A Product of
THE SCHOOL BOARD
OF
PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA
An equal opportunity institution for employment and education
Patricia Jeremiah, Director,
The Gus A. Stavros Institute
Copyrighted 1988, 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2008 by the Pinellas County
School Board, Pinellas County, Florida
May not be reprinted without written permission of the Board
Revised June, 2010
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Map of Enterprise Village ................................................................................. 5
Bank of America ………………………………………………………….….. 6
BBF Printing Solutions ………………………………………………….…… 7
Bic Graphic USA ….…………………………………………………….……. 8
Bright House Networks ….……………………………………………….…... 9
CVS …….……………………………………………………………...…. 10-11
Ditek ……..……………………………….………………………………..…. 13
HSN …...………………………………….………………………………. 14-15
Kane’s Furniture ….……………………………………………………... 16-17
K.Tek …....…………………………………………………………………... 18
McDonald’s …..……………………………………………………………… 19
MIX 100.7 ……..…………………………………………………………….. 20
Morton Plant Mease Health Care ...…..……………………………………... 21
Pinellas County Utilities ……..………………………………………………. 22
Pinellas County Village Recycling …...…………………………………… 23
Professional Office ………………………………………………………. 24-25
Progress Energy ……………………………………………………………. 26
St. Petersburg Times ….…...……………………………………………... 27-28
Salvador Dali Museum …………………………………………………….. 29
Sweetbay Supermarket ...…………………………………………………... 30
Tampa Bay Buccaneers .……………………………………………………. 31
Verizon ….…………………………………………………………………... 32
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INTRODUCTION
Each sponsor in Enterprise Village represents an important part of the business community in
Pinellas County. Without the assistance of these businesses, Enterprise Village would not be a
part of the Pinellas County School System’s economic education program.
Each business is a part of the free enterprise system that we are so fortunate to have in Amer-
ica. They are all “Stars.” Each business has taken the chance and put forth the effort to become
successful by using an idea or a simple plan. There is much to learn from their example, and in
many ways, we can apply their stories to our lives.
These articles will give you a better understanding of the businesses at Enterprise Village.
Look for what happened that made each of them successful and what type of product or service
they provide. Find out why each of them is already an important part of our community.
It is with great pleasure that we present to you the businesses at Enterprise Village in the pro-
duction of “A Word From Our Sponsors.”
4
Enterprise Village Floor Plan
En
HSN
BBF
Intergrated terp
Solutions
Vil rise
lag
St. Petersburg Morton Plant
e
Times K.Tek Mease
Progress
Energy Verizon
Bank of
America Dining
McDonald’s
CVS
Girls Boys
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
Sweetbay
Supermarket Salvador Kane’s
Dali Furniture
Brighthouse Art Center
Bic Graphic
City Hall USA
MIX 100.7 Unified Giving
Mayor
Pinellas County
PCU Village
Recycling
Utilities
Professional
Ditek
Office*
* Includes the following:
•Wittner Companies
•KPMG
5 •Clearwater Bar Association & St.
Petersburg Bar Foundation
Website:
www.stavrosinstitute.org
Phone:
727-588-3746
6
For more than 150 years, many hardworking and dedicated people have poured their energy
into building the banks that formed the foundation of the new Bank of America. Through the
changing years, one thing that has remained the same is the bank’s commitment to the commu-
nity.
It all started in San Francisco when A.P. Giannini offered to loan money to his fellow citizens
as part of a rebuilding effort following a devastating earthquake in 1906. Beginning with a ta-
ble made out of a piece of wood and two barrels, the bank grew into a reputable institution mak-
ing the impossible come true for many of its customers.
We have come a long way since Mr. Giannini’s makeshift table. Bank of America has become
a pioneer in the financial services industry. In the beginning, our customers had to walk into a
banking center for service, and the only services offered were deposits and withdrawals. Now
the bank not only offers many types of loans and investment options, but these services can be
accessed by the customer through a variety of channels ranging from the telephone to the Inter-
net and even banking by mail.
Bank of America is the first coast-to-coast bank offering the largest network of banking cen-
ters and ATM machines. Our ATMs provide service in different languages and include talking
ATMs for our visually impaired customers. Recently Bank of America has launched the Ex-
press Banking Center. This specialized center focuses on simple transactions with kiosks avail-
able for customers to conduct business over the Internet. Customers interested in opening new
accounts are able to do so using videoconference technology. These centers also have continu-
ous television news coverage through a special partnership with CNN.
As we move into the 21st century, Bank of America strives to continually provide new and
improved services, convenient access and options to meet individual customers needs. In addi-
tion, we have set an unprecedented goal of $350 billion for community investments over the
next ten years. As we strive towards our goal to make Bank of America the world’s most ad-
mired company, we remain true to our vision of being the people to make banking and investing
work for our customers and clients in ways it never has before.
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In the late 1950’s, computers were just beginning to be-
come an important part of the business world. It was dur-
ing this time that Dr. Gus A. Stavros and his two partners
saw that the future for using computers to print business
forms looked very promising as a business venture. They
were right! Better Business Forms, Inc., was founded in
1960 and began supplying printed forms to the immediate
community. Dr. Stavros and his partners watched their
business grow at a faster rate than any other business form
company.
BBF has grown from a small, wooden building at the St. Petersburg Airport in 1960 into a
200,000 square foot facility located at Bryan Dairy and Belcher Road in Largo. The building
now houses manufacturing and corporate offices. BBF has branch offices throughout Florida,
Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Since the company now offers a variety of products beyond “business forms,” it has become
“BBF.” Our production centers on the needs of customers. Products include not only custom
business forms, but also computer paper, envelopes, labels, plastics cards and specialty products
used in all types of business and industry. With the growing use of computers in businesses,
BBF also buys and resells various computer ink ribbons. Not only do we produce the products,
but we also inventory and distribute these products for our customers.
The mission of BBF is to develop long term and mutually beneficial relationships with our cus-
tomers, employees, suppliers and others within the community. This will be accomplished
through the sale, design, production and maintenance of quality media products and services of
exceptional value with a sensitivity to the legitimate interests of the communities in which we
work.
Although Dr. Stavros has retired from BBF, his vision of “constant innovation” continues to
drive the company. BBF will continue to increase its product line with innovative products that
improve utilization and reduce expenses for businesses. The sales force will become larger to
handle the growing demands of customers, and the recruiting of new employees to support the
company’s growth will be a priority for our customers.
8
For BIC, the road to becoming a well-known pen manufacturer began in 1945 when Maracel
Bich and his partner, Edouard Buffard, bought a factory outside of Paris for very little money.
