Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Data Transfer Solutions, LLC names Brian Sovik, GISP Director of GIS-T Solutions

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Data Transfer Solutions, LLC (DTS), has appointed Brian Sovik, GISP, director of GIS-T Solutions.

A.M. “Trey” Fragala III, AICP, PMP, chief operating officer at DTS, said Sovik is based at the company’s downtown Avalon Park headquarters and will head the Orlando GIS-T group of developers and be responsible for overseeing the programming and focus primarily on Florida Dept of Transportation clients.

Fragala said Sovik formerly performed a similar role for AMEC, leading a team of 10 GIS professionals and developers.

“Sovik is a great fit for us at DTS as his record demonstrates a real passion for client success and the GIS profession,” Fragala said.

Sovik earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Geography from Bowling Green University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration also from Bowling Green University. Sovik is currently working on his Ph.D in Geography from Arizona State University School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning.

DTS 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.

Yallaly Company Principal Engineer earns National Rural Water Association’s Utility Management Certification

ORLANDO, Fla. --- James Gary Yallaly, P.E., principal engineer at Yallaly Company in St. Cloud, has earned the National Rural Water Association’s Utility Management Certification.

Mr. Yallaly met the stringent education and experience standards review and successfully completed the qualifying examination administered by the National Rural Water Association’s Water University in Duncan, Okla.

Mr. Bruce Morrison, Florida Rural Water Association board member from Destin, presented Mr.Yallaly’s certification plaque at the annual Florida Rural Water Conference in Daytona Beach.

Yallaly Company provides engineering, technical and administrative support for Florida’s utilities.

Mr. Yallaly has more than 30 years of experience in engineering and management. The company is a client of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program and is located in the St. Cloud facility at 3201 Budinger Avenue.

About the UCF Business Incubation Program
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 200 emerging companies (including more than 100 current clients) create over $200 million in annual total economic output and more than 1,600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With nine facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Business Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, The City of Sanford, Lake County, the City of Leesburg, Osceola County, the City of Kissimmee, City of St. Cloud, Volusia County and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. Please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook.

Sales of fuel-efficient motor scooters rise with gas prices

WINTER PARK, Fla. – Sales and services of gas-saving motor scooters at Ride Green Scooters in Winter Park in August are up more than 50 percent over the same period last year.

Ron Schwartz, general manager of Ride Green Scooters, said Ride Green sold three times as many scooters in August and logged more than four times the service and repair jobs during the month.

“August sales are typically higher as students and their parents get ready for school to start,” Schwartz said. “Scooters are the most cost-effective way to commute to college and high school campuses with better than 100 miles per gallon in most cases,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz said sales of new scooters are also affected by gas prices, regardless of the season.

“We see a direct correlation between new scooter sales and gas prices as gas prices rise, but the same correlation doesn’t hold when gas prices drop.” Schwartz explained. “That’s probably because gas prices never drop down enough for many people to notice much,” he said.

Beazer Homes Opens New Phase at Bassett Creek at K-Bar Ranch in New Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. --- Beazer Homes recently opened a new phase of 76 lots at Bassett Creek at K-Bar Ranch, located in New Tampa off Bruce B. Downs and Cross Creek Blvds.

Ed Suchora, president of Beazer Homes in the Tampa Bay region, said three, four, five and six-bedroom single-family homes that range in size from 1,600 square feet of living space to 3,200 square feet will be priced from the $180s.

Suchora said construction of a model home at Bassett Creek at K-Bar Ranch is complete and fully decorated and open for business.

All Beazer single family homes at Bassett Creek will be built with Beazer’s eSMART features that include elements to increase energy and water efficiency and indoor air-quality.

About Beazer Homes:
Beazer Homes, headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the country's 10 largest single-family homebuilders with operations in 17 states. Beazer Homes is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "BZH."

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty to Market Aviation Pioneer William P. Lear, Jr.’s Spruce Creek Fly-In Luxury Estate

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty has been named exclusive sales and marketing agents for the Spruce Creek Fly-In luxury estate owned by the late aviation pioneer William P. Lear, Jr. who assisted in the development of the iconic Learjet.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said the Lear estate is located at 1780 Doolittle Court in the Spruce Creek Fly-In community in Port Orange, and is the last residence of one of the most famous luminaries in aviation history who still holds the record as the youngest pilot to have flown the WWII Lockheed P-38 Fighter.

