OCALA, Fla. – Only six new homes remain for sale at Pulte Homes’ community of Fore Ranch Cimarron located off 48th Avenue and S.R. 200, one mile west of I-75 in Ocala.
Sean Strickler, vice president of sales for the North Florida division of Pulte Homes, said two of the homes are available for immediate move-in.
The two-story Desoto offers four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths in 2,454 square feet of living space and features a two-story foyer, spacious loft and two car garage priced at $196,650.
The Dearborn with 1,598 square feet has four bedrooms, two baths with a two car garage and features a spacious dining room and nook, priced at $143,375.
Fore Ranch Cimarron offers three and four bedroom one and two story homes that range from 1,598 square feet of living space to 2,511 square feet priced from the mid $100s.
For more information, visit www.pulte.com/orlando or call 866-830-4648.
About Pulte Homes
Award-winning Pulte Homes communities are designed to deliver the best quality of life for home owners. By combining innovative life-enhancing designs, an unwavering commitment to quality and attention to detail, Pulte Homes is the nation’s premier home brand for upwardly mobile home buyers in 26 states and the District of Columbia. As the most awarded homebuilder in customer satisfaction, Pulte Homes has ranked tops in the annual JD Power and Associates® New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Studysm more than 75 times since 2000. For more information about Pulte Homes, visit www.pultehomes.com.
About PulteGroup
PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM) based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is America’s premier home building company with operations in 67 markets, 29 states and the District of Columbia. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2010, the Company has an unmatched capacity to meet the needs of all buyer segments through its brand portfolio that includes Pulte Homes, Centex Homes and Del Webb. As the most awarded homebuilder in customer satisfaction, the brands of PulteGroup have consistently ranked among the nation’s top homebuilders as surveyed by third-party, independent national customer satisfaction studies.
For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup brands, see www.pultegroup.com; www.pulte.com; www.centex.com; www.delwebb.com
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Ride Green Scooters introduced 50cc Trike that gets 100 miles per gallon — safely
WINTER PARK, Fla. -- Ride Green Scooters, located on Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park, is introducing a whole new line of three-wheeled scooters that scoot just like the big boys.
Ron Schwartz, principal at Ride Green Scooters, said the new Ice Bear PST508-8 Trike has a 50cc air-cooled engine with a one year warranty, chain drive, automatic gears, a whopping 58.6 wheel base, disc brakes front and rear, electric start, and steel frame, and gets speed in excess of 40 mph.
“That’s all the power you need to commute anywhere except on interstate highways,” Schwartz said.
And that’s just half the story. The Ice Bear PST 508-8 gets some pretty good mileage — up to 100 miles per gallon.
On two wheels, the new Ice Bear PST50-5 scooter offers a stunning retro look with a 50cc four stroke air cooled engine that will average 35 miles per hour at 100 miles per gallon, Schwartz said.
The Ice Bear PST50-5 comes with features including an automatic transmission, electric start, drum brakes front and rear, 10 inch wheels and six month warranty, he said.
“Style, safety, convenience and 100 miles per gallon is hard to beat,” Schwartz said. “That’s why half the world’s population gets to work and school on scooters like this.”
Ride Green Scooters is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sunday from Noon, on W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park. Visit www.ridegreenscooters.com.
Ron Schwartz, principal at Ride Green Scooters, said the new Ice Bear PST508-8 Trike has a 50cc air-cooled engine with a one year warranty, chain drive, automatic gears, a whopping 58.6 wheel base, disc brakes front and rear, electric start, and steel frame, and gets speed in excess of 40 mph.
“That’s all the power you need to commute anywhere except on interstate highways,” Schwartz said.
And that’s just half the story. The Ice Bear PST 508-8 gets some pretty good mileage — up to 100 miles per gallon.
On two wheels, the new Ice Bear PST50-5 scooter offers a stunning retro look with a 50cc four stroke air cooled engine that will average 35 miles per hour at 100 miles per gallon, Schwartz said.