Mr. Bich had a good idea for a ballpoint pen that would change the writing instrument industry
forever, and by 1949 he launched his first product. This ballpoint pen wrote evenly for a long
time and could be sold for an affordable price. The product’s name was short, simple and one
that all languages would be able to remember—BIC.
In 1959, realizing the appeal of the ballpoint pen, Marcel Bich turned his attention to the
United States market and bought the Waterman Pen Company in Seymour,
Connecticut. In 1963, Waterman-BIC moved to BIC’s current headquarters in Mildford,
Conn., which had a large and modern facility. In the years that followed, Marcel Bich contin-
ued to focus on offering consumers “great service at minimum fair price.”
In 1969, the company established BIC Graphic USA under the name BIC Special Markets Di-
vision in Clearwater, Florida. BIC Graphic USA provides companies with world-class, custom
-imprinted, promotional products. Through BIC Graphic USA, companies can have their logos
or names printed on a wide variety of high quality, modern writing instruments under BIC
owned brands.
As with all divisions of BIC, customer service is a key factor for success. The company prides
itself on making it easy for customers to promote their businesses with a variety of BIC prod-
ucts. First, BIC Graphic USA helps a client identify a pen or product and customizes the prod-
uct’s colors. Next, BIC’s graphic artist manipulates the customer’s artwork to fit on the pen or
product of their choice.
BIC Graphic USA believes that the best businesses succeed because they have talented and
dedicated people with the right setting for growth. The company’s outstanding people and
products, combined with BIC’s strong heritage of quality , service and value, will be the foun-
dation on which BIC Graphic USA continues to grow as a leading promotional products com-
pany.
9
Television stations began broadcasting across our country in the 1940’s. Unfortunately, there
were some people in Western Pennsylvania who were not able to receive television signals be-
cause the mountainous terrain blocked their transmission over the air waves. A solution was to
build an antenna tower on top of a mountain and lay cable from the tower to the homes below in
town. Soon this system was bringing clear, bright TV picture and sound to TV sets in the com-
munity. This was the beginning of cable TV, or Community Antenna TV, as it was originally
known.
Cable television is a system whereby customers receive TV signals by cable connected to their
homes instead of over the airwaves to an antenna. The cable shields the signal by protecting it
from outside interference. In addition, Cable TV can deliver clear signals from distant cities so
customers can view more than their local channels on their TV sets. Today, Cable TV systems
use huge satellite dishes, or earth stations, to pick up signals from satellites around the earth.
This technology has tremendously expanded communications possibilities.
Bright House Networks (formerly Time Warner Cable) came into being in Pinellas County in
April 2003. This name was chosen in keeping with the company’s customer-service focus, plus
it is also a memorable name that would clearly communicate the benefits consumers will enjoy
from its services. Customers increasingly want to experience the best of information and enter-
tainment, on their terms, in the comfort of their homes. This is the essence of what Bright
House Networks is about and what the company is dedicated to delivering.
Bright House customers will continue to enjoy the Time Warner Cable heritage of a state-of-
the-art network capable of delivering all the technology customers want and need, as well as the
robust programming they have come to enjoy. That includes Bay News 9, an award-winning
regional news network.
The company prides itself on its involvement in educational, civic and social activities. It is
active in a number of charitable projects including United Way, March of Dimes, Junior
Achievement and the American Heart Association fund-raising efforts. It is also active in sup-
porting Pinellas County Schools through Cable in the Classroom, the educational initiative of
the cable industry, TV coverage of school athletic and extra-curricular events and participation
in the economic education programs, Enterprise Village and Finance Park, located at the Gus A.
Stavros Institute.
Customer-friendly product and service offerings are available to Bright House customers in the
Tampa Bay area. These include:
*subscription Video on Demand products including Movies on Demand and HBO on
Demand allowing customers to watch programming on their own schedule.
*attractive new packaging options allowing customers to have our services available on
their televisions and computers.
10
The first CVS was opened on May 9, 1963 in Lowell, Massachusetts by brothers Stanley and
Sidney Goldstein, and their business partner, Ralph Hoagland. Since that time the company has
steadily grown into the largest pharmacy retailer in the United States. In those early days, the
focus at Consumer Value Stores was on satisfying customers by offering them high quality
health and beauty aids at an excellent value. It wasn’t until 1967 that CVS opened it’s first two
stores with pharmacies in Rhode Island. The company finished that year with about 23 stores
and sales of $6.3 million.
Two years later, in 1969, CVS was sold to the Melville Corporation, a collection of retail com-
panies, in order to give the young pharmacy chain greater resources to grow at a quicker pace.
And grow it did. CVS thrived under Melville throughout the 1970’s, as it embarked on a series
of acquisitions that would help it expand into new markets, and introduce new customers to its
unique combination of service, value and convenience.
In 1972, CVS nearly doubled in size with its acquisition of 84 Clinton Drug and Discount
Stores in upstate New York and Michigan. In 1977, the company purchased a 36-store New
Jersey-based Mack Drug chain, further extending its reach into the rapidly expanding New
York/New Jersey market. At the same time, the company was rapidly undergoing a transforma-
tion. Pharmacy was becoming a much bigger part of the mix at CVS, as prescription medica-
tion use continued to grow among customers. In 1974, CVS operated about 230 drug stores, 45
of which had pharmacies in them. Today, pharmacy is the heart and soul of CVS. It represents
almost 70 percent of the company’s sales.
The 1990’s began a decade of significant growth for CVS. A number of promising drugs were
being introduced. Meanwhile, drug companies were ramping up their advertising efforts to con-
sumers, and customers’ health insurance plans were increasingly covering the cost of prescrip-
tion medications. These trends created a great opportunity for CVS to extend its distinctive
brand of customer service to customers in new markets. In 1997, the company pulled off the
largest acquisition in the history of retail pharmacy at the time when it purchased 2,500 stores
from Revco. CVS then closed out the decade by acquiring Arbor Drugs of Michigan, a deal
that put the company over the 4,000-store mark to stay.
CVS embarked upon it’s largest undertaking to date when it moved to acquire 1,268 Eckerd
Stores and Eckerd Health Services, Eckerd’s PBM/Mail-order pharmacy business. The move
catapulted CVS to its position today as America’s leading pharmacy retailer. It also confirmed
CVS’ well-earned reputation for quickly and successfully weaving acquired pharmacy chains
into the CVS family.
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Today, CVS is made up of more than 140,000 colleagues working to serve our cutomers and
deliver on our company’s vision to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives. An integral
part of this is our investment in the communities we serve. The primary focus of our giving
programs is health and education-two natural extensions of our company’s goals. By reinvest-
ing in the areas we serve, CVS has become an active participant in helping people live better
lives through enhanced healthcare services, improved approaches to education, and healthier
communities in which to live.
OUR MISSION
We will be the easiest
pharmacy retailer for
customer to use.
