Thursday, September 8, 2011

VOLUSIA LAW FIRM TO PRESENT FREE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY SEMINAR OCT. 22 IN DAYTONA BEACH

DAYTONA BEACH – Luis Gracia, a partner in the Port Orange-based law firm of Rue & Ziffra, will hold a free seminar on Social Security Disability Oct. 22 at the Hilton Garden Inn – Daytona Beach Airport, 189 Midway Ave.

Gracia – who focuses his practice on Social Security disability, workers’ compensation, as well as cases involving personal injury and wrongful death – will offer information about claimants’ rights, as well as details about filing a Social Security disability claim.

“We’re very happy to present this event. It will be very informative for our community,” said Gracia, who handles disability cases throughout the state. “We want residents to be informed about their rights regarding disability, including knowing the relevant agency involved, the procedure and the regulations that play critical roles in a successful case.”

The Saturday seminar – for which seats are limited – is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon. Light refreshments will be included.

For more information or to register for the free seminar, call 386-788-7700, 1-800-JUSTICE, or visit www.rueziffra.com.

About Rue & Ziffra:
Founded by John D. Rue and Allan L. Ziffra, the personal-injury law firm of Rue & Ziffra has served the Central Florida community for more than 25 years. The firm’s commitment to its profession and its clients has earned it a reputation as one of the top personal-injury law firms in Central Florida. Known for handling everything from automobile and motorcycle accidents to medical malpractice, wrongful death, and social security and disability cases, Rue & Ziffra has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients and their families. With a staff of nine attorneys, the firm maintains offices in Port Orange and Orange City. For more information, visit www.rueziffra.com.

Celebration Golf Management hosts Annual Member Appreciation “Casino Night” at Stoneybrook West Golf Club

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Celebration Golf Management recently hosted its annual member’s appreciation Casino Night at Stoneybrook West Golf Club in Winter Garden.

Jay Scruggs, general manager, said members from the Kings Ridge, Legends and Stoneybrook clubs attended the event and were treated to dinner, and casino playing for three hours. Casino money was used to purchase raffle tickets to win 90 prizes offered.

Scruggs said more than 130 members were the guests of Celebration Golf Management’s 2011 Member Appreciation Casino Night.

Long-time Kings Ridge Golf Club member John Sroka expressed his appreciation for Celebration Golf Management’s accomplishments.

CGM will also be hosting all members and a guest at a Members Holiday party this coming season, Scruggs said.

Mercantile Capital Corporation closes on nine commercial loans in August to finance projects valued at more than $21.6 million

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. --- Mercantile Capital Corporation, in Altamonte Springs, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Old Florida National Bank, reports it closed nine commercial loans in August to finance projects valued at more than $21.6 million in Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and Maryland.

Chris Hurn, chief executive officer at Mercantile Capital Corporation, said the volume of commercial loans closed in August was the highest in the company’s history. Its previous record month was June 2010, when the company closed nine loans worth $20.5 million in total project costs.

Mercantile Capital Corporation specializes in U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loans for small business owners who want to acquire or develop their own facilities.

SBA 504 loans offer long-term, below-market interest rates with as little as 10 percent down.

Geof Longstaff, chairman at Mercantile, said the largest single loan in August was worth $6.6 million in total project costs to refinance the Country Inn and Suites Hotel in Capital Heights, Md. Through eight months of 2011, Mercantile has closed loans worth more than $110.9 million in total project costs and has helped create or retain 755 total jobs as a result of this financing.

More information can be found at www.504Experts.com and www.504Blog.com.

Jim Hester of First Green Bank elected to Florida Vision Quest Executive Board

EUSTIS, Fla. – Florida’s Vision Quest, a not-for-profit (501C3) public children’s charity that provides free children’s eye exams and quality new eyeglasses for Florida’s most vulnerable children, has elected First Green Bank Vice President Jim Hester as secretary and a member of the executive board.

Kenneth LaRoe, chairman and chief executive officer of First Green Bank, said Hester also serves as commercial lender at First Green Bank, which has locations in Clermont and Eustis and plans to open a new headquarters facility in Mount Dora in October.

“Jim Hester is thoroughly committed to serving our community and he is very excited about this new responsibility,” LaRoe said.

Rachel Elias Wein of WeinPlus named chair of New Construction Committee at Pinellas Education Foundation

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. --- The Pinellas Education Foundation has appointed Rachel Elias Wein, AIA, founder and principal of WeinPlus Real Estate Advisory Services in St. Petersburg, to head its new Construction Committee.

Wein, who earned Bachelor of Design, Master of Architecture, and Master of Science in Real Estate degrees from the University of Florida, is nationally known for innovative and highly detailed cost-cutting strategies that have saved public and private companies millions of dollars while improving quality.

Wein served as a development manager with the Sembler Company in St. Petersburg and a senior associate with Ernst & Young’s Construction and Real Estate Advisory Services practice in Philadelphia.

Wein currently serves on the board of directors for the University of Florida’s Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies, Real Estate Investment Council of Tampa Bay and Camp Judaea in Hendersonville N.C.

“I believe our public school system is vitally important for the children of Pinellas County,” Wein said. “As a product of Florida’s public school system, I look forward to the opportunity to give back to our county’s children,” she said.

Crossman & Company Announces ICSC Foundation Campaign to Create $125,000 Scholarship Fund at Five Florida Universities

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Crossman & Company, which ranks as one of the largest retail property management, leasing and development companies in the southeastern U.S., has launched a campaign with the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Foundation to create a $125,000 scholarship fund to benefit students at Florida A&M University, the University of Central Florida, Florida International University, Florida State University and the University of Florida.

John Crossman, CCIM president of Crossman & Company, said the scholarship fund grew from a birthday wish earlier this year when he turned 40.

“I asked my friends and colleagues to contribute toward a scholarship effort and we raised a total of more than $10,000,” Crossman said.

“That will certainly help some deserving students. But if we really want to have an impact, we need to raise more money,” he said.

Crossman said he enlisted the support of the ICSC, which ranks as the largest professional association of retail property owners and developers, retail property tenants and real estate services professionals in the world.

Crossman already began contacting his network of colleagues, friends, company vendors and competitors. He said the ICSC Foundation Scholarship Fund will be showcased at more than 30 upcoming ICSC events in Florida this year.

“We’re asking corporations, retailers, clients, suppliers, and even our relatives to contribute $25 at a personal level up to $2,500 at the corporate level,” Crossman said.

For more information and to donate, visit www.icscfoundation.org/donate.

Crossman said he will form a scholarship committee to determine the criteria for scholarship awards.

“We plan to focus on students whose academic efforts will lead them to the commercial real estate profession,” Crossman said.

About Crossman & Company:
Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Crossman & Company is a commercial real estate brokerage firm that specializes in the retail industry. Currently their portfolio under leasing and/or management exceeds 150 shopping centers throughout the Southeast US. Founded in 1990, Crossman & Company focuses solely on landlord representation and serves clients including Publix, PREIT, and GE. Please visit www.crossmanco.com, or call 407-423-5400 for more information.