TAMPA, Fla. --- Lennar has opened its first “NextGen” model home at Concord Station in Land O’ Lakes, off SR 54 in Pasco County.
Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said Lennar’s new “NextGen” homes feature a private living space — a full suite separated but adjacent to the main living area for parents, grandparents, adult children or even long term guests.
The 3,257 square foot single-family home offers four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and a three car garage in the main living area, with an attached 839 square foot suite with a private entrance, bedroom, bathroom, living room and eat-in kitchenette, Metheny said.
“Modern families are often different from the very traditional mom, dad and two kids,” Metheny said. “We need homes that can accommodate more than one generation, and Lennar’s “NextGen” homes offer just those capabilities,” he added.
Visit www.LennarTampa.com.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Geocove, Inc. Helps Osceola County, Kissimmee, St. Cloud Win Major Award for Disaster Preparedness
ORLANDO, Fla. --- Geocove Inc., the Orlando firm that specializes in development of sophisticated GIS systems for disaster response teams and government agencies, played an instrumental role in a major award that lauds Osceola County, Kissimmee and St. Cloud for their ability to collaborate in area disaster preparedness efforts.
Those efforts---based on software applications designed by Geocove engineers---earned Osceola County, Kissimmee and St. Cloud a Florida Local Government Information Systems Association (FLGISA) 2012 Technology Achievement Award recently for the Best IT Collaboration Among Organizations.
Karyn Tareen, president and chief executive officer, said Geocove implemented ARM360 for Osceola County, Kissimmee and St. Cloud. ARM360® is a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based application that allows field assessors from each municipality to report real-time findings to a centralized Emergency Operating Center (EOC).
“This enables local and remote decision makers to allocate resources quickly and efficiently,” Tareen explained.
“Like most U.S. municipalities, Osceola County, Kissimmee and St. Cloud invested in GIS systems,” Tareen said. “Geocove helped them leverage their GIS investment so that digital maps that are rich in locally maintained data are instantly available to disaster assessors in the field on their mobile computers,” she said.
“With a couple of clicks, they can report the percentage of damage they observe for buildings and properties,” she said.
“Call centers use the same maps and data to log caller-reported damage and to provide callers with disaster information such as shelter locations, points of distribution, outages, road blocks, and so on,” she said.
Earlier this year Geocove partnered with Florida’s Lee County to develop a sophisticated GIS-based disaster management system that won the 2012 Florida Governor’s Hurricane Conference Public Information Award.
Geocove is a member of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in the Central Florida Research Park in East Orange County.
About Geocove
Geocove, Inc. provides scalable assessment solutions built using the power of GIS across a multitude of industries. The Geocove team has extensive experience in providing assessment, reporting and mapping tools for emergency management, building officials, public health and other government agencies as well as utilities and other private industries. Geocove, Inc., a privately held corporation located in central Florida, is an authorized partner of Esri, the world’s leading GIS software provider. Please visit www.geocove.com or www.facebook.com/geocove.
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 134 current clients) create over $363 million in annual total economic output and more than 3,120 new jobs (taking direct and indirect and induced impact into account) with an average salary of $59,000. With ten facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Business Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development among the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Apopka, 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. For more information about the Program and its clients and graduates, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook, on www.facebook.com/ucf4bip.
Those efforts---based on software applications designed by Geocove engineers---earned Osceola County, Kissimmee and St. Cloud a Florida Local Government Information Systems Association (FLGISA) 2012 Technology Achievement Award recently for the Best IT Collaboration Among Organizations.
Karyn Tareen, president and chief executive officer, said Geocove implemented ARM360 for Osceola County, Kissimmee and St. Cloud. ARM360® is a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based application that allows field assessors from each municipality to report real-time findings to a centralized Emergency Operating Center (EOC).
“This enables local and remote decision makers to allocate resources quickly and efficiently,” Tareen explained.
“Like most U.S. municipalities, Osceola County, Kissimmee and St. Cloud invested in GIS systems,” Tareen said. “Geocove helped them leverage their GIS investment so that digital maps that are rich in locally maintained data are instantly available to disaster assessors in the field on their mobile computers,” she said.
“With a couple of clicks, they can report the percentage of damage they observe for buildings and properties,” she said.
