Sales booming for Royal Oak Homes during first three months of year, 92 sales at $19 million

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Royal Oak Homes, based in Baldwin Park reported a record 92 sales in the first three months of 2013 valued at more than $19 million. Steve Orosz, co-president of Royal Oak Homes, with his brother Matt, said Royal Oak Homes is currently active in six communities but plans at least four more this year including communities in Minneola, Winter Garden, St. Cloud and Davenport. The company is on pace to meet a goal their 274 closings in 2013. The average price of a home by Royal Oak is $204,000. 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.

Ryland Homes Team Takes up Kitchen Duties at Trinity Café to Help Feed Tampa Bay’s Homeless

TAMPA, Fla. --- Ryland Homes in the Tampa Bay area set aside their business suits and their work boots recently to pitch in and help Trinity Café in downtown Tampa feed some of the area’s homeless. Mike Finley, vice president of sales and marketing for the Tampa Bay division of Ryland Homes, said the experience proved personally rewarding for all involved but also makes for good business. “It was a privilege to help in any way we can for such a meaningful cause,” Finley explained. “In addition, the experience was a good team-building exercise. Taking a break from our normal workday to help others is a great way to spend time together as a team,” Finley said. Six Ryland Tampa professionals worked diligently four hours at Trinity Café. Sales professionals, department managers, clerical staff, accountants and construction team worked side by side through the day. “This is what a community is all about,” Finley said. “We work together, we help each other, and we make our community better one meal at a time,” he said. Finley, who joined Ryland Homes in Tampa this year, serves as the Treasurer of the Sales and Marketing Council of the Tampa Bay Builders Association. Ryland Homes builds single-family homes and town homes in 18 Tampa Bay communities priced starting from the low $100s to the mid-$300s.

Celebration Golf Management Eyes Big Change for Wounded Veterans

CELEBRATION, Fla. -- Celebration Golf Management will launch “Change for Wounded Warriors” at all of the golf courses it owns and manages in the Central Florida area. Kenny Nairn, chief operating officer and executive vice president of golf, said Celebration Golf Management hopes “Change for Wounded Warriors” will raise several thousand dollars this summer to support wounded U.S. veterans. “Change for Wounded Warriors” is deceptively simple and very effective,” Nairn explained “I’m proud to be personally involved in fundraising efforts for our wounded veterans.” Nairn, a Scottish PGA golf professional, is a board member of the Fairways for Warriors Foundation, a charitable organization that provides golf lessons and outings to help rehabilitate wounded service men and women. Celebration Golf Management will post point-of-sale “Round Up” posters and collection jars in each of its golf shops, restaurants and taverns asking patrons to “Round Up” change to contribute to the Wounded Warriors program. “We have tried this out and our patrons respond enthusiastically,” Nairn said. “We all own a debt of gratitude to our veterans and especially to our wounded veterans,” Nairn said. Nairn said Celebration Golf Management offers a wide range of golf incentives for wounded veterans, including free or heavily discounted golf outings and lessons. For more information, visit www.fairwaysforwarriors.org. Celebration Golf Management owns or operates golf clubs at Celebration, The Golden Bear Club in Windermere, Kings Ridge Golf Club and Legends Golf Club in Clermont, Stoneybrook West in Winter Garden, Eagle Creek Golf Club in East Orlando, Stonegate Golf Club at Solivita in Kissimmee and Redtail Golf Club in Sorrento.

Florida Business Incubation Assn. extremely proud of two members winning several big international awards

Orlando, Fla. --The Florida Business Incubation Association (FBIA), a professional network that supports business incubators and economic development throughout Florida, is very proud of two of its members, UF Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator and the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program, which at the recent National Business Incubation Association 2013 International Conference won several international awards. The UF Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator won two awards -- the Dinah Adkins Incubator of the Year award for incubators with a technology focus, followed by the highest award, the Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year, for overall excellence. In the process, they topped incubators more than twice their size, such as the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corp. The UCF Business Incubation Program won the 2013 Incubator Network award and won over another great network of incubators in the US, the Purdue Technology Centers, in Indiana. UCFBIP is a university-driven community partnership that includes nine business incubators in Central Florida. Its mission is to provide early-stage companies with the tools, training and infrastructure to create financially stable, high-growth enterprises that lead to positive economic impact within local communities. Dr. Tom O’Neal, president of the Florida Business Incubation Assn. and executive director of the UCF Business Incubation Program in Orlando, is extremely pleased, and said it has never occurred that two different incubation programs from Florida achieved so many NBIA awards for the programs themselves. "Normally it is our excellent clients and graduates that bring home many NBIA awards," Dr. O'Neal said. "This symbolizes that the Florida incubators really know what they are doing, the quality of the business climate here, and the high level of support for our entrepreneurs, giving them solid ground to develop and flourish."