The Ice Bear PST50-5 comes with features including an automatic transmission, electric start, drum brakes front and rear, 10 inch wheels and six month warranty, he said.
“Style, safety, convenience and 100 miles per gallon is hard to beat,” Schwartz said. “That’s why half the world’s population gets to work and school on scooters like this.”
Ride Green Scooters is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sunday from Noon, on W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park. Visit www.ridegreenscooters.com.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Named Exclusive Marketing Agents for $450,000 Townhome in Dr. Phillips Area
ORLANDO, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty has been named as exclusive sales and marketing agents for a luxurious townhome on Spring Lake at Somerset Shores in Southwest Orlando’s Dr. Phillips area.
Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said the LR Team (Luxury Rooftops) of Dan Natoli and Carolyn Burgiel are representing the unique property which is listed at $450,000.
The luxury townhome offers a totally updated traditional European gourmet kitchen completely handcrafted by Continental Homes and Interiors with an island, granite countertops, custom cabinetry and convection oven.
The three-bedroom, two bath townhome boasts 2,437 square feet of living space with a two car garage, Soderstrom said.
“The first floor master suite includes lake views, an updated bath with built in cabinet space and a roomy walk-in closet, and the screened porch offers sunrise views over Spring Lake and the community dock,” Soderstrom said.
To view a brochure on the property, go to http://www.stirlingsir.com/eflyers/somersetshores/ss.html
About Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty:
Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, the largest luxury real estate brand in the world. Stirling Sotheby’s exclusive services include luxury residential, new homes, new home communities, commercial and investment properties, in addition to supporting builders, developers, lenders, and asset managers. The company operates two performance zones which serve all of Central Florida. Visit www.StirlingSIR.com.
Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said the LR Team (Luxury Rooftops) of Dan Natoli and Carolyn Burgiel are representing the unique property which is listed at $450,000.
The luxury townhome offers a totally updated traditional European gourmet kitchen completely handcrafted by Continental Homes and Interiors with an island, granite countertops, custom cabinetry and convection oven.
The three-bedroom, two bath townhome boasts 2,437 square feet of living space with a two car garage, Soderstrom said.
“The first floor master suite includes lake views, an updated bath with built in cabinet space and a roomy walk-in closet, and the screened porch offers sunrise views over Spring Lake and the community dock,” Soderstrom said.
To view a brochure on the property, go to http://www.stirlingsir.com/eflyers/somersetshores/ss.html
About Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty:
Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, the largest luxury real estate brand in the world. Stirling Sotheby’s exclusive services include luxury residential, new homes, new home communities, commercial and investment properties, in addition to supporting builders, developers, lenders, and asset managers. The company operates two performance zones which serve all of Central Florida. Visit www.StirlingSIR.com.
Mattamy Homes Opens New Two Story Sunflower Model Home at Westland Farm in Mount Holly
CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Mattamy Homes U.S. Group, the U.S. division of Canada’s largest home builder, recently opened The Sunflower, a two-story single family model home at Westland Farm its newest community located off Highway 27 in Mount Holly.
Bill Kiselick division president for Mattamy Homes in the Charlotte region said The Sunflower model home at Westland Farm offers three bedrooms with two full baths and one half bath, formal dining room, study and a loft in 2,639 square feet of living space with a two car garage priced from $176,990.
Kiselick said The Sunflower model home is available with an optional fourth and fifth bedroom with full bath.
Mattamy Homes plans to build 219 single family homes at Westland Farm in 11 floor plans that range in size from 1,627 square feet of living space to 2,733 square feet priced from $156,990.
About Mattamy Homes
Mattamy Homes expanded into the U.S. in 2003 and has divisions in Jacksonville, Orlando, Charlotte, Phoenix and Minneapolis. The homebuilder is the largest and most active in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $1.3 billion.
Bill Kiselick division president for Mattamy Homes in the Charlotte region said The Sunflower model home at Westland Farm offers three bedrooms with two full baths and one half bath, formal dining room, study and a loft in 2,639 square feet of living space with a two car garage priced from $176,990.
