Three Brokers at Crossman and Company Lauded Among Top Ten Retail Producers in Nine-County Central Florida Region

Three Brokers at Crossman & Company Lauded Among Top Ten Retail Producers in Nine-County Central Florida Region

ORLANDO, Fla. - Three commercial real estate brokers at Crossman & Company, which ranks as one of region’s top retail leasing and property management firms, were named among the Top Ten producers in the nine-county Central Florida region in 2008.

John Crossman, CCIM, president of Crossman & Company, said retail brokers Courtney Potter-Kowalchuk, Scott Renick and Geno Jarquin were recognized among the Top Ten retail brokers in Central Florida during the Central Florida Commercial Association of Realtors (CFCAR) Hallmark Awards banquet recently.

Kowalchuk, who joined Crossman & Company in 2006, logged retail lease transactions that totaled nearly 172,000 square feet valued at more than $16,305,800.00 in 2008.

Renick, who has been with Crossman & Company for eight years and serves as principal leasing agent at The Villages in Sumter, Lake and Marion counties, reported lease agreements that totaled 125,859 square feet and valued at $17,815,817.00 in 2008.

Jarquin, who joined Crossman & Company in 2006, last year reported retail lease agreements that totaled more than 57,640 square feet, worth more than $8,426,757.00.

“Courtney Potter-Kowalchuk, Scott Renick and Geno Jarquin are three of the brightest and most energetic commercial leasing agents in Florida and I’m delighted they were recognized for their talents,” said Crossman.

For more information contact:
John Crossman CCIM, President, Crossman & Company, 407-581-6218
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

About Crossman & Company:
Crossman & Company is one of the largest third-party retail leasing and management companies in Central Florida, based upon the total number of retail square footage. Founded in Orlando, Fla. in 1990, Crossman & Company is a full service commercial real estate firm that advises its clients in leasing, management, development and investment sales of retail and office properties. Please visit http://www.crossmanco.com/, or call 407.423.5400 for more information.

Beazer Homes Announces “Private Sale” April 17-19 in Seven Jacksonville-Area Communities

Beazer Homes Announces “Private Sale” April 17-19 with Reduced Pricing, Closing Costs Paid by Seller, Big Discounts on Select Homes in Seven Jacksonville-Area Communities

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Beazer Homes will offer home buyers substantial incentives during its “Private Sale” of select homes in seven Jacksonville-area communities April 17-19.

Theresa Tilton, vice president of sales for Beazer Homes’ Florida division, said buyer incentives, including reduced pricing, closing costs paid by seller and big discounts are worth up to $30,000 for new single-family home purchases and up to $10,000 on new patio homes and town homes.

The homes offered with these incentives will showcase Beazer’s SmartDesign features and options for more organized and functional living spaces and new eSMART features that increase energy and water efficiency and indoor air quality, Tilton added.

Beazer Homes’ “Private Sale” incentives are offered on single-family homes at Amelia Cove at Amelia View in Jacksonville; Arbor Glade in Mandarin; Durbin Crossing in St. Johns County and at Las Calinas and South Hampton in St. Augustine. Select patio homes and town homes are located at Bartram Park in Mandarin.

“Beazer Homes will pay all closing costs up to six percent of the sale price during our ‘Private Sale,’” said David Byrnes, president of Beazer’s Florida Division.

Beazer Homes is one of the country's 10 largest single-family homebuilders with operations in 17 states. Headquartered in Atlanta, Beazer Homes is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "BZH."

For more information, contact:
Theresa Tilton, Vice President of Sales Beazer Homes/Florida, 407-339-4114, ttilton@beazer.com
David Byrnes, President/Beazer Homes Florida, 407-339-4114, dbyrnes@beazer.com
Brooke Keysor-Edge, SE Regional Marketing Specialist Beazer Homes/ SE Region, 407-339-4114, bkeysor@beazer.com
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

Cuhaci and Peterson Architects completed design of Seasons 52 Restaurant in Cherry Hill, N.J.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects completed design of Seasons 52 Restaurant in Cherry Hill, N.J.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, based in Orlando's Baldwin Park, was recently completed a design of a new Seasons 52 Restaurant in Cherry Hill, N.J.

