Comp an ies ▁based ▁in ▁Manh attan ▁Category : Comp an ies ▁based ▁in ▁St . ▁Petersburg , ▁Florida ▁Category : Comp an ies ▁based ▁in ▁T ampa , ▁Florida ▁Category : Comp an ies ▁based ▁in ▁Or lando , ▁Florida <0x0A> </s> ▁Lor ene ▁Thom ason ▁Co ates ▁( born ▁January ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 3 6 ) ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Democratic ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁Carolina ▁General ▁Assembly ▁representing ▁the ▁U . S . ▁state ' s ▁sevent y - se vent h ▁House ▁district , ▁including ▁constitu ents ▁in ▁Row an ▁county ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 1 – 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁A ▁ret ire e ▁from ▁Sal is bury , ▁North ▁Carolina , ▁she ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁Agricult ure . ▁ ▁She ▁has ▁hosted ▁a ▁week ly ▁radio ▁show ▁and ▁for ▁twenty ▁years ▁wrote ▁a ▁newspaper ▁column ▁in ▁the ▁Sal is bury ▁Post . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁she ▁gained ▁distinction ▁by ▁being ▁the ▁first ▁Democratic ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁to ▁public ly ▁call ▁for ▁House ▁Spe aker , ▁and ▁fellow ▁Dem ocrat , ▁Jim ▁Black ▁to ▁step ▁down ▁from ▁his ▁post ▁as ▁Spe aker ▁following ▁investig ations ▁of ▁his ▁mis con duct . ▁ ▁Black ▁later ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁House ▁and ▁ple aded ▁guilty ▁to ▁a ▁fel ony ▁charge ▁of ▁public ▁cor ruption . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁she ▁announced ▁her ▁support ▁for