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Florida Business Minds
Florida Business Minds is a weekly podcast focused on the top business leaders in our state. Each week, we profile executives from across the state, rotating between the Tampa Bay, South Florida, Orlando and Jacksonville markets. Florida Business Minds is proudly presented by The Business Journals of Florida and sponsored by Peoples Gas.
Episodes
168 episodes
South Florida: City National's Jorge Gonzalez on Why Florida's Boom-Bust Cycles Are History
A native Miamian with over 36 years experience in the banking sector, City National Vice Chairman and CEO Jorge Gonzalez has seen it all in South Florida. In this episode with SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez, he offers an update on rates, the...
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19:07
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Tampa Bay: Tackling the Challenges of Housing Costs with PMG Affordable's Dan Coakley
Tackling affordable housing issues is a nationwide crisis, particularly in Florida with the influx of new residents the past decade. In this episode, TBBJ Real Estate Reporter Ashley Gurbal Kritzer invites Dan Coakley, Principal of PMG Affordab...
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17:21
Jacksonville: How Lisa "The Boatanista" Almeida Went From Rough Seas to Smooth Sailing
She started running Freedom Boat Club in 2009 during the depths of the Great Recession. Then Mother Nature delivered one of the coldest Florida winters in memory, so even avid boaters weren't interested in memberships. In this episode, JBJ Edit...
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21:35
Orlando: Publix Fights Off Competition as Florida's Grocery Battle Heats Up
Whether the economy's up, or down, we have to eat. With the cost of dining out on the rise, consumers are shifting their buying habits and that benefits grocery stores. So it's no surprise the fast-growing Florida market is attracting new, nich...
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23:53
South Florida: JM Family Enterprises CEO Dan Chait Reports on the Automotive Sector
As a major player in the automotive industry, with interests in financial services and franchising, JM Family Enterprises has a pulse on consumers across South Florida. In this episode, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez invites President and CE...
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17:05
Tampa Bay: Peoples Gas VP Shawn Connell Forecasts the Future of Natural Gas in Florida
Sponsored Content: With over 500,000 customers across the state, adding more each day, Peoples Gas has a pulse on Florida's growth and what builders and consumers demand. In this episode, sponsored by Peoples Gas, Vice President of Resid...
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17:33
Jacksonville: Florida's Homeowners Insurance Crisis Creates Opportunity for Itel
Hurricanes have wreaked havoc with Florida's property insurance market, driving premiums so high that it often kills a real estate transaction. In this episode, JBJ Editor-in-Chief James Cannon invites Itel President Chris Touchton to explain h...
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16:55
Orlando: OEP's Bob O'Malley on the Future of Brightline and Commuter Rail Across Florida
Bob O'Malley sits at the intersection of public affairs, government relations and transportation policy. As the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP), perhaps no one is as well-versed in the chal...
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19:33
South Florida Means Business: Bob Swindell Shares Why the Growth Will Continue
While the migration of people and businesses has slowed somewhat, the Sunshine State and South Florida in particular remain highly desirable long-term. In this episode, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez invites Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance ...
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18:07
Tampa Bay: Habitat for Humanity CEO Mike Sutton Builds Relationships to Inspire Giving
Florida's growth has sparked a business boom, but the influx of people has driven up real estate prices, making affordable housing scarce. In this episode, TBBJ Managing Editor Pam Huff invites Habitat for Humanity Gulfside CEO Mike Sutton to s...
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16:36
Jacksonville: Axia Advisors Sean Shapiro on Growing Consolidation in the Trades Sector
Once a sector dominated by mom & pop shops and locally-owned small businesses, the highly-skilled trades sector is seeing strategic consolidation from private equity firms looking to scale best practices nationally and cash in. In this down...
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24:18
Orlando: The Impact of a Winning Women's Soccer Team on the Central Florida Community
There's no question sports bring people together, particularly when teams win. In this episode, OBJ Editor-in-Chief Richard Bilbao invites Jarrod Dillon, President of Business Operations for Orlando City SC, Orlando Pride and Inter&Co Stadi...