Lonnie Peterson, chairman of Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, LLC, said the 5,000 square foot restaurant facility opened recently.

Darden Restaurant Group awarded the design contract.

For more information, contact:
Lonnie Peterson, Chairman Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, LLC, 407-661-9100
Jed Downs, President Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, LLC, 407-661-9100
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

Randall-Paulson Architects awarded design of renovations for office buildings in Cumming and Sandy Springs

Randall-Paulson Architects awarded design of renovations for office buildings in Cumming and Sandy Springs

ROSWELL, Ga. — Randall-Paulson Architects, the award winning Roswell-based planning, design and architectural firm, was awarded contracts to design interiors for an oral surgery center in Cumming and renovations for the office headquarters of Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia (ABC) in Sandy Springs.

Randall-Paulson recently completed design for 3,380 square feet of interior space at North Atlanta Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Center in Cumming. Construction is underway on the new design including custom millwork and custom-designed reception desk. The new design achieved desired maximum natural daylighting by creating a plan that locates offices, reception, waiting and treatment areas on exterior windows and by providing interior windows to allow light to flow through the rest of the space.

Construction recently started on the Randall-Paulson designed renovations to the 8,200 square foot ABC office headquarters located on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. Renovations include new office spaces, a training center, restrooms and exterior finishes.

For more information, contact
Alex S. Paulson, AIA, Co-Founder/Principal, Randall-Paulson Architects 770-650-7558; apaulson@randallpaulson.com;
Larry Vershel, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142; lvershelco@aol.com

About Randall-Paulson Architects
Headquartered in Roswell, Ga., Randall-Paulson Architects is a 15-year old commercial architectural design firm that specializes in the design of industrial, office, retail, mixed-use, education, religious, childcare, hospitality facilities and sustainable design.

Prospective Homebuyers Enthusiastic About Beazer Homes Smartdesign® Eco Promotion

Prospective Homebuyers Enthusiastic About Beazer Homes Smartdesign® Eco Promotion

30,000 Consumers Participate in Eco-Themed Sweepstakes Leading to 500 Net New Home Orders in February

ATLANTA -Beazer Homes USA, Inc. (NYSE: BZH), one of the nation’s top 10 homebuilders, recently announced an overwhelming response to its recent eco-themed sales promotion.

Approximately 30,000 prospective homebuyers participated in Beazer’s eco-themed sweepstakes, which launched early in the first quarter and gave participants a chance to instantly win one of 350 environmentally-friendly prizes. The grand prize of a 2009 Toyota Prius was won by Catherine Deppa of Pasadena, Md., who said the eco theme caught her attention and drove her to explore Beazer’s website for more information.

The sweepstakes culminated with a national sales event, in February, which offered buyers limited-time special incentives on new eco-friendly homes that included features aimed at reducing the cost of homeowners’ monthly energy bills.

“Even in this very challenging housing environment, the appeal of ecologically-friendly homes seemed to overcome the gloom in the economy. Our eco-promotion resonated strongly with consumers and drove more qualified traffic to our sales centers,” said Kathi James, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Beazer Homes. “This led to over 500 net new home orders in the month of February.”

As part of Beazer’s SMARTDESIGN initiative, the builder includes up to 10 eco-friendly features in every home it builds, including CFL bulbs, programmable thermostats and EnergyStar® dishwashers. Other standard features include water-saving faucets and showerheads, as well as MERV-8 air filters and low-VOC paints and carpet that contribute to healthier indoor air quality.

According to James, as more Americans look for ways to live an eco-friendly and energy efficient lifestyle, those considering the purchase of a new home are evaluating the many benefits of new construction. Indeed, research by Better Homes & Gardens* found that interest in green elements in the home is on the rise, with some 90 percent of survey respondents saying they plan to have energy-efficient heating and cooling systems in their next home.

