CEO of AceApplications Shares His Inspirational Story to Encourage Students to “Dream Big and Work Hard”

Orlando, Fla. -- Courtney Powell, president and CEO of AceApplications, an Orlando software development and IT consulting firm, had to make his own toys growing up in Jamaica because his family couldn’t afford to buy any. But he didn’t let that stop him from achieving his dreams of going to college and becoming a successful businessman. Powell recently shared his story with students at Liberty Middle School’s Digital Festival commemorating Black History month. Powell graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in electrical engineering and earned his MBA from Rollins College. He worked as a software engineer for Lockheed Martin and Director of Technology for CNL Financial Group before starting AceApplications. Drawing from his life as a child growing up in Jamaica, Powell explained that it’s not about how you start, but how well you finish. He impressed upon the students to dream big, and to work hard to achieve their goals. Powell serves on the City of Orlando’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, and shared with the students how Dr. King didn’t let earning a “C” in speech class stop him from being one of the world’s greatest orators. Liberty Spanish Teacher Alexandra Moa said Powell’s speech “really motivated our students, parents and staff. It helped them realize the value of college and career dreams and that obstacles can be overcome.” Powell regularly gives of his time and experience to inspire children to “dream big”. He is a key sponsor of Collegiate Pathways programs such as Tech Sassy Girlz. In 2010, in partnership with the Orlando Magic and Kia Motors, Bright House Networks and Hunt Construction, AceApplications provided the technical expertise to put a state-of-the-art computer lab in Nap Ford Community School in Orlando. AceApplications delivers software applications and projects for businesses and agencies. Local clients include Orlando International Airport, Central Florida Expressway Authority, Central Florida Research Park and OCPS schools. The company is a client of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in the Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County.

NAI Realvest Earns “Top 10” CoStar Power Broker Awards for Commercial Real Estate Sales, Leasing and Industrial Broker for 2014

ORLANDO, Fla. --- NAI Realvest, one of Central Florida’s most active commercial property leasing, sales and management companies, recently was ranked among the top 10 commercial real estate firms in the Orlando area by CoStar Group, Inc. Michael Heidrich, a principal at NAI Realvest, was named one of the Top 10 CoStar Power Brokers in the region for Industrial Property Leasing in 2014. NAI Realvest earned two more spots on CoStar 2014 Top Ten Power Broker list in Orlando – in both the Leasing and Sales categories – according to Managing Director Robin Webb. CoStar Group, the nation’s leading real estate information company, ranks real estate companies based on transaction volume and dollar value. Recipients of the 2014 CoStar Power Broker™ Awards are recognized as professionals who perform at the highest levels in commercial real estate brokerage CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP) is the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces.

Lennar Unveils Three New One and Two-Story Model Homes at Lakeside in Pasco County

TAMPA, Florida – Lennar recently opened three new one and two-story model homes including the homebuilder’s Welcome Home Center at Lakeside its newest Pasco County community located on Newport Shores Drive in Hudson. Mark Metheny, division president in the Tampa Bay region, said Lennar has 288 single-family homesites – some with pond views – in this phase of Lakeside for new homes that boast three to six bedrooms, two to four full baths plus two or three-car garages. Potential homebuyers have been touring Lennar’s newly completed and decorated models -- The Hamilton, The Sedgewick and The Buckingham in the Lakeside Estates section -- The Hamilton model, a single story plan with 2,032 square feet, four bedrooms, three full baths, a covered patio and two-car garage; The Sedgewick, a two-story design with three bedrooms, a loft, two-and-a-half baths in 2,352 square feet with a two car garage; and The Buckingham, also a two-story home with 3,711 square feet of living area, four bedrooms, a study, bonus room, three full bathrooms, second-floor laundry room and three-car tandem garage. Lennar has four different product lines to fit most every lifestyle at the community: Lakeside Villas, with 1,337 to 1,501 square feet of living area; Lakeside Manors ranging from 1,810 to 2,561 square feet, Lakeside Estates with 1,721 square feet of living space to 3,889 square feet and Lakeside Executive homes that range from 2,267 to 4,259 square feet of living area. A total of 21 floor plans are available to choose. All new homes Lennar builds at Lakeside come with the homebuilder’s Everything’s Included® pledge: a wide range of GE energy smart appliances, luxury features and upgrades, all at the one low Lennar Homes price. For more information about Lakeside visit www.Lennar.com/Tampa.

Royal Oak Homes Completes Amenity Center at Marbella in Davenport

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Royal Oak Homes, one of the fastest-growing and most active homebuilders in Central Florida, recently completed construction of an amenity center at Marbella, the gated single-family home community located east of U.S. 27 off North Blvd. in Davenport. Matt Orosz, co-president of Royal Oak Homes, said the $600,000 amenity center includes a community cabana with playground, tennis court, basketball court, and storage for the HOA. “Royal Oak Homes purchased Marbella from a distressed position, and many of the existing residents never believed the amenity center that was originally promised would come to fruition,” Orosz said, “We were excited to help complete the original vision for the community.” Royal Oak is building three to six-bedroom homes in seven distinct floor plans at Marbella, priced from $177,999 to $227,999. Orosz said Marbella’s location near Disney, shopping and dining opportunities and the Davenport School of Arts appeals to tourism industry professionals, young families and vacation home investors alike. Two Royal Oak model homes are open daily at Marbella. For more information, visit www.royaloakhomes/marbella or telephone 863-207-0229 or 407-283-3672

