Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge to host 2013 REMAX World Long Drive Championship Event June 21-23

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. --- Orange County National Golf Center & Lodge in Winter Garden, will host the 2013 REMAX World Long Drive Championship local and southeast regional finals competition June 21-23. Tano Malentin, general manager of Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge, said the three-day competition will draw about 600 of the best long-ball drivers in the U.S. “We are expecting a crowded field, and the winners will go on to the nationals.” Malentin said. Malentin said admission to the event is free and the public is invited. Concessions will be available during the event. “The 2013 REMAX World Long Drive Championship will showcase some of the longest drives we’ll ever see,” Malentin said. “For avid golfers, the long drive is the holy grail,” he said.

Veteran Mortgage Loan Officer Mimi Fowkes rejoins M/I Homes in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. -– M/I Homes in the Orlando area appointed Mimi Fowkes mortgage loan officer at subsidiary M/I Financial Corp. David Byrnes, division president of M/I Homes, said Fowkes launched her 25-year career at M/I Homes in 1986. M/I Financial Corp. Orlando branch manager, Kerri Ziokas said Fowkes is one of the most experienced mortgage officers in Florida. Fowkes is a longtime Central Florida resident.

Royal Oak Homes names new purchasing manager

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Royal Oak Homes, has appointed Mike Bruno purchasing manager. Colby Franks, executive vice president of Royal Oak Homes, said Bruno has more than 14 years of purchasing experience. In his new role, Bruno will be responsible for costing and purchasing materials and services for Royal Oak. Royal Oak Homes is a third-generation home builder based in Baldwin Park whose track record boasts more than 14,000 new homes built in Central Florida over the past 30 years under the Cambridge Homes brand, one of the region’s most successful home builders in the 1980s and 1990s. Founded in 2011, Royal Oak Homes is rapidly becoming one of the largest and most active home builders in the Central Florida area, building in ten active communities in the region.

PulteGroup in South Florida Honors Top Salesperson for April

Wellington, Fla. --- PulteGroup in South Florida, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders and community developers, has named Brent Mahan its Top Sales Consultant for April, working out of the DiVosta Homes community of Castellina. Scott Mairn, vice president of sales and marketing for the South Florida Division of PulteGroup, said Mahan sold the highest number of new homes among all PulteGroup communities and brands in the South Florida division which includes not only DiVosta Homes but also Centex, Del Webb and Pulte Homes brands. Mahan has been with DiVosta Homes for 13 years. The New Jersey native graduated from West Virginia University in Morgantown. He attended graduate school at the University of Miami and decided to make south Florida his home 18 years ago. He currently sells new two, three and four-bedroom single-family homes by DiVosta priced from the $260s in 10 distinctive designs at Castellina located off Stribling Way and US 441 in Wellington.

Only 11 Estate Homes Remain for Sale at Heritage Bay Golf and Country Club in Naples

NAPLES, Fla. --- Only 11 Estate home sites remain for sale at Heritage Bay Golf and Country Club, located on Immokalee Road five miles east of I-75 in Naples. Matt Devereaux, vice president of sales and marketing for Lennar’s Southwest Florida Division, said new home sales in the gated community have been strong all season and he expects all 15 remaining Estate Homes sites to sell before Fall. Two ready-to-move-in Estate Homes at Heritage Bay include the Doral, a single story luxury home on Biscayne Bay Lane, that offers four bedrooms and three baths in 2,553 square feet of living space priced from $581,120 with a three-car garage. The 2,926 square foot Sawgrass, located next door to the Doral, offers five bedrooms and three baths with a three-car garage priced from $614,320. All Lennar homes at Heritage Bay Golf and Country Club come with Lennar’s “Everything’s Included” pledge: Extras such as granite kitchen countertops, wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, crown molding and tile are all included in the Lennar Homes price. Membership in the Heritage Bay Golf Club is included with the purchase of every new home. Community amenities also include seven lighted Har-Tru tennis courts with stadium seating for tournaments, a well appointed 42,000 square foot two-story clubhouse with state-of-the-art fitness center and resort style swimming pool with a Chickee bar.

Prominent Tea Sommelier Margot Bureaux joins Board of Advisors at Luhse Tea

Kissimmee, Fla. --- Luhse Tea LLC, the innovative online retailer of premium loose teas and tea accessories, has named Margot Bureaux to its Board of Advisors. Bureaux, a tea sommelier, is a lifelong lover of teas. Born in British Columbia and living now in Nova Scotia, Bureaux is a well-known tea consultant, educator and speaker. Luhse Tea co-founder Mindy S. Ferris said Bureaux creates her own tea-based beverages and holds three Canadian titles. She also imports premium teas from around the world. “Someone with Margot’s industry knowledge and experience is an invaluable asset to the future of our company,” Ferris said. “Her advice and assistance in beverage development is adding to our successful Luhse Tea menu. We look forward to working with Margot, and expanding the Luhse Tea brand,” Ferris added. Luhse Tea is a client member of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in Kissimmee.

