i4 Business February 2019 - Construction Edition

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FEBRUARY 2019

SPACE TO GROW

THE

CRESA TEAM COLLABORATES

WITH CORPORATE TENANTS AND BUYERS

OF CONSTRUCTION TAVISTOCK DEVELOPMENT Keeps an Eye Toward the Future

WIELAND Builds Loyalty Along with Each Project

Faces of BRIDG

Visit Orlando: Tourism Projects

Up Close with Yog Melwani

Orange Technical College Since 1933

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Promoting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship

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© 2015 Southwest Airlines Co.

Without a Heart, it’s just a machine.

So in 1971, a little Heart built a different kind of airline—one that made sure everyone could fly.

Everyone has important places to go. So we invented low-fares to help them get there.

To us, you’re not 1A or 17B. You’re a person with a name, like Steve.

Here, we think everyone deserves to feel special, no matter where you sit or how much you fly.

And with all the places we’re going next, we’ll always put you first, because our love of People is still our most powerful fuel.

Some say we do things differently.

We say, why would we do things any other way?

Without a Heart, it’s just a machine.

i4 Business Advisory Board 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.

Thank You

Judi Awsumb, Awsumb Enterprises Jim Bowie, University of Central Florida Business Incubator Program Jackie Brito, Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College Elaine Brouca, Consulate General of Canada Office in Miami Cari Coats, Accendo Leadership Advisory Group John Davis, Orlando Economic Partnership Laura Dorsey, African American Chamber of Commerce Carol Ann Dykes Logue, University of Central Florida Business Incubator Program Harry Ellis, Next Horizon

This Month's Featured Advisory Board Members Jim Bowie Jim Bowie is the manager of the University of Central Florida Business Incubator in Kissimmee/Osceola County. He formerly served as the interim manager of the UCF Life Sciences Incubator, getting it open in Lake Nona. His incubator client companies have created more than 400 jobs in the past eight years. Bowie has more than 14 years of coaching experience including running the Columbus Regional Technology Incubator in Columbus, Georgia. As an adjunct professor with the University System of Georgia, his specialty areas included sales, management and professional persuasive communications.

Cari Coats The former executive-in-residence for entrepreneurship at Rollins College, Cari Coats now serves as an adjunct professor focused on leadership. She is the co-founder and managing partner of Accendo Leadership Advisory Group, a leadership development company, and is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. Coats is an advocate for entrepreneurs across Central Florida and has held numerous board positions in entrepreneurfocused organizations including Orlando Inc., ATHENA PowerLink and weVENTURE Orlando. Coats formerly served as chief operating officer at CNL Financial Group and executive vice president of the Orlando Magic NBA franchise.

Susan Fernandez, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Laureen Martinez, Orlando Economic Partnership Lena Graham-Morris, HORUS Construction Gwen Hewitt, United Negro College Fund Karen Keene, ATHENA Orlando Women's Leadership and Dean Mead Attorneys at Law Shelley Lauten, Central Florida Commission on Homelessness Lisa Lochridge, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association Catherine Losey, Losey PLLC law firm Hope Edwards Newsome, Triloma Financial Group Romaine Seguin, UPS Global Freight Forwarding Mary Shanklin, Fifth Estate Media Marni Spence, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) Robert Utsey, Coastal Construction

Mary Shanklin Reco g nizing the disr upt ion in newspapers, veteran journalist Mary Shanklin retooled with a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and launched Fifth Estate Media publishing company in 2015. Her group works with authors to deliver hardcover, softcover and e-books. Mary brings to the table experience covering business, politics and education for newspapers including the Orlando Sentinel, where she was part of the Pulitzer Prize finalist team for coverage of Pulse. Last year she cycled cross-country to raise funds for the Adult Literacy League and now serves on its board of directors. i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 5

FEBRUARY 2019

Features 17

The Art of Construction

22

Space to Grow

24

Wieland Builds Loyalty

26

Constructing Central Florida

Tavistock Development Keeps an Eye Toward the Future

Cresa Team Collaborates with Corporate Tenants and Buyers

Along with Each Project

A Pictorial Overview of Interesting Projects

6 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

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Promoting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship

Celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit that thrives in the Central Florida region

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FEBRUARY 2019

Promoting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship

EDITORIAL

DEPARTMENTS

CEO Leadership Forums Moving the Needle Forward

11

32

Publisher’s Perspective

34

Orange Technical College Since 1933. Changing Lives Through Education

36

13

From the Editor

14

Faces of BRIDG

Business Briefs

BEST PRACTICES GUEST EXPERT COLUMNS

30

Take 5 with Visit Orlando The Capital Projects Transforming Tourism

44

Love What You Do in Life — or Make a Change Romaine Seguin | UPS Global Freight Forwarding

46

40

Up Close With Yog Melwani

Understanding Human Behavior Can Improve Your Marketing Strategy Cherise Czaban | i4 Business

52

A Lifestyle Business or an Industry Player?

Jim Bowie | University of Central Florida Business Incubator Program

54

48 50

How to Execute a Strategic Plan for Your Entire Enterprise Ronald Recardo | Catalyst Consulting Group LLC

TREP TALK The Case for Curiosity: Maybe Not for Cats, But Definitely for People

Social Entrepreneur Planting Ideas and Cultivating Solutions: IDEAS For Us Takes Local Action to Address Global Challenges

58

Downtime Local Places to Visit on Your Day Off

ON THE COVER Jim Zboril TAVISTOCK DEVELOPMENT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Julie Fletcher

8 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

60

Business Seens

64

Watercooler

CEO | PUBLISHER Cherise Czaban

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Diane Sears

DIRECTOR OF ENCOURAGEMENT

SPECIAL SECTION

Donna Duda

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Meaghan Branham

HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

DIGITAL BRAND MANAGER Elyssa Coultas

MAIN PHOTOGRAPHY Julie Fletcher

ART DIRECTOR

Tanya Mutton - Sidekick Creations

COPY EDITOR

Susan Howard, APR

CONTRIBUTORS Writers:

Jim Bowie, Meaghan Branham, Elyssa Coultas, Cherise Czaban, Jeff Piersall, Ronald Recardo, Diane Sears, Romaine Seguin, Eric Wright

The June 2019 edition will focus on the area’s healthcare professionals that are dedicated to the wellbeing of our community.

In our June issue, i4 Business® will include a special marketing section spotlighting the achievements and breakthroughs of these dedicated healthcare professionals throughout the Central Florida region.

Photography: Julie Fletcher

ADVERTISING Cherise Czaban 321.848.3530

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i4 Business is a participating member of:

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Publisher's Perspective

THE HARD WORK OF BUILDING LEGACY “Each of us is carving a stone, erecting a column, or cutting a piece of stained glass in the construction of something much bigger than ourselves.”

— Adrienne Clarkson, former governor general of Canada

Favorite quotes from this issue “At our core, we build places.

We build physical spaces, but the magic is when they’re activated with people and programming.”

— Jim Zboril, Page 18

“We are grateful to honestly and ethically represent that company as if it were our company.”

— Craig Castor, Page 22

“It was a struggle in the beginning, but through the long-term belief in the Central Florida market, we were able to sustain through the lean years and come out of it strong.”

— Andy Yarber, Page 25

O

utside our office in downtown Orlando, I see construction projects going on all around us … from the expansion of Interstate 4 to the additions at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts to new projects such as Zoi House. We see the same type of expansion and growth throughout the region.

If you don’t visit these areas on a regular basis, it sometimes seems these things just pop up. We don’t see the day-to-day hard work that goes into the building. We also don’t see the work that has come before the actual project commences. By the time they break ground, many long hours have already been put into the planning, design and preparation of the foundation.

In the companies we feature this month, you’ll learn how vision and longterm planning are helping Tavistock build entire communities. You’ll see how approaching an industry with a different perspective has brought success to Cresa, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. You’ll see how building relationships and exceeding expectations have helped Wieland Construction expand into new markets.

business takes planning, preparation, hard work and operating from a place that honors your values. It’s the understanding that each day, we are building something much bigger than ourselves.

Next month we’ll be recognizing eight leaders who are also building something much bigger than themselves in our Women’s Inspired Leaders issue. I hope you’ll join us as we celebrate them at our luncheon event March 1 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando.

To your success,

CEO and Publisher

The construction and management processes they all use, paired with their values and principles, are the same for all of us in business. Growing a successful

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 11

Communication and delivery platforms continually change and evolve. The constant in that change is the power of story. Print or digital, whatever platform you use, we have a way for you to connect to that story.

Connect with us on our social media channels: Facebook

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From the Editor

Let's Keep Looking Up

I

like cranes. When I say that, most people assume I’m talking about birds, and that’s not surprising. I’m that person on the golf course who pulls out my cell phone to take pictures of deer and pauses mid-swing to listen to the wind while my companions roll their eyes and say, “Let's go!”

One afternoon last September, I stopped my cart in the middle of the fairway at Heathrow Country Club and counted 14 sandhill cranes milling around like they were at a cocktail party. Their honking, chattering calls echoed off the lake, and I recorded them on my phone. They were enchanting. I have a special affinity for these tall gray birds, and it’s unusual to see more than two or three at a time.

But no, I’m talking about construction cranes. There’s something exciting about driving down Interstate 4 or State Road 408 and seeing all the activity. I’ve been known to count the construction cranes on the skyline as I drive by … “10, 11, 12” … and then proudly tell my friends who don’t live here how cool it is to be in Orlando, where you can literally see change in the air.

When I travel through other cities and towns, I stop to look at construction projects, wondering what’s coming next. In the past several years, I’ve taken photos of work sites in St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, Key West, Miami, Savannah, Dallas, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Chicago, Washington, St. Louis, Baltimore, Toronto, London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and countless places in between. It’s fascinating to see the “before” and “after” of each project.

Oddly enough, I’ve also taken pictures of birds and plants in each of those locations. It reminds me that the best construction projects integrate natural elements into their design, leaving space for people to enjoy the outdoors.

When we talked about what to write about for the cover story this month, with a theme of commercial real estate and construction, we had so many incredible choices here in Central Florida. You can see pictures of some of our region’s most interesting projects on Pages 26 through 29.

Orlando will look like in decades to come. Tavistock has been creating the medical city of Lake Nona, and it will soon start work on the neighboring Sunbridge community that will straddle Orange and Osceola counties. It’s exciting to see the kinds of innovative structures that are coming out of the ground and providing jobs for today and tomorrow.

In reporting the article, I drove to Lake Nona one day to look for cranes, and I saw signs of construction everywhere. But I also saw cows, and people walking dogs and riding bikes and sitting outside enjoying the sun. There’s something peaceful about living or working in an ultraurban setting that’s still surrounded by wetlands and cow pastures. In downtown Orlando, where I live in one of the historic neighborhoods, we connect with nature by spending time in our parks and green spaces.

It helps relieve the stress of our high-tech, fast-paced lives.

I’m pleased to see our local developers are keeping this in mind as they create new landscapes and improve our future.

Have a great month!

Editor-in-Chief

I knew we had to write about Tavistock because of the way the company is continuing to transform what southeast

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 13

Business Briefs

Coming Soon to Orlando: The Packing District Plans are taking shape for a $480 million project called The Packing District that will be built on a 202-acre site at Princeton Street and Orange Blossom Trail adjacent to the College Park section of Orlando.

Dr. Phillips Charities is spearheading the project, which is expected to create 800 jobs and an estimated $56 million economic impact as it matures over the next 10 to 15 years.

Historic buildings on the property will be repurposed and integrated with new uses, along with new structures that include multifamily housing, a grocery store, and retail and commercial properties. One key piece of the project will be a replica of the old Dr. Phillips fruit stand, which was iconic in the area decades ago.

for an urban park that will serve as a wellness hub and include tennis courts, bike trails, running trails and an urban farm. Dr. Phillips also has pledged $8.9 million to YMCA of Central Florida to build a 24,500-square-foot, two-story facility in The Packing District and is investing $12 million to $14 million for transportation and infrastructure improvements in the area.

Dr. Phillips has donated to the city more than 100 acres adjacent to the project

“Dr. Phillips’ legacy as a responsible community builder has always been rooted in his early vision to plan today what will make our community prosper tomorrow,” said Ken Robinson, president and CEO of Dr. Phillips Charities. “The Packing District and the new regional park have the unique potential to preserve our history while transforming an area to meet the needs of today and future generations.”

AdventHealth Donation Aims to Help End Local Homelessness Under its new name of AdventHealth, the former Florida Hospital has made a commitment to donate up to $500,000 this year to help end homelessness in Central Florida. The gift includes $100,000 plus up to $400,000 to match other donations to the Central Florida Foundation’s Homeless Impact Fund.

AdventHealth, which is headquartered in Altamonte Springs, launched its rebranding with new marketing materials and an “Acts of Wholeness” campaign. The company has almost 50 hospitals and more than 80,000 employees in 12 states.

Business 14 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

“This is an historic and transformational time for our organization and the communities we serve,” said Daryl Tol, president and CEO of AdventHealth's Central Florida Division, quoted in Orlando Medical News. “We're building on our rich legacy and stepping into the future with a new name and renewed dedication to caring for the whole person — body, mind and spirit. We are the only national healthcare company based in Florida, and with our hub in Orlando, we will continue to spotlight our world-class physicians, clinical excellence, and g rowing commitment to research and innovation.”

Innovation

Education

Business Briefs

Bill ‘Roto’ Reuter Inducted into Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame Retired U.S. Navy Captain Bill “Roto” Reuter of Orlando has been inducted into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame. Reuter is president of R-Squared Solutions and former commanding officer for the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) and Naval Support Activity-Orlando.

“Serving in the military provided me with a strong foundation and opened many doors for opportunities for me to grow personally and professionally.

As veterans, it is important that we leverage our experience for the benefit of our communities, especially here in our great state of Florida, my home state.”

The state established the Hall of Fame in 2013 to recognize and honor military veterans who have made a significant contribution to Florida through their work and lives during and after military service.

Raised in Key West, Reuter attended the University of Florida on an ROTC scholarship. He has logged more than 3,000 hours of flight time in 33 different aircraft, including more than 2,100 in the F/A-18. He has been awarded two Legion of Merit military awards, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medals and the Navy Achievement Medal.