OUR VISION
We help people live longer,
healthier, happier lives.
OUR VALUES
Respect for individuals
Integrity
Teamwork
Openness to new ideas
Commitment to flawless
Execution
Passion for extraordinary
customer service
12
DITEK Corporation is a premier manufacturer of integrated surge protection solutions for the
growing global electronic security industry. DITEK’s modern manufacturing facility is in Largo,
Florida. DITEK is a highly-trained and culturally diverse workforce that utilizes state-of-the-art
equipment. The result is high-quality and competitively priced products.
DITEK provides the Industry’s most comprehensive line of surge protection devices for video
surveillance, fire and intrusion detection, access control and building automation systems.
Power surges can be present on utility power lines, telephone lines, computer data lines, and
CCTV cable feeds. Power surges and spikes are caused by lightning, utility power distur-
bances, and the switching on and off of machinery and equipment. Surge protection devices
substantially reduce or eliminate power surges.
DITEK also provides a full line of contract electronic manufacturing services including printed
circuit board assembly, board design and prototyping, verification and test, mechanical assem-
bly, and low-medium volume, high-mix production.
DITEK’s success in business has allowed the owners, Robert and Joanne McIntyre, to give
back to the community by actively supporting organizations that serve children, particularly in
the areas of education and by sponsoring a multitude of youth sport teams. Beneficiaries of our
time and financial resources include the Pinellas County Education Foundation (Yes I Can,
Pride, Save, Doorways), the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department (Victims’ Advocates & Youth
Ranches), Clearwater for Youth, Boys and Girls Club, PAL, CASA, Pace, Resource Center for
Women, and many Little League teams across Pinellas County.
Surge Protection for Every Application
13
HSN, a division of USA Interactive (NASDAQ: USAI), is
a worldwide retailer with sales of close to $2 billion in
2002 and a growing customer base of over 5 million. Its
24-hour programming reaches more than 136 million
households worldwide. As the world’s most widely dis-
tributed shopping channel, the company broadcasts in the
United States, China, Japan and Germany.
In 1977, home shopping first began on a Clearwater AM
radio station when an advertiser could not pay his bill. In-
stead, the station owner agreed to accept 112 electric can
openers being sold for $10 each over the air. The purchas-
ers even had to go to the radio station to pick them up! A
complete sellout gave birth to “Suncoast Bargaineers,” a
regularly scheduled radio show. In 1981, the concept
moved to local cable access here in Tampa Bay and was known as “Home Shopping Channel.”
HSN has grown from 1 product in 1977 to 22,000 unique products in the categories of Home &
Entertainment , Electronics, Health & Beauty and Fashion & Jewelry.
Today, the company maintains a 1.4 million square foot facility on 53 acres in St. Petersburg,
Florida. HSN has a total of 4,500 employees in the United States alone! At the headquarters
in St. Petersburg, a customer-care staff of more than 1,200 processes over 70 million phone
calls a year. In addition to customer care, the other departments at the headquarters include
Television Production, Marketing, Accounting, Information Technology, Merchandising, Qual-
ity Assurance and www.hsn.com.
HSN’s Fulfillment Centers, which store the merchandise and ship it via U.S. Postal Service, are
strategically located throughout the world to ensure accurate and on-time delivery. U.S. centers
are located in Salem and Roanoke, Virginia; Waterloo, Iowa; and Fontana, California. Interna-
tional centers are located in Germany, Japan and China. The fulfillment staff ships 90,000 to
130,000 packages a day or 44 million packages a year.
“Our customers’ tastes have changed significantly over the years,” states Bob Rosenblatt, Presi-
dent of HSN-US. “Their high standards, keen fashion sense and strong desire to improve their
lifestyle is evident in the quality products they purchase both on television and online.”
14
Hundreds of buyers and merchandisers travel to exotic locales throughout the globe searching
for the latest products to meet the demands of 5-million customers who purchase 22,000 differ-
ent products from the network each year. After the buyers make their selections, the product
and its claims are tested by the HSN Quality Assurance Lab, a group of 70 professional techni-
cians ranging from chemists to microbiologists, to tailors, to graduate gemologists. Each year
these evaluators test over 26,000 product samples that are being considered for possible sale.
This dedicated team of professionals is constantly pulling, twisting, washing, examining, pinch-
ing and burning potential merchandise to make sure that it meets the high product standards of
HSN.
In the Marketing, Advertising and PR Departments, HSN continually looks for new ways to
build the customer-base which is 75% “over 40” females with an average household income of
$63,000. In the future, HSN envisions gaining market share by leading the evolution of how
people shop. Today and in the future, HSN is in business to “make people feel good” by creat-
ing a shopping experience that is fun, entertaining, convenient, informative and worth it!
15
Since 1948, under the leadership of its
founders, Maurice and Thelma
Rothman, KANE’S Furniture has
grown into one of Florida’s premier
furniture destination stores. It is our mission to continually develop innovative ways to provide
superior service and a memorable shopping experience to our customers while remaining com-
mitted to providing maximum value. Today we are moving into the new century with exciting
new concepts in furniture retailing enabling us to continually give the people of Florida the best
values in quality, name-brand furniture.
KANE’S is proud of our roots in Florida and our more than 51 years of serving our customers.
We have been the largest furniture retailer doing business solely in the state of Florida for
many years and also one of the oldest and most respected home furnishings businesses in the
country.
Our market stretches over 300 miles along the Gulf of Mexico, through Central Florida and to
the Atlantic seaboard. Our current 15 store locations comprise more than 850,000 sq. ft. of fur-
niture retail display space in eight major Central Florida markets including Tampa, St. Peters-
burg and Orlando. Based in Pinellas Park, FL, we currently employ over 700 people. Our an-
nual sales volume exceeds 140 million dollars, and our goal is to continue to grow in volume
and market share. We will achieve this because of our commitment to our customers to provide
tremendous service and great values.
Our mammoth 433,000 sq. ft. facility located in Pinellas Park, FL is home to our corporate
headquarters, factory and distribution center.
The 33,000 sq. ft. corporate headquarters is the nerve center of the entire operation and is de-
signed for maximum efficiency and equipped with state-of-the-art computer programming and
technical support. This electronic brain center provides an ever flowing supply of valuable
merchandise and customer data.
Imagine the area of 19 football fields under one roof.
Our spectacular 400,000 square foot warehouse facility
is home to an ever moving network of furniture. This
facility is a fine tuned network of incoming goods and
outgoing deliveries. Crews work around the clock pre-
paring merchandise for our fleet of delivery trucks that
traverse thousands of miles, five days a week deliver-
ing to homes throughout Central Florida.
