Lennar Names Kaidy Jimenez Marketing Manager for Central Florida Division in Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. --- Lennar’s Central Florida Division has named Kaidy Jimenez, marketing manager for the Tampa office. Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said Jimenez, a recent graduate of Connecticut State College, has experience in marketing and public relations.

MERITAGE HOMES APPOINTS CAROL PENNY REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT OF PURCHASING

ORLANDO / TAMPA, Fla. -- Meritage Homes, a Top 10 U.S. home builder with communities in 17 markets in the U.S., recently appointed Carol Penny regional vice president of purchasing. Brian Kittle, vice president of Meritage Homes in Orlando, said Penny graduated from Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, and has more than 24 years of experience as a finance and purchasing executive. In her new position, Penny will be responsible for costing and purchasing materials and services in the Orlando and Tampa markets, Kittle said. “Carol Penny has enormous experience and a tremendous eye for detail,” Kittle said. “She is a critical executive and she will undoubtedly play a major role in our continued growth in the Orlando and Tampa Bay regions,” Kittle said. Meritage Homes builds single-family homes and luxury homes priced from under $200,000 to more than $400,000 in 18 communities in the Orlando area and six communities in the Tampa Bay area.

Avex Homes Names Internet Home Sales Expert Laura Gahan as Sales Associate for Avalon Park West in Wesley Chapel

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. --- Avex Homes, the Orlando based homebuilder with single family homes underway at Avalon Park West on SR 54 in Wesley Chapel, has named internet home sales expert Laura Gahan sales associate for Cypress Village at Avalon Park West. Stephanie Hodson, vice president of marketing for Avalon Park Group including Avex Homes, said Gahan is a graduate of Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Ill. and earned her real estate license in 2004. Gahan recently established the Online Concierge Program for Neal Communities in Sarasota, where she not only developed the system, guidelines and tools for Internet home sales but trained additional Internet Concierge staff. Hosdon said Gahan has more than 10 years of experience in real estate home sales. Avex Homes is building 342 single-family homes at Cypress Village at Avalon Park West priced from the $160s.

POWER PROMISE ORGANIZATION’S CHIQUITA COLLINS RECEIVES FLORIDA JUVENILE JUSTICE ASSOCIATION PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

--- Student standout survived foster homes to earn straight A’s at UCF, now devoted to mentoring teen girls SANFORD, Fla., -- Chiquita Collins, an outstanding student and Youth Mentor and Program Facilitator with the Power Promise Organization in Sanford, has earned the Florida Juvenile Justice Association’s 2013 Public Service Award. Ursula James, Vice President and Program Director of the Power Promise Organization, said Collins, a UCF student, was honored recently before 400 or more expected participants at the Florida Juvenile Justice Association’s 18th Annual Adolescent Conference at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center, located at 1500 Sand Lake Rd. in Orlando at the Florida Mall. “Chiquita Collins will be honored for participating in community initiatives that educate and foster understanding of issues that at-risk youth face each day,” James explained. Collins has survived a broken home and foster care facilities to turn her own personal tragedy into triumph. "It is our goal at the Power Promise organization to empower today's youth to know that they have the power to succeed regardless of their environment. Chiquita has not only helped us with this mission, she has embodied it! She grew up in foster homes, separated from siblings and statistically expected to fail, yet she had the power to triumph and the heart to teach others! We are blessed to have Chiquita on our team, she has selflessly lead our quest to empower our youth,” said Tekoa Pouerie, President of Power Promise. “Chiquita Collins has devoted her spare time to mentoring teen girls who live in at-risk environments, including some who can personally relate to her background in foster care,” James said. Collins currently mentors at-risk girls at four Orange County Public Schools. She has mentored more than 100 young girls aged 11-18 to help shape their behavior and attitudes to become powerful citizens of their community, James said. “Not only has Ms. Collins excelled within the Power Promise Organization, she is also a stellar student with a 4.0 GPA at the University of Central Florida, and she is the first person in her family to ever attend college,” James said. The Power Promise Organization was established in 2008 to serve schools, equip parents, impact students, and inspire women to help Central Florida communities achieve a brighter future. Power Promise is a member of the UCF Business Incubation Program in Sanford.

