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PandaDoc Opens East Coast Headquarters in St. Petersburg Florida

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PandaDoc partners with Greater St. Petersburg Area Economic
Development Corporation to boost tech economy in the peninsula

PandaDoc, developers of the award-winning PandaDoc document automation platform, today announced the opening of their East Coast headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida. The PandaDoc offices are located within Station House, a regional epicenter for business, co-work, and entrepreneurship, located on the 3rd Floor at 260 1st Ave S, in St. Petersburg. A grand opening celebration will take place on Thursday, November 16 at 4:00 p.m.
“We are excited to announce that our East Coast headquarters is in St. Petersburg, Florida,” said Jared Fuller, VP of Sales at PandaDoc. “We considered many cities, but after meeting with the St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation, Station House and members of the greater St. Petersburg downtown community, the decision to come to Florida was an easy one – the community is experiencing explosive growth.”
PandaDoc recently secured a $15 million Series B round of funding and chose St. Petersburg because of its reasonable cost of living, beautiful environment and ability to attract young talent. Fuller added, “St. Pete had the right amount of weird for us, it felt much closer to a young San Francisco than most Eastern cities.”
PandaDoc currently has 15 employees in St. Petersburg and plans to double that number in 2018. PandaDoc also has offices in San Francisco, California, and Minsk, Belarus. St. Petersburg will be the company’s sales and customer service center, while its base of operations will remain in San Francisco and product development will remain in Minsk. PandaDoc is actively recruiting for sales, service, operations and support positions in St. Petersburg, a list of current openings can be found here.
“The City of St. Petersburg welcomes PandaDoc with open arms,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. “PandaDoc’s choosing us for their East Coast headquarters is more proof our Grow Smarter strategy is working. Relocating to St. Petersburg means harnessing our creative, competitive workforce for better productivity and financial results.”
“We are thrilled that PandaDoc now calls St. Petersburg home,” stated J.P. DuBuque, President, Greater St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation. “Our vibrant city is the perfect place for organizations that want to offer their staff a beautiful, warm, cost-effective place to work and play. We look forward to a bright future with PandaDoc.”
“We are very proud to call PandaDoc family,” stated Steve Gianfilippo, of Gianco Companies and Station House. “Station House is the perfect workspace for tech companies like PandaDoc. We offer a tech-friendly environment, collaborative workspace, events; a true Live, Work, Play lifestyle. So many of our Peers in the community made it possible for PandaDoc to establish a platform for future growth in the region. We are honored that we could assist and grateful that PandaDoc chose us. The talent they have and will recruit is to me the icing on the cake.”
The PandaDoc document automation platform is a unique Digital Transaction Management solution, helping accelerate the way organizations transact. PandaDoc has powerful features that enable businesses to easily generate, track and execute documents, including proposals, contracts, quotes, and eSignatures. Companies that run on PandaDoc are consistently reporting higher close rates, bigger deals, shorter sales cycles, full compliance, and other improvements that relate to the final stages of the buying cycle.
To learn more about PandaDoc, visit PandaDoc.com. For more information regarding Station House, visit StationHouseStPete.com. And to learn more about the Greater St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation, visit StPeteEDC.com.

Senator Tom Lee Files Three Proposed Amendments to Florida's Constitution

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Senator Tom Lee announced today the filing of three separate constitutional amendments. As a member of Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission (CRC), Senator Lee serves with thirty-six commissioners tasked with reviewing Florida’s Constitution and proposing changes for voter consideration. Any amendments that pass the CRC’s final vote are placed on the 2018 General Election ballot.
PROPOSAL 67: BAN DOG RACING IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
If adopted, Florida will join forty other states in putting an end to the practice.
“There is growing recognition that many of these animals live in inhumane conditions, a reality that is out of line with the moral standard of Floridians,” Senator Lee said. “For over a decade, the Legislature has fought to end greyhound racing, but special interests derail the issue every year. Now is our opportunity to finally end the mistreatment of greyhounds, reduce the amount of gambling in our state, and restore community values.”
PROPOSAL 66: ALTER THE ROLE OF FLORIDA’S LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TO CREATE MORE VALUE FOR TAXPAYERS.
“Floridians pay more than $265,000 annually to employ a Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State, yet the Lieutenant Governor has almost no formal responsibilities,” Senator Lee said. “This is an opportunity to combine the two positions, eliminating wasteful spending and creating a more efficient and streamlined government. This amendment gives the Lieutenant Governor specific constitutional responsibilities and ensures that our Chief Elections Official is elected by and accountable to the people.”
Under the proposal, the Lieutenant Governor would become Florida’s Chief of Elections, Chief Cultural Officer, State Protocol Officer, head of the Department of State, and will have the power to cast the tie-breaking vote in the Florida Senate on the final passage of legislation.
PROPOSAL 68: INCREASE WATCHDOG AUTHORITY OVER STATE CONTRACTS AND SPENDING.
The proposed amendment authorizes Florida’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to participate in economic, demographic and state revenue estimating conferences, giving the position a seat at the table when it comes to projecting Florida’s fiscal future. Under current law, only the Governor and the Legislature have a voice in determining the amount of taxpayer money state government can spend in any given year.
“The people who spend the money should not have the exclusive authority to decide how much money to spend,” Senator Lee said. “Adding the CFO to the discussion lends an objective voice and creates a necessary system of checks and balances that one would expect to see in any responsible corporate governance structure.”
The amendment also gives the CFO, as Florida’s constitutionally mandated check writer, the ability to review and approve state contracts worth more than $10 million.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen instances where our agencies have not been good stewards with public monies,” Senator Lee said. “Giving the CFO the proper tools on the front end allows them to act as a watchdog and hold state contractors accountable on the back end.”
For more information on the CRC and to view each proposal, visit flcrc.gov.