16
Every KANE’S Furniture showroom
contains the latest designs priced to fit
into anyone’s budget in a kaleidoscope of today’s most popular colors, styles and textures. We
specialize in the Florida that brings into play contemporary patterns and soft pastel hues. Tradi-
tional styles complete our floors for those with more northern states.
In addition to the great furniture sources we have here in the United States, we also import from
allover the world…Italy, Canada, Mexico the Far East and more. Our buyers travel the world
searching for the best values for our customers’ dollars. Our own direct imports pass on sav-
ings of up to 70%.
Our vision of the future has us number one in sales, quality, value, personnel and customer sat-
isfaction. We will do this by satisfying and holding our customers as well as providing good
returns for our shareholders. We will also strive to maintain our existing retail locations in a
beautiful state of the art condition and expand our retail locations throughout the state.
17
MISSION & VISION
Trendy solutions have never proven to be anything more than a business band-aid or a quick
fix. At K.Tek, we have a passion for business first and technology second. We use technology
as a business enabling tool. We have understood and applied this fundamental concept for
years. The critical drivers for business in the Internet age are as basic as they originally were
before the web was “invented”:
Revenue Generation yielding growth
Communication Flow yielding profitability
Delivery of Products and Services yielding competitive advantage
Our mission is simple and has not changed since our inception in 1995. We are dedicated to
making your business thrive in the “new economy.” We assist companies and organizations in
the use and application of the most powerful business tool today...the Internet.
PARTNERS: Combining Strengths
K.Tek has developed strong relationships with the industry’s leading business, technology and
service providers. We can provide a strong marketing arm for your company’s technology.
You are welcome to align your company with K.Tek.
PROGRAMS: K.Tek Academy
The greatest asset of any company is the “people.” That’s why we created the “K.Tek Acad-
emy.” It’s a recruitment program which selects, qualifies and hires the top technology talent
from around the world. Not only do we recruit people for our team, but for everyone else
too...our clients, our business community...even our competitors! The high standards make
entry into the K.Tek Academy extremely difficult. In turn, members prove to be ultra-
performers, highly intelligent and extraordinarily motivated individuals who bring increased
levels of resources to companies around the world.
CAREERS: Creating Opportunities
The K.Tek Career Challenge is fit for those who have a proven track record of success. We hire
from our K.Tek Academy program, serving college graduates that meet above average stan-
dards. We also hire those people who want challenge and success to be a part of their every
day vocabulary. Join the K.Tek Team, you will win.
18
In 1954, Ray Kroc, a salesman of Multimixer milk-
shake machines, received a large order from California
for his Multimixers, but the order asked for changes to
be made in the design of the machine. Curious, he
traveled to California to see why the changes were
needed. When he arrived, he found a most unusual
restaurant owned by two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald. It was an octagon-shaped build-
ing with windows for service on each of the eight sides. Through these windows, french fries,
milkshakes and 15 cent hamburgers were sold to lines of eager customers. Ray sat in the park-
ing lot for hours and watched. He could see why this restaurant needed eight speedy machines.
He realized that the McDonald’s brothers idea was indeed quite unique!
Seizing the day, Ray enthusiastically talked the McDonald brothers into giving him the right to
sell the franchise, or copies of the restaurant. In 1955, Ray opened the windows at his first res-
taurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. This was the start of the McDonald’s Corporation. Years later,
the McDonald brothers sold the concept to Ray Kroc, giving him the rights to the name
McDonald’s and the restaurant idea. As years went by, the business grew, and Ray became
convinced that he had a formula for success.
From the beginning, McDonald’s restaurants were built on QSC&V—Quality, Service,
Cleanliness and Value. Today, over 40 years later, Ray Kroc’s formula for success is still
working. To ensure that every store meets Ray’s standards for “QSC&V,” Hamburger Univer-
sity (HU) was created. Located in Oak Brook, Illinois at McDonald’s headquarters, HU has
grown from one classroom in the basement of a restaurant to a fully accredited university.
As time went by, people grew to love the restaurants, and in return, every McDonald’s became
involved in helping the community it served. In 1974, the first Ronald McDonald House
opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the help of the Philadelphia Eagles. From this house
grew the Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities (RMCC). In 1996 RMCC became Ronald
McDonald House Charities (RMHC) and joined forces with Ronald McDonald Houses around
the world. Here the families of critically ill children have a place to call home while they’re
away from home as young patients undergo treatment for their conditions.
McDonald’s is the world’s leading food service retailer with more than 30,000 restaurants in
118 countries servicing 46 million customers each day. McDonald’s serves the world some of
its favorite food: World Famous French Fries, Big Macs, Quarter Pounders with Cheese,
Chicken McNuggets, Happy Meals and Egg McMuffins. With new restaurants opening world-
wide, McDonald’s is still #1 and growing.
19
WMTX-FM Radio, commonly referred to as
Mix 100.7, is a Tampa Bay radio station that
specializes in playing Pop Music from the
80’s, 90’s and Now!
Like all radio and television stations in the
United States, Mix 100.7 is licensed by a
branch of the United States government, the
Federal Communications Commission
(FCC). The FCC makes certain that radio
stations operate in the public interest cover-
ing a wide variety of services. While our main service is music and entertainment, we also of-
fer daily traffic reports, weather forecasts, weather bulletins, news stories and other information
to make sure that our listeners are informed as well as entertained.
Since radio is obviously free to consumers, we earn our money by selling commercial advertise-
ments to local and regional businesses. All of our programming (music, air personalities, con-
tests, etc.) is designed to appeal to women between the ages of 25 and 49. Since that is our tar-
get audience, many of the commercials you hear on Mix 100.7 talk about products and services
that appeal to adult women. If our listeners buy the products that they hear advertised on the
radio station, then our advertisers will buy more commercials so they can sell even more of
their products!
Mix 100.7 is owned by Clear Channel Communications, the largest radio company in the
United States. In addition to 8 radio stations here in Tampa Bay, Clear Channel owns 1,200
stations throughout the country. Our company also owns 39 television stations and more than
750,000 billboards across America. All of our media properties combined produce more than
$8 billion in advertising revenue every year.
Among the many artist featured on Mix 100.7 are Celine Dion, Matchbox 20, Backstreet Boys,
Phil Collins and Faith Hill. We conduct audience research on a regular basis to determine what
songs and what artists are most popular with our listeners. The more popular music we play,
the more people listen, and the more people who listen, the more we can charge advertisers for
commercials!
In addition to playing the most popular music for our audience, we attract listeners by using the
Internet. Our website, www.wmtx.com, has several fun and interesting areas for adults, but we
also have a special site that we’ve developed for kids like you. The Mix Kids Club is an online
way of winning great prizes, hearing about cool new movies, upcoming concerts and more!
