Corporate report

TAMPA BAY
Job recruitment firm names new GM
Pamela Kauten has been named general manager of JobNews USA's Tampa office.

Kauten has 20 years of experience in recruitment strategies and employment marketing, according to a statement. She founded PEAK Connections Inc. and Florida CareerLINK, a recruiting and software company. She sold the business in 2007.

“We're excited to have a recruitment pro like Pam heading up our Tampa office,” says Michael Talbott, CEO of JobNews USA, in the statement. “Her extensive knowledge of the area and her entrepreneurial drive will lead to further growth in Tampa Bay and across the state.”

Part of the JobNews' approach is identifying passive job seekers — meaning people who are currently employed and not actively looking for a new opportunity — who may consider applying elsewhere if it's a great fit. That's a key in how the firm distinguishes itself from competitors, the statement says.

JobNews USA is a multimedia recruitment company that works through radio, television, print, Internet and job fairs. The Tampa office was the sixth of 25 markets for JobNews.

Bank expands into Tampa, names leadership team
ServisFirst Bank, a subsidiary of Birmingham, Ala.-based ServisFirst Bancshares, has expanded into the Tampa region with the opening of a banking center in Lutz.

The opening of the bank brought with it the hiring of a new leadership team, which will be headed by Tampa banking veteran Greg Bryant, according to a statement. Bryant previous served as president of Centennial Bank in the Tampa region from October through December 2015. Prior to that, he worked as president and CEO of Bay Cities Bank in Tampa since 1999.

Other executives rounding out the leadership team include:

Gwynn Davey, president;

Pat Murrin, senior vice president, chief credit officer;

Jennifer Noel, senior vice president, cash management officer; and

Jonathan Zunz, vice president, commercial banking officer.

ServisFirst is a full-service commercial bank that ended 2015 with $5.1 billion in assets, according to the statement. It was founded in 2005.

SARASOTA-MANATEE
County promotes building official
Kathleen Croteau has taken over as the full-time building official for Sarasota County, according to a statement from the county. She has been the county's interim building official since September, when she replaced Greg Yantorno.

Croteau started working with Sarasota County as the deputy building official in 2011. In her new role, Croteau is responsible for enforcing the Florida Building Code, which includes permit reviews and inspections for the Planning and Development Services (PDS) department.

“The building official serves a key role in Sarasota County, especially as we see increased building activity following the economic recession,” says Tom Polk, director of PDS, in the statement.

Croteau, who is vice president of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Building Officials Association of Florida, is licensed as a state building code administrator, a building plans examiner, and a building and fire safety inspector.

CHARLOTTE-LEE-COLLIER
Architecture firm names new partners
Fort Myers-based Parker/Mudgett/Smith Architects Inc. began 2016 by promoting Sean Gilmore and Tyler Patak to partners in the firm, according to a press release.

Gilmore, a Lee County native, originally worked with the firm from 1991 through 1994, the statement says. He returned full-time in 1999 and has since “been involved in every major project of the firm,” the statement says. He will continue his responsibilities of project management, architectural design and production.

Patak was one of the first 20 professionals nationwide to receive the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) designation. He will focus on project management, business development, construction observation and corporate administration.

Wiley Parker formed Parker/Mudgett/Smith in 1966. Bill Mudgett and Roger Smith later joined Parker.

Community management company hires regional VP
Associa, a residential community management firm, has promoted Tosh Tricas to regional vice president, it announced in a statement.

The promotion gives Tricas oversight of 13 branch offices throughout Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Minnesota. He will also keep his role as division leader for Associa OnCall, the firm's field services and construction division.

“Tosh has worn many hats throughout his illustrious community management career and is perfectly suited to take on the challenge of coordinating operations between multiple branches,” says Christ Harrison, Associa's senior vice president, in a statement.

Tricas has been in community management for more than 25 years and spent the past four years with Associa.

Associa has more than 180 branch offices and more than 10,000 employees across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. The company is based in Dallas.