i4 Business November 2021 Issue

3D WIZARDRY RAPID PROTOTYPING SERVICES

FINDING FAMILY 26HEALTH ADOPTIONS

JOBS PIPELINE CAREERSOURCE CENTRAL FLORIDA

DR. PHILLIPS CENTER CELEBRATING COMPLETION

Orlando's Leadership Connection

NOVEMBER 2021

$4.95

JO NEWELL

LEADS by EXAMPLE Orlando Economic Partnership VP

Plus

Augusto Sanabria

Prospera

Christine Kefauver

Brightline Adam Wonus

Atrium Management Company

Leadership Orlando Class 100 Rocket Garden at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Merritt Island, FL

JOIN THE LARGEST LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IN AMERICA. Through this one-of-a-kind experiential curriculum, you will explore regional assets, gain insight into the hottest topics from local leaders and connect with other professionals.

Expand your network and build long-lasting connections High-energy learning through hands-on experience Explore regional issues and assets

CLASS 100 DIREC

TORY

CLASS 100 DIREC TORY

CHAIR, Class 100

Tim Giuliani

President & CEO Orlando Economic Partnership

Innocent Akujuobi Physician Orlando Health

Steven Amos Vice President, Advancement Give Kids The World

Monica Anderson Orlando Health

Tim Armendinger President World Health Exchange

Stacey Bagg Technical Integration Engineer National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)

Nadeem Battla Owner World Food Trucks

Arlene Blake Executive Director Women on the Rise International, Inc.

Rene Blanco Audit Director BDO Orlando

Jerry D. Breckenridge AVP, Business Systems Analyst Truist Financial Corp

Dale Brill SVP, Research and Foundation for Orlando’s Future Orlando Economic Partnership

Linda A. Brooks Division Manager Orange County Corrections

Eric Bruns Executive Director VHA Simulation, Learning, Evaluation, Assessment and Research Network (SimLEARN)

Wright Bynum Business Development Executive Commercial Florida Paints & Coatings

Cindy Campbell Associate Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Kenneth Clay President The Harv Group

Marisa Crispell Director of Voter Services Orange County Supervisor of Elections

Brad Davis Project Executive FINFROCK

Jillian Dick Director, Corporate Communications Travel + Leisure Co.

Caitlin Dineen Manager of Public Affairs Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA)

Greg Dougherty Director, Procurement Department Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD)

Marty Dupuis University of Central Florida Burnett Honors College

Ed Durkee CEO Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, Inc.

Alexis Echeverria Director of Operations CareerSource Central Florida

Sean Flannery Commercial Banker Synovus Bank

Gregory Fornadel Corporate Sales Account Executive ICON Park

Matt Franz Materials Management Supervisor SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies)

Patty Genday Chief Nursing Officer Orlando Health

Bernadette Girvin CEO Gambin Financial Group

Jose Luis Gonzalez Director, Government & Industry Relations Walt Disney Parks & Resorts

Camille Goodin Principal Landscape Architect Baker Barrios Architects, Inc.

TJ Houmes Audit Manager WithumSmith+Brown, PC

Jonathan Huels Shareholder Lowndes

Tiffany Hughes Owner KBI Staffing Solutions LLC

Renita Hunt Executive Director Dress for Success Greater Orlando

Rashod R. Johnson President & Chief Executive Officer Ardmore Roderick

Von Johnson, MSW Head of External Affairs Teach For America Florida

Josh Johnston Sr. Project Manager Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC

Marlo Justesen Nursing Operations Manager Orlando Health

Rich Killion Vice President for Institutional Advancement Beacon College

Tonia King Vice President, Account Manager ROI Communication, Inc.

Belinda O. Kirkegard Economic Development Director City of Kissimmee

Amy Kirkland Director, Center for Business Development Seminole State College of Florida

Lauren Lambis Assistant Director of Digital Marketing Orlando Magic

Sam Lynn Campus President Concorde Career Institute

Vi Ma President Asian American Chamber of Commerce

Tom Martinez President/Business & Leadership Coach DELTA Performance Group

Meghan McLean SVP, Sports 2022 Special Olympics USA Games

Katia Medina Regional Vice President Prospera

Kim Mello Attorney Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Mitch Miorelli Vice President MEC Contractors Engineers

Miriam Mitchell SVP, Lending Addition Financial

Eugenia Mize Counsel DuFour Conapinski Ha LLP

Michael Monahan President & CEO Moxē Integrated Marketing

LaVell Monger Partner, Director of Business Development RTW Photography LLC

Gigi Moorman Broker/Owner Iconnect Real Estate LLC

Mike Morgan Project Manager Comprehensive Energy Services (CES Mechanical)

Heather Mosier Senior Audit Manager Carr Riggs & Ingram LLC

Bruce Mount, Jr. Attorney The Leach Firm

Antonio Muñiz-Olán Business Solutions Consultant LegalShield

Ron Nesbitt Vice President, Risk Management McCoy Federal Credit Union

Robert Newkirk Executive Director Foundation for Foster Children

Mike Nichola Government Affairs Director Osceola County

Leslie Norburg Marketing Coordinator Clear Channel Outdoor

Alison Nykamp Sr. Project Manager Barton Malow Builders

Arnaldo Oliveras Fernandez, MBA, CLS President - Licensed Real Estate Broker 180 Commercial Real Estate Advisors

Mindy Ortiz Director of Volunteer Services Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

Sean “OZ” Osmond Business Development Manager Improbable, LLC

Neil Otto Program Specialist Orange County Public Schools

Renee Overton-Palma Owner Maid Over Clean LLC

Drew Papke Team Lead of Portfolio Management Fifth Third Bank

Paul Paquette, Jr. Chief of Staff Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD)

Sherry Paramore President ELEVATE Orlando

Todd F. Payne Director, Air Service Development Orlando Sanford International Airport, Inc. (SFB)

Giorgina PinedoRolon Founder/President Gio Communications

Patricia Plair CFO, Orlando Regional Medical Center Orlando Health

Zeynep “Z” Portway Executive Director Samaritan Resource Center

Vanessa Rincon Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando

Ana Carolina Salazar Owner & Founder BOLD Digital Marketing Studio

Maria Isabel Sanquirico Founder/President Eleven 11 Communications

Demetria Sloan President Vantage Point

Tansey Soderstrom President-elect Orlando Regional Realtor Association

Paul A. Sohl, Rear Adm. USN (ret) CEO The Florida High Tech Corridor Council

La’Tonya Stark Vice President of Engagement Orlando Regional Realtor Association

Mark Tagami Territory Manager Reef Technology

Drew Starke President/CEO The Brakes Group LLC

Derick Thompson, PE Director, Structural Engineering TLC Engineering Solutions

Michael Underwood Senior Project Manager Skanska USA Building, Inc.

Zoraida Velasco Vice President, External Affairs FloridaMakes

Jennifer Wandersleben President/CEO Central Florida Division - South Region AdventHealth

Eryka Washington Director Communications Reedy Creek Improvement District

David Watson II Financial Advisor Development Program Trainee Bank of America/Merrill

Stephen Weatherford CEO Aspire Communications

Madelyn Weed VP/Chief Donor Services Officer The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida

Amy Wise Chief Development & Marketing Officer 2022 Special Olympics USA Games

Natalie Yello Associate Attorney GrayRobinson, P.A.

James Young Deputy Chief of Police City of Orlando Police Department

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE NEXT CLASS? With over 5,000 graduates, Leadership Orlando is Central Florida’s only community leadership program that spans our entire seven-county region and is the largest program in America, offering multiple classes each year.

@LeadershipORL #LO100

CONTACT: Lisa Winkelbauer Director, Leadership Orlando lisa.winkelbauer@orlando.org

Leadership Orlando is a signature program of the Orlando Economic Partnership. The Orlando Economic Partnership is a public-private, not-for-profit economic and community development organization that works to advance broad-based prosperity by strengthening Orlando’s economy, amplifying Orlando’s story, championing regional priorities, empowering community leaders and building a brilliant region. These five foundational objectives serve to improve the region’s competitiveness while responding to the needs of communities, residents and businesses.

Enroll in the next class and find out more at LeadershipOrlando.org

10

Tracking the Futurep18

12

CONTENTS FEATURES

12 LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Jo Newell Shows What It’s Like to Have a Seat at the Table - BY MEAGHAN BRANHAM

16 HEART OF AN ENTREPRENEUR

Augusto Sanabria Follows His Passion as the Leader of Prospera - BY MEAGHAN BRANHAM

18 TRACKING THE FUTURE

Career in Transportation Leads Christine Kefauver to Brightline - BY DIANE SEARS

20 HIGH GROWTH, HIGH IMPACT

Adam Wonus Focuses on Expansion at Atrium - BY DIANE SEARS

22 3D WIZARDRY

NOVEMBER 2021

Marketing & PR Spotlights 28 Curley & Pynn | The Strategic Firm 29 Chase Gregory | NGS 29 Michael Monahan | Moxe Best Practices 30 Make the Most of Your Brainstorming Sessions Meaghan Branham | i4 Business

38

32 Life Cycle Assessment Measures Climate Impact | Ana Maria Leal Industry Insights 34 Thinking Outside the Box to Solve School Hunger | Elizabeth Santiago 35 Dr. Phillips Center Celebrates Its Completion | Meaghan Branham

Rapid Prototyping Services Gives Businesses Secret Superpowers - BY MEAGHAN BRANHAM

24 FINDING FAMILY

26Health Helps LGBTQ+ Prospective Parents Realize Dream of Adoption - BY DIANE SEARS

26 JOBS PIPELINE

Primus Pipe & Tube Fills Positions with Help From CareerSource Central Florida - BY DIANE SEARS

ON THE COVER

Jo Newell

Photography by Julie Fletcher Photography

DEPARTMENTS: EDITOR/PUBLISHER’S LETTER PAGE 7 | BUSINESS SEEN 10 | BUSINESS SEENS 36 | DOWNTIME 40 | WATERCOOLER 42

4 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

40

FOLLOW US►►►

#i4biz

i4 Business Advisory Board This Month's Featured Advisory Board Members

Thank You We’d like to thank our Advisory Board members for keeping their fingers on the pulse of our community and helping us bring you the best stories from around Central Florida.

Judi Awsumb, Awsumb Enterprises Jim Bowie, Consultant Jackie Brito, HR Asset Partners Cari Coats, Accendo Leadership Advisory Group Andrew Cole, East Orlando Chamber of Commerce Laura Dorsey, Florida Black Chamber and National Cultural Heritage Society Stina D'Uva, West Orange Chamber of Commerce Carol Ann Dykes Logue, University of Central Florida Business Incubator Program Susan Fernandez, Dignitas Technologies Lena Graham-Morris, HORUS Construction Mark Allen Hayes, Stockworth Realty Group Gwen Thompson Hewitt, United Negro College Fund Susan Howard, Communications/Public Relations Specialist Vicki Jaramillo, Orlando International Airport Chris Leggett, Central Florida International Trade Office Catherine Losey, Losey PLLC law firm Laureen Martinez, Orlando Economic Partnership Yog Melwani, Align Commercial Real Estate and Indian American Chamber of Commerce Davia Moss, Next Horizon Hope Edwards Newsome, Virtus LLP Rob Panepinto, Florentine Strategies Bill Reidy, Thumbs Up Jerry Ross, National Entrepreneur Center Romaine Seguin, UPS Global Freight Forwarding Jason Siegel, Greater Orlando Sports Commission Mary Shanklin, Fifth Estate Media Robert Utsey, Gilbane Building Company

Hope Edwards Newsome Hope Edwards Newsome is a managing partner with Virtus LLP, a law firm specializing in corporate, financial services, private equity and public finance. She previously served as general counsel and chief compliance officer for Triloma Financial Group. She has provided guidance to firms throughout Central Florida for more than 16 years. She also serves as secretary and general counsel for ATHENA Orlando Women's Leadership, which allows her to offer her expertise to professionals throughout the community.

