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PORTFOLIO(Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Mar. 4--American Business wins Xerox honor MARY ESTHER -- The American Business Center, Inc., an authorized Xerox sales agency for most of the Panhandle, was awarded President's Club Recognition for 2006 sales. The company ranked in the top 5 percent nationally. The American Business Center has offices in Mary Esther and Panama City. AIG names top agent FORT WALTON BEACH -- Frank Bailey of AIG/American Financial Group was named top sales agent for 2006. O'Connor Ricks wins ADDY awards FORT WALTON BEACH – O'Connor Ricks Associates earned top honors at this year's Emerald Coast Advertising Federation ADDY Awards. Credits on all awards go to Tracey Thomas, graphic designer and Judy Ricks, vice president and creative director. The awards include: Judge's Choice-Gold ADDY: WaterSound Private Residence Club Mailer, Dorothy Morrison, Project Coordinator; Gold ADDY: WaterSound Private Residence Club Sales Kit, Dorothy Morrison, Project Coordinator; Gold ADDY: WaterSound Private Residence Club Collateral, Dorothy Morrison, Project Coordinator; Gold ADDY: WaterColor Amenities Brochure, Jessica Lewis, Project Coordinator; Gold ADDY: 2006 MountainFilm on Tour at WaterColor Poster, Jessica Lewis, Project Coordinator; Gold ADDY: 2006 MountainFilm on Tour at WaterColor Collateral, Jessica Lewis, Project Coordinator; Gold ADDY: 2006 MountainFilm on Tour at Water-Color Black & White Newspaper Ad, Jessica Lewis, Project Coordinator; Gold ADDY: 2006 MountainFilm on Tour at WaterColor T-Shirt, Jessica Lewis, Project Coordinator Weeks joins Maxamillion Mortgage SANTA ROSA BEACH -- Maxamillion Mortgage welcomed Cindy Weeks to its staff of mortgage professionals. Weeks previously served as a judicial vircuit rider handling mediation of child support for the State of Florida Department of Revenue. She is active in the Crestview Chamber of Commerce, Harvest Life Church and the Crestview Rotary Club. Medical Center wins HealthGrades award FORT WALTON BEACH –Fort Walton Beach Medical Center received the HealthGrades 2007 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence. The medical center was one of only 266 hospitals out of the 4,971 nationwide and the only hospital in Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties to receive the honor. It is also one of 72 hospitals in the nation to receive the 2007 distinction as well as the 2006 Distinguished Hospital Award for Patient Safety. Sassano celebrates decade at EDC helm The Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County honored its president, Larry Sassano, for 10 years of service. A group comprised of local business leaders, EDC Executive Board members and staff gathered last week to recognize Sassano's milestone. Sassano took the reins of the EDC in February 1997. Prior to his arrival in Okaloosa County, he was executive director of the Bay County Economic Development Alliance and also served in the State Department of Commerce under then-Gov. Jeb Bush. Sassano has made many contributions to Okaloosa County and the Northwest Florida region including the 2001 creation of the Okaloosa County Enterprise Zone around the Bob Sikes Airport in Crestview. The specialized area helped increase job opportunities through the creation of an economic and social environment that encourages private investment. The zone was honored by the state in 2005. Gulf Power names new positions Bernard Jacob was named Gulf Power's vice president of customer operations, replacing Dusty Fisher who is retiring on May 1 after 36 years with the company. Jacob joined Gulf Power as vice-president in 2003, and has served in various community and state leadership positions including chairman of Florida's Great Northwest Board of Directors and chairman of the Governance Council for the WIRED Initiative. He serves on the Baptist Health Care Board of Directors, Baptist Health Care-Ventures Board, the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Pensacola Bay Area Economic Development Council. Fisher has more than 36 years of experience with Gulf Power Company and has served in various leadership roles including three vice-presidential positions, as vice president of employee and external relations, then power delivery and customer operations, and most recently, as the vice president of customer operations. Bentina Chisolm Terry will assume Jacob's current position as the vice president of external affairs & corporate services. Terry started her Southern Company career at Georgia Power in 2001 as the manager of Workplace Ethics, and she has progressed to positions of broader responsibility at Georgia including assistant to the president and area distribution manager. Terry's most recent position was the general counsel and vice president of External Affairs for Southern Nuclear Company. Heiser named exec at Howard Group SANDESTIN -- Howard Group, a development company specializing in retail, office, marina, mixed-use developments and residential communities on the Emerald Coast, recently announced the new hire of John Heiser as its executive vice president. Heiser is responsible for all aspects associated with the development and operations of Howard Group and its associated properties. Heiser has twenty-five years of experience in resort real estate development including acquisitions, master planning, design, development and construction. Heiser most recently served as regional vice president of Intrawest. Silver Sands marks 15 year anniversary Silver Sands Factory Stores recently celebrated the beginning of its 15th year in business. Silver Sands concluded 2006 with a 12 percent increase in center sales. Silver Sands also recognized 51 managers who had worked at the center for 10 years or longer. Silver Sands currently features more than 100 designer outlet stores with 450,000 square feet of retail space, and ultimately 700,000 planned. Rice joins Gulf Coast Shutter team DESTIN -- Gulf Coast Shutter hired Laura Rice as marketing coordinator. Rice will oversee handling marketing efforts for Gulf Coast Shutter's products and services. Copyright (c) 2007, Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |