Subject: Action Products International (Nasdaq:APII) win a $5.1 million jury verdict Importance: High
Orlando firm plays tough for toy distributor
Posted October 12, 2006 on Orlando Sentinel Here's a new slogan for Orlando law firm Morgan & Morgan: For the Toy People. The firm helped toy distributor Action Products International win a $5.1 million jury verdict on Monday in a case against a Hong Kong toy company. Action Products claimed in a lawsuit filed in a state circuit court that Hong Kong-based Lung Choeng International Holdings violated a confidentiality agreement and consulted with a former Action Products executive when it purchased Kid Galaxy, a developer of Bendos toys. The firm representing Lung Choeng is also a familiar name around town: Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed. The firm plans to appeal the verdict.
Help wanted
Do you enjoy swinging from a trapeze, while breathing fire and wearing colorful spandex? If so, a job with Cirque du Soleil could be yours. Cirque's international casting team is planning auditions in Orlando at month's end. Interested performers should contact the company at www.cirquedusoleil.com.
Leading the way
Two banks new to Central Florida are busy recruiting top brass for the region. Barely a week after announcing plans to enter the market, BankAtlantic of Fort Lauderdale has hired Julie Dunn Story as its Central Florida president. Story was formerly a senior vice president for Riverside National Bank and a top SunTrust exec in Brevard County. Meanwhile, Urban Trust Bank has named Jim L. Ricks as its Florida regional president. He was formerly a senior lending executive with Washington Mutual in Georgia and California. Urban Trust is the African-American-owned thrift formerly known as Metro Bank. It was acquired this year by billionaire Robert Johnson.
Legal maneuvers
A 35-year stint in the Citrus Center in downtown Orlando has come to an end for law firm Akerman Senterfitt. Sort of. The firm has just completed a big move, across Orange Avenue to CNL Center II. Some 90 attorneys and 170 support staff relocated to the tower, which sits north of City Hall. The law firm -- it has been in downtown Orlando for 85 years -- is holding onto more than 28,000 square feet in the Citrus Center, for operations such as accounting and human resources.
Hey, it could be worse
Taxes may be only slightly less popular than death, but in Florida, at least, they are a little less painful. A new report ranks Florida as the fifth best state in terms of its business-friendly tax policies. The 2007 State Business Tax Climate Index ranked only four states ahead of Florida: Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska and Nevada. At the bottom of the barrel were New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Rhode Island.
Luxury shopping
Well, here's at least one tiny segment of the local real estate market that looks very healthy. Seven of the eight luxury homes to be displayed at the Street of Dreams at Bella Collina in Lake County already are sold, according to the show sponsor. The homes -- 7,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet -- sold for from $5.8 million to $6.8 million. The homes' exhibit opens Saturday and runs through Nov. 26.
Reaching out
HHCP Architects is doing a little design work far afield from its home base in Maitland: Current work includes the Marina Residences & Town Houses on The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Tim Barker compiled this report with contributions from Jack Snyder, Sara K. Clarke, Richard Burnett, Scott Powers, and Mark Chediak. He can be reached at 407-420-5022 or tbarker@orlandosentinel.com.
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