Carol Ann Dykes Logue As Director of Programs & Operations for the University of Central Florida Innovation Districts and Business Incubation Program, Carol Ann Dykes Logue uses her expertise in technology, business, information research and communications to empower local entrepreneurs and connect them with resources throughout the community. With a background in both biology and education, a master’s degree in library and information science, and extensive experience in business aspects such as market analysis and commercialization, she assists early-stage, high-growth businesses throughout Central Florida.

Mark Allen Hayes

Mark Allen Hayes is an entrepreneur, real estate coach, writer and speaker as well as the owner of Stockworth Realty in Orlando, which has ties to Nashville and Detroit. In 2015, Hayes led a management buyout of Stockworth Realty from the Tavistock Group and still consults on a variety of projects with Tavistock property Lake Nona Medical City, where he serves as the director of education for the Lake Nona Institute. His real estate accomplishments have been featured on the FOX news show “The Property Man,” and his writings on education were published in a case study by the Harvard Business Review.

i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

5

4BUSiNESS ®

Orlando's Leadership Connection

SPOTLIGHTING

TOURISM AND SPORTS PROFESSIONALS

4BUSiNESS EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Diane Sears MANAGING EDITOR Meaghan Branham CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bruce Bicknell Digital Blue Productions PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Julie Fletcher JulieFletcherPhotography.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Tracey Serebin

Sports and tourism are embedded into the fabric of Central Florida - now we want to know more about the people behind the play.

CONTRIBUTORS Meaghan Branham, Terry Godbey, Ana Maria Leal, Elizabeth Santiago, Diane Sears SUBSCRIPTIONS DIRECTOR Rana Stark

In our December issue, i4 Business will spotlight your stories:

WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU DO, AND WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.

Build your relationship with our audience and yours with this special section spotlight.

Each profile will be: • Published in our print and digital editions of i4 Business • Published on i4biz.com • Shared on our social media channels • Spotlighted in our Special Sections newsletter

Coming December 2021! i4biz.com Tel: 407.730.2961

6 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

i4 Business is a participating member of:

From the Editor and Publisher

Sharing Words of Wisdom Lifts Us All as Leaders If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

— Isaac Newton

Y

ou never know when a nugget of wisdom is going to take you by surprise, even when you’re expecting it. I know, that might sound odd, but hear me out.

This fall, when everyone was starting to venture back to in-person business events again after COVID-19 social distancing, I was invited to a half-day leadership seminar. My first instinct was to say, “I don’t have that much time to spare.”

But it was hosted by Bill “Roto” Reuter (www. rotospeaks.com), and if you know him, you understand how persuasive he can be without even trying. Reuter is a keynote speaker, a highly credentialed team training consultant, a retired Naval aviator and a former commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division in Orlando — and a great mentor and partner to i4 Business. Of course I responded “yes” to the invitation. Plus something told me I needed to be there.

The Live2Lead 2021 seminar, simulcast all over the world, featured leadership guru John Maxwell and a lineup of other powerful speakers from a stage near Atlanta, and our group watched from the Orlando Science Center. Maxwell is the author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, which has sold more than a million copies and has become like a Bible for leadership trainers.

I walked away with some gems that day, and I only have space to share a few: • Legacy. Maxwell referred to other legendary leadership gurus, including Peter Drucker and Jack Welch, in addressing legacy — something that has always been important to me in the businesses and nonprofits I’ve founded and led. He said there is no success without successors. Instead of putting your legacy in an organization, you should put it in people, giving “legs” to your legacy.

• Vision. This gem came from Jeff Henderson, a Georgia pastor who used to work in marketing with Chick-fil-A and the Atlanta Braves: A business is what other people tell people it is.

It’s not up to you alone to carry the vision for your organization. Your job is to enlist vision carriers. He asked an interesting question: If your business shut down tomorrow, would people notice and care? If not, then you might need to change what you’re doing.

• Success. Valorie Burton, founder of the Coaching and Positive Energy Institute, asked this question: What does success look like for you in this season of your life? Don’t judge your success right now by an old standard from a previous season. This seems especially true today as we deal with the way the pandemic has changed our world forever.

• Influence. Ed Mylett, the author of the book #MAXOUT Your Life named after his podcast and his son Max, spoke about how influence is energy. Be intentional about the type of energy you put out. With his larger-than-life personality, that seems like an easy task, but what about the rest of us? Great persuaders are evangelical about their cause, he said. People don’t have to believe what you’re saying … they just have to believe you believe what you’re saying.

I hope sharing some of this wisdom with you helps make up for the fact that we canceled our Business Leaders of the Year awards event for 2021. Our i4 Business team was disappointed, but we look forward to getting everyone together next fall to recognize luminaries in our community in a way that is safe and supportive.

For now, we hope you enjoy reading about some of the community leaders we’ve profiled in this issue based on recommendations from you, our readers. They are shining examples of why our community is so special.

Have a great month!

Diane Sears

Editor and Publisher i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

7

4BUSiNESS Orlando's Leadership Connection

SPOTLIGHTING FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS The January/February 2022 edition will include a special marketing section spotlighting the achievements and offerings of financial professionals throughout the Orlando region.

4BUSiNESS SUBSCRIBE Visit i4biz.com or send $24.95 for a one-year (8 issues) or $39.95 for a two-year (16 issues) subscription to: i4 Business, 121 S. Orange Avenue, Suite 1500, Orlando, FL 32801. Please include name, mailing address, city, state, ZIP code, phone number and email. Please allow 4-6 weeks for subscription to start.

DIGITAL EDITION A digital edition of the current issue is available online at i4biz.com.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS If you are moving or changing the mailing address for your subscription, send your complete old address (where the magazine is currently being mailed) and your complete new address, including ZIP code, to info@i4biz.com.

BACK ISSUES Back issues may be purchased for $4.95 each by calling 407-730-2961.

REPRINTS Reprints and commemorative plaques may be ordered from Meaghan Branham with i4 Business, 407-730-2961. No other companies offering similar products or services are affiliated with i4 Business.

This invaluable marketing tool will spotlight many of the top financial professionals in Central Florida through comprehensive full-gloss color profiles in our print and digital editions.

The spotlight will also be published online at i4biz. com and promoted through our social media channels, in addition to our Special Edition FP newsletter.

www.i4biz.com/financial-professionals advertising@i4Biz.com

8 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

CONTRIBUTE Send press releases, article submissions, announcements and images to press@i4biz.com. Please provide 2-3 months advance notice for requests for event announcements and/or coverage.

i4 Business® is published eight times a year by i4 Business LLC, 121 S. Orange Avenue, Suite 1500, Orlando, FL 32801 Tel. 407-730-2961 i4biz.com The contents of i4 Business® magazine, i4biz.com and any other media extensions related to the brand, including advertisements, articles, graphics, websites, web postings and all other information (“contents”) published, are for informational purposes only. i4 Business® and all other affiliated brands do not necessarily endorse, verify, or agree with the contents contained in i4 Business®. i4 Business® makes no warranties or representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness, timeliness, or usefulness of any information contained or referenced. i4 Business® shall not be held liable for any errors or omissions. ©2021. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, is prohibited

without written permission from the publisher.

More Ways to Get Involved Since 2019, lifetime members have supported more than 30,000 girls whose families would not otherwise have been able to afford a Girl Scout experience.

We invite you to become a Lifetime Member.

Did you know 84% of Girl Scouts go on to assume leadership roles? Success for girls is success for everyone—and they’re just getting started.

Show your support and champion changemakers by investing in Girl Scouts of Citrus.

Donate Today.

Learn about these and other ways you can support the next generation of female leaders in Central Florida.

Connect with us and discover the different ways we can partner together.

www.Citrus-gs.org | 407-896-4475 | CustomerCare@citrus-gs.org

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Window on Main Street Legacy cast member George Kalogridis (left), former president of Walt Disney World, is honored with a window on Main Street U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom, joined by current Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle and Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. Kalogridis, who started with Disney in 1971 as a busser at the Contemporary Resort, now serves as president of Segment Development and Enrichment for Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. Windows in

A roadmap to developing inclusive regional economic indicators

ALAN BERUBE AND NICOLE BATEMAN

Business

10 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

OCTOBER | 2021

the theme park advertise everything from music schools and detective agencies to modeling agencies and fence painters. “The businesses are fictitious, but their owners are real; exceptional individuals who helped shape the legacy of Walt Disney World,” Vahle wrote in a blog post announcing the honor. “A ‘window on Main Street’ has long been, and still is, our ultimate compliment to such exceptional cast members. We confer new windows very rarely.”

Orlando Case Study Sets Example for Regional Prosperity The Orlando Economic Partnership’s Regional Prosperity Scorecard was one of three regional economic initiatives highlighted in a report by nonprofit public policy organization The Brookings Institution.

Indianapolis and Memphis were also featured in the report, which examined how regional economic success is measured and tracked.

The Orlando case study example

Innovation

illustrates how to develop a shared vision and framework for achieving an inclusive economy and how to link that vision to shared accountability. The 36-page report was produced as part of the Partnership’s participation in the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program Inclusive Economic Indicators Lab. It is designed to help other regions develop inclusive indicators and expand their definitions of economic success.

Education

BUSINESS BRIEFS

EV Battery Maker Microvast Expands to Lake Mary Microvast, which manufactures battery power systems for electric vehicles (EVs), announced it is opening a new 75,000-square-foot research-and-development facility in Lake Mary. The fast-growing company, a former tenant of the University of Central Florida Business Incubator program, is expected to create 100 new highwage local jobs.

The company considered its headquarters location of Houston as well as the site of its manufacturing operations in Tennessee as options for its R&D operation but chose Orlando because of its innovation ecosystem and specialized tech workforce.

“Orlando has become a hub and test bed for driverless cars and electric vehicles, and we are excited to grow Microvast’s presence in the region,” said Wenjuan Mattis, the company’s chief technology officer.

Microvast, which trades on the Nasdaq stock exchange under ticker symbol MVST, has developed batteries used in almost 30,000 vehicles in 160 cities and 19 countries, for a total of more than 3.8 billion miles traveled.

“Microvast’s industry-leading portfolio of battery technologies positions the company for incredible growth in the $30 billion market for commercial and specialty EV,” said Yang Wu, the company’s CEO and owner. “Orlando offered us the opportunity to continue our collaborations with research-driven institutions like University of Central Florida, and we look forward to continued innovation here.”

