Tuesday, August 23, 2011

New Home Star Names Bill Traback Sales Director

ORLANDO, Fla. — New Home Star, a new home sales and marketing firm headquartered in Chicago, with offices in more than 10 markets in the U.S. and Canada, has appointed Orlando home building professional Bill Traback sales operations director for the company’s Central Florida Division.

David Rice, president of New Home Star, said Traback has close to 20 years of experience in new home sales and marketing and held executive positions here in Orlando with Ashton Woods Homes and D.R. Horton.

New Home Star partners with community developers and home builders to assist in the staffing and management of their sales offices.

First Flight for Positive Pathways Students

ORLANDO, Fla. -- PowerfulEducation Technologies, LLC along with GroundFlights, Inc. and Air Orlando will be hosting an Aviation Shadow Day for the students of Positive Pathways that were involved in the “You’ve Got the Power!” program. This invitation only event will take place Saturday Aug. 27 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Air Orlando.

“This flight experience will give the students an opportunity to experience something that many people do not have the chance to. We are pleased to be able to partner with Air Orlando and Ground Flights to provide such an awesome opportunity to the students to award them for their hard work last year,” said Vice President Myah Clayton.

Students at Positive Pathways Transition Center participated in the “You’ve Got the Power!” program facilitated by PowerfulEducation Technologies. A component of this program was the Power Movers Competition that challenged the students to research a variety of different components involved in starting a business and prepare a presentation.

Upon completion of the program, GroundFlights Inc. Founder/COO, Thomas Duffy (Powerful Education Technologies board member and former airline pilot) offered to take the winning students on an introductory flight in order to expose the students to greater opportunities within their surrounding communities. Air Orlando has provided the winners of this competition the opportunity to experience a flight in a private plane by providing the aircraft and flight instructors that will be working with the winning students.

For more information, contact Myah Clayton of PowerfulEducation Technologies at (407) 823-8388 or myah @powerfuleducation.com.

About PowerfulEducation Technologies:
PowerfulEducation Technologies, LLC specializes in the creation, publication and administration of educational materials, programs, training sessions, workshops, services, and tools; which enable teaching, learning, and innovation within educational systems to enhance Character Education, Personal Development and Social Skills. PowerfulEducation Technologies, LLC programs and materials were designed by combining fundamental cognitive learning principles with situational learning, experiential learning and stimulating activities to generate enlightenment, exposure, excitement, and encouragement. PowerfulEducation Technologies, LLC has a proven track record of designing workbooks and other technology based tools and applications that can readily be used by teachers, role models, parents, and students to enhance character development and life-skills formation. Educational materials produced by our company have helped to modify behavior and decision making, while enhancing academic performance and the desire for lifelong success of persons involved in our programs. These programs have been used successfully with youth as well as adults.

About GroundFlights, Inc. (www.GroundFlights.com):
GroundFlights idea is quite simple! As the leading provider of executive travel, they alleviate your stress and maximize your productivity while you are traveling on business. Their services are on-demand, door-to-door and provide business travelers the freedom and control to travel in a way never seen before. They provide the comfort, attentiveness, safety and exclusivity of a private jet at a fraction of the cost.

GroundFlights cares about their community in which they live and work and exercise that caring nature as often as possible. The company founders are involved with several non-profit organizations in capacities ranging from volunteer, board members, and sitting presidents.

For more information, contact Thomas Duffy of GroundFlights, Inc. at (321) 710-0550 or thomas@GroundFlights.com.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Named Exclusive Broker for Lake Harris Estate Home

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty has been named exclusive broker for a 6,226 square foot luxury home on the east shore of Big Lake Harris, part of the nine-lake Chain of Lakes in Lake County.

The estate home is located in an exclusive gated community of 19 homes on a peninsula said International Luxury Homes Specialist Deborah Breaux.

Breaux and Diana Smith are the two-member sales team of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty associates representing the property.

The home offers four bedrooms, four full baths, a half bath, four car garage, heated swimming pool and enormous screened enclosure with summer kitchen, master suite with his and her baths, his and her offices, gourmet kitchen with gas cooking, and an in-law guest suite with kitchenette and bath.

The home, located just 15 minutes from Mount Dora, is situated on the east shore of the 13,887 acre Lake Harris with some of the best bass fishing in Central Florida. The property boasts a private boat dock with two lifts.

Breaux said Lake County is experiencing an increase in the sale of luxury properties, especially lakefront properties. Some 42 million-dollar luxury homes are currently listed for sale in Lake County.

To view a video of the property, visit http://vidnat.com/watch_video.php?v=5R2WM8HRS7BA and to see the property brochure see http://www.stirlingsir.com/eflyers/agents/dsmith/1730.html.

About Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty:
Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, the largest luxury real estate brand in the world. Stirling Sotheby’s exclusive services include luxury residential, new homes, new home communities, commercial and investment properties, in addition to supporting builders, developers, lenders, and asset managers. The company operates two performance zones which serve all of Central Florida. Visit www.StirlingSIR.com.