“Call centers use the same maps and data to log caller-reported damage and to provide callers with disaster information such as shelter locations, points of distribution, outages, road blocks, and so on,” she said.
Earlier this year Geocove partnered with Florida’s Lee County to develop a sophisticated GIS-based disaster management system that won the 2012 Florida Governor’s Hurricane Conference Public Information Award.
Geocove is a member of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in the Central Florida Research Park in East Orange County.
About Geocove
Geocove, Inc. provides scalable assessment solutions built using the power of GIS across a multitude of industries. The Geocove team has extensive experience in providing assessment, reporting and mapping tools for emergency management, building officials, public health and other government agencies as well as utilities and other private industries. Geocove, Inc., a privately held corporation located in central Florida, is an authorized partner of Esri, the world’s leading GIS software provider. Please visit www.geocove.com or www.facebook.com/geocove.
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 134 current clients) create over $363 million in annual total economic output and more than 3,120 new jobs (taking direct and indirect and induced impact into account) with an average salary of $59,000. With ten facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Business Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development among the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Apopka, 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. For more information about the Program and its clients and graduates, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook, on www.facebook.com/ucf4bip.
Reliable Systems Solutions and Ops A La Carte Launch Partnership to provide Reliability Engineering Services
ORLANDO, Fla. --- Reliable Systems Solutions, a leading U.S. provider of reliability engineering services in the aerospace, aviation, commercial and defense industries, has formed a partnership with Ops A La Carte, a professional reliability engineering firm headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif.
Richard Coronado, founder and CEO of Reliable Systems Solutions, said they will support to Ops A La Carte in existing and future reliability engineering projects.
“We complement their existing pool of certified reliability engineers and consultants with our defense industry experience in complex weapons and computer systems reliability,” Coronado said.
“Both companies will seek out new business opportunities by bidding on government contracts that require reliability, maintainability, safety and logistics engineering,” he explained.
Coronado said OPS A La Carte owns its own HALT and HASS Labs.
“With the partnership, Reliability Systems Solutions can now offer customers the full range of HALT and HASS testing to improve the reliability of their products,” Coronado said.
Coronado said the partnership went into effect immediately.
Reliable Systems Solutions is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program, located in the Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County.
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 134 current clients) create over $363 million in annual total economic output and more than 3,120 new jobs (taking direct and indirect and induced impact into account) with an average salary of $59,000. With ten facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Business Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development among the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Apopka, 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. For more information about the Program and its clients and graduates, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook, on www.facebook.com/ucf4bip.
Richard Coronado, founder and CEO of Reliable Systems Solutions, said they will support to Ops A La Carte in existing and future reliability engineering projects.
“We complement their existing pool of certified reliability engineers and consultants with our defense industry experience in complex weapons and computer systems reliability,” Coronado said.
“Both companies will seek out new business opportunities by bidding on government contracts that require reliability, maintainability, safety and logistics engineering,” he explained.
Coronado said OPS A La Carte owns its own HALT and HASS Labs.
“With the partnership, Reliability Systems Solutions can now offer customers the full range of HALT and HASS testing to improve the reliability of their products,” Coronado said.
Coronado said the partnership went into effect immediately.
Reliable Systems Solutions is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program, located in the Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County.
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 134 current clients) create over $363 million in annual total economic output and more than 3,120 new jobs (taking direct and indirect and induced impact into account) with an average salary of $59,000. With ten facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Business Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development among the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Apopka, 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. For more information about the Program and its clients and graduates, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook, on www.facebook.com/ucf4bip.
Lennar’s “You Snooze, You Lose” Offers Zero Down, Zero Closing Costs, Savings Up to $30,000 – with preferred lender-- on Select Orlando-area Homes
ORLANDO, Fla. --- Lennar’s Central Florida Division, which ranks as the Number One home builder in the Orlando region, has launched its “You Snooze, You Lose” campaign that offers zero down payments, zero closing costs and savings worth up to $30,000 when using Lennar’s preferred lenders on sales of select new homes in the Orlando region now through Aug. 31.
Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida division, said “You Snooze, You Lose” was unveiled to appeal to families on the verge of deciding to purchase a new home.
“We have lowered prices, added luxury features and secured a zero-down, zero-closing costs commitment from our lenders and we anticipate that interest rates and pricing will be rising soon due to demand,” Metheny said.
