Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Free Driving School Gets Teen Drivers Revved Up for Safety Second Class Scheduled Due to Huge Interest

DAYTONA BEACH – A recent Teen Safety Driving School – presented by Gary Yeoman’s Ford Lincoln and the Port Orange-based law firm of Rue & Ziffra – filled up so quickly that nearly one third of the 150 youths interested in the one-day class were told they would have to sign up for another session this Spring.

“When we decided to sponsor the class we expected it would be of interest to teenagers and their parents, but we had no idea it would be so popular,” said Allan Ziffra, a partner in the personal-injury firm. “So, to accommodate those who missed out, we hope to offer another class in a few months.”

The Feb. 18 class, which was taught at the Daytona Auto Mall by professional instructors, filled up a week before the deadline. Students who participated in the 2½-hour sessions were instructed in the fundamentals of driving, as well as the dangers, according to Carlos Lira, general manager at Gary Yeoman’s.

“The parents were happy, the kids were happy and I think everyone was surprised at how much they actually learned,” Lira said. He said the young drivers used their own vehicles or cars provided by the dealership that had drifters installed on them for better control.

Of the 100 students in the class, about a dozen were the children of several Rue & Ziffra employees, including law partners Kim Bouck and Allan L. Ziffra. Lira’s son, Michael – an aspiring race car driver – also participated in the course.

“Even though my son knows a lot about driving, I think he was really impressed with the course itself,” Lira said. “It was great to be part of something that benefitted not only my son, but so many others in the community.”

Lira said a date hasn’t been set yet, but Gary Yeoman’s plans to partner with Rue & Ziffra sometime in April or May for a second driving class. Just as the recent class was, the spring session will be open to Volusia and Flagler county drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 who have either a valid Florida Driver’s License or a permit. Those interested in participating can watch for details on either company’s website at www.rueziffra.com or www.garyyeomansford.com.

UCF Business Incubation Program Names Tiffany Laurencio Program Assistant at Sanford site

ORLANDO, Fla. --- The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program has appointed Tiffany Laurencio as program assistant for its Sanford incubator.

Laurencio graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill, with a degree in Workforce Education Development. She is a U.S. Navy veteran and while on active duty served as a personnel specialist in various positions involved with education services, training and development, human resources and personnel management.

Gordon Hogan, director of the UCF Business Incubation Program, appointed Laurencio to the position to replace Peggy Allen, who was promoted to assistant to the director of the UCF Business Incubation Program. Allen was at the Sanford site nearly two years.

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 125 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. The UCFBIP will open its 10th incubator in Apopka in Spring 2012. Please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook, on www.facebook.com/ucf4bip.

University Club of Orlando promotes Ian Gonza to Service Director

ORLANDO, Fla. --- The University Club of Orlando has promoted Ian Gonza to service director.

Justin Wright, general manager of the University Club of Orlando, said Gonza joined the University Club of Orlando three years ago and was most recently the service captain.

First Green Bank names Rhonda Decandia Marketing Coordinator

EUSTIS, Fla. – First Green Bank, named Florida’s Green Company of the Year for 2011 by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Central Florida Chapter, has named Rhonda Decandia marketing coordinator.

Kenneth LaRoe, chairman and chief executive officer of First Green Bank said Decandia attended the University of New Mexico and has 10 years of experience in marketing.

First Green Bank will celebrate the grand opening of its Ormond Beach branch office — the first outside Lake County — on May 12.

Meritage Homes Names Clint Szubinski President of Orlando / Tampa Divisions

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Meritage Homes, which builds homes in two Florida markets, has appointed Clint Szubinski as president of the Orlando and Tampa Divisions.

Szubinski earned a law degree from Louisiana State University and has more than nine years of experience as a home building executive.

Szubinski formerly served as division president for Meritage Homes in Raleigh, N.C., and has an extensive background in land acquisition.

Dicapta Plays Leading Role Providing Spanish Language Captioning of Educational Media for Blind and Hearing-Impaired Students

WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. --- Dicapta has emerged as a leading provider of Spanish-language video descriptions and captions for educational media for blind and hearing-impaired students in the U.S.

Maria Diaz, chief executive officer, said Dicapta has been named a strategic partner of the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP), a private not-for-profit organization funded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the National Association for the Deaf.

“The mission of the DCMP is to make educational media accessible to all, including blind and deaf students, by captioning and describing the vast educational media resources available in the U.S. today,” Diaz said.

Educational media---videos and tapes---is a major resource in the education of students with disabilities at all levels, Diaz said. But almost all U.S. educational media are produced in English.

“That is as it should be, but Spanish-speaking students with disabilities have limited access to such resources. This is why we are so pleased that the DCMP is going to add Spanish titles to its existing collection,” Diaz said.

The U.S. Department of Education funds efforts by the National Association for the Deaf to caption and describe educational media, Diaz said.

Now, Dicapta is playing a leading role in captioning and describing educational media for Spanish-speaking students.

“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that Latinos develop visual impairments and blindness at the highest rate of any ethnic group in the country,” Diaz said.

“Gallaudet University reported in 2009-2010 that more than half of all deaf children are from ethnic/racial minority groups and that almost a third---30.4 percent---of these children are Latino,” she said.

“Educational media with Spanish-language captions and descriptions can offer many of these students a level playing field in the race to gain literacy skills and beyond and an education that will help make them productive citizens,” Diaz said.

“That is the need we are filling and we are pleased to say that we are a leading provider of these services in the U.S.,” she said.

Dicapta is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in Winter Springs.

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 125 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. The UCFBIP will open its 10th incubator in Apopka in spring 2012. Please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook, on www.facebook.com/ucf4bip.