45 ITW Military GSE
and Trilectron

(Manatee) Manufactures a broad line of aircraft ground support equipment for corporate business jets and turbo-props to regional and commercial airlines, as well as specialized military support.

General Manager: Richard Hansen

2008 revenues: $46 million

2007 revenues: $43 million

Total employees: 120

Founded: 1970

Stock symbol: ITW

www.itwgwegroup.com,
www.itwmilitarygse.com

46  Callaghan Tire

(Manatee) Commercial, industrial, retail and wholesale tire sales; retread tire sales and service.

Chief executive: Dan Callaghan

2008 revenues: $44 million

2007 revenues: $44 million

Total employees: 136

Founded: 1978

www.callaghantire.com

Annual sponsor of Callaghan Tire Pro-Am golf tournament for cancer research (Golfers Against Cancer). Ranked 31st largest commercial tire dealer and 45th largest retreader
of truck tires by Tire Business.

47 LexJet Corporation

(Sarasota) Extensive line of inkjet imaging products; 10 distribution centers across the U.S., online shopping, personally assigned account specialists, unlimited product support and educational resources; also carries OEM printers, RIP software, inks, materials, peripherals and other inkjet-related supplies.

Chief executives: Art Lambert and Ron Simkins

2008 revenues: $43 million

2007 revenues: Estimated, $45 million

Total employees: 80

Founded: 1994

www.lexjet.com

Named Sarasota Technology Company of the year by Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, 2006; ranked as one of the top five best places to work in Tampa Bay; has experienced a 36 percent five-year average annual growth and 11 consecutive years of profitability. Actively supports community.

48  Darby Automotive Inc.

(Sarasota) New and used automobiles, retail and auto repair.

Chief executive: C.C. Darby III

2008 revenues: Estimated, $41.8 million

2007 revenues: Estimated, $41.8 million

Total employees: Estimated, 150

Founded: 1954

49 Charter One Hotels and Resorts Inc.

(Sarasota) Hotel management company.

Chief executives: John W. Balliett
and Jim Popielinski

2008 revenues: $41 million

2007 revenues: $38 million

Total employees: 875

Founded: 1981

www.charteronehotels.com

50 Ned Davis
Research Group

(Sarasota) Provides global investment research commentary, charts, ranking systems and consulting services to institutional investors in more than 30 countries; provides investment services for institutional clients.

Chief executive: Ned Davis

2008 revenues: $40 million

2007 revenues: Estimated, $40.5 million

Total employees: 80

Founded: 1980

www.ndr.com

Company officers are frequently quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s and CNBC and have authored The Research Driven Investor, Being Right or Making Money, and The Triumph of Contrarian Investing, published by McGraw-Hill.

51 Benderson Development Co.

(Manatee) Commercial and residential real estate developer.

Chief executive: Randy Benderson

2008 revenues: Estimated, $39.5 million

2007 revenues: Estimated, $42.1 million

Total employees: Estimated, 320

Founded: 1950

www.benderson.com

Develops, owns and manages millions of square feet of commercial and residential real estate in the Northeast and Florida.

52 Lee Wetherington Companies

(Sarasota) Home builder

Chief executive: Lee Wetherington

2008 revenues: $39 million

2007 revenues: $51 million

Total employees: 22

Founded: 1981

www.lwhomes.com

Recognized as “America’s Best Builder” by the National Association of Home Builders and Builder magazine. Voted “Best Builder” by the readers of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune from 2000 through 2007. First luxury home builder in Sarasota and Manatee to build green and earn the Energystar for entire home catalogue. Recipient of the Corporate Philanthropist of the Year award, the 2004 Alex Schoenbaum Humanitarian award and the Hearthstone Builder Lifetime Public Service award.

53 Halfacre
Construction Co.

(Sarasota) Design/build, construction management and general contracting.

Chief executive: John J. Cox III

2008 revenues: $38 million

2007 revenues: $40 million

Total employees: 20

Founded: 1970

www.halfacreconstruction.com

54  Cox Daewoo

(Manatee) Retail auto, new and used.

Chief executive: J.S. Cox

2008 revenues: Estimated,$36.3 million

2007 revenues: Estimated, $36.3 million

Total employees: Estimated, 117

Founded: 1926

55 Gould & Lamb LLC

(Manatee) Cost-containment services for the insurance industry, combining healthcare, insurance and financial information and analysis.

Chief executive: John Williams

2008 revenues: $35.7 million

2007 revenues: $31 million

Total employees: 263

Founded: 1999

www.gouldandlamb.com

Ranked 16th in the health business sector and 126th overall on Inc. 500’s list of America’s fastest-growing private companies. Recently partnered with H.I.G. Capital, a private-equity firm, to expand operations and continue to provide innovative and cost-effective solutions to clients. Gould & Lamb LLC plans to continue its aggressive growth to increase market share in the specialty niche of Medicare, set-aside arrangements and cost containment services to the insurance industry. Clients include 23 of the top 25 workers compensation carriers in the nation, large self-insured corporations, third-party administrators and defense and plaintiff attorneys.