Florida Trend

06/05/2026

Jamie Dimon sat down with Florida Trend — and his assessment of Florida's business climate is direct: the state is getting it right.

JPMorgan Chase, the world's biggest bank by market value, is opening roughly 40 new Florida branches over the next two years, has expanded commercial banking headcount by more than 25% in the past year, and plans to grow statewide staffing by approximately 18% over the next five years.

Dimon pointed to taxes, permitting speed, consistency of regulations, and a government that actively wants businesses here as the key differentiators.

"You can just see it. How do you track California losing population, New York losing population, while Florida and Texas have pretty rapid expansion? I think that'll continue."

What would it take for other states to compete?

06/04/2026

Few figures in Florida public life have shaped as many institutions as Allison DeFoor. His career spans law, the judiciary, law enforcement, environmental policy under Gov. Jeb Bush, and the Episcopal priesthood.

Today, he leads the North Florida Land Trust, working to preserve the last wild corners of one of the fastest-growing states in the nation.

Florida Trend is proud to recognize him as a Florida Icon.

06/03/2026

A cruise port battle is brewing on Tampa Bay, and opponents aren't ready to call it dead.

SSA Marine wants to build a private cruise terminal just south of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, adjacent to the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve. The proposed site would impact 122.6 acres of mangroves, 112.7 acres of seagrass, and 16.8 acres of freshwater wetlands.

The company has $1.45 billion in 2024 revenue and hasn't filed a single permit application yet. Opponents say the project isn't dead until SSA Marine says so.

Would you want to see a cruise terminal built here?

06/03/2026

🌟 Big moves, big impact! Congratulations to this week's Florida Trend Movers & Influencers making waves across the state!
🏆 See who's making headlines: bit.ly/3RHg2T7

Lykes Bros Inc City of Deltona, Florida

06/01/2026

06/01/2026

📰 Our June issue is here!

Inside this month:
🏴‍☠️ Treasure Hunters: Nowadays in treasure hunting, it's not what you can find, it's what you can keep.
🤝 Stretched Thin: Florida nonprofits navigate a swirl of economic, political, and societal pressures.
🎓 H-1B Limbo: Florida's freeze on hiring H-1B visa holders at public universities is seeding uncertainty.
🚀 Poly Acceleration: The university that almost wasn't has aggressive new ambitions.

➡️ Explore the digital issue & subscribe today: bit.ly/3hkdN5P

05/29/2026

Despite threats from China, Taiwan's economy boomed in 2025 with 8% GDP growth. The island democracy has signed an MOU with Florida covering semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, aviation and aerospace, life sciences, and more.

What industries do you think have the most to gain from a Florida-Taiwan trade partnership?

Florida Polytechnic University

05/28/2026

A Minnesota transplant moves to Florida to grow an app that helps people locate food and drink specials in their area.

Jirele continued bootstrapping AppyHour but took a job at a beer distributor in Minnesota. From the inside, he saw how alcohol brands and distributors spend billions each year on marketing and activations, but due to market fragmentation and poor timing, "up to 70% of that just gets lost amongst the noise."

Jirele set out to rebuild AppyHour as not only a free discovery tool for consumers but also as a data-driven brand activation and sales platform for beer, wine and spirits distributors.

Today, customers include Constellation Brands' Corona and Modelo, Heineken USA, Good Boy Vodka and Real American Beer. On tap for 2026: the Orlando market, then Jacksonville, Gainesville and other cities.

Have you ever found a drink special through an app that changed where you ended up that night?

AppyHour

05/27/2026

🌟 Big moves, big impact! Congratulations to this week's Florida Trend Movers & Influencers making waves across the state!
🏆 See who's making headlines: bit.ly/4wm6sVB

Shutts & Bowen LLP Boardroom Public Relations

05/26/2026

Nominations are NOW being accepted for Florida Trend’s Legal Elite NOTABLE Intellectual Property Attorneys list, highlighting attorneys who excel in protecting and maximizing intellectual assets.

We’re looking to recognize leaders in patents, trademarks, copyrights and IP transactions whose work benefits clients, businesses and the marketplace.

Deadline: May 29, 2026 | bit.ly/4uZ04SI