UCF Business Incubation Program Transfers Management Responsibilities of the Leesburg Business Incubator to Lake County Economic Development

ORLANDO, Fla. --- The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program, which has managed the Leesburg Business Incubator in downtown Leesburg since early 2010 with the help of City of Leesburg and Lake County, plans to turn over operation of the business support facility to the Economic Development Group of Lake County, which operates two additional Business Opportunity Centers. Gordon Hogan, director of the UCF Business Incubation Program, said the entrepreneurial community in Lake County will be better served with a more consistent offering at all three locations. Hogan said UCF will serve as a consultant and advisor if needed in the operation of the facility. The UCF Business Incubation Program operates business incubation facilities in Orlando, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Daytona Beach, Sanford, Winter Springs, Apopka, the Central Florida Research Park in east Orlando and on the UCF campus.

First Green Bank Sponsored Cyclist Wins Three Major Road Races

MOUNT DORA, Fla. – Central Florida cyclist powerhouse Steve Perezluha, the Longwood native who ranks as one of America’s best young long-distance bicyclists, recently won three state championships. Kenneth LaRoe, chairman and chief executive officer of First Green Bank in Mount Dora and Perezluha’s principal sponsor, said the young cyclist recently competed on Oct. 7 for the Florida State Time Trials Championship, a 24.8 mile race in Olustee, and won with a time of 52:09, beating his previous record by 1:04. LaRoe said the weekend of Oct. 27-28, Perezluha won two races in the Florida Road Race Championship in Clermont. Perezluha won the Men’s ages 19-23 category with a time of 2:20:37 and the Men’s Pro 1-2 with a time of 2:53:37 winning by almost 3 minutes.

Emerson International negotiates office lease agreements totaling over 6,740 square feet in Orlando and Altamonte

Altamonte Springs, Fla. --- Emerson International recently negotiated new office lease agreements totaling 6,743 square feet in Orlando and Altamonte Springs. Kenneth Koch, commercial portfolio director at Emerson International, negotiated a new lease agreement for 2,028 square feet of office space at Major Plaza I at 5728 Major Blvd. in Southwest Orlando off Kirkman Rd. near the I-Drive tourism corridor. The new tenant is Dynamic Marketing Solutions. Koch also negotiated a lease expansion and renewal for 4,715 square feet in Altamonte Lakeside Park, 283 Cranes Roost Blvd. in Altamonte Springs with tenant Apple One Employment Agency.

Fortress Construction Group Celebrates Busiest Year Ever, Eyes Expansion in 2013

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Fortress Construction Group, which opened its doors in 2007, reports its business grew by more than 100 percent this year and projects even more growth in 2013. Charles Ayers, president of Fortress Construction Group, Inc. said he launched Fortress with partner and longtime friend Dean Mannino when the Florida home building industry entered its downturn. The two have known each other since their days at the University of Florida’s Building Construction School. “It was the best thing that’s ever happened to either of us,” Ayers said. For the first few years the company focused on luxury home remodeling, additions and repair work. “We’ve always had work,” Ayers said. “We never really had a slow period,” he added. Charles’ son Chad, an experienced commercial builder, joined Fortress in 2011. “That paid off for us big time this year with numerous commercial jobs including interior build-outs, renovations, and our largest project of the year, a new medical facility for the Central Florida Pulmonary Group in Orlando,” Ayers said. That project, located at 326 North Mills Ave. included a 12,000 square foot two story state-of-the-art pulmonary clinic complete with research lab, pharmacy, CT and x-ray facilities, and a new administration building. The cost of the project is estimated at $1.5 million and the new facility is expected to open early next year. Other projects in 2012 include interior build-outs for a barber shop, beauty salon, pharmacy, and another doctor’s office, along with several residential contracts for room additions and kitchen and bath renovations plus construction of a new single family custom home. “We are optimistic that we’ll see continued growth through 2013,” Ayers said. “We have active contracts now and we plan to start construction on several projects in the coming weeks,” he said. Visit www.Fortressconstructiongroup.com

Avalon Park West to host “Movie Under The Stars” Featuring “The Polar Express ”Dec 14 at 7 p.m.

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. --- Avalon Park West, the master planned community located 3.5 miles east of I-75 on SR 54 in Wesley Chapel, will once again host its “Movie Under the Stars”, Dec. 14 starting at 7 p.m. Stephanie Hodson, marketing director for Avalon Park West, said the feature film at Movie Under the Stars will be “The Polar Express” ‒ the famous story of a boy who boards the mysterious train that waits for him bound for the North Pole. The film will be shown outside the Avalon Park West Community Center and the public is invited to attend the free movie, Hodson said. “Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy the free popcorn too,” Hodson said. Local vendors will also be on hand to handle and sell refreshments. The Avalon Park West Community Center is located at 5227 Autumn Ridge Drive, Wesley Chapel, FL 33545. For information call 813-364-4918 or email Stephanie @avalonparkgroup.com.

