Corporate report

TAMPA BAY
Bank promotes executive to top position
NorthStar Bank promoted veteran banker Scott Jacobsen to president and CEO.

A 30-year banking veteran with stops at AmSouth Bank and Barnett Bank, among other institutions, Jacobsen has been an executive vice president and COO at Tampa-based NorthStar since 2009. The bank promoted senior loan officer Rob Shaw to COO to fill Jacobsen's former position, according to a press release.

The leadership changes take effect Oct. 11 at NorthStar, which had $214.7 million in assets through June 30.

Jacobsen replaces David Stone as CEO. Stone will return to retirement following a two-and-a-half-year stint at the helm of the bank, according to the release. During Stone's leadership, NorthStar opened a flagship office in South Tampa and built a new management team. Stone will remain on the bank's board.

Jacobsen also worked at Merrill Lynch and Bank of Tampa. Shaw, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, previously worked at USAmeriBank and Signature Bank.

SARASOTA-MANATEE
Architecture firm expands workforce
Sarasota-based Sweet Sparkman Architects, one of the area's largest and most prominent design firms, added a trio of architects to its roster.

Karl Bernhard, Jourdona LaFate and Matt Fergeson recently joined the firm as part of an overall strategic growth plan by Sweet Sparkman, which has completed award-winning work for clients ranging from Sarasota County to private homeowners.

The hires come as Sweet Sparkman has been selected to design a new Venice Public Library for Sarasota County and an expansion of the Charlotte County Justice Center by the 20th Judicial Circuit for the State of Florida.

LEE-COLLIER
Ad agency triples office space
Wilson Creative Group, a Naples-based public relations and ad agency with several high profile hospitality and real estate clients, plans to triple its office space.

The firm signed a five-year lease to occupy what will be a renovated 3,200-square-foot office at the Shoppes at Vanderbilt in Naples, according to a statement. The space is three times bigger than the agency's existing space on Willow Drive in North Naples, the statement adds.

The new space will be an open concept, with a collaborative environment for employees, agency President Peggy Wilson says in the statement. The office will also allow Wilson Creative Group to expand and plan for future growth, Wilson says. Construction is underway and move-in is scheduled for October.

Wilson Creative Group was founded in 2007. Clients it has done work for include the Bonita Bay Group, the Echelon on Palm condo tower in downtown Sarasota and Naples Flatbread & Wine Bar.