CEO Nexus Forum at Rollins College to take behind the scenes tour of $200 million sale of Orlando-based ZeroChaos

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship, GrowFL and CEO Nexus will host its next forum for company CEOs, principals and top executives Tuesday, Sept. 13, in the SunTrust Auditorium at Rollins College in Winter Park

Steve Quello, president of CEO Nexus, the firm that works with public and private organizations to help accelerate the growth of second stage businesses, said the principal speaker for the 90-minute forum is Frantz E. Alphonse, co-founder and managing partner of AP Capital Partners, a leading middle-market equity firm.

The topic? A behind the scenes look at the $200 million sale of Orlando-based ZeroChaos, a full-service provider contingent workforce solutions.

“The ZeroChaos story is one dozens of Florida enterprises would love to emulate,” Quello explained.

“They rose from the idea stage 10 years ago to grow into a global workforce solutions provider with operations in more than 14 countries and a $200 million price tag,” Quello said.

The CEO Nexus Forum is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. For information, to qualify and register for the CEO Nexus forum or learn more about CEO Nexus, contact Quello at info@CEONexus.com or 407-590-6101.

About CFAE
The Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship, located within the Crummer Graduate School of Business, is a catalyst and thought leader in the advancement of successful entrepreneurship. Core to its mission is to prepare the advanced students of the Rollins MBA program for entrepreneurial thought and action. The Center connects students in a meaningful way with advanced entrepreneurs, and likewise, brings together entrepreneurs for peer-to-peer networking. This results in real-world insights providing advanced action learning for both students and entrepreneurs which is critical to the Center’s success. The Rollins MBA Entrepreneurship Program is ranked first in Florida and 22nd in the nation for graduate entrepreneurial education by Entrepreneur Magazine and the Princeton Review.

About CEO Nexus
CEO Nexus is an organization that works in concert with public and private organizations interested in providing business leaders—owners, CEOs and presidents—with practical tools and techniques designed specifically for growing second-stage companies. Sponsors include the Edward Lowe Foundation, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, the University of Central Florida Office of Research & Commercialization, Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship and GrowFL.

About GrowFL
The Florida Economic Gardening Institute was created by the 2009 Florida Legislature as the Economic Gardening Technical Assistance Program to stimulate investment in Florida’s economy by providing technical assistance for expanding businesses in the state. Qualified companies must be engaged in the following sectors to receive no-cost technical assistance: Manufacturing; Finance & Insurance Services; Wholesale Trade; Information Industries; Professional, Scientific & Technical Services; Management Services; and, Administrative & Support Services. Additional information is available at www.GrowFL.com.

Mattamy Homes U.S. Group Earns Energy Star® Rating for all New Homes its Jacksonville area Communities Boasts Energy Savings That Average $200 to $400

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- Mattamy Homes U.S. Group, a division of Canada’s largest home builder, has qualified to earn the coveted Energy Star® rating for all new homes it builds in 11 communities in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine.

Jerry Dean, vice president of construction Mattamy Homes Jacksonville, said Mattamy Energy Star® homes are rigorously engineered and built to exacting standards to meet or exceed the Energy Star® requirements.

Dean said Mattamy Energy Star® homes will save home buyers $200 to $400 annually in energy costs, depending on the size of the home.

“Our Energy Star® homes will dramatically reduce energy costs and provide a safer, cleaner, more valuable home in the short term and in the long term,” Dean said.

To achieve Energy Star®, Mattamy includes: R-38 insulation in ceilings and R-15 insulation in walls, properly installed to help provide even temperatures; qualified air- conditioners that run quieter, provide better humidity control; programmable thermostats to help save energy costs and consumption; double paned Low-E coated windows that help keep heat in during the winter and cold air in the summer as well as blocking damaging ultraviolet rays that discolor carpets, drapes and furnishings.

Tight Energy Star® approved construction is always required so homes are sealed with caulks, foams, weather stripping, gaskets and door sweeps and Energy Star® approved ducts that are properly sized, sealed and insulated for peak heat and cooling efficiency.

Mattamy Homes builds new single family and townhomes priced from the mid-$100s in the Jacksonville region.

About Mattamy Homes
Mattamy Homes expanded into the U.S. in 2003 and has divisions in Jacksonville, Orlando, Charlotte, Phoenix and Minneapolis. The homebuilder is the largest and most active in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $1.3 billion.

Incentive Properties, LLP Launches Property Management Division

LAKE MARY, Fla. --- Incentive Properties, LLP has launched a property management division.

Joseph Schwartz, principal and broker at Incentive Properties, LLP, said the firm serves real estate investors seeking higher returns than available from savings accounts and certificates of deposit.

“We serve many clients who are acquiring multiple residential properties priced in the $20,000 to $30,000 per unit range in the Central Florida area and they are seeing returns ranging from 15 to 22 percent,” Schwartz said.

“The only way to make those returns sustainable is to actively manage the properties, and so we have a lot of new clients requesting these services,” Schwartz explained.