“I am extremely honored by this recognition and to be included with such stellar individuals, some of whom served as my mentors,” Reuter said.

Vision Zero Goal: Fewer Fatal and Serious Crashes The number of vehicle crashes Area accidents 2015-17 resulting in fatalities and severe injuries in Orlando hit 2,768 from • North Semoran Boulevard, 119 2015 through 2017, leading the city to • Orange Blossom Trail, 101 join other municipalities including New York and San Francisco in • Curry Ford Road, 89 launching an initiative called Vision • Kirkman Road in MetroWest, 77 Zero. Today, the program is under way with community outreach and • Colonial Drive, 73 meetings that are seeking citizens’ • Kirkman Road in southwest input.

The program’s goal is to eliminate serious crashes within the city by 2040. Vision Zero is a systemic approach to increasing safety and mobility for roadway users through engagement, improve d dr iver behavior, and prioritization of areas with higher numbers of pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders.

Orlando, 72

• South Semoran Boulevard, 69 • West Colonial Drive, 69 • SoDo section of Orange Avenue, 68 • Mills Avenue at U.S. 17-92, 44

OIA Adds to its List of Honors Orlando International Airport and its leaders have received several recent awards and recognitions, including: • Phil Brown, chief executive officer — the Charles Andrews Memorial Hospitality Award for Community Leadership, the highest honor from the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association.

• Kathleen Sharman, chief financial officer — a national Trailblazing Women in Public Finance award at The Bond Buyer’s Deal of the Year Awards in New York City.

• Vicki Jaramillo, senior director of marketing and air service development — the Professional of the Year award at the 21st Annual Don Quijote Awards Gala hosted in Orlando by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando and Prospera.

WANT TO SHARE YOUR NEWS? Do you have some news you’d like us to share with the community? Please be aware that we work two to three months in advance of our publication date. Submit press releases and announcements to press@i4biz.com.

Tourism

Growth

Inspiration i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 15

Orlando’s Tech Community Converges •••••••••••••••••••••••

Digital Orlando 2019 will explore how technology and innovation will shape our culture, companies, and community.

APRIL 10, 2019 Learn More & Register at www.DigitalOrlando.co

Art THE

OF

CONSTRUCTION CREATING LAKE NONA MEDICAL CITY

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 17

The Vision

Tavistock is a unique company because it’s owned by a person instead of a corporation or an investment group, Zboril says.

British businessman and investor Joe Lewis owns more than 200 companies in 10 countries as part of the Tavistock Group portfolio.

Forbes magazine listed him as the 388th wealthiest person in the world in 2018 with $5 billion in assets.

O1 O O1 O 1 O 1 O O1O OO O O 1 O O1 O O 1 1 1 O 1 O 1O O 1 1 O O1 O 1 1 O1 O 1 1O1 1 1 O O 1 O1 1 O OO 11 O1 OO 1 OO 1O 1 1

1

“That gives us a great amount of rope to do unique projects and unique deals because we don’t report to Wall Street and don’t have some of the corporate issues of large hierarchical companies,” Zboril says. “We are very much a flat organization where a lot of times authorizations are just me calling the owner and him answering in a matter of minutes. That gives us a unique opportunity.”

Part of that opportunity involves the ability to plan for the long term instead of turning over a project quickly to recoup an investment, Zboril says. Lake Nona is about a vison for the future.

The seeds of that vision started 30 years ago with the opening of the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, a private residential community that was the site of the first Solheim Cup women’s golf championship in 1990 and has since hosted numerous PGA and LPGA tournaments.

Tavistock Development Keeps an Eye Toward the Future

Today, anchors in place for Lake Nona’s expanding 650-acre Medical City campus include:

By Diane Sears

A 1.2 million-square-foot Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center.

Some companies specialize in building retail centers. Others have carved a niche constructing commercial structures, single-family homes, apartment communities, or hotels and resorts.

In southeast Orlando, Tavistock Development Company is showcasing its expertise in all of those specialties with its marquee project: Lake Nona, a community that integrates well-being innovation with artistic aesthetics.

What started out as a plan for a unique “medical city” focused on integrating cutting-edge research with everyday healthy living has morphed into something even its creators couldn’t have imagined. Today, more than 20 years after its conception as a master-planned community, Lake Nona has grown to 11,000 acres and is becoming a destination for high-performance training for medical specialists, athletes, corporate executives and other people interested in innovation.

“For us, it’s about creating an environment,” said Jim Zboril, the company’s president since 2004. “When I say, ‘Where is the best experience you’ve ever had?’ you probably aren’t thinking about the building. It’s probably about who you were with, what you were doing and how you were enjoying the environment you were in, which is much more comprehensive than just the building. At our core, we build places, we build physical spaces, but the magic is when they’re activated with people and programming.”

18 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

A 630,000-square-foot Nemours Children’s Hospital, one of only two in the nation.

A University of Central Florida (UCF) Lake Nona Cancer Center, which recently moved into a 175,000-square-foot facility vacated by the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute.

A UCF Health Sciences Campus that includes the College of Medicine and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences.

A 110,000-square-foot University of Florida (UF) Academic Research Center, which houses the UF College of Pharmacy’s doctoral program.

A 204,000-square-foot UCF/HCA Healthcare teaching hospital, UCF Lake Nona Medical Center, set to open in 2020.

A 92,000-square-foot GuideWell Innovation Center, a multitenant building for companies in life sciences, health and wellness innovation, and technology.

A 35,000-square-foot Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute that is double the size of its previous Lake Nona building.

Lake Nona Town Center Rendering

The Beacon

CinĂŠpolis nine-screen luxury cinema, set to open in 2020

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 19

The Glass House by Tom Fruin Canvas Restaurant & Market

Orlando VA Medical Center

USTA National Campus

Boxi Park

Bringing forth Nemours and the VA and Burnham and UCF created a cluster, and we had that before we had the houses and before we had retail,” Zboril says. “It was a different pattern of development. It allowed us to make it through the Great Recession without a lot of wreckage because we were building infrastructure for these users who were pretty well-funded.”

Other anchor developments in place or taking shape that guarantee Lake Nona will be a different kind of community, especially with its close proximity to Orlando International Airport, include: •

The 100-court U.S. Tennis Association National Campus, which opened in 2017 and brings in competitive players, coaches and sports professionals from all over the world.

last piece of dirt here. What we’re trying to do is create a special place, and we’re trying to drive density to a reasonable amount. For instance, we could’ve just built single-family houses and sold out long ago. We’re trying to build higher-density buildings and create more of a ‘neo-urban’ or ‘new urban’ place.”

Finishing Touches

•

An 800,000-square-foot training facility for global audit, tax and advisory firm KPMG, set to open in 2020 with 800 guest rooms, food and beverage venues, and a museum.

•

The first Drive Shack golf simulation complex in the nation, a competitor to Top Golf.

Tavistock owner Lewis is known for his extensive art collection, and Lake Nona is integrating that appreciation for aesthetics into its landscape. A new two-story statue of a mirrored Labrador dog stands at the entrance to Lake Nona’s emerging city center, which includes restaurants, office space, hotels and apartment buildings.

