Blackton Inc. awarded contract to provide materials for Taylor Morrison’s newest community – Esplanade at Highland Ranch – in Clermont

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Blackton, Inc., a leading supplier of wholesale materials and supplies to the home building industry, was recently awarded a contract to supply new home construction at Esplanade at Highland Ranch, the newest Taylor Morrison Homes community in Clermont. Michael “Micky” Blackton, chairman of Blackton Inc., said the contract includes roofing for 475 new homes Taylor Morrison plans to build at Esplanade at Highland Ranch including models starting this fall. Esplanade is a new gated neighborhood within Taylor Morrison’s Highland Ranch community that is designed for the 55+ vacation or retirement homebuyer and is located off Hammock Pointe Circle in Clermont.

Centex Homes will grand open two new Model Homes and a new Sales Center in early November at Cedar Grove at the Woodlands in North Port

NORTH PORT, Fla. --- Centex Homes will grand open two new model homes along with a new sales center in early November at Cedar Grove at the Woodlands located on Marton Oak Boulevard at Panacea Boulevard, three miles east of the Toledo Blade intersection in North Port. Scott Mairn, vice president of sales and marketing for Centex Homes in south Florida, said the single-story Canopy model, priced from $180,990, offers three bedrooms, two baths and a flex room in 1,972 square feet of living space with an open plan that features a great room, café and kitchen that total more than 500 square feet of family living area and an optional kitchen island. The two-car garage offers a three-car option, Mairn said, and the flex room located at the front end of the Canopy model can serve as a formal living room, an office, crafts room or even a fourth bedroom. The two-story Citrus Grove model, with four bedrooms, two baths and a half bath for guests in 2,830 square feet of living space, is priced from $214,990 with a flex room, a large game room and a two-car garage that can expand to a three-car option. The Citrus Grove offers a large open island kitchen that serves a gathering room and café that altogether total nearly 700 square feet to accommodate family gatherings or neighborhood social occasions, Mairn said. The Citrus Grove model also boasts a downstairs master suite with three bedrooms upstairs. Centex is offering five distinctive floor plans at Cedar Grove at the Woodlands that range in size from 1,674 square feet to 3,172 square feet, priced from $164,990. Amenities at Cedar Grove at the Woodlands include a community swimming pool, cabana and children’s playground.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Names Veteran Realtor Theresa Blahut Brokerage Manager

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty has named Theresa Blahut brokerage manager at the firm’s Dr. Phillips/Windermere Marketing Center in Southwest Orlando. Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said Blahut was previously an International Luxury Home Specialist and manager for six years in the firm’s original Dr. Phillips sales center. She is returning to head firm’s new state-of-the-art real estate gallery at The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips. Blahut has more than 20 years of experience in real estate and received her broker’s license in 2002. She is a member of the Orlando Area Board of Realtors (ORRA), Florida Association of Realtors and National Association of Realtors. “Theresa Blahut is a skilled professional with a great deal of experience in both real estate sales and staff training and management,” Soderstrom said. “She is the perfect executive to head our Dr. Phillips/Windermere Marketing Center,” he added. Blahut formerly served as a sales executive with a national real estate company and a corporate trainer. “Theresa will play an important role in helping to develop our sales professionals and she will be an important factor in our growth, especially in the southwest Orlando market,” Soderstrom said.

Hold-Thyssen negotiates Leases at Pennock Business Center in Jupiter, Security Square in Winter Haven

JUPITER / WINTER PARK, Fla. --- Hold-Thyssen, Inc., a commercial property firm based in Winter Park, recently negotiated multiple new leases for office/flex space and a retail lease in Jupiter. Therese Taylor, leasing agent for Hold-Thyssen, negotiated the transactions representing the landlord, Miami-based GECMC 2005-C4. At Pennock Business Center, 711 Commerce Way in Jupiter, Taylor completed lease agreements on six office/warehouse/flex suites totaling 7,386 rentable square feet. At Maplewood Center, 401 Maplewood Drive, Campbell Property Management & Real Estate, Inc. is the new tenant who leased 1,725 square feet. Ben Bruner of Michael Falk & Co. represented the tenant. Taylor represented the same landlord in a lease agreement with Jiles Law P.A., for 850 rentable square feet at Security Square, 130 Bates Avenue SW in Winter Haven. Hold-Thyssen, Inc. provides commercial property and leasing and management services to institutional and private investor clients nationwide. The 40-year old firm’s current portfolio includes more that 100 commercial properties throughout the United States.

