Gloucester County Emerges as the Jewel in South Jersey’s Crown

Gloucester County Emerges as the Jewel in South Jersey’s Crown

By: Sara Warden

2 min read January 2020 — In a roundtable published in Forbes this week, the magazine’s Real Estate Council made a definitive ranking of the 14 Up-and-Coming Real Estate Locations to Watch. Coming in at No. 13 was none other than South Jersey’s very own Gloucester County. “For the most inspired growing area, look to Gloucester County in South Jersey!” said panelist Nancy Kowalik, owner of Nancy Kowalik Real Estate Group. 

 

But why is this county gentrifying so quickly? According to Kowalik, it’s because Gloucester County has everything. “Located close to the city and the shore, we have green spaces, room to breathe, wineries, a quaint Downtown and bike paths,” she said. “It’s all here, and that’s why world-class Rowan University is growing. A new 1,000-bed, state-of-the-art hospital is opening, too.”

The hospital to which she is referring is the Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill, 465,000-square-foot development over 100 acres with 210 private rooms, a maternity center and 62-room emergency department. The project, the county’s first new hospital in almost 45 years, was built with raised funds of $23 million, a campaign that took just seven months to reach its target.

“This is a tremendous day for South Jersey, Gloucester County and our health system,” John DiAngelo, Inspira Health’s CEO and president, said at the hospital’s ribbon-cutting ceremony in December. “With this new hospital, our commitment to providing exceptional care for our community, in our community, reaches a new level. We are excited to bring the latest in healthcare to the people of Gloucester County and surrounding communities.”

As far as the university expansion, one of the main developments has been the $400 million, 26-acre Rowan Boulevard project. 

As well as the healthcare sector and academia, Gloucester County is also proving to be attractive for the private sector, and has become somewhat of a home to craft breweries. The most recent addition is Core3Brewery, a new player that joins the ranks of Human Village Brewing Co. in Pitman, Eight & Sand Beer Co. in Woodbury, Cross Keys Brewing Co. in Williamstown and Death of the Fox Brewing Company in Clarksboro. 

“We were really drawn to the way they are building up the area around the college and definitely see the positive direction the area is moving in,” Krystle Lockman, owner of Axe and Arrow Microrewery, told South Jersey Business Journal. “It’s great to be on the ground floor of this redevelopment project in an area we have so many ties to.”

And Core3’s owner, Lawrence Price, told South Jersey Business Journal that the ease of doing business in the county will only contribute to its continued growth. “[The borough] has been so supportive and helpful and business friendly. Everything they could do to help us, they did,” he said. “Mayor Tom Bianco has always been upfront with us and in the mix of things, stopping by at least once or twice a week to see how things are going and if there is anything he can do.”

 

 

To learn more, visit:

https://www.nancykowalik.com/

http://www.inspirahealthnetwork.org/mullicahill

https://www.rowan.edu/

http://www.core3brewery.com/

https://axeandarrowbrewing.com/

 

Spotlight On: Alan Higbee, Managing Partner, Shutts & Bowen

Spotlight On: Alan Higbee, Managing Partner, Shutts & Bowen

By: Max Crampton-Thomas

2 min read January 2020 — Expertise on the local market is a must in the legal sector, especially within the competitive landscape of the Tampa Bay region. Understanding the nature of the business community within the region and the apparent challenges are keys to a successful practice. Shutts & Bowen law firm’s Managing Partner Alan Higbee discusses the benefits of having specialized practices in the Tampa Bay area, as well as how to deal with economic cycles and not lose talent in the process.

 

 

Why is Tampa Bay a good location for a firm such as Shutts & Bowen?

 

A full service firm like ours has experience in many areas, including some areas that are not necessarily customary for this market, such as our experience in international trade and transactions, experience with large industrial companies and experience representing large and small federal government contractors. Interestingly, the demand for these specialty practices is actually pretty high in this market. Such specialties have often been sourced from larger markets in the past. In our experience, businesses in this market are generally very happy to see that these specialty resources are available here to help and that they don’t have to look to other markets such as Washington, D.C., or New York.  For areas like federal government contractors, it makes sense to have that expertise here. I believe Florida is the third-largest market for federal contracting in the country and we are sitting outside the doors of MacDill Air Force Base, which has virtually every federal agency you can name, from all the defense agencies and divisions to the IRS. 

 

How does the firm take part in the business brought to the Tampa Bay Area by new companies and startups?