Princeton Review Names Coggin College ‘Best Business’ School for Over a Decade

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The Coggin College of Business at the University of North Florida is one of the nation’s most outstanding business schools, according to The Princeton Review. The company features UNF’s Coggin College in the new 2018 edition of its annual guidebook, “The Best 267 Business Schools.” For the last 11 years, Coggin College has consecutively earned this recognition.
“We are very pleased that the Princeton Review has included the UNF Coggin College of Business in its prestigious list of ‘Best Business Schools’ for 11 consecutive years,” said. Dr. Mark Dawkins, dean of the Coggin College of Business at UNF. “This recognition is a testament to the outstanding faculty and staff in Coggin, the quality of our students, the relevance of our undergraduate and graduate programs and support from employers and corporate partners.”
UNF has recently received several other national designations, including 2018 “Best in the Southeast” by Princeton Review, 2018 “Best Regional” University by U.S. News & World Report, 2018 “Best Colleges” by College Factual and the 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award and Diversity Champion, both from Insight into Diversity magazine, to name a few.
The Princeton Review tallied its lists based on its surveys of 23,000 students attending the business schools profiled in the book. The 80-question survey asked students to rate their schools on several topics and report on their experiences at them. Some ranking list tallies also factored in school-reported data. The Princeton Review doesn’t rank the schools in the book from 1 to 267 or name one business school best overall.
“We recommend UNF as one of the best to earn an MBA. We chose the 267 schools in this book based on our high regard for their academics and our assessment of institutional data we collect from the schools,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review senior vice president-publisher.
“The Best 267 Business Schools: 2018 Edition” has two-page profiles of the schools with write-ups on academics, student life and admissions. In the profile on UNF, the Princeton Review describes UNF as “the best school in Jacksonville,” and MBA students laud the “small classes” at Coggin College. One student says they “had the best experience with the teachers and students. It was an easy decision to continue my education at UNF.” The profile also says that Coggin has an “amazing logistics program.”
The profiles have five categories of ratings that The Princeton Review tallies based on institutional data it collected during the 2016-17 academic year and/or its student survey for the book. The ratings are scores on a scale of 60 to 99. Rating categories include academic experience, admissions selectivity, career, interesting professors and accessible professors. The Princeton Review explains the basis for each rating score in the book at http://www.princetonreview.com/business-school-rankings/ratings.
In May 2006, Coggin College had two of its programs—Transportation and Logistics and International Business—selected as UNF flagship programs. Both business programs were selected because they are of the highest caliber and each has the potential to draw talented students from around the world, tackle cutting-edge research projects and help solve problems facing today’s businesses. This recognition of excellence allows these business programs to grow and expand.
With more than 3,800 students, the Coggin College’s mission is to educate and develop business professionals through rigorous, relevant accredited degree programs offered by faculty devoted to student learning and engaged in scholarly activities. Since 1976, the Coggin College of Business has been accredited by AACSB—only one in five business schools are awarded the accreditation, which honors the best business schools in the world. The AACSB is the world leader in accreditation for business education.

