Ashton Wood Homes Showcasing Two Move-In Ready Homes at Laureate Park in Southeast Orlando area

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Ashton Woods Homes now has two showcase/move-in ready homes available for viewing at Laureate Park, located off Tavistock Lakes Blvd. in Lake Nona, the master planned community in Southeast Orlando. Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing at Ashton Woods Homes in the Orlando region, said the new model homes are part of the home builder’s Traditions product line featuring traditional back yards. Both models have four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths in 2,721 and 2,722 square feet of living space with a “unique cutting edge design,” Roche said. The new model homes are priced from $374,990. Ashton Woods Homes has 17 home sites available in the first phase of its Traditions release at Laureate Park. Ashton Woods Homes is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies, with operations in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Killeen, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, Sarasota, Raleigh and Tampa. Recently named the #1 Most Trusted Homebuilder in America in the Lifestory Research Most Trusted Builders in America Study SM, Ashton Woods is known throughout the industry for building homes with award-winning designs that inspire, and offering homebuyers a high level of personalization options. Ashton Woods is also the only builder to nationally utilize the Environments for Living Platinum Program, a program that certifies the energy efficient status of our homes.

Kings Ridge Men's Golf Association 8th Annual Charity Golf Tournament to Benefit the Mike Conley Hospice House in Clermont

CLERMONT, Fla. -- Kings Ridge Men's Golf Association will host the 8th Annual Charity Golf Tournament to Benefit The Mike Conley Hospice House in Clermont on Monday, April 29, on the Kings Ridge Kings Course. Jay Scruggs, general manager at Kings Ridge Golf Club, said the tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Registration will commence at 7 a.m. Mike Conley Hospice House is supported by The Cornerstone Hospice Foundation. Tournament organizer Chuck Durkin said sponsors are still being accepted for hole sponsorships at $150. Donations for prizes and auction items are also being accepted. Registration to play in the tournament is $50. Lee Williamson, head golf instructor at Kings Ridge Golf Club, said past tournaments have generated nearly $140,000 for The Mike Conley Hospice House. King’s Ridge Golf Club is located at 1950 Kings Ridge Blvd. in Clermont off U.S. 27 five miles south of S.R. 40.

Law Firm Marketing Director Makes “40 Under 40” List of Business Leaders

PORT ORANGE – Jessica Eckelbarger, marketing director for the Port Orange-based law firm of Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell, has been named to the Volusia/Flagler Business Report’s “40 Under 40” list of up-and-coming business leaders. The honor recognizes 40 Volusia and Flagler County individuals under the age of 40 who not only stand out in their professions, but also shine in the community for their volunteer work. Nominations for the annual list were garnered from both readers and staff members of the business publication. “Jessica is a wonderful addition to our company,” said firm President Allan L. Ziffra. “With her extensive event-planning and promotions experience she hit the ground running when she got here and hasn’t slowed down yet.” With the personal-injury firm since March 2011, Eckelbarger, 29, focuses on promoting the company through advertising and news releases, as well as coordinating its philanthropic endeavors including sponsorship of numerous community and charitable events. A graduate of Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Eckelbarger also serves on boards of the Children’s Home Society North Coastal Division and the Junior League of Daytona Beach. About Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell: Founded by John D. Rue and Allan L. Ziffra, the personal-injury law firm of Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell has served the Central Florida community for more than 25 years. The firm’s commitment to its profession and its clients has earned it a reputation as one of the top personal-injury law firms in Central Florida. Known for handling everything from automobile and motorcycle accidents to medical malpractice, wrongful death, and social security and disability cases, Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients and their families. With a staff of nine attorneys, the firm maintains offices in Port Orange, DeLand and Palm Coast. For more information, visit www.rueziffra.com.

VBIA Parade of Homes Pays Off for Villages of Royal Palm in Port Orange, Where Parade Model Sells on Opening Day

PORT ORANGE, Fla. --- Winston James Development, the developers of The Villages of Royal Palm in Port Orange, hoped the Volusia Building Industry Association’s annual Parade of Homes would show off its best model home to prospective home buyers and it did just that. Winston Schwartz, president of Winston James Development and Jamie Allan Adley, partner and president of The Villages of Royal Palm, reported its Windsor Plus model home sold on the parade’s opening day. The three-bedroom, three bath Windsor Plus model home offers a den in 2,416 square feet of living space along with a two car garage priced from $343,929. Schwartz added Winston-James has started construction of a new Windsor Plus model home.