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22:38
South Florida: Is the Commercial Real Estate Market Bouncing Back?
Elevated interest rates linger, making deals more difficult to pencil. But South Florida's robust international monetary base and the Sunshine State's diversified economy appear to be healthy enough to keep deals flowing. In this download, SFBJ...
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14:10
Tampa Bay: Vinik Sports Group CEO Steve Griggs Pushes the Fan Experience Envelope
The transformation of the Tampa Bay Lightning on and off the ice over the past decade is truly remarkable. But team owner Jeff Vinik, Vinik Sports Group, and CEO and Vice Chairman Steve Griggs aren't sitting back admiring their achievements. In...
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21:06
Jacksonville: Tourism Heats Up In Spite of Tariffs and Economic Uncertainty
Florida's immunity from national & global economic hiccups has been tested the past two years. As we enter the heat of summer, tourism remains robust across the Sunshine State, particularly along the First Coast. In this episode, JBJ Managi...
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20:58
Orlando: Angel de la Portilla Bridges the Divide Between Business and Government
Business owners and executives are busy running their businesses, often unaware of the implications of government policy. That's where Angel de la Portilla comes in. As President of Central Florida Strategies, he translates current and pending ...
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21:08
South Florida: Richard Berkowitz Reflects on AI and People Skills in Business
He's seen it all, from the days of hand-written ledgers to artificial intelligence. But one thing remains the same: it's all about people skills. In this episode, Berkowitz Pollack Brant Founder and Executive Chairman Richard Berkowitz shares h...
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20:09
Tampa Bay: Interim U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe Reflects on His Career and Legal Leadership
He's prosecuted some of the world's most high-profile cases and led a team of lawyers and investigators advising the Iraqi Special Tribunal, formed to prosecute Saddam Hussein and members of his former regime. Closer to home, Attorney General P...
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20:08
Jacksonville: Entrepreneur Craig Smith Serves up Food and Entertainment
His business interests over the years have varied widely, but Craig Smith takes the same approach in tackling each new challenge. In this episode, JBJ Editor-in-Chief James Cannon invites Smith to share how and why he's taken on so many differe...
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22:09
Orlando: Tavistock CEO Craig Collin Shares Lake Nona Magic
Perhaps no development company in America does large scale master-planned communities as well as Tavistock. With Lake Nona and Sunbridge in Central Florida, and Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale, Tavistock is redefining how thousands of people ...
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27:39
Tampa Bay: Alicia Schulhof on Challenges and Opportunities in Pediatric Care
Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital has found the right leader in Alicia Schulhof. She brings over 20 years of leadership in health care and is revitalizing the hospital's image and impact in the community. It’s expanding into Wesley Chapel, ...
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21:58
South Florida: How AI and Hybrid Work are Transforming the Legal Profession
The pandemic forced change in many industries including the legal profession. Then along came artificial intelligence, saving time but slashing billable hours and altering client expectations. In this episode, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez ...
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14:25
Jacksonville: PR Pro Jason Mudd - The Tools Have Changed, But the Profession Remains the Same
Naturally curious and an early adopter of the internet and more recently artificial intelligence, Axia Public Relations CEO Jason Mudd has built a national PR powerhouse from Jacksonville. In this episode, JBJ Editor-in-Chief James Cannon conne...
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23:44
Orlando: Align CEO Dena Jalbert Reports the M&A Market is Hot In Spite of Tariff Shock
Several key factors combine to make 2025 potentially a big year for mergers & acquisitions. In this episode, Orlando Business Journal Editor-in-Chief Richard Bilbao invites Align Business Advisory Services Founder & CEO Dena Jalbert to ...
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31:28
South Florida: Carlos Fernandez-Guzman Explains Why Tariffs May Be a Good Thing
With consumer confidence waning and recession fears rising in national surveys, SFBJ Editor-in-Chief Mel Melendez calls on Carlos Fernandez-Guzman, President and CEO of Pacific National Bank for insight and perspective. The banking and business...
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20:30