Kiselick said The Sunflower model home is available with an optional fourth and fifth bedroom with full bath.
Mattamy Homes plans to build 219 single family homes at Westland Farm in 11 floor plans that range in size from 1,627 square feet of living space to 2,733 square feet priced from $156,990.
About Mattamy Homes
Mattamy Homes expanded into the U.S. in 2003 and has divisions in Jacksonville, Orlando, Charlotte, Phoenix and Minneapolis. The homebuilder is the largest and most active in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $1.3 billion.
Data Transfer Solutions building new Mobile Asset Collection Vehicle to Help State, Local Agencies
ORLANDO, Fla. --- Data Transfer Solutions, LLC (DTS), based in downtown Avalon Park in east Orlando, has added another data collection vehicle to its existing fleet. The new vehicle will be used to help state and local transportation agencies inventory and manage transportation infrastructure facilities and assets.
A.M. “Trey” Fragala III, AICP, PMP, chief operating officer at DTS, said the new MAC-Van will be able to capture both video and data in a 360 degree field of view. The vehicle utilizes proprietary data collection, processing and extraction software called EarthShaper.
The MAC-Van can inventory above-ground infrastructure assets ranging from stop lights and speed limit signs to guardrails, curbs and highway signage.
“We are particularly excited about this next generation addition to our MAC fleet, Fragala said. This vehicle is the first to utilize our own software and work flows to maximize efficiency, accuracy and ultimately it saves our clients time and money,” Fragala said
When the data is integrated, municipal transportation planners and engineers can inventory and monitor assets from their desktop computers, Fragala said.
The first assignment for the new MAC-Van is in New Mexico where it will be sent to join data collection efforts already in progress on behalf of the City of Albuquerque, NM.
Data Transfer Solutions provides asset management, geographic information systems (GIS), transportation planning/engineering, web design, database/software applications, and video and multimedia production services to local governments and regional and state agencies throughout the U.S.
A.M. “Trey” Fragala III, AICP, PMP, chief operating officer at DTS, said the new MAC-Van will be able to capture both video and data in a 360 degree field of view. The vehicle utilizes proprietary data collection, processing and extraction software called EarthShaper.
The MAC-Van can inventory above-ground infrastructure assets ranging from stop lights and speed limit signs to guardrails, curbs and highway signage.
“We are particularly excited about this next generation addition to our MAC fleet, Fragala said. This vehicle is the first to utilize our own software and work flows to maximize efficiency, accuracy and ultimately it saves our clients time and money,” Fragala said
When the data is integrated, municipal transportation planners and engineers can inventory and monitor assets from their desktop computers, Fragala said.
The first assignment for the new MAC-Van is in New Mexico where it will be sent to join data collection efforts already in progress on behalf of the City of Albuquerque, NM.
Data Transfer Solutions provides asset management, geographic information systems (GIS), transportation planning/engineering, web design, database/software applications, and video and multimedia production services to local governments and regional and state agencies throughout the U.S.
Angel Investments Guru Dave Berkus Plans to Focus on Sensible Investments at Sept. 15 Seminar
ORLANDO, Fla. --- Angel investments guru Dave Berkus plans to focus on three integral themes when he conducts an evening seminar sponsored by Maximize Angel Investments Central Florida on Sept. 15 at the Grand Bohemian hotel in downtown Orlando.
“The three most important themes in angel investing are making sensible investments, improving the quality of the company after investing in it, and improving the company’s value in the marketplace,” Berkus said.
Berkus, whose success in angel investing is legendary, plans to conduct the seminar on Sept. 15 at 6 p.m.
Maximize Angel Investments of Central Florida, Inc. hopes to invest millions of dollars in Central Florida startup businesses. The angel investment network has already enlisted more than 30 members who have pledged to invest $50,000 annually in Central Florida enterprises.
For more information about sponsoring the angel investment seminar Sept. 15 or registering, visit www.maxangelinvestments.com.
“The three most important themes in angel investing are making sensible investments, improving the quality of the company after investing in it, and improving the company’s value in the marketplace,” Berkus said.