Royal Oak Homes Opens Marbella Gated Family Community in Davenport with New Single-Family Homes Priced From the $170s

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Royal Oak Homes based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park recently opened Marbella, its newest gated community of single-family homes on Andalusia Loop off North Boulevard in Davenport two miles east of U.S. 27. Matt Orosz, co-president, said Royal Oak Homes plans to build 111 new homes at Marbella priced from the $170s. The community is currently building a basketball court, pavilion, putting green, and playground for its residents and will be complete by February. “With the combination of our three Davenport communities, Royal Oak Homes is able to offer a wide variety of product to meet the demands of our buyers in that area. It will be a very exciting submarket for us,” said Orosz. New three, four and five bedroom homes at Marbella will range in size from 1,600 square feet of living area to 3,200 square feet. Two new model homes, Monica and Turlington, are already completed and open for viewing, Orosz said.

Pulte Unveils Three New Model Homes at Bridgetown in Fort Myers

Fort Myers, Fla. --- Pulte Homes has opened three new model homes at Bridgetown, a gated family community located off Treeline Avenue in Fort Myers. Scott Mairn, vice president of sales and marketing for Pulte Homes in south Florida, said all three professionally decorated models are open to the public for tours. The Pinnacle model at Bridgetown offers three bedrooms and three baths in 2,488 square feet of living space with a flex room and an optional upstairs loft. Priced from $329,990, the Pinnacle features a two-car garage with a golf cart port. The Martin Ray, one of Pulte’s most popular model homes, offers 1,968 square feet of open design living space with two bedrooms, two baths, a flex room and an optional loft. The Martin Ray’s interior design is its biggest selling point: a sweeping family living space includes an island kitchen, café and gathering room that together measure almost 600 square feet of family space that opens onto an outdoor living lanai with another 128 square feet. “The Martin Ray offers transitional family space with multiple options for furnishings and media and a look and feel that is quite spectacular,” Mairn explained. Priced from $268,990, the Martin Ray features a two-car garage with its own golf cart port. The Taft Street model home, priced from $196,990, offers two bedrooms, two baths and a multi-purpose flex room in 1,333 square feet of living space with the option for a second floor loft. Pulte Homes is building single-family homes and attached villas priced from the low $200s to more than $400,000 at Bridgetown. “The consumer inspired floor plans at Bridgetown are packed with innovative features and built for the way modern families live in their homes today,” Mairn said.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Three Leases for Office Space in Lake Mary and Altamonte totaling more than 4,000 square feet

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated three lease agreements for office space in Lake Mary and Altamonte Springs totaling 4,049 rentable square feet. Senior Associate Mary Frances West, CCIM represented landlord, Daytona Beach-based RFEF Interchange–FL, Primera I, LLC, in a new lease agreement with Aegis Community Management Solutions, Inc. from ChampionsGate, Fla. for 1,408 square feet in Suite 225 of Primera Court I, 725 Primera Blvd. in Lake Mary. At The Crystal Center in Lake Mary, West represented the landlord, Maya Associates LLC of Okemos, Mich., in a lease renewal agreement with Global KTech, Inc. who occupies 1,426 square feet. West represented the tenant Limited to Endodontics, LLC in negotiating lease renewal with Kitchener, Ontario-based Vista Premier Point, Inc. the landlord at 225 S. Westmonte Drive. The dentistry practice has been a long-term occupant of suite 2070 with 1,215 square feet. The landlord was represented by Robert Kellogg of Lincoln Property Company.

Lennar unveils new Three-bedroom Isabella Model Home at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek

NAPLES, Fla. --- Lennar Homes recently opened the new three-bedroom Isabella model priced from $390,990 at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek, the luxury community located at 3118 Aviamar Circle between Collier Blvd. and Tamiami Trail in Naples. David Meyers, director of sales and marketing for Lennar Homes in southwest Florida, said strong summer season sales at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek prompted the award-winning home builder to introduce a new model home at the start of the busy winter season. “The Isabella model home is really spectacular,” Meyers said. At 2,246 square feet of living space and a two-car garage, the Isabella is the most generous model home at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek, Meyers said. Lennar’s iconic open space interior plan is at its best in the Isabella model, Meyers added. From the covered hardscaped entry, the Isabella boasts a family living area that includes an entry foyer, dining area, island kitchen and great room that total more than 700 square feet of space for family gatherings and neighborly social occasions. All new homes at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek feature Lennar’s exclusive “Everything’s Included” pledge that offers all the extras, including upgraded interior features, in one price.

