1 Vengroff Williams & Associates, Inc.

(Sarasota) Credit and collections, subrogation claims, medical accounts payable, management of rental units in Sarasota and New York.
CHIEF EXECUTIVES: Harvey Vengroff and Robert Williams
ANNUAL SALES: $2.8 billion (represents actual revenues after collections of $34.5 billion)
LAST YEAR: $2.8 billion (estimated)
EMPLOYEES: 1,100 worldwide (220 locally)
FOUNDED: 1963
WEB SITE: www.vwainc.com

2 GE Security (formerly Edwards Systems Technology)

(Manatee) Has operations in more than 30 countries and is represented by world-class products for intrusion and fire detection, access and building control, video surveillance, explosive and drug detection, key management, structured wiring and communications.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: A. Louis Parker
ANNUAL SALES: $1.9 billion
LAST YEAR: $450 million
EMPLOYEES: 5,200 (220 locally)
FOUNDED: 1878
WEB SITE: www.gesecurity.com
STOCK SYMBOL: GE
GE Security's business headquarters and its Engineered Systems business team are now located in Lakewood Ranch.

3 Taylor Woodrow, Inc.

(Manatee) Luxury home and high-rise condominium builder and community developer.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: John R. Peshkin
ANNUAL SALES: $1.5 billion
LAST YEAR: $1.4 billion (estimated)
EMPLOYEES: More than 1,000 across North America (70 locally)
FOUNDED: 1936
WEB SITE: www.taylorwoodrowhomes.com
STOCK SYMBOL: GB: TWOD
Has been building luxury homes and high-rise condominiums, and developing lifestyle communities in North America for over 65 years. Headquartered in Bradenton, its current operations include more than 80 active developments throughout Florida, California, Arizona, Texas and Ontario, Canada. Local projects include Meridian at The Oaks, The Founders Club, The Beach residences, Palma Sola Trace and Beleza on Venice Beach.

4 Bealls

(Manatee) Retailer of family apparel, footwear, gifts and home items.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Robert M. Beall II
ANNUAL SALES: $1.1 billion
LAST YEAR: $983 million
EMPLOYEES: 10,200
FOUNDED: 1915
WEB SITE: www.beallsinc.com
Bealls operates a mix of department and outlet stores in Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Missouri, New Mexico and Arkansas.

5 Boar's Head Provisions Co., Inc.

(Sarasota) Manufactures premium delicatessen meats and cheeses.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Robert S. Martin
ANNUAL SALES: $852 million (estimated)
LAST YEAR: $930 million (estimated)
EMPLOYEES: 2,200 companywide (100 locally)
FOUNDED: 1905
WEB SITE: www.boarshead.com

6 Buchanan Automotive Group and Buchanan Enterprises

(Sarasota) Retail auto, new and used BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Toyota, Scion, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Vernon G. Buchanan
ANNUAL SALES: $800 million-plus (estimated)
LAST YEAR: $750 million (estimated)
EMPLOYEES: 1,300 (estimated)
FOUNDED: 1992
WEB SITE: www.buchananautomotivegroup.com
Consists of 21 dealerships throughout Florida and the Southeastern United States. In 2004, Automotive News ranked Buchanan the 27th-largest group in the country and the fastest-growing dealer group in the country.

7 Intertape Polymer Group

(Manatee) Develops and manufactures specialized plastic and paper products and complementary packaging systems for industrial and retail use.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Melbourne F. Yull
ANNUAL SALES: $630 million
LAST YEAR: $630 million

EMPLOYEES: 2,600 (105 locally)
FOUNDED: 1981
WEB SITE: www.intertapepolymer.com
STOCK SYMBOL: NYSE and TSE: ITP
ISO 9002 certified; operations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Portugal, with 16 facilities, including 12 manufacturing locations.

8 Gevity HR, Inc.

(Manatee) Provides comprehensive employee management solutions, using workforce alignment, administrative relief and business protection; serves as the insourced human-resource department to small- and medium-size businesses nationwide.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Erik Vonk
ANNUAL SALES: $585.5 million
LAST YEAR: $425.8 million
EMPLOYEES: 993 internally
FOUNDED: 1984
WEB SITE: www.gevity.com
STOCK SYMBOL: NASDAQ: GVHR
Community involvement includes contributions to and participation in fund raisers for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Junior Achievement, American Cancer Society and American Red Cross.

9 Manatee Memorial Hospital

(Manatee) Licensed 319-bed acute-care hospital.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Brian Flynn
ANNUAL SALES: $547 million
LAST YEAR: $525 million
EMPLOYEES: 1,400
FOUNDED: 1953
WEB SITE: www.manateememorial.com
STOCK SYMBOL: UHS
Named one of the top 100 most-improved hospitals for 2004 by Solucient; named the No. 1 overall cardiac surgery program in the Sarasota-Bradenton area by Health Grades.

10 Blake Medical Center

(Manatee) 383-bed acute-care top 100 hospital offering services from open-heart to in-patient, rehabilitation and community screenings.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Daniel J. Friedrich III
ANNUAL SALES: $545 million
LAST YEAR: $451.4 million
EMPLOYEES: 1,200
FOUNDED: 1973
WEB SITE: www.blakemedicalcenter.com

11 FCCI Insurance Group

(Sarasota) Commercial property and casualty insurance throughout the Southeast and Midwest.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: G.W. Jacobs
ANNUAL SALES: $490 million (estimated)
LAST YEAR: $490 million (estimated)
EMPLOYEES: 810 (estimated)
FOUNDED: 1959
WEB SITE: www.fcci-group.com
Corporate headquarters located in a state-of-the-art office complex in Lakewood Ranch.

12 LWR Communities, LLC

(Manatee)Real estate development.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Rex Jensen
ANNUAL SALES: $472,518,000 (total builder retail sales)
LAST YEAR: $290 million (estimated)
EMPLOYEES: 425
FOUNDED: 1922
WEB SITE: www.lakewoodranch.com
Best in American Living Award for the best master-planned community in America; Grand Aurora for Best Community with over 150 units; Reader's Choice and Reader's Preference Awards for Best Community from readers of both Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Bradenton Herald; excellence grand award for Lakewood Ranch clubhouse from the National Commercial Builders Council; voted "Best Neighborhood" by readers of SARASOTA Magazine; Florida Green Building Coalition "Green Building" designation.

13 Venice Regional Medical Center

(Sarasota) 312-bed hospital, ambulatory-care center with outpatient surgery (Health Park), Medicare home healthcare.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: D. Melody Trimble
ANNUAL SALES: $321 million (estimated)
LAST YEAR: $316 million
EMPLOYEES: 1,002
FOUNDED: 1951
WEB SITE: www.veniceregional.com
STOCK SYMBOL: HMA
Home of the Venice Regional Heart Center, staffed by Ocala Heart Institute cardiovascular surgeons and cardiac anesthesiologists. A wholly owned subsidiary of Health Management Associates. Note: This year's figures were estimated using outside sources.