Lennar Names Kaidy Jimenez Marketing Manager for Central Florida Division in Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. --- Lennar’s Central Florida Division has named Kaidy Jimenez, marketing manager for the Tampa office. Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said Jimenez, a recent graduate of Connecticut State College, has experience in marketing and public relations.

MERITAGE HOMES APPOINTS CAROL PENNY REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT OF PURCHASING

ORLANDO / TAMPA, Fla. -- Meritage Homes, a Top 10 U.S. home builder with communities in 17 markets in the U.S., recently appointed Carol Penny regional vice president of purchasing. Brian Kittle, vice president of Meritage Homes in Orlando, said Penny graduated from Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, and has more than 24 years of experience as a finance and purchasing executive. In her new position, Penny will be responsible for costing and purchasing materials and services in the Orlando and Tampa markets, Kittle said. “Carol Penny has enormous experience and a tremendous eye for detail,” Kittle said. “She is a critical executive and she will undoubtedly play a major role in our continued growth in the Orlando and Tampa Bay regions,” Kittle said. Meritage Homes builds single-family homes and luxury homes priced from under $200,000 to more than $400,000 in 18 communities in the Orlando area and six communities in the Tampa Bay area.

Avex Homes Names Internet Home Sales Expert Laura Gahan as Sales Associate for Avalon Park West in Wesley Chapel

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. --- Avex Homes, the Orlando based homebuilder with single family homes underway at Avalon Park West on SR 54 in Wesley Chapel, has named internet home sales expert Laura Gahan sales associate for Cypress Village at Avalon Park West. Stephanie Hodson, vice president of marketing for Avalon Park Group including Avex Homes, said Gahan is a graduate of Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Ill. and earned her real estate license in 2004. Gahan recently established the Online Concierge Program for Neal Communities in Sarasota, where she not only developed the system, guidelines and tools for Internet home sales but trained additional Internet Concierge staff. Hosdon said Gahan has more than 10 years of experience in real estate home sales. Avex Homes is building 342 single-family homes at Cypress Village at Avalon Park West priced from the $160s.

POWER PROMISE ORGANIZATION’S CHIQUITA COLLINS RECEIVES FLORIDA JUVENILE JUSTICE ASSOCIATION PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

--- Student standout survived foster homes to earn straight A’s at UCF, now devoted to mentoring teen girls SANFORD, Fla., -- Chiquita Collins, an outstanding student and Youth Mentor and Program Facilitator with the Power Promise Organization in Sanford, has earned the Florida Juvenile Justice Association’s 2013 Public Service Award. Ursula James, Vice President and Program Director of the Power Promise Organization, said Collins, a UCF student, was honored recently before 400 or more expected participants at the Florida Juvenile Justice Association’s 18th Annual Adolescent Conference at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center, located at 1500 Sand Lake Rd. in Orlando at the Florida Mall. “Chiquita Collins will be honored for participating in community initiatives that educate and foster understanding of issues that at-risk youth face each day,” James explained. Collins has survived a broken home and foster care facilities to turn her own personal tragedy into triumph. "It is our goal at the Power Promise organization to empower today's youth to know that they have the power to succeed regardless of their environment. Chiquita has not only helped us with this mission, she has embodied it! She grew up in foster homes, separated from siblings and statistically expected to fail, yet she had the power to triumph and the heart to teach others! We are blessed to have Chiquita on our team, she has selflessly lead our quest to empower our youth,” said Tekoa Pouerie, President of Power Promise. “Chiquita Collins has devoted her spare time to mentoring teen girls who live in at-risk environments, including some who can personally relate to her background in foster care,” James said. Collins currently mentors at-risk girls at four Orange County Public Schools. She has mentored more than 100 young girls aged 11-18 to help shape their behavior and attitudes to become powerful citizens of their community, James said. “Not only has Ms. Collins excelled within the Power Promise Organization, she is also a stellar student with a 4.0 GPA at the University of Central Florida, and she is the first person in her family to ever attend college,” James said. The Power Promise Organization was established in 2008 to serve schools, equip parents, impact students, and inspire women to help Central Florida communities achieve a brighter future. Power Promise is a member of the UCF Business Incubation Program in Sanford.

Ryland Homes Promotes Kim Nedeau to Vice President of Purchasing in the Tampa Bay Region

Tampa, Fla. --- Ryland Homes has promoted Kim Nedeau to vice president of purchasing in the Tampa Bay region. Joe Fontana, president of Ryland Homes in Tampa, said Nedeau joined Ryland Homes 11 years ago. She was formerly purchasing manager in the Tampa division. She earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of South Florida and is currently working on her law degree at Stetson University. “Kim Nedeau is one of the brightest young executives in the home building industry and she has played a key role in Ryland Homes’ success in the Tampa Bay region,” Fontana said. “We expect she will play an even bigger role in her new position,” Fontana added. For more information please go to www.ryland.com/tampa.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Industrial Lease Renewals Totaling More than 31,000 square feet in Southeast Orlando and Lake Mary

MAITLAND, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated two renewal leases for industrial space totaling 31,300 square feet in southeast Orlando and Lake Mary. Michael Heidrich, principal at NAI Realvest, brokered both transactions representing the landlords. John H. Talton Enterprises, Inc. of Vidalia, Ga. is the landlord at 600 Technology Park Drive in Lake Mary, where Ocala-based Digital Juice, Inc. renewed its lease of suites 104 and 112 with 19,300 square feet. Heidrich represented the landlord Airport Investment Properties LLC of Columbus, Ohio in the renewal lease agreement with local tenant Reflex Gymnastix, Inc. who renewed its lease of Units 200-A through 200-D with 12,000 square feet at 7466 Narcoossee Rd. in the Airport Industrial Center.