Royal Oak Homes has Only Eight Homesites Remaining at Blue Lake Estates off SR 44 near Mount Dora

ORLANDO, Fla. – Royal Oak Homes has only eight home sites remaining at Blue Lake Estates, the gated community off SR 44, two miles north of Hwy 441 just minutes from downtown Mount Dora. Matt Orosz, co-president of Royal Oak Homes who acquired the last remaining Blue Lake Estates lots earlier this year, said buyers may choose from nine distinct Royal Oak floor plans at the community in one and two-story designs. Both lake view and standard oversized homesites are available at Blue Lake Estates for new homes by Royal Oak ranging from 2,291 square feet of living area to 4,731 square feet with from three to seven bedrooms and two-and-a-half to four-and-a-half baths. Royal Oak Homes at Blue Lake Estates feature upgraded energy efficiency, granite, stainless steel and a variety of other features that add up to over 20,000 of upgrades. Royal Oak Homes has two other communities in Mount Dora area -- Spring Ridge Estates and Sorrento Springs. The homebuilder is now offering product in the area ranging from the 170s to mid 300s. Visit www.royaloakhomesfl.com

The Henin Group to develop 70-acre site in DeBary

DeBary, Fla. --- The Henin Group, developers of Riviera Bella in DeBary, purchased a 70-acre tract of land located off Fort Florida Road in DeBary. Jerome Henin, founder and president of The Henin Group, said he plans to start the permitting process before the end of the year to develop approximately 280, 50-foot homesites. The pricing of the homes in the new development has not been determined.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Appoints Felicia Caruso International Luxury Homes Specialist

LAKE MARY, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty has appointed former Ormond Beach Chamber Membership Director Felicia Caruso as an International Luxury Homes Specialist. Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said the in depth experience Caruso received in marketing and networking throughout the Ormond Beach business community is well suited to her real estate career. Caruso was also a business development specialist at the Daytona Beach News-Journal Her duties there included recruiting businesses to sponsor the newspaper’s bulk distribution at events such as NASCAR races, Bikeweek, Biketoberfest and Turkey Rod, or schools and universities for graduations and sporting events. Since entering the real estate profession nearly five years ago Caruso, who was born and raised in Rochester, N.Y., has been specializing in the Orlando and beachside markets, working with international buyers, young professionals moving into the area and retirees. Felicia will be based out of the firm’s Heathrow Real Estate Gallery on International Parkway at Heathrow in Lake Mary. “Felicia’s background in marketing and networking will play a significant role in her growth at Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty,” said Soderstrom.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Creates Two-Person Team to Appeal to Central And South American Luxury Home Buyers

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Maria Quintero and Marisol Santiago, International Luxury Homes Specialists in Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty’s Orlando Dr. Phillips Marketing Center in southwest Orlando, have formed a team to represent buyers and sellers in the U.S. and in Central and South America. Quintero, born and raised in Buenos Aires, earned her B.S. Degree in Hospitality Management and served as a top executive with an international hotel group before joining Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty. Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said Quintero is fluent in Spanish and has a working knowledge of Portuguese, the language of Brazilian home buyers. Santiago was born in Brooklyn and relocated to Orlando in 1997 to pursue a career in marketing and sales. In addition to resale properties, Marisol has a strong background in new home sales, having worked with national and regional home builders. She is fluent in Spanish and has a working knowledge of Russian. “Maria Quintero and Marisol Santiago are global marketing specialists with their own team of marketing professionals to assist them,” Soderstrom said. “They will focus their efforts locally and on Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and other countries where affluent families are eager to relocate to the safety and security of luxury homes in the United States,” he said.

