Business Briefcase

Oak Hill CEO earns management credentials

SPRING HILL Oak Hill Hospital recently announced Chief Executive Officer Mickey Smith recently was named a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the nation's leading professional society for health care leaders. Fellow status represents achievement of the highest standard of professional development. Approximately 7,500 health care executives have achieved this honor. To obtain Fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including passing a comprehensive examination, meeting academic and experiential criteria, earning continuing education credits and demonstrating professional/community involvement. Fellows are also committed to ongoing professional development and must undergo recertification every three years. For more information about the FACHE credential, contact the American College of Healthcare Executives division of membership at membership1@ache.org or visit the credentialing area of www.ACHE.org. Oak Hill Hospital has been serving the Nature Coast since 1984. It is the largest medical facility in Hernando and Citrus counties (204 acute care beds) and offers Hernando County's only comprehensive heart program, including open heart surgery. Oak Hill was the first hospital in the area to be recognized as an accredited cancer institute and the first primary stroke center to be fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) in Citrus and Hernando counties. It is located at 11375 Cortez Blvd.

Clymer joins local hospice

BEVERLY HILLS Janet E. Clymer has joined Hernando-Pasco Hospice (HPH) as a community relations coordinator serving Citrus and Hernando counties. Clymer, a resident of Dunnellon, will be based out of the not-for-profit agency's Beverly Hills office and will handle its public relations activities. Most recently, Clymer was employed as a program coordinator for Take Stock in Children for Citrus and Levy counties.

Dr. Gail Lynn Shaw Wright relocates practice

HUDSON Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope recently announced Dr. Gail Lynn Shaw Wright has relocated her Bayonet Point practice, previously located at 13906 Lake Shore Blvd., to Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope's Hudson Center at 7651 Medical Drive in Hudson. She also will see patients on Thursdays at Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope's New Port Richey center at 8763 River Crossing Blvd. in New Port Richey. In Hudson, she can be reached at 727-868-9208 and in New Port Richey, appointments can be made by calling 727-842-8411. Wright is board-certified in medical oncology and internal medicine and is a Fellow of American College of Physicians and a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians. She also is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association for Cancer Research and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. She received her medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. She completed an internship at the University of North Carolina followed by her residency in internal medicine at Duke University Medical Center. Florida Cancer Institute - New Hope is the union of two premier oncology groups providing progressive diagnostic, treatment and palliation services to patients battling solid tumor cancers and hematologic (blood) diseases. Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope operates four comprehensive diagnostic and treatment centers, two specialty centers and a mobile PET/CT unit throughout the north Suncoast. This new unified practice offers the expertise of 12 experienced medical oncologists, five radiation oncologists and a palliative care specialist. For more information, visit www.FloridaCancerInstitute-NewHope.com or call toll free 1-888-206-0054.

Forcefield Hurricane introduces new mobile showrooms

PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte-based Forcefield Hurricane recently announced the official introduction of its Hurricane Defense Vehicle - HDV Mobile Showrooms. These fully equipped showrooms provide full-sized, hands-on examples of Forcefield's myriad product offerings and are equipped with a large-screen TV to demonstrate how the product selection will look on the clients home, a computer system to calculate the quote and a credit card terminal to complete the transaction. Despite the recent slowing of the economy, strong demand continues for hurricane protection in U.S. coastal communities. New insurance requirements and stricter building codes, combined with research showing that economic hurricane damage in the United States has doubled every 10-15 years, has created conditions for the rollout of the country's first national franchised brand of hurricane protection products and installation. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released a study demonstrating that the increases in economic damage from hurricanes are not because storms are getting any stronger - it's because more people and development have relocated into hurricane-prone areas. The study also found that the economic hurricane damage in the United States has doubled every 10-15 years. Forcefield's new mobile showrooms are designed to provide customers with an opportunity to see full-sized examples of the array of different products available - from window and door protections to roof reinforcements. Forcefield offers exclusive franchise territories in coastal areas from Brownsville, Texas around the coast to Maine. For more information, visit www.forcefieldhurricane.com.

SCORE to offer seminar on record keeping today

DADE CITY A free seminar, sponsored by the Hugh Embry Library and SCORE, is designed for those who have started a small business and who want to know how to set up an effective record-keeping system. Counselors Ellie Hollis and Dick Bendtzen will discuss what records need to be kept and which ones need to be generated for managing the finances of a business. Each participant will use QuickBooks during the seminar and will receive a "Simple Start FREE QuickBooks Starter Edition." The seminar will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 16, at the Hugh Embry Branch Library, located at 14215 Fourth St. in Dade City. For more information or take make a reservation, call 352-567-3576 or the SCORE office at 727-842-4638.

Ribbon cuttings scheduled for this week

The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have the following ribbon-cutting ceremonies this week:

WeekDay Gourmet - 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 18, at 13159 Cortez Blvd. For more information, call Kristy Stoker at 678-3042.

Quality Guitars - 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 20, at 7229 Forest Oaks Blvd. For more information, call Randy Kras at 442-7817.

