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.