In response to this trend, Beazer offers standard eco-friendly features in all homes plus market-specific energy-efficient options. For example, buyers in Beazer’s Indianapolis communities can select from a range of energy-saving upgrades—including low-emissivity windows, hybrid heat pumps and variable speed air handlers— to further personalize their home. Additionally, Beazer is testing LED recessed lighting, the newest generation of high-efficiency lighting, in its Las Vegas and Phoenix divisions.

“It is clear that despite the difficult economic climate, the potential homebuyer is looking long-term, and an eco-friendly home has great appeal. Beazer will continue to highlight the eco-friendly aspects of our homes,” James said. “Look for enhancements to our standard offering and the addition of new eco-friendly optional features through our design studios later this year.”

Beazer Homes is one of the country's largest single-family homebuilders with operations in 17 states. For more information on Beazer’s homes, communities and eco-friendly features visit Beazer.com.

Contact:
Mandy Brooks, 770-829-3755, mbrooks@beazer.com

* Source: Amy Hoak, At Annual Builder’s Show, Small Is In, MarketWatch, available at http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=17092507

Datanautix, Inc. goes Global and Delivers its Intelligent Interaction Analytics Solution to One of Australia’s Largest Call Center Providers

Datanautix, Inc. goes Global and Delivers its Intelligent Interaction Analytics Solution to One of Australia’s Largest Call Center Providers

Winter Springs, Fla. – Datanautix, Inc., an innovative technology firm based in Winter Springs, was awarded a major international contract to deploy its signature Intelligent Interaction Analytics solution to improve contact center operations for Stellar Asia Pacific, one of Australia’s leading call center and business process outsourcing providers.

Stellar engaged Datanautix to work on streamlining contact center operations for one of Australia’s leading retail energy providers in South Australia and Victoria. Upon recent completion of the project, Datanautix recommended process changes that will eventually drive an overall reduction in call center expenses by 25-35 percent while improving overall customer satisfaction scores by over 20 percent.

Sanjay Patel, chief executive officer of Datanautix, Inc., said the project is the firm’s largest international contract for its Intelligent Interaction Analytics solution.

Stellar Asia Pacific, a leading global call center provider based in Melbourne, Australia, employs more than 6,000 workers in 19 centers across Australia, the U.K., the U.S., Canada and the Philippines, and provides call center services in South Australia and Victoria to one of Australia’s major energy retailers.

“We have been impressed with the depth and sophistication behind the Datanautix methodology as well as the overall results they delivered for us,” said John Hollingsworth, chief executive officer of Stellar Asia Pacific. “The final results were very actionable and they were able to identify process improvement opportunities very early in the process. Applying the Datanautix capabilities to our customer service calls has yielded insight and information that is driving changes well beyond the call center operation for our client. Their findings are going to help streamline their marketing campaigns, focus on ways in which they can improve their billing statements and also lead to the development of an ongoing quality assurance process that’s more customer centric.”

“We are currently in discussions with Datanautix to determine how we can bring this capability to the Australian market and help our clients reduce operational costs as well as drive long term customer loyalty and advocacy,” said John Hollingsworth. “We are confident this will give our clients a competitive advantage with a very high ROI.”

Developed over the past three years, Patel explained that Datanautix’ proprietary conversation-mapping technology is designed to leverage the science of consumer behavior and operational analysis to help companies drive breakthrough change in how they manage contact center interactions with their customers.

“Our innovative new technology has been developed at the UCF Technology Incubator,” said Patel, “and has leveraged grants from sources such as the National Science Foundation and Enterprise Florida. Having one of Australia’s largest call center providers come halfway around the world to pilot our solution is strong proof that we have a unique and innovative capability that is competitively strategic in a global environment.”

