office two years ago.

Sabadell United Bank has 23 locations throughout the state, serving more than 40,000 clients, and is the fifth-largest bank in Florida by deposits.

Burger 21 Signs franchise deal for Tempe, Ariz., and Pompano Beach
Tampa-based Burger 21 announced it signed new deals for the development of new restaurants in Pompano Beach and in Tempe, Ariz. Dan Lenhauser, who recently became Burger 21's first Arizona franchisee, has agreed to develop a second restaurant in the Phoenix market. Earlier this year, Lenhauser signed a franchise agreement to bring Burger 21 to Chandler, Ariz., marking the company's first restaurant to be developed in the West. The Chandler restaurant is expected to open in mid-2014 followed by the Tempe restaurant in 2015.

First-time franchisees John and Brandi Porter plan to open their first Burger 21 restaurant in Pompano Beach.

To date, Burger 21 has nine open locations and 18 franchised restaurants in development across the country.

Business Insurance Magazine names Alltrust fourth-best place to work
Palm Harbor-based employee benefits and services firm Alltrust Insurance Inc. was named one of the Best Places to Work in Insurance by Business Insurance Magazine. Alltrust ranked fourth out of 65 companies nationwide.

The fifth annual Best Places to Work Insurance list appears in the October issue of Business Insurance Magazine.

General Dynamics awarded contract from S.O.C.O.M for transportable vehicles
The U.S. Special Operations Command has awarded General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in St. Petersburg a contract for transportable vehicles. The three-year contract is for up to 10 vehicles, with integration and logistical support and training. The total value of the contract is $5.8 million if all options are exercised.
General Dynamics' Flyer is a modular vehicle that can travel over severe, rugged and restrictive terrain in all types of weather and can be transported using a V-22 Osprey aircraft. The Flyer ITV can be reconfigured in the field using modular parts and can be used for a variety of combat and humanitarian efforts including light assault, search and rescue, command and control and reconnaissance missions.
The ranking, which involved months of in-depth evaluation, was created using a confidential employee survey and an employer questionnaire. Business Insurance Magazine considered U.S. public or private companies with more than 25 employees. The survey measured workplace experience, company culture, benefit programs and corporate policies.

Alltrust was the only employee benefits firm in Florida to be recognized.

Tech Data Corp. receives stay of stock trading suspension from NASDAQ
Clearwater-based Tech Data Corp. has received a letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC stating that its Listing Qualifications Panel has granted the company's request to continue trading its common stock until a final determination hearing is held. The hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 7.

At the hearing, the company says it will request additional time to satisfy the current financial filings requirement for NASDAQ listing. The panel typically issues decisions within 30 days of the hearing date.

Wittenberg Weiner president honored in D.C.
Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), the nation's largest bipartisan women's business group, recognized Tampa business leader Lauren Weiner, president and founder of Wittenberg Weiner Consulting LLC, with the Member to Watch Award. The award recognizes a WIPP member who has taken a leadership role in elevating the voice of women business owners in the national public policy arena. It was presented at WIPP's annual leadership conference in Washington, D.C.

Wittenberg Weiner Consulting serves as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies. Weiner founded the firm when she had difficulties securing a job as a military spouse.

Weiner, who was a Business Observer 40 under 40 winner this year, is also one of the founders of In Gear Career, a non-profit organization serving professionally driven military spouses. She currently serves as chairwoman of the board.