“We are also constantly searching the marketplace for acquisition opportunities to present to our clients,” he added

Visit www.IncentiveProperties.com

ICI Homes to Unveil New Luxury Model Home in September at Wild Oaks at Grand Haven in Palm Coast

PALM COAST, Fla. --- ICI Homes, which ranks as one of the nation’s top 100 luxury home builders and community developers, plans to unveil a new luxury model home in September at Wild Oaks at Grand Haven in Palm Coast.

Rosemary Messina, vice president of sales and marketing at ICI Homes, said the Egret II model home offers three bedrooms and three baths, plus study in 2,969 square feet of living space with a three-car garage.

Special features of the Egret II include gallery style foyer, large outdoor living area and a guest wing with two baths.

The Egret II model home, located on Willow Oak Way off Colbert Lane, is priced from the $300s.

Mattamy Homes U.S. Division Names Brian C. Paul Northeast Florida Division President

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- Mattamy Homes U.S. Group, the U.S. division of Canada’s largest homebuilder, recently appointed Brian C. Paul president of the home builder’s Northeast Florida Division in Jacksonville.

Steve Parker, president of Mattamy Homes U.S. Group, said Paul graduated from Purdue University before earning his MBA Degree from Indiana Wesleyan University.

“Brian Paul has more than 20 years of experience as a home building executive, including positions at Pulte Home Group and Centex Homes in the Midwest and in the Jacksonville area.” Parker said.

Mattamy Homes builds single-family and town homes in more than 10 communities in the Northeast Florida region.

About Mattamy Homes
Mattamy Homes expanded into the U.S. in 2003 and has divisions in Jacksonville, Orlando, Charlotte, Phoenix and Minneapolis. The homebuilder is the largest and most active in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $1.3 billion.


Pulte has only Six New Homes Remaining for Sale at its Fore Ranch Cimarron community in Ocala -- Two are ready for immediate move in

OCALA, Fla. – Only six new homes remain for sale at Pulte Homes’ community of Fore Ranch Cimarron located off 48th Avenue and S.R. 200, one mile west of I-75 in Ocala.

Sean Strickler, vice president of sales for the North Florida division of Pulte Homes, said two of the homes are available for immediate move-in.

The two-story Desoto offers four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths in 2,454 square feet of living space and features a two-story foyer, spacious loft and two car garage priced at $196,650.

The Dearborn with 1,598 square feet has four bedrooms, two baths with a two car garage and features a spacious dining room and nook, priced at $143,375.

Fore Ranch Cimarron offers three and four bedroom one and two story homes that range from 1,598 square feet of living space to 2,511 square feet priced from the mid $100s.

For more information, visit www.pulte.com/orlando or call 866-830-4648.

About Pulte Homes
Award-winning Pulte Homes communities are designed to deliver the best quality of life for home owners. By combining innovative life-enhancing designs, an unwavering commitment to quality and attention to detail, Pulte Homes is the nation’s premier home brand for upwardly mobile home buyers in 26 states and the District of Columbia. As the most awarded homebuilder in customer satisfaction, Pulte Homes has ranked tops in the annual JD Power and Associates® New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Studysm more than 75 times since 2000. For more information about Pulte Homes, visit www.pultehomes.com.

About PulteGroup
PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM) based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is America’s premier home building company with operations in 67 markets, 29 states and the District of Columbia. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2010, the Company has an unmatched capacity to meet the needs of all buyer segments through its brand portfolio that includes Pulte Homes, Centex Homes and Del Webb. As the most awarded homebuilder in customer satisfaction, the brands of PulteGroup have consistently ranked among the nation’s top homebuilders as surveyed by third-party, independent national customer satisfaction studies.
For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup brands, see www.pultegroup.com; www.pulte.com; www.centex.com; www.delwebb.com

Ride Green Scooters introduced 50cc Trike that gets 100 miles per gallon — safely

WINTER PARK, Fla. -- Ride Green Scooters, located on Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park, is introducing a whole new line of three-wheeled scooters that scoot just like the big boys.

Ron Schwartz, principal at Ride Green Scooters, said the new Ice Bear PST508-8 Trike has a 50cc air-cooled engine with a one year warranty, chain drive, automatic gears, a whopping 58.6 wheel base, disc brakes front and rear, electric start, and steel frame, and gets speed in excess of 40 mph.

“That’s all the power you need to commute anywhere except on interstate highways,” Schwartz said.

And that’s just half the story. The Ice Bear PST 508-8 gets some pretty good mileage — up to 100 miles per gallon.

On two wheels, the new Ice Bear PST50-5 scooter offers a stunning retro look with a 50cc four stroke air cooled engine that will average 35 miles per hour at 100 miles per gallon, Schwartz said.

The Ice Bear PST50-5 comes with features including an automatic transmission, electric start, drum brakes front and rear, 10 inch wheels and six month warranty, he said.

“Style, safety, convenience and 100 miles per gallon is hard to beat,” Schwartz said. “That’s why half the world’s population gets to work and school on scooters like this.”

Ride Green Scooters is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sunday from Noon, on W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park. Visit www.ridegreenscooters.com.