Broward Airport's Traffic Grows in 2005

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, which has staked a niche as a magnet for low-cost carriers, marked its 10th year of growth in 2005. Nearly 22.4 million passengers traveled through the facility, up 7.5 percent from 2004, the airport said Wednesday.

Domestic traffic rose 5.3 percent in 2005, with 20.2 million passengers. International traffic, while still a relatively small volume, jumped 33.5 percent to 2.2 million passengers.

US Airways led the list of carriers that added the most passengers, followed by JetBlue Airways and Delta Connection. American Airlines and ATA were among those that reduced their passenger counts. Delta Air Lines remains the largest carrier at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, followed by Southwest Airlines and JetBlue.

Cargo activity at the airport was down 2.3 percent to 175,333.3 tons in 2005. Air freight dropped 1.5 percent, while U.S. mail fell 11.6 percent, the airport said.

The National Labor Relations Board will hear a case brought by the Service Employees International Union charging that University of Miami contractor UNICCO Services Co. interfered with union organizing efforts involving the school's janitorial staff, according to a complaint. The hearing is scheduled to take place March 27 at NLRB's Miami offices.

The Dept. of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating Boston-based UNICCO over charges that the janitors at the university are facing unsafe working conditions.

The union has filed separate charges against the university, SEIU spokeswoman Renee Asher said, but the NLRB has not yet said whether it will hear the case.

Deerfield Beach-based Devcon International Corp. (DEVC) said that the Nasdaq Stock Market has sent it a letter saying the company no longer complies with the requirements for continued listing on Nasdaq.

On Jan. 24, James R. Cast resigned from Devcon's board. As a result, the board is not made up of of a majority of independent directors as required by Nasdaq.

Devcon has until the earlier of its next annual shareholders' meeting or Jan. 23, 2007, to regain compliance, or be delisted.

Devcon said it has begun a search for a qualified board candidate and expects to be in compliance prior to the deadline.

Devcon has three operating divisions: security services, construction and materials.

The Labor Department said Wednesday that it will provide $195 million to 13 regions of the country for economic development opportunities to lure businesses and create new jobs.

Each of the 13 selected regions, including areas in Florida, will receive $15 million over a three-year period to create economic development plans to bring this about, Chao said.

The regions are spread throughout the country and include areas in California, Colorado, Michigan, Montana and New York.

Miami-based EZ2companies.com said Wednesday that it is hiring Jeff Berkowitz as its new CEO on Feb. 15.

Berkowitz will help the company execute a new business plan calling for spinning off the company's divisions.

Meanwhile, Otto Bethlen, the founder and current CEO, will focus on online technology.

Pompano Beach-based Roadhouse Grill (GRLL.PK) said Wednesday that its special meeting of shareholders scheduled for Jan. 30 has been rescheduled for Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. The change of date is geared to give it more time to confirm that Steakhouse Partners has obtained the financing needed to complete its merger with Roadhouse.

Roadhouse said it has received proxies from shareholders holding more than 88 percent of the company's stock approving the merger, and it expects the merger will be completed.

Spherion Corp. (SFN) said Wednesday that fourth quarter earnings fell 44.7 percent to $6.3 million or 10 cents per share, compared with $11.4 million or 18 cents per share in the same period of 2004.