Annual Sales: $10 million-plus

Employees: 100

Founded: 1981

Web Site: www.starbake.com

Recently completed a $3.5-million expansion.

133. AAA Architectural Elements and Coatings (Manatee)

Manufactures urethane coated and styrothane architectural products

President: Richard Cary

Annual Sales: Estimated, $10 million-plus

Employees: Estimated, 45

Founded: 1988

134. Cox Lumber Co.

Manufactures and retails wooden floors, roof trusses, wooden and metal doors and building materials

General Manager: David Brown

Annual Sales: Estimated, $10 million-plus

(Estimated, $10 million-plus)

Employees: Estimated, 85

Founded: 1970

Web Site: www.coxlumber.com

Operates 29 locations throughout Florida.

135. Glenroe Technologies (Manatee)

Manufactures quality orthodontic products

Chief Executive: John Bozman

Annual Sales: Estimated, $10 million-plus

(Estimated, $10 million-plus)

Employees: 110

Founded: 1984

Web Site: www.glenroe.com

ISO 9002 certified; nominated in 2000 and 2001 for Industry of the Year for Manatee County.

136. Honeycomb Company of America (Manatee)

Manufactures aircraft replacement parts

Chief Executive: Dan G. Judge Jr.

Annual Sales: Estimated, $10 million-plus

(Estimated, $10 million-plus)

Employees: Estimated, 100

Founded: 1948

E-mail HCOA@compuserve.com

137. IMG Academies (Manatee)

Multi-sport training academy

Chief Executives: Ted Meekma and Greg Breunich

Annual Sales: Estimated, $10 million-plus

(Estimated, $10 million-plus)

Employees: 200

Founded: 1978 as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy; purchased by IMG in 1987

Web Site: www.imgacademies.com

The largest multi-sport training academy in the world; includes the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, The Soccer, Baseball, and Basketball Academies, the International Performance Institute, and the Boca Raton-based Evert Tennis Academy; the complex consists of 10,000 students from 70 countries.

138. JIT Glass & Mirror (Manatee)

Manufactures glass and mirrors

President: Jason Suzor

Annual Sales: Estimated, $10 million-plus

Employees: Estimated, 55

Founded: 1998

139. Key Packaging Co., Inc.

Custom plastic vacuum and thermo-forming manufacturer

Chief Executive: Earl Smith

Annual Sales: Estimated, $10 million-plus

(Estimated, $10 million-plus)

Employees: Estimated, 85

Founded: 1970

Web Site: www.keypackaging.com

ISO 9001 compliant; SPI Tina Award winner.

140. Superior Heating & Cooling, Inc.

Sheet metal fabricating, air conditioning and duct work equipment

Vice President: Edward Dieker

Annual Sales: Estimated, $10 million-plus

Employees: Estimated, 100

Founded: 1958

141. Water Equipment Services, Inc.

Manufactures water treatment equipment and odor control scrubbers

President: Anthony DeLoach

Annual Sales: Estimated, $10 million-plus

Employees: Estimated, 70

Founded: 2000

142. Wire-Pro, Inc.

Manufactures wire harnesses, cable assemblies and panels, fiber optics and landscape lighting

Regional Sales Manager: Mark Kichar

Annual Sales: Estimated, $10 million-plus

Employees: Estimated, 150

Founded: 1971

143. Casual Creations

Manufactures aluminum casual furniture

Chief Executive: Arthur James Jr.

Annual Sales: $10 million

Employees: 100

Founded: 1979

Web Site: www.casualcreations.com

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2004.

144. Goodwill Industries-Manasota,Inc.

Social services agency

Chief Executive: the Rev. Donald L. Roberts

Annual Sales: $10 million

Employees: 340

Founded: 1971

Web Site: www.goodwillindustries.org

145. ParView, Inc.

Provider in-cart GPS management systems for golf courses across the U.S. and world

Chief Executive: Scott Myers

Annual Sales: $10 million

($18 million)

Employees: 40

Founded: 1994

Web Site: www.parview.com

Parview recently partnered with Yamaha Golf Cars.

And here's a behind-the-scenes look at some of our top executives and why their companies are so successful.

FIRST WATCH

In Consumer Reports' 2003 ranking of best meals and deals, First Watch received the highest reader score in any category and the best rating for overall value, knocking off the previous top seed in the "family restaurant" category. Take that, Cracker Barrel (last year's winner).

The company started out in Sarasota barely 20 years ago, and CEO Kenneth Pendery admits, "In the beginning, it was extremely difficult introducing a new concept: breakfast, brunch and lunch." But the dining public finally caught on, and today the company operates 49 First Watch restaurants throughout the Southeast and plans to open five new ones every year.

How does he keep up the pace? "We are consistent," answers Pendery. "We offer great food at a good price. We offer a great quality of life for our employees and we have no intention of changing that." Or of branching out to the evenings. Says Pendery, "We would much rather open a new First Watch serving breakfast, brunch and lunch than one that serves dinner." -Pat Haire

GEVITY HR

Erik Vonk is a happy CEO. At a time when many companies are still struggling to return to profitability levels of three years ago, Vonk's Bradenton-based Gevity HR-one of the area's largest public companies with close to 1,000 employees (500 in Bradenton)-watched its stock price rise by 460 percent in 12 months. Revenues increased 20 percent from $310 million to $375 million.

Gevity's strength is even more impressive when you remember that only 2 1/2 years ago, it was Staff Leasing, a company struggling to survive. Today, Gevity has a client roster of 6,000 companies and operates in 11 states. Last year was its first full year as an HR outsourcer, completing its transition from insurance and employee benefit-related services to providing the full range of human resources services, everything from benefits to payroll to hiring to writing employee handbooks.

Human resources outsourcing is growing national trend, and Gevity's potential for growth in existing and new markets is vast, Vonk says. Right now, the company is looking for a new home of about 100,000 square feet. "Our lease expires in 2005," he says, "but we will stay in the general area. We've looked at commuting patterns and we don't want to upset too many lives."-Susan Burns