 

Startup businesses in the Tampa Bay area come in many varieties, but some of the most promising are often spinoffs: people who have had very successful careers in larger businesses and have decided to go out on their own. Many of these companies have a need for legal services in areas of high specialization, such as healthcare, technology and government contracting. We also see an awful lot of companies that are relocating some kind of division or business unit, or their entire U.S. operations, to this market and, candidly, besides being a pretty sophisticated business center, this area is also a pretty nice place to live.

 

In the market for legal services, we also see an increasing need for trusted advisers. Lots of lawyers can tell you what the law is, but very few have the industry and business experience to also tell you what you probably should do and should not do. Lawyers who have seen the good, the bad and the ugly in a particular industry or business segment and can tell clients, “we’ve seen this movie before and we know how it ends,” are extremely valuable to their clients and are in greater demand than ever before. 

 

What are the top challenges for the legal profession in the area?

 

The tightness of the labor pool is difficult, there is no question about that. It is certainly a major challenge for us. The other challenge is the general expansion of the needs of the market. We are becoming more sophisticated. When I moved here in 1980, the needs of this legal community were really pretty basic. In 2019, the businesses in this market are extremely sophisticated and that means their problems and issues are also very sophisticated. I think law firms generally need to consider developing or acquiring some of the specialty areas that are not necessarily indigenous to the Tampa Bay area. Acquiring such specialists can be hard. We have to go out and convince them that they will have enough work here.

 

How would a legal firm such as Shutts & Bowen deal with a potential economic downturn?

 

Things always happen in cycles. Like any business, we have to be prepared to handle those cycles. You have to position yourself to be adaptable and flexible, to learn to change what you are doing when necessary and to be able to pick up different kinds of work in the down cycle and be able to look outside your box to keep your talent busy. The down cycles are actually the best times to hire talent, because if your platform is doing well and you are able to find talent on other platforms that are doing well personally while their current platforms are struggling, you have a unique chance to capture that talent.

 

After every down cycle there is an up cycle. If you failed to keep your talent pool, and were not able to keep the collective resources and experience that you had, you start at a huge disadvantage when the market goes back up. On the other hand, if you are able to keep your talent pool intact through a down cycle, you generally have a huge advantage when the market recovers.

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: 

https://shutts.com/

 

Spotlight On: Anddrikk Frazier, President & CEO, Integral Energy

Spotlight On: Anddrikk Frazier, President & CEO, Integral Energy

By: Max Crampton-Thomas

3 min read January 2020 — A growing economy in the Tampa Bay region equates to growth mode for most local businesses. One of the most important aspects of keeping this growth consistent is reducing costs in a smart and consistent manner. This can be achieved through an emphasis on reducing energy consumption. Full-service energy management companies like Brandon-based Integral Energy have recognized the opportunities in the market and have found demand for their multiple services throughout the Tampa Bay region. Invest: spoke with the president and CEO of Integral Energy, Anddrikk Frazier, about his business, demand for services and much more. 

 

 How is Tampa Bay a strategic location for your business operations? 

My first job was in the energy sector in Tampa and watching the growth in the region over the course of my lifetime is impressive. What separates Tampa from other cities across Florida are features like ports, airports and the ability to connect to anywhere in the Florida within three hours. 

Where have you seen the most demand among the variety of services you offer? 

Integral Energy is a full-service energy management company. We provide natural gas marketing services for commercial customers throughout the state of Florida. We also provide solutions for transportation companies as it relates to alternative fuels. Thirdly, our energy management division helps large businesses that consume large quantities of energy to understand their operating costs on a per plate or per widget basis and then we find ways to reduce those operational costs. I think the biggest demand for service comes from energy management requests and natural gas marketing. Many of our customers do not understand how energy costs are passed on, simply because that is not where the priority lies for hotels, convention centers and other large businesses. We have the ability to reduce energy costs without reducing the quality of their product, which is a huge bonus for them. That has been our biggest growth opportunity. 

A lot of demand comes from the private sector, mainly because public procurement processes can be intensive. We do get enquiries from the public sector, but most of the time they are looking for the cheapest price. Our value is based on return on investment, which does not always translate well to public sector work. In the private sector, there is greater understanding of the concept that each dollar spent now is an investment in future CAPEX reductions. We have had a lot of success in working with companies such as Saddle Creek Transportation and Waste Connections because we are able to explain to them the true cost they are saving with our services. 