The Datanautix Intelligent Interaction Analytics technology can track more than 200 possible customer experience indicators to capture the context of agent/customer interactions in a call center. “By combining our proprietary measurement toolkit with our data analytics and predictive modeling technology, we are able to pinpoint specific areas of process change and improvement that typically yields a 20-30 percent savings with an overall improvement in customer satisfaction of 15-25 percent,” Patel said.

“In the current economic environment, it is critical for companies to ensure that they are driving a customer experience that results in loyalty and customer wallet share,” said Patel.

“The post-sales service experience is one of the most important factors consumers use to determine whether to continue to do business with a company in the future. For retail providers that have thousands of customers and many competitors, driving optimal customer service transactions are absolutely critical to survival today,” he said.

“We found several ways Stellar and their clients can transform their customer’s experience while reducing costs,” Patel said. “That quickly translates into higher customer loyalty and shareholder value, which is more critical today than it has been in the last 50 years,” he added.

Datanautix is a client company of the University of Central Florida’s Seminole County Incubator site at 1511 E. S.R. 434 in Winter Springs.

For more information please contact:
Sanjay Patel, Founder & President, Datanautix, 407-349-5330, sanjay@datanautix.com
Esther Vargas-Davis, Site Manager, UCF Incubator-Seminole County, 407-278-4881
Tom O’Neal, Ph.D., Executive Director, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407-882-1102
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

About Datanautix:
Datanautix Inc. specializes in helping companies drive key business process improvements in the contact center/customer management market. The Datanautix Intelligent Interaction Analytics and “active listening” approach not only improves on traditional QA and CSAT measurement challenges, but goes beyond the ‘traditional’ to uncover customer expectations to help drive process changes to improve customer loyalty and operating efficiencies. Typical results from Datanautix’ business process reengineering deployment yield 20-30 percent in savings while driving overall customer satisfaction scores up by 10-20 percent. For more information, please visit http://www.datanautix.com/.

About Stellar:
Stellar is a leading global call center and business process outsourcing provider, with over 6,000 employees across 19 centers in Australia, UK, USA, Canada and the Philippines. Stellar’s innovative solutions help clients reduce operating costs, improve quality levels and increase revenue and profitability. The company serves a range of clients in the telecommunications, utilities, transport, finance, government and manufacturing industries. In addition to call center outsourcing, Stellar specializes in document management, workflow automation technology and process outsourcing solutions. For more information, visit http://www.stellarbpo.com/.

About the UCF Incubation Program:
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Incubation Program has helped more than 100 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 900 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit http://www.incubator.ucf.edu/.

Upcoming Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty–HBA Worldwide Auction March 28

Two Luxury Homes in the Windermere Area could bring Million-Dollar Bids at Upcoming Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty–HBA Worldwide Auction March 28

ORLANDO, Fla. - Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty and the Home Builders Association of Mid Florida have joined forces to produce a unique event scheduled for March 28 in Orlando http://www.hbaauction.com/ – a worldwide auction of custom homes that could generate millions of dollars worth of sales from buyers all around the world.

Two Windermere-area properties slated for the auction block could bring bids of more than $1 million, said Roger Soderstrom, founder and principal of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty.

A 5,268 square foot luxury home at 9730 Lake Hugh Drive, (Photos, www.obeo.com/520337), in Gotha previously listed for sale at $1.65 million will be offered with a starting bid of $890,000, Soderstrom said.

The four-bedroom, five-and-one-half bath luxury home, built in 2007 with its own security gates, boasts a three-car garage and a master suite with its own morning bar, coffee maker and refrigerator, a home theater that rivals the local cineplex, a gourmet kitchen worthy of its own TV show and a resort-style swimming pool with a rock waterfall.

A lakefront estate home on Lake Hancock at 14616 Avenue of the Rushes, (Photos, www.obeo.com/523350), in Winter Garden will be offered with a starting bid of $788,000, Soderstrom said. The 4,340 square foot luxury home, recently listed for sale at $1.98 million, offers four bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths, a three-car garage and gourmet kitchen, along with a huge outdoor entertainment area with a swimming pool, two fountains and two-level terraced deck.

