Royal Oaks Homes hires Financial Analyst, and promotes Steve Shackelford to Construction Manager

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Royal Oak Homes, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, has promoted Steve Shackelford to construction manager and appointed Tim Tassone financial analyst. Shackelford has been with Royal Oak for three years as a community builder. He was Royal Oak's first employee when they broke ground in early 2011. Tassone is a recent graduate of the University of Central Florida. Royal Oak Homes is a third-generation home builder 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.

Royal Oak Homes aims for spot in Top 100 ranking next year

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Builder Magazine ranked Royal Oak Homes in Baldwin Park as the nation’s 186th largest home builder last year and Royal Oak Homes co-president Steve Orosz said that won’t do. “We expect to be ranked among the Top 100 builders next year,” Orosz pledged. Last year Royal Oak Homes built new single family homes in five communities in Central Florida that totaled more than $18 million. This year, Royal Oak Homes should see sales in excess of $54 million in 11 Central Florida communities, Orosz said.

Serial Entrepreneur Randy Frey is Keynote Speaker at Forum hosted by Rollins College CFAE, GrowFL, CEO Nexus June 12

Winter Park, Fla. -- Randy Frey, a serial entrepreneur who turned his expertise in lasers and electro-optics into a billion-dollar corporation, will be the keynote speaker at a forum of area CEOs and corporate principals hosted by Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship, GrowFL and CEO Nexus on June 12. Frey, a former aerospace engineer and member of the NASA Space Technology Hall of Fame, is a founding sponsor and member of the board of directors of the Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship at the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. Steve Quello, president of CEO Nexus, said Frey is the founder of Autonomous Technologies, which developed advanced technologies that revolutionized cataract and Lasik surgery. The CEO Forum begins at 6 p.m. at Rollins College at Winter Park Plaza on Fairbanks Ave. Quello said area CEOs and corporate principals invited to attend the Rollins Forum should be registered at info@CEONexus.com. “Getting up close and personal with industry leaders like Randy Frey is a rewarding experience for all who are fortunate enough to attend this forum,” said Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of GrowFL and associate vice president for Research and Commercialization at UCF. To learn more about CEO Nexus, visit www.ceonexus.com.

MERITAGE HOMES OPENS WATERFORD CREEK

ORLANDO, Fla. – Meritage Homes has opened its newest community of Waterford Creek with 57 homesites located on Hancock Lone Palm Road off SR 50 in east Orlando. Brian Kittle, division vice president at Meritage Homes, said new homes at Waterford Creek will range from 2,581 square feet of living area to 3,467 square feet, priced from the high $200s. Meritage Homes currently has a model home under construction at Waterford Creek priced in the $300,000 range. The four bedroom, two-and-a-half bath model home will be completed and open for viewing this July.

Meritage Homes promotes Joe Kathman to scheduling manager

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Meritage Homes has promoted Joe Kathman to scheduling and continuous improvement (SCI) manager. Brian Kittle, division vice president for Meritage Homes in the Orlando area said Kathman, a graduate of Fredonia State University in Fredonia, N.Y., has been with Meritage Homes for five years as a construction manager.

NAI Realvest negotiates renewals, expansion leases totaling 35,060 square feet at five CommerCenters in Central Florida

MAITLAND, Fla. --- Michael Heidrich principal at NAI Realvest negotiated six lease agreements totaling 35,060 square feet of industrial space at five CommerCenters in Central Florida. At Monroe CommerCenter South 4150 Church St., Heidrich represented the landlord in a renewal lease of 14,504 square feet with Shields Environmental Services. Heidrich negotiated two lease agreements in Hanging Moss CommerCenter at 6100 and 6124 Hanging Moss Rd. in Orlando representing the landlord. Tenant Black & Decker, Inc. represented by David Murphy of CBRE renewed a lease of 4,000 square feet and RTR Suppliers Inc. represented by Matt Bates of Homevest Realty renewed 9,000 square feet. Heidrich represented the landlord at Goldenrod CommerCenter in an expansion agreement with Black Forge LLC for 4,412 square feet at 1468 N. Goldenrod Rd. in Southeast Orlando. ERC General Contracting Services, Inc. renewed a lease of 1,875 square feet at 890 Carter Rd. in the Carter CommerCenter in Winter Garden. At Poinciana CommerCenter East in Kissimmee, Heidrich represented landlord Small Bay Partners in a renewal agreement with Lube Brokers, LLC for 1,269 square feet at 1745 Business Center Lane.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Office Retail and Industrial leases totaling 7,150 square feet

MAITLAND, Fla. --- NAI Realvest recently negotiated leases totaling 7,150 square feet of office/retail, office and industrial space at in Orlando, Winter Park and Southeast Orlando. Michael Heidrich, a principal in the firm, brokered all three transactions representing the landlords. Romanoff Floor Covering, Inc. of Smyrna, Ga. leased 3,000 square feet of industrial space at Airport Industrial Center, 7466 Narcoossee Rd. Airport Investment Properties of Columbus, Ohio is the landlord. HISFO, Inc. of Orlando leased 2,800 square feet of office/retail space at the Herndon Center, 615-A and B Herndon Avenue in Orlando. The landlord is Winter Park-based LBJ Properties. Florida Frame House of Winter Park leased 1,350 square feet of office space at Winter Park Commerce Center where the landlord is W.F.I., LLP.

Henin Homes names Mike Kalin, Chief Financial Officer

WINTER PARK, Fla. --- Henin Homes has appointed veteran building executive Mike Kalin, chief financial officer. Jerome Henin, president of Henin Homes, Inc said Mike has more than 38 years of experience in the construction industry, including 18 years in the home building industry. Mike is a graduate of Seton Hall University in New Jersey. Henin also named Sue Dingle, executive construction coordinator; she has 15 years of experience and Roch Vaillancourt, graphics and marketing coordinator. He has 10 years of experience.

Winston-James Development negotiates lease for financial consulting firm at Aloma Business Center in Winter Park

WINTER PARK, Fla. – Winston-James Development, based in South Daytona, recently negotiated a lease agreement for 938 square feet of office space at its Aloma Business Center on Aloma Avenue in Winter Park. Winston Schwartz, president of Winston-James Development said OSS Office Support Services, a certified “Quick Book” financial consulting firm leased the office space. The company is relocating from Winter Springs, Schwartz said.

ICI Homes Appoints David Hensley, William Smith as Builders in Kissimmee, Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach, Fla. -- ICI Homes, one of Florida’s most active luxury home builders and developers of exclusive resort and country club communities in Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando, Kissimmee and Tampa, recently appointed David Hensley and William Smith as builders. Rosemary Messina, vice president of sales and marketing at ICI Homes said Hensley, who has been building homes since 1983, was formerly a builder for WCI Communities. He holds an Associates Degree in Computer Network Administration from Keiser College. Hensley will direct home building efforts at Avilla and Cypress Reserve in Kissimmee, Messina said. Smith, a Delaware native and Ormond Beach resident, formerly served as a luxury home builder with Arthur Rutenberg Homes.