While the disc jockeys on the air are the voices you are most familiar with, we actually have a
staff of more than 50 behind-the-scenes people who do everything from making sure the equip-
ment is operating properly to making sure that the right songs get played.
Running a radio station, like any business, is truly a team effort!
20
When you go to the mall, you’ll find
many businesses selling everything from cell phones to sneakers. To be successful, communi-
ties must also provide health care services. Health care is so important, but most of us don’t
realize that until we become sick. MORTON PLANT MEASE helps people become well
when they are sick. We also help them stay healthy and prevent future sickness. It’s a mission
we’ve had for a long time—almost 100 years.
In 1916, MORTON PLANT Hospital opened in Clearwater. It was started with help from a
rich railroad man, Morton F. Plant. His son was hurt in a car accident while vacationing in
Clearwater. The nearest hospital was in Tampa which was an entire day’s drive. This really
concerned Mr. Plant, and he realized how badly Clearwater needed its own hospital. When
some ladies asked him for money to help build a hospital, he said yes immediately.
MORTON PLANT Hospital has since become MORTON PLANT MEASE and has grown
greatly since the beginning. Today we have 687 beds and provide the very best medical care to
people of all ages. We are a not-for-profit hospital which means that we don’t make money on
the medical services we provide. Any extra money raised is used to buy new medical equip-
ment and offer new services helping the community stay healthy.
In this high-tech age, it’s important to develop new and better ways of performing medical tests
and surgeries. That’s why our doctors and health care professionals spend a lot of time on
medical research. We participate in national research projects testing out new medications and
medical procedures. This helps us offer advance medical care to people with cancer, heart dis-
ease and other conditions.
MORTON PLANT MEASE is a leader in the community, but we’re also known nationally.
In fact, we were named one of the top 100 U.S. hospitals, both overall and for heart care. We
are proud of these awards but even prouder of what they stand for. In short, they mean that we
are always looking for new ways to make health care even better. We want you and your fam-
ily to have the best medical care available right here in your own community.
As we move ahead, one of the things we’ll be focusing on is ways to make health care more
convenient. We’ve built outpatient centers in the neighborhoods people live in, so they don’t
have to drive far to get medical tests, visit the doctor or work out in the gym. We also have
transformed two large buses into medical clinics. We drive these buses to places in the commu-
nity like libraries and shopping centers. Nurses, medical technicians and doctors work inside
the buses, offering health services such as flu shots and stroke screenings. We want to make it
easy for people to stay healthy and this is just one way we’re meeting that goal. The future
looks even more exciting for MORTON PLANT MEASE.
21
Pinellas County Utilities was created in 1937 by an act of
the Florida Legislature in order to supply water to the Gulf
Beaches of Pinellas County. The original source of this
water was the Walsingham Reservoir and served less than
200 customers. Today, Pinellas County Utilities serves
over 660,000 citizens through direct service and wholesale
water sales to several other municipalities. An average of
69 million gallons of water per day is distributed to citizens
through over 1,874 miles of pipe ranging from 2 inches to 60 inches in diameter.
The amount of water on the earth does not change. Why? It doesn’t change because the earth's water
supply is part of the hydrological cycle that has repeated itself over and over throughout history and will
continue to repeat itself millions of years into the future. Today, citizens throughout Pinellas County
receive their drinking water from Tampa Bay Water. Several sources for this water include wellfields,
surface water, desalination of seawater, the Tampa Bypass Canal and the Hillsborough and Alafia Riv-
ers. Protection and conservation of this precious resource are of critical importance to all citizens,
young and old.
The Board of County Commissioners, the personnel of Pinellas County Utilities and Pinellas County’s
citizens pursue a strong commitment to the conservation of water. This commitment has been expressed
in a number of ways over many years. With a sense of pride, Pinellas County Utilities places high
value on quality, reliable service, customer satisfaction, conservation of natural resources and a quality,
protected environment.
With your assistance, we are committed to preserving and protecting our current water supply and to
planning and preparing for the future.
Major elements of our program include:
* efficient use of existing water supplies
* protection of existing water supplies
* reclamation of wastewater
* education of the public about conservation and recycling opportunities to change
water use habits and reduce the amount of water used
* promotion of the usage of water saving devices and technologies
* promotion of xeriscaping and low water use in landscaping
Pinellas County Utilities is responsible not only for the delivery of water, but they are also responsible
for wastewater and solid waste disposal services. Some of our goals relating to these three services are:
* providing high quality drinking water to the public
* minimizing the impact of wastewater on the environment
* increasing the beneficial use of reclaimed water
* maximizing landfill space for solid waste (trash) through recycling and waste
reduction
* improving the financial return on the investment in the waste-to-energy plant (solid waste is incinerated
and the power produced by this incineration is sold)
* replacing household fixtures with those that conserve water
* promoting public awareness about the benefits of resource conservation
* protecting our resources (wetlands and future sources of water)
Conservation efforts are working in Pinellas County. As a result of our successful conservation efforts,
water usage per person has significantly declined in recent years. Yet there are always ways we can do
better. On behalf of Pinellas County Utilities, we thank you for your efforts to conserve water.
22
Pinellas County
VILLAGE RECYCLING
Why Recycle?
It is vital to recycle and reduce waste here in Pinellas County because we have only one land-
fill. Recycling is also important for social, economic, and environmental reasons. Did you
know that over 70% of the waste in Pinellas County can be recycled? Recycling programs,
along with waste reduction and waste diversion programs, help to conserve landfill space and
ensure a sustainable future.
Curbside and Drop-Off Recycling
In Pinellas County, all citizen have access to recycling through curbside or drop-off programs
for items such as aluminum, cardboard, glass, newspaper, mixed paper, plastic, steel, and yard
waste.
School Paper Recycling
Teachers and students can participate in the County’s school paper recycling program. Pinellas
County has made free recycling bins and collection services available to both public and private
schools. Recycling paper at school saves resources and encourages students to make recycling
a lifetime habit. We offer free educational resources related to recycling on our Just for Teach-
ers Web site including newsletters, activity books, reference materials, and DVDs.
Recycled Reefs
The Pinellas County reef program is an innovative way to recycle demolition and construction
debris such as old bridges or boats. Clean concrete and steel debris are used to construct artifi-
cial reefs. These underwater reefs create valuable habitats for fish and other sea life, which in
turn benefits fishermen and divers.
Recycling Education and Outreach
Pinellas County Utilities works hard to educate the community about conserving our precious
natural resources. We offer a variety of publications, speakers, tours, and special events to pro-
mote recycling and waste reduction. One of our most popular events is the Recycle Regatta.
Students build boats made of recycled materials to race against their peers. Our Just for Kids
Web site is also popular with children. Packed with games, songs, puzzles, and activities, it
makes learning about recycling fun!