Lennar builds single-family homes, town homes and manor homes priced from under $100,000 to more than $500,000 at communities throughout the Orlando region, including Clermont and the Space Coast.
Metheny said the special “You Snooze, You Lose” offer is good for new home sales that close by Aug, 31.
Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida division, said “You Snooze, You Lose” was unveiled to appeal to families on the verge of deciding to purchase a new home.
“We have lowered prices, added luxury features and secured a zero-down, zero-closing costs commitment from our lenders and we anticipate that interest rates and pricing will be rising soon due to demand,” Metheny said.
Lennar builds single-family homes, town homes and manor homes priced from under $100,000 to more than $500,000 at communities throughout the Orlando region, including Clermont and the Space Coast.
Metheny said the special “You Snooze, You Lose” offer is good for new home sales that close by Aug, 31.
Mercantile Capital Corporation closed 10 commercial loans in July to finance projects worth more than $70.5 million
ORLANDO, Fla. — Mercantile Capital Corporation, which specializes in U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loans for small business owners who want to acquire or develop their own facilities, reported it closed 10 commercial loans from July 1 through July 31, 2012 to finance projects valued at more than $70.5 million. This total tops the company’s previous record for monthly loan volume, set in June.
Christopher G. Hurn, founder and CEO of Mercantile Capital Corporation, said the largest single loan in July was for the refinancing of a Hampton Inn & Suites in downtown Stamford, Conn., with a total project cost of $12.4 million.
In 2011, Mercantile Capital Corporation closed on loans that financed projects valued at more than $174.4 million. Since Jan. 1, Mercantile Capital Corporation has financed transactions worth more than $291.3 million in total project costs.
Hurn said he projects Mercantile Capital Corporation will provide financing for projects that total more than $400 million in 2012 — a 129 percent increase over 2011 volume.
Christopher G. Hurn, founder and CEO of Mercantile Capital Corporation, said the largest single loan in July was for the refinancing of a Hampton Inn & Suites in downtown Stamford, Conn., with a total project cost of $12.4 million.
In 2011, Mercantile Capital Corporation closed on loans that financed projects valued at more than $174.4 million. Since Jan. 1, Mercantile Capital Corporation has financed transactions worth more than $291.3 million in total project costs.
Hurn said he projects Mercantile Capital Corporation will provide financing for projects that total more than $400 million in 2012 — a 129 percent increase over 2011 volume.
First Green Foundation to offer grants to help fund energy efficient improvements — solar panels
MOUNT DORA, Fla. --- The First Green Foundation plans to offer cash grants to help fund energy-efficient improvements to homes and businesses in Lake County.
Kenneth LaRoe, chairman and chief executive officer of First Green Bank, said the First Green Foundation will offer grants of $1,000 per installation to home owners, and $2,000 to businesses, who add solar power and $500 to home owners or businesses who add solar hot water, significantly increasing the energy efficiency of homes and businesses.
“Our mission at the First Green Foundation is to apply some of our assets---moral, human and financial---to encourage alternate energy, water conservation and community supported agriculture,” LaRoe said.
LaRoe said he expects to fund as many as 20 “green” improvement projects this year and he hopes the grants program will blossom.
“We are starting small, but we expect to grow, and we expect to have an impact on our community that goes beyond providing the best community banking services and products we can create,” LaRoe said.
First Green Bank posted an annual profit of $543,000 for 2011, the culmination of 22 consecutive months of profitability.
Last month, the U.S. Treasury Department cited First Green Bank as one of the 10 U.S. banks with the greatest increase in small business lending since 2010: up 139 percent to $72 million.
Kenneth LaRoe, chairman and chief executive officer of First Green Bank, said the First Green Foundation will offer grants of $1,000 per installation to home owners, and $2,000 to businesses, who add solar power and $500 to home owners or businesses who add solar hot water, significantly increasing the energy efficiency of homes and businesses.
“Our mission at the First Green Foundation is to apply some of our assets---moral, human and financial---to encourage alternate energy, water conservation and community supported agriculture,” LaRoe said.
LaRoe said he expects to fund as many as 20 “green” improvement projects this year and he hopes the grants program will blossom.