Cloud 3C Earns coveted “Diamond” status from NEC Corporation of America

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cloud 3C, the Orlando technology firm that focuses on advanced future-proofing communications systems for corporations, government agencies and institutions, was recently awarded the coveted “Diamond” status from NEC Corporation of America Beth Caffera, chief executive officer of Cloud 3C, said NEC’s Diamond Status is awarded based on a company’s sales volume, technical certifications and the percentage of NEC solutions being sold in their business. “NEC is a leader in cutting edge communication technology and always striving to engineer the best of class in the market,” Caffera said. Caffera said NEC’s Diamond Status designation gives Cloud 3C associates access to innovative communication solutions as well as exclusive benefits and awards. “Diamond status is a way to tell our customers that we are committed to maintaining exemplary product knowledge in the design, deployment and maintenance of all our customer networks,” Caffera added. Chris Caffera, co-founder and VP of Business Development and Vendor Relationships at Cloud 3C, said the NEC’s Diamond designation is a major benchmark for the company. “Our firm’s education philosophy is to help make our clients sustainable and self-sufficient with the highest level of technology and service,” Caffera said. “NEC technology is an integral part of everyday sales and support at Cloud 3C,” he added. Cloud 3C is a member the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in the Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County.

Lennar Unveils New Five-Bedroom Model Home at Alexander Ridge in Winter Garden

Winter Garden, Fla. --- Lennar Homes recently opened the new five-bedroom Peabody model home at Alexander Ridge, located off Avalon Road in Winter Garden. Priced from the $330s the Peabody model offers 3,288 square feet of living space with three full baths and a three-car garage, along with an open floor plan and Lennar’s Everything’s Included pledge: a wide range of GE energy smart appliances, several luxury features and upgrades at the one Lennar Homes price.. Brock Nicholas, division manager in the Orlando region, said Lennar is building 198 single-family homes at Alexander Ridge along with a community swimming pool and cabana and a children’s playground with a fountain and sitting area. New homes at Alexander Ridge priced from the mid $200s range in size from 1,700 square feet of living area to 4,200 square feet on 55-foot, 65-foot and 85-foot home sites.

Blackton Inc. earns contract to provide flooring and materials for 750 new homes underway in the Jacksonville and Orlando markets

Orlando, Fla. --- Blackton, Inc., a leading supplier of wholesale materials and supplies to the home building industry, recently earned contracts to provide materials for 750 new homes Maronda Homes plans to build in four communities in the Jacksonville and Orlando markets. Michael “Micky” Blackton, chairman of the firm, said the contracts include flooring for 200 new homes at Baywood, located in Alachua, Fla. just north of Gainesville and 220 new homes at Newberry located just west of Gainesville; In the Orlando market, Blackton will supply Maronda Homes with both roofing and flooring for 180 new homes at Eagle Bay in Kissimmee and 150 new homes at Liberty Oaks in Mount Dora. Recently the firm reported new contracts from builders to supply materials for 3,500 new homes planned in Ocala, Groveland and DeLand. “New home construction is definitely reviving and we have been seeing a major increase in sales of building products all summer,” Blackton said.

PULTE HOMES CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT EXCEEDS GOAL, RAISES NEARLY $80,000 TO BENEFIT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE® AT NEMOURS

Orlando, Fla. --- Pulte Homes helped raise nearly $80,000 at the Build To Make Lives Better Golf Tournament at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club recently to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Florida. Sean Strickler, vice president of sales and operations for Pulte Homes in the North Florida region, said tournament organizers had hoped to raise $50,000 to help fund the first phase of a new Ronald McDonald House near the entrance of Nemours Children’s Hospital at Lake Nona, which is expected to start construction soon. The Ronald McDonald House at Nemours Children’s Hospital will provide a comforting residence for families of children who are being cared for at Nemours, Strickler said. “This has been a wonderful partnership between Pulte Homes and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida,” said Laura Heidrich, development director at the charity. “The Pulte team involved RMHCCF during the planning stage all the way through to celebrating the results post-tournament. So many children and their families will be helped by this outstanding and generous fundraising effort.” The project will cost an estimated $5.7 million to complete, and will mark Orlando as only the sixth U.S. city to offer three or more Ronald McDonald House facilities. The first phase of the Ronald McDonald House will include 15 bedrooms with private baths, state-of-the-art kitchens, a dining room, living room, laundry facilities, and children’s playroom. A reception and lobby area will also be included along with community meeting rooms, says Strickler. Land for the Ronald McDonald House at Nemours Children’s Hospital was donated by Nemours. “All of us at Pulte Homes are proud and excited to have been part of this effort,” Strickler said. “The role our entire community plays in developing this facility makes Central Florida a very special place,” he added. “I cannot think of anything more worthwhile than creating a space that will allow parents to be close to their children to help them heal,” Strickler said.