Another recent addition is Boxi Park, constructed with repurposed shipping containers to serve as an outdoor venue where people dine from food trucks and listen to live music.

“For the next three to five years, we’re going to see taller buildings that are closer together because we’re trying to build more of an urban experience,” Zboril said. “We’re not in a hurry to develop the

Nearby, people who drive to the city center can park in a fivestory garage that features The Code Wall, a dramatic pattern of 1’s and 0’s carved in a binary code that spells out Tavistock’s corporate

20 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

Resort and Crystal Lagoon scheduled to open in 2020

values. A six-story flared tower called The Beacon serves as the garage’s anchor, a solid white structure in the daytime that turns into a lamp at night, displaying different colors and patterns depending on the occasion. The Code Wall, The Beacon and the Labrador statue are all works by Lake Nona artist Jefre.

“We have lots of land and we’re building structured parking,” Zboril says. “Why are we doing that? Because we don’t want seas of parking where you have to walk so far to get to a building.”

“We’re not thinking we’re going to have 30-story buildings like the downtown Orlando core. But we do have 10-story buildings, and we’ll have multiple buildings in the four- to 10-story height range. We’re trying to bring uses together so there’s this activity and synergy with offices by apartments and restaurants and all those uses together, which we think is interesting.”

A short drive away, another center of activity includes the lakefront Canvas Restaurant & Market, with an outdoor space that features a see-through mosaic structure called The Glass House by New York artist Tom Fruin.

Next on the horizon: Development of an eight-story hotel situated on the largest Crystal Lagoon in the U.S. Built with patented technology, the 15-acre body of water will look like a swimming pool along the shores of Lake Nona. Tavistock will operate the resort and will fill in the area around the lagoon with retail and other development.

Top floors of Lake Nona’s buildings offer sweeping vistas of flat land and views of the downtown Orlando skyline, Orlando International Airport, International Drive and the theme parks — for now.

“The longer we’re here, the more dense this will become,” Zboril says. “Lake Nona is going to look and feel like a city with an urban core.”

Company Culture

Today the team at Tavistock Development numbers about 180 after growing almost 50 percent in the past two years. The company will continue to hire for jobs ranging from construction to hotel management to marketing to accounting for the offices, restaurants and other businesses it will continue to build and operate in Medical City.

“To have that kind of growth, one of the most important things we have to focus on is our culture — and maintaining the culture that got us here,” Zboril says. “And the culture of our owner, which is to be more entrepreneurial, not to be bureaucratic, to bring deals forward, to be creative.”

The company’s Lake Nona office is surrounded by windows with an open floor plan where everyone including Zboril is in an office without walls, allowing for natural collaboration. Employees gather in the cafe for company-subsidized, healthy-option, carry-in lunches and participate in philanthropic events together.

“We’ve done all these things to talk about who we are and what we expect of people,” Zboril says. “That helped us build and retain this workforce in a competitive environment.”

Coming Soon: Sunbridge To the east, Tavistock is working on another development that will be double the size of Lake Nona at 24,000 acres and promises to further change the face of Central Florida. Sunbridge will straddle two counties, with most of the community in Osceola and the rest in Orange.

Plans call for the project to focus first on residential development, gradually integrating commercial opportunities and other types of construction to form a community focused on preservation and innovation. The vision calls for miles of connected trails and nearly 13,000 acres of conservation land.

Zboril is excited about both Lake Nona and Sunbridge, which will continue to bring more visitors to Central Florida — people who just might decide to stay and help shape the region’s future.

“For us, it’s an amazing front porch to tell the story of Orlando, the other half of it,” he says. “Everybody knows about Orlando, but they don’t know about other businesses here outside the tourism industry.

“Central Florida is a really unique place. We’re still able to make a difference on the future. It’s not all created and done. There are other markets where it’s more built out and positioned as established. Here, there’s still so much opportunity.” P i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 21

CRESA TEAM COLLABORATES WITH CORPORATE TENANTS AND BUYERS

By Meaghan Branham KEMPHARM office

S WE OVERSEE REAL ESTATE, DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND MOVE-IN OF THE TENANT, MAKING SURE OUR CLIENTS GET WHAT THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT IT AND WITHIN BUDGET. — John Gay

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arah Castor and John Gay began their boutique real estate company, Strictly Commercial, 30 years ago when there were few firms focused on protecting tenants. Castor’s husband, Craig Castor, joined them as co-owner and principal, and the company had been in business about 20 years when it merged with international commercial real estate firm Cresa.

Cresa’s values aligned very well with those of Strictly Commercial. Both firms shared a desire to approach each interaction as ethically as possible while representing only tenants, instead of working from “both sides of the table” — a place where even the most well-intentioned might find themselves compromised.

“A typical broker has a fiduciary responsibility to the landlord, precluding a

fiduciary to the tenant,” said Sarah Castor, principal of Cresa’s Orlando operation, along with Gay. “Therefore, protecting the tenant’s interests comes secondary to the landlord’s bottom line.

It’s very difficult for a listing broker to tell a landlord, ‘I'm exclusively working on your behalf to protect your bottom line’ and then go out and represent tenants and tell them honestly, ‘I'm going to get you the best deal possible.’ It can be a real conflict.”

Instead, Cresa approaches every interaction without that burden, focusing on understanding the clients, their business and the space that will truly benefit them.

“We become an extension of our clients' business to handle their real estate needs,” Craig Castor said.

“We are grateful to honestly and ethically represent that company as if it were our company. Our strategic

approach is built on evaluating the company's business plan, what their goals and objectives are, and then presenting the real estate that best fits their needs and culture to facilitate success at their firm. It’s always exciting — it’s never the same type of business, and yet the problems and hurdles tenants face are a common thread we’ve dealt with and resolved for more than 30 years.”

Understanding their clients’ goals, needs and objectives is only half of the team’s specialty. The other half is the ability to synergize the team’s extensive knowledge of Florida’s real estate markets with the clients’ needs.

New and expanding businesses and a wide talent pool are establishing Central Florida as a hub of innovation, but the scenario also presents a potentially overwhelming question

Photo: Chad Baumer, c4 Architecture; General Contractor: Pennington & Associates

SPACE TO GROW

John Gay, Sarah Castor, Craig Castor

about where these companies are planting their roots — and how to keep them growing here. In providing solutions to clients, Cresa takes into account all aspects of a company’s facility needs, such as available space/growth, employment, access, visibility and amenities.

Cresa has been guiding businesses through these questions for decades — in some cases, even overseeing construction of the facility.

In a tight market especially, with rising construction costs, tenant improvements are a major consideration for companies, and managing those costs effectively can have a dramatic effect on the bottom line.

In a transaction that requires an intimate and honest understanding of both the market and the client, the firm essentially becomes a real estate matchmaker.

And not just a matchmaker — a relationship counselor offering advice at every turn, Gay said. “Soup to nuts. We are there for our clients from the beginning, through lease execution, through design and construction, and finally through move-in and tenancy.”

That means Cresa works with clients on project management, lease administration, workplace intelligence, labor cost comparisons across multiple markets, lease audits, data

center expertise and local government incentives, among other consulting services.