“We are starting small, but we expect to grow, and we expect to have an impact on our community that goes beyond providing the best community banking services and products we can create,” LaRoe said.
First Green Bank posted an annual profit of $543,000 for 2011, the culmination of 22 consecutive months of profitability.
Last month, the U.S. Treasury Department cited First Green Bank as one of the 10 U.S. banks with the greatest increase in small business lending since 2010: up 139 percent to $72 million.
ICI Homes to Host Gala Realtor Preview Aug. 16 to Showcase New Town Homes at Arbor Lakes at Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club in Ormond Beach
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. --- ICI Homes, the award-winning community developer and luxury home builder headquartered in Daytona Beach, will host a Gala Realtor Preview from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16, to showcase new town homes that recently opened at Arbor Lakes at Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club in Ormond Beach.
Rosemary Messina, vice president of sales and marketing at ICI Homes, said new town homes at Arbor Lakes at Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club offer three bedrooms and two baths in over 1,500 square feet of living space with 2-car garages priced from $169,900.
About ICI Homes
ICI Homes is ranked by Builder magazine as one of the top 100 homebuilders in the nation. The 32+-year-old firm builds new homes and resort facilities in the Volusia-Flagler region as well as in Jacksonville, Orlando, Melbourne and Tampa.
Rosemary Messina, vice president of sales and marketing at ICI Homes, said new town homes at Arbor Lakes at Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club offer three bedrooms and two baths in over 1,500 square feet of living space with 2-car garages priced from $169,900.
About ICI Homes
ICI Homes is ranked by Builder magazine as one of the top 100 homebuilders in the nation. The 32+-year-old firm builds new homes and resort facilities in the Volusia-Flagler region as well as in Jacksonville, Orlando, Melbourne and Tampa.
First Green Bank ranked as one of America’s Safest Banks and one of only 12 in Florida
Mount Dora, Fla. --- First Green Bank, headquartered in Mount Dora, currently ranks as one of the 359 safest banks in the U.S. and one of only 12 in Florida.
The bank, which has branch offices in Clermont and Ormond Beach and plans to open offices in Orlando, Winter Park and The Villages, was named one of America’s 359 safest banks by a Microsoft Network (msn.com) survey of more than 7,300 U.S. banks, said Kenneth LaRoe, chairman and chief executive officer of First Green Bank.
The survey applied the vaunted Texas Ratio, developed by financial wizard Gerard Cassidy at RBC Capital Markets, to a wide range of indicators posted by the nation’s banks.
The Texas Ratio achieved notoriety in the 1980s as an accurate predictor of failing banks. The msn.com survey applied the same Texas Ratio criteria to identify 359 U.S. banks with a perfect score---zero---on the Texas Ratio
“The survey came as a complete surprise to us,” LaRoe said.
It also came at the perfect time. Recently, First Green Bank announced it will issue a public stock offering in the first quarter of 2013, with shares valued at $13 each. LaRoe said the offering will include a $20,000 share minimum purchase requirement.
First Green Bank posted an annual profit of $543,000 for 2011, the culmination of 22 consecutive months of profitability.
First Green Bank was the only Lake County bank and one of only five banks in Central Florida to earn the prestigious Five-Star rating from BauerFinancial, Inc., the independent community bank rating group based in Coral Gables
Most recently, First Green Bank reported assets that total more than $193 million and deposits that total more than $171 million.
The bank, which has branch offices in Clermont and Ormond Beach and plans to open offices in Orlando, Winter Park and The Villages, was named one of America’s 359 safest banks by a Microsoft Network (msn.com) survey of more than 7,300 U.S. banks, said Kenneth LaRoe, chairman and chief executive officer of First Green Bank.
The survey applied the vaunted Texas Ratio, developed by financial wizard Gerard Cassidy at RBC Capital Markets, to a wide range of indicators posted by the nation’s banks.
The Texas Ratio achieved notoriety in the 1980s as an accurate predictor of failing banks. The msn.com survey applied the same Texas Ratio criteria to identify 359 U.S. banks with a perfect score---zero---on the Texas Ratio
“The survey came as a complete surprise to us,” LaRoe said.
It also came at the perfect time. Recently, First Green Bank announced it will issue a public stock offering in the first quarter of 2013, with shares valued at $13 each. LaRoe said the offering will include a $20,000 share minimum purchase requirement.