CEO of Geocove — Emergency Services Mapping Company — Has Advice for Fellow GIS Workers, Entrepreneurs

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Karyn Tareen, chief executive officer of Geocove, Inc., the Orlando firm that helps government agencies and private corporations prepare for disaster recovery with cutting edge mapping and assessment systems, spoke to more than 200 participants at the recent Central Florida Geographic Information Systems workshop. Tareen had strong words of advice for the participants. Her first recommendation? Don’t wait until disaster strikes to sell your services to emergency managers and government agencies. GIS mapping for disaster management requires a baseline and preparation in order to properly assess damages and allocate disaster response, Tareen told the group. “It’s important to educate disaster managers and to show them how your services can significantly benefit their efforts before your services or their efforts are required,” she said. Tareen told GIS managers to start simple, to support multi-department collaboration and public information and to think outside the box. And if GIS managers think outside the box, there are many ways to educate the public and public officials to the benefits of GIS disaster preparedness. “This sounds simple, but providing a map for the tees and flags with the closest address for access can minimize response times to incidents on the golf course. If I think I’m having a heart attack on the 5th hole, I’d rather have the responders come directly to me, instead of the address for the club house,” Tareen said. “GIS gives us the tools to create these datasets in preparation for something to happen, for both disasters and normal operations”. Geocove’s ARM360 system helps agencies and the public to assess disaster damages in real time and allocate resources for emergency services and recovery. Geocove’s systems have been deployed from Melbourne, Australia to Fairfax, Virginia. The firm was recently presented the Innovative Technology Award from the Virginia Emergency Management Association. Geocove is a client of the UCF Business Incubation Program in the Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County.

Royal Oak Homes Readies 23 Move-In-Ready Homes in 13 Central Florida Communities Priced Starting from the $150s to the $400s

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Royal Oak Homes, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, will have 23 new ready-to-move-in homes complete in time for the winter buying season in the homebuilder’s 13 active communities in the Orlando region. Matt Orosz, co-president of Royal Oak Homes, said all 23 homes will be available for immediate sale by the end of the year and a few of the new homes are available already. Starting prices range from the $150s in the Kissimmee area, where Royal Oak is building in five distinctive communities, and from $299,900 at Avalon Reserve in Winter Garden. Royal Oak Homes is building single-family homes at Lago Katrina in Groveland, at Vista Grand and Barrington Estates in Clermont; at Breckenridge in Apopka; at Sorrento Springs in Sorrento; and at Blue Lake Estates and Spring Ridge Estates in Lake County near Mount Dora.

Stirling Sotheby's International Names Southwest Orlando Real Estate Veteran an Associate at Dr. Phillips Marketing Center

ORLANDO, Fla. – Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty named Janet Scott, GRI, ALHS as Trusted Real Estate Advisor at its Dr. Phillips Marketing Center in Orlando. Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said Scott has served the Southwest Orlando area for more than 10 years. The native Floridian has more than 25 years of experience in residential real estate. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Central Florida. Scott was an accountant and trust tax officer with SunTrust’s main branch in Orlando before she became a full-time Central Florida Realtor specializing in residential sales, including custom homes, corporate relocations, foreclosures, short sales and investment properties. She was also the exclusive foreclosure representative for Republic Bank. “Janet is a seasoned real estate professional with strong business and financial skills and she ranks among the most experienced residential real estate specialists in Florida,” Soderstrom said. Scott has earned special recognition as a Graduate of the Real Estate Institute (GRI), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR), and Accredited Luxury Homes Specialist (ALHS). She is a member of the Luxury Home Council, Global Real Estate Council, Orlando Area Board of Realtors (ORRA), Florida Association of Realtors and National Association of Realtors.

