Monday, December 19, 2011

Hendricks & Partners Associate Partner Hal Warren Earns Second Master's Degree from UCF

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Longtime Central Florida commercial real estate executive Hal Warren, associate partner for the Orlando based Southeast Division of Hendricks & Partners, a multi-family investment banking company, recently earned his second Master’s Degree from the University of Central Florida.

Warren’s new post-graduate degree — Professional Master of Science in Real Estate in Business Administration — is the inaugural Master of Science in Real Estate program, from the Dr. P. Phillips School of Real Estate in the College of Business.

The former Cushman & Wakefield executive is also a Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS), a designation from the National Apartment Association and he currently serves on the City of Orlando’s Historical Preservation Board.

Offbeat Idea Leads Advanced EMS Designs to New Product, New Company and New Market

WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. --- It started with a small idea in the head of a retired firefighter and paramedic Scott Neusch. He thought he perceived a problem that could be a major one for injured patients, and he thought he might be able to create a solution. That’s how a free market works.

Neusch enlisted the University of Miami to help him gauge the problem in empirical terms. Then he set about inventing his solution. That, it turns out, was the easy part.

The problem was backboards — hard plastic shelves molded to accommodate patients with back injuries who need safe, secure transport to hospitals.

Backboards are one of the most common pieces of equipment aboard emergency vehicles. But they’re uncommonly dirty.

“We tested a random sampling of 55 backboards in several parts of the state,” Neusch explained. “What we found was a little scary. Despite careful cleaning after each use — hospital scrubbings — every one of the backboards we tested harbored infectious microbes such as MRSA that posed a danger to the next patient,” he said.

Injuries that require use of a backboard are usually serious.

And Neusch said, they often entail blood, vomit or other bodily fluids.

“If you’re an paramedic, that comes with the territory,” Neusch explained.

But the scratches, gouges and tape residue on typical backboards can harbor all sorts of infectious bacteria, despite careful cleaning. The next patient to use the equipment — and who may have open wounds — could easily pick up the bacterial infection.

Neusch and his colleagues, Joe McCluan , Mark Steinert, and Scott McIntyre contacted the Dept. of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate’s Tech-solutions Division with an idea.

“Tech-solutions was a great help, Neusch said. The result — Board Armor — is now a fully licensed, commercially available product that will undoubtedly save lives and protect against infections as it takes hold.

Board Armor is a disposable Tyvek sheath that covers the body board before use. After the patient is safely transported, the Board Armor is disposed of sanitarily.

Its use prevents body fluids from contaminating the backboard, prevents any contaminants on the backboard from infecting the patient, and reduces turnaround time so that EMTs and paramedics can get back on the road saving lives faster.

“It’s a simple solution. It won’t make us millionaires anytime soon, but it will help a lot of patients, and that’s what we set out to do,” said Neusch.

Neusch and his colleagues formed Advanced EMS Designs, which markets Board Armor and is developing additional solutions for first responders, from its corporate headquarters at the University of Central Florida Business Incubator in Winter Springs, Fla.

About the UCF Business Incubation Program:
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 200 emerging companies (including more than 100 current clients) create over $200 million in annual total economic output and more than 1,600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With nine facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Business Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, The City of Sanford, Lake County, the City of Leesburg, Osceola County, the City of Kissimmee, City of St. Cloud, Volusia County and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. Please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook.

NAI Realvest Completes $2.7 Million Sale of 7,527 Square Foot International Drive Restaurant Building

ORLANDO, Fla. --- NAI Realvest recently negotiated the sale of the 7,527 square foot former Bola Restaurant at 8148 International Drive in Southwest Orlando for $2,700,000.

NAI Realvest principals Kevin O’Connor and Matt Cichocki negotiated the transaction representing the seller, Hollywood Plaza Holdings, LLC of Brooklyn N.Y.

TC Holdings-International Drive, LLC purchased the property and was represented by Jon Rose of Charles Wayne Properties.

After renovation of the building, which will be expanded to 8,500 square feet, the buyer intends to open a 250 seat Kobe Japanese Steakhouse restaurant. Opening is projected for May of 2012.

About NAI Realvest
NAI Realvest, serving all of central Florida, is a fully integrated commercial real estate operating company specializing in brokerage, development, investment, leasing and management, consulting and research services in the U.S. and worldwide. NAI Global is an international commercial real estate network with over 350 offices spanning the globe. Since 1978, clients have built businesses on the power of NAI Global’s expanding network. Extensive services include multi-site acquisitions and dispositions, sublease, tenant representation, lease administration and audit, investment services, due diligence and related consulting and advisory services. To learn more, visit www.NAIRealvest.com