How have the needs of your clients evolved over the last three to five years? 

We are the only minority-owned natural gas marketing company in the state of Florida, and this is what started our relationship with Waste Connections. But as we began to evaluate their business, the largest overhead was their employees. We had to find ways to work with them to increase service while keeping rates the same. Over the course of the last four years, we have saved Waste Connections around $2.5 million. 

On a local and national level, what emerging or continuing trends could have an impact on your business? 

There is so much development in the Tampa area, and with new residents come new commercial activity, which is part of our core business. As long as the economy is growing at this pace, we will have the opportunity to provide our services. Regulation is a big indicator for us, and one thing we are monitoring closely is the recent push for carbon footprint reduction. We all have to be mindful of environmental impact and, primarily in the private sector, the main goal is to save money. If we can provide ways to do this while also reducing their carbon footprint, these are the best business models for all parties. 

It is vital for everyone to work toward clean energy solutions. We take pride in being subject-matter experts and understanding what our customers need. CNG and liquid natural gas (LNG), while more environmentally friendly than traditional petroleum options, may not be suitable for all modes of transportation. There is room for electric and hydrogen technologies too, so we need to understand which technologies pair better with which fuel source and the impact that has on the environment. 

How is new technology impacting how companies develop and administer environmental energy solutions? 

The smaller the company, the lesser the disruption. Take a huge company that has made large investments in a particular technology. It takes a lot of momentum to make that company change course. Small businesses are nimbler and have the flexibility to try things out on a smaller scale before launching. On the metering side, we have AMR-AMI, which allows meter readings to be sent out electronically, meaning customers can understand energy usage on a daily or even hourly basis. There will only be greater focus placed on data collection and analysis going forward. 

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: 

http://www.integralenergyus.com/

 

Georgia Wraps Up Decade as Top State for business

Georgia Wraps Up Decade as Top State for business

By: Felipe Rivas

2 min read January 2020 — Development and growth in Atlanta remain strong as the decade comes to an end, and the economic activity and favorable business climate characteristic of Atlanta looks just as peachy for the entire state of Georgia. In November, Georgia was recognized by Site Selection Magazine as the top state for business for a record-breaking seventh year in a row. Similarly, Area Development Magazine also named Georgia as the top state for business for the sixth-consecutive year. 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said continuing to foster a thriving business climate has been a major part of his vision for the state since assuming office in January 2019. “From Day One of my administration, we have been laser-focused on creating opportunities for hardworking Georgians in every corner of the state,” Kemp  announced at the Georgia Cyber Center in Augusta, Georgia in November . “Our efforts to cut burdensome regulations, continue developing a world-class workforce, and market all regions of the Peach State through the formation of a Rural Strike Team have not gone unnoticed, and this announcement affirms that.” 

 

The state’s workforce training program, Georgia Quick Start, was also recognized as one of the best in the nation. The state reported around 29,000 new jobs were created for fiscal year 2019. According to the Atlanta Regional Commission, 2.5 million residents are expected to move to the region by the year 2040, bringing the total population to 8 million. 

 

Heading into the new decade, technology will be a key area of growth for the region and state. The Metro Atlanta Chamber identified bioscience, financial technology, supply chain and Internet of Things as economic segments poised for growth. Additionally, Georgia’s logistics hub legacy is one of the state’s main competitive advantages. Logistics hubs like the Port of Savannah and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport connect businesses to their customers with ease. The workforce training programs, and logistic hubs, coupled with the state’s pro-business policies make Georgia a frontrunner for companies looking to relocate. 

“The nation’s leading site consultants see opportunity for growth across our state. Our top-ranked workforce development initiatives – combined with a conservative, pro-business policy approach, world-class higher education system, and a logistics network that puts the global economy within arm’s reach – make Georgia a top competitor for investment from businesses large and small – across the country and around the world,” Kemp said. 

 

To learn more, visit:

https://www.metroatlantachamber.com 

https://www.georgia.org https://atlantaregional.org/

Spotlight On: Mike Schultz, President & CEO – West Florida Division, AdventHealth

Spotlight On: Mike Schultz, President & CEO – West Florida Division, AdventHealth

By: Max Crampton-Thomas

4 min read December 2019 — AdventHealth promotes a model of healthcare based on prevention and promotion of healthier lifestyles to help keep a lid on the rising costs of medical attention. The organization is also trying to make use of technology to make it easier for patients to access healthcare even from their cellphones and make educated decisions about their wellness, said President and CEO of the West Florida Division Michael Schultz.

