M/I Homes names Ron Utterback Sales Manager

ORLANDO, Fla. — M/I Homes has appointed veteran home building executive Ron Utterback sales manager in the Orlando region. David Byrnes, area president for M/I Homes, said Utterback has more than 30 years of experience in real estate and homebuilding sales, including 22 years of executive sales and marketing experience in central Florida. Utterback attended Ohio State University. He has served as a sales executive at homebuilders Lennar, Ryland Homes and Levitt & Sons. “Ron Utterback is one of the most experienced senior sales executives in the homebuilding industry in Florida and we are delighted he has joined the M/I Homes team,” Byrnes said.

Excel Recruiting Management Corp Graduates from UCF Business Incubation Program, Earns Major Recruiting Contract

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Excel Recruiting Management Corp., which recruits specialized technology professionals, recently earned a major recruiting contract with a Central Florida engineering firm and graduated from the University of Central Florida’s Business Incubation Program. Mark Piccini, vice president of operations at Excel Recruiting, said the contract calls for Excel to exclusively staff up to 50 new software and electrical engineers for an Orlando engineering services firm at their brand new facility. “This new client partnership is a perfect fit for our business model,” Piccini said. “We focus on versatility, quick turn-around times and providing highly qualified individuals in a variety of technical roles, and our new client aims to expand rapidly in the Orlando market,” Piccini explained. At the same time, Excel Recruiting Management is proud to announce their recent graduation from the UCF Business Incubation Program (UCFBIP). Excel Recruiting is headquartered in Orlando and their gaming division, Excel Gaming, has an office in Las Vegas. The continued growth of Excel’s Gaming Division, which recruits game designers, developers and software engineers, also led the way to graduation from the UCF Business Incubation Program. Jay Weaver, vice president of Gaming Solutions at Excel, said Excel Recruiting and Excel Gaming provide contract, temp-to-hire and direct-hire services to leading companies world-wide, with a focus on Information Technology, Gaming Technology, Casino and Hospitality Operations, Simulation and Training and Aerospace and Defense Engineering. “Graduating from the UCF Business Incubator is a wonderful accomplishment for our team. It is a testament to the tremendous job we do for our employers and candidates every day. Our focus has always been on offering the highest quality recruiting services and our company’s growth is a welcome by-product of our team’s hard work and dedication,” Weaver said. Excel recently unveiled a newly revamped website at www.ExcelRecruiting.com.

Meritage Homes names Rick Miles construction manager for Parkside Community

ORLANDO, Fla. – Meritage Homes has appointed Rick Miles construction manager to direct construction efforts at its Parkside community in southwest Orlando. Brian Kittle, vice president at Meritage Homes, said Miles has more than 15 years of experience in the homebuilding industry and was formerly a construction manager with another national homebuilder in Florida.

Technology Assurance Labs LLC Launches Tank Monitoring Tool for $10 Billion U.S. Propane Gas Industry

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Technology Assurance Labs LLC in Orlando has launched a low-cost, wide-area tank monitoring device that promises significant efficiencies for the nation’s $10 billion propane gas industry. Ken Stauffer, Co-Founder at Technology Assurance Labs, said the device---dubbed OWL, for Overhead Wireless Logic System--- automatically logs the volume of fuel in the tank and transmits the information to the dealer. The radio sensor is economical enough to be worthwhile for smaller residential propane tanks. It pays for itself in a couple of saved truck rolls. “With OWL, dealers can schedule deliveries in real time, when fuel is actually needed,” Stauffer said. Traditionally, dealers schedule routine deliveries based on historic usage. If usage suddenly increases, the customer’s tank may run dry, shutting down the customer’s operation. If usage decreases, the provider wastes time and fuel with an unnecessary delivery attempt. Garry Lovelace, Vice President of Lovelace Gas Service said “I’ve deployed OWL on propane tanks at both my commercial and residential accounts. Tank monitoring is great, but OWL has taken tank monitoring to the next level with its GIS tank mapping and graphical capabilities.” Tank data is stored in the cloud and presented in the office or in the field through a web-based SaaS portal on computers, tablets, or phones. It can also be integrated into popular back office systems such as ADDS, Blue Cow and K&K. As Garry Lovelace says, “I can now offer a “virtual gas metering service”. My customers enjoy not having to pay for a full tank of gas, and I enjoy being able to fill the tank when we’re on that route. OWL provides a more even cash flow for both my customers and me, and allows me to maintain monthly contact with my customers. It is also a great sales tool to gain new customers.” “OWL is a win-win-win solution for dealers, customers, and the economy,” Stauffer said. “All three entities will realize savings,” he said. Technology Assurance Labs is a graduate of and an anchor tenant in the UCF Business Incubator in the Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County.

Winston James Development reports lease expansion at Aloma Business Center in Winter Park

WINTER PARK, Fla. – New Horizons, a company that installs outdoor living areas and screened-in patios, recently expanded its space at Aloma Business Center by 937 square feet. Winston Schwartz, president of Winston James Development, which owns Aloma Business Center located on Aloma Ave. near the Greeneway (SR 417), said New Horizons now leases 2,000 square feet of space at Aloma Business Center.

Royal Oak Homes Starts Construction in New Phase of Hammock Trails in Kissimmee

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Royal Oak Homes, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, recently started construction of single family homes priced from the $170s in Phase 2 at Hammock Trails located on Ham Brown Road off 17-92 in Kissimmee. Matt Orosz, co-president of Royal Oak Homes, said there are 130 home sites in the new phase for three, four and five-bedroom single family homes. New Royal Oak homes at Hammock Trails range in size from 1,800 square feet of living space to 3,300 square feet and are priced from the $170s to $230,000. Orosz said two model homes are underway in the new phase – The Monica that offers 1,927 square feet of living area and the Valencia with 2,768 square feet. Both models should be complete and ready for touring by May, said Orosz. 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.

Stonegate Golf Club at Solivita Gets the Jump on Christmas with Special Party for Kissimmee HOME Kids and Moms

Kissimmee, Fla. --- Stonegate Golf Club Executive Chef Anukul at Solivita in Kissimmee and seven-year-old Lily Rahmani hosted an afternoon party for 18 invited mothers and 32 children of Kissimmee’s HOME shelter for homeless children and their mothers. Arto Rahmani, general manager at Stonegate Golf Club, said it was Lily’s wish for her birthday this year to spend it with kids who are less fortunate, and provide them gifts and fun activities and entertainment. Arto Rahmani said Executive Chef Anukul and Lily share the same birthday and together they decided to host the event. They greeted the moms and children along with Food and Beverage Director Rob Castillo and Banquet Sous Chef Marty Wright. A tasteful meal hot off the grille was provided to all 50 guests. Both Lily and Chef Anukul led a four-hour fun day that included face painting and snow cones with M&M Balloon and D&J Entertainment and played freeze dance, musical chairs and red light green light. Their moms were treated to a session of Zumba dancing. HOME, which stands for ”helping others make the effort” has a goal to break the cycle of homelessness by providing housing and life skills to homeless women and their children. “The smiles on the children’s faces were just priceless, I am very pleased with the outcome and all the effort my team gave to make this event successful,” General Manager Rahmani said.

Two Celebration Golf Management communities named to 55 Places List of Top 25 U.S. Retirement communities

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Kings Ridge in Clermont and Solivita in Kissimmee were both named among the nation’s Top 25 retirement communities by the website “55 Places,” a leading U.S. referral resource for retiring adults. Kenny Nairn, chief operating officer at Celebration Golf Management, said the firm owns the Kings Ridge Golf Club and manages the Stonegate Golf Club at Solivita. Both golf clubs offer 36-hole courses. “The 55 Places list is based on community value considering overall costs, amenities and lifestyle,” Nairn said. “We are very proud to be a part of that mix and we certainly value the communities that support our golf clubs,” he said.

Candace Crowe Design to Provide Specialized Marketing Services for Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon, TV Star

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Candace Crowe Design, which provides technology-based marketing services to plastic and reconstructive surgery practices throughout the U.S., earned a contract to provide specialized services to Beverly Hills plastic surgery practice Nassif MD and its Medical Director Paul S. Nassif, M.D., a board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Candace Crowe, President and Creative Director at Candace Crowe Design, said Dr. Nassif has appeared on such programs as the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Dr. 90210, and is developing a new television series that focuses on revision surgery. Candace Crowe Design earned a contract to provide Nassif MD with a new content management system (CMS) to help doctors provide their patients an immersive, multi-channel educational experience. Nassif MD surgeons can use the REVENEZ 1 CMS software to maintain its digital content, such as before and after images, along with educational videos, services and patient reviews from a single dashboard. “I chose REVENEZ 1 because of the way my before and after photos and the educational videos look when displayed on the iPad, my website and my Facebook page. Increased patient understanding is a benefit that promotes much-appreciated better ratings,” Dr. Nassif explained. “Seamless integration into existing websites, and through unique page tabs on the client's Facebook page creates additional opportunities for lead generation,” Crowe said. “If a practice can increase their booking percentage by even just 5%, it makes a huge difference in profitability,” said Dr. Nassif. REVENEZ 1 can also display interactive content on large wall-mounted touch screens such as the HP TouchSmart, Crowe said. “The program is very polished, and doctors need to know about it,” said Dr. Nassif. Candace Crowe Design is a client company with the UCF Business Incubation Program at the Central Florida Research Park in East Orange County.

Del Webb Southshore Falls in Apollo Beach introduces new Sawgrass floor plan with optional outdoor kitchen

TAMPA, Fla. --- Del Webb Southshore Falls in Apollo Beach has introduced the new Sawgrass floor plan priced from $166,990 in the Shore Villas series with two bedrooms, two baths and a host of options. Sean Strickler, vice president of sales for Del Webb Southshore Falls in Apollo Beach, said the iconic active adult community plans to build a total of 63 new Shore Villas in four distinctive floor plans that range from 1,363 square feet of living space to 1,650 square feet priced from $157,990. The Sawgrass floor plan offers 1,441 to 1,580 square feet of living space, a covered lanai or an optional sunroom with a patio and an optional patio extension, optional outdoor kitchen, an expanded indoor kitchen, and an optional seat in the master shower. Del Webb Southshore Falls also offers single-family homes in four designs ranging from 1,730 to 2,278 square feet of living space and ranging in price from $211,990 to $231,990. Single-family homes feature two to three bedrooms and two bathrooms on 50-foot home sites. The community features a 14,000-square foot Wellspring Club with its Seven Seas Grand Ballroom, heated tropical lagoon-style swimming pool, auxiliary pool, resistance swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, tennis, pickleball and bocce ball courts, putting green, billiards room, Internet café, library, card room, arts and crafts room and a multitude of social clubs. Del Webb Southshore Falls offers an explore program featuring overnight accommodations in a fully-stocked and furnished villa with full access to amenities, two complimentary bicycles to use for the duration of the reservation and complimentary dinner vouchers. Three models open daily. For more information, contact the sales center at 866-813-4712.