Business Observer 09.09.10

+ Young professional wins statewide awards
Willis A. Smith Construction public-relations specialist Elise Lipoff recently received an award for Outstanding Public Relations Program at the Florida Public Relations Association’s 2010 Golden Image Awards ceremony, in Naples.

Lipoff also accepted an award for her chapter’s video submission, “We Tell the World,” a spoof on “We Are the World,” in the ’80s video competition at this year’s conference. She produced the video for the Central West Coast Chapter of the FPRA.

In addition, she won the Rising Star Award at the local FPRA Image Awards and won an Image Award for the Green Open House and Sustainability Showcase. She was recently elected as the incoming chairwoman of the Sarasota Young Professionals Group, as well as the financial vice president of the Central West Coast Chapter of the FPRA.

+ Mortgage Network Inc. announces senior loan officer
Michael Edelstein has been named a senior loan officer with Mortgage Network Inc., also known as MNET Mortgage Corporation, one of the largest independent mortgage companies in the Northeast. Edelstein brings more than 28 years of sales experience to the team.

Edelstein previously owned USA Mortgage, in Sarasota and Elmwood Park, Ill., as well as Argo Savings and Loan in, Summit, Ill. He has been a Siesta Key resident since 1996.

+ Sarasota consultant part of winning team
Mary Catherine Coolidge, a local public relations and communications consultant for businesses, churches, arts organizations and sports groups, was part of the design and content development team that won first place in the 2010 National Communications Awards program of the Society for Marketing Professional Services.

The award was given in July to EYP Architecture and Engineering, a New York-based firm, for the company’s recently developed employee Intranet site.  Coolidge served as project coordinator and lead content developer during the yearlong process of concept and design for the innovative site, a news and resource-sharing Intranet designed to help the firm’s 350-plus staff stay connected throughout seven offices nationwide.  

+ CAP Brand Marketing expands its digital team
Roxanne Joffe, president and founder of Sarasota-based marketing and public-relations firm CAP Brand Marketing, named Ringling College alumni Neal Alfano and Brian Precourt as interactive account manager and web developer, respectively, Sept. 3.

Prior to joining CAP, Precourt and Alfano were business partners at Creative Aesthetics. In their new positions, they will be responsible for integrating digital technology into overall brand strategies.

“Joining the CAP team gives us an opportunity to work from a high-level perspective with clients who have a national and regional footprint,” Alfano said. “Having the opportunity to work with a specialized team enhances our creativity.”

+ Two rowing coaches join Sarasota Crew this season
Sarasota Crew President John Leeming recently announced the addition of two new rowing coaches for the 2010-2011 season. Mary Beyer will coach the women’s varsity team, and Skye Elliot will coach the women’s freshmen and novice team.

Beyer founded the Everett Rowing Association in Everett, Wash., and has coached junior men and women rowers for more than 25 years. Her teams have captured three national championships and numerous regional championships.

Elliot previously coached at Plant High School in Tampa. During the 2008-2009 season, the women’s teams swept three varsity-level events at the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association State Championship, and the varsity 8 rowed to victory at the U.S. Rowing Southeast Regional Championship.

The new coaches join head coach Casey Galvanek, men’s varsity coach Eliza Dickson and men’s novice coach Andy Berster.

+ Gulfshore Media inducted into FMA Hall of Fame
The Florida Magazine Association presented six awards to Gulfshore Life, Gulfshore Business, Gulfshore Life at Home and Naples Health at its annual conference Aug. 14. Gulfshore Media group publisher and President Dan Denton was also inducted into the Florida Magazine Association Hall of Fame.

Denton, 57, founded what is now Gulfshore Media in 1979. He sold the company to CurtCo Media in 2004 and repurchased it, along with its 22 publications across Florida, this spring.