Recently, the firm oversaw an analysis of more than 110 OneBlood locations across the state, working through both relocations and lease renewals to make sure the healthcare giant with more than 1,000 employees in four states maximized its budget and its real estate. Projects like those require taking into account not just the technical and medical needs of such locations, but also the ease of access for employees and donors and the comfort of both.

That’s just one of several rewarding partnerships that also include Visit Orlando, AdventHealth, National Dentex, Oracle and KemPharm. Cresa represented the specialty pharmaceutical development company in its search for the right fit, ultimately securing a modern suite that fit the company’s needs for meeting areas, conference rooms, and open and traditional office spaces.

“We pride ourselves on being responsive and taking great care of our clients,” Gay said.

“We oversee real estate, design, construction and move-in of the tenant, making sure our clients get what they want, when they want it and within budget.” P

WE BECOME AN EXTENSION OF OUR CLIENTS' BUSINESS TO HANDLE THEIR REAL ESTATE NEEDS — Craig Castor

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 23

Wieland Builds Loyalty Along with Each Project O

By Elyssa Coultas

n State Road 417 just south of Orlando International Airport in Lake Nona, drivers can spot a structure that serves many functions. Four pillars stand guarding a 42-foot entrance that invites people to wonder not only what’s housed in the building but also who constructed it.

The structure is the headquarters of consumer electronics manufacturer Voxx International, which chose commercial construction firm Wieland to build it.

“On that project in particular, we truly catered to our client’s needs,” said Andy Yarber, vice president and regional director of Wieland Orlando. “It’s a multi-purpose building that features corporate offices, manufacturing space and warehousing.”

Voxx needed a space that was functional and wanted it to look as forward-thinking and high-end as the brands it represents and the products it creates. The company knew Wieland would deliver.

For its work on the project, Wieland won an Eagle Award from the Central Florida Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors in 2016. The same year, the project also was recognized as the best Special Use Development of the Year by NAIOP Central Florida, a commercial real estate development association. “It was a significant project for us,” Yarber said.

The company builds solid relationships with clients by opening regional offices wherever their clients are expanding.

With its headquarters in Lansing, Michigan, Wieland has regional offices spread across the United States, including Orlando; Shreveport, Louisiana; Raleigh, North Carolina; and San Diego.

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Voxx International, built by Wieland

clients are, but Yarber himself is an example of how employees can grow their careers with the company.

IT WAS A STRUGGLE IN THE BEGINNING, BUT THROUGH THE LONG-TERM BELIEF IN THE CENTRAL FLORIDA MARKET, WE WERE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THROUGH THE LEAN YEARS AND COME OUT OF IT STRONG. — Andy Yarber “All of those regional offices were born by having clients for projects that we run out of Michigan that had taken us to other regions,” Yarber said. “In each new region, we aim to build a name for ourselves. We found an opportunity to put a stake in the ground in Orlando back in July of 2006, and that’s when I moved to Orlando to help start this office. Our Orlando office grew from one to now 35 employees in 12 years.”

Striving for Greatness Embedded into the structure of Wieland stands a moral code based on value, empathy, honesty and solutions. The company culture encourages its employees to aim for excellence. Wieland spells it out in the acronym STRIVE: S – Solve problems before they become problems.

T – Tell the truth.

R – Retain customers by going where they go.

I – Identify and hire the best people.

V – Value employees as family.

E – Excel by outworking the competition.

Yarber attests to the company code. Not only does Wieland retain customers by setting up regional offices where their

“I started with Wieland in the spring of 1998 as a project superintendent in Nassau, Bahamas. It’s the last job that I ever got by answering an ad in the newspaper … they don’t even have those anymore do they?” Yarber laughed as he recalled working on that first project: the historic renovation of the British Colonial Hilton.

“The ad read something like ‘Looking for superintendent’ and ‘Caribbean travel.’ That caught my eye,” Yarber said. “I reached out and had lunch with Rob Krueger, who’s our CEO, and the rest is history.”

A Beam of Hope A company with a solid foundation that was set in 1958, Wieland is accustomed to adapting and growing despite challenges. The recession was on the horizon when Wieland established its Orlando office in 2006.

“It was a struggle in the beginning,” Yarber said, “but through the long-term belief in the Central Florida market, we were able to sustain through the lean years and come out of it strong.”

In 2011, toward the end of the recession, Wieland was contracted to build a project like it had never done before.

Millenia 700 Apartment Homes in Orlando is a 297-unit, four-story, multifamily complex that wraps around a precast parking deck. The Wieland team accepted the Millenia 700 challenge and completed the project six weeks early, not knowing that it would be the initial step down a new path.

Today, along with its industrial and commercial offerings, Wieland builds apartment complexes like M North in Orlando, along with penthouses and luxury condominiums such as VistaBlue Singer Island in South Florida.

“The Millenia 700 project helped us pull out of the recession,” Yarber said. “It helped build momentum for the Orlando office of Wieland — and we didn’t know it at the time, but it was the start of building over 5,000 units that we’ve built nationwide.” P i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 25

CONSTRUCTING

Central Florida

A PICTORIAL OVERVIEW OF INTERESTING PROJECTS

2 3

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4 1. Steinmetz Hall, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, downtown Orlando 2. The Cove at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort 3. Zoi House, downtown Orlando 4. Margaritaville Resort Orlando, Kissimmee 26 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

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5. KPMG Global Training Center, Lake Nona 6. Creative Village apartment community, downtown Orlando 7. Cruise Terminal 3, Port Canaveral

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9 8. Orlando Magic entertainment complex, downtown Orlando 9. NBA Experience at the Orlando Magic entertainment complex

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10

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12 10. South Terminal Complex, Orlando International Airport 11. Disney's Riviera Resort 12. NeoCity Academy, Osceola County 13. NeoCity Class A office building, Osceola County 14. NeoCity rendering, Osceola County 15. The Yard at Ivanhoe rooftop pool, downtown Orlando

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TAKE

with Official tourism association for America’s most visited destination.

The Capital Projects Transforming Tourism DISNEY: From Orlando to a galaxy far, far away Grabbing headlines this year will be Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the highly anticipated new land slated to open in the fall at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. But what other upcoming developments does Disney have planned? A nature-inspired project opening in 2022 — Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Resort — will begin transforming the long-dormant River Country property into a 900-room deluxe destination. Also under construction are Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Hollywood Studios), Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (Epcot) and the Disney Skyliner gondola system to shuttle guests between parks and resorts.

Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Resort

UNIVERSAL: Stay, play, have fun along the way

Universal’s Endless Summer Resort

Appropriately debuting this summer is Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites, a 750-room value hotel. Surfside’s larger sister hotel, Dockside Inn and Suites, is also underway, with 2,050 rooms scheduled to open in 2020. And later this year, a highly themed coaster experience is set to debut in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

Looking further into the future, Universal Orlando Resort has acquired more than 800 acres along Universal Boulevard — but no official announcement has been made regarding the site’s possible usage.

SEAWORLD: Brought to you by the letter “S” This spring, SeaWorld Orlando visitors will be able to take a stroll down one of the most famous streets in the world: Sesame Street!

Complete with Big Bird’s nest, Mr. Hooper’s store and Abby Cadabby's garden, the themed land will be a memorable experience for families. One of the premier attractions will be Super Grover’s Box Car Derby, a family-friendly roller coaster. Every fan, big or small, will enjoy SeaWorld’s first-ever parade, the Sesame Street Party Parade, featuring massive floats and beloved characters.

Sesame Street

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I-DRIVE: Expansion at ICON Orlando 360 Some of the “biggest” developments in the works for I-Drive are at ICON Orlando 360, home of the 400-foot ICON Orlando observation wheel and 450-foot Orlando Starflyer swing ride. In mid-2019, construction is expected to start on additional attractions like the world’s tallest double slingshot, the world’s tallest drop tower and a powered zipline ride. In addition, the Wyndham Orlando Resort at ICON Orlando 360 is being targeted for expansion that includes more rooms and another 150,000 square feet of meeting space.

GEORGE AGUEL President and CEO of Visit Orlando

ALWAYS MOVING FORWARD New construction marks progress, prosperity

F

rom hotels and highways to theme parks and technology, our destination is always evolving to create new experiences

ICON Orlando observation wheel

CONVENTIONS, HOTELS & TRANSPORTATION: Improvements Across Our Destination The Orange County Convention Center will soon break ground on its grand concourse and multipurpose venue, providing 280,000 square feet of additional meeting and ballroom space. Orlando International Airport is continuing its improvement efforts, as well, making way for more gates, guests and connectivity options, including high-speed passenger rail. Renovations at several area hotels are also making a splash: among them, a new ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress (opening this fall) and expansion of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort (to be completed in 2020).

for our visitors and residents.

Investing in the future allows us to stay ahead of the curve — and nowhere is that more evident than our tourism industry.

Orlando’s leisure and business travel offerings will continue to grow at an impressive pace in 2019 and beyond.

Across our destination, ongoing expansions, upgrades and new experiences will serve as a proverbial welcome mat for many years to come, inviting guests to play (and many to stay) here, then return to create even more memories.

Such progress only adds to the tremendous economic impact — upward of $70 billion annually — that tourism generates in our region.

Indeed, when our No. 1 industry is strong, the positive results can be felt throughout our entire community.

Orange County Convention Center (photo: CSWhite.com)

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 31

CEO LEADERSHIP FORUMS:

Moving the Needle Forward

T

here is a Justice League of sorts at work in the classrooms of a Valencia College campus. Here, a few times a year, a group of “superheroes” comes together to participate in Orlando’s CEO Leadership Forums: professionals, business leaders and students. At first glance, this league seems like a motley crew. Once you get them talking, however, it’s clear that their diverse skill sets are necessary to create the synergy that has propelled success stories in just three short years.

Gary Cohen, Chris Cucci and Tim Bach

David Poparad

Orlando’s CEO Leadership Forums consist of two groups, with Orlando Group One including 17 local business leaders: Gary Cohen, CFO and consultant at Nperspective CFO & Strategic Services.

Chris Cucci, senior VP and commercial banker at CenterState Bank.

Tim Bach, owner of Patterson Bach Communications.

Paul Dietrich, managing partner at law firm Swann Hadley Stump Dietrich & Spears.

David Poparad, tax partner at Grennan Fender CPA firm.

Phil Zeman, senior VP and commercial relationship manager at CenterState Bank.

Doug Foreman, CEO of Fringe Benefit Plans.

Glyn Griffis, financial advisor for Raymond James.

Brian Fatigati, president of ARX Payments.

Daryl Dixon, CEO and co-founder of VALiNTRY Services LLC. Timmy Rupeiks, senior vice president of sales for VALiNTRY Services LLC. Bernie Piekarski, managing partner of Piekarski Consulting LLC. Ray Watson of CEO Nexus.

Paul Castenada, vice president of sales and operations at Sandler Training Institute.

Aimee Collins Hitchner, senior Associate at law firm Swann Hadley.

Cherise Czaban, publisher of i4 Business magazine.

Geoffrey Gallo, senior vice president of marketing and strategic consulting at Grennan Fender, who has led the charge in creating the program since its inception.

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Tim Bach

Continuing Education for All Learning has always been the organization’s driving force. Starting as an informal group with just a few of its current members meeting in their offices to discuss challenges, make connections, and learn from each other, it has amplified that force to reach uncharted territory. The group organized formally to bring a cross-section of industry knowledge together in a classroom setting.

Defining and Refining Value

Phil Zeman

That first presentation, “Boost Your Business Value,” put the group’s synergy into practice. Each of the members advised those in attendance on different aspects, weaving their unique knowledge together to create a strong foundation on the meaning of value for their attendees.

That classroom may look a bit different from others, they explained. Conversation is the key to the curriculum when three types of participants come together: professionals from diverse industries, C-level executives looking for advice for their businesses, and students excited to learn how to become the next generation of business leaders.

The emphasis on this form of education is particularly helpful to the next generation of leaders in Central Florida. In addition to providing eager students with guidance from and connection to area innovators, the partnership between the CEO Leadership Forums and Valencia College now includes student financial support and internships. The organization has already committed more than $150,000 between now and the end of 2020.

From one of the very first seminars in 2016, the group has been passionate about bringing real value to those in attendance. In doing so, it has empowered present and future business leaders with the knowledge they need to understand how to identify and protect the value of their own assets.

“Often, these CEOs know the goal and what type of growth they may need, but they may have plateaued with their initial model,” Cohen said.

“When we put together the presentation, we kept in mind: ‘How can each of us help build value?’”

For his part, this meant walking through a SWOT analysis, an evaluation of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Cucci, who has 15 years of banking experience, used the opportunity to engage his peers on analyzing financial risks, including supplier diversity. Poparad served as a fountain of knowledge about tax mitigation, while Dietrich easily explained the value of non-compete agreements. The other members covered everything from relationship management to brand recognition.

Chris Cucci

Bach, the owner of a communications firm, added: “Often, these businesses tend to overlook the importance of their brand. They might not realize the value in that and understand that if you don’t manage your brand, someone else will.”

Like the CEOs themselves, the different segments are strong on their own, but exponentially stronger together. “I think it’s unique in that regard,” Dietrich said. “We try to bring together people who can really learn from each other. In the future, they may take the advice, seek follow-up and use those connections.

That conversation with peers who can either be empathetic or help solve issues can sometimes even be business-saving, Zeman said. “Giving adequate attention to all of the aspects of a successful business means being able to know your blind spots. You have to know when to bring in others who can fill those, so you don’t make a decision that might lead to you wasting an opportunity in your future.”

In each forum, the members are able to illuminate those blind spots, sometimes even finding some of their own, and then offer tangible solutions to create a community full of leaders for today and for the future.

Paul Dietrich

The synergy among the business professionals, entrepreneurs and students has led all of them to grow, Poparad said. “We are all moving the needle forward together.” P

i4Biz.com |FEBRUARY 2019 | 33

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ORANGE Technical College Since 1933.

Changing Lives Through Education.

