UCF Business Incubation Program Named Finalist for International Award

ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program has been named a finalist for the National Business Incubation Association’s 2013 Incubator Network of the Year award. This is the first year for this new award category. The winner of the prestigious award will be announced April 9 at NBIA’s 27th International Conference on Business Incubation in Boston. Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of the UCF Business Incubation Program made the announcement. The mission of the UCF Business Incubation Program, a university-driven community partnership that includes nine business incubators in Central Florida, is to provide early-stage companies with the enabling tools, training and infrastructure to create financially stable, high-growth enterprises leading to positive economic impact within local communities. Business incubation programs like those in the UCF Business Incubation Program’s network catalyze the process of starting and growing companies by providing entrepreneurs with the expertise, networks and tools they need to make their ventures successful. NBIA estimates that in 2011 alone, North American incubators assisted about 49,000 start-up companies that provided full-time employment for nearly 200,000 workers and generated annual revenue of almost $15 billion. Approximately 7,000 business incubators operate worldwide. The National Business Incubation Association is the world's leading organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship. Each year, the NBIA Incubation Awards honor the business incubation programs, graduates and client companies that exemplify the best of the industry.

CEO Nexus, Rollins College CFAE to Host Priceline.com Co-Founder Jeff Hoffman at Forum March 13

WINTER PARK, Fla. --- Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship and CEO Nexus, which works with public and private enterprises to encourage and accelerate second-stage growth, will host Priceline.com co-founder Jeff Hoffman at its next CEO Nexus Forum Wednesday, March 13. Steve Quello, president of CEO Nexus, said the Forum will begin at 6 p.m. for area CEOs and corporate principals invited to attend and registered at info@CEONexus.com. Hoffman, who was twice named one of the 25 Most Influential Executives in Travel and Tourism Worldwide, is an accomplished entrepreneur and innovator in the fields of Internet, e-commerce, and entertainment. He launched his first software company while still a student at Yale University. Best known as co-founder and CEO in the Priceline.com family of companies, Hoffman led the development and launch of Priceline YardSale. “Jeff Hoffman has established residence on the heights we work so hard to enable entrepreneurs to achieve,” said Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute. “We expect his presentation at this CEO Forum will be interesting, informative and stimulating.” Hoffman writes a regular column on innovation and entrepreneurship for Inc. magazine, between work assignments with the White House, the Executive Office of the President, the U.S. State Department, and U.S. Department of Commerce to support worldwide business and economic growth initiatives. Hoffman is a leading U.S. proponent of Economic Gardening initiatives as co-founder and partner in ColorJar, LLC, the Idea Accelerator company that helps entrepreneurs and small business owners launch and grow new business ventures. He also serves as Chief Innovation Fellow for the Cleveland Clinic.

Park Square Homes Names Gene Marcoux Purchasing Agent

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Park Square Homes has named Eugene (Gene) Marcoux purchasing agent. Anthony Rouhana, sales and marketing coordinator at Park Square Homes, said Marcoux has more than 27 years of experience in the industry. He started his construction career following service in the U.S. Navy at Cecil Field in Jacksonville. He managed purchasing for homebuilders including Lennar and Engle in the Jacksonville area and he was most recently production manager for 84 Lumber Company in Sanford. Marcoux consistently pursued his education and graduated Magna Cum Laude with dual major in Corporate Finance and Economics from University of North Florida, and he is currently pursuing an MBA in Quantitative Analysis and a graduate certificate in Operations and Supply Chain Management from Southern New Hampshire University.

GI Money Launches New, Improved Web Portal to Help Veterans Manage Career Transitions, Family, Personal Finances

Kissimmee, Fla. --- GI Money Magazine, the Kissimmee multi-media company that focuses on helping military veterans and their families manage career transitions, personal and family finances and investments, has launched a new and substantially improved web portal at gimoney.com. Javier Rodriguez, founder and editor of GI Money Magazine, said the redesigned web portal offers a host of new features that are compatible with smart phones and tablets. “The new web portal offers significantly enhanced functionality and encourages site visitors to explore all the services we offer through informative feature content, profiles, access to military blogger communities and our e-magazine, among others,” Rodriguez said. “Our new site design provides 24-hour access to a growing collection of career transition and financial resources and information to support our service members and military families,” he explained. “Our goal is to become the trusted digital hub for military veterans to connect online veteran communities and resources,” he added. Rodriguez said more changes are in the works at gimoney.com. “Over the next 90-120 days we will deploy additional enhancements that combine social media and traditional marketing strategies to better connect our audience with unique opportunities and benefits,” Rodriguez said. GI Money is a client company of the UCF Business Incubation Program, located at the Kissimmee incubator.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects completes design work on Redevelopment of Publix supermarket in Longwood