Soderstrom said International Luxury Home Specialists Rachel McGrath and Debbie Keilin are representing the property and serve as principal contacts for prospective buyers.

The estate, listed for sale for $945,000, offers 3,222 square feet of air-conditioned living space with four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and it has an attached 50' x 40' air-conditioned airplane hangar with direct access to a taxi way and main runway. For a photo tour of the property, go to http://tour.circlepix.com/tour/Nitro/loadingPage.htm?tourId=840649. To view a video of the property, visit www.1780doolittle.com.

“The residence is a European-inspired Mediterranean retreat,” Keilin said. “It’s the prefect place for casual entertaining as well as formal affairs.”

The home opens onto a tropical oasis lanai, swimming pool and spa with cascading waterfalls and flagstone terrace, McGrath explained.

Additional amenities include hurricane shutters throughout and a full house and hangar generator.

Bill Lear’s personal story of military heroics, tales of the Learjet, undercover assignments and numerous wives is chronicled in his memoir: Fly Fast...Sin Boldly Flying, Spying & Surviving.

Spruce Creek is one of the country’s premiere gated, country club, fly-in communities with 4,000 feet of private, paved runway, 18-hole championship golf course, racquet and tennis center along with fine and informal dining.


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.

Ashton Woods Homes Opens Two Ready-to-Move-In Homes at Mira Bay in Apollo Beach

TAMPA, Fla. - Ashton Woods Homes has opened two new ready-to-move-in, single family homes at Mira Bay, located off U.S. 41 in Apollo Beach.

Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes in the Tampa Bay region, said one new home offers three bedrooms and three baths in 2,103 square feet of living space priced from $249,900.

A 2,363 square foot home offers three bedrooms and three baths and a bonus/gameroom priced at $274,900.

Ashton Woods Homes is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies, with operations in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Raleigh, Dallas, Houston, Austin and Phoenix. Visit www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.

Ashton Woods Homes Starts Construction of Nine Townhomes at Lakeside Villas in Windermere

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Ashton Woods Homes has started construction of nine town homes at Lakeside Villas, located off S.R. 535 and Reams Rd. in Windermere.

Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes in the Orlando region, said new three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath town homes range is size from use 1,432 square feet of living space to 1,601 square feet, priced from $124,900.

Lakeside Villas boasts state-of-the-art amenities that include a fitness center with kid’s room, clubhouse with billiards room, resort-style pool with lap lanes, beach volleyball, outdoor fireplace and barbeque areas.

Ashton Woods Homes is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies, with operations in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Raleigh, Dallas, Houston, Austin and Phoenix. Visit www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Geocove, Inc. Releases iPhone Application that maps Emergency Evacuation Zones in Lee County, Fla.

ORLANDO Fla., --- Geocove, Inc., which provides proprietary technology that helps states, counties and municipalities utilize GIS data to inventory and assess damages in the event of storms or other natural disasters, has released a special LeeEvac iPhone application that maps emergency evacuation zones in Lee County and updates them the instant Lee County’s Emergency Management Team makes changes.

Karyn Tareen, president and chief executive officer at Geocove, Inc., said the LeeEvac app is available through the Apple App Store.

“Residents can use LeeEvac to find their current GPS locations, tap on the map, or search for an address within Lee County to see if they are in an active evacuation zone,” Tareen said.

“If an evacuation is ordered for their area, instructions on how to find additional information will be provided instantly, along with updates,” Tareen explained.

Tareen said Lee County plans to release an Android version of the application later this fall.

Gerald Campbell, chief planner at the Lee County Emergency Management Dept., said the tool could help save lives.

“The ability to effectively inform people who may be required to evacuate is a critical part of protecting our community,” Campbell said.

“The LeeEvac app does use familiar technology to provide personalized information to help people protect themselves and their loved ones,” he explained.

Geocove is a member of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in the Central Florida Research Park in East Orlando.

