Corporate report

Marriott names Epicurean Hotel Opening of the Year
The Epicurean Hotel in Tampa was recently named Marriott International's “Opening of the Year” for 2013. The recognition is based on a set of criteria and guiding principles, including adherence to the opening team plan, opening on time, communicating with the Marriott team and incorporating Marriott culture into the hotel's concept.

“The Epicurean serves as a shining example of how to successfully plan and execute a new build Autograph Collection hotel, by designing a one-of-a-kind destination for connoisseurs of food and wine,” Kip Vreeland, chief officer of full service franchising for Marriott International, says in a press release.

The Epicurean in the Hyde Park district also secured the third spot in Conde Nast Traveler's 2014 Reader's Choice Awards for “Best Hotels in Florida.”

Lakewood Ranch's iHeart Repair merging with Jupiter repair firm
MTech Repair of Jupiter and iHeart Repair of Lakewood Ranch have merged. The two regional centers repair and refurbish mobile phones, tablets, computers and other devices.

“Both MTech Repair on Florida's east coast and iHeart Repair on Florida's west coast are experiencing significant growth and are leaders in their respective communities,” says Anthony Fernandez,
general manager for both locations. “We will be even stronger and better together as we expand our onsite home and business service, online repair and sales programs and technical support.”

Both company brands will be retained. MTech Repair, founded in 2012, will expand its operations to Sarasota and operate as an affiliate of the iHeart Repair Network, with an eye toward adding additional
repair centers in the near future.

Joshua Muccio, who founded iHeart Repair in 2010, will lead the company's online marketing initiatives supporting the national and local expansions.
iHeart Repair is located in San Marco Plaza in Lakewood Ranch.

Raymond James named Investment Bank of the Year
The Raymond James Investment Banking practice was named the USA M&A Investment Bank of the Year by Global M&A Network at its annual Americas M&A Atlas Awards gala. Raymond James Investment Banking won a total of three awards at the gala in New York City. In addition to being named the top US M&A investment bank, Raymond James Investment Banking won Financial Tech & Services Deal of the Year and Industrials Deal of the Year.

Amzur Technologies releases Energy Dashboard
Amzur Technologies Inc., a Tampa-based business consulting and IT services company, has released eNOS, an open source, cloud-based energy dashboard that displays energy use data in real-time.
The eNOS Dashboard uses standard Web browsers and a cloud-based database to provide real-time, detailed insight into energy consumption. The system can compare energy costs by load type (HVAC, lighting, and equipment) and usage levels (kWh and cost per square foot) across multiple locations and facilities.

eNOS is already providing real-time data for a small, mixed-use five building campus in the Historic Green Village in Anna Maria.

Vir-Sec moving HQ, lab to Clearwater, investigating sites
Software development firm Vir-Sec Inc. is moving its corporate headquarters and research and development lab to Clearwater. The company says it is currently looking for a location.

Vir-Sec says it has three employees working virtually from Clearwater, in addition to its current employees, who will be relocating to the area. Vir-Sec maintains facilities in Belleair Bluffs, Millersville, Md. and Reston, Va.

The company says it is currently hiring IT personnel to work virtually until it opens the new office.

Lufthansa offering Frankfurt flights at TIA
Lufthansa has added five-day-a-week, non-stop air service from Frankfurt to Tampa International Airport. Tampa International is the first airport on Florida's west coast to offer the service.

“This is a huge win for the Tampa Bay region,” Joe Lopano, CEO of Tampa International Airport, says in a statement.

Frankfurt is the largest of Lufthansa's five hubs and offers connections to more than 145 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The service will operate using the 298-seat Airbus A340-300. It will leave the Frankfurt at 11 a.m. and arrive in Tampa at 3:50 p.m. after a roughly 11-hour flight. The return flight will leave Tampa at 5:20 p.m. and arrive in Frankfurt at 8:45 a.m. the following day.