“There are several remarkable properties scheduled for auction and we anticipate the winning bids will represent both substantial bargains and high prices,” Soderstrom said.

“I can’t remember when we have had so many fabulous custom and estate homes for sale in a single auction,” he said.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty’s Worldwide Auction Group will accept bids online at http://www.auctionsbystirling.com/ or bidders can register to bid in person via telephone at 407-588-1260, Soderstrom said.

For more information contact:

Roger Soderstrom, Founder/Owner Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, 407-588-1260

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

Entrust Administrative Services Names Jason DeBono Business Development Director

Entrust Administrative Services Names Jason DeBono Business Development Director

LAKE MARY, Fla. - Entrust Administrative Services, which provides IRA administrative services to over 2,000 account holders of self-directed IRA funds in Florida, has appointed Jason DeBono as business development director.

Glen Mather, president of Entrust Administrative Services, Inc., based in Lake Mary, said DeBono attended the University of Central Florida and has more than three years of experience.

DeBono joined Entrust Administrative Services two years ago as an intern, Mather said.

For more information, contact:

Glen Mather, President Entrust Administrative Services, Inc., 407-367-3472

Larry Vershel, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142, lvershelco@aol.com

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty sees big opportunities for “Green” homes, properties

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty sees big opportunities for “Green” homes, properties

ORLANDO, Fla. - Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, ranks as one of the most innovative real estate firms in Florida, and is mounting a major campaign to convince home owners to “green up” their homes for resale.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty http://www.stirlingsir.com/, said efforts to increase a home’s energy efficiency ranks as one of the most cost-effective improvements an owner can consider.

“The real estate market is changing, and especially among younger buyers, energy efficiency is a critical feature in a home,” said Soderstrom. “Cost savings is an important factor, but there’s also a moral factor---people want to live responsibly, and that means better sustainability and a smaller carbon footprint,” Soderstrom said.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is partnering with several “green” firms to offer home owners advice on how to green up their homes, Soderstrom said.

“Major improvements such as solar panels or even solar hot water heaters make a big difference to many home buyers, especially younger families and European and Asian buyers,” Soderstrom said.

But even minor improvements can make for a faster sale. Energy-efficient appliances, recycling facilities, double-paned windows and solar screens can translate into more dollars at the time of sale.

And Stirling isn’t confining its new “green” advice to existing home owners.
“We are constantly advising new home builders and developers to go green,” Soderstrom said. “With the new U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) architectural protocols and LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) credentials, there is no shortage of expertise in how to make homes safer, more economical and more sustainable,” Soderstrom said.

Even small measures---using durable materials manufactured efficiently with little waste product---help the environment, Soderstrom said.

For more information contact:

Roger Soderstrom, Founder/Owner Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, 407-588-1260

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

Hal Warren elected Vice-Chairman of Orlando Historic Preservation Board

Hal Warren elected Vice-Chairman of Orlando Historic Preservation Board

ORLANDO, Fla. - Hal Warren, a veteran commercial broker in Central Florida and associate partner at Hendricks & Partners in Orlando, was recently elected vice-chairman of the Orlando Historic Preservation Board.

Warren was appointed to the Orlando Historic Preservation Board in December, 2007 by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

A graduate of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Warren earned his MBA Degree from the University of Central Florida. He has more than 20 years of experience in commercial real estate, including positions as southeast acquisitions director for United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc. and senior director with Cushman & Wakefield's Apartment Brokerage Services.

Last year he joined Hendricks & Partners, the nation's largest private capital network of advisors and systems, as associate partner in the firm's southeast regional division headquartered in downtown Orlando.

"The Orlando Historic Preservation Board plays an important role in maintaining and protecting those elements of architecture and infrastructure that make Orlando a unique place with a vivid connection to its past," Warren said.

For more information, please contact:

Hal Warren, Associate Partner, Hendricks & Partners, 407-218-8881

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142