Two models ready for viewing at new Ashton Woods community in South Hillsborough County

TAMPA, Fla. --- Ashton Woods Homes recently opened new model homes at its community of Tanglewood Preserve, located off Symnes Road in South Hillsborough County. Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing, said Ashton Woods Homes has 20 home sites are available in the new community with three, four and five bedroom designs. Homes range from 1,571 square feet of living area to 3,139 square feet with prices starting in the $140s. Ashton Woods Homes, headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies with operations in growth communities in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Killeen, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, Raleigh and Tampa. For more information, visit http://www.ashtonwoods.com .

Online GI Money Magazine Adds Dave Ramsey as Weekly Columnist

KISSIMMEE, Fla. --- GI Money Magazine, which publishes online financial advice and helpful tips for current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families at www.GIMoney.com, has added popular financial adviser and radio talk show host Dave Ramsey as a weekly online columnist. Javier Rodriguez, publisher of GIMoney.com, said Ramsey is highly regarded as an advocate of proven personal and family financial strategies that prominently feature frugality, hard work and smart money management. The weekly Dave Says column features timely, relevant questions and answers taken from actual letters and calls on Ramsey's radio program, The Dave Ramsey Show. “Dave Ramsey’s message of debt-free living is something every service member will find valuable,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez said GIMoney.com is preparing its first print version. “We have seen significant growth online and we want to translate that into a print edition with more content and more reader response,” Rodriguez said. GIMoney.com is a client company of the UCF Business Incubation Program, located at the Kissimmee incubator.

UCF Business Incubation Program Names Leanne Fleischer Program Assistant at Apopka Site

APOPKA, Fla. --- The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program has appointed Leanne Fleischer as Program Assistant at its Apopka incubator. Rick Parks, site manager in Apopka, said Fleischer graduated from Liberty Christian College in Pensacola with a degree in Business Management and has 20 years of experience. “Leanne has a wide variety of administrative business experience; that coupled with her people skills, has proven to be a perfect match for the Program Assistant position,” Parks said. Fleischer has most recently held executive assistant positions at Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Remington College of Nursing, both in Lake Mary.

First Green Bank Names Leesburg Firm to Remodel its Downtown Orlando Branch Banking Facility

MOUNT DORA, Fla. --- First Green Bank has named Evergreen Construction Management of Leesburg as general contractor to remodel the facility in downtown Orlando where First Green Bank will open a new branch office in late November. Kenneth LaRoe, chairman and chief executive officer of First Green Bank, said Process Architecture, LLC, of Orlando is designing the remodel of the banking and office space. First Green Bank recently closed on a lease of 3,500 square feet at 1118 S. Orange Ave. adjacent to Palmer Hospital for Women in Downtown Orlando. LaRoe said the remodeling effort will cost some $100,000. First Green Bank is headquartered in Mount Dora and has branch offices in Ormond Beach and Clermont and is planning another branch in Winter Park in 2013.

LENNAR HOMES REPORTS SALES OF 90+ NEW HOMES AT THE FORUM

FORT MYERS, Fla. --- Lennar Homes reports it has sold more than 90 single-family homes over the past 12 months at The Forum, on San Giovanni in Fort Myers just east of I-75 off Colonial Blvd. Matt Devereaux, director of sales, for Lennar Homes in Southwest Florida, said Lennar hosted its Grand Opening at The Forum on Oct. 29 of last year. Lennar offers 11 different floor plans at The Forum that range in size from the Ravenna model home with three bedrooms and two baths in 1,340 square feet of living space to the five-bedroom, four bath Sorrento model home with 3,283 square feet. New homes at The Forum are priced from the mid-$100s and come with two-car garages. “Prices have increased by over $13,000 since opening,” Devereaux said.

Ryland Homes Will Open Two Models at its new Carolina Park community in Mount Pleasant by early November

CHARLESTON, S.C. --- Ryland Homes has completed two new luxury model homes at Carolina Park, located off Carolina Park Blvd. and Hwy. 17 North in Mount Pleasant. Brian Cartwright, vice president of sales and marketing for Ryland Homes in the Charleston-Myrtle Beach region, said both new models will be professionally decorated and are slated for completion in early November. The two-story Coosaw model home offers four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths in 3,206 square feet of living space with a detached two-car garage. The Coosaw floor plan at Carolina Park is priced from $354,000. The two-story Thompson model home, with 2,446 square feet of living space, offers three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths with a bonus room and a detached two-car garage. The Thompson floor plan boasts a downstairs master bedroom and is priced from $329,000. Ryland Homes plans to build 58 new luxury homes at Carolina Park. Ryland offers six floor plans at Carolina Park ranging from 2,100 to 2,964 square feet, priced from the low $300s. Carolina Park features a Junior Olympic-size pool, tennis courts, a playground and walking and biking trails.