Hold-Thyssen Negotiates New Long-Term Lease of 10,000+ Square Feet to PACE Center for Girls relocating to Counsel Square in New Port Richey

TAMPA, Fla. --- Carol L. Kinnard, transaction specialist at Hold-Thyssen, Inc., a commercial real estate services firm, recently negotiated a six-year lease agreement for 10,450 rentable square feet to house an educational facility at Counsel Square II in New Port Richey. Kinnard, who represents the landlord at Counsel Square II, said new tenant PACE Center for Girls, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 corporation that leased the space to relocate from Hudson. PACE (Practical Academic Cultural Education) provides a non-residential delinquency prevention program at locations statewide and accepts referrals from the juvenile justice system, schools and families. Professionals at the location will be conducting alternative educational, social and counseling programs focused on adolescent girls. Other tenants at Counsel Square include Pasco County Sheriff’s Child Protection Team and Psychological Management Group, PA, who have been tenants there for over 10 and 15 years respectively, Kinnard said. Hold-Thyssen, Inc. provides commercial property and leasing and management services to institutional and private investor clients nationwide. The 40-year old firm’s current portfolio includes more than100 commercial properties throughout the United States.

Life Skills Institute President Certified as Family Mediator by Florida Supreme Court

Kissimmee, Fla. -- Dr. Wanda Bonet-Gascot (“DrW”), president of the DrW® Life Skills Institute in Kissimmee has been certified as a Family Mediator by the Florida Supreme Court. DrW fulfilled all the requirements provided by the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure for Certified and Court Appointed Mediators and will be serving Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit Court. “Mediation is a process in which a neutral third party – a mediator – assists disputing parties to bridge their differences and find a mutually acceptable solution,” DrW said. Judges in Family Courts often refer couples to mediation as an alternative to divorce court. Family mediation aims at resolving disputes in a collaborative, creative, efficient way where everyone wins, she explained. DrW is also a certified life coach who teaches emotional intelligence skills at DrW® Life Skills Institute which is a client member of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program’s Kissimmee incubator For more information on DRW Coaching School, please visit: www.drwinstitute.org

Emerson International closes New Leases for office space totaling over 8,300 square feet at three of its Office Developments in Orlando area

Altamonte Springs, Fla. -- Emerson International recently negotiated three long-term lease agreements for Class A office space that totals more than 8,374 rentable square feet at its office developments in southwest Orlando, Maitland and Altamonte Springs. Kenneth Koch, director of leasing for Emerson International, completed a lease agreement for 6,440 square feet at 2600 Maitland Center Parkway. The new tenant is Flip.to, a firm that reaches out to travelers to boost brand awareness for hotels. The tenant was represented by Mark Harkins of Harkins Commercial. Koch also negotiated a new lease at Major Center Plaza I on Major Blvd. in Southwest Orlando with Guidance Realty who will occupy 1,089 square feet Leasing Associate Zac Starkey negotiated the lease of 845 square feet with tenant Movari Marketing at Emerson International’s CenterPointe Office Park in Altamonte Springs.

Royal Oak Homes Readies Last Phase at Hammock Trails in Kissimmee

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Royal Oak Homes, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, completed development of its third and final phase at Hammock Trails with 124 single-family homesites located on Big Timber Drive off of Highway 17-92 in Kissimmee. Hammock Trails has been one of the fastest selling new home communities in Osceola County for the past two years, according to Matt Orosz, co-president of Royal Oak Homes. One and two-story homes with four, five and six-bedrooms in Royal Oak’s new phase at Hammock Trails come in seven distinct floor plans priced from approximately $195,000 to $250,000 and range in size from 1,817 square feet of living space to 3,231 square feet, Orosz said. 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 17 active communities in the region.

Ryland Homes Started Sales of New Homes at Limehouse Villas in Summerville

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. -- Ryland Homes recently started sales of three and four-bedroom single-family homes at Limehouse Villas, an intimate community of just 23 homesites off Limehouse Drive and Palermo Ave. in Summerville. Gayle Jinks, vice president of sales and marketing at Ryland Homes in the Charleston area, said the homebuilder recently completed a model home at Limehouse Villas – The Hartwell – that will premiered at a grand opening at the community the end of April. The two-story Hartwell model home has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths plus a sunroom in 1,666 square feet of living space plus a two-car garage, priced from $182,000. Jinks said Ryland Homes is offering five distinct one and two-story floor plans at Limehouse Villas that range in size from 1,172 square feet of living space to 2,250 square feet, priced from $163,000 to $199,000. Limehouse Villas is a natural gas community. It’s situated in the Dorchester II school district and minutes from shopping, dining, employment centers and offers easy access to major arterial highways and Charleston International Airport. Visit www.ryland.com or contact Leigh Mason at the Limehouse Villas sales office: (843) 851-0279

M/I Homes Names Eric Sergi Vice President of Operations

LAKE MARY, Fla. – M/I Homes has named Eric Sergi vice president of operations in the Orlando area. David Byrnes, area president of M/I Homes, said Sergi has more than 20 years of experience in commercial and residential construction. Sergi worked in his family’s commercial construction business while attending Boston College where he majored in business. In Florida Sergi worked on several projects in management positions with construction companies. He was with Lennar for several years, then he launched his own business with a partner in the restoration and refurbishing of hospitals in second and third world countries. In his new role as vice president of operations for M/I Homes Sergi will provide assistance to the area president in day-to-day activities that include all aspects of construction, managing vendors, project scheduling, purchasing and warranty for all communities in the central Florida area.