North Pinellas business news

Business briefs

Nationwide Title Clearing, which is a leading service provider to the mortgage and financial industry, is committed to literally giving back to the community through blood drives that benefit Florida Blood Services.

NTC has hosted several blood drives through FBS; most recently on March 23 when more than 45 NTC employees participated and 49 units were collected throughout the workday.

Florida Blood Services collects more than 750 pints of blood every day. Almost 80 percent of the blood it collects is donated on its bloodmobiles, portable units and express units, which is why blood drives like those held by NTC are important.

"We are committed to improving our industry, but we also believe it is crucial to help the community where we are located, and these blood drives are part of our focus on supporting the people who live nearby," said Erika Lance, senior vice president of NTC. "When you give blood, you are truly giving the gift of life, and we encourage our employees to take pride in the selfless act of donating."

The March 23 blood drive took place at NTC's headquarters in Palm Harbor. In addition to twice-yearly blood drives for FBS, the company helps the community with annual clothing and toy drives during the holidays. NTC also participates in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Palm Harbor fund raising event.

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AmeriLife, the largest insurance marketing group in America, has donated the residual furniture from its former corporate headquarters to a Tampa-based charity that serves the homeless and veterans, and which provides job training for those out of work.

Timothy O. North, AmeriLife's CEO and president, donated the 60,000 square foot complement of office furniture after a recent corporate relocation from AmeriLife's decades-long location on Countryside Boulevard to its new 2650 McCormick Drive headquarters in Clearwater. AmeriLife bought new furniture for its new complex, and Mr. North decided a partnership with New Beginnings could impact the most lives.

The furniture, transported April 25, will be sold on the eBay website of New Beginnings of Tampa to raise money for its various programs and projects, according to New Beginnings founder Tom Atchison.

"We'll be able to elevate the lives of quite a few people from the proceeds of this partnership," said Atchison. "Of course, it's going to be a lot of hard work to assemble and transport five floors worth of furniture from Pinellas County to our Fletcher Avenue eBay store in Tampa, but work is what we're all about."

Since 1971, Clearwater-based AmeriLife has provided excellence and access as the nation's largest life and health insurance marketing organization and is dedicated to the insurance and financial needs of America's expanding senior population through insurance-related products.