Berkus, whose success in angel investing is legendary, plans to conduct the seminar on Sept. 15 at 6 p.m.
Maximize Angel Investments of Central Florida, Inc. hopes to invest millions of dollars in Central Florida startup businesses. The angel investment network has already enlisted more than 30 members who have pledged to invest $50,000 annually in Central Florida enterprises.
For more information about sponsoring the angel investment seminar Sept. 15 or registering, visit www.maxangelinvestments.com.
Centex Homes has only three Homes Remaining for Sale at Sterling Meadows in Sanford
ORLANDO, Fla. – Centex Homes has only three homes remaining for sale at Sterling Meadows, located off SR 415 near the intersection of E. SR 46 and East Lake Mary Blvd. in Sanford.
Sean Strickler, vice president of sales for the North Florida division of Centex Homes, said all three homes have two car garages and are ready for immediate move-in.
The Albright is a three-bedroom, two-bath design with 1,710 square feet of living space and features a gourmet kitchen with breakfast nook, priced at $163,342.
The Royale, a two-story home with four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths in 2,509 square feet of living space is priced at $178,119. Special features include an upstairs laundry room and optional gameroom.
The two-story Nautilus with six bedrooms, four baths in 3,514 square feet of living area features five walk-in closets throughout the home and is priced at $204,979.
For more information, visit www.centex.com/orlando or call 877-215-3141.
About Centex Homes
Reliably built, smartly designed and affordable, Centex Homes brings the pride of homeownership to value-conscious buyers in 21 states. As the leading brand for first-time homebuyers looking for just the right home, Centex balances affordability with unique form and function leading to better living. Buyers put themselves in a better place by choosing Centex. For more information about Centex, visit www.centex.com.
About PulteGroup
PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM) based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is America’s premier home building company with operations in 67 markets, 29 states and the District of Columbia. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2010, the Company has an unmatched capacity to meet the needs of all buyer segments through its brand portfolio that includes Pulte Homes, Centex Homes and Del Webb. As the most awarded homebuilder in customer satisfaction, the brands of PulteGroup have consistently ranked among the nation’s top homebuilders as surveyed by third-party, independent national customer satisfaction studies.
For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup brands, see www.pultegroup.com; www.pulte.com; www.centex.com; www.delwebb.com
Sean Strickler, vice president of sales for the North Florida division of Centex Homes, said all three homes have two car garages and are ready for immediate move-in.
The Albright is a three-bedroom, two-bath design with 1,710 square feet of living space and features a gourmet kitchen with breakfast nook, priced at $163,342.
The Royale, a two-story home with four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths in 2,509 square feet of living space is priced at $178,119. Special features include an upstairs laundry room and optional gameroom.
The two-story Nautilus with six bedrooms, four baths in 3,514 square feet of living area features five walk-in closets throughout the home and is priced at $204,979.
For more information, visit www.centex.com/orlando or call 877-215-3141.
About Centex Homes
Reliably built, smartly designed and affordable, Centex Homes brings the pride of homeownership to value-conscious buyers in 21 states. As the leading brand for first-time homebuyers looking for just the right home, Centex balances affordability with unique form and function leading to better living. Buyers put themselves in a better place by choosing Centex. For more information about Centex, visit www.centex.com.
About PulteGroup
PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM) based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is America’s premier home building company with operations in 67 markets, 29 states and the District of Columbia. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2010, the Company has an unmatched capacity to meet the needs of all buyer segments through its brand portfolio that includes Pulte Homes, Centex Homes and Del Webb. As the most awarded homebuilder in customer satisfaction, the brands of PulteGroup have consistently ranked among the nation’s top homebuilders as surveyed by third-party, independent national customer satisfaction studies.
