Corporate Report: Oct. 11

WellCare Health Plans providing Medicaid in seven regions
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration has recommended Tampa-based WellCare Health Plans Inc.'s Staywell Health Plan provide managed care services to Medicaid recipients in seven of the state's 11 regions as part of the state's managed medical assistance (MMA) program.

The award will give WellCare the opportunity to serve Floridians eligible for the MMA program in the Tallahassee, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando and Miami areas. Some 2.2 million Medicaid beneficiaries are expected to enroll in the program in the regions WellCare was recommended to serve.

“WellCare has served the Florida Medicaid program for more than 19 years, and we look forward to being part of this new and exciting model for helping the state's residents lead better, healthier lives,” Alec Cunningham, CEO of WellCare, says in a press release.

As of June 30, WellCare served 394,000 Medicaid members, 84,000 Florida Healthy Kids members, 79,000 Medicare Advantage plan members and 39,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in Florida.

Trenam Kemker law firm promotes five attorneys to shareholder
Trenam Kemker has elected five of its attorneys to be shareholders of the firm. Paul Bain, Douglass Farnsworth, Alicia Koepke, Stephanie Crane Lieb and Lindsay Patrick Lopez have all been promoted to shareholders in Trenam Kemker's Tampa office. Bain was previously senior counsel at the firm; the remaining four attorneys were associates.

“These attorneys have established themselves as leaders both within the industries they serve and within our firm,” J. Eric “Tate” Taylor, chairman of the executive board at Trenam Kemker, says in a press release. “Their philosophy on client service and commitment to legal excellence is consistent with our core values, and we are pleased to announce their elevation as shareholders.”

Bain founded and managed his own firm before joining Trenam Kemker in 2011. He represents large and small land and business owners in eminent domain and property rights litigation.

Farnsworth's practice focuses on employee benefits and compensation, including health care.

Koepke, who also joined the firm in 2006, is a commercial litigator and employment attorney.

Lieb joined Trenam Kemker in 2008, and represents clients involved in bankruptcy, creditors' rights and insolvency matters.

Since joining the firm as an associate in 2006, Lopez has gained experience as both a transactional lawyer and litigator. She serves clients involved in bankruptcy and business reorganizations, as well as commercial litigation.

Tropicana names SMR Farms a Grower of the Year
SMR Farms, the agriculture division of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch Inc., was selected as a Tropicana Grower of the Year for the 2012-2013 citrus harvesting season. This is the fifth year in a row that SMR Farms has received the distinction from Tropicana Products Inc.

The award is based on fruit quality, load quality, fruit variety mix and agribusiness management. The management practices component of the award looks at harvesting methods, grove practices, labor programs and commitment to agricultural sustainability.

SMR Farms currently is partnering with Tropicana on a multi-year citrus fertilization project aimed at comparing traditional fertilizers with low-carbon-footprint products.

“In spite of the very real and difficult challenges we face in the citrus industry, our production team continues to do a great job,” SMR Farms PresidentMac Carraway says in a press release.

Other growers receiving the award include Lykes Brothers Inc., Sun Grown Citrus Inc. and Sunny South Packing Co. Inc.

Two Tech Data execs named to CRN's list
Two Tech Data Corp. executives: Greg Banning, vice president of SMB (small and medium-sized business) sales and general manager for Costa Rica operations; and Bharath Natarajan, the company's director of product marketing, TDCloud and software services, have been named by CRN Magazine to the 2013 100 People You Don't Know But Should list.

Chosen by the CRN editorial staff with input from vendor, distribution, and solution provider executives, the list recognizes people who are out of the spotlight, but have a demonstrable impact on vendor channel strategies, initiatives and programs.

Banning rejoined Clearwater-based Tech Data in April 2011. Over the past year, he oversaw the introduction of TDPrioritySMB, a dedicated program for SMB resellers designed to provide them with specialized sales support, services and credit options that help them profitably grow their business.

Natarajan was named director, TDCloud and Software Services in June 2012. In this role, he is responsible for the strategic direction of Tech Data's TDCloud business unit, focused on Tech Data's Cloud offerings.

The 100 People You Don't Know But Should list is featured in the September issue of CRN Magazine and online at crn.com.

Axiologix signs $5 million credit line with TCA Global Credit Master Fund
Sarasota-based Axiologix Inc. has received $5 million in financing from TCA Global Credit Master Fund LP for operating capital and to fund acquisitions. The company has borrowed $250,000 so far from the new credit line. It used a portion of the money for debit payments and transaction fees, and has retained $157,000 of that amount to use for existing operations. As a condition of the credit line, Axiologix has agreed to register its common stock with the Securities and Exchange Commission in an over-the-counter market filing.

First National Bank CEO joins Florida Bankers Association council
The Florida Bankers Association has appointed Gary Tice, chairman and CEO of Naples-based First National Bank of the Gulf Coast, as a member of its Government Relations Council. The Government Relations Council is the association's committee for legislative and regulatory policies. The Government Relations Council has 60 members who discuss and make recommendations on issues facing the banking industry and sends those recommendations to the FBA Board for final decision.