Villages of Royal Palm in Port Orange has five move-in ready luxury homes under construction

PORT ORANGE, Fla. --- The Villages of Royal Palm, developed by Winston-James Development of South Daytona, has started construction of five ready-to-move-in luxury homes. Winston Schwartz, president of Winston James Development, said the two and three bedroom luxury homes that range in size from 1,500 square feet of living space to 2,400 square feet are priced from $179,900 to $287,500.

Winston-James Partner Elected President of Volusia Building Industry Assn.

PORT ORANGE, Fla. --- Jamie Allen Adley, a partner at Winston-James Development in South Daytona, and president of the Villages of Royal Palm development, was recently elected president of the Volusia Building Industry Association (VBIA). Adley has more than 30 years of experience in real estate and home building.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Names Joe Janson Broker Associate, Luxury Home Specialist in Brevard County

TITUSVILLE, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty has named Joe Janson a broker associate and Florida Luxury Homes Specialist in the firm’s Brevard County market area. Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said Janson is a multi-talented professional with wide-ranging interests who will focus on luxury and unique waterfront properties in Brevard, Indian River and East Volusia counties. “Joe Janson is a member of Mensa, a talented harmonica player, an avid boating enthusiast, a U.S. Air Force veteran, a computer expert and an expert in the commercial use of drones for aerial photography,” Soderstrom said. Janson is a member of the Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of the Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Committee. He served as chairman of the Surfside Stars, a Chamber-affiliated professional networking group. As an avid aerial photographer and developer of unmanned aerial photographic drones, Janson uses aerial photography to enhance his real estate listings. A personal computer expert with more than 30 years of experience and a web site developer for more than 20 years specializing in high-impact web designs, Janson has extended his career to include positions as president of the board of directors of a worldwide publisher of boating-related books.

Florida’s Largest Privately-Held Residential Mortgage Company Appoints Two Veterans to Head Jacksonville Office

Lake Mary, Fla. -- Integrity Home Loan, Florida’s largest and most active residential mortgage provider, recently appointed two veteran mortgage specialists to its Northeast Florida Regional Office at 8130 Baymeadows Way in Jacksonville. Matt Malloy, president of Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida, Inc., said he appointed Jim O’Neal and Keith C. Evans loan officers in Jacksonville. O’Neal, appointed Senior Loan Originator for Northeast Florida, is a veteran loan officer with more than 25 years of experience. A lifelong Jacksonville-area resident, O’Neal graduated from Orange Park High School in 1988. His mortgage experience includes positions with Jacksonville-based Vystar Credit Union and PHH Mortgage in Jacksonville, where he originated and processed loans for Charles Schwab and Merrill Lynch. Evans, appointed Loan Originator in the Jacksonville office, has more than 15 years of experience as a lender. Evans founded EQ Financial, Inc., in Jacksonville in 1999 and grew the company to include five locations with 76 employees. “We are very proud to serve Northeast Florida with two of the most experienced residential mortgage officers in the northeast Florida region,” Malloy said. Integrity Home Loan provided more than 2,700 mortgage loans last year totaling more than $600 million from 11 branches including the Central Florida headquarters in Lake Mary, and locations in Coral Springs, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Mich. Malloy projects Integrity will serve up more than 3,200 residential mortgage loans in 2013.

Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida Appoints Two Veteran Loan Officers in Lake Mary Office

Lake Mary, Fla. --- Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida, Inc., Florida’s largest and most active residential mortgage provider, recently appointed veteran mortgage specialists Cliff Taylor and George Carlton Thornton III loan officers in its headquarters office at 901 International Parkway in Lake Mary Matt Malloy, president of Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida, Inc., said Taylor has more than four years of experience as a loan officer with Ameriquest Mortgage and two years of experience as a licensed Florida Realtor. Thornton, who attended Southern Illinois University, has more than 10 years of experience as a loan originator. “Cliff Taylor and George Thornton are highly experienced residential mortgage officers who will play a big role in our continued growth in the Central Florida region,” Malloy said. Integrity Home Loan provided more than 2,700 mortgage loans last year totaling more than $600 million from 11 branches including the Central Florida headquarters in Lake Mary, and locations in Coral Springs, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Mich. Malloy projects Integrity will serve up more than 3,200 residential mortgage loans in 2013.

Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida names new underwriter, sales manager

LAKE MARY, Fla. --- Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida, which ranks as one of the state’s fastest growing mortgage loan companies, has named a new FHA-VA underwriter. Matt Malloy, president of Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida, said Robert L. Mayrand II who has close to 10 years of experience is the new underwriter for the Jacksonville branch. Mayrand attended Florida Community College in Jacksonville. At the same time, Malloy named Don Almeida, sales manager for the central Florida region. Almeida is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and has been in sales for five years. Integrity is Florida’s largest fully integrated privately owned mortgage company with 11 branches including the headquarters in Lake Mary and locations in Coral Springs, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Mich.

Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida Appoints Veteran Reverse Mortgage Specialist to Work with Seniors in Central Florida

Lake Mary, Fla. --- Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida, Inc. recently appointed veteran mortgage specialist Barbara D. Sayre a loan officer in its headquarters office at 901 International Parkway in Lake Mary. Matt Malloy, president of Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida, Inc., said Sayre, who has more than 20 years of experience as a residential mortgage professional, will focus solely on helping seniors obtain reverse mortgages, which provide them with cash from equity in their homes while they remain in their homes for life. “Barbara Sayre is one of the most experienced residential mortgage professionals in Central Florida and she is one of the leading experts in Florida on reverse mortgages,” Malloy said. Integrity Home Loan provided more than 2,700 mortgage loans last year totaling more than $600 million from 11 branches including the Central Florida headquarters in Lake Mary, and locations in Coral Springs, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Mich. Malloy projects Integrity will serve up more than 3,200 residential mortgage loans in 2013.

Stonegate Golf Club Promotes Claude Eastwood To Head Golf Professional, Kurt Frizzell to First Assistant Golf Professional

Kissimmee, Fla. – Stonegate Golf Club at Solivita in Poinciana, a Celebration Golf Management golfing facility, has promoted Claude Eastwood to head golf professional and Kurt Frizzell to first assistant golf professional. Arto Rahmani, general manager of Solivita Club Services, said Eastwood joined Stonegate Golf Club at Solivita six years ago and was formerly assistant golf professional. He is a U.S. Army veteran and has more than 10 years of experience in the golf industry. “Claude Eastwood has been a key part of our team since Celebration Golf Management took over management of Stonegate Golf Club in late 2011,” said Gene Garrote, president of Celebration Golf Management. “He has been an influential leader at Stonegate and his professional attitude has affected our whole management team,” Garrote added. Frizzell joined Stonegate in Spring 2012 after graduating from the Professional Golf Career College in Orlando. In his new role Frizzell will focus on restructuring and improving Stonegate Golf Club’s outside service team. “Kurt will be directly be responsible for implementing new policies and procedures to enhance the productivity and customer service of the outside staff,” Rahmani said “As Kurt continues to grow as a golf professional he will be an important part in our continued success at Stonegate Golf Club,” Garrote said.

Luhse Tea Introduces New Poster, Characters

Kissimmee, Fla. -- Luhse Tea LLC, the edgy Kissimmee-based retailer of fine imported teas and tea accessories that set out to demolish the stodgy stereotype normally associated with teas, has introduced a new poster and iconic characters to market the trendy pleasures of loose tea and capture a younger hipper demographic. Mindy S. Ferris and Brittney M. Wholihan, co-founders of Luhse Tea, said the new poster will be used to announce new tea flavors, such as the recently introduced Butter Me Up, a sweeter white tea that offers a strong hint of butterscotch. With the new poster, Luhse Tea has also introduced two new characters to help communicate the brand: Boxer, Luhse Tea’s ‘loggie’, and Sheba, the retailer’s ‘Girl Friday’. “Business is booming, our gangsters are talking, and Luhse Tea is listening,” Ferris and Wholihan said. Luhse Tea’s wide variety of fine teas and tea accessories is available online at www.luhsetea.com, on FaceBook at facebook.com/luhsetea, and on Twitter at twitter.com/luhsetea. Luhse Tea is a client member of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program’s Kissimmee incubator.