Corporate report

Pavese Law Firm partner named to American Farm Bureau committee
Katherine English, a partner with the Pavese Law Firm's Fort Myers office, was selected to serve a one-year term on the American Farm Bureau Federation's Issue Advisory Committee on Environmental Regulations. The American Farm Bureau Federation lobbies on behalf of agricultural communities.

As a member of the Issue Advisory Committee on Environmental Regulations, English will work to make recommendations on issues of air quality, water quality and endangered species.

Before entering law school, English worked as a field representative for a citrus growers' cooperative, and she continues to be involved in her family's farming operations.

Hertz hires Walgreens Boots Alliance exec as chief administrative officer, general counsel
Tom Sabatino Jr. has been named senior executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel for Naples-based Hertz Global Holdings Inc. (symbol: HTZ; recent price: $21.85). The appointment will be effective Feb. 9.

Sabatino will oversee the company's legal, compliance, human resources, labor relations, communications, government affairs, community relations, real estate, facilities and security operations.

He joins Hertz from the Walgreens Boots Alliance, where he served most recently as executive vice president of global legal and chief administrative officer. He has also served as executive vice president and general counsel at United Airlines and Schering-Plough as well as general counsel at Baxter International and American Medical International.

Oxis International subsidiary licensing cancer therapies, hires consultant
Oxis Biotech Inc., a subsidiary of Tampa-based Oxis International Inc. (symbol: OXIS; recent price: $0.025), reached a definitive licensing agreement for several potential therapies for the white blood cell cancer multiple myeloma. The company reached an agreement to develop and commercialize the therapies and created a consulting agreement with University of Pittsburgh Professor Dr. Xiang-Qun(Sean)Xie.

Xie joins Oxis Biotech as a consultant and member of the science advisory board to further develop the assets licensed to Oxis Biotech Inc.

“Oxis is honored to have Dr. Xie and his patented technology as an integral part of our strategy to develop high-valued patented assets for the treatment of multiple myeloma,” Oxis CEO Tony Cataldo says in a press release. “I wanted to leverage Dr. Xie's significant experience and technologies, much the same way I did when I acquired highly valued patents from the NCI for stage-four melanoma from the National Cancer Institute to form Lion Biotechnologies Inc.”

National Forensic Science Technology Center receives Marine Corps contract
The U.S. Marine Corps awarded National Forensic Science Technology Center in Largo a multimillion dollar contract. Under this contract, the center will provide training and logistics support for the Marines.

The Expeditionary Forensics Exploitation Capability (EFEC) contract will pay the Largo facility more than $1.9 million in the first year. The contract also contains an optional second year for more than $2.5 million to continue providing training and support to more Marine Corps members. The full contract is valued at nearly $4.5 million.

The National Forensic Science Technology Center will be responsible for creating and teaching a specialized training course focused in digital, biometric, chemical, explosive, photography and latent print analysis.

“These tools and techniques have been used domestically for decades in law enforcement,” National Forensic Science Technology Center CEO Kevin Lothridge says in a press release. “But now, it's imperative to equip our servicemen and women for new approaches in homeland security, and these tools and techniques will help them be successful.”
NFSTC has provided training for domestic and military law enforcement since 2008. The facility boasts a 41,000-square-foot warehouse, DNA and chemistry laboratories and classrooms.

Sarasota's Bob Carter Cos. adds San Roman as Latin America director
Bob Carter Cos. LLC, a Sarasota-based philanthropic and fundraising consulting service, has hired Deborah San Roman to serve as director for Latin America. San Roman, who has lived in Mexico for 45 years, has 32 years of experience in improving the management and sustainability of nonprofit organizations in Latin America. She is one of three professionals in Mexico who hold the Certified Fundraising Executive credential.

Carter has provided fundraising assistance to nonprofit education, health care and social service organizations in the United States, Europe and Mexico, including Casa de la Amistad and the American School Foundation in Mexico City, UP-IPADE (Universidad Panamericana IPADE Business School) and UDEM (Universidad de Monterrey).

Imortgage opens branch in Sarasota
Imortgage, a retail mortgage lender and a division of loanDepot LLC, has opened its Sarasota location. This is the third of three new branch locations to open in the Southwest Florida over the past five months. Matt McCain is Imortgage's area-branch manager in Southwest Florida. The firm operates more than 85 local branches nationwide.