Riviera Bella in DeBary Opens Three Ready-To-Move-In Luxury Homes

DEBARY, Fla. – Riviera Bella, the award-winning, gated luxury community the Henin Group is developing overlooking the St. John’s River in Debary, has opened three new ready-to-move-in luxury homes offered for sale at prices that range from $230,000 to $325,000. Matt Boltz, director of sales and operations for Henin Homes, Inc. said the five-bedroom homes range in size from 1,928 square feet of living space to 3,057. Boltz said the new ready-to-move-in homes are part of a wave of new construction at Riviera Bella. “We currently have 10 new custom homes under construction at Riviera Bella that have all been presold,” Boltz said. The new custom homes were priced from $325,000 to more than $400,000.

BW Engineering Services earns National Certification as Veteran-Owned Small Business

ORLANDO, Fla. --- BW Engineering Services LLC in Orlando recently earned national certification as a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB). Don Stoner, president of BW Engineering Services LLC, is an eight-year veteran of the U.S. Army and Special Forces. He said this certification is an important step in marketing BW Engineering as a provider of services to local and state government agencies, schools and other public institutions. BW Engineering Services LLC specializes in Systems Engineering and Research and Development for the military training and aerospace industries. BW Engineering Services LLC is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program at Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County.

RYLAND HOMES DIVISION PRESIDENT JOE FONTANA SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT OF TAMPA BAY BUILDERS ASSOCIATION

TAMPA, Fla. – Joe Fontana, division president of Ryland Homes in the Tampa Bay region, was recently sworn in as president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association (TBBA). Fontana has been division president of Ryland Homes in the Tampa Bay region for five years and has more than 25 years of experience as an executive homebuilder. He is a graduate of Florida State University and holds degrees in Finance and Marketing. At the same time, three other staff members at Ryland Homes’ Tampa Division were named to industry leadership rolls in the TBBA and Sales and Marketing Council. Bob Gibbons, vice president of homebuilding for Ryland Homes in the Tampa Bay region, has been named chairman of the Pasco County Government Affairs Committee for the TBBA. Gibbons has been with Ryland Homes since January 2000. Heather Jaxheimer-Mills, sales counselor for Ryland and an active member of the Sales and Marketing council for the TBBA was appointed president-elect of the council. Tony Crimi, vice president of sales and marketing for Ryland’s Tampa division and an active member of the Sales and Marketing Council was appointed as a director in the council for the TBBA.

LONGTIME VOLUSIA PERSONAL-INJURY LAW FIRM BECOMES “RUE, ZIFFRA AND CALDWELL”

PORT ORANGE – After 36 years of operation, the Port Orange-based law firm of Rue & Ziffra has been renamed “Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell” to recognize Thomas E. Caldwell, a board-certified attorney and longtime partner. The name change now is reflected on signs at the firm’s main office on Dunlawton Boulevard in Port Orange, as well as at additional offices in DeLand and Palm Coast, according to firm President Allan L. Ziffra. “Tom has been instrumental in the growth of the firm and the addition of several practice areas: trial practice, social security, workers’ compensation, nursing home litigation and ERISA long-term disability,” Ziffra said in an announcement to staff members. He said the addition of those practice areas can be credited for the employment of several attorneys and an increase in staff. “He has increased the firm’s reputation with the Bar and the Judiciary,” Ziffra added. Firm co-founder John Rue said Caldwell has worked hard at the firm and very much deserves the recognition. “He not only is an asset, Tom is a leader at this firm,” Rue said, adding that the name change signifies the firm is expanding and moving to a higher level. Caldwell, who joined Rue & Ziffra in 1995, was promoted to partner in 2000 and became the only lawyer at the firm to be board certified earlier this year. He previously practiced law for an insurance defense law firm, a position, he has said, that gave him “insight into the strategy behind the defendant’s case.” A member of the Florida Bar, Volusia County Bar Association, Florida Justice Association, American Association for Justice, and the American Bar Association, Caldwell is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School Of Law. He practices in all Florida Courts, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. “I am honored and humbled to be recognized by the members of the firm,” Caldwell said.

Amelia National Golf & Country Club to Host Sutton Place Behavioral Health Golf Tournament Nov 5

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- Amelia National Golf & Country Club will host the Second Annual Sutton Place Behavioral Health Golf Tournament on Nov. 5. Todd McDonald, head professional at Amelia National Golf Club, said the tournament will feature a $25,000 hole-in-one prize, a Captain’s Choice Handicapped Scramble, Team and Individual Awards with Gross and Net Prizes, and a silent auction. The tournament will begin with a shotgun start at noon and golfers will be treated to a cookout and awards ceremony after the tournament. Funds raised in the tournament will benefit Sutton Place Behavioral Health, a not-for-profit health care provider. For information contact Cherie Billings 904-277-2995 or golftournament@spbh.org.