Ryland Homes Promotes Kim Nedeau to Vice President of Purchasing in the Tampa Bay Region

Tampa, Fla. --- Ryland Homes has promoted Kim Nedeau to vice president of purchasing in the Tampa Bay region. Joe Fontana, president of Ryland Homes in Tampa, said Nedeau joined Ryland Homes 11 years ago. She was formerly purchasing manager in the Tampa division. She earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of South Florida and is currently working on her law degree at Stetson University. “Kim Nedeau is one of the brightest young executives in the home building industry and she has played a key role in Ryland Homes’ success in the Tampa Bay region,” Fontana said. “We expect she will play an even bigger role in her new position,” Fontana added. For more information please go to www.ryland.com/tampa.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Industrial Lease Renewals Totaling More than 31,000 square feet in Southeast Orlando and Lake Mary

MAITLAND, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated two renewal leases for industrial space totaling 31,300 square feet in southeast Orlando and Lake Mary. Michael Heidrich, principal at NAI Realvest, brokered both transactions representing the landlords. John H. Talton Enterprises, Inc. of Vidalia, Ga. is the landlord at 600 Technology Park Drive in Lake Mary, where Ocala-based Digital Juice, Inc. renewed its lease of suites 104 and 112 with 19,300 square feet. Heidrich represented the landlord Airport Investment Properties LLC of Columbus, Ohio in the renewal lease agreement with local tenant Reflex Gymnastix, Inc. who renewed its lease of Units 200-A through 200-D with 12,000 square feet at 7466 Narcoossee Rd. in the Airport Industrial Center.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Retail Property Sale in Leesburg for a new Subway Restaurant

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently completed the sale of a 1,665 square foot retail building and its 0.55-acre site at 1320 S. 14th Street in Leesburg for $287,500. NAI Realvest principals Kevin O'Connor and Matt Cichocki negotiated the transaction on behalf of the Orlando-based seller, Fairwinds Credit Union who foreclosed on the property. The Worthington Group of Fruitland Park, Fla. is the buyer who intends to convert the former auto sales building into a stand-alone Subway restaurant.

Royal Oak Homes Captures First Place in Lake County Parade of Homes in $300,000 Plus Category

ORLANDO, Fla. – Royal Oak Homes based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, took first place honors in the Lake County Parade of Homes recently for its Hawthorne model home at Hammock Reserve on Hammock Ridge Rd. in Clermont. Stephen Orosz, co-president and vice president of finance for the homebuilder, said Royal Oak’s Hawthorne model took first place in the competition for homes priced from $300,000 to $350,000. The two-story Hawthorne design offers four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, optional fifth bedroom, downstairs master suite, formal living and dining rooms, a den, open concept kitchen and nook facing huge family room in 3,542 square feet of living space plus a covered lanai and three-car garage. The home is priced from $325,000 Orosz said.

Del Webb Ponte Vedra and its Garden Club to Host Grand Opening of New Central Park Resident Garden Expansion – Event Scheduled For March 23

Ponte Vedra, Fla. --- Del Webb Ponte Vedra and its Garden Club will host a grand opening with live entertainment, a farmer’s market, demonstrations and tours of a butterfly garden and a Florida-friendly garden to showcase the community’s new Central Park Resident Garden Expansion at 124 Del Webb Parkway in Ponte Vedra. Sean Strickler, vice president of sales for Del Webb in North Florida, said the event is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23. Admission to the event is free and the public is invited, Strickler said. “The Garden Club has really put their hearts into the Resident Garden expansion at Del Webb Ponte Vedra so that all residents can utilize individual sections to grow their own fruits and vegetables year round,” Strickler said. Scheduled entertainment at the grand opening event includes tours of a Florida friendly gardening section with gardening tips from Yard Transformers, a butterfly garden created by the Del Webb Ponte Vedra Garden Club, gardening tips from a St. John's County Master Gardener, a fresh produce vendor, Florist Jackie Lacey, Jammin' Jellies, a local honey and jelly producer, birdhouses for sale that were made by the Garden Club, orchids expert Net Satayavinit, TPC Sawgrass will be onsite hosting a putting contest and demonstrations by Albion Golf Carts. Plenty of garden food will be featured for guests. Del Webb Ponte Vedra offers 16 one and two-story floor plan options that range in size from 1,157 square feet of living area to 2,885 square feet priced from the $180s. Other amenities at Del Webb Ponte Vedra include the multi million dollar Anastasia Club with tennis courts, pickle ball and bocce ball courts, clubhouse, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, six miles of nature trails, and a Welcome Center.

Avalon Park Partnership with Swiss Real Estate Investment Group to start development of four story apartment building

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Avalon Park in East Orlando is about to get a third downtown apartment building. Stephanie Hodson, vice president of marketing at Avalon Park Group, developers of Avalon Park, said a partnership with sitEX Properties AG, a Swiss real estate investment company headquartered in Basel, will start construction of the Avalon Park Town Center III building within the next 90 days. Hodson said 95 rental apartments are planned in the four story building that totals 100,000 square feet of living space. “sitEX and Avalon Park Group have several partnerships both in the U.S. and Switzerland,” Hodson said.