A

s the associate superintendent for career and technical education at Orange County Public Schools, I get to see the impact technical education has on students across our school district. The increase in work-based learning taking place on our Orange Technical College campuses and in our OCPS secondary school classrooms gives me great hope for the future of our skilled workforce here in Central Florida. In the past five years, we have grown 75 percent in career and technical education (CTE) student enrollment and now serve more than 51,000 students by preparing them for careers.

As we plan for an exciting future that includes transforming our OTC campuses into specialty institutes focusing on health sciences, information technology, hospitality, construction, transportation, industrial trades and others, it’s important to take a look back at how we got here.

OTC’s history began in the heart of Central Florida as the Orlando Vocational School. We opened our doors in 1933 on the corner of Rosalind Avenue and Livingston Street in downtown Orlando. Although our name may be different now, our foundation and guiding principles remain the same — changing lives through education and ensuring career success for all students.

As the local demand for a technically minded workforce grew, we opened our second campus location, the Mid Florida Technical Institute, in 1963 — now known as the OTC – Mid Florida Campus. In 1974, OTC’s footprint grew once again as we opened the Webster Adult Education Center in Winter Park and the Westside Technical Vocational Center in

Winter Garden, now known as the OTC – Winter Park Campus and Westside Campus, respectively.

The Orlando Vocational School moved in 1981, becoming Orlando Tech and now the OTC – Orlando Campus. That campus cemented our presence in downtown Orlando, where we are now excited to welcome our new neighbors, UCF and Valencia College, and look forward to expanding our great partnerships even further to benefit this community. In 2007, we opened our fifth campus, the OTC – Avalon Campus in Avalon Park.

But we are not done. We are currently building a small training center in the heart of Eatonville and another in South Apopka to meet the training needs in those communities as well.

OTC has long served as one of the leading and most impactful technical colleges in the state.

Throughout our history, the mission has always been to provide business and industry with the talent they need to be successful by putting students first. Since the beginning, OTC’s accredited, affordable, careerfocused programs have been helping to provide our economy with a highly trained workforce. We work in collaboration with our partners, integrating the input of local business and industry leaders to get our students job-ready, and we are proud to be an essential component of Central Florida’s unique educational ecosystem that allows students to get from where they are to wherever they want to be, without barriers.

Eighty-five years of changing lives through education, and we are just getting warmed up. It’s a beautiful thing! P

i4Biz.com |FEBRUARY 2019 | 35

Faces of BRIDG

Ankineedu Velaga, Ph.D.

Fran Korosec

Brett Attaway

John J. Callahan, Ph.D.

Vice President, Fab Operations

Vice President, Program Management

Director, Business Development

Vice President, Technology

Ankineedu Velaga brings 30 years of experience to his role as vice president of fab operations for BRIDG, including his work in process technology development with Bell Labs, and fab engineering and operations management in Asia.

With 30 years of experience in program management, technology and business development, Fran Korosec has served in leadership roles at companies including North Highland Management Consulting, Lockheed Martin, IBM and Bell & Howell. He also served as Director of Programs and Director of GrowFL with the University of Central Florida’s Office of Research. In his current position, he leads BRIDG’s Program Management function including driving engagement in special projects, partnerships, information technology and workforce development.

After receiving his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from UCF, Brett Attaway served for 28 years in several positions as ASIC designer, program and business development management at Lockheed Martin, Synopsys and Harris, all focused on semiconductors in the military and aerospace markets. Before joining BRIDG, he acted as director of design enablement for the AIM Photonics Institute, where his knowledge of chip design enabled him to engage the industrial integrated electronicphotonic ecosystem with silicon photonics at State University New York (SUNY) Polytechnic College of Nanoscale Sciences.

John Callahan leads BRIDG’s scientific, device and application systems teams to coordinate strategies through which those devices and applications can maximize potential in the microelectronics industry.

His extensive background lends itself to expertise in fab operations, as well as an ability to organize and lead teams to more efficient and effective methodologies and processes.

Velaga has a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Arkansas, an M.S. in chemical engineering from the Indian Institutes of Technology and a B.S. in chemical engineering from Regional Engineering College in Warangal, India.

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Korosec received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Clarkson University and his master’s degree in industrial engineering from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

As director of business development for BRIDG, Attaway serves as the lead for industry recruitment, engaging industrial, government and academic organizations to foster partnerships across industries, furthering the progress of research and development in semiconductor manufacturing technologies.

With multiple patents in high-density integration, optoelectronics and packaging, Callahan has proven himself a leader in the industry of semiconductors and laser technology. Before joining BRIDG, he served as the vice president of engineering for SemiNex Corporation, where he helped to create eight product lines and more than 300 products for the medical, consumer, military and datacom sectors.

Callahan received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

gobridg.com

Balakrishnan Krishnan, Ph.D.

Steve Follis

Mandy Wilcox

John Allgair, Ph.D.

Associate Director, Research and Technology Services

Process Engineer

Manager, Contracts and Trade Compliance

2.5D/3D Program Manager

With more than 25 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, Balakrishnan Krishnan has conducted decades of research in III-nitride and III-V semiconductors throughout his role as a research professor at universities in both Japan and the United States. Prior to joining BRIDG, he served as the senior research scientist and technology lead for Veeco Instruments, where he worked with GaNbased optoelectronic and electronic device manufacturers/suppliers and institutions on MOCVD projects.

Over the course of more than 30 years as a process engineer, Steve Follis has developed expertise in the lithography area by working on a wide variety of exposure tools, coat/develop tracks, CD metrology tools, overlay metrology tools, layout of 1x masks, and layout of 4x/5x reticles.

As manager of contracts and trade compliance, Mandy Wilcox demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of BRIDG’s many partnerships, both on the federal and state levels. She has led efforts in export control and procurement, as well as implemented guidelines for processes such as vendor selection and systems to monitor vendor and contractor invoices.

Krishnan holds a Ph.D. in semiconductor physics from Anna University, where he focused his studies on crystal growth and characterization.

The breadth of his knowledge in the tools and processes used most often in semiconductor fabs include steppers (i-line and DUV), step and scan exposure tools (DUV), 1x projection exposure tool, and the 1x contact exposure tool, among others.

Wilcox holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Central Florida, later serving as the senior contract manager for the university. Her in-depth knowledge of the university contracts framework and ability to improve upon policy implementation make her a key member of the BRIDG team.

John Allgair has been leading teams in the semiconductor engineering, research and technology industries for nearly three decades.

After serving in the Air Force, focusing on aerospace engineering, Allgair earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering with an emphasis in semiconductor physics and processing from Arizona State University and began his career as an engineering manager at Motorola.

His experiences since have included roles at GLOBALFOUNDRIES, AMD, SEMATECH, Freescale and Nanometrics.

As BRIDG 2.5D/3D program manager, he leads the Advanced System and Packaging Integration program, with the goal of providing cost-effective platforms for the heterogeneous integration of silicon, III-V and photonic devices to enable smart sensor integration and new product introduction. i4Biz.com |FEBRUARY 2019 | 37

HOMES END HOMELESSNESS.

By providing homes for 339 Central Floridians experiencing chronic homelessness, the Housing First strategy reduced their emergency room visits by 60%.

Visit HomesAreTheAnswer.org to learn how Housing First saves lives, saves money, and gets people off the streets for good.