Power Promise Organization to host third annual “I have the power” Teen Summit May 17-18 at Evans High School in Orlando

SANFORD, Fla. -- The Power Promise Organization in Sanford will host the third annual “I have the Power” Teen Summit Friday and Saturday, May 17 and 18 at Evans High School in Orlando. Ursula James, vice president and program director of the Power Promise Organization, said the event is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. “The third annual “I have the Power” Teen Summit brings young people from all across the community to stand up and fight back against social and economic deprivation, crime and gang violence in the community,” James explained. The Teen Summit is a collaborative effort that includes the Florida Dept. of Juvenile Justice, Evans High School, the Greater Orlando Cares Mentoring Group and a host of community based organizations throughout Orange County. James said she expects to host hundreds of children and families, along with a wide range of vendors from the public and private sectors, youth groups from throughout Central Florida have been invited. “We are bringing together families and community groups to educate and unite the community we live in,” she 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.

Park Square Homes opens new phase at Prairie Lake Reserve in Ocoee

ORLANDO, Fla. – Park Square Homes has opened a new phase of 34 home sites at its community of Prairie Lake Reserve, a gated town home community located off A. D. Mims Road and Clarke Road in Ocoee. Anthony Rouhana, sales and marketing coordinator at Park Square Homes, said home sites in the new phase at Prairie Lake Reserve will range from 1,600 square feet of living area to 1,800 square feet with two-and-a-half baths and a two-car garage. Homes in the new phase will range in price from the mid to the high $100s, Rouhana said. Amenities at Prairie Lake Reserve include a community swimming pool, clubhouse and children’s playground. Visit www.parksquarehomes.com

Avalon Park to start development of senior living facility to focus on Alzheimer’s care, therapy

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Avalon Park in East Orlando reported it will start development of an 80,000 square foot senior living facility with 90 senior living apartments and 128 licensed beds. Stephanie Hodson, vice president of marketing at Avalon Park Group, which is developing Avalon Park, said MJM Associates will manage the senior living facility in partnership with the Weill Cornell Medical College and Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, part of Cornell University in New York. “When the new facility opens later this year staff and specialists under the auspices of Weill Cornell Medical College will provide non-medicinal therapeutic treatments to help slow the progress of Alzheimer’s,” Hodson said. Hodson added that the general contractor bid was recently awarded to Lamm & Co. and construction of the senior living facility is expected to start within 90 days.

Orlando EB5 Investments earns approval from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for Orlando Regional Center

MAITLAND, Fla. --- Orlando EB5 Investments has won approval from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to establish the Orlando Regional Center to funnel foreign investments of up to $100 million or more to Central Florida health care, solar energy and utilities projects in Orange, Volusia, Polk, Lake, Hillsborough, Seminole, Osceola and Brevard Counties. George Livingston, a principal of Orlando EB5 Investments, and chairman of NAI Realvest in Maitland, said the Orlando Regional Center is currently reviewing 10 projects for funding by foreign investors who will invest from $500,000 to $1 million each. U.S. immigration policy encourages foreign investments in U.S. projects that will create new jobs and improve local economies, Livingston said. The EB-5 immigration policy grants permanent resident status to qualified foreigners who invest $500,000 to $1 million in approved projects that will create jobs for American workers, Livingston said. Livingston said the Orlando EB5 Investments regional center has formed through a joint venture with American Dream Fund (ADF), which organized regional centers in major cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Portland. ADF will market Orlando EB-5 projects in China, Livingston said. Hong Kong based GGI Asia will also market Orlando Regional Center projects, Livingston said. “We are recruiting representatives who can recruit additional investors in India, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East,” Livingston explained.

Villages of Royal Palm in Port Orange has seven recently pre-sold, two move-in-ready homes available, nine under construction

PORT ORANGE, Fla. --- The Villages of Royal Palm in Port Orange had a major start to 2013 with a busy first quarter with two ready-to-move-in homes available, nine under construction and an additional seven more recently pre-sold. Jamie Allen Adley, president of Villages of Royal Palm and Co-Owner of Winston-James Development, the South Daytona firm developing the community said, two move-in-ready homes now available are priced in the high $200s. The nine homes underway and the seven pre-sold homes are all in the $300,000 range. Adley said March and April have been a ‘busy’ time for the Villages of Royal Palm. Nine homes were sold during the two-month period at prices starting in the $280s, “and the pace exceeded that of last year,” he added.