Reliable Systems Solutions CEO Presenting at the 2013 Reliability and Maintainability Symposium (RAMS®)

ORLANDO, Fla. --- The founder and chief executive officer of Reliable Systems Solutions, an Orlando firm that provides an effective systems engineering approach in assisting defense contractors to design Reliability and Maintainability into systems early during product development, has been chosen to deliver a presentation at the Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium (RAMS) held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando Jan. 28-31, 2013. Richard Coronado, ASQ CRE, one of the nation’s leading experts in reliability engineering, said the 2013 RAMS symposium marks the 60th consecutive year to be one of the most comprehensive gatherings of Product Assurance professionals available in today’s competitive business environment. Coronado said his 30 min presentation, “Managing Suppliers Reliability Programs”, will focus on “lessons-learned” that made the difference in ensuring the supplier’s system design meets the integrated needs, requirements, and viable alternatives with the goal of improving the overall system availability, while reducing the system Life-Cycle Costs. Coronado said his audience will include leading U.S. aerospace and defense contractors and purchasing agents whose careers focus on accurately judging the reliability of major weapons and technology systems before products enter mass production. “As a group, RAMS participants are among the most highly educated and influential in the field of reliability engineering,” Coronado said. “They are an extremely discerning audience.” Reliable Systems Solutions is located at the UCF Business Incubator at Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County.

Winston James Development reports 50 percent increase in closed sales at Villages of Royal Palm during 2012

Port Orange, Fla. --- Winston James Development reports it closed on the sales of 17 new luxury homes in 2012 at the Villages of Royal Palm in Port Orange. In addition the firm posted 18 contracts for sales during the 12-month period, said Jamie Adley, president of the Villages of Royal Palm and vice president of Winston James Development. Adley said Villages of Royal Palm saw a 50 percent increase in closed sales during the period. The average sale price during the period was $250,000. Two ready-to-move-in homes are available for sale now at the Villages of Royal Palm, priced from $275,000. Three more luxury homes currently under construction range in size from 1,300 square feet of living space to 2,600 square feet. All three homes will be completed in the spring.

Six Associates at Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Named 2012 Five Star Professionals

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Six Associates at Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty were certified 2012 Five Star Professionals in a recent poll of all Orlando-area home buyers who bought homes valued at more than $150,000. Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said associates Judy Werth, Teresa Parker, Matt McDonald, Naresh Mistry, Sally Taylor and Emily White earned the Five Star Real Estate Agent Award from Five Star Professional, an independent market research company based in Minneapolis that measures professional services quality. Soderstrom said Five Star Professional polled every buyer who bought a home in the Orlando area in since May 1, 2012 valued at more than $150,000. Respondents were asked to evaluate real estate associates based on nine criteria. Both negative and positive evaluations were included in the scoring. “Five Star Professional has been conducting area-wide surveys since 2003 to determine the quality of professional services in real estate,” Soderstrom said. “In 2012, Five Star Professional surveyed the real estate industry in 45 markets in the U.S. and Canada,” Soderstrom said. The survey was commissioned by Orlando Magazine. “We are delighted that six of our associates were named Five Star Professionals,” Soderstrom said. “We know they are the best trained, best educated and best resources real estate professionals in the Central Florida region and it is now apparent that their clients think as highly of them as we do,” he said.

Lennar has new model home underway at River Bend in Ruskin

TAMPA, Fla. – Lennar has a new four bedroom model home underway at River Bend, located in Tampa’s Southshore area on Cumberland Cliff Drive in Ruskin. Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida division, said the four-bedroom, three-bath home boasts 2,267 square feet of living space with a three car garage priced from $199,990. Metheny said the new Kennedy model home will be open for viewing the by Feb. 1. Lennar is building 255 new single family homes at River Bend priced from the $150s. All new Lennar homes at River Bend come with Lennar’s “Everything’s Included” pledge: a wide range of appliances, special features and add-ons at one “everything’s included” price. Riverbend features a community clubhouse with swimming pool, community center, lake, ponds and picnic areas. For more information, visit www.Lennar.com or call 888-317-7489.

Lennar Homes to Host Grand Opening Feb 9 to Showcase new Model Homes at ChampionsGate South of Orlando

ChampionsGate, Fla. --- Lennar will host a Grand Opening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9 to showcase four new model homes at ChampionsGate, the master-planned golf community located on ChampionsGate Blvd. at I-4 Exit 58 (C.R. 532) south of Orlando. Lennar will host a Gala Realtor Preview and Reception from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 6 Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said plenty of activities are planned in addition to model home tours, Metheny added: legendary golf trick-shot artist Peter Jöhnke ---the Trick Shot Master---will perform from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Lennar plans to give away an Alaskan cruise for two to one lucky family who participates. Food and refreshments will be provided by Orlando’s famous 4 Seasons Smokehouse. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend. Only adults may register to win the Alaska Cruise, Metheny added. Lennar plans to build 600-800 single-family homes priced from the $240s at The Country Club at ChampionsGate including The Hideaway, a single-family model home with four bedrooms and two baths in 2,246 square feet of living space and a two-car garage. The Sand Dollar model home at The Country Club at ChampionsGate offers four bedrooms and three baths in 2,460 square feet with a three-car garage. New homes at the Country Club at ChampionsGate range in size from 1,800 square feet of living space to 2,500 square feet. Metheny said Lennar plans to build 600-700 luxury vacation homes at The Retreat at ChampionsGate, including the Bali model with five bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths in 2,766 square feet of living space with a two-car garage. The Maui model home offers eight bedrooms and five baths in 3,826 square feet of living space with a two-car garage. Luxury vacation homes The Retreat at ChampionsGate will range from 2,200 square feet to 3,800 square feet, Metheny said. Metheny said grand opening visitors should park at 8390 ChampionsGate Blvd. Free shuttles will be provided to the model center and the main events. “ChampionsGate is such an incredible community we wanted to do something spectacular for our grand opening,” Metheny said.

