Business Briefs

HBIF win award

The Hispanic Business Initiative Fund of Florida has been named the recipient of Bank of America’s Neighborhood Builders award. The award provides high-performing nonprofits with $200,000 in unrestricted grant funding and leadership development for its executive directors and emerging leaders.

News from WMFE

Derek Blakeslee, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Community Communications Inc. (WMFE), announced the appointment of LaFontaine Oliver to the position of president and general manager for WMFE-FM (90.7 News). In this role, Oliver will manage the operations of Orlando’s leading public radio station.

Laying the law

Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A. is proud to announce that Aaron J. Gorovitz, a long-time real estate partner with the firm, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Meritas, a global alliance of 7,124 experienced lawyers in 175 full-service law firms serving 236 markets – all rigorously qualified, independent and collaborative.

Small business soars

Mercantile Capital Corporation, which specializes in providing commercial property financing for small business owners via the U.S. Small Business Administration 504 loan program, announced that it closed 10 commercial loans in the first quarter to finance projects worth more than $47.3 million in total project costs.

Local lawyers make the list

Orlando Magazine recently published the 2013 edition of Best Lawyers in America, which includes 15 lawyers from the Orlando office of international law firm Greenberg Traurig.