Founded in 2006, Microvast benefitted from mentorship and collaboration with the UCF Business Incubation Program and plans to work closely with the Advanced Materials

See Spot Run (Safely) A local construction team from Robins & Morton welcomed a new member recently: a four-legged robot named Spot. The autonomous Boston Dynamics Mobile Robot helps contractors streamline visual data collection and improves worksite safety by accessing spaces that are difficult or dangerous to reach, such as crawspaces and rooftops without barriers. Spot joined the team on the HostDime data center construction site in Eatonville in October.

Massey Services Acquires 2 Pest Control Companies in 2 Weeks Orlando-based termite, pest control and landscape services company Massey Services announced two acquisitions over a two-week period that expand the company’s reach along the East Coast and into Virginia. The firm acquired All Service Termite and Pest Control of Georgia and Insight Pest Solutions in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Wilmington, North Carolina.

With the additions, Massey Services now serves 700,000

customers in eight states: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Virginia. It is the nation’s fifth-largest pest management company and the largest privately held family-owned company in the industry. Harvey L. Massey founded the company in 1985 and now serves as chairman of the board. His son, Tony, was promoted to president and CEO in September.

Universal Engineering Sciences Continues National Expansion Fast-growing engineering and consulting firm Universal Engineering Sciences (UES) of Orlando has continued its national expansion with an announcement that it is acquiring Alpha Testing, a 400-person company headquartered in Dallas.

UES specializes in geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, building code compliance, threshold inspections and environmental consulting. Alpha Testing provides geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, environmental engineering and drilling services consulting to commercial, institutional, residential and municipal clients in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Significant recent projects include Bois d’Arc Reservoir Dam, the Cypress Waters mixed-use development and the Clements Tower addition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

“Universal Engineering Sciences continues to grow at a rapid pace, both organically and through acquisition,” said UES Chairman Michael Burke. “Alpha Testing perfectly exemplifies our approach of partnering with best-in-class engineering firms in key markets, positioning us to grow the business nationally and capitalize on the current and anticipated infrastructure spend. Alpha Testing’s topnotch leadership team, excellent client relationships and dedicated team members are a great fit for our culture and our vision moving forward.”

UES, founded nearly 60 years ago by Sy Israel and expanded in recent years by his son, Mark Israel, previously carved out merger deals with GFA International Inc., NOVA Geotechnical & Inspection Services, Contour Engineering, Wallace-Kuhl & Associates, Construction Testing & Engineering, SUMMIT Engineering, Laboratory & Testing P.C., GEOServices LLC, McGinley & Associates and Geotechnology Inc.

Tourism

Growth

Inspiration i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

11

COVER STORY

Leading By

Example

Jo Newell Vice President Orlando Economic Partnership

12 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

COVER STORY

Jo Newell

What It’s Like to Have a Seat at the Table

BY MEAGHAN BRANHAM Photography by Julie Fletcher

S

ome origin stories don’t start the way you expect them to. For Jo Newell, it all starts with several packs of brightly colored pens and a loosely defined business plan.

“We were in fourth grade,” Newell recalled of her days at her private elementary school in her home state of California, “and all we were allowed to use in class were pencils or black pens.” So Newell, who already knew she wanted to be a businesswoman when she grew up, asked her mom to go to a local market where value packs of multicolored pens caught her eye. “I started selling these pens to my classmates. And then I started making a profit,” she laughed, “so the principal shut that down pretty quickly.”

Since then, Newell has honed that natural business savvy into a fruitful career that today has her serving as vice president of corporate engagement at the Orlando Economic Partnership. While still in California, Newell earned a degree in human development with a concentration in education from California Baptist University before relocating to Central Florida in 2008. It was here, in the middle of one of the worst recessions in recent memory, that Newell made the bold decision to pivot, starting in the for-profit business sector and remaining there for nearly 10 years.

In her free time, Newell pursued her other passion: giving back. It was while volunteering at From Outside In, a nonprofit that provides free clothes to underserved youth in need, that she first felt that calling.

“When I first started volunteering, they weren’t even a 501(c)(3) yet,” Newell said. “They were still in their baby stages. I watched them go from a storage unit to a storefront and mobile boutique. But seeing that joy on the kids’ faces each time, that’s when I realized that giving back like this brings me so much joy.”

Soon she was introduced to the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, now represented by the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, which frequently worked with partner organizations of From Outside In. She began working with the Commission on Homelessness in 2017.

“That was my first real work in the nonprofit world outside of volunteering, and it allowed me to see how they operate and fall in love with the community aspect,” she said. “Through my work there, I started to engage with people at the Partnership.”

Since joining the Orlando Economic Partnership in 2019,

she has continued to advocate for nonprofits and businesses, always inspired by the Partnership’s mission, which includes the trademarked phrase Broad-based Prosperity: “To advance Broad-based Prosperity throughout the region.”

After serving as director of programs and strategic initiatives for two years with the Orlando Regional Chamber, a core component of the Orlando Economic Partnership, Newell was appointed in February 2021 to the role of vice president of the chamber, becoming the first Black woman to lead the morethan-100-year-old organization.

“I might have been the first at breaking this glass ceiling, but there are so many other glass ceilings to break,” Newell said. “The world is ready to see women and women of color be in positions that historically might not have been held by us. I think representation matters so much to show young girls and women of color that they deserve a seat at the table and they can have it, that their hard work will be rewarded, that times have changed and women of color are being recognized for their skills and talents.”

Effective October 1, the work of the chamber was completely integrated into the Partnership, and in the transition Newell’s role expanded to one that oversees and serves the same functions for business and economic development as she did with the chamber.

“Jo’s dedication, ambition, intelligence and accomplishments exemplify that of a true leader and an individual who has a passion for her work and creating meaningful communitylevel change,” said Tim Giuliani, president and CEO of the Partnership. “Jo recognized the disproportionate impact the pandemic was having on women in business and has seen great success in unifying the region's support organizations and community resources into a strategically coordinated campaign to propel women forward.”

Uplifting other women is a hallmark of Newell’s work, something especially evident in her creation of All Women Empowered (AWE). A campaign and coalition comprised of women and men from private, public and nonprofit partners, AWE works to propel women forward by bringing together community resources.

“When I first got to the Partnership in 2019, it was before George Floyd’s case, before social and racial injustice was a topic of conversation in the mainstream,” Newell said. “We were already talking about diversity and inclusion. Part of that

i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

13

COVER STORY

meant looking at women.”

Newell and her team surveyed women in the region and came away with the premise for their new venture: “There are so many amazing women here, and there are programs and resources, but the information about them was not all together in any one place. It seemed to be in these silos, so we wanted to bring it together strategically.”

On the AWE web page, which can be found on the Partnership’s Programs, Initiatives and Events page, users can find resources from health care and wellness, to awards and recognition opportunities, to learning programs and beyond, as well as a list of womenowned businesses in the region.

AWE’s first meeting was held in February 2020, and getting it off the ground in the middle of a year full of uncertainty because of the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t without its challenges, Newell said. But the timing also served as a vital reminder of the importance of the mission.

“With these shutdowns, women suddenly found themselves called on to be full-time employee, plus tutor, plus schoolteacher, plus caregiver for parents, while others were choosing to leave the workforce or actually being forced to. And we were seeing that a lot

14 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

of the jobs that got furloughed belonged to women. It was obvious to us that this was very relevant.”

Despite the challenges, the initiative pressed forward and held its first AWE Impact Forum in August 2021, where attendees could meet and learn about resources available for women in the region. Those resources including nonprofits, membership associations, entrepreneur organizations, media and other community groups.

Newell still spends much of her time devoted to nonprofits, most recently in her work with Tech Sassy Girlz, which empowers middle and high school girls to pursue STEM. For those girls, and the countless others she serves in her work, she leads by example.

It’s all a part of building the community she is so passionate about, the reason she was drawn to her role from the beginning.

Partnership board member Wendy Kurtz, founder and president of Elizabeth Charles & Associates, praised Newell as a community leader: “Jo Newell is a true rock star when it comes to helping businesses succeed. She doesn’t just get things done; she makes things happen! Whether connecting potential partners, researching options to overcome a business challenge, or pursuing opportunities to engage others,

you can count on Jo.” Newell maintains unwavering focus on the vision of the Partnership and her role in the organization.

“Our mission is about building a better, more equitable region for everybody,” she said. “It’s building this brilliant region where everybody gets a seat at the table.”

4BUSiNESS Orlando's Leadership Connection

Covering the People, Projects and Priorities Shaping Central Florida

SUBSCRIBE NOW

i4Biz.com

FEATURE

Heart of an Entrepreneur

Augusto Sanabria Follows His Passion as the Leader of Prospera

BY MEAGHAN BRANHAM

A

ugusto Sanabria’s advice to business owners is cliché, he admits, but that doesn’t make it any less true: “They say that when you work in your passion, you never really work a day in your life.”

And he would know. The president and CEO of Prospera has been testing that theory for nearly two decades in his work at the nonprofit, which provides bilingual assistance and resources to Hispanic entrepreneurs.

“Every part of my life, from how I grew up, to my journey to the U.S., to my journey into entrepreneurship, is proof that helping small businesses in our community is a passion of mine,” Sanabria said. “I'm still extremely passionate about the future and the ideas I have for the organization.”

When Sanabria first joined Prospera, the Spanish word for “thrives,” one of his first business ventures was facing some hardships.

“I was buying primarily industrial products in the U.S. and had a friend who would distribute them in El Salvador and other places in Central America. When the price of oil skyrocketed, we went out of business as people started buying products from cheaper alternative sources.”

He started the business while attending the University of Central Florida and was just about to graduate with his Bachelor of

16 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

Science in Business Administration when his path intersected with that of an employee of Prospera, then known as the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund. “She was teaching part-time at the university, and she suggested I come and intern for them. At the time, I thought it would be cool to learn about different businesses, hear the ideas people had and help them navigate the things I had already gone through.”

Eighteen years later, having been promoted to president and CEO in 2009, Sanabria is still helping those entrepreneurs on their journeys.

“Our job is to help immigrant entrepreneurs from Latin American countries, or citizens coming from Puerto Rico, with the language barrier and blocks to understanding how to do business in the U.S.” Growing up in Argentina and then El Salvador as the child of two business owners, Sanabria saw firsthand the struggles entrepreneurs face. His father was the owner of a Volkswagen dealership that focused on heavy equipment, trucks and machinery. His mother started several businesses, including a retail shop, a clothing store and eventually an Argentinian restaurant she opened with Sanabria’s sister in El Salvador.

“I saw the good, the bad and the ugly,” he said of watching his parents' endeavors. “It

“Maybe I’m a little biased, but I believe we live in the best region of the U.S., in the best country in the world.”

— Augusto Sanabria

FEATURE

Augusto Sanabria President and CEO Prospera

allowed us to live a comfortable life, we got a good education and could travel. We were provided so many opportunities.

But on the other side, it was very palpable when my dad wasn’t doing well in business. And my mom failed a few times in those business ventures before finding success. I learned the good and not-so-good of business ownership. I think that's why I fell in love with our mission — because if they’d had Prospera on their side, their path and likelihood of success would have been that much higher.”

