Corporate report

Silicon Valley Data Science buys piece of Health Integrated
Tampa-based Health Integrated announced a new strategic partnership with specialty consulting firm Silicon Valley Data Science. The new relationship includes a strategic investment by Silicon Valley Data Science in Health Integrated.

Silicon Valley Data Science has been doing consultant working for Health Integrated since March 2014 to help shape the Tampa firm's data architecture. The result was a cloud-based software system that extracts insights from incoming insurance claims data to determine if a client is eligible to have his claim paid. Health Integrated credits Silicon Valley Data Science particularly with adding tools to the system such as Apache Hadoop, a programming framework that supports the processing of large data sets.

“From that, they became big fans of what we were doing in the health care space,” says Health Integrated's Senior Vice President of Technology and Information Strategy G. Francisco Perin. “They became more interested in getting involved with us. What this means is we will have a much tighter working relationship, so we can use their resources to evolve our data model much more rapidly.”

Perin declined to disclose the amount of the investment, but says that Silicon Valley Data Science did not gain any leadership positions with the company.

The two companies are now focusing on adding a wider range of claims analysis to the system to detect patterns, including those related to costs, high-risk individuals and fraud.

Tampa Electric solar plant planned for Apollo Beach
Tampa Electric, a subsidiary of Tampa-based TECO Energy (symbol: TE; recent price: $21.77), plans to build the largest solar project in the Tampa Bay area. The 25-megawatt facility will feature more than 70,000 solar panels on 125 acres of company-owned land at the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach. The project is scheduled for completion next year.

When it is built, the project will have the capacity to generate enough energy to power more than 3,500 homes.
“With this project, we will have invested more than $50 million in solar since 2000,” Gordon Gillette, president of Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas, says in a press release. “We're pleased to be able to demonstrate our commitment to providing our customers with more renewable energy by taking advantage of declining solar system prices and the land we own at Big Bend.”

The Big Bend installation is the second large-scale solar project being built by Tampa Electric. The first, a 2-megawatt facility at Tampa International Airport, is under construction on the top floor of the airport's south economy parking garage. That project is scheduled for completion later this year and will produce enough electricity to power up to 250 homes.

Residential Acoustics moves to Cypress manufacturing building
Residential Acoustics, a 13-person Tampa Bay Technology Incubator company, has moved from the CEO's house to an about 3,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at 1519 W. Cypress St. Tampa.

“The new location will allow fast turnaround for larger commercial orders within the construction property management and hotel industries,” Walker Peek, CEO of Residential Acoustics, says in a press release.

Residential Acoustics designs, manufactures and sells soundproofing curtains and door coverings.

Gateway Bank CEO receives Distinguished Alumni award
Shaun Merriman, president and CEO of Sarasota's Gateway Bank of Southwest Florida, received the 2015 Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Merriman was one of two recipients of the Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award. The award recognizes professional achievement and distinguished service to the community, state or nation.

Merriman graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 1985 with a degree in business finance.

Nicopure Labs hires Philip Morris exec as chief compliance officer
Nicopure Labs LLC, a Trinity-based e-liquid and vaping device manufacturer, has appointed Patricia Kovacevic its general counsel and chief compliance officer.

Kovacevic held senior legal and compliance positions at Philip Morris International, Lorillard and ITG Brands. She was instrumental in securing the first-ever premarket approvals for newly regulated tobacco products by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

In her new position, Kovacevic will be responsible for the company's global legal affairs, regulatory and compliance matters, as well as public policy engagement.