Exec Richard Fain dives into details of Oasis

Passionate about shipbuilding, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.'s top exec oversaw every detail, including recommending a passenger observation deck above the captain's bridge.

Bankruptcies

Recent bankruptcies for the Southern District of Florida

Fla. firm helps merchants lower credit card fees

Dealing directly with credit card processors on behalf of businesses, Palm Beach Merchant Services helps merchants lower their credit card fees.

Older workers must hone competitive edge

Older workers can thrive in today's economy by realizing they have marketable skills that are attractive to employers.

WORKPLACE

Work to restore your reputation

Q: A few months after I became a supervisor, my manager ``wrote me up'' because of conflicts with my employees. These people used to be my peers, and they were upset when I was promoted. Since then, my boss and I have bumped heads over several other issues. She says I can't take feedback, which is true. I'm currently working on that, because I really want to succeed in this job.

Movers

High-level promotions and new hires in South Florida

EDITOR'S NOTE

Editors note: Corporate gift-giving requires discretion

Most of us in business roles have been on the receiving end of holiday gift-giving. But in these wobbly economic times, are holiday gifts still expected and necessary? Are they even appropriate?

MEDIA TOURISM ENTERTAINMENT ADVERTISING REAL ESTATE

New websites seek the scoop on local news and ads

Finding a financially viable way to provide local news is a challenge large metropolitan newspapers are confronting. But a Coral Gables website is among a few locally with faith it can succeed.

MY VIEW

Ignoring prisoners' health imperils community

Meeting the health needs of some of the sickest and most complex patients in our community is theresponsibility and privilege of those who deliver healthcare in jails and prisons. Like those in uniform who also protect and serve, these healthcare providers must maintain professionalism, integrity, competency and ethics in challenging environments that are often ill-designed for healing and far from therapeutic. These healthcare providers advocate for and deliver services in the best interests of their inmate patients. The community ought to appreciate and support these efforts, even if only because the community's own health and safety ultimately benefit when proper care is given to inmates.

BOOTSTRAP MARKETING

Marketing: Looking back to see ahead

Yes, we're in the midstof a communications revolution. Undeniably the Internet is having a far-reaching impact on our culture, commerce and marketing. The personal use of digital tools by people in every walk of life has grown beyond belief.

Investing for better times: We ask five experts five questions about how they're preparing to take advantage of an economic recovery -- and what they're doing just in case.

By most accounts, the recession is (technically) over. But for the past few months, the economic reports coming out of Washington and Wall Street have featured a mixed bag of good, bad and confusing news.

In tough times, gifts mean more

In such a precarious economy, some may wonder about the point of a corporate gifts at all.

Who has spare change left in the 2009 budget to splurge on wrapped trinkets? 1258945751

Corporate Gift Guide

No one wants to be Ebenezer Scrooge during the holidays, especially when you want to thank clients for their loyalty and employees for their hard work. But it's hard to ignore incredible, ever-shrinking bank accounts. So we've come up with a Corporate Gift Guide that's a little different from those of more bountiful years past. All items feature a touch of luxury, yet nothing is over $200. That's not to say the giver will look like he or she is scrimping. Quite the contrary. 1258945726

Corporate Gift Guide Under $30

1- It'd be tough to find a partridge in a pear tree. Or even a pear tree, for that matter. Try out Grey Goose's new flavor, Le Poire (that's French, for, well, you guessed it). This crisp 80-proof spirit makes a nice package all by itself, with the frosted glass bottle that's sealed with a cork stopper and elegant foil closure. Just throw on a bow. From $29.99 at liquor stores. 1258945764

UNEMPLOYMENT

Temp labor may be bridge to recovery

Florida's jobless rate ticked up to 11.2 percent last month. But employers are starting to hire more temps nationally, so they may start hiring more permanent workers in the months ahead.

JOB LOSSES

Boston Scientific to close Doral plant

Even as Miami-Dade officials try to build the county's life sciences industry, Boston Scientific is planning to close a plant in Doral and send the jobs overseas.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Florida aims to boost credit to small businesses with `Economic Gardening'

Florida's Economic Gardening Program -- designed to help high-growth companies with loans and training -- is now taking applications.

BANKING

Commerce Bank of Southwest Florida seized, promptly sold

Banking regulators seized Commerce Bank of Southwest Florida and sold the tiny Fort Myers bank to Central Bank, of Stillwater, Minn., marking the 124th U.S. bank to fail during 2009 and the 12th in Florida.

TAXATION

Study calls Florida tax system unfair

Because Florida mainly depends on sales taxes and property taxes, a study says the tax system is unfair to people with low or moderate incomes.