Since Sanabria took the helm of Prospera, the organization has seen its share of impressive success. Originally only operating throughout the Interstate 4 corridor, Prospera expanded to South Florida 10 years ago to become a statewide organization. Five years after that, it ventured outside of Florida, offering services in Charlotte, North Carolina, and slowly expanding its reach to other cities.

“During the pandemic,” Sanabria said, “due to the needs we were seeing in other communities, we were able to expand into the Atlanta market and open an office in Georgia.”

COVID-19 also led to other changes. Prospera still offers its four core resources: education programs, business consulting, grants for business advancement tools, and access to capital.

The organization adapted quickly to the needs of a business world forever altered by the pandemic and now offers more virtual services and events. Additionally, a partnership with JP Morgan Chase bank and small business lender Ascendus allowed Prospera to be there for clients in the past year in ways they needed most.

“The number one need of our clients was capital,” Sanabria

said. “All of a sudden, we became an underwriting entity, helping individuals navigate all of the options. Together, we were able to deploy resources for those businesses.”

This fall, Prospera announced the results of its 30-year economic impact report, a move that was deeply important to Sanabria. The results were more than encouraging. In the past five years, Prospera’s total economic impact went from $1.5 billion to $4.9 billion. As for return on investment, the report found that in 2016, for every dollar invested in Prospera, the return was $70. In 2021, that number went up to $184.

Prospera has also helped create 30,000 jobs, and 65,000 people participated in its educational programs.

Sanabria is ready to lead Prospera and the community into even more success in the coming years, encouraged not only by the numbers but by the people behind them — people he has always believed in.

“Maybe I’m a little biased, but we live in the best region of the U.S., in the best country in the world,” he said. “It’s a very collaborative community. We partner with each other, we help each other out, we welcome one another. Central Florida is unique because we understand that the success of one is the success of all.”

Every part of my life, from how I grew up, to my journey to the U.S., to my journey into entrepreneurship, is proof that helping small businesses in our community is a passion of mine.

i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

17

FEATURE

Tracking the Future Career in Transportation Leads Christine Kefauver to Brightline

BY DIANE SEARS

Photography by Julie Fletcher

I believe that in almost any line of work, people innately want to do good things. If their passion aligns with what they like to do and what they get to do, it’s phenomenal what can happen.

— Christine Kefauver

18 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

Christine Kefauver saw snow outside her bedroom window one morning in Naestved, about an hour’s train ride from Copenhagen. She was spending her high school senior year in Denmark as an exchange student, and she knew just what to do. She pulled the down comforter up under her chin and planned to stay in for a “snow day.” Her host mother laughed and said, “You’d never go to school here if you did that.”

It was quite a change from what she was used to back home in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. “The community I was living in was celebrating its 850-year jubilee,” Kefauver said. “I saw how everyone biked, no matter what the weather was. I saw how public policy impacted urban form, how there tended to be one vehicle per household. Between walking, cycling and commuting by train, the lifestyle

in Denmark lent itself to a higher level of personal fitness. There was not this passive riding everywhere. The transit systems worked.”

That pivotal year ignited in her a passion for transportation, and she has since dedicated her career to everything from roads and bridges to bus routes to commuter train tracks to light rail lines.

Much of that work has been in Central Florida, where she helped plan the SunRail commuter train system.

Today, as the new senior vice president of corporate development for Brightline, she is the Central Florida face of a company that plans to bring highspeed rail from Miami to Orlando in 2022 and eventually expand to Tampa.

“It’s all part of a larger ecosystem,” she said. “Brightline is not going to solve everyone’s problems, but it becomes the spine that you can begin to grow

FEATURE regional and local systems from, working in partnership and collaboration. I think the reason I was chosen for this role is because I understand this community so well.”

Early in her career, with a degree in urban planning from the University of Maryland — a course of study that was uncommon then — Kefauver was working for a transportation planning firm when President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. The act declared that U.S. policy would be to develop a national intermodal transportation system that would move people and goods in an energy-efficient manner.

By her mid-20s, Kefauver was working for the Federal Highway Administration, visiting cities nationwide to teach people how to use U.S. Census data for travel demand forecasting and modeling. One day, in West Virginia, a man said to her, “Sugar, who are you to tell me how I’m supposed to use my state dollars for transportation? I’ve been an engineer longer than you’ve been alive.”

The comment only made her more resolute. She realized she could make a bigger impact by getting involved in transportation on a local level. She found her way to Orlando, where Linda Chapin was serving as the first woman chair of Orange County. Chapin hired Kefauver as part of an in-house transportation team, and one of her first assignments was working with a constituent named Teresa Jacobs who was concerned about the construction of Apopka-Vineland Road.

Years later, Jacobs herself would become Orange County mayor.

“When I started in Orange County, there were still hundreds of miles of dirt roads here,” Kefauver said. “The county deals with urban, suburban and rural issues. It’s very complex. In contrast, the city of Orlando focuses on urban issues, which has its own challenges, like higher demand and sometimes aging infrastructure. There’s also the complexity of city-owned versus county-owned and state-owned.

You and I as drivers don’t care. We just want a seamless transportation network.”

After almost 10 years, a family move took her to Bentonville, Arkansas, where she worked for the Northwest Arkansas

Council, addressing transportation and other issues alongside business leaders who included Sam Walton of Walmart, J.B. Hunt from J.B. Hunt Transport Services and Don Tyson from Tyson Foods.

“They wanted to ensure they were addressing a collective and cohesive quality of life because they wanted to attract the best talent the world could offer,” Kefauver said. “It was hard to attract talent to Northwest Arkansas, so they wanted to make sure they broke down all the barriers.”

When her family returned to Orlando, Mayor Buddy Dyer approached Kefauver and asked her to work as his transportation policy advisor. She stayed there almost seven years, seeing the SunRail project through from legislative approval to planning to construction in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

“It was a great honor to work shoulder to shoulder with him on all things transportation, but particularly SunRail,” she said.

“Mayor Dyer never gave up on SunRail, not even through three sessions when it was proposed in the Legislature, because he knew it was the right thing to do. Mayor Dyer taught me the greatest lessons about collaboration and partnership, about agreeing on a whole lot more than we don’t agree on.

“There was a level of perseverance that not many people would have sustained. And it just reinforced to me that if it were easy, it would be done by now, and that’s what drives my patience with next steps for Brightline.”

She also credits former Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce President Jacob Stuart with showing her how to take a regional view of infrastructure including transportation. Under his decades of leadership, the chamber became part of what is today the Orlando Economic Partnership, which encompasses a sevencounty region that includes Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia as well as the City of Orlando.

Kefauver counts SunRail as one of her career’s crowning achievements. Her two daughters still joke that the project was mentioned so often at her house, it became like a third child in their family.

One day, as SunRail was about to open, a friend told Kefauver her name was being

mentioned for a job at HDR Engineering.

She went to work for the firm, and it won a contract to design the Interstate 4 Ultimate Project. Within a year, her boss was promoted to a position in the Northeast and urged her to apply for his job.

“I said, ‘Me? I’m still learning where the bathroom is,’” she joked. Kefauver was promoted to run all operations for Florida, Alabama and Mississippi — not just transportation but also water, wastewater, power generation, construction and other functions.

She was invited to a summit at the firm’s headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, where she delivered an important message onstage that still sticks with her about leading such a large group of employees: “I said, ‘You know, we’re planners, we’re engineers, we’re architects, but we are in the people business. We need to do whatever we can to create an environment where people want to thrive. So we need to know what their motivators are.

“I believe that in almost any line of work, people innately want to do good things. If their passion aligns with what they like to do and what they get to do, it’s phenomenal what can happen.”

Eventually, however, she realized that no matter how much she loved the job, the role had taken her away from the transportation work that fed her passion and joy.

When she was offered a position with Brightline earlier this year, Kefauver picked up the phone. “I called my daughter, who was in the fourth grade when we started the SunRail conversation and is finishing her senior year of college now. I said, ‘Honey, I'm thinking about taking this role with Brightline.’ She said, ‘If you can do for Brightline what you did for SunRail, that legacy will be so amazing.

It's like SunRail on steroids.’”

Her daughter’s enthusiasm spurred her to make the move, and Kefauver joined Brightline in March.

“It’s exciting,” she said. “That’s what we do all of this for, because we care about what the future brings, whether it’s climate change, sustainability, resiliency, all of these things. Yes, we do it for progress, but it’s ultimately for that next generation and caring about what that will look like.”

i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

19

FEATURE

High Growth, High Impact

Adam Wonus Focuses on Expansion at Atrium

BY DIANE SEARS

A

dam Wonus met his business partner by chance.

His wife, Monica, was at a charity event and another attendee, Michael Krause, requested a song she knew was popular with people from Ohio, where Wonus attended college. She told Krause, “You’re going to love my husband.”

But most of his career has been about intention, whether it was learning how to write big deals as a business banker with Wells Fargo, or buying his first business, a Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club franchise in Winter Park, or seeking the advice of people who have become his

20 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

longtime mentors.

Today Wonus and Krause operate Atrium Management Company, which has managed single-family and multifamily properties for about 20 years. Since purchasing the firm in 2014, the partners have grown it from a couple hundred homes to more than 3,000. Atrium has been nationally recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company and fastest growing real estate firm.

“Our big goal is to get to 24,000 units in 10 years, and that's what we rally behind as a company,” Wonus said. “It's been exciting. The fun part is we're just getting started. We’ve felt like these first

“We got into this because we want to work on great projects throughout Central Florida.

We want to find high-impact community projects that we can be proud of. We focus our efforts on adding to the downtown core areas of different communities.”

— Adam Wonus

FEATURE

seven years have been about getting us set up to be able to really make an impact.

“It's funny how your business goes through different phases. When you're starting out, everything is about ‘How fast can we grow?’ and now we're just trying to add fantastic people to our company. When we first started, there were only three of us, so every movement you made affected the company pretty dramatically, but everybody had to be moving at 100 miles an hour. Now we have 50 people at the company, and as a leader I’m focused on how to keep everyone moving in the right direction.”

Wonus seems to be in constant motion, traveling to scout out new properties for investments. He has a special affinity for the Milk District, a trendy Orlando neighborhood where he used to live near the historic T.G. Lee milk plant at Bumby Avenue and Robinson Street, so Atrium has purchased property to move its headquarters there from Lake Mary.

Plans call for redesigning the building, which has housed the local offices of global engineering firm NV5, to fit in with the district, incorporating milk stacks into the architecture’s façade.

Atrium also wants to construct a 27-unit apartment building next-door with live-work units at the front to promote small businesses in the neighborhood.

In the meantime, the company is working with the City of Eustis in Lake County on a redevelopment project to create an urban core on three blocks along Lake Eustis with 75 apartments along with retail and restaurant space. Atrium has also expanded operations into Gainesville and Tampa, and it’s looking to move into Jacksonville.

One of Atrium’s main objectives, Wonus said, is to groom young people for successful careers. Some of the company’s superstar employees formerly worked as interns there from schools including Rollins College, the University of Central Florida

and the University of Michigan.

“Property management isn't the most fun business in the world, but it provides a ton of opportunity for our staff to become really great professionals, to grow a real estate portfolio,” Wonus said. “We have a class we offer to our staff on investing. We read books like Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and we take a chapter every other week and talk about what that means to your life.