 

What has been AdventHealth’s key focus over the last year?

 

We worked to rebrand our healthcare business, including a name change to AdventHealth. The change was focused on bringing a new definition to healthcare. Historically, providers have been in the business of fixing health, but our philosophy is to maintain health and prevent episodes that could have been avoided through a healthy lifestyle.

 

Along with our rebranding as AdventHealth, we introduced the tagline, “Feel Whole,” which clearly illustrates our intent to promote a healthier lifestyle. We have been successful in the Tampa Bay market with respect to building a solid brand. Our expansion and acquisition projects are geared toward better covering the expanse of growth in the Tampa Bay market. We have a variety of things going on, from projects being completed or in the process of starting. We have also added to our list of assets, acquiring a couple of hospitals in Dade City and Ocala. 

 

We are also looking into partnerships to bring healthcare to the home. I believe that is the way of the future for the delivery of healthcare because you can do so many things now with high-speed Wi-Fi that helps patients avoid unnecessary trips to the hospital to get diagnosed and treated.

 

Why has your organization decided to focus on preventative healthcare?

 

One of the key aspects of preventive healthcare is our model of never discharging a patient. Historically, hospitals wheel out their patients and wave goodbye to them. We have taken the stance that we don’t ever want to discharge a patient. A visit may end, but we connect with our patients before they leave any of our facilities and ask them if we can assist them through the next level of care. That may be a follow-up visit, a better dietary regimen or access to medication. We offer 95% of our 200,000-plus annual patients access to care navigation and a large percentage of our patients accept the offer. That is a way of making sure they don’t go home and start repeating the same actions that brought them to the hospital in the first place. This helps with maintaining health, reducing cost of healthcare and gets us in a space where we are directly connected to the patient. 

 

We have been intentional in making sure our consumers have a wide variety of access to different sites of service based on cost. This allows them to make the smart decision and not go to an emergency room for a simple cough that could be treated at a physician’s office or an Urgent Care Center. We want to be transparent about the cost of healthcare so that consumers can make educated decisions regarding their medical needs.

 

We also are careful about marketing our different levels of care. One of the biggest initiatives we have begun to promote is connecting to our consumers via the way people get connected today, through their smartphones. We offer an app that helps you understand where you should and should not go for cost-effective care. We are hoping that through these types of apps we can better educate people to make decisions based on their condition and financial resources.

 

What challenges emerge from providing healthcare to diverse demographics, younger and older populations?

 

In many markets in and around Tampa Bay we are seeing a more elderly population moving in. Retirees are starting to discover the beauty of Tampa Bay. But in general Tampa Bay is a fast-growing, diverse community and it is a large geographic area. The key to addressing the healthcare needs of the diverse demographics is to ensure close to home access points, and the ability to connect anytime, anywhere.

 

We also believe we need to make every effort to make healthcare more affordable. Perhaps the way of the future is to help change the reimbursement model.  Currently, you pay when you are sick; a health system is incentivized to provide services to get you well. What if we changed that? For example: a health system might get $10,000 a year regardless if you are well or sick. If you get sick, and it costs the health system $25,000 to take care of you, it loses money. If the Health System keeps you well, and able to keep medical costs at $5,000 because it was proactive in looking out for your wellness, the system makes money.  

 

If we are going to help solve the cost problem in healthcare, we are going to have to work on aligning incentives around health.

 

How is the organization coping with the challenges of recruiting new healthcare talent?

 

First, there is a nursing shortage. At any given time, we have around 800 open positions at our seven facilities in the greater Tampa Bay market. It is difficult, particularly in Tampa, to recruit nurses because the sector is growing and there are many providers. We have developed partnerships with a number of schools to ensure that their nursing students have an opportunity to rotate through our facilities. We also have a partnership with Lincoln Memorial University and opened a nursing school at the AdventHealth Tampa campus. We started late in 2017 and our first class graduated in 2018.

 

Regarding the physician population, we have determined that there will be a supply shortage in the very near future. In this area, too, we have partnerships with several schools to make sure their students can do their rotations through our facilities, so they get exposed to us during their education and perhaps be invited to come work with us.