About GeoCove
Geocove, Inc. provides scalable assessment solutions built using the power of GIS across a multitude of industries. The Geocove team has extensive experience in providing assessment, reporting and mapping tools for emergency management, building officials, public health and other government agencies as well as utilities and other private industries. Geocove, Inc., a privately held corporation located in central Florida, is an authorized partner of Esri, the world’s leading GIS software provider.

About the UCF Business Incubation Program
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 200 emerging companies (including more than 100 current clients) create over $200 million in annual total economic output and more than 1,600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With nine facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Business Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, The City of Sanford, Lake County, the City of Leesburg, Osceola County, the City of Kissimmee, City of St. Cloud, Volusia County and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. Please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook.

Gainesville IT Company Completes State’s GrowFL Economic Gardening Program

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – e-TechServices, a Gainesville-based information technology company, recently completed the statewide GrowFL program.

President Mario Ariet, who co-founded the 12-year-old company with CEO Marc Spindler, said even with the company’s “deep bench of technical experts and years of experience in enterprise computing solutions” they still had limited access to some of the corporate tools that large companies use to market themselves.

“We are a premiere IBM business partner whose experts offer enterprise-level computing solutions, consultation and design for systems integration and optimization, as well as disaster recovery and business continuity,” Ariet said. “The GrowFL team helped us gain access to some of these unique tools and provided insight into the Florida market place and online marketing strategies.”

Part of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute, GrowFL was created in 2009 by the Florida Legislature and is based at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. When selecting businesses for the program, the institute looks for companies that have the potential for success, according to Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute.

“e-TechServices, a growth-targeted company, showed that it has a promising future in the industry and therefore was ideal for the program,” said Dr. O’Neal, who also is associate vice president for the University of Central Florida’s Office of Research and Commercialization.

A leading provider of IBM mid-range and information technology solutions including systems, storage, software and IT professional services, e-TechServices has 13 employees, many of whom work in strategic satellite locations in Gainesville, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando.

Ariet said his company’s affiliation with GrowFL proved that they are in the correct marketplace and are in a strategic position to continue their success.

“It has given us an opportunity to showcase our unique skills to the companies and organizations who need these capabilities most,” he said.

About e-TechServices Inc.: e-TechServices is a premier IBM Business Partner whose experts provide consulting and professional services to successfully implement any project by understanding the business requirements that drive the IT challenges that need solution. The company’s hosted managed services, cloud computing solutions and disaster recovery has made e-TechServices a go-to trusted partner to some of the nation’s premiere institutions and businesses, including the University of Florida, CSX Transportation and the State of Florida. For more information, visit www.e-techservices.com.

About The Florida Economic Gardening Institute / GrowFL:
The Florida Economic Gardening Institute at the University of Central Florida was established in 2009. Initially funded by the Florida Legislature, the Institute has provided services via the State of Florida’s Economic Gardening Technical Assistance Pilot Program, known as GrowFL. With various partnerships throughout the state, including Orange County and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, the Institute collaborates with statewide partners to support the growth of second-stage businesses through localized entrepreneurial ecosystems. Additional information is available at www.GrowFL.com.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Selected to Market Unique Fly-In Estate at Spruce Creek in Port Orange

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty has been selected to market the unique combination of a luxury residence and premier commercial hangar at 1971 South Creek Drive and 208 Cessna Blvd at Spruce Creek Fly-In, the exclusive community in Port Orange for airplane owners in Volusia County.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said Senior International Associates Rachel McGrath and Debbie Keilin at Stirling Sotheby’s are representing the properties, which will be marketed worldwide.

The 6,032 square foot golf front luxury home with an open air design includes a 4,080 square foot professionally designed and decorated airplane hangar that was previously owned by NASCAR driver Mark Martin. The hangar has its own office and meeting area and direct access to the Spruce Creek taxiway and extended runway, McGrath said.

The Master Craftsman, architect-designed luxury home has an entire master wing that includes an office, exercise room and spa style bath, said Keilin.

Other remarkable features of the home are its grand curved staircase, gourmet chef’s kitchen, entertainment sized covered patios, balconies that overlook the massive courtyard and private swimming pool and a private guest house with covered lanai.

The home and hangar are priced at $1,950,000. To view a photo tour, visit http://tour.circlepix.com/home/SS4AR6

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.