“I've always been a dreamer. I've always loved what the world has to offer, the opportunities. As you get a little older, you get jaded sometimes, so you bring these young professionals into the company and their energy pushes you. I've really enjoyed that. It's been a fun ride so far.”

Giving young people their start is important to Wonus because he has been where they are. When he was starting, he reached out to some people for help, and they have remained mentors to this day. Those include Craig Ustler, president of Ustler Development, best known for development projects in Thornton Park and Orlando’s Creative Village, and Eric Holm, whose firm owns multiple Golden Corral restaurants throughout the Southeast, who is known for years of donating and serving thousands of free Thanksgiving meals at the Salvation Army in Orlando.

“It was great to get start getting advice at 22 years old from people like Craig and Eric,” Wonus said. “My biggest piece of advice is that who you align yourself with is so important. I'm just lucky that people I've looked up to this whole time have taken the time to help me grow.

“I've learned you can go really far in this world if you continue to partner and align yourself with the right people. The people who are doing a great job want to help you be successful. They'll take time out of their day to give you the right type of advice. I find that the more successful people are, the more willing they are to help when they see that you've put in the effort and that you're trying to do something to get to their level.” i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

21

FEATURE

3D Wizardry

Rapid Prototyping Services Gives Businesses Secret Superpowers

BY MEAGHAN BRANHAM

W

hen the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion set off on the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy, they didn’t know exactly how the wizard would grant their wishes — they just had faith that the man behind the curtain would make it happen. When clients come to the door of Ken Brace’s 2,500-square-foot studio, they must feel that same excitement and hope — only the wizard behind the curtain here doesn’t keep his methods a secret, and he always delivers.

The truth is, 3D printing might be capable of more than what even the great and powerful Oz could dream up. From printing with biomaterials in the medical field, to revolutionizing manufacturing by making processes more affordable, to printing structures in space that couldn’t survive the stress of a launch, those behind the scenes in the 3D printing industry are turning visions into realities every day.

In Central Florida, as the owner of Rapid Prototyping Services, Brace is granting those wishes out of his Satellite Beach-based studio, where, with just

22 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

one employee staffing $1 million worth of equipment, the machines on the floor run each day, sometimes 24/7, to propel industries and business in our own backyards and beyond.

Medical While the medical industry is still exploring and discovering the possibilities of 3D printing, those at the forefront have already made advancements so incredible they seem to come straight from the pages of a science fiction book.

Bioprinting, for instance, allows the use of biomaterials like living cells to print everything from living tissue to blood vessels and even whole organs.

In September, it was reported that scientists from Saga University and Kyoto University in Japan were able to 3D print cartilage using stem cells, according to 3DPrintingIndustry.com. Recently, researchers at the Complex Materials Group at ETH Zurich developed a tool to print custom heart valves using silicon, making a usually expensive and laborintensive process possibly more efficient and affordable.

Brace is bringing those advancements to Central Florida, working with everyone

“One of the groups I’m working with is designing a robotic hand, and working on programming it to open and close.”

— Ken Brace

from doctors and surgeons to nonprofits.

He has previously worked with Limbitless Solutions, a nonprofit based out of the University of Central Florida (UCF) that creates bionic limbs for children, and Brace has donated his older machines for use in its projects.

He also works with doctors on tools used during their surgeries and procedures. “In one case, I worked with a surgeon who was working on a nasal cavity and wanted to better understand it,” Brace said. “I used the CT scan they had taken of the patient to then create the model of the nasal cavity, and printed that out and sterilized it. He was able to keep that on the table during surgery to help guide him. In cases like that, it’s so rewarding because I’m not just making a part, I’m making a part that helps someone in such an incredible way.”

FEATURE

Education In addition to donating older printers to nonprofits based out of universities, Brace often donates them to the local school district for use in classrooms and labs. During summers, he dedicates some of his time to training teachers on how to use the equipment in their classrooms.

The equipment can have far-reaching effects in schools.

Since each design must start with a 3D CAD (computer-aided design) file, the use of the technology in class encourages students to be more actively involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). And when it comes to the subjects that can be enhanced with 3D printing, the possibilities are endless. Chemistry students can print out and study models of molecules, and history students can replicate and study ancient artifacts.

“And now, since the teachers all know me,” he laughed, “they’ll call me up and send their students over when they need pieces created for their science projects.” Each year, when science fair season gets into full swing, Brace allows students to use the equipment at his shop to help them go above and beyond with their projects.

“Some of them are thinking pretty outside the box,” he said. “One of the groups I’m working with is designing a robotic hand, and working on programming it to open and close. One student is doing the mechanical part, the other is doing the electrical.” Brace even introduced the students to Limbitless in the hopes that the company can help the next generation find new solutions.

Manufacturing The machines used in the process and on Brace’s floor don’t require constant supervision or multiple handlers like some manufacturing methods. At Rapid Prototyping Services, Brace often operates them overnight, only checking in if the machines alert him to an issue. That reduction in cost and labor means using 3D printing as part of the manufacturing process allows for far more freedom and flexibility. In fact, the machines are often used for a process called “low-volume manufacturing,” creating small quantities of a product.

Brace has jumped in for clients like this before. While working for local company FARO Technologies, RPS became an integral part of a new product launch. After the product was designed by the team and prototyped by Brace, things took an unexpected turn.

“The marketing team was getting orders for the product before they even had time to make it,” Brace said. “And when they realized they couldn’t get the parts they needed for six weeks, they came back to me. The materials I was using for that prototype were identical to the materials in the product.

We were delivering 500 to 600 pieces as the orders came in, and I was running the machines 24/7 until they could get where they needed to be to mass produce. The technology is at a stage where we can make really high-quality parts when it’s needed for projects like this.”

Aerospace Even with the impressive amount of ground already covered in Brace’s portfolio, there are still some wishes of his own he hopes to grant someday soon.

He’s already had a hand in some extraterrestrial projects, including work done with Lockheed Martin on the Orion capsule launched in 2014. As of 2021, and with space travel and space tourism taking off more quickly than most could have expected, he is ready to delve further into the possibilities of 3D printing in space.

“I’m really excited about commercial space and what they’re doing at the Cape,” he said. “I hope once that starts going, I can be more involved with SpaceX and Blue Origin.

I think there are a lot of possibilities for us to service them really well.”

Whether in Central Florida or far above it, the businesses Brace services are taking off thanks to his work. It’s a privilege, Brace said, to be a part of so many exciting and innovative projects in so many realms. No one can say for sure just what the parts produced in Brace’s studio could one day look like, or one day do for the people they reach — a new way to learn, a closer look at the cosmos or maybe even, like the Tin Man always wanted, a real beating heart.

i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

23

FEATURE

Finding Family

26Health Helps LGBTQ+ Prospective Parents Realize Dream of Adoption

BY DIANE SEARS

The more we investigate, the more we see there are thousands and thousands of teenagers in the system, and they feel there's no hope. They end up aging out.

— Manny Carames

24 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

T

rying to adopt a child can lead to hopes raised and then dashed when a birth mother changes her mind or something else in the process goes wrong. For prospective parents from the LGBTQ+ community, the heartbreak can become even more personal when they are turned down not for income, background check or health reasons but because of who they are.

Manny Carames knows this because it happened to him and his partner. As the head of a growing adoption program at Orlando nonprofit 26Health, he wants to be sure it doesn’t happen to other qualified parents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning and are not always welcome or comfortable in a mainstream adoption system. To celebrate November as National Adoption Month, the comprehensive health care organization for LGBTQ+ people and their allies is emphasizing its adoption service, which shepherds people through one of the most important events of their lives.

“It's a white glove approach to bringing them through the process,” said Carames, the behavioral health director for 26Health. “Not all of our families are LGBTQ — some of them are straight allies as well. But for those who are part of the gay, lesbian and transgender community who do sometimes hit brick walls, we try to help them navigate around those.”

Initiated about three years ago, the program went into research mode during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when adoption activity slowed down. The team spent the time developing a pipeline to help people through both sides of the adoption process. “We worked hard on making strategic connections with some of the birthing clinics, OB-GYNs and larger hospital systems that have neonatal intensive care units to establish ourselves on the list of people they call.”

Carames brought in Krystal Trocki, who worked for more than 20 years with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and is now a 26Health

FEATURE

adoption coordinator. She joined Marge Snider, another adoption coordinator, who is based in Miami. Working for the nonprofit has been remarkably different, Trocki said.

“When you look at adoption agencies, like the Department of Children and Families, they will do your home study for you and then expect you to find your child on your own,” Trocki said. “But here at 26Health, after the home study is completed, we work with every family to help them find their perfect child so that they're not out in that jungle of, ‘What do I do now?’”

Trocki spent much of her time at DCF helping place older children into adoptive families, and her region handled 326 adoptions in the last year she was there.

“It’s definitely refreshing to be on this side,” she said.

“Although you're still as busy, you don't have the two o'clock-in the-morning phone calls of ‘Hey, a child on your caseload has run away.’ And being able to go to the hospital and watch a family visit with their newborn for the first time kind of puts it all in perspective of why we do what we do.”

Trocki and Carames both have a soft spot for getting older children adopted into “forever homes.” Carames and his partner were searching on Heart Gallery of America websites, where pictures of children who need adopting are posted by professional photographers who donate their time.

“I call them ‘Pulling at Your Heart Galleries,’” Carames said.

“They showcase the children, and there are about 26,000 of them in Florida’s foster system right now who are older. When these children reach the age of about 10 to 12, they are no longer

A Bag of My Own

desirable to most families because some people tend to feel that they've already grown and they will never be able to show these kids the ways of the world. We spend a good deal of our time talking to our clients and educating them away from some of those biases.”

In addition to adoption services, 26Health offers a whole wellness package for the families, including primary care, specialty care and behavioral health. The nonprofit also is creating support groups for prospective parents and for those who have taken in children and need guidance on how to handle some of the emotional and behavioral issues they encounter.

Carames and his partner wound up adopting a teenager who had been bounced from home to home and is now their son, participating in sports at school and looking forward to his firstever family vacation. Carames recommends prospective parents watch the 2018 film Instant Family starring Mark Walhberg, which he said is pretty realistic.

“A lot of people say to me, ‘Why would you take a teenager?

I mean, he's going to be gone in two years.’ What they're not understanding is that he’ll always have a home for the holidays, or someone to call for advice, or someone to talk to when he gets his heart broken.

“These kids don't have that currently. So that's what we try to tell our clients: Look toward some of the older children, because they really need your help. With every month that goes by, they lose hope. We are definitely about finding newborns for the families who want them, but we also advocate for the older kids in the system.”

C

hildren moving from home to home in the foster care system are easily identifiable to those in the know. It’s the plastic garbage bag.

They carry their belongings with them in the only container they can find that is large enough to hold their clothing, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, books, toys and other treasured possessions.

A local initiative is gathering donated suitcases of all shapes and sizes to give foster children a more dignified way of transporting their things, said Manny Carames, the behavioral health director for 26Health. “We came up with these tags that say, ‘Forever home, forever family, forever loved: The 26Health Adoption Team.’ We attach these to all the bags.”

