Blackton, Inc. Earns $2.3 Million Contract from KB Home To Provide Roofing and Flooring Materials at Orchard Park in Winter Garden

Orlando, Fla. --- Blackton, Inc., a major provider of roofing and flooring materials for the home building industry, recently earned a contract from KB Home that will eventually be worth an estimated $2,325,000.00. Micky Blackton, chief executive officer of Blackton, Inc., said the family owned firm will provide roofing and flooring materials to KB Home for the construction of 75 new homes in the first phase at Orchard Park, located in Winter Garden. “Our contract covers the first phase of 75 new homes at Orchard Park,” Blackton said. Blackton said that altogether KB Home plans to build 155 new homes at Orchard Park.

Lennar has Model Grand Opening at Chelsea Oaks in Lakeland

LAKELAND, Fla. --- Lennar recently hosted a grand opening to unveil two new furnished and decorated model townhomes at Chelsea Oaks, its gated community located at 6503 Sedgeford Drive in Lakeland. Lennar’s Central Florida President Mark Metheny said Lennar is building approximately 170 two-story townhomes at Chelsea Oaks that range from 1,377 to 1,625 square feet of living area, with two and three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths, priced from the $140s. The furnished that opened are the Branford with two bedrooms, two full baths and a half-bath in 1,377 square feet of living space priced from $140,990 and the Westbrook offering three bedrooms with two full and one half bath in 1,625 square feet of living space priced from $165,990. Both also feature formal dining rooms and upstairs laundry. Lennar’s new townhomes at Chelsea Oaks come with the homebuilder’s “Everything’s Included” pledge, Metheny said. “That means stainless steel appliances, granite or quartz countertops, maple wood cabinets and additional optional-type features already included in the Lennar purchase price.” The low-maintenance townhomes at Chelsea Oaks offer a clubhouse with fitness center, a swimming pool and plenty of green space for residents to enjoy the outdoors For more information, visit LennarTampa.com or call 800-496-1841

Volusia County Business Incubator Formalizes Mentoring Program to Support Entrepreneurs

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Because good ideas need great teams to become remarkable businesses, the Volusia County–University of Central Florida Business Incubator Program has begun a formal mentoring program, partnering with SCORE, the Small Business Development Center and local philanthropists to strengthen its services to Volusia County entrepreneurs. The mentoring program will be launched with a kick-off workshop called “The Art of Mentoring,” an invitation-only session from 9 to 11 a.m. Jan. 28 by Shane Pegg, vice president of Strategic Initiatives Accelerator Centre in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Pegg, the keynote speaker at the National Business Incubation Association’s 2014 New Orleans conference, has an honors’ bachelor of business administration degree from Canada’s Wilfrid Laurier University and 15 years of leadership experience in the technology sector. “In today’s business environment, investors are looking for companies with a management team capable of taking the company to a large scale, “according to Connie Bernal, site manager for the Volusia incubator. “So, while we have gifted entrepreneurs in need of business acumen on one hand, we also have many experienced professionals – many of them very successful business owners – who have been there, done that.” She said getting advice from experienced entrepreneurs is critical to the success of start-up companies. “The top 10 business incubators in the United States have a mentor program in place,” she said, adding that the programs also create lasting partnerships, build core competencies, and allow start-ups to “think big,” all while providing a quality experience for both mentors and clients. Mentorship, a personal-development relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps guide a less-experienced or less-knowledgeable person, is more than just answering questions or providing ad hoc help, she said. It’s an ongoing relationship with dialog, learning and challenges. While mentoring focuses on subject matter, the program also includes consulting for problem solving, as well as coaching to focus on the development of the individual. Several Volusia County mentors already are in place, but Bernal said more will be needed, especially ones with technology backgrounds. Successful entrepreneurs and philanthropists committed to incubator companies give generously of their time and leverage their experience for the client’s success. The Volusia County - UCF Incubator has world-class entrepreneurial talent in its midst including founders of multi-million-dollar companies, board members of public companies and experts in many industry sectors, she said, adding that they bring an invaluable perspective on starting and growing a business.