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: 

https://www.adventhealth.com/

 

Spotlight On: John McDonald, Charlotte Office Managing Partner, McGuireWoods

Spotlight On: John McDonald, Charlotte Office Managing Partner, McGuireWoods

By: Felipe Rivas

2 min read December 2019 — The economy and legal services go hand in hand. As a result, Charlotte, well-known for its banking and financial services industry, is attracting top legal talent. With the rise of the region’s healthcare and technology sectors, the legal needs of the business community are evolving with the diversification of the economy. In an interview with Invest: Charlotte, McGuireWoods Charlotte Office Managing Partner John McDonald talks about the factors that influence the region’s legal market, the large talent pool available, and outlooks for the legal market heading into 2020. 

How have the legal needs of the business community evolved with the growth of the region?

The majority of the lawyers in our Charlotte office are involved in the financial services sector in some fashion, whether that is through securities, debt finance, or litigation practices. Charlotte’s large banking community influences the work we do. We also have one of the largest healthcare practices in Charlotte. We are nationally known for our healthcare practice and Charlotte is our second-largest hub for that practice. We also have a very strong energy practice and work with a number of energy clients in the region, as well as nationally. The legal needs of the Charlotte community are very sophisticated. Major national and global companies, such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Duke Energy, bring sophistication to the business world, which translates to the legal market. Firms in the Charlotte market have to provide high-end legal services because of the sophistication of the work that is demanded by our clients. 

 

What do law firms need to do differently in today’s technological era to attract and retain clients?

Generally, lawyers by nature are behind the curve because we are cautious and skeptical, especially when it comes to new technologies. Part of McGuireWoods’ strategic plan is to identify and embrace technology that will help us better serve our clients. Whether through artificial intelligence or data analytics, we are always looking for ways to leverage technology to help us drive the results our clients are looking for. Technology can help us identify legal factors and anticipate issues to accomplish the desired results in the most cost-effective way. If firms do not embrace the use of technology, they will fall behind.

 

What is the state of the region’s legal talent pool? 

We recruit from the regional law schools. Charlotte draws lawyers from across the country. In a dynamic market like this, it can be challenging to both attract and retain qualified talent. There is a lot of competition. In addition, the in-house market for lawyers is really impressive in Charlotte. Between the banks and other major corporations in the area, there are a lot of sophisticated in-house legal teams that are an attractive option for some of our lawyers. We acknowledge this, and frankly, it can be a great opportunity for us. When our lawyers leave, they almost always end up going to an in-house team. That is a great way for us to build relationships with clients. At McGuireWoods, our lawyers are always looking for ways to help their community, which they do through pro-bono work or by serving on nonprofit boards. Over 90 percent of our lawyers provide pro-bono services on an annual basis. We take great pride in this and are always looking for ways to do more. I find that law students today have a great sense of wanting to give back. 

 

What is the outlook for Charlotte’s legal sector heading into 2020?

The national and international economies impact the work in the financial services sector. There are signs that some sectors of the national economy might be slowing. That is a concern and we need to prepare for that. At the same time, in the legal market, there is always work to do regardless of the economy. We have to be able to adjust and recognize our clients’ needs and how they are impacted by the broader economy. Overall, we are excited about what 2020 has in store. I know our clients are trying to put together some amazing deals and there is a lot of optimism that it will be a great 2020.

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/m/john-g-mcdonald

Spotlight on: Nicholas Haines, CEO, Bromley Companies

Spotlight on: Nicholas Haines, CEO, Bromley Companies

By: Max Crampton-Thomas

The future of Tampa Bay is developing in front of our very eyes and there are a few select developers making this vision come to life. Real estate developer Bromley Companies broke ground in mid-2019 on its ambitious Midtown Tampa project. Company CEO Nicholas Haines discussed the importance of incorporating new tendencies, such as a pedestrian-focused design, and the challenges that both a proper mix of high-end and affordable housing present for the city.

 

What’s the status of the Midtown Tampa project?

We broke ground on the Midtown project in May 2019 and we are well under construction for the first phase. There are 11 buildings going up at the same time: three residential, two office buildings, and several retail, including a Whole Food Kitchen and True Food Kitchen, both of which are significant expansions in the market. There is also a 1,000-car parking garage that is already topped out, and we’re right on schedule. The goal is to finish it by the 2021 Super Bowl, which will be held here in Tampa Bay just a couple miles up the street. 