During a recent week, 26Health delivered a batch of about 40 suitcases to an organization it partners with: Embrace Families, which helps children who are suffering from abuse and neglect by counseling the parents or, in extreme cases, supporting the children through foster care or adoption.

Named “A Bag of My Own,” the project is being publicized through social media and in local bars and restaurants, chambers of commerce and fraternal organizations. “They’re all starting to donate money as well, because these little tags cost quite a bit of money to have created,” Carames said.

“The foster system is loving it. We're hoping it inspires other organizations to do the same.”

i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

25

FEATURE

Jobs Pipeline

Primus Pipe & Tube Fills Positions with Help from CareerSource Central Florida

BY DIANE SEARS

A

s the vice president of finance and human resources for Primus Pipe & Tube, Horacio Carreno understands the challenges of enticing people to come work in Wildwood, a Sumter County city with a population of less than 8,000.

“I used to brag that we were not good at hiring because we never really had to. Once in a while, we’d hire one person.

Then two to three years ago, things started to change because people started to retire at a fast rate. We’ve had to improvise.”

— Horacio Carreno

26 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

But with assistance from CareerSource Central Florida, he has helped the company fill about 40 jobs in recent years, even in the tight employment market brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic — everything from general labor positions to maintenance to administrative.

“We’ve had good success,” Carreno said. “I’m able to justify bringing in someone with little to no experience, and CareerSource helps by absorbing the training or payroll costs for a number of days or weeks until we can get this person trained. I’ve hired many people who I typically would not consider. Hiring someone who’s a landscaper but has no metal or welding experience is challenging, and CareerSource has helped us.”

Carreno has been with the company about eight years and in the metals field for about 12 years. He started in the scrap industry, where his previous employer

purchased metals from what is today his current employer.

“When my previous employer was acquired by a much larger company, they centralized a lot of the duties I was doing for them as the controller,” he said.

“I chose not to move because I wanted to stay in Florida.” He began working for Primus, which was acquired in 2017 by Ta Chen International from Taiwan.

“We’ve been pretty fortunate as a company,” Carreno said. “People come in to develop a trade or skill, and they can make a good career working here.

We pay very good wages for this market.

Historically, we’ve had very low turnover.

People retired from this facility after 30 or 40 years of working here. I used to brag that we were not good at hiring because we never really had to. Once in a while, we’d hire one person.

“Then two to three years ago, things started to change because people started to retire at a fast rate. We’ve had to improvise. Even the onboarding process was challenging for us because we’d never really had to do it.”

Ironically, circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have enabled the company to thrive. The company saw

FEATURE

an increase in demand for its products because of supply chain issues that made sourcing from other countries challenging, on top of new U.S. tariffs on imports. Before the pandemic, Ta Chen had been preparing to increase the company’s capacity, constructing a third building with new equipment.

“We’ve had to do a lot of hiring,” Carreno said. “Just since January of this year, I’ve hired more people than I had hired in the previous six years.”

To stay competitive in hiring, Primus has increased its starting pay from $13.05 to $15 an hour. Carreno has even resorted to texting people whose resumes he finds through various sources. “When I see a resume and I can’t get in touch with the individual, it’s amazing how efficient texting is and how often I get a response. I’ll get a response to a text quicker than I get a response to a voicemail.”

At least once a week, he touches base with his CareerSource Central Florida consultant, Yolanda Green. She sends him candidates who have already been briefed on what the position is about and have been determined to be a potential fit.

“Whenever I have a need, I’ll let her know in advance, ‘I’m looking to hire four people this month’ and she’ll send me the resumes of individuals in the area who qualify for the jobs we’re looking to fill,” Carreno said. “Usually I find it easier and more helpful to work with CareerSource than I do with an employment agency.”

The company’s workforce now stands at 104 people, and Primus is continuing to grow. “With the start-up of new equipment, it’s been extremely challenging trying to find skilled labor in our area,” Carreno said. “So I’ve leaned on CareerSource for support.”

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

Recruiting and Retaining in a Tight Labor Market

I

BY PAMELA NABORS

hIt’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed the way we work. The transformation of the American workforce is unfolding, as every day more individuals are reevaluating their priorities, purpose and quality of life.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a record 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in August 2021 – the highest number in more than two decades.

PAM NABORS

With this extraordinary shift, employers are finding themselves adapting their hiring processes and retention strategies by offering flexible schedules, career advancement and development opportunities, and competitive compensation, among other benefits. However, many businesses are still struggling to find workers. In particular, businesses in the tourism, hospitality, retail and food service industries have been impacted the most by workers quitting for other opportunities.

Even before the pandemic, the rise in automation and digital technology was changing the way we worked and widening the skills gap in the labor market. The disruption brought upon by COVID-19 only accelerated the demand for skilled workers in industries such as manufacturing, trade and logistics, construction and information technology (IT), resulting in a greater need for companies to upskill and train employees.

As organizations look to retain employees and remain competitive in the current marketplace, many choose to invest in their most valuable asset: their people. Upskilling opportunities, ranging from analytics training to language learning, can often lead to higher productivity, engagement and satisfaction.

How does workforce development play a key role in addressing these challenges? No matter the state of the economy, local workforce boards focus on connecting employers to skilled and qualified candidates, allowing for long-term success for both employees and businesses. When employees grow, so does the business — it’s a win-win.

Regional workforce boards like CareerSource Central Florida (CSCF) help businesses train new and existing employees in their current work environment, and businesses can be reimbursed for a portion of their wages. This past year, CSCF supported more than 2,700 businesses in the region with recruitment, upskilling, on-the-job training and other free services. We invite you to learn more at www.

CareerSourceCentralFlorida.com.

Pamela Nabors is the president and CEO of CareerSource Central Florida. i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

27

PR/MARKETING SPOTLIGHT

Curley & Pynn: ® The Strategic Firm

BY DIANE SEARS Leadership team Kacie Escobar, MBA, APR; Dan Ward, APR, CPRC; Connie Mercado; and Heather Keroes, APR

D

an Ward joined Curley & Pynn Public Relations Management early in his career for an opportunity to think creatively and put his writing skills to work in a business setting.

Twenty-seven years later, as the public relations firm’s president, he says he still draws inspiration from the original founders.

“As the owner of the firm, the best aspect of the job is celebrating the victories of our team. When a client says, ‘We couldn’t have done this without you,’ we know we’re being essential.”

— Dan Ward “I’ve stayed here and decided to make this my ‘forever work home’ because of the strategic approach to public relations that Joe Curley and Roger Pynn made the centerpiece of everything we do,” he said. “Our Five Steps to Professional Success are a great guide not only for public relations management, but also nearly any business application.”

He enjoys the variety of the work, which brings new challenges every day.

28 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

“The typical day in a public relations agency is anything but typical,” Ward said. “At any given moment, we could be counseling a client through a crisis, pitching a national media story, drafting a highly technical article or planning a major event. No matter what we’re doing, the goal is always the same: to be essential partners.”

He is also inspired by the three women who make up the rest of the firm’s leadership team. “I spend every day learning something new from them and trying to meet their lofty expectations.”

Like Ward, Vice President Kacie Escobar enjoys the fact that there is no “typical” day. “Agency life is fast-paced and dynamic,” she said. “One of my favorite parts of this job is conducting and analyzing research and using it to inform creative approaches to our work.

As a naturally curious person, I love opportunities to learn more about the variety of organizations and industries we serve and help uncover valuable insights our clients may not otherwise have known. It’s like finding hidden treasure.”

A third member of the management team, Connie Mercado, holds the title of firm administrator. Although she handles operational parts of the business, from finance to account services to IT, she agrees with her peers that no two days are the same, which is part of the allure.

“A typical day for me is not so typical,” she said. “My favorite part of what my job entails is event planning. I

have a knack for it, and the result of my hard work makes it worthwhile. Seeing everyone’s joy as they experience a fun holiday party, for instance, makes my heart happy.”

The firm’s vice president of client services, Heather Keroes, ventured into public relations after starting out in college as a TV and radio journalist. She worked in communications for several large organizations before interviewing at Curley & Pynn, which she’d had her eye on for some time.

“Known as ‘The Strategic Firm,’ Curley & Pynn always held a well-earned reputation as a place that builds strong thinkers and leaders who do incredible and meaningful work for organizations,” she said. “It wasn’t until I joined the team that I truly cut my teeth as a strategic communications professional and found my home, so to speak. It has truly been a ‘next level’ experience!”

Her favorite part of the job? “That feeling each day that I have helped our clients accomplish great things – and working with a great and talented team that makes those achievements possible.”

Founded in 1984, Curley & Pynn provides counsel, advice and total program management to Florida professionals and corporate clients who recognize that in today’s business environment it is essential to communicate with all who have an interest in their success.

For more information, visit www.thestrategicfirm.com.

PR/MARKETING SPOTLIGHT

Brand Ambassador

BY MEAGHAN BRANHAM

A Chase Gregory Senior Partner NSG Consulting

sponsored wakeboarder since age 12, Chase Gregory might not be who you expect to find at the helm of a marketing consulting firm. But the two worlds have more in common than you might think.

“That pro athlete experience gave me the opportunity to learn and understand the importance of branding, company image and marketing, which are all supposed to lead to sales,” Gregory said. “If a company I worked with valued me, it wasn’t because I ended up on the podium, but because I was respected by others for my efforts to help grow the company from an ambassador and sales standpoint. If a sponsored athlete doesn’t help sell the product in some way, then why keep that person on board?”

When his mother, Nanette Gregory, was looking to grow her marketing consulting business, Chase Gregory had a feeling his experience as a brand ambassador and sales agent might make him an unexpectedly perfect fit. Today he spends his days creating and publishing content, collaborating with the team, and organizing everything from projects and events to videos and website launches. It turns out his feeling was right.

“My favorite aspect of working at NSG Consulting is collaborating on content within our organization,” he said. “I work hard to do more than the job entails, and that extra effort means a lot to clients. Genuinely caring about their business is what keeps us in business.”

Leading the Pack

T

BY MEAGHAN BRANHAM wo decades into his career in the corporate communications and public relations field, Michael Monahan joined Moxē as president and CEO. The move found him back in his hometown of Orlando, but it also offered new and challenging business opportunities.

“I joined Moxē for two primary reasons,” he said. “The first is that our ownership structure is outstanding and completely supportive of what we’re trying to do to serve the architecture, engineering, construction and building services categories —we want to be the best at that.” Moxē is the only fully integrated agency in the area that focuses exclusively on those sectors, he said.

“The second was the market opportunity,” Monahan said. “Here, in Orlando, there are several midsize agencies, most of whom do really good work, but there isn’t that Goliath in the market that will gobble up clients based on its sheer gravity. We’re in the business of building brands and, with that as our platform, we have a real opportunity to grow our business into one of the leading marketing agencies in Central Florida.”

With those big goals in mind, Moxē and Monahan set out to create a new industry standard for clients, leveraging their talent and experience to build their brands and drive marketing traction for clients.

“Enabling the success of others is the primary purpose of any leadership role,” Monahan said, speaking of both the firm and its clients.

“Are you making things easier for your team by removing barriers, clearly articulating expectations and helping enable them to achieve results?

