Corporate report

GRILLiT reaches deal with franchisee for Tampa restaurant
Miami-based Latin-Caribbean fusion restaurant firm GRILLiT Inc. (symbol: GRLT; recent price: $0.01) reached a franchise agreement with Greg Mitchell to create a GRILLiT restaurant in Tampa. Mitchell is still in the process of securing the location, which is expected to be in the Trinity area of northwest Tampa.

“We are delighted to add a new franchisee in the state of Florida,” Ghazi Hajj, GRILLiT CEO, says in a press release. “I believe he is in an ideal area for our brand of fast-casual, healthy dining.”
The new Tampa franchisee expects to secure the location within the next several weeks, with the goal of launching the restaurant in the third quarter.

GRILLiT opened its first location in Miami in 2011. It specializes in rice bowls, pastas and wraps as well as salads.

Intrepid Powerboats and Carmel Kitchen and Wine Bar hire Tampa ad agency EraserFarm
Tampa creative and strategy-based agency, EraserFarm, was selected as the agency of record for Intrepid Powerboats and Carmel Kitchen and Wine Bar. EraserFarm will provide each client with strategic and brand planning, social media management and creative development.

Hertz Equipment Rental expands with Sanford facility
Hertz Equipment Rental Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Naples' The Hertz Corp., has opened a new location in Sanford to serve northern Orlando, Daytona Beach and the surrounding area. The 27,000-square-foot facility provides rental equipment to support road and general construction as well as earth moving, environmental and aerial-related projects.

“Florida is an exciting market for us, especially given the steady comeback of its construction industry,” Robert Cowing, Hertz Equipment Rental's division vice president for sales in North America, says in a press release. “We opened our new Sanford location to support our expanding operations in Orlando.... ”

The new location, at 1501 W. First St., Sanford, will also offer training, equipment services, parts and 24-hour emergency service.

Hertz Equipment Rental has about 340 locations in the United States, Canada, China, France, Spain and Saudi Arabia in addition to international licensees.

Computer security firm Malwarebytes locates new office in Clearwater

Prominent anti-malware/virus company Malwarebytes has opened a new office in Clearwater. The company provides software to protect consumers and businesses from advanced computer security threats. Founded in 2008, Malwarebytes is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and operates another office in the Republic of Estonia.

Skyway Capital Partners brokers sale of InStep to Schneider Electric
Skyway Capital Partners, a Tampa-based investment-banking firm, handled the sale of InStep Software LLC, an industrial big data company, to Schneider Electric SE.

Headquartered in Chicago, InStep offers real-time performance management and predictive analytics software products.

“We felt InStep's eDNA software strongly complemented Schneider Electric's Wonderware Historian software, and similarly believed that InStep's PRiSM software would enhance Schneider Electric's other industry-leading information and asset management software offerings,” Bryan Crino, president of Skyway Capital Partners, says in a press release.

Texas's Service King buys Jack's Collision Center
Service King Collision Repair Centers, a Richardson, Texas-based multistate operator of collision repair facilities, acquired Jack's Collision Center in Fort Myers.

The purchase marks Service King's first location in the Fort Myers area and its 11 location in Florida.

“The Fort Myers area is growing at a rapid pace and continues to be one of the leading destinations for retirees,” Scott Ward, Service King regional vice president of Southeast operations, says in a press release. “We are excited to be part of the Fort Myers community and are proud to welcome the Jack's Collision Center team to the Service King family.”

Jack Lipscomb and his son Kevin opened Jack's Collision Center in 1990. Today, the 18,000-square-foot facility employs 24 people. It has the capacity to repair more than 160 vehicles each month.
Service King operates more than 220 locations in 21 states.

Blalock Walters principals chairing Manatee Chamber, Bradenton EDC
The board of directors of Manatee Chamber of Commerce and Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp. elected chairs from the same company, law firm Blalock Walters PA. Jonathan Fleece, managing partner of Blalock Walters, was elected as the 2015 chair of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce board of directors. The Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp. named Mark Barnebey, principal at Blalock Walters, chairman of its 2015 board of directors.