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Briefs and news of note.

By Times staff and wires
Published May 25, 2006

Drug-test company to close in Florida

A Princeton, N.J., company that performs clinical drug testing for pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms is closing its Florida operations. By mid July, SFBC International Inc. will lay off 27 employees in Temple Terrace, 97 in Fort Myers and 247 in Miami, according to filings with state officials. SFBC has been buffeted by structural problems at its Miami facility, an SEC review of several top executives' stock trades, the resignation of several key officers and an inquiry by a U.S. Senate committee.

Insurers told to cease credit score reliance

Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty is imposing stricter rules to discourage insurers from charging higher rates or refusing coverage to consumers with poor credit scores. Starting Sept. 1, the state will require insurers to provide information to regulators proving their use of credit information does not disproportionately affect persons of any race, color, religion, gender, age or place of residence. The filings must include a description of the methodology used when obtaining credit information. The rule is being challenged in state court by various industry trade groups.

Bank to cut jobs in Washington, Florida

Washington Mutual said it plans to cut 1,400 jobs in its home state of Washington and Florida by eliminating two call centers and offshoring those jobs. The decision will mean the closing of WaMu's 550-person call center in Jacksonville, though it will retain about 2,000 workers in the operations center there. None of the job cuts will affect the company's operations in the Tampa Bay area, where it operates five bank branches and five loan centers.

Businesses honored at chamber event

The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce honored several local companies Wednesday night with Outstanding Business of the Year awards in various categories at the downtown St. Petersburg Hilton. Winners were Sabal Trust Co. for companies with one to 25 employees; Commercial Bedding for those with 26 to 100 employees; All Children's Hospital for more than 100 employees; Executive Reporting Service in the woman owned/operated category; and YMCA and SPCA Tampa Bay, tied in charitable/nonprofit. Urban Development Solutions was named top minority business, and conceptBait was named Rookie of the Year.

Factory orders drop

Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods fell 4.8 percent in April, the largest drop in three months, as aircraft orders fell 32.2 percent and demand for computers and other electronic products dropped by the largest amount in nearly six years.

[Last modified May 25, 2006, 05:54:35]