Sundog Software refines Military Software to power Oculus Rift Gaming Headset with Realistic 3-D Images of Oceans and Seas

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Sundog Software, which developed the Triton Ocean SDK software library to power military software by depicting ocean wave and current action with startlingly realistic clarity, has just released a gaming version for the Oculus Rift 3-D VR gaming headset. Frank Kane, founder and chief executive officer of Sundog Software, said the firm teamed up with AgileSrc, LLC in Orlando to create the newest version of Triton Ocean SDK software. “The Oculus Rift headset allows the user to turn 360 degrees to see everything that is created in a game’s virtual world,” Kane said. “That presented certain opportunities for us and, with the aid of AgileSrc, we adapted Triton Ocean SDK to create a whole new level of realism when it comes to oceans, lakes, and seas,” Kane said. Sundog Software’s Triton Ocean SDK, distributed worldwide, is already a mainstay in training simulator software for naval and air forces. Triton Ocean SDK depicts ocean wave and current action that is so realistic that Kane worries some users will feel seasick. “Water surfaces don’t behave symmetrically, yet there are patterns that seem symmetrical and they all interact,” Kane said. “Depicting them realistically was a challenge, but Triton Ocean SDK manages to coordinate the chaos of the ocean in a way that users find extremely realistic,” he said. Kane said Sundog Software’s Triton Ocean SDK for Oculus Rift on the Unity platform is available for sale immediately. Sundog Software and AgileSrc are client companies of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program at Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County.

Hold-Thyssen Negotiates Seven Lease Agreements Totaling Over 21,000 Square Feet at Park at Bay Plaza Office Center

TAMPA, Fla. --- Hold-Thyssen Inc., a real estate services firm, recently negotiated seven leases – new, expansion and renewal agreements – that total 21,298 square feet of space in the Park at Bay Plaza office center, 9350 Bay Plaza Blvd. in Tampa off of E. Adamo Drive at U.S. 301. R. Anthony Fisher, Vice President of Hold-Thyssen, Inc. in Tampa, said the leasing team of Timothy Sanford and Theresa Margaris negotiated all seven transactions representing the Landlord, Tampa Adamo, LLC. The new tenants include Transformation Center Inc., a church organization who leased 2,190 square feet and an investment firm, Harbor Light Securities, Inc. who signed a new lease for 1,753 square feet. Civil engineering firm Kisinger Campo & Associates Inc. renewed their 7,934 square foot space and expanded into 1,556 additional square feet now occupying 9,490 square feet; Osmose Communications Services, Inc. renewed their 1,546 square feet and expanded into 1,476 additional square feet and now occupies 3,022 square feet; RP Henry & Associates renewed 2,436 square feet of space; Atlas Effect, LLC. renewed their 1,870 square feet and the physical therapy organization Courtright & Associates renewed their 537 square feet Hold-Thyssen manages and leases the 157,310 square foot Park at Bay Plaza office center, which has secured over 51,000 SF of new and renews leases during the past 6 months. Headquartered in Winter Park, Fla., Hold-Thyssen 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 than 100 commercial properties throughout the United States.

M/I HOMES STARTS FIRST MODEL HOME AT RIVIERA BELLA IN DEBARY

Lake Mary, Fla., -- M/I Homes recently acquired all remaining 50-foot and 70-foot wide lots in the Riviera Bella community in DeBary and started construction of its first model home in January. David Byrnes, area president of M/I Homes, said the new model is the Corina II with four bedrooms, four baths in 2,800 square feet of living space with a three-car garage and tile roof. The Corina II model is base-priced at $309,990, and new homes at Riviera Bella will start at $259,000, Byrnes added. At the same time Byrnes said M/I Homes started construction of five move-in-ready homes ranging from 2,100 square feet of living area to 5,200 square feet and priced from $281,990 to $509,990. Byrnes said there are more than 200 home sites with 50- or 75-foot widths available at Riviera Bella located off Fort Florida Rd. on the St. Johns River.

NAI Realvest brings Fitness and Sports Training Center to 7,025 Square Foot unit in Oviedo’s Ganesh Business Park

Orlando, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new lease of 7,025 rentable square feet at Ganesh Business Park for a fitness and sports specific training center at 5707 Dot Com Court in Oviedo. The NAI Realvest retail team of Matt Cichocki, Kevin O’Connor and Mitch Heidrich negotiated the transaction on behalf of the tenant Body Tech Training, LLC which has been in business in Oviedo for over 10 years. The tenant relocated from Alafaya Trail and started operating in the new location in January. The landlord, Ganesh Holdings was represented by Sher Tolan of Allied Commercial Real Estate. Body Tech has trained hundreds of high school and collegiate athletes including Jacksonville Jaguar’s quarterback, former UCF star and Oviedo native Blake Bortles.