Are you helping them learn, grow and develop in their careers? We are focused on that.”

Michael Monahan President and CEO Moxē

i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

29

BEST PRACTICE

Meaghan Branham

is the managing editor for i4 Business, where she oversees the company’s digital media strategy, handles client relationship marketing for the print and digital magazines, and serves as one of the publication’s lead writers.

A native of Brevard County, she splits her time between Central Florida and Nashville, Tennessee.

Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.

— Oliver Wendell Holmes

30 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

Marketing

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS

A

t their best, brainstorming sessions are a fun opportunity to share ideas and get the ball rolling on your next successful endeavor. At their worst, they leave everyone feeling like they wasted an hour of their time, only to come away with nothing to follow up on. Especially in the world of Zoom meetings and Skype conference calls, it sometimes feels impossible to orchestrate an effective brainstorming session that keeps everyone engaged and excited.

So how do you keep the brainstorming blues from taking over? Luckily for us, decades of in-office brainstorming sessions have given way to some best practices to ensure that these meetings are, more often than not, sources of inspiration and renewed momentum.

Here are some tips on how to make the most of your sessions, either in person or virtually:

Set a time limit

Some might think that the longer you are sharing ideas, the better the results. After all, the more time spent in the meeting, the more ideas will be shared — right? Not always. In fact, setting a time limit of about 25 or 30 minutes helps participants stay on task and feel more in the moment, giving them less time to overthink or doubt their suggestions and making them more likely to speak up sooner. This also helps avoid the feeling of “wasted time” that often plagues us because a 22-minute meeting is a lot easier to squeeze into a day — and a lot easier to shrug off if it’s unsuccessful. You can also avoid squandering any in-meeting time with a rule of no laptops or phones.

Give participants time to prepare

This is essential to making the most of a shorter session. By giving your team members a couple days to prepare, you increase the chances of them coming to the meeting with their best ideas and being willing to share them. While some prefer to perform under pressure, most of us find it difficult to come up with our best ideas in these settings. It’s when we’re given time to reflect and analyze that we feel the most confident in our pitch.

In fact, according to a Leo Widrich article on Buffer.com, our best ideas often come when we are relaxed or distracted, or after a dopamine dump in our brains sometimes associated with exercise or listening to music. Before your meeting, make sure to communicate what the session will cover, who will participate and what the goal will be. Encourage your team to come into the meeting with some ideas written down.

Diversify your team

Chances are your team has been working closely together on projects, which is great for a sense of camaraderie and unity but doesn’t always promote creativity. Sometimes all it takes is a new perspective to mix it up in much-needed ways. By inviting some members from other teams within the company, you’re more likely to spark an idea or two that can surprise and reignite excitement for the project.

Encourage bad ideas

This may seem counterproductive, but the truth is, there will be bad ideas. And that’s OK. Of course, it’s important to not waste time on them, but it’s also important not to discourage participation for fear that an idea might not be “good enough.” A bad idea might lead to a good

one, after all. By allowing room for mistakes, creativity and an honest flow of thought, your team will feel comfortable enough to share good ideas freely as well.

Digital Brainstorms Everything from on-screen distraction to Zoom fatigue can make brainstorming sessions feel like a chore for remote teams. When conducted properly, however, a digital meeting can offer unique advantages that produce results as impressive as those from a face-to-face meeting. Here are some tips for making the best of a digital meeting:

Share documents

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT

Keeping a shared note or Google Doc for everyone to add ideas to in the time leading up to the meeting ensures that everyone has a chance to have their ideas seen and heard.

This can be especially useful in engaging employees who may be hesitant to speak up in person or on a call. Have everyone pull up the document at the beginning of the meeting, then go over the ideas together to maximize creativity.

Keep everyone engaged

It can be especially hard to avoid distraction in a virtual meeting, as we have all learned in the past couple of years.

To ensure engagement from each member of the team, try giving everyone a job within the parameters of the meeting.

For instance, ask someone to keep time, someone to take notes and someone to monitor the chat.

Outline next steps clearly

Once we hop off a call, it’s easy to move quickly to the next thing and forget details. Spend some time at the end of the call going over next steps, delegating action items or even encouraging the team to start preparing for the next session.

Develop better cohesion and overcome the typical dysfunctions of the team Proven, custom corporate training programs for leadership teams and off-site strategy sessions

CONNECT WITH US AND SCHEDULE A COMPLIMENTARY COACHING/DISCOVERY SESSION

Phone: [240] 577- 9017 www.RotoSpeaks.com i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

31

BEST PRACTICE

Ana Maria Leal

is the founder of AMLY Sustainability in Orlando, a consultancy that offers services in the sustainability of products and supply chains. She can be reached at info@ amlysustainability.com.

Sustainability LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT MEASURES CLIMATE IMPACT

W

hat gets measured can be managed. At least this is, in theory, how we can know if a business is healthy. If we use that same perspective to measure the sustainability of products, it’s possible to find opportunities to improve them — and the operations it takes to make them. In fact, the only way to address concerns such as an increase in carbon emissions is to make changes at the product, material and the operational levels.

If more companies are informed and aware of their share in the problem, the commitment will turn into practices that determine where the challenges are and which strategies are needed to tackle them.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at EPA.gov reports that 21% of global greenhouse gas emissions are from the industry sector primarily involved in fossil fuels burned on site at facilities for energy, according to 2010 research from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This percentage also includes emissions from chemical, metallurgical and mineral transformation processes not associated with energy consumption and emissions from waste management activities.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation released statistics in 2020 that attributed 45% of the carbon emissions to manufacturing, while the remaining 55% came from the building sector.

Carbon Neutrality Goals It is imperative for the industrial sector to reach its committed goals involving the absolute reduction of emissions. And this is just carbon.

32 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

However, businesses must first set these goals.

In a recent article for Greenbiz.com, Terry Yosie, former president and CEO of the World Environment Center, wrote that the large majority of enterprises do not have climate change as a major focus. He was quoting a study released in June 2021 of the climate commitments made by the largest Fortune 500 U.S. companies. Only 17% of companies have committed to a comprehensive net-zero or carbon neutrality goal.

In a 2016 publication, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) explained why it might be taking enterprises time to commit: “In this global business environment, new types of risks are constantly emerging, including those inherent in the increased importance of environmental and social sustainability in business. Yet businesses lack an understanding of these types of risks, underestimate the potential impacts and often can’t control what triggers them.”

Given that reducing carbon is a topic that many don’t even know how to address, one of the steps to reducing apathy is educating the industrial sector. When the industry learns that every flow of materials and resources used in any industrial practice has emissions associated with its extraction and processing — and that this contributes to pollution in different ways, whether it is by emitting gasses or in the form of waste — there is a commitment to slow and reverse the course of action.

If more companies are informed and aware of their share in the problem, the commitment will turn into practices that determine where the challenges are and which strategies are needed to tackle them.

Measuring Impact A practice that is helping in the measurement of emissions is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This is a science-based method that assesses the impacts of products, materials and operations across the full life cycle of products. LCA is a cradle-to-grave assessment based on ISO 14040 and 14044 standards. It relies on life cycle inventory data from the primary manufacturer and its supply chain, uses a software solution to conduct the assessment and requires a dataset of materials with associated emission factors.

The way it works is simple: LCA gathers information at the product and material levels. In addition to typical product data, the inventory examines recycling content, recyclability, transportation modes and distances, scrap and waste, looking at these factors during final manufacturing, during installation, during use and at the end of life. It also accounts for energy and water used in the production by mass, total production or economic value.

LCA is a comprehensive method that covers every angle of the product life cycle. There are sources of industry data that can be consulted when primary data is incomplete. After the data gathering phase, the product is modeled in the software solution using appropriate country or region data.

Reducing Impact

Next, the assessment is conducted, and carbon and additional environmental impacts are identified. It’s time to brainstorm. What are the low-hanging fruits at the product, material and operations levels that will reduce carbon and other relevant impacts?

Depending on the product and the main goal of reduction or improvement, there can be multiple strategies, but in general they can include any or all of the following: • Disassembling to x% of homogeneous materials.

• Specifying single materials and avoiding blends.

• Using highly recyclable commodities and reducing virgin material use.

• Choosing materials with lower carbon and energy content.

• Sourcing renewable energy for manufacturing.

• Reducing transportation distances and sourcing from local or regional suppliers.

• Integrating environmental considerations into the design and development phases.

• Guiding designers on what materials to choose or to avoid.

• Defining design features that enable separation and recovery of materials and/or extended use of products to keep waste out of landfills.

The list can continue at different levels and dimensions, and there are multiple opportunities for carbon reduction. However, any action first starts with measuring the current situation.

i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

33

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

The Business of

NONPROFITS

By Elizabeth Santiago

Thinking Outside the Box to Solve School Hunger

F

rom making new friends to making it to school on time, students have plenty to worry about on a day-today basis.

One thing they shouldn’t have to worry about is getting enough to eat. But according to the most recent data, approximately one in five children in Central Florida is living with food insecurity. That means they and their families may not know where their next meal will come from.

For some kids, it really is a matter of not having enough food at home. They may rely on free and reduced lunch at school to get through the day or find excuses to stay over at a friend’s house for dinner. Others may not technically be “missing meals” but instead don’t get enough healthy options to fuel their bodies, which can impact achievement in the long run.

According to Feeding America, children from food-insecure families are likely to have lower math scores and are more likely to repeat a grade. That’s no surprise: It’s hard to focus on fractions when you’re hearing a rumble in your stomach during class.

Hunger is also linked to chronic health problems throughout life, including hypertension, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. In areas where food is scarce or money is tight, fresh produce is one of the first items crossed off a shopping list. After all, healthy ingredients are more expensive overall, they take more effort to plan and prepare, and they’re more likely to spoil and go to waste than highly processed foods.

It’s a serious problem, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Even when food

34 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

assistance is available, students may not know about it — or they may think they don’t qualify. Social stigma can also be a big stumbling block, especially for older children and teens. If they must fill out a form, go to a different building, or approach a school administrator to get access to help, they probably won’t.

But that doesn’t mean there’s not a solution. The best strategy is to keep it low-pressure and low-profile. Focus on establishing a positive relationship with the student first. Then put the student in touch with programs in your area designed to take the stigma out of food assistance.

If we can connect kids with healthy food in school clubs and classrooms, without requiring proof of financial difficulty or an opt-in form, that removes some of the barriers to access. Another strategy is giving kids a say in the resources designed to help them. Some Florida schools are piloting open-access pantries run “by students, for students” as part of a credited class.

Other initiatives are looking at quality of food, and not just quantity. At “Fresh Market” programs, schools partner with local organizations to host after-school farmers market-style events where kids can try unfamiliar fruits and vegetables — and take some home for dinner.

There may be a long road ahead when it comes to solving school hunger, but it starts by making food access fun, approachable and open to everyone. To learn more about Second Harvest’s campaigns to leave no child hungry — and how you can help — visit www.

FeedHopeNow.org.

ELIZABETH SANTIAGO is the school partnerships program manager at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

The Business of

THE ARTS

By Meaghan Branham

Dr. Phillips Center Celebrates Its Completion

T

he Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts has been a source of pride for Central Florida since its doors opened in November 2014. Now, with the debut of two brand-new theater spaces, Orlando’s proud arts patrons have even more to brag about — and so much more to look forward to.

MEAGHAN BRANHAM is the managing editor of i4 Business, where she oversees the company’s digital media strategy, handles client relationship marketing for the print and digital magazines, and serves as one of the publication’s lead writers.

VISIT drphillipscenter.org/ grandcelebration for more information.

“This has been one of the most ambitious performing arts development projects of the 21st century,” said Kathy Ramsberger, president and CEO of the Dr. Phillips Center. “Our approach all along was to redefine the role, and the perception, of a modern performing arts center. So we placed it in the heart of Orlando, surrounded by the true culture of our city — where Arts For Every Life would always have a home.”

The debut of these two new performance spaces marks the culmination of a 19-year-long building process and the realization of a longheld vision for both the region and the building itself.

Steinmetz Hall, named after philanthropists Chuck and Margery Pabst Steinmetz, will be one of the world's most acoustically perfect spaces, designed to reach the lowest levels at which humans can detect sound in a modern building.

It is also one of the very few theaters in the world that can transform in shape, seating and sound. Judson’s, a cabaret-style space named for Joyce and Judson Green, will provide a space for guests to view more intimate performances.

“We set out to build one of the greatest performing arts centers in the world — one that could transform our region and serve as a model for the future. And I think we did exactly that,” said Jim Pugh, chair of the board at the Dr. Phillips Center. “This is a place that will inspire Orlando for generations to come.”

On January 14, 2022, the inaugural season

for the finished center, deemed the “Grand Celebration Season,” will begin with two weeks of events.

First, more than 250 artists from the region will come together for Rise & Shine, a two-day celebration in Steinmetz Hall. Then the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will begin a 10day residency in the same venue — a perfect choice to demonstrate the acoustic depth and flexibility of Steinmetz Hall. The group of 76 musicians will perform with an incredible lineup of artists, beginning with a collaboration with eight principal dancers from the Royal Ballet, and going on to include shows with Grammywinning singer Jennifer Hudson, soul and R&B singer Leon Bridges and country star Lyle Lovett.

The final performance of the Royal Philharmonic run will see the world premiere of the orchestration of Duke Ellington’s “Black, Brown and Beige” featuring The Jazz Orchestra at Dr. Phillips Center and the Bethune-Cookman University Concert Chorale.

The celebration will continue into the 2021-22 Dr. Phillips season with shows that run the gamut from comedy to classical to Broadway to dance, and everything in between.

The community’s response to the completion of the beloved Orlando staple has been more than enthusiastic, with patrons from every part of the community coming forward to express their excitement and gratitude.

Connecting the community is not only part of the center’s future, but also part of how it came to be. Since 2014, the Dr. Phillips Center has welcomed more than 2.4 million people for 2,400 performances, with support from more than 14,000 donors.

“Seeing it all come to life now,” Ramsberger said, “it’s an incredible moment, both for the community that built it and for the entire world to now be able to enjoy it.” i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

35

BUSINESS SEEN

Synapse Orlando 2021 One-day conference Synapse Orlando 2021 took over four floors of the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center on October 15 with 113 speakers, 70 exhibitors and 1,500 attendees and unlimited energy. The event, which is focused on innovation, was part of Orlando Innovation Week. The concept for the event was created by Synapse Florida, a Tampa Bay-based nonprofit that connects entrepreneurs, investors and other stakeholders to accelerate success in Florida’s thriving economies.

Tim Giuliani, president and CEO of Orlando Economic Partnership

36 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

Bev Seay, senior advisor to Southeast Regional Director, National Security Innovation Network; and Timothy Welch, tech pollinator, Central Florida Tech Grove, Naval Air Warfare Systems Division

Brian Kornfeld, co-founder and CEO of Synapse Florida

BUSINESS SEEN

Keynote panel with Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings; Orlando Economic Partnership Chair Sandy Hostetter (moderator), Central Florida regional president with Truist Financial Corporation; and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer

Panel on synthetic training featuring Daniel Robinson, founder and CEO of Red 6; Carol Anne Dykes Logue (moderator), director of programs and operations, University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program; and Charlie Fink, Forbes.com contributor

Thais Lopez Vogel, founder and trustee of VoLo Foundation

i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

37

BUSINESS SEEN

East Orlando Chamber Annual Golf Tournament The East Orlando Chamber of Commerce held its 75th Anniversary Commemorative Golf Tournament at Rio Pinar Country Club on October 22, 2021. Golfers stopped along the course to visit sponsor tents and learn about some of the businesses that support the chamber and its members. After the tournament, they gathered for a luncheon, prizes and a silent auction.

38 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

BUSINESS SEEN

i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

39

DOWNTIME

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

By Terry Godbey

for your day off

WINTER PARK “CHRISTMAS MY WAY: A SINATRA HOLIDAY BASH”

Usher in the holiday season with this musical featuring classic Sinatra tunes and seasonal favorites including “Fly Me to the Moon,” “That's Life,” “New York, New York,” “Mistletoe and Holly,” “Silver Bells” and “I'll Be Home for Christmas.” The show at the Winter Park Playhouse was conceived by David Grapes and Todd Olson and based on a book by Olson. It includes show-stopping musical performances along with Sinatra trivia, anecdotes and jokes sprinkled here and there. There will be multiple performances from mid-November through midDecember.

www.https://www.orlandoatplay.com/event/christmas-myway-a-sinatra-holiday-bash/

WINTER PARK CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK

You know Christmas is getting close when the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art and the City of Winter Park present Christmas in the Park. The free annual tradition will take place December 2 in Central Park with the lighting of nine Tiffany leaded-glass windows at 6:15 p.m. The 160-voice Bach Festival Society Choir and Brass Ensemble will perform a concert until 8 p.m., and the windows will remain lighted for viewing until 8:30 p.m. Visitors may set up blankets and lawn chairs in the park beginning at 4 p.m. Christmas in the Park was started in 1979 by Hugh and Jeannette McKean, the Morse Museum’s benefactors, as a way to share their rare Tiffany collection with the public. https://www.morsemuseum.org/ programs-events/christmas-inthe-park

40 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

DOWNTIME

ORLANDO GAELIC STORM

After keeping its fans entertained through months of pandemic lockdown with concerts online, Celtic band Gaelic Storm will perform at The Plaza Live on Bumby Avenue on January 21, 2022. With music that includes fiddle, bagpipe, guitar, drums and harmonies, the band’s work ranges from traditional Irish and Scottish tunes (“Tell Me Ma” and “Beggarman”) to energetic instrumentals (“The Samurai Set” and “The Narwhaling Cheesehead”) to hard-drinking storytellers (“Johnny Tarr” and “Johnny Jump Up”) to rockers (“Lover’s Wreck” and “Scalliwag”). Gaelic Storm got its start as an Irish pub band in the 1990s in Santa Monica, California, and has gathered loyal audiences that include rockers, Deadheads and fans of Celtic, country and bluegrass music.

The band got its big break in 1997 when it appeared in the blockbuster movie Titanic, performing “An Irish Party in Third Class.” www.plazaliveorlando.org/ events/detail/399634

SANFORD SANFORD GHOST TOURS ORLANDO JIM GAFFIGAN: THE FUN TOUR

Incorporated in 1877, Sanford has been around long enough to have acquired a good many ghosts. In this 90-minute walking tour through the historic downtown, an expert guide will share history and several ghost stories gathered from Sanford residents. The walk culminates in a visit to a house reputed to be haunted. Scary stories aside, the tour is suitable for all ages, but it does require participants to climb some stairs. Bring a water bottle with you, and if it looks like rain, grab an umbrella, too — and don’t forget to bring your bravery. Groups are limited to 12 people, and tickets are required.

The six-time Grammy-nominated comedian, actor, writer and producer brings his trademark humor, which revolves around his observations on life, to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Gaffigan recently released his eighth stand-up special, “The Pale Tourist,” on Amazon, and it has been nominated for a Grammy. He has won two https://www.historicdowntownsanfrd.com/ Emmy awards for his humorous commentaries on “CBS Sunday Morning.” His Orlando shows will be Thursday, December 30, and Friday, December 31, at 7 p.m. Who doesn’t want to start 2022 with some hard-earned laughter? www.drphillipscenter.org/events/ tickets/2021/jim-gaffigan/

To scan the QR Codes, point the camera app on your smartphone toward the page and follow the instructions on your smartphone screen.

⊲⊲ FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND SHARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL PLACES TO VISIT: @i4BIZ.COM ⊳⊳ i4Biz.com | NOVEMBER 2021

41

WATERCOOLER

Stuff you didn’t know you wanted to know

$11 million Sale price of the

31,000-square-foot Isleworth Golf & Country Club home owned by former Orlando

UK CUSTOMERS WHO’VE BEEN STUCK INSIDE FOR QUITE A LOT OF THE YEAR ARE READY TO GO, BUT THEY’RE READY TO UPGRADE THE EXPERIENCE AS WELL. — Simon Hawkins, head of USA for Virgin Atlantic

Magic center and NBA

$89,180 Average wage for tech occupations in Orlando Source: CBRE

$48,539 Average wage for all jobs in Orlando

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

superstar Shaquille O’Neal.

The home was on the market 3 years with an original asking price of $16.5 million. O'Neal bought it for less than $4 million in 1993.

#2

METRO ORLANDO’S RANKING AMONG 182 PLACES IN THE U.S. AS “TOP FOODIE CITIES.” PORTLAND, OREGON, RECEIVED THE TOP RANKING, AND OTHERS IN THE TOP 5 WERE MIAMI, SAN FRANCISCO AND AUSTIN, TEXAS. Source: WalletHub

ONE OF THE THINGS WE’RE LOOKING AT AS WELL IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SPORTS ECONOMY. WE’RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT NORMAL TOURISTS WHO ARE COMING ON HOLIDAY TO THE THEME PARKS; WE’RE LOOKING AT BROADENING THAT OUT. — Nicolette Brent, British Consul General in Miami Source: Orlando Welcomes the Brits Back event on Nov. 1 in Orlando

42 NOVEMBER 2021 | i4Biz.com

“WELL, I HOPE YOU STILL HAVE THIS JOB IN 25 YEARS, BECAUSE I CAN’T WAIT TO ATTEND THE 50TH!” — Louise Cain to her husband, Gary, at the Magic Kingdom celebrating the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World. He was two years into his term as president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, where he is still at the helm today as Disney World celebrates 50 years

three seventeen Virtual Workplace Solutions

“ I LOV E T H OS E DAYS W H E N M Y O N LY D E C I S I O N I S WINDOW OR AISLE” Missing that feeling of freedom and exploration you can only access through air travel?

As Your Florida Airport of Choice®, Orlando International Airport hears you loud and clear.

Quite honestly, we are in the same boat as you. But we’d rather be on the same plane.

Inspiration

FO R YO U R N E X T A D VE N TU RE HONOLULU*

C A R TA G E N A

MCO. We’re Better Together.

For Travel Safety Tips Visit orlandoairports.net/coronavirus *Service starts 3/13 **Service starts 2/4

P U N TA C A N A * *

CANCÚN