First Green Bank Reports Assets Valued at $225 million in March, offering tops $5 million

MOUNT DORA, Fla. --- First Green Bank, based in Lake County, reported its bank assets total more than $225 million as of March 31, 2013. Kenneth LaRoe, chairman of First Green Bank, said First Green Bancorp’s first stock offering has raised more than $5 million so far and he expects to reach the $10 million mark before the offering closes June 30. First Green Bank marked the official opening of its downtown Orlando branch with a cocktail reception on Thursday, April 11. The bank, which opened in February 17, 2009, now has branch facilities in Clermont, Ormond Beach, and downtown Orlando. The bank’s award-winning LEED certified headquarters facility on U.S. 441 in Mount Dora helped rank First Green Bank as one of America’s greenest banks, according to the American Bankers Association.

NAI Realvest negotiates industrial leases in airport area totaling 13,500 square feet including SimCom simulator training renewal

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated two lease agreements for industrial space in the airport area – a renewal of 12,000 square feet and a new lease of 1,500 square feet. Michael Heidrich, a principal at NAI Realvest represented landlord Parkline Properties, LLC of Columbus, Ohio in negotiating the renewal of units 1 through 3 occupied by SimCom Inc. a simulator training firm in the industrial center at 8350 Parkline Blvd. off Jetport Drive west of Orlando International Airport. Heidrich represented landlord Airport Investment Properties LLC, also based in Columbus, in a new lease agreement with Milsav LLC d/b/a Metro Now for 1,500 square feet in Unit 100-H at Airport Industrial Center, 7480 Narcoossee Road, just northeast of the airport.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Leases at South Park Business Center with Special Effects Studio and Events, Marketing Firm totaling 3,660 Square Feet

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated new and renewal leases for 1,830 square feet each at South Park Business Center, a flex, office and warehouse center at 8600 Commodity Circle in Orlando. Tom R. Kelley II, CCIM, principal at NAI Realvest and associate Chris Adams, negotiated a new lease on behalf of the Miami-based landlord South Park, LLC. for suite 111 at South Park. The new tenant is Exhilarate, LLC, an events and marketing firm Kelley represented the same landlord in a renewal lease agreement with Blue Whale Studios, Inc. a full service make up and special effects studio and motion picture producer who occupies Suite 102 at South Park.

ASHTON WOODS HOMES HAS 11 HOME SITES REMAINING AT OAKLAND PARK NEAR WINTER GARDEN

MAITLAND, Fla. --- Ashton Woods Homes’ community of Oakland Park, located off Plant Street near Winter Garden is nearly sold out. Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing at Ashton Woods Homes, said only 11 home sites remain in the community where the homebuilder offers homes ranging from 1,971 square feet of living area to 4,000 square feet in three, four and five bedroom designs and prices starting from $279,990. Ashton Woods Homes is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies, with operations in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Killeen, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, Sarasota, Raleigh and Tampa. Recently named the #1 Most Trusted Homebuilder in America in the Lifestory Research Most Trusted Builders in America Study SM, Ashton Woods is known throughout the industry for building homes with award-winning designs that inspire, and offering homebuyers a high level of personalization options. Ashton Woods is also the only builder to nationally utilize the Environments for Living Platinum Program, a program that certifies the energy efficient status of our homes.

ICI Homes Names New Sales Consultant for Live Oak Estates Community in Southeast Orlando

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. --- ICI Homes, has appointed Lisa “Kay” Wright a new home sales consultant for its community Live Oak Estates in southeast Orlando. Rosemary Messina, vice president of sales and marketing for ICI Homes said Wright has more than 13 years of experience in sales and the homebuilding industry. She formerly worked for U.S. Home and Lennar Homes. Wright has been a resident of Orlando for more than 27 years.

ONLY 19 HOME SITES REMAIN FOR SALE AT BELLA TERRA IN ESTERO

Fort Myers, Fla. --- Only 19 home sites remain for sale at Bella Terra, Lennar’s gated community of Executive homes located on Messino Court just south of Corkscrew Rd. three miles East of I-75. Matt Devereaux, vice president of sales and marketing for Lennar in southwest Florida, said Bella Terra has grown into one of Lennar’s most popular and prestigious communities. New three, four and five-bedroom Executive homes in five elegant floor plans were inspired by beautiful northern Italian-style architecture, Devereaux said. New Executive series homes at Bella Terra range from 1,677 square feet of living area to 3,231 square feet priced from the $200s. All Lennar Executive Homes come with the homebuilder’s “Everything’s Included” pledge: extras such as granite kitchen countertops, wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, crown molding and tile are all included in one Lennar Homes price. Bella Terra features a private park and lake pond, a community center and clubhouse with state-of-the-art fitness center, swimming pool, tennis and volleyball court, a basketball court, a children’s playground, and a tot lot. Visit www.lennar.com.