Buying Recycled Products
Recycling only works when you buy products made with recycled materials. This “closes the
loop” between simply collecting recyclables and actually recycling them by creating markets
for the materials. Items commonly made with recycled materials include paper products, plas-
tic lumber, cardboard, aluminum cans, and steel cans. Look for “made with recycled materials”
or “post-consumer recycled content” on the products you buy.
23
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Attorneys at law, also known as lawyers, have been with us for thousands of years. Lawyers
were primarily responsible for helping to develop important documents such as the Declaration
of Independence and the United States Constitution as well as state and federal laws. Lawyers
are trained to examine problems such as how to buy and sell goods and services, and answer
business and personal questions. They give clients (the people who use the services of a law-
yer) advice on how to solve these problems.
Some attorneys work for city, county, state or federal governments; others work for large cor-
porations like Progress Energy, CVS, Verizon; and others are in private practice, where they
represent individuals and companies. Some attorneys do most of their work in an office while
other attorneys go to court and represent the interests of their clients in front of judges and ju-
ries.
To become a lawyer, a person must graduate from college and complete law school. After
graduating from law school, a person must pass an examination, the “bar exam,” and have an
investigation of their character done by The Florida Bar. If the person has been in serious trou-
ble at school, with the police, or in the courts, it is very unlikely that the person will be allowed
to become a lawyer.
A bar association is a group of lawyers who practice in a certain area. The term “bar” came
from the old English practice of holding court in town squares. To separate the spectators from
the people actually involved in the case, a “bar” was put up. Attorneys, because of their special
education, were “admitted to the bar” and could present cases to the court. Lawyers joined to-
gether to form bar associations. The first one in the United States was started in Boston in
1761. The Florida Bar was organized in 1907, and since 1951, all persons who want to practice
law in Florida have been required to be members.
The St. Petersburg and the Clearwater Bar Associations are voluntary local associations of
attorneys in Pinellas County. The St. Petersburg Bar was formed in 1938 and now has over
680 members. The St. Petersburg and Clearwater Bars help their members keep up with the
changes in the law by holding educational programs. The bar associations also work to help the
public understand more about the law. As the population of Pinellas County grows, there will
be more lawyers to meet people’s needs for legal advice and assistance.
WITTNER COMPANIES
Wittner & Co., a holding company founded almost fifty years ago, has become a leader in con-
sulting and in designing employee benefits plans for large employers in Florida. Wittner Nati-
nal Group is the subsidiary that provides this service. Everyone needs health and other types of
personal insurance, such as life and dental insurance, and we can make sure you get what you
need.
24
Very few families could survive if they personally had to pay the full cost to doctors and hospi-
tals every time they visited a doctor, experienced an illness requiring hospitalization, or needed
braces. That’s where employee benefits, usually paid for by the company for whom one works,
become a welcome partner in covering the cost of such medical expenses.
Wittner National Group’s success is rooted in our practice of building close, positive and long-
term working relationships with our clients. We focus on helping our clients obtain quality em-
ployee benefits in the most cost-effective and efficient method possible. We’ve found that the
closer we get to our clients, the better we are in finding reasonable solutions to their medical
insurance requirements.
We also work to keep clients informed of their benefit programs, by hosting seminars on timely
topics of current vital interest, such as Consumer Driven Healthcare, HIPAA and ERISA. We
recently held a HIPAA seminar to help companies fulfill the requirements of the HIPAA act,
which requires them to guard personal health information about their employees so that the pri-
vacy of individuals is not made public.
Our companies are founded and run on our long held high standards—our Core Values. These
include putting the customer first, running our business legally and ethically, respecting our fel-
low employees, and being passionate about getting good results in a fun work environment.
That is the kind of environment that you will enjoy at Enterprise Village. Who knows? Maybe,
when you’ve grown up and graduated, you will come to work for us!
KPMG LLP
KPMG LLP, founded in 1897, is an accounting and tax firm offering services to public and
private companies around the world. As one of the largest accounting firms, it is known as a
“Big Four Firm.” KPMG is known as the fastest growing Big Four Accounting Firm. In the
Tampa Bay area, KPMG employs more than 100 people. Some employees provide support
services such as graphic design, office management, secretarial support and mail room services.
Others in our office provide professional services. These individuals are called accountants.
A certified public accountant, also called a CPA, has gone to college to study math and business
operations and has specialized in learning about accounting and taxes. After graduating from
college, a person wanting to become a CPA in Florida must pass a very difficult national exami-
nation before being given the special state license. This license allows the individual to be
called a certified public accountant.
The individuals or businesses that use the services of a CPA are called clients. A CPA helps
clients with their accounting needs by keeping systematic records of all business and financial
transactions. These records tell the business how well it’s doing. The CPA also helps busi-
nesses to determine their income taxes. Income taxes are taxes that all businesses must pay to
the federal government each year. The CPA has studied the complicated tax laws and is an ex-
pert in determining how much a business must pay in taxes.
25
Progress Energy provides more than 2.8
million residential and business customers
with electricity in Florida, North Carolina
and South Carolina. Progress Energy was
formed in November 2000 by the merger of
two well-established energy companies —
CP&L (Carolina Power & Light) and Florida
Progress. The union created a Fortune 250
company that is among the ten largest pro-
ducers of electric power in the United States.
Progress Energy is a big company now, but
it wasn’t always that way. It was not until
Governor William D. Bloxham signed a corporate charter for The St. Petersburg Electric Light
Company on July 19, 1899, that Progress Energy had its legal beginning in Florida. The use
of electricity caught on quickly in Florida. In St. Petersburg, the main use of electricity was to
provide the power to operate streetcars, but the people demanded electrical service for lighting.
In 1910, all night electrical service began in St. Petersburg. Until then, power was available for
residential use only during the early evening hours. In 1911, service became available 24 hours
a day.
During the first quarter of the 20th century, small electric companies sprang up all over Florida.
Engineers discovered how to make more and cheaper electricity from bigger and better power
plants. Power companies joined together and changed
their names. The St. Petersburg Lighting Company be-
came the Pinellas County Power Company, and by 1927, it
had grow to the point where it was renamed Florida Power.
In January 2003, the name changed again to Progress En-
ergy.
Progress Energy employs workers in just about every job
category: engineers, line worker, lawyers, secretaries, com-
puter programmers, telecommunication people, drivers,
mechanics, chemists, clerks, accountants, environmental-
ists, insurance and real estate professionals, electricians,
carpenters, plumbers, pipe fitters, welders, economists,
graphic artists and writers. Each plays an important part in
providing service to Progress Energy’s customers and in
keeping electricity ready at the flick of a switch.
