Positions Taken

Tom Vossman, vice president of franchise sales, VenVest, Inc.

Ty Braswell, head tennis pro, Laurel Oak Country Club. (photo)

Bob Serena, sales professional, The Townes at Lakeside Plantation by Westfield Homes. (photo)

Paul Barber, branch manager, Deanna Measel, commercial loan officer, and Alice Riley, customer service representative, Riverside Bank Beneva branch.

Phillip Brooks, LMHC, promoted to vice president of outpatient and youth services, First Step of Sarasota, Inc.

Janet Robinson, commercial sales and leasing associate, Lakewood Ranch Realty Company.

Diane Skelly, sales consultant, Rivo at Ringling condominiums.

Stephen G. Horn, sales associate, Ian Black Real Estate.

James T. "Tom" Riley, sales director, Henderson Brothers' Inland Homes.

Nancy Mullins, Sida Smith, Leah Burstyn, William Lezotte, Lori-Cashi Haught, Trude Moyer, Michelle List and William Knose, sales associates, Prudential Palms Realty's University office.

Lanny Emery, Jay Davis, Sandy Ledet, Xena Vallone, Walter Winship, Annette Betts and Scott Murphy, sales associates, Prudential Palm Realty's downtown Sarasota office.

Accolades

Bradenton-based Gourmet Tote was chosen by the National Mail Order Association as one of the best products entered in its National Hot Products contest.

Windemuller Technical Services marked its 50th year in business.

Orion Bancorp, Inc., Florida's second largest privately held bank holding company, has surpassed $1 billion in total assets.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, a portfolio company of VenVest, Inc., was ranked No. 23 on the Franchise Times Magazine "Fast Fifty-Five" list. It also earned the 453rd spot on the Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500.

Neal Communities has donated $1,000 to help fund Manatee County Schools' Challenge Day. (photo)

The University Park Golf Course has received an outstanding rating from the Zagat Guide for the second straight year. The golf course is in the third of a three-phase revitalization program of all 27 holes to upgrade tees, greens and fairways.

Moving and Opening

Veterinary Neuro Sciences LLC has opened a new office at 3900 Clark Road, Suite M-4.

Habiilitate, offering a complete selection of patented Z-CoiL (Susan, the L is capitalized; this is not a typo) footwear, has opened at 16 S. Orange Ave. in downtown Sarasota.

Exit Realty has leased 4,400 square feet at 8181 S. Tamiami Trail from Orion Bank.

East Indies Trading Company has opened its fourth showroom, East Indies Home at 1312 N. Tamiami Trail in downtown Sarasota.

AmSouth Bank has opened a new branch at S.R. 70 and Tara Boulevard in Bradenton.

Ground has been broken for The Savoy on Palm, a contemporary, 24-unit condominium tower at 401 S. Palm Ave. in downtown Sarasota. Floria LLC is the developer.

The certified public accounting firm of Eaton Honick Pellegrino & McFarland, P.A. has opened an office in Venice at 901 Venetia Bay Blvd.

Two Sarasota County government business centers, Growth Management and Development Services, have merged to become the new Planning and Development Services Business Center.

Design Marketing Group, Inc. has expanded into new headquarters at 4391 Independence Court in Sarasota's Northgate Business Park.

Ground has been broken on The Metropolitan Sarasota Bay, an 18-story luxury residential tower at U.S. 41 and Gulf Stream Avenue in downtown Sarasota. Richard D. Zipes and Tarragon Realty Investors are the developers.