For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup brands, see www.pultegroup.com; www.pulte.com; www.centex.com; www.delwebb.com
CEO Nexus Forum slated for Rollins College Sept. 13, Frantz E. Alphonse, Co-founder of AP Capital Partners is Speaker
ORLANDO, Fla. --- The Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship in collaboration with CEO Nexus and GrowFL, is hosting a CEO Nexus forum Sept. 13 at the Rollins College SunTrust Auditorium in Winter Park from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Steve Quello, president of CEO Nexus, a firm that works with public and private organizations to serve growing businesses, said Frantz E. Alphonse, co-founder and managing partner of AP Capital Partners, will be the featured speaker.
Alphonse will discuss the financial story behind the $200 million sale of Orlando-based ZeroChaos.
The CEO Nexus Forum is open to company CEOs and principals who are leaders of established, second-stage businesses. A question and answer forum will follow Alphonse’s presentation.
For information, to qualify and for reservations contact Quello at info@CEONexus.com or 407-590-6101.
About CFAE
The Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship, located within the Crummer Graduate School of Business, is a catalyst and thought leader in the advancement of successful entrepreneurship. Core to its mission is to prepare the advanced students of the Rollins MBA program for entrepreneurial thought and action. The Center connects students in a meaningful way with advanced entrepreneurs, and likewise, brings together entrepreneurs for peer-to-peer networking. This results in real-world insights providing advanced action learning for both students and entrepreneurs which is critical to the Center’s success. The Rollins MBA Entrepreneurship Program is ranked first in Florida and 22nd in the nation for graduate entrepreneurial education by Entrepreneur Magazine and the Princeton Review.
About CEO Nexus:
CEO Nexus is an organization that works in concert with public and private organizations interested in providing business leaders—owners, CEOs and presidents—with practical tools and techniques designed specifically for growing second-stage companies. Sponsors include the Edward Lowe Foundation, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, the University of Central Florida Office of Research & Commercialization, Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship and GrowFL.
About GrowFL:
The Florida Economic Gardening Institute was created by the 2009 Florida Legislature as the Economic Gardening Technical Assistance Program to stimulate investment in Florida’s economy by providing technical assistance for expanding businesses in the state. Qualified companies must be engaged in the following sectors to receive no-cost technical assistance: Manufacturing; Finance & Insurance Services; Wholesale Trade; Information Industries; Professional, Scientific & Technical Services; Management Services; and, Administrative & Support Services. Additional information is available at www.GrowFL.com.
Steve Quello, president of CEO Nexus, a firm that works with public and private organizations to serve growing businesses, said Frantz E. Alphonse, co-founder and managing partner of AP Capital Partners, will be the featured speaker.
Alphonse will discuss the financial story behind the $200 million sale of Orlando-based ZeroChaos.
The CEO Nexus Forum is open to company CEOs and principals who are leaders of established, second-stage businesses. A question and answer forum will follow Alphonse’s presentation.
For information, to qualify and for reservations contact Quello at info@CEONexus.com or 407-590-6101.
About CFAE
The Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship, located within the Crummer Graduate School of Business, is a catalyst and thought leader in the advancement of successful entrepreneurship. Core to its mission is to prepare the advanced students of the Rollins MBA program for entrepreneurial thought and action. The Center connects students in a meaningful way with advanced entrepreneurs, and likewise, brings together entrepreneurs for peer-to-peer networking. This results in real-world insights providing advanced action learning for both students and entrepreneurs which is critical to the Center’s success. The Rollins MBA Entrepreneurship Program is ranked first in Florida and 22nd in the nation for graduate entrepreneurial education by Entrepreneur Magazine and the Princeton Review.
About CEO Nexus:
CEO Nexus is an organization that works in concert with public and private organizations interested in providing business leaders—owners, CEOs and presidents—with practical tools and techniques designed specifically for growing second-stage companies. Sponsors include the Edward Lowe Foundation, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, the University of Central Florida Office of Research & Commercialization, Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship and GrowFL.
About GrowFL:
The Florida Economic Gardening Institute was created by the 2009 Florida Legislature as the Economic Gardening Technical Assistance Program to stimulate investment in Florida’s economy by providing technical assistance for expanding businesses in the state. Qualified companies must be engaged in the following sectors to receive no-cost technical assistance: Manufacturing; Finance & Insurance Services; Wholesale Trade; Information Industries; Professional, Scientific & Technical Services; Management Services; and, Administrative & Support Services. Additional information is available at www.GrowFL.com.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Promotes Amy Phillips to Marketing Manager
ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, LLC, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, recently promoted Amy Phillips to marketing manager.