26
Over 100 years ago on July 25, 1884, a tiny news- paper was begun by J.M. “Doc”
Baggett in the back room of a pharmacy in Dunedin, Florida. Called the West Hillsborough
Times, it was only four pages long and had a total circulation of 480 copies. In the 1890’s, the
paper was brought to St. Petersburg and became the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. In 1901,
W. L. Straub and his two partners bought the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES for $1,300.
As editor, Straub did much for the community. His editorials supported the construction of bet-
ter roads and strongly urged the separation of the Pinellas area from Hillsborough County.
Consequently in 1911, Pinellas and Hillsborough were split and Pinellas became a separate
county. In 1912, an Indiana publisher, Paul Poynter, bought the paper for approximately
$10,000. Many improvements were made including additions of wire services and the purchase
of new presses.
Paul Poynter’s son, Nelson, began managing the newspaper in 1938. In the 1960’s, Nelson
Poynter established a not-for-profit school called the Modern Media Institute. When Nelson
died in June 1978, the institute assumed ownership of the newspaper and was renamed the
Poynter Institute for Media Studies in his honor. The Poynter Institute continues as a school for
working journalists and invites them to attend short seminars to enhance their knowledge of
journalism and reinvigorate their excitement and enthusiasm for their careers.
Because news can occur anytime during the day, employees are at work throughout the day and
night.
News reporters and photographers are sometimes sent away on assignment throughout Florida,
the United States and around the world. They might travel to London to cover the Wimbledon
tennis tournament, to Hollywood to cover the Academy Awards or Iraq or Afghanistan to cover
U.S. troop involvement.
The main headquarters of the newspaper is in St. Petersburg. There are 13 other offices
throughout the West Coast of Florida (in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus
counties) as well as in Tallahassee, Miami and Washington D.C. The newspaper’s circulation
— how many copies of the paper are printed —is nearly 332,000 Monday through Saturday and
nearly 416,000 on Sunday. Getting the newspaper out to all these people 365 days a year takes
skill and teamwork. The newspaper teams consist of about 3,000 dedicated staffers.
27
THE TIMES is very active in supporting the communities of Tampa Bay. The newspaper
sponsors events for the enjoyment of people of all ages. THE TIMES also donates an average
of $1 million to non-profit organizations to benefit the arts, social services, journalism, educa-
tion and civic endeavors.
The Newspaper In Education department is a special arm of the Circulation Department that
works with local businesses and individuals to provide newspapers to classrooms to be used by
teachers as part of their lessons. Supplemental guides and educational services are delivered to
more than 1,800 classrooms in the newspaper’s five-county circulation area. Each Monday, on
the X-Press pages in the BayLink section, the newspaper devotes space to news for young read-
ers in the effort to capture their interest and serve as a launching pad for life-long learning.
At THE TIMES, employees work hard to make sure customers are satisfied with the paper and
its service. Since 1963, the ST. PETERSBRUG TIMES has won six Pulitzer Prizes, been
named one of the country’s Top 10 newspapers and won other awards for reporting, photogra-
phy, design, sales results, printing quality and recycling programs.
28
SALVADOR DALI
The Salvador Dali Museum is one of the most popular sites in the Tampa Bay area, drawing
200,000 visitors annually and contributing 55 million dollars to the economy through hotel
stays, dining and shopping. Many national and international visitors choose to vacation in this
area of Florida specifically because of the Dali Museum. Salvador Dali was one of the best
known, best loved and most unusual artists of the 20th century, and the Salvador Dali Museum
is the home of the most comprehensive collection of his work anywhere in the world. Born on
May 11th , 1904, in Figueres, Spain, Dali would come to be one of the most recognized artists
of the 20th century.
Dali achieved fame when he traveled to Paris to join the Surrealist Movement in 1929. Surreal-
ism was an art movement that championed dream imagery, the absurd and the irrational, and
Dali was the most well-known surrealist. His celebrated paintings were full of dream symbols
including melting watches, ants, burning giraffes and grasshoppers, and he was a master of dou-
ble image illusions.
In addition to being a master artist, Dali was also a celebrity. His popping eyes and iconic mus-
tache were featured in popular magazines for decades, and he also enjoyed shocking people.
He walked ocelots on the streets of Manhattan, he showed up for a London lecture dressed in a
deep sea diving suit, he arranged to have a 40 foot-long loaf of bread baked for an appearance,
and he even arrived at an event in a Cadillac stuffed with cauliflower! In 1974, Dali created his
own museum in Figueres, Spain—the Teatro Museo Dali. When Dali died on January 23,
1989, he was buried in his Spanish museum.
The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg has the largest collection of Dali’s work outside of Spain.
It was the gift of the Cleveland couple A. Reynolds Morse and Eleanor Morse. Through their
lifelong love of Dali, they created an amazing collection. The Dali Museum has become an
economic anchor for the creative community in the Bay Area, providing jobs and skilled train-
ing for employees and collaborative partnerships with other museums and arts groups. The mu-
seum’s public activities range from exhibitions and publications to concerts, films, lectures and
festivals.
As a nonprofit educational organization, the Dali Museum’s objective is to function without any
monetary profit. Remarkably, the admissions and store sales sustain 80% of the museum ex-
penses, but the museum also relies on other sources of revenue including corporation sponsor-
ships, government grants and individual donations. Career opportunities at the Dali Museum
are diverse, requiring a variety of skills. The Museum Director leads a large group of profes-
sionals in such key departments as curatorial, marketing, development, retail, finance and edu-
cation. For college students, a great way to learn about the Dali Museum is to receive an intern-
ship where students work alongside museum professionals. For younger students, the summer
Dali Junior Docent program provides exciting opportunities to explore Dali’s world and dis-
cover the method to his madness.
29
The Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia Virginia) is the literal inspiration for our
name. With its fragrant white blossoms and brilliant red berries, the beau-
tiful Sweetbay reflects our passion for delicious food. Common to West
Central Florida, the Sweetbay grows tall and strong, echoing the strength
of our stores and associates.
Sweetbay Supermarket, (NYSE: DEG), a subsidiary of Delhaize America,
opened its first store in Largo, Florida in November 2004. Today, there
are 102 stores as far south as Naples and as far north as Gainesville. Cor-
porate headquarters are located in Tampa. Mike Vail is president and
chief operating officer.
Sweetbay Supermarkets blend passion, knowledge and excitement with outstanding quality,
value and variety to offer a one-of-a-kind shopping experience to Floridians. Each store is a
cornucopia of enticing sights, scents and textures. There’s always an abundance of fresh-
picked produce, top-quality meats, diverse ethnic offerings, oven-fresh baked goods, an
expansive deli selection and well-stocked grocery aisles. In every department, our helpful
associates share their expertise and passion for food.