Lennar to Celebrate 60th Anniversary by Selling 60 New Homes in 60 hours in Orlando Region

Orlando, Fla. --- Lennar Homes plans to celebrate its 60th birthday this month by selling 60 new move-in ready homes in 60 hours the weekend of Oct. 24, 25 and 26 in 43 Orlando-area communities in Lake, Osceola, Polk, Orange and Brevard counties. And that, says Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, means exceptional deals. “We have set a goal to sell 60 homes in 60 hours,” Metheny said. “We will offer the best prices, the best incentives, the best financing and the best new homes in the best communities,” he said. To start with, each new home buyer during Lennar’s birthday weekend will receive $6,000 worth of groceries, Metheny added. After that, birthday buyer incentives will include special pricing on upgrades and options, and below-market financing. All of Lennar’s homes feature the homebuilder’s Everything’s Included pledge -- a wide range of top brand appliances, luxury finishes and upgrades, designer touches included in one the Lennar price. Metheny said the birthday weekend offer includes new move-in ready homes in 43 Orlando-area communities. The sale must take place during the three-day birthday weekend and close before Nov. 30. From Alexander Ridge in Winter Garden, Heritage Hills in Clermont and Heritage Isle in Melbourne to Providence in Polk County, Wyndham Lakes in southwest Orlando and The Country Club at ChampionsGate south of Orlando near Disney, every Lennar community will be open all weekend with new home consultants ready to deal. The Florida-based home builder, one of the nation’s largest, opened its doors in October, 1964.

Ninjaneer Studios Signs Contracts with Cities of Titusville and Winter Park to provide original animation for “Arts & Algorithm” and “Winter in the Park”

Winter Springs, Fla., – Ninjaneer Studios, a digital content creation company based in Winter Springs near Orlando, recently signed agreements with the cities of Titusville and Winter Park, Fla. to produce a 3D projection mapping show for their respective events. Joe Rosa, principal at Ninjaneer Studios, said his firm was designated exclusively to create the show themes and content for both cities. The first projection mapping show took place in early October at Titusville’s “Arts & Algorithm” event. The second projection mapping show will be held at Winter Park’s holiday season indoor ice skating event, “Winter in the Park,” running Nov. 14 through Jan. 11, 2015. Ninjaneer Studios, established by Rosa, Heather Knott and Christopher Brown, is a full service studio specializing in 3D animation and projection mapping content with a production pipeline that encompasses all stages of the design process from conception to final product. The firm provides their solutions to museums, municipalities, corporations, sports teams and venues, and theatrical productions. “Arts & Algorithm” was started in 2013 by the City of Titusville and the Brevard Cultural Alliance to help cross promote science and art and revitalize the community. The projection mapping show took place on the side of the Titusville Playhouse Theater which is 88 feet wide by 35 feet high. The theme was “Human Innovation & Creativity.” “The team at Ninjaneer Studios is truly an inspiration,” said Marcia Gaecke, president of the Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce. “You’ll not find a more committed group of artists and they are helping central Florida explore a new cultural economy while creating valuable employment opportunities,” she explained. Ninjaneer Studios was retained by the City of Winter Park to add “seasonal magic” to their annual indoor ice skating rink. The solution will be a five minute projection mapping holiday show every hour the rink is open. It’s the first time the City has decided to include a show of such magnitude. “Working with Joe Rosa and the team at Ninjaneer Studios has been amazing,” said David Buchheit, CRA manager for Winter Park. “They understand the creative direction that we want to go, and we’re excited to showcase their talent and creativity at the 2014 ‘Winter in the Park,’” he said.

NAI Global Leadership Conference in Orlando Focuses on Expansion in Canada, Germany, South and Central America

ORLANDO, Fla. --- NAI Realvest hosted the NAI Global Leadership Conference in Orlando recently, which drew representatives from 375 commercial real estate brokers with 6,700 agents worldwide. Robin Webb, CCIM, CPM, who serves as managing director at NAI Realvest, said the three-day conference focused on new acquisitions and expansion in South America, Canada, Germany, Costa Rica and Mexico. NAI Realvest, which ranks as one of the most active commercial property companies in Orange, Lake, Seminole, Osceola, Volusia and Polk counties, focused its presentations on more expansion into Volusia County. Webb said NAI Realvest has one office in the Daytona Beach area and currently has 35 listings in Volusia County. The firm has posted 350 listings in its five-county region. “As we put the Great Recession behind us, the commercial real estate market is really coming alive with significant growth in asset value and significant interest on the part of new and expanding businesses,” Webb said. NAI Realvest currently employs 29 broker associates. The firm has experienced a 29 percent increase in transactions, year to date over 2013, and 2013 was almost double over the prior year Webb said NAI Realvest is also focused on expanding its property management division, which currently manages more than three million square feet of commercial space.

