Out and About on The EC Scene

Site Staff,
Courtesy of M Public Relations
YOLO Board has expanded its business with YOLO Board + Bike. The standup paddleboard (SUP) outfitter’s third retail store is located in Gulf Place Town Center on Scenic Highway 30A.

New Faces

Florida Bank
Marshall

Florida Bank
Collins

 

▪ Frank B. Burge, chairman of First Florida Bank, recently announced the  additions of Andy Marshall as executive vice-president and Don Collins as vice-president/Commercial Lender. 

 

Florida Small Business Development Center
Massey

 

▪The Florida Small Business Development Center at UWF recently named Kelly Massey as its new director. In this position, Massey will oversee the operations of SBDC offices located in Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach.

New News

▪ January 2015 is the target completion date for Superior Residences at Bluewater Bay, an upscale Independent Living facility with 94 apartments with balconies and screened patios for seniors, 55 years and older. Some of the amenities include trained on-site staff, concierge, recreational and fitness programs. Freshly prepared meals daily, housekeeping, utilities and Internet connection will be included in the monthly lease fee.

▪ Bud & Alley’s has formed Bud & Alley’s Restaurant Group. It has expanded its bell-ringing tradition from Seaside to a second waterfront location on Grand Lagoon in Panama City Beach. It has also launched a catering business based in Grayton Beach called Bud & Alley’s Dine by Design.

▪ Tyler Jarvis and Chris Ruyan have opened Jackacudas Seafood and Sushi Restaurant in HarborWalk Village.

▪ Destin Commons recently announced that national retailers Charming Charlie and Icing by Claire’s will open next summer as part of a 100,000-square-foot expansion currently under construction. Charming Charlie, the award-winning fashion accessories retailer, will occupy 6,000 square feet adjacent to Uncle Buck’s on the south end of the expansion. Icing by Claire’s, a second brand by parent company Claire’s, will occupy nearly 2,000 square feet near H&M at the expansion’s northeast corner.

▪ The Okaloosa County Economic Development Council (EDC) plans to launch a new initiative early next year designed to increase participation and funding in the organization. The EDC will mark its 25th anniversary in 2014 by launching a new marketing campaign called The Next 25. With The Next 25 initiative, the EDC will engage two leaders in five sectors: real estate development and construction; manufacturing and defense; architecture and engineering; legal and accounting; and banking and finance to help build membership and funding.

Congratulations and Kudos

▪ Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) announced that Crestview High School placed first in the Keiser University Edible Centerpiece Competition, one of four competitions at the 14th Annual ProStart Culinary Team Competitions, held in Orlando. A total of 60 schools participated in the competition with 16 schools winning top awards throughout the day’s events. More than $800,000 in scholarships was distributed to the winning schools. All participating teams were comprised of high school juniors and seniors that are enrolled in the ProStart curriculum program during the 2013–2014 school year.

 ▪ Lynn Haven resident Bruce Gamble was recently honored with a Florida Book Award for his telling of the longest battle of World War II. The book is called “Target Rabaul: The Allied Siege of Japan’s Most Infamous Stronghold, March 1943-–August 1945” and is in bookstores now.

▪ Eve Glenn, a student at C.W. Ruckel Middle School in Niceville, won first place in Florida’s Financial History Challenge Essay Contest held in honor of Viva Florida 500, a commemoration of the state’s 500-year history. The contest presented an opportunity for students of all ages to learn about the history of Florida’s economy and how the state’s unique past contributes to today’s success.

▪ Charlie Shackelford, a senior at Fort Walton Beach High School, was named the 2014 winner of the prestigious Taylor Haugen Trophy, an award presented each year by the Taylor Haugen Foundation in conjunction with the All Sports Association.

▪ Wyndham Vacation Rentals announced that associate Dustin “Dusti” Alford was selected to receive a “Count on Me!” service award. Alford was recognized for her assistance after a pedestrian accident. Upon witnessing the accident, Alford cared for the teenage boy who was struck by a car until paramedics arrived and alerted his parents after searching the nearby beach to find his family.

▪ Florida Trend magazine has honored the top restaurants throughout the state with the Golden Spoon Award. Golden Spoon Awards have been given to six Walton County restaurants, more than any other area on the Northwest Florida Gulf coast. The 2014 honorees include:

 Courtesy Jessica Proffitt of Proffitt PR

Just Cause

▪ Local seventh grade student, Lily Corchis, headed fundraising efforts to raise $1,000 and donated 100 percent of the proceeds to Alaqua Animal Refuge.

▪ Wine World’s Fort Walton Beach Beer Festival Preview held at Uptown Station raised $7,794 for Eglin Air Force Base’s Special Forces Association (SFA), Chapter 7.

Categories: News

Related Posts: