Lennar Forms Nine-County Central Florida Division with Offices in Tampa, Clermont

by: lvco

Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 15:16:11 PM EST

TAMPA, Fla. - Lennar, which ranks as one of Florida’s most active home builders, has merged its Tampa Bay and Orlando divisions to form a single nine-county Central Florida Division.
 
Mark Metheny, who has served as president of Lennar’s Tampa Bay division since 2006, has been appointed president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division.
 
Metheny, who joined Lennar in 2001, will oversee community development, new home design and construction and new home sales in 32 Lennar communities in Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Osceola, Orange, Lake, Seminole and Brevard counties.
 
In Tampa, Metheny oversaw one of Lennar’s most productive divisions nationwide.
 
“Lennar is meeting the challenge of today’s home building market and we will continue to press forward with a strategy that includes and intense focus on reducing costs and delivering the best valued homes in the market,” Metheny said.
 
The Central Florida Division will be headquartered at Lennar’s corporate offices on Westshore Blvd. in Tampa, with an Orlando-area office at 2955 Heritage Hills Blvd. in the Heritage Hills community off U.S.  Highway 27 in Clermont.
 
Metheny has named several top Lennar executives to new positions with division and area-wide responsibilities.    
 
Mike Southward, was named director of purchasing and Judd Tyler, was named controller for the Central Florida Division.
 
Robert Jesski, was named director of sales in Tampa and Paul Brooks, director of sales in the Orlando territory.
 
David Parker, Fiona DiDomenico and Karen Morgan were named vice presidents of sales.
 
Steve Smith and Wayne Broedel were named directors of construction.
 
Ben Gainer, Anthony DeSimone, Kevin Stream and Wes Stapp were named senior area construction managers in Tampa.
 
Joe Fulghum, director of customer relations and Jennifer Siemering, director of closings.
 

For information about this press release, please contact:
Mark Metheny, Division President Lennar Central Florida 888-317-7489 mark.metheny@lennar.com
Paul Brooks , Director of Sales & Marketing, Lennar Central Florida Division;  407-654-2735 paul.brooks@lennar.com;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

UCF Incubation Program's Seminole County/Winter Springs Incubator Graduates First Company

by: lvco

Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 10:09:47 AM EST

WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. - Spectrum Bridge, Inc., which provides new internet marketplace and mapping technologies to help the wireless industry identify, lease and make use of underutilized and available radio spectrum, has become the first client company to graduate from the UCF Incubation Program’s Seminole County/Winter Springs Incubator. 

Esther Vargas-Davis, site manager at the Seminole County/Winter Springs Incubator, said Spectrum Bridge has started generating revenue and just successfully completed an $8.1 million round of venture capital funding.

The firm joined the Incubation Program in February 2008, and is currently headquartered in Lake Mary.

Seminole County/Winter Springs Incubator currently serves 10 client companies, eight of which are headquartered at the Seminole County/Winter Springs Incubator facility in the Vistawilla Office Center building on East S.R. 434 and the 417.

The Seminole County/Winter Springs Incubator opened its doors in 2008 to serve high growth startup firms in Seminole County and is a partnership of UCF, Seminole County Government, the City of Winter Springs and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.

For more information contact:
Esther Vargas-Davis, Site Manager, UCF Incubator–Seminole County, 407-278-4881; evargasd@mail.ucf.edu;
Dr. Tom O’Neal, Executive Director, UCF Incubation Program, 407-882-1120;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

About the UCF Incubation Program
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Incubation Program has helped more than 100 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 900 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the 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, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.  For more information, please visit http://www.incubator.ucf.edu.

Lennar to Premier 10 New 2009 Model Homes in One Location at Shady Creek in South Tampa

by: lvco

Sat Jan 31, 2009 at 15:15:56 PM EST

TAMPA, Fla. - Lennar, which ranks as one of Florida’s most active home builders, will preview 10 new model homes from its 2009 Florida Collection of model homes in March at Shady Creek, located south of Big Bend Rd. on U.S. 301.

Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said Lennar’s 2009 Florida Collection model homes will range in size from 1,500 square feet of living space to 3,200 square feet with three, four, and five-bedroom designs.

Metheny said Lennar will offer all 10 new Florida Collection model homes in its communities in Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Osceola, Orange, Lake, Seminole and Brevard Counties.

For information about this press release, please contact:
Mark Metheny, Division President Lennar Tampa 888-317-7489 mark.metheny@lennar.com;
Jassy Friddle, Marketing Manager Lennar Tampa 888-317-7489 jassy.friddle@lennar.com;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

NovaSol Energy, NAI Realvest form partnership to provide renewable energy for commercial facilities

by: lvco

Thu Feb 05, 2009 at 14:47:09 PM EST

ORLANDO, Fla. - NovaSol Energy, Inc., an emerging cleantech firm, has formed a unique partnership with Maitland-based NAI Realvest to provide renewable ‘green’ energy---with no upfront costs---to commercial facilities and utilities throughout Florida. 

Haseeb Qadri, president and chief executive officer of NovaSol Energy, said NAI Realvest will serve as exclusive agent representing NovaSol’s solar energy systems to potential retail, multi-family residential, commercial, and industrial properties.  The NAI Realvest partnership will provide NovaSol Energy with a sales and marketing partner, along with an immediate customer base.  NAI Realvest will market the economic and ‘green’ advantages of ‘going green’ to its portfolio of properties.  NovaSol Energy will be the exclusive provider of renewable energy, via its solar generation facilities, for properties in the Realvest portfolio that are seeking renewable energy solutions to qualify for LEED certification.  

“We are pleased to partner with a progressive industry leader like NAI Realvest to make solar a reality throughout Florida, the Sunshine State,” Qadri said.  A recent study conducted by Navigant Consulting for the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Florida revealed solar as the largest renewable resource available in Florida, and with the potential to create over 32,000 new local ‘cleantech’ jobs. 

NovaSol and NAI Realvest plan to explore the possibility of expanding their partnership beyond the Florida market where NovaSol is assessing opportunities being presented throughout the United States, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

George Livingston, chairman of NAI Realvest, said that their strategic alliance with NovaSol Energy will add value to the properties of their clients as well as to their own development projects.  “We are excited about the opportunity this presents us to move towards green, renewable energy solutions while, at the same time, enhancing property values,” Livingston stated. 

NovaSol Energy and NAI Realvest will offer potential customers several bottom-line advantages.  “We are developing green energy solutions that can provide renewable solar energy to commercial buildings without any upfront costs to the consumer or building owner,” Qadri explained.

“Our solution requires no upfront costs to provide companies with protection from energy rate hikes; ability to manage energy overhead with predictable costs; savings on long-term energy costs; eliminating risk of owning and operating power generation equipment; reducing their organization’s environmental footprint; qualify facilities for LEED certification and reduce grid dependency by making it possible to generate power even when transmission lines are down,” Haseeb said.

Qadri said NovaSol Energy has negotiated agreements with two utilities to sell green energy generated via the company’s solar energy generation facilities hosted on commercial buildings.  He declined to provide specifics at this time.  NovaSol is also in preliminary discussions with additional utilities and municipalities to incorporate solar energy into their overall electricity generation portfolio.  Qadri said they have over $30 Million in their project pipeline and expect to triple that capacity by the end of 2009.

NovaSol Energy, Inc. joined the University of Central Florida Incubation Program in September and is located in the Technology Incubator in the Central Florida Research Park.

For more information please contact:
S. Haseeb Qadri, President/CEO NovaSol Energy, Inc. 407-377-6641 haseeb@novasolenergy.com
Carol Ann Dykes, Site Director, UCF Technology Incubator 407-882-0211, cdykes@mail.ucf.edu;  
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142 Lvershelco@aol.com

About the UCF Incubation Program:
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Incubation Program has helped more than 100 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 900 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the metro Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between UCF, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.  For more information, please visit http://www.incubator.ucf.edu.

About NovaSol Energy:
NovaSol Energy is a, virtual, independent, “green” power company committed to generating and distributing clean and affordable renewable energy for commercial and utility customers.  The company owns, installs, and operates solar generation facilities at various locations and sells the energy generated via those facilities to commercial customers and utilities.  NovaSol Energy also has an innovative ‘smart-grid’ energy transmission technology in early developmental stage.  For more information, please visit http://www.novasolenergy.com.

About NAI Realvest:
NAI Realvest in Orlando, covering all of Central Florida, is a fully integrated commercial real estate operating company specializing in brokerage, development, investment, leasing and management, consulting and research services in the U.S. and worldwide. NAI Global is an international commercial real estate network with over 325 offices spanning the globe, managing over 200 million square feet of commercial space. Since 1978, clients have built businesses on the power of NAI Global’s expanding network. Extensive services include multi-site acquisitions and dispositions, sublease, tenant representation, lease administration and audit, investment services, due diligence and related consulting and advisory services. To learn more, visit www.NAIRealvest.com.

Handex Consulting and Remediation, LLC Signs Irvin L. Heath to Multi-Year Contract as President

by: lvco

Thu Feb 05, 2009 at 15:24:46 PM EST

MOUNT DORA, Fla. - Handex Consulting and Remediation, LLC,  (HCR) which ranks as one of the leading soil and groundwater remediation and cleanup contractors in the southeastern U.S., has signed a three-year contract to retain Irvin L. Heath as president.

Brett Fadeley, chairman of HCR said Heath engineered the firm’s successful transition to new ownership at their headquarters in Mount Dora, Florida and has substantially increased revenues during his 15-year tenure with the firm and during his recent years as the firm’s president.

Heath, an attorney, also serves as Co-Chair of the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association (FPMA), the largest petroleum marketing lobbying group in Florida, and will become its chairman later this year.

HCR has offices in Mount Dora, Tampa, Tallahassee and Delray in South Florida. The firm reported revenues last year that totaled more than $25 million. HCR currently employs more than 150 environmental professionals and also maintains extensive operations and offices in Monroe, N.J.

HCR serves federal, state, county and local environmental agencies, major oil companies,  large convenience store operators, and private sector clients.   The firm specializes in providing environmental soil and ground water remediation for hydrocarbon impacted sites and provides consulting, civil construction, sludge dewatering, emergency response services, remedial system design, installation, operation and maintenance and both Brownfield and infrastructure project management.

“I am excited about continuing my role at HCR. These are challenging times and we have tremendous opportunities before us and all of HCR knows we have a very important job to do as we protect our environment while we expand and diversify our client base,” Heath said.

For more information, contact
Irv Heath, President, HCR (Handex Consulting and Remediation, LLC) 352-735-1800 ext. 127
Brett Fadeley, Chairman, HCR (Handex Consulting and Remediation, LLC) 352-735-1800 ext. 113
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

Orlando Region on front end of rebound markets when rental apartment conditions improve

by: lvco

Sat Jan 31, 2009 at 13:42:41 PM EST

ORLANDO, Fla. - Rental apartment owners will be granting more concessions in the foreseeable future but conditions have positioned the Orlando region for a sharp turnaround once conditions improve, says one leading multi-family broker.

Cole Whitaker, who heads the Florida office of Hendricks & Partners, one of the nation’s leading service providers to the multi-family housing market, said the Orlando region was one of the top markets listed to rebound at the National Multi Housing Council’s annual meeting recently in Palm Springs, Calif.

“Orlando will be on the front end of the recovering markets in the U.S. once the recovery begins.  The big question for everyone is when that will be,” Whitaker said.

The lack of new construction will help existing property owners in the long run, Whitaker said, and property sale transactions will continue as investors comb the region for choice properties.

But declining rent rolls, increasing CAP rates, tough new underwriting standards by both FREDDIE MAC and FANNIE MAE and the high cost of equity will make brokers’ jobs much more difficult. “Unfortunately we will see some sellers and buyers continue to experience a gap between sales expectations and the cost of funds for apartment transactions,” Whitaker said.

“We foresee increased concessions to renters for the foreseeable future as competition for good tenants increases,” Whitaker said.

For more information, please contact:
Cole Whitaker, Partner, Hendricks & Partners, 407-256-9594
Larry Vershel, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

NAI Realvest negotiates $1.1 Million sale price for 3.4 acre residential tract in St. Petersburg

by: lvco

Sat Jan 31, 2009 at 15:17:32 PM EST

ORLANDO, Fla. – Jack Kavanagh represented NAI Realvest in the recent sale of 3.4 acres of residential development land located at 7499½ 46th Ave. North in St. Petersburg. Kavanagh negotiated the sale price of $1,100,000.00.  

Filio, LLC of Whitehouse Station, N.J. purchased the property from Another Southern Holding Company, LLC of Lawrenceville, Ga.

For more information, contact:
Paul P. Partyka, Managing Partner, NAI Realvest, 407-875-9989; ppartyka@realvest.com;
Janice Paiano, Director of Marketing, NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 jpaiano@realvest.com;
Beth Payan or Larry Vershel, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

About NAI Realvest 
NAI Realvest in Orlando, serving all of Central Florida, is a fully integrated commercial real estate operating company specializing in brokerage, development, investment, leasing and management, consulting and research services in the U.S. and worldwide. NAI Global is an international commercial real estate network with over 325 offices spanning the globe.  Since 1978, clients have built businesses on the power of NAI Global’s expanding network.  Extensive services include multi-site acquisitions and dispositions, sublease, tenant representation, lease administration and audit, investment services, due diligence and related consulting and advisory services. To learn more, visit www.NAIRealvest.com.

Private Retirement Accounts -- IRAs, 401Ks -- Could Play Leading Role in U.S. Economic Recovery

by: lvco

Mon Feb 02, 2009 at 12:25:31 PM EST

LAKE MARY, Fla. - Private retirement accounts such as IRAs, Roth accounts and 401K plans---the patient savings of a generation of workers---could pave the way to a quicker national economic recovery, says one of the nation’s leading fund administrators.
 
Glen Mather, president of Entrust Administrative Services, which provides IRA administrative services to over 2,000 account holders self-directed IRA funds in Florida valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, said private equity investments could fill the lending void left as the nation’s banking system recovers.
 
Most tax-deferred retirement accounts---Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, Seff IRAs and Simple IRAs, the preferred choice of small businesses---can be reformatted as self-directed IRA accounts that open the door to a wide range of investment opportunities, from stock markets to private lending for commercial or resort properties.
 
That, says Mather, represents enormous opportunities for investors---and a big boost for the national economy.
 
“In the U.S., IRAs is where the money is,” Mather said.

Bank startups, new companies seeking startup capital---they’re all looking at self-directed IRAs as potential funding sources,” he said.
 
Most IRA accounts are relatively small, Mather said. Entrust Administrative Services clients average about $100,000 per account, but many accounts total well into the millions of dollars.
 
“Cumulatively, IRAs represent enormous equity that has been traditionally undervalued by the financial markets,” Mather said. Younger account owners---Mather’s clients typically range from age 40 to age 65---are more astute about finance and the economy and tend to explore their options.
 
Retirement funds typically earn low but safe returns in the three-to-five-percent range, Mather said. But well-managed self-directed IRAs can earn tax-deferred returns in the 15-20 percent range when invested in real estate or similar vehicles.
 
“Real estate can be especially productive in this market,” Mather said.
 
“Smart investors who recognize that the real estate market is readjusting are lending about 50 percent of the new value in order to be on the safe side. If the worst happens and they foreclose, they own an asset at approximately half its current value that will produce substantial returns,” Mather said.
 
Mather said some self-directed IRAs are lending operating capital to businesses backed by accounts receivables.
 
“That has been a market traditionally dominated by banks and private equity lenders,” Mather said. “But more owners of self-directed IRAs are stepping in to fill the gap the banks have left,” he said.  
                                                                                                                                                                
For more information about this news release, contact:
Glen Mather, President Entrust Administrative Services, Inc. 407-367-3472 gmather@entrustfl.com;
Larry Vershel, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142 Lvershelco@aol.com;

Two Stirling Sotheby's International Realty associates mark $12 Million in sales for 2008

by: lvco

Wed Dec 17, 2008 at 12:54:21 PM EST

LAKE MARY, Fla. --  Jim and Judy Werth, a husband and wife team who have been specializing in marketing and selling luxury homes with Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty for over eight years, posted $12 million in closed sales in 2008.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said the Werths, working out of the firm’s Heathrow/Lake Mary office, boosted their 2008 sales volume in September – their most successful month ever – with closed sales worth more than $3.2 million.

“Some sectors of the real estate market are still thriving, and we are seeing signs that the real estate rebound may come sooner for creative professionals who have access to a global audience,” said Soderstrom.

“Many agents who focus on the fundamentals, targeting their market niches and putting service first, are prospering in this slow market cycle,” Soderstrom said.

For more information, please contact:
Joyce Marsh, Managing Director Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Heathrow 407-333-1900
Roger Soderstrom, Owner/Founder, Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty 407-588-1260
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

Central Florida Public Relations Company Uncovers Emerging Technology Boom

by: lvco

Wed Dec 17, 2008 at 11:48:33 AM EST

WINTER PARK, Fla. --- Larry Vershel Communications, Inc., a leading Central Florida public relations company, has uncovered an emerging technology boom that promises to make up for some of the losses the company has experienced as a result of the housing slowdown.

Larry Vershel, who along with vice president Beth Payan, launched Larry Vershel Communications in 1992, said the agency added more than 10 technology companies in 2008 and plans to seek more technology business in 2009.

The Vershel agency provides public relations and digital public information services to 45 clients, including the University of Central Florida Technology Incubator, which currently serves more than 50 emerging technology companies that range from software manufacturers to online web communities for pet lovers, single parents and martial arts aficionados.

Other new clients include Handex Consulting and Remediation, a Mount Dora-based firm that ranks as one of the nation’s leading providers of high-tech consulting services for environmental cleanups, and Power Pro-Tech Services, which maintains and services sophisticated emergency power generation systems in nine states throughout the southeast.

Vershel said UCF recently expanded its incubation program to include four additional incubators in downtown Orlando, east Orlando, and Winter Springs, and he is currently working with an incubation program in Orange City.

“Altogether with the incubation program sites, and Orlando-Sanford International Airport, we provide public relations and public information services to more than 60 companies whose operations are focused on technology,” Vershel said.

Vershel said the community development industry has scaled back its operations throughout the region, and that means fewer public relations assignments.

“We have lost about 10 clients---home builders, developers, commercial real estate companies, architects and landscaping companies---that are tied to the builder economy,” Vershel said.

The firm still represents many of Florida’s largest home builders, including Lennar, Centex, ICI Homes, Beazer, Ashton Woods and Park Square Homes, real estate services companies such as NAI Realvest, Grubb & Ellis|Commercial Florida, Hendricks & Partners’ Florida division, and professional services providers such as Orlando Architects Cuhaci & Peterson and Rhodes+Brito,  Randall Paulson Architects of Roswell, Ga. and law firms.

“We began developing effective programs for technology companies in 2004, which led us to launch our own family of web sites that focused on the housing industry,” he said.

As the housing industry declined over the past three years technology companies began to play a larger role in the agency’s plans, Vershel said.

The emphasis on technology firms has led to a new style of public relations that reflects major changes in U.S. media preferences, added Vershel.

“Technology companies tend to serve narrow, specialized markets,” Vershel said. “Their stories are too technical to interest a daily newspaper or TV news bureau. But the Internet, with search engines that link focused consumers with highly specialized content, is a perfect medium to get their news out,” he said.

For more information, contact
Larry Vershel or Beth , Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142