The start of 2020 kicked off with promotions, partnerships and expansions across tech companies in Tampa Bay. We've got the full roundup below.
- After its soft opening in January, innovation hub Embarc Collective has unveiled a new addition: its Founders Circle. The “Founders Circle” is an expansion upon its Board of Directors and is comprised of six members:
- Steve Jenkins, executive chairman of Beach Pharmaceuticals and former CEO of Pharmaceutical Associates
- Carole Jenkins, president of Jenkins Charitable Foundation
- Jason Kuhn, owner and president of Kuhn Automotive Group
- Courtney Kuhn, a managing partner for Kuhn Capital and founder of Chicago-based Citi Girl
- Steve MacDonald, partner at Florida Funders
- Brian Murphy, founder and CEO of Reliaquest
• The University of South Florida’s Cyber Florida appointed a former director of the National Security Agency to its program.
J. Michael McConnell, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral and former director of the National Security Agency, will start as the executive director of Cyber Florida on Feb. 17.
• Morgan Hill Partners expanded to the West Coast and New York City, hiring two executives to take on the coasts.
The Tampa-based business works with growth-stage companies and financial sponsors with growth-stage portfolios. It hired Howard Joyce to take on its Bay area office on the West coast and Frank Foster has been appointed to head its operations for its new New York City office.
• Washlava, the laundry startup with smartphone exclusive laundromats, hired two new C-level executives. Sean Pomeroy will be the company’s new managing director of higher education and Kelly Friar has been named the new chief marketing officer.
Pomeroy’s new role will include working directly with universities and educational institutions to bring Washlava’s services to college campuses across the country.
• Peerfit teamed up with BurnAlong, a Maryland corporate wellness platform to further its own services.
Peerfit is a Tampa-based digital health platform that connects insurance companies with businesses so employees can have fitness experiences. BurnAlong is another corporate wellness program.
• Immertec, the medtech company that won the Rise of the Rest competition and snagged $6M, laid off three employees of its now 20-person staff.
Immertec laid off two marketing employees and its director of culture. Despite the recent layoffs, CEO Erik Maltais said the company will be looking to have a staff of 25 by the end of 2020, including hiring a COO.