Florida’s Deadline Extended to File for Disaster Unemployment Assistance

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The deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has been extended to Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017. DUA is available to Florida businesses and residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Irma. Applications filed after the Nov. 14, 2017, deadline will be considered untimely and DUA benefits may be denied unless applicants provide good cause.
DUA is available to those who:

  • Worked or were self-employed or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment;
  • Do not qualify for reqular unemployment benefits from any state; and
  • Due to the disaster:
    • Are not able to work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster;
    • Cannot reach the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster;
    • Cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury caused as a direct result of the disaster; or
    • Became the breadwinner or major supporter of a household because the head of household died as a direct result of the disaster.

Applicants must submit their Social Security number, check stubs and documentation to support the claim that they were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred. In some cases, additional documentation may be required. To receive DUA benefits, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the date the DUA application is filed.
DUA is available from weeks of unemployment beginning Sept. 10, 2017, until ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­March 17, 2018, as long as the individual’s unemployment continues to be a direct result of the disaster. To file a DUA claim go to  www.floridajobs.org or call 1-800-204-2418.

Alleged Fraudster Lured Investors with Promise of 24-Hour Miracle Cure for Addiction

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The Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) today announced that Paul Mark Tucker voluntarily surrendered to the Miami-Dade County Corrections Department on Oct. 30, 2017, following the issuance of a warrant for his arrest. Tucker is charged with seven counts of selling unregistered securities and seven counts of selling securities as an unregistered person. Additionally, he is charged with organized fraud, money laundering, grand theft and selling a fraudulent investment in connection with his purported drug and alcohol rehabilitation business.
“The OFR’s investigation shows that this alleged fraudster lured victims with ludicrous claims about a life-saving, 24-hour miracle cure for drug and alcohol addiction,” said OFR Commissioner Drew J. Breakspear. “I applaud our investigators for their continued efforts to bring this perpetrator to justice, protect Floridians, and keep Florida’s financial marketplace safe for business.”
Tucker is alleged to have promoted investments in Ibogaine Partners, a business which he advertised on multiple websites. Investors were lured with claims that the investment program saved lives through drug and alcohol detoxification, promising a 24-hour miracle cure for addiction. Tucker claimed that there were no withdrawal symptoms or lingering cravings with the program, and that it would cost patients less than $10,000 each.
Tucker is believed to have sought $1,000,000 through the sale of partnership units to investors at a price of $50,000 per unit. A review of financial records indicated Tucker spent approximately 80 percent of investors’ money on personal expenses. In total, Tucker swindled approximately $510,000 from victim investors.    
The OFR was the sole investigative agency working this case. The OFR thanks the Department of Financial Services, Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, which aided in obtaining the voluntary surrender. The Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.  

FAMU Athletic Director Milton Overton Announces Resignation, New Role at Kennesaw State University

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Earlier today, Florida A&M University (FAMU) Athletic Director Milton Overton notified Interim President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., of his plans to accept a position at Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, Georgia as athletic director. Overton will assume his new position on December 1, 2017. He began his tenure at FAMU in August 2015.
“We are highly appreciative of the work AD Overton has done during his tenure at FAMU and wish him well in his future endeavors,” Robinson said. “This opportunity moves him closer to his family.”
Overton thanked Dr. Robinson, Board of Trustees Chair Kelvin Lawson, and the FAMU community “for embracing our department’s effort to build champions in the classroom, on the field and in life with academic excellence and integrity.”
Robinson has named FAMU graduate John Eason as the interim athletic director. He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from FAMU and served as a member of the Rattler football team. He retired at the end of 2015 from the University of Georgia as its director of player development.
“Mr. Eason is well-equipped to help keep our program moving forward,” said Robinson, who announced that he would immediately launch a national search for Overton’s permanent replacement.

FDLE Agents execute search warrant; Rockledge man arrested for child pornography

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Agents with the Orlando Cyber Crime Task Force obtained and executed a search warrant today at the residence of Jacob Albert Breslin, at 934 Lexington Road, Rockledge, on suspicion of possession of child pornography.
FDLE Agents obtained the search warrant after an investigation was launched when the Winter Springs Police Department received a complaint in June 2017. During the search, FDLE Agents collected digital devices at Breslin’s residence. Breslin, 25, was located at a relative’s home in Cocoa. He was arrested and charged with promoting the sexual performance of a minor, computer solicitation of a child and 10 counts of possession of child pornography.
Breslin was taken to the Brevard County Jail with a no-bond status. The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, 18th Judicial Circuit.

Statement from Governor Rick Scott on NYC Attack

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Governor Rick Scott today made the following statement regarding the attack in New York City this afternoon. The Governor has been briefed by Florida state law enforcement.
Governor Rick Scott said, “I am absolutely disgusted by the act of terror that occurred in Manhattan today. All of Florida is praying for the victims, their families and our brave law enforcement and first responders.”