Tallahassee People on the Move| January 2023

RB Oppenheim Associates

The new year brought the retirement of long-time Tallahassee PR consultant Rick Oppenheim – the founder, president, CEO and namesake of RB Oppenheim Associates (RBOA) – who will be passing the baton to the firm’s new owner, Michael Winn, who has served as its executive vice president and chief digital officer for the past 12 years. Winn has assumed Oppenheim’s role as president and CEO.

“A new year is the perfect time for new beginnings,” said Oppenheim. “After 37 years, this was the right time for me to step away and to bring new energy, new vision and new leadership for RBOA’s next chapter.”

Oppenheim, who turns 71 in January, founded RBOA on August 5, 1985. Since then, the firm has served more than 300 clients, employed nearly 150 professionals, taught more than 200 student interns and had an estimated economic impact on Tallahassee of more than $20 million. The company started as a public relations counseling firm, then added advertising services in 1989 and became one of Florida’s first full-service “integrated marketing communications” firms in 1991.

Winn joined the agency in January 2011 and added an array of digital marketing services to the mix. Soon after, the duo launched the firm’s digital marketing division, Digital Opps, to provide digital advertising, website development, social media management, search engine optimization, virtual event management and other services to benefit their clients. The firm has developed more than 185 websites and hosts more than 200 websites.

Prime Meridian Bank

Prime Meridian Bank recently announced the addition of Stuart Chandronnet to its growing team of Relationship Managers as an Assistant Vice President (NMLS# 1818784). Chandronnet specializes in commercial lending and credit underwriting and is a Tallahassee native with strong ties to the community.

He is currently a Senior at the Florida School of Banking at the University of Florida and is a graduate of Flagler College with a degree in Business Administration. Chandronnet is a member of Deer Lake United Methodist Church, and a Board member of the Sunrise Rotary Club and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is a product of Lawton Chiles High School.

Stearns Weaver Miller

Stearns Weaver Miller recently announced that Adrienne Love has joined the Firm’s Tallahassee office as a Shareholder to lead the Firm’s Intellectual Property practice. Love devotes her practice to patent, copyright, and trademark matters, including litigation of such intellectual property cases in federal courts throughout the United States.

In over fifteen years of practice, she has also litigated trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings and appeals before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and patent appeals and proceedings in front of the Patent Board of Examiners. She also handles domain name dispute arbitration proceedings under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy and matters arising under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act.

“We are excited about Adrienne taking our Intellectual Property group to the next level. We have a number of attorneys who are well-versed in IP law and related litigation, and Adrienne’s experience and deep industry relationships will further strengthen the quality and range of IP services we offer our clients,” said Managing Director Rick Schatz.

Prior to joining the Firm, Adrienne served for nearly two decades as an Intellectual Property attorney at a nationally recognized law firm in Tallahassee. She earned her J.D. from Florida State University College of Law and her B.S. from Rutgers University.

Shutts & Bowen Announce New Leadership in Tallahassee

Shutts & Bowen recently announced that Jason Gonzalez has departed the firm, effective January 13, 2023. Ben Gibson, a senior member of the firm’s Governmental Law Practice Group, has been appointed Managing Partner of the Tallahassee office.

“I am grateful for Jason’s exceptional service and his dedication to the firm,” said Firmwide Managing Partner Jack C. McElroy. “His counsel, judgment, and leadership have been invaluable to our work in the litigation and government affairs arena, and I congratulate him for his many years of service.”

“After nearly nine years of practicing at Shutts, it is time for me to pursue new and different challenges and opportunities,” stated Gonzalez. “It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to work with so many exceptionally talented and dedicated people throughout the firm to contribute to the success of Shutts’ mission of providing the highest caliber of legal service for our clients and community.”

Gibson, who joined Shutts in 2018, represents clients facing high-stakes legal issues at the intersection of business, politics, and government. His statewide practice focuses on representing corporate, political, and government clients in appellate, litigation, and administrative matters as well as government affairs.

“Ben has been one of the firm’s most trusted Partners, and he will bring a skilled and steady hand to his role as Managing Partner of the Tallahassee office,” McElroy added. “Shutts will benefit from Ben’s incredible judgment and highest-level legal experience. He is a tested leader, and just the person to succeed Jason as we look forward to the opportunities our Tallahassee office has in the coming years.”

“I am very grateful for Jason’s leadership of the Tallahassee office, and I appreciate the guidance and support he has given to me and his col[1]leagues,” said Gibson. “I am honored to be asked to serve the firm in this new role. Thanks to strong leader[1]ship, there is no state in the nation better positioned for opportunity and growth than Florida.”

Submit People on the Move information to Steve Stewart at steve8973@gmail.com.