Business Archive

In 2015, Santa Rosa County witnessed the growth of many new homes and businesses in the area. With new families and opportunities arriving steadily each year, growth for previous years has become a popular subject for public elation. However, the prospect of the upcoming year has left many citizens speculating as to whether this kind of financial growth can be expected to continue.

On Jan. 15, the Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual Awards and Installation Banquet at the Soundside at Hurlburt Field to honor outstanding members and install a new board of directors.  The new Chamber President and CEO, Judy Morehead was the evening’s emcee.

As many South Santa Rosa County residents have noticed, gas prices at the pump continue to hover around $2 and just over per gallon. One recent change, which brought some increases in gas prices for Navarre citizens, was the result of the Santa Rosa County amending ordinance no. 2015-19. This amending ordinance, passed in 2015, included a 5-cent local option gas tax.

The current executive director of CareerSource Escarosa, Susan Nelms is retiring after 20 years of leadership with the organization.  Nelms began serving as executive director in 1996 and has more than 30 years of experience administering federal employment and training programs in the area.  Her official retirement date is Apr. 29.

New York (AP) — In a flat year overall for stocks, there was still plenty of excitement to be enjoyed — or endured — by 2015’s biggest winners and losers.

While nearly all other wireless providers had already foregone offering two-year service contracts, the large cellphone service-provider, AT&T, has continued to offer this option for its customers. However, in a recent nationwide policy change, AT&T announced early this year that as of Jan. 8, the popular cellphone service-provider would no longer offer such contracts. The change came for a number of reasons, all of them seemingly beneficial for the AT&T customer.

Chamber members honored at awards banquet

At the annual awards and installation banquet 2014 chamber chairman Jim Taylor passed the gavel to Regina Carter of Gulf Power Company, who served as chairman of the 2015 executive board.  The event honored businesses and individuals who had made a difference throughout the year.  Ambassador of the Year was awarded to Linda Fusco, All Phase Cleaning; Mentor of the Year to Jan Clark, Made For You Gift Venue; Volunteers of the Year to Cherie Rice, Coldwell Banker United Realtors and Sarah Hasty of New York Life Insurance Company; Director of the Year to Norm Crowder of St. Rosa Sound RV Resort; Spirit of Navarre to James Dabney of East River Smokehouse; Member of the Year to Navarre Area Board of Realtors; Business of the Year to Navarre Drywall; Citizen of the Year to Shirley Brown; Corporate Citizen of the Year to Bill Crouch of Tech Star Systems, Inc.; and the Legends Award was given to Frankie and Barbara Gibbs.

New York (AP) — Cheap is the new chic for holiday gifts.

The Gulf Breeze Area Chamber is pleased to announce  SpringHill Suites by Marriott Pensacola Beach as the Chamber’s Business of the Month for December 2015.

When Andy Pike opened Auto Depot on Highway 87 south in Navarre in March it was on one of the three lots he was leasing for the business directly in front of Navarre Auto Repair.  The lot was originally approved for used car sales for eight vehicles in 2012.  The business grew quickly and Pike had to expand to the other two lots on the property.  What he didn’t realize, was one of those lots was zoned differently than the others.