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners, based in Baldwin Park, recently completed design work for redevelopment of the Publix supermarket on Wekiva Springs Road off SR 434 in Longwood. Lonnie Peterson, chairman of Cuhaci & Peterson, said the redevelopment project totals 45,000 square feet. Construction is slated to be completed late this year.

NAI Realvest Professionals Take Home Four Major Awards at Annual NAIOP Best of the Best Awards Gala

MAITLAND, Fla. --- NAI Realvest in Maitland scored four major awards in the recent Best of the Best Awards Gala by the Central Florida chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), the leading organization for developers, owners and related professionals in commercial real estate. In the Land Broker of the Year category, NAI Realvest Principal Thomas Hankins was awarded Second Place for closing on two land transactions that totaled 72.35 acres valued at more than $6,600,000 million. NAI Realvest Associate Chris Butera was awarded Third Place in the same category. Butera closed on five land transactions that totaled 184.21 acres valued at more than $2,429,500 million. In the Retail Broker of the Year category, NAI Realvest Principals Kevin O’Connor and Matt Cichocki, were awarded Third Place for their transactions, which totaled 30,492 square feet of retail space valued at more than $16,524,211 million. NAI Realvest Managing Director Robin Webb said commercial real estate is rebounding across the region and NAI Realvest is playing a big role in the comeback. “The economic downturn has particularly affected the commercial real estate industry but many sectors are bouncing back strong. We expect to see big increases in the volume of transactions and dollar values through the remainder of this year and well into next year,” Webb said.

Cuhaci & Peterson Complete Design Work on Two Restaurants at Atlanta International Airport

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, Engineers, Planners based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, recently completed design work on two restaurants at Atlanta International Airport. Lonnie Peterson, chairman at Cuhaci & Peterson said the restaurants – Ruby Tuesday’s and Longhorn Steakhouse – are 3,000 square feet each. The developer of each restaurant is HMS Host.

Bellevue Model Home at Plantation Bay is 2013 Volusia Parade of Homes Showcase Home

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. --- ICI Homes is adding finishing touches to the Bellevue model home at Plantation Bay Golf and Country Club in Ormond Beach for a starring role as the Showcase Home during the Volusia Building Industry Association’s 2013 Parade of Homes March 16-24. Rosemary Messina, vice president of sales and marketing for ICI Homes, said the three- bedroom, three-bath, Bellevue model home weighs in at 5,691 square feet under roof including the enormous second floor loft, and will provide lots of buzz for the estimated 5,000 guests expected to tour this year’s “latest-greatest idea home” during the parade season. “A showcase home represents the very best a builder has to offer and gives us the chance to show off an amazing new floor plan, latest design trends and the most up to date energy efficient engineering,” said Messina. With a base price of $382,900 for the home only, the Bellevue model home is a case study of ICI Homes’ “smaller, smarter” luxury home design ‒ richly appointed with upscale finishes, soaring ceilings, long views and big spaces for family and friends. With almost 4,200 square feet of air conditioned space, the Bellevue has plenty of room for the whole family downstairs and boasts a grand loft space and balcony on the second floor that can serve as a mega-game room, live-in guest suite or professional studio; all with breathtaking views of the seventh fairway of the Westlake Golf Course and conservation area beyond. The Bellevue’s stylish, center-island kitchen adjoins the great room, wide dining nook, and open formal dining area. A covered lanai complete with pool, spa, summer kitchen, fireplace and flat screen TV completes the public spaces that together total more than 1,000 square feet for casual family get-togethers or entertaining on a grand scale. The Bellevue features an elegant owners’ suite with enormous bath salon with its own fitness space, Roman style walk in shower, hydro-spa soak tub and custom his and hers closets. A two-car side entry garage that faces a separate golf cart garage affords ample room for family vehicles and hobby equipment. The “Bellevue” will be open to the public during the VBIA Parade of Homes from Saturday, March 16 through Sunday, March 24. For more information and directions, go to ICIHomes.com/Showcase.