A lot of what we are doing now is spending a tremendous amount of time on the finishing touches of the common-space designs that create community. It is about creating an imaginative destination not just for the people working, living and shopping here, but for the neighborhood by adding public art and a feel for the place, all the things that make a space interesting and dynamic. We are building a city within a city — an entirely new district. 

What business trends are you keeping an eye on as you go ahead with this development?

Accessibility and pedestrian-friendliness. I just read about a development in Arizona, with 1,000 residential units and no parking. That is a bold thing for a non-superurban area. What we are trying to do is create one of the first, pedestrian-first mindset versus car-first developments in Tampa Bay and Florida. All the streets inside the development are private, which is a really interesting feature of Midtown Tampa. We are not constrained by the city’s rules regarding traffic and street design. For a big event like the Super Bowl, we can close the streets so that all the cars access Midtown from the periphery.

We have designed curbless sidewalks, for example, and dedicated ride-share drop-off areas. The city of Tampa is working on a number of mass transit initiatives and we are working to accommodate a mass transit stop on one of our main corridors. People are going to live, work and shop here because they want to wake up, go to a coffee shop, walk their dog at the dog park, go shopping at Whole Foods, have a drink at the hotel rooftop bar, and maybe work at one of the office buildings. They’ll also be able to ride a bike path that connects from Midtown Tampa to the Greenway Trail System, from Tampa to St. Petersburg, by crossing a 10-lane bridge at Dale Mabry.

Are there any other areas that you see as a hotspot or active as real estate developments for the moment? 

Yes, it’s really exploding. The Heights area is really interesting. St. Petersburg is incredibly exciting and a great example of a vibrant, urban place with the interplay between food and art. We are talking about a city that has transformed itself over 10 years in terms of the energy there. 

What is your outlook for the Tampa Bay region, and how do you see the region addressing its challenges? 

Regarding sustainability, it is really important to get the mix right between higher-end housing like we are building here and affordable housing. There’s a need to provide better incentives for the private sector to offer that kind of housing. You can only do so much as a city if everyone is building luxury apartments. It is an issue for all cities, but Tampa today does not have a cohesive development and zoning policy to encourage that. Tampa is still a very affordable place on a relative basis, but that affordability gap is narrowing. People who have been living here for a long time with a moderate income are being pushed further and further away from the urban core. 

Transportation is a huge thing too. In some ways, advances in mass transportation technology might help Tampa. The city might not have done it in the past, but in some ways that might not be the worst thing. Tampa might be able to take advantage of innovations in technology like self-driving buses to implement something that is very forward thinking, instead of having to put up the heavy infrastructure and the massive amounts of capital for a light rail system.

To learn more about our interviewee visit: 

https://www.bromco.com/

Spotlight On: Bill Schifino, Tampa Office Managing Shareholder, Gunster

Spotlight On: Bill Schifino, Tampa Office Managing Shareholder, Gunster

By: Max Crampton-Thomas

  2 min read December 2019 — A greater number of law firms in the Tampa Bay market may be a concern to some but for firms in the Tampa Bay region, these new legal-focused businesses are welcomed. Bill Schifino, the managing shareholder for Gunster’s Tampa Office, believes there is plenty of work for quality law firms throughout the region and that the collaborative environment between the various firms in Tampa Bay is a benefit to both his office’s practice and its clients. 

 

 Do you believe there is enough work to meet the increased supply of law firms in the region?

 

There is plenty of legal work in Tampa Bay for quality law firms and competent lawyers. I have been in this marketplace for 33 years, and the way law firms interact with one another has relatively remained the same. The law firms in this region play well together, and we refer work back and forth to one another because we sometimes have inherent conflicts in our cases. For example, if there is a business litigation case that involves multiple parties and the lawyer can’t represent them all, that lawyer will call other lawyers who may have been on the other side in a similar case in the past but who are capable and competent. So while I may have a case where I’ll see a credible law firm on the other side, one day they may be joining with me to help defend another group on a different case. 

 

How does Gunster’s statewide presence benefit your clients? 

 

One of Gunster’s attractions for me was the fact that I can offer my clients statewide coverage in all of the key markets. When I have a client with an issue, whether it be in Fort Lauderdale, Miami or Jacksonville, we can make sure they are covered because we have 200-plus lawyers around the state. It also helps that we have some of the best and brightest lawyers Florida has to offer. If I have a client with an issue-based question, and I do not have the talent here in Tampa to address it, I can consult someone from one of our other offices who has expertise in this area. This is how we handle all of our clients’ needs. Gunster also is a big believer in their lawyers serving their community, which is why you will see the firm extremely active in our respective markets.