Henin Homes Shows Big Increase in Home Sales in 2012 at Riviera Bella in DeBary

DeBary, Fla. --- Henin Homes, a division of the Henin Group, sold 29 luxury homes in 2012 at its community of Riviera Bella in DeBary. Matt Boltz, vice president of Henin Homes, Inc., said the 29 sales were valued at $9.5 million compared with nine sales valued at 2.5 million in 2011. Boltz said he projects 48 new home sales in 2013. At present, there are 23 home sites available at Riviera Bella which is located on the banks of the St. Johns River in DeBary. Homes at Riviera Bella start in the mid-$200s.

ASHTON WOODS HOMES MORE THAN DOUBLES HOME SALES IN ORLANDO IN 2012

ORLANDO, Fla. – Ashton Woods Homes Orlando division reports a major jump in home sales in 2012 more than doubling sales of the previous year. Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes, said the homebuilder sold 318 homes last year in five communities in the Orlando region, which is 212 percent more than 2011 when 102 homes were sold. Roche said the average sale price of an Ashton Woods home sold in the Orlando region in 2012 was $264,924. Ashton Woods Homes, headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies with operations in growth communities in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Killeen, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, Raleigh and Tampa. Visit www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.

ASHTON WOODS HOMES REPORTS 55 PERCENT INCREASE IN 2012 HOME SALES IN TAMPA REGION

TAMPA, Fla. – Ashton Woods Homes reports a 55 percent increase in new home sales throughout eight communities in the Tampa Bay region in 2012. Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing in Tampa, said Ashton Woods sold 177 homes last year compared to 2011 when 114 homes were sold. Roche added that the average sale price of an Ashton Woods home sold in 2012 in the Tampa Bay region was $255,255. Ashton Woods Homes, headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies with operations in growth communities in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Killeen, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, Raleigh and Tampa. For more information, visit http://www.ashtonwoods.com .

Ryland Homes Starts Construction of New Four-Bedroom Frost II Model Home at Connerton in Land O’Lakes

Tampa, Fla. --- Ryland Homes has started construction of a new four-bedroom Frost II model home at Connerton, a new gated community located on Savory Walk Drive off Connerton Blvd. in Land O’Lakes. Tony Crimi, vice president of sales and marketing for Ryland Homes in the Tampa Bay region, said the two-story Frost II model home with two-and-a-half baths and a two-car garage will open at Connerton in March. Ryland Homes plans to build 40 new single-family homes in the first phase at Connerton, Crimi said. New three and four-bedroom single-family homes at Connerton will range in size from 1,481 square feet of living space to 2,284 square feet with two or two-and-one-half baths and two-car garages. Connerton features top-rated schools, a community clubhouse, fitness center, swimming pool, tennis courts, a basketball court, a tot lot, volleyball court and amphitheater. Visit www.ryland.com/tampa.

Volusia County Personal-Injury Law Firm to Help Sponsor Benefit Osceola County Motorcycle Run

PORT ORANGE – The Port Orange-based law offices of Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell – a philanthropic personal-injury firm that supports numerous local charity motorcycle rides each year – is extending its reach into Osceola County by helping to sponsor the inaugural Escorted Osceola Law Ride on Jan. 26. The 77-mile ride is being presented by the Blue Knights Motorcycle Club with assistance from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, City of St. Cloud, and the St. Cloud and Kissimmee police departments, according to Allan L. Ziffra, president of the longtime law firm. “We participate in a number of great biker events throughout the year,” Ziffra said. “This year, we’re starting off with a ride to help the families of officers who have been injured or lost their lives in the line of duty. This is a great cause and we’re hoping to see lots of motorcycle enthusiasts participate to show their support.” Registration for the ride is $20 for riders and $5 for passengers and starts at 8 a.m. at the St. Cloud Police Department, 4700 Neptune Road, St. Cloud. Included will be live music by “Continuum,” raffles, awards, silent auctions, goody bags, collectible enamel pins, and a barbecue lunch provided by Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q. The ride will begin with an invocation at 10 a.m. and kick stands will go up at 10:30 a.m. to signal the official start. The ride will end at the St. Cloud Marina, 1104 Lakeshore Blvd. For details or more information, contact ride coordinator Don Schaefer at 407-892-2591, or visit www.blueknightsfl29.com/osceola_law_ride_main.html or rueziffra.com/oceola-law-ride-20132128.