M/I Homes Acquires Land for New Community near Maitland Center

MAITLAND, Fla. – M/I Homes recently closed on the purchase of a tract of land near the Maitland Center office park for its newest community, The Enclave at Maitland Blvd. located off Maitland Blvd. on Magnolia Homes Road. David Byrnes, area president of M/I Homes in the Orlando region, said The Enclave at Maitland Blvd., located only five minutes from the office complex, will offer only 35 home sites for new single-family homes ranging from approximately 1,800 square feet of living area to 5,000 square feet. The community will feature five homesites that overlook Lake Bosee. New three, four and five bedroom homes with from two to five baths will be priced from $249,990. Six different floor plans are offered, Byrnes said. Site development should begin in the fourth quarter of this year and the first models will get underway in the second quarter of 2015, he added. M/I Homes is currently active in nine communities in the Orlando area.

Mandy Vallowe Joins SightPlan as Chief Sales Officer

ORLANDO, Fla. —SightPlan™ recently announced that Mandy Vallowe has joined the company as chief sales officer. Vallowe has 20 years of experience in the multifamily industry and was formerly with Asset Essentials, a telecommunication consultancy focused on generating ancillary income for multifamily owners. In her role at SightPlan, Vallowe will be responsible for the company’s client relationships and will champion “white glove service” for new accounts joining the SightPlan platform. “I’m thrilled to have Mandy join the company and look forward to working with her to set an even higher standard for user experience and customer service as the platform continues to expand,” said Joseph Westlake, president of SightPlan Vallowe started her career in multifamily in 1994 with Network Multifamily, holding several key positions from 2005 to 2010. She was senior vice president and played a central role in establishing the company as the leading provider of monitored alarms to the multifamily industry. There, she helped deliver revenues of over $35 million, EBITIDA of more than 14 million and more than 200,000 sites serviced. Network Multifamily was a subsidiary of Protection One, the second largest security company in America (NASDAQ: PONE), from 2001 to 2010. Vallowe’s multifamily efforts delivered significant value to her clients and to Protection One, which was acquired for nearly $900 million. Vallowe has been active with industry organizations and will help represent SightPlan on National Apartment Association (NAA), National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and regional association supplier councils and boards. SightPlan is modernizing multifamily resident service and asset management with its approach to managing work orders, solving resident issues and enhancing asset value. SightPlan is the recipient of the National Apartment Association Innovation Tank Award for 2014 and is a member of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program. To learn more about SightPlan, please visit sightplan.com.

As Orlando-based Craft Beer Company Evolves, So Does its Name

Named for its Flagship Beer, Orange Blossom Pilsner Morphs into the Orange Blossom Brewing Company ORLANDO, FL. – When Orlando native Tom Moench created his award-winning orange blossom honey beer and christened it Orange Blossom Pilsner [OBP], the moniker also seemed like a perfect fit as the company’s name. Now, nine years and 15,000 barrels later, Moench has rebranded as the Orange Blossom Brewing Company. “With all the exciting beers in the pipeline for release it makes no sense for our company to be named after only one of our beers," says Moench, president and founder. “OBP is the ‘flagship beer’ for the company, but as we release more and more beers the name change has become obvious.” Orange Blossom Brewing Co. is also moving its full production to the Brew Hub in Lakeland Fl. This 51,000 square foot state of the art facility will allow OBBC to expand their portfolio as well as their overall production. "Having limited production quantities for so long, we are excited for the growth opportunity," says Moench. Moench, a client of the University of Central Florida’s Business Incubation Program, says the first of several new brews – an American Style IPA named ‘Back in the Day IPA’– is expected to be released in the next few months. The beer aficionado, who brewed his first batch of suds at the age of 18, said some other changes already have been implemented at OBBC. For more information about the company and its products, visit them on FaceBook, Twitter or Instagram while their website is in transition.

Celebration Golf Management Names Event Sales Coordinator at RedTail Golf Club

SORRENTO, Fla. --- Celebration Golf Management, which owns and/or operates nine golf courses in the Central Florida region, recently hired Chastity Hooks as event sales coordinator at RedTail Golf Club Linda Gabauer, general manager at RedTail Golf Club said Hooks will assist both members and guests in the planning and booking of events including business meetings, holiday parties, weddings, showers and other celebrations at RedTail Golf Club. Hooks has been in the hospitality industry and event planning for six years. For more information, events@redtailclub.com