 

How important is being a steward of one’s community to the success of a law firm? 

 

A law firm cannot attract the right talent without a commitment to community service, service to the profession and pro bono work. It is critically important that we as professionals give back to those less fortunate. Within the Florida Bar, a big focus is access to justice. In the criminal justice system, if you’re indigent then you are constitutionally entitled to a public defender, but what if you are someone that just really cannot afford a lawyer and are on the cusp of being below the poverty level? What happens if that person all of a sudden has a traumatic event in their life, and cannot get free legal service? We need to address how we as a profession can make certain that those people are being taken care of. The Florida Bar works extremely hard at addressing this issue, along with lawyers providing millions of dollars in pro bono hours to those in need throughout their community.

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: 

https://www.gunster.com/

 

Spotlight On: Neil Callaghan, Brand Manager, Cigar City Brewing

Spotlight On: Neil Callaghan, Brand Manager, Cigar City Brewing

By: Max Crampton-Thomas

2 min read November 2019 — The Tampa Bay region is known for having and being headquarters to a wide variety of business types. While all these businesses contribute to the local economy and community in various ways, perhaps one of the most sought after and visited are the local breweries that call Tampa Bay home. One of the most well-known is Cigar City Brewing, which started as a local brand and has now expanded to become a widely recognized national presence. Invest: spoke with Brand Manager Neil Callaghan about how Tampa Bay has shaped the company, being stewards of the environment and the impact the brewery has on the local economy.

 

 

How has Tampa Bay influenced the brand and culture of your business? 

 

Our Brewery is unique in that so much of what we do is really influenced by the culture, the cuisine and the history of Tampa Bay. We feel like our success has really been part and parcel of the story of Tampa Bay resonating with people outside of the Florida area. We are extremely fortunate because we do get a lot of tourism to this region for a number of reasons, whether to visit family or go to the beach. Tampa Bay has really molded what we are doing as a company, from the names of our beers to how we market ourselves. This speaks to the way outsiders have responded to the culture of Tampa Bay as a whole. Tampa is still our biggest market by a long shot, and we are still growing at a double-digit rate in the Tampa Bay area, which is exceptional.

 

How important is consistent innovation to your business? 

 

The questions we constantly ask ourselves are: How do we keep people engaged? How do we keep them excited? And how do we keep that growth trajectory where it has been for the last few years? The answer is innovation. We are not a company that puts out a beer and just keeps pushing it for years. We have been incredibly fortunate with our brands like Jai Alai, which is our biggest seller, but at the same time it is the new brands, styles of beer, new ingredients and new processes that we are working with that keep people interested. Our innovation is really going to help us continue to grow for the foreseeable future. We are not just brewing the same beers that we were brewing five years ago. We always want to maintain the quality and consistency that we have never deviated from since day one, but our innovation is really where we are putting a lot of our chips these days.

 

How is Cigar City Brewing promoting environmental sustainability in the region? 

 

In the last year, one big innovation that we have worked on in regards to environmental sustainability is our move away from the clear plastic rings that hold the six-packs together. While they are sustainable, we felt like there was a better option and a better way to not only help our brand from a branding perspective but also to help the environment. We have now moved to cardboard wraps and these are much more environmentally friendly and recyclable. It has been a big project for us to literally change the whole way that we are packaging our beer, but again, it is an opportunity for us. We get more of our branding out in front of consumers because they are now looking at a box that is a lot more engaging than a collection of cans. Our vendors have a heightened focus on environmental sustainability as well. 

 

What is the economic impact of the brewery on the local region? 

 

We are employing around 70 people full time in the Tampa Bay area, and we are also employing sales teams all over the country. We are helping impact the local economy by this employment, but also by the amount of beer that we are selling. Because beer is a relatively highly taxed commodity we, along with the rest of the beer community in Tampa Bay, are helping to bring in millions of dollars in tax revenue. This goes directly to our local communities, counties and the state of Florida. Certainly, as one of the larger breweries in the area, we are proud of the direct impact that our brewery is making. At the same time we think the more compelling story is that there are now over 80 breweries in the Tampa Bay area, which is incredible because 10 years ago there were six. Our industry is helping to directly impact the local economy in a meaningful way. 

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: 

https://www.cigarcitybrewing.com/

 

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