At Sweetbay we don’t just sell food, we’re passionate about it. Associates undergo regular
training to keep up with the latest developments in food.
We also offer the following services at the Customer Service Desk:
* ATM * Money Orders/Western Union * Check Cashing
* Postage Stamps * Lottery Sales * Gift Cards
We take pride in the quality and variety of our products. In fact, we’re so confident, that if
you’re not 100% satisfied with any of our private label or fresh items, bring it back and we’ll
give you double your money back.
Sweetbay is a rewarding place to work. As an inclusive company, we reach out to
every level of the workforce, maximizing the potential of all associates, while achieving our
individual and organizational goals. We provide our associates with competitive compensa-
tion packages that allow for an opportunity to share in the company’s success.
Some benefits include:
* Flexible Spending Accounts * Health Reimbursement Accounts
* Holiday and Vacation Days * Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
* Retirement Plan * 401 (k)
* Scholarships * Stock Options
* Life Insurance * Domestic Partner Benefits
30
The National Football League (NFL) was formed on June 24, 1922.
It was made up of 18 franchises or teams. There are now 32 fran-
chises located throughout the United States. Tampa Bay was
awarded an NFL franchise in 1975 and began playing in the NFL’s
Central Division during 1976. By 1979, their fourth season, the
Buccaneers had quickly built the team into the champions of the
NFC Central Division. That team was built on an outstanding de-
fense led by defensive end Lee Roy Selmon, a six-time Pro Bowl
selection. The Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, which links Tampa
and St. Petersburg, is named for this legendary Buccaneer.
Head Coach Jon Gruden stood in front of a standing-room only crowd at a downtown Tampa hotel on
February 20, 2002, the day he was officially introduced as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I’m thrilled to be here, and all I can guarantee is a lot of hard work and effort to try to put the Bucca-
neers into championship form,” Gruden said that day.
Less than 11 months later, Gruden had more than delivered on his promise. Tampa Bay had claimed its
first NFL title with a 48-21 victory over Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego on January 26,
2003. The Buccaneers, who were making their first appearance in the NFL’s championship game, also
claimed the first-ever NFC South title in 2002, just the fourth division crown in team history.
A new era in Tampa Bay sports opened on September 20, 1998, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers de-
feated the Chicago Bears, 27-15, in the inaugural event at Raymond James Stadium. Following three
years of intense research, development and construction, Raymond James Stadium became a combina-
tion of the finest elements of modern stadium design and its own groundbreaking innovations.
Referred to as “The Crown Jewel of the NFL” by league insiders, the stadium’s features are centered on
one concept: enhancing the fan’s experience at a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.
In an effort to expand and enhance the overall game experience at Raymond James Stadium, the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers constructed a $3 million pirate ship extravaganza call Buccaneer Cove. Located in the
north end zone of the stadium, Buccaneer Cove encompasses 20,000 square feet and runs the entire
length of the end zone concourse. The centerpiece of Buccaneer Cove is the majestic, 103 foot long
ship, an authentic replica of an early 1800’s pirate ship, arguable one of the most recognizable stadium
features in the world. Massive enough to be a striking image from any spot in the stadium, the majestic
ship looms out over the crowd in the north end zone. All areas of Buccaneer Cove and the ship’s facili-
ties are ADA approved and ramp accessible so that all fans can benefit from this unique setting. With a
full menu of food and beverages, plentiful facilities and an excellent view of the action on the field, Buc-
caneer Cove is as animated as the 19th-century pirate village after which it is modeled.
Introduced into the NFL in 1976, the team’s 32-member dance team is known as the Tampa Bay Buc-
caneers Cheerleaders. The squad is comprised of athletes, business-women, mothers and full-time col-
lege students. Each year, the squad makes approximately 300 commu-
nity appearances for both non-profit organizations and corporate events.
The Buccaneer Football Team became Tampa Bay’s first professional
sports franchise and has been recognized as one of the exciting forces
responsible for bringing the area’s individual communities together to
create the dynamic Tampa Bay market.
31
The telephone was invented in 1876, and in 1901, a new Florida company called Peninsular Telephone
received a license to provide service to several thousand West Coast residents lucky enough to have a
telephone. These telephones were battery operated and had a crank on the side that produced enough
electricity to send a signal to an operator, who then connected the call to a friend or a business as far
away as down the street.
Then in the 1950’s, Peninsular Telephone Company was purchased by General Telephone, later called
GTE. During the decades that followed, GTE grew along with the six Florida counties where it pro-
vided telephone service: Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties. By the
end of the millennium, GTE was one of the leading employers in the Tampa Bay area. Employees held
jobs that varied from laying cable and installing telephone service, selling telephone instruments at the
Phone Mart, to taking customer orders over the telephone for new service. Besides offering local phone
service, GTE also provided wireless, long distance, directory and internetworking services ranging from
dial-up Internet access for residential and small-business customers.
In the year 2000, GTE merged with Bell Atlantic to form a new company, Verizon Communications,
which is one of the world’s leading providers of communications services. With 136.6 million access
lines and 33.3 million wireless customers, Verizon is a Fortune 10 company with more than 227,000
employees. The name, Verizon, is a word coined from the Latin word “veritas” (that means truth ad
connotes certainty and reliability), and “horizon” (that signifies forward-looking, visionary and the pos-
sibilities ahead).
Verizon is the third-largest long-distance carrier for U.S. consumers, with 13.2 million long-distance
lines, and the company is also the largest directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles
and circulation. With approximately $ 67 billion in annual revenues, Verizon’s global presence extends
to the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific
One of the reasons for Verizon’s success is the diversity of our employees. We recognize the power of
our employees’ diverse minds, experiences, cultures and perspectives. In fact, minorities represent
nearly 30 percent of Verizon’s workforce and hold 16 percent of top management positions.
Verizon is also a leader in high-growth data markets, with digital networks that already include more
fiber optics than any other communication’s company. These networks give Verizon a distribution plat-
form for electronic commerce and high-speed Internet access powered by digital subscriber lines. DSL
technology provides super-fast data transmission by expanding the power of a regular telephone line and
allowing it to do several things at once, such as access the Internet, take a phone call and link your fax
machine. Soon we’ll be introducing the next step in communications: providing a fiber path to new
homes.
Whatever the telecommunications technology, Verizon’s mission is to offer customers the richest array
of high-growth communications services over the most extensive national footprint and in the world’s
most attractive markets.
Verizon, a communications company for the 21st century, connecting people to the future and to each
other.
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Enterprise Village opened in October of 1989 to provide a hands
-on economic education experience for the students in Pinellas
County. Beginning in 2000, two new programs, Finance Park
and Career Cove, have been added to compliment Enterprise
Village. They are all part of the Gus A. Stavros Institute.
33