Lonnie Peterson, chairman at Cuhaci & Peterson Architects said Phillips joined the firm six years ago as marketing coordinator.
Phillips is a graduate of the University of Central Florida.
Lonnie Peterson, chairman at Cuhaci & Peterson Architects said Phillips joined the firm six years ago as marketing coordinator.
Phillips is a graduate of the University of Central Florida.
HOTEL INDUSTRY VETERAN MIKE MASON LAUNCHES ZENTILA
Groundbreaking new company offers first-ever online booking engine to meeting planners
ORLANDO, Fla., – Mike Mason, a 25-year veteran of the hospitality industry, has launched Zentila, a revolutionary online platform for hotels and meeting planners to conduct business more efficiently.
Zentila, a sales solution for hotels, is the first-ever online booking engine specifically focused on short-term meetings or STMs, which are meetings booked within 90 days of the arrival date. Beyond providing a user-friendly application to search and source pre-qualified venues, Zentila offers access exclusively to the top upscale and luxury meeting hotels in the country, which already capture 85 percent of the STMs. The company also promises planners a three-hour bid turnaround time versus the traditional three to four days it currently takes planners to search and source.
“Not only does Zentila make it easier for meeting planners to get their jobs done, it drives incremental business to hotels within a time period that has traditionally been difficult to sell against,” said Mike Mason, founder and ZEO of Zentila. “The demand was there, but the hotel’s ability to sell against it was not. And, Zentila offers hotels an advantage they’ve never had before, which is the ability to see who they’re competing against before they make their offer to the planner. That’s an invaluable tool for them to be able to make better sales decisions.”
The Secret is in the Offer
A key component of the Zentila business model is called the Secret Offer. Here’s how it works: planners create their meeting request and select the specific hotels they want to work with. When hotels respond, the planner will not see the hotel names, but only the meeting package. They will know, though, that the bids they receive back are only from those hotels they have personally pre-selected. The Secret Offer appeals to meeting planners shopping multiple hotels for the best package versus a specific brand while at the same time, creating new opportunities for hotels. In addition, the short-term booking window means hotels can have the confidence to offer their best deal upfront, knowing that planners are ready to book and not just rate-shopping. And because the hotel bids that aren’t chosen remain confidential, there is no worry about losing a competitive edge.
Other compelling features of Zentila include:
• “Search, Source and Book,” a dynamic RFP builder with full drag-and-drop functionality, the first of its kind, that enables planners to go from needing a venue to having one in three hours or less.
• A “search engine with a brain” that delivers 100 percent relevant results because there’s no advertising. The site also features interactive filtering that was crafted from planner feedback, such as landmark distance that is measured in time instead of miles, last-renovated date, and sleeping room size. Not only does this significantly shorten sourcing time but planners report that it’s easy-to-use and fun.
• The ability to “Zoot,” a Twitter-like function that assists planners in their hotel and destination research by connecting them directly to other planners.
• Access to “Zenalyitics,” which is information provided to hotels to help them make better decisions. For example, Zentila will provide competitive set data on every lead, will let the hotels know where a meeting was booked, and will ensure that the booking cycle is complete. They’ll also see macro trends relating to their performance on Zentila.
Available free to meeting planners, Zentila’s hotel customers will participate via different membership levels as well as a fixed fee for each room booked and actualized. “We’re the first technology to focus specifically on this growing channel,” said Mason. “We’re revolutionizing how things are done with a game-changing platform that consolidates searching, sourcing, and purchasing down to as little as three hours, which is unprecedented. Planners can now go from needing a site to having one in less than a day. It’s planning Zen.”