Look Good Feel Better Support Group Will Meet Wednesday

SPRING HILL The Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope will hold its Look Good Feel Better Support Group at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 18. The Group meets the third Wednesday of every month at the Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope's Spring Hill Center, located at 10441 Quality Drive, Suite 203, in the Medical Arts Building next to Spring Hill Hospital. For more information, call Peggy Dome, support group facilitator, at 688-7744. Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope is the union of two premier oncology groups providing progressive diagnostic, treatment and palliation services to patients battling solid tumor cancers and blood diseases. Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope operates four comprehensive diagnostic and treatment centers, two specialty centers and a mobile PET/CT unit throughout the north Suncoast. This new unified practice offers the expertise of 12 experienced medical oncologists, five radiation oncologists and a palliative care specialist. For more information, visit www.FloridaCancerInstitute-NewHope.com or call toll free at 1-888-206-0054.

State medical director to give update Wednesday

BROOKSVILLE Brooksville Regional Hospital is the host site for a conference for all Emergency Medical Service personnel from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 18. Facilitated by Dr. Robert Blackburn, medical director of EMS services, the agenda includes an update on current events with the state EMS division, protocol issues and the future direction of the state emergency medical system. Dr. Joseph Nelson, State of Florida EMS medical director, will be the presenting speaker. Both Aeromed and Bayflight are scheduled to land on the hospital grounds at 9:15 a.m. The hospital is located at 17240 Cortez Blvd. The conference call will take place in the conference room.

After Hours Business Mixer scheduled for Thursday

BROOKSVILLE The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce's June After Hours Mixer will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 19, at Brooksville Cardiology, located at 12082 Cortez Blvd. There will be refreshments and opportunities to network.

Heel pain seminar to be held Thursday

BROOKSVILLE The Hernando Endoscopy and Surgery Center continues is popular seminar series. Dr. John Baker will present an informative program called "All about Heel Pain" at 3 p.m. Thursday, June 19. He will discuss the many forms of heel and foot pain, including Plantar Faciitis, the most common cause of heel pain. Baker is a graduate of the W. M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and completed his residency at Doctors Hospital of Santa Ana in Santa Ana, Calif. All seminars are at the conference center in the Hernando Medical Park, located at 12208 Cortez Blvd., near the Hernando Endoscopy and Surgery Center. As always, refreshments will be served, but seating is limited and reservations are required. For more information or to make a reservation, call 596-4999.

Cancer Institute will hold Caregiver Support Group July 12

SPRING HILL Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope will hold its Caregiver Support Group at 4 p.m. Thursday, July 12. The group meets the second Thursday of every month at Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope's Spring Hill Center, located at 10441 Quality Drive, Suite 203 in the Medical Arts Building next to Spring Hill Hospital. For more information, call 688-7744.

Rotary Club of Spring Hill Central meets every Thursday

SPRING HILL The Rotary Club of Spring Hill Central meets every Thursday throughout the year at the Wellington Clubhouse, located at 400 Wexford Road. Past Rotarians always are welcome to visit. Those interested in becoming a member are encouraged to have lunch with group members at 11:45 a.m. every Thursday. For more information, call Brooks Edwards at 666-4107 or Josh Kelly at 666-0068. The Web site is located at www.shcrotary.com.

Chamber offers marketing opportunity

SPRING HILL The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce is offering its members the opportunity to market their business with table top space at any of the upcoming monthly membership meetings. The cost for the table top is $50.For more information, call the chamber at 796-0697.

Dawn Center offers free speaker's bureau

SPRING HILL The Dawn Center, Hernando County's domestic and sexual violence shelter, has a free speaker's bureau available to organizations that are interested. Advocates at the center can offer seminars on domestic and sexual abuse and keys to prevention. Specialized and age-appropriate programs for children and teenagers are also available. For more information, call Morgan Moeller at 592-1288.

SCORE looking for volunteers

NEW PORT RICHEY The Pasco-Hernando SCORE Chapter 439 is seeking volunteers.

Those interested in working with start-up companies or small businesses with problems to solve, they are encouraged to call the SCORE office at 727-842-4683. The chapter's Web site can be found at www.score439.org.

Local women's business network meets twice per month

SPRING HILL The Hernando County Home Business Women's Network group meets twice a month. The Spring Hill Chapter meets on the first and third Wednesday and the Brooksville Chapter meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. This is a non-compete group for women who are home-based, own their own store or office and are entrepreneurs. The members network to help one another promote products and services as well as helping in the community. For more information on meeting times and locations, visit

www.hchomebusinesswomensnetwork.com.

Business Briefcase, compiled by Tony Holt, is published each Monday. News releases must be received by the Wednesday before the desired publication date. Items of interest include employee promotions, company openings, closings, expansions and relocations, business celebrations, classes, lectures and special events. Send news to Hernando Today, 15299 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, Fla. 34613, or e-mail them to wholt@hernandotoday.com.