Newly Released Regional Economic Impact Study Shows UCF Business Incubation Program a Major Job Creator

ORLANDO, Fla. --- A Regional Economic Impact Study of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program shows that the 14-year old network of economic development partnerships between private enterprise and local governments in Orlando, Sanford, Winter Springs, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Apopka and Daytona Beach has helped create literally thousands of new jobs with substantially higher wages than area medians. Gordon Hogan, Director of the UCF Business Incubation Program, said the 2013 Regional Economic Impact Study was commissioned by Randy Berridge, President of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, as part of the program’s ongoing effort to analyze and document its productivity and sustainability. Conducted independently by Vernet Lasrado, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Research at University of Central Florida, the 2013 Regional Economic Impact Study concludes that from October 1, 2011, through June 30, 2013, the UCF Business Incubation Program helped generate a direct regional economic output of more than $327 million from an estimated total output of more than $620 million. During the study period the UCF Business Incubation Program directly sustained 1,856 jobs in the Central Florida region and indirectly sustained an additional 1,500 jobs, resulting in more than $18.5 million in state and local tax revenues. Additionally, it is estimated that employees of UCF Business Incubation Program firms on an average earn an income of more than $58,000. “We are surprised and elated by the conclusions of the study,” Hogan said. “It shows we are on the right track and serves as a powerful stimulant for us to work smarter and work harder to improve our performance and extend our reach,” he said. Dr. Lasrado and his team employed a highly regarded and highly sophisticated methodology to more precisely determine economic impacts, Hogan said. “The IMPLAN methodology (IMpact analysis for PLANning) was developed by the University of Minnesota for the U.S. Forest Service more than 30 years ago and is widely regarded today as the most reliable tool for accurately assessing economic performance,” Hogan explained. Dr. Tom O’Neal, founder and Executive Director of the UCF Business Incubation Program, said the study indicates what he has been saying all along: that a focused university-based incubation program can be one of the most effective ways private enterprise can stimulate local economic development, spur job growth and help rebuild the economy. “For me, the most impressive finding was ROI---Return on Investment,” Dr. O’Neal said. The study concludes that during the study period the UCF Business Incubation Program helped generate a fiscal return of $6.16 for every $1 of public investment. Dr. O’Neal points out that the UCF Business Incubation Program employs only a handful of professionals. “It’s our client companies and graduate companies that create the new jobs and generate all the local community economic growth,” Dr. O’Neal said. “Our sole effort is to accelerate the rate at which they attain their most productive, most sustainable performance,” he concluded. Release of the 2013 Regional Economic Impact Study of the UCF Business Incubation Program coincides with Global Entrepreneurship Week November 18-24.

Park Square Homes Hosts Grand Opening at Patriots Landing at Reunion Resort to Showcase Floridian Model Home, 50 Home Sites

ORLANDO/KISSIMMEE, Fla. --- Park Square Homes recently had a Grand Opening to showcase its new five-bedroom Floridian model home at Patriots Landing at Reunion Resort, the luxury gated golf course community located on Osceola Polk Line Rd off I-4 south of Orlando near Disney. Anthony Rouhana, sales and marketing coordinator for Park Square Homes, said the Floridian model at Patriots Landing at Reunion offers five bedrooms with five full baths and a half-bath, in 3,045 square feet of living space priced from the mid-$400s with a two-car garage. Park Square Homes plans to build 50 new homes at Reunion Resort that range in size from 3,000 square feet of living space to 3,400 square feet. Rouhana said luxury homes at Reunion Resort are designed with both rear and front loading garages. Visit www.parksquarehomes.com

NAI Realvest Negotiates Two Industrial Property Sales on Clark St. in Apopka Totaling $975,000

ORLANDO, Fla. --- NAI Realvest recently negotiated the sales of two industrial properties totaling 10,480 square feet and $975,000 on Clark St. in Apopka. Michael Heidrich, a principal at NAI Realvest, represented the buyer HCME, LLC of Longwood in negotiating the purchase of the 7,200 square foot industrial building on 4.3 acres at 2325 Clark St. from seller RJP Properties, LLC for $725,000. The seller was represented by Robby Robinson of Florida Site Selectors. At 2500 Clark St. Heidrich represented seller Huntington Storage, LLC of Altamonte Springs in the sale of a 3,280 square foot industrial facility on 1.17 acres for $250,000. The buyer is Southern Aggregates, Inc. of Ocala.