ICI HOMES TO HOST REALTOR RECEPTION DEC 11 AT TIDEWATER IN JACKSONVILLE

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- ICI Homes plans to host a Realtor Reception from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 11 to showcase three, four and five-bedroom custom luxury homes at Tidewater, the gated luxury community located on Clapboard Creek Drive in Jacksonville off Cedar Point Road near the I-95 and I-295 beltway. Don Wilford, Northeast Florida division president at ICI Homes, said the Realtor Reception is open to all Jacksonville-area Realtors and brokers. Food and beverages will be provided along with prizes. Wilford said the ICI Homes’ Realtor Reception will be held in the 1,700 plus square foot Georgetown model home, one of 20 distinctive customizable floor plans that are available at Tidewater priced from the high $100s to the $300s. ICI Homes’ Tidewater features a community swimming pool, fitness center and children’s playground.

NAI Realvest Negotiates New Lease Agreements in Kissimmee and Sanford at key locations in the industrial sector

MAITLAND, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated two new lease agreements at two office/warehouse facilities – one in Kissimmee and one in Sanford – both in close proximity to major interstate highways via SR 417. NAI Realvest Associate Michael Heidrich, Jr., and Principal Michael Heidrich Sr. represented local tenant Magic Tires in a lease agreement for 2,000 square feet of office-warehouse/flex space at 2701 Michigan Ave. just south of SR 417 and its intersection with the Florida Turnpike in Kissimmee. The landlord, Reich Properties, Inc. was represented in the transaction by Anna Bungart. Heidrich Jr. and Heidrich Sr. negotiated a lease in Sanford on behalf of the Landlord Brio LLC, of Winter Park, to 4 Sons Vending, Inc. for 1,980 square feet of space in the Brio Business Center, an industrial center at 1279 W. Airport Blvd. off Lake Mary Blvd. just east of SR 417.

Central Florida based Luhse Tea featured in Tastingtable.com, results in 10,000 immediate queries

KISSIMMEE, Fla. --- A recent online review of Luhse Tea, the Kissimmee based distributor of fine teas and tea accessories, generated more than 10,000 online visitors over a 12-hour period. Mindy S. Ferris and Brittney M. Wholihan, co-founders of Luhse Tea, LLC, said the positive product review by Tasting Table, the independent web-based fine dining network, generated record sales too. “The review was a huge success, skyrocketing the number of web site hits over a 12 hour period,” Ferris said. The review highlights the startup and background of the company titled, Army Wives: Not the Show, the Tea, can be viewed online at http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/national/10880/Not_the_show_the_tea.htm. Wholihan said Luhse Tea also appears as a featured store at obaz, the online shopping site that focuses on unique name brands. “We are steadily improving our market presence and our sales continue to grow,” Ferris said. “We anticipate strong gift sales through the holiday season,” she added. Luhse Tea is a University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program company based in Kissimmee.

Charleston Home Builders, Home Energy Group and Ryland Homes to host three hour training on new state energy code for builders, contractors Dec. 13-14

CHARLESTON, S.C. --- Ryland Homes has announced that the Charleston Home Builders Assn. will sponsor a three-hour field training course on new state energy code requirements for builders, contractors, framers and code officials Thursday, Dec. 14 and Friday, Dec. 15 at Whitney Lake, a Ryland Homes community on Johns Island. Don McDonough, division president for Ryland Homes in the Charleston region, said the Home Energy Group is offering the three hour training course in four different sessions. Home Builder Association Members and Code Officials can register free for sessions from 9 a.m. to noon or from 1 to 4 p.m. both days. There will be a fee for non-members. The 2009 IECC energy code goes into effect Jan. 1, 2013 throughout South Carolina, McDonough said. The field training course will include instruction, course materials and live demonstrations of new code requirements in homes currently under construction at Whitney Lake, which is located off River Road and Maybank Highway.

Brothers Matt and Steve Orosz named co-presidents of family owned Royal Oak Homes in Baldwin Park

BALDWIN PARK, Fla. --- Brothers Matthew and Stephen Orosz were named co-presidents of Royal Oak Homes, the Baldwin Park based home builder that has grown from a single community that sold 20 new homes in 2011 to 10 communities with 200 new home sales this year. Longtime Orlando area home builder William S. Orosz, Jr., president of Hanover Capital Partners, LLC announced the appointments. Stephen Orosz earned his B.S. Degree in accounting from Villanova University and his M.S. Degree in accounting from the University of Central Florida before launching his career with Deloitte and Touche, LLP and served as financial analyst with the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL. He joined K. Hovnanian Cambridge Homes in 2005. He was appointed vice president at Hanover Capital Partners at the firm’s inception in 2007. Matthew earned his B.S. Degree in accounting and business administration from Villanova University and his MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. At KTR Capital Partners, a private real estate investment trust in Philadelphia, he was responsible for the acquisition of more than 1.2 million square feet of industrial real estate. He was appointed vice president of investments at Hanover Capital Partners in 2009. So far this year, Royal Oak Homes has sold more than 185 single family homes priced from the mid-$100s to more than $300,000 in 10 communities in Clermont, Apopka, St. Cloud, Kissimmee and Eustis for revenues of more than $20 million.