First Green Bank posted an annual profit of $543,000 for 2011, the culmination of 22 consecutive months of profitability.
First Green Bank was the only Lake County bank and one of only five banks in Central Florida to earn the prestigious Five-Star rating from BauerFinancial, Inc., the independent community bank rating group based in Coral Gables
Most recently, First Green Bank reported assets that total more than $193 million and deposits that total more than $171 million.
Eagle Creek Golf Club to Host Florida Hospital Diabetes Institute Golf Invitational Tournament Sept. 7
ORLANDO, Fla. --- Eagle Creek Golf Club, a Celebration Golf Management course off Narcoossee Road near Lake Nona in Southeast Orlando, will host the Florida Hospital Diabetes Institute Golf Invitational Tournament Sept. 7 to benefit the Florida Hospital Diabetes Institute.
The 17th Annual tournament, organized by the Florida Hospital Foundation, is expected to draw between 80 and 100 golfers said Jon Nobles, development officer at the Florida Hospital Foundation.
The Florida Hospital Diabetes Institute Golf Invitational tournament will begin with registration and a continental breakfast at 7 a.m. and participants will be presented with complimentary range balls.
The four person scramble tournament will tee off with a shotgun start at 8, Nobles said.
A gourmet luncheon, awards ceremony and drawing for prizes will start as soon as play has ended. Snacks and beverages will be provided on the course.
Nobles said Florida Hospital Foundation is still seeking corporate tournament sponsorships ranging from individual sponsors at $500 to the $25,000 Presenting Sponsor to a Team Sponsorship at $1,750.
Last year’s Florida Hospital Diabetes Institute Golf Invitational Tournament sponsors included Brasfield & Gorrie, Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Cairns, Chevron, Del Frisco’s, Energy Air, HHCP Architects, Hoke Maroon Foundation, JHT, Panera Bread, Pepsi Food Services, Principal Financial Group and TRANE.
The 17th Annual tournament, organized by the Florida Hospital Foundation, is expected to draw between 80 and 100 golfers said Jon Nobles, development officer at the Florida Hospital Foundation.
The Florida Hospital Diabetes Institute Golf Invitational tournament will begin with registration and a continental breakfast at 7 a.m. and participants will be presented with complimentary range balls.
The four person scramble tournament will tee off with a shotgun start at 8, Nobles said.
A gourmet luncheon, awards ceremony and drawing for prizes will start as soon as play has ended. Snacks and beverages will be provided on the course.
Nobles said Florida Hospital Foundation is still seeking corporate tournament sponsorships ranging from individual sponsors at $500 to the $25,000 Presenting Sponsor to a Team Sponsorship at $1,750.
Last year’s Florida Hospital Diabetes Institute Golf Invitational Tournament sponsors included Brasfield & Gorrie, Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Cairns, Chevron, Del Frisco’s, Energy Air, HHCP Architects, Hoke Maroon Foundation, JHT, Panera Bread, Pepsi Food Services, Principal Financial Group and TRANE.
Lennar Paid Out More Than $2.2 Million in Realtor Commissions on Sales of More Than 200 New Homes in its Central Florida Division in July
ORLANDO / TAMPA, Fla. --- Lennar’s Central Florida Division, which ranks as the Number One home builder in both the Orlando and Tampa markets, paid out more than $2.2 million to Realtors in July on the sale of more than 200 new homes throughout the Central Florida Division including the Tampa Bay and Orlando regions.
Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida division, said area Realtors earned their commission checks.
“Demand for new homes is up in the Central Florida region and we make sure that Realtors who bring their clients to look at our communities are well cared for,” Metheny said.
“In addition to caring for our Realtors, we are constantly refining our marketing efforts and generating new, generous and appealing promotions, special offers and events to help make the sale of a Lennar-built home the easiest sales most Realtors make,” Metheny said.
Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida division, said area Realtors earned their commission checks.
“Demand for new homes is up in the Central Florida region and we make sure that Realtors who bring their clients to look at our communities are well cared for,” Metheny said.
“In addition to caring for our Realtors, we are constantly refining our marketing efforts and generating new, generous and appealing promotions, special offers and events to help make the sale of a Lennar-built home the easiest sales most Realtors make,” Metheny said.
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