The Journey to Zentila
Based in Winter Garden, Fla., Zentila is the brainchild of hospitality industry veteran Mike Mason, who identified a window of sales opportunity for hotels that was potentially lucrative, but difficult to sell against. In an effort to capitalize on the growing trend to book Short Term Meetings (STMs), namely 90 days or less from when the meeting would actually take place, he set out on a journey to create an easier path between hotels and planners. The result is the first-ever online booking engine for meetings that also acts as a sales solution for hotels. For more information, visit www.zentila.com or call (407) 656-5683.
ORLANDO, Fla., – Mike Mason, a 25-year veteran of the hospitality industry, has launched Zentila, a revolutionary online platform for hotels and meeting planners to conduct business more efficiently.
Zentila, a sales solution for hotels, is the first-ever online booking engine specifically focused on short-term meetings or STMs, which are meetings booked within 90 days of the arrival date. Beyond providing a user-friendly application to search and source pre-qualified venues, Zentila offers access exclusively to the top upscale and luxury meeting hotels in the country, which already capture 85 percent of the STMs. The company also promises planners a three-hour bid turnaround time versus the traditional three to four days it currently takes planners to search and source.
“Not only does Zentila make it easier for meeting planners to get their jobs done, it drives incremental business to hotels within a time period that has traditionally been difficult to sell against,” said Mike Mason, founder and ZEO of Zentila. “The demand was there, but the hotel’s ability to sell against it was not. And, Zentila offers hotels an advantage they’ve never had before, which is the ability to see who they’re competing against before they make their offer to the planner. That’s an invaluable tool for them to be able to make better sales decisions.”
The Secret is in the Offer
A key component of the Zentila business model is called the Secret Offer. Here’s how it works: planners create their meeting request and select the specific hotels they want to work with. When hotels respond, the planner will not see the hotel names, but only the meeting package. They will know, though, that the bids they receive back are only from those hotels they have personally pre-selected. The Secret Offer appeals to meeting planners shopping multiple hotels for the best package versus a specific brand while at the same time, creating new opportunities for hotels. In addition, the short-term booking window means hotels can have the confidence to offer their best deal upfront, knowing that planners are ready to book and not just rate-shopping. And because the hotel bids that aren’t chosen remain confidential, there is no worry about losing a competitive edge.
Other compelling features of Zentila include:
• “Search, Source and Book,” a dynamic RFP builder with full drag-and-drop functionality, the first of its kind, that enables planners to go from needing a venue to having one in three hours or less.
• A “search engine with a brain” that delivers 100 percent relevant results because there’s no advertising. The site also features interactive filtering that was crafted from planner feedback, such as landmark distance that is measured in time instead of miles, last-renovated date, and sleeping room size. Not only does this significantly shorten sourcing time but planners report that it’s easy-to-use and fun.
• The ability to “Zoot,” a Twitter-like function that assists planners in their hotel and destination research by connecting them directly to other planners.
• Access to “Zenalyitics,” which is information provided to hotels to help them make better decisions. For example, Zentila will provide competitive set data on every lead, will let the hotels know where a meeting was booked, and will ensure that the booking cycle is complete. They’ll also see macro trends relating to their performance on Zentila.
Available free to meeting planners, Zentila’s hotel customers will participate via different membership levels as well as a fixed fee for each room booked and actualized. “We’re the first technology to focus specifically on this growing channel,” said Mason. “We’re revolutionizing how things are done with a game-changing platform that consolidates searching, sourcing, and purchasing down to as little as three hours, which is unprecedented. Planners can now go from needing a site to having one in less than a day. It’s planning Zen.”
The Journey to Zentila
Based in Winter Garden, Fla., Zentila is the brainchild of hospitality industry veteran Mike Mason, who identified a window of sales opportunity for hotels that was potentially lucrative, but difficult to sell against. In an effort to capitalize on the growing trend to book Short Term Meetings (STMs), namely 90 days or less from when the meeting would actually take place, he set out on a journey to create an easier path between hotels and planners. The result is the first-ever online booking engine for meetings that also acts as a sales solution for hotels. For more information, visit www.zentila.com or call (407) 656-5683.
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