Ryland Homes Names Veteran Land Acquisition Specialist its new VP of Land for Charleston/Myrtle Beach Division

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Ryland Homes has named Frank L. Finlaw vice president of land acquisitions for the Charleston/Myrtle Beach division. Don McDonough, division president for Ryland Homes said Finlaw is a graduate of The Citadel with a degree in civil engineering and has more than 30 years of experience with top national homebuilders in all phases of the acquisition and development of real estate. “Ryland Homes is expanding in the Charleston and Myrtle Beach regions,” McDonough said. “Frank brings considerable experience and talent to our team. We are extremely proud to welcome him and believe that his experience is vital to the success of Ryland’s expansion plans,” he said. Finlaw was most recently the director of acquisitions and land development with another national homebuilder in the Charleston area and the owner/operator of his own real estate consulting firm. Ryland Homes currently builds single family and townhomes in 10 communities throughout the Charleston-Myrtle Beach region.

Meritage Homes Opens Seven Oaks Community in Winter Springs

ORLANDO, Fla. – Meritage Homes recently opened Seven Oaks its newest community in Winter Springs located off Shepherd Rd. Brian Kittle, division vice president for Meritage Homes in the Orlando region, said the new community will offer 138 home sites for three, four and five bedroom single-family homes ranging from 2,000 to 3,467 square feet of living area. Homes at the Seven Oaks will be priced from the $200s. A model home called the Rockford is now under construction and will be ready for viewing in March. The Rockford model will have four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths in 2,997 square feet of living area.

Del Webb Ponte Vedra Closes on 500th home

Chicago natives buy Ponte Vedra home to be near children in neighboring master-planned community Ponte Vedra, Fla. – Del Webb Ponte Vedra celebrated a milestone recently with the closing of its 500th home in the community located southeast of Jacksonville at 124 Del Webb Parkway, Ponte Vedra. New homeowners Michael and Maureen Cipriano – and their little white dogs Sammie and Rufus – moved into their 2,300-square-foot Dunwoody model on Oct. 7 from Summerville, S.C., where they have lived the past 10 years. In addition to some of the more common motives people move to Florida, i.e., the weather, nature and year-round activities, the Ciprianos have a more personal reason. “Our daughter Kate and son-in-law Tyler live in a neighboring community,” Maureen Cipriano says. “While visiting them, we fell in love with Nocatee and Del Webb Ponte Vedra. But, the great weather also was a factor.” Del Webb’s reputation and the community’s numerous amenities like a splash park, activities and nature trails, also spurred on the Ciprianos’ southerly move. The couple, both of whom are retired from the financial industry, also like that their new designer home is surrounded by the Nocatee Preserve and is less than four miles to the ocean. Del Webb’s Lyndsey Patterson says the community offers 15 floor plans – with square footage ranging from 1,157 to 2,659 – at Ponte Vedra with three ready-to-move-in designer homes available now. Prices are from $193,990 to $393,628. “The Ciprianos’ is a common buying scenario here at Ponte Vedra, and it’s a great story for us to share,” says Patterson, who serves as director of marketing for the Pulte Group’s Del Webb / North Florida Division. In a very short time, Maureen and Michael have immersed themselves into the community via a newcomers’ welcome get-together and various activities. “It’s really impossible to say what we like best,” Maureen says. “Between poker, the women’s club and exercise classes, we’ve managed to meet a lot of people. We love and miss South Carolina, but we’re looking forward to new friends and experiences here. It’s an exciting new adventure.”