How do you become president of a $75 million geotechnical engineering company founded by your father more than a half century ago? Did you just hang around until Dad gave you the keys?

Mark Israel didn’t. He tackled every tough job at Universal Engineering Sciences, learning the business from below the ground up, just like his dad, Sy Israel. It’s why Mark and Universal’s nearly 800 employees

EARNING IT

have a “whatever it takes” reputation for hard work, integrity and customer service. They earned it.

OFFICES IN ORLANDO, TAMPA, SOUTH FLORIDA, JACKSONVILLE AND 14 OTHER BRANCHES IN FLORIDA AND GEORGIA UNIVERSAL ENGINEERING SCIENCES IS HEADQUARTERED AT 3532 MAGGIE BOULEVARD, ORLANDO, FL, 32811 UNIVERSALENGINEERING.COM 407-423-0504

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Join ATHENA NextGen 2019

How to Participate

Orlando’s leading professional development program for women

Learn what to expect and how to apply st ATHENA NextGen 2019 kicks off Tuesday, May 21th and runs

ATHENA NextGen participants have exclusive access to a

May to December. Embark on an eight month journey, held

unique learning forum facilitated by prominent business

the third Tuesday of each month from 8:15-10:00 AM, at the

women passionate about mentoring the next generation

UCF Executive Development Center in Downtown Orlando.

of rising stars. Receive pearls of wisdom from Sandy Hostetter, Maryann Barry, Shelley Lauten, and Annetta

Cost is $550 and includes member registration, materials,

Wilson, in an interactive “Master Class” setting.

continental breakfast, and group networking activities. You can learn more at ATHENA’s Breakfast Information Session held in early March.

Discuss topics highlighting ATHENA’s 8 leadership principles: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Live Authentically Learn Constantly Advocate Fiercely Act Courageously

5.

6.

7.

8.

Foster Collaboration Build Relationships Give Back Celebrate

The application deadline is March 15, 2019.

Questions? Contact us at athenaleadershiporlando@gmail.com

Take the next step and apply today at

athenaleadershiporlando.com.

40 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

UP CLOSE Yog Melwani With

By Meaghan Branham

Yog Melwani, president of the Indian American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) in Orlando, learned early in his career the value of “working smart.” His first job at the student computer lab at Hofstra University in New York — in an age before personal computers and IT techs were common — proved to be a valuable lesson in customer service and crisis management. After graduating from Hofstra, he fostered his knowledge of investing on Wall Street in the 1990s, where his client transactions eventually totaled more than $10 billion. An interest in commercial real estate, along with a few too many cold winters up north, brought him to Orlando, where his real estate successes eventually led him to a very active role in the community’s economic development — and to his current role with the chamber.

How would you describe the path that led you to your current role?

While developing my business in Central Florida, I joined the West Orange Chamber of Commerce (WOCC) and had the pleasure of serving on the board of directors. This was my first opportunity to give back to the community. Shortly thereafter, I joined the IACC and became the first member of the leadership committee. Concurrently, I also became a representative and vice chair on the Orange County Membership and Mission Review Board (MMRB), then secretary of the IACC and chair of the MMRB. I also have the privilege of serving on the BB&T Bank advisory board, as vice chair of the Orange County Planning and Zoning Commission, and on the City of Orlando Nominating Board. From the private sector to the public, each of these boards has similarities, but their differences are what help me grow as a board member and leader and help me develop my contributions for the improvement and longevity of the IACC.

Since joining the chamber in 2010, what have been your most valuable takeaways?

There is much to be said for people who volunteer their time and efforts to serve and make changes in and for their community. It takes a special type of person to not only make the commitment, but to follow through and actually participate in running and growing an organization like the IACC. Our chamber operates with a rotating board and executive committee. The expectation is that by the time you become president, you will have gained the experience and insight to lead the chamber and to help it to continue to grow and evolve as an organization that not only connects members, but also fosters business locally and globally. The experiences gained in each role I’ve held on the IACC board have taught me to be more receptive to other people’s input,

and how to interact productively with a variety of personalities.

Forging relationships and alliances with other organizations and people is key to a strong professional network.

How have the skills you’ve developed in real estate informed your role at the chamber?

I “walk the talk” and believe your word is your bond. Without that conviction, we have nothing. I also believe we should leave anything we are involved with better than we found it, including an organization. Additionally, treat everyone with respect, and eliminate any ambiguity, by putting everything in writing.

Can you describe some of the new initiatives you’ve been focusing on since becoming president in 2018?

Creating diverse events, such as our inaugural Smart and Sustainable Cities Collaborative (SSCC) in alliance with the City of Orlando, Rollins College and [planning and design firm] VHB, which attracted both members and non-members, along with creating an interest and momentum for another SSCC event in 2019. We’ve also focused on collaborative relationships with multiple Central Florida organizations, including the City of Orlando, University of Central Florida (UCF), Rollins College, Visit Orlando and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando.

Our volunteer organization has created a prominent presence in our community, as evidenced by being ranked as the 16th chamber of commerce in the Orlando Business Journal Book of Lists Top 25 Area Chambers. All of this has resulted in record-breaking achievements — including a 35 percent increase in our membership, renewed and increased sponsorships, an increase in followers on social media from 18 percent to 186 percent, and a 1,500 percent increase in traditional media coverage.

i4Biz.com |FEBRUARY 2019 | 41

UP CLOSE

You’ve described the importance of increasing trade between America and India. Can you talk about the value in that and how you are going about advocating for it?

We are promoting this increase in trade through connecting people and fostering business here and in India. We provide value by connecting U.S.-based companies with companies in India for bilateral trade opportunities, ranging from mangoes to technological services.

This year the IACC, along with the City of Orlando, UCF and Orange County, co-hosted Vivek Aggarwal, who is principal secretary (chief of staff ) to the chief minister (governor) of the state of Madhya Pradesh in India, and Dr. Kartikeya Singh of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The meetings and discussions were focused on sharing best practices and resources for smart and sustainable cities. In July, UCF entered into an agreement with Madhya Pradesh to cooperate on economic, research, cultural and educational issues.

Recently, a member of the IACC leadership committee, Mital Hall, traveled with a delegation from UCF to India to explore smart and sustainable technologies. The trip focused on sustainable development and included in-depth discussions about how UCF could help the state in a number of areas, including renewable energy, transportation, tourism, environmental protection, ecology and cooperative research.

Can you describe some of the events the chamber has recently celebrated, such as the Gandhi Day of Service, and the community’s reaction to those?

We honor Mahatma Gandhi every year with a community project that is family-friendly and encourages the next generation to give back. Families and individuals take part in helping other people in developing countries or in areas affected by natural disasters in the 42 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

U.S. A collaborative approach with the Central Florida Association of Physicians from the Indian Subcontinent (CAPI), Orlando City Soccer and Pita Hut Enterprises, held at the city soccer stadium, resulted in a record-setting 150 volunteers who packed 40,000 meals.

Our Women’s Forum in October, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, had a strong turnout with many new nonmember professionals, and 2018 was the first year we created a team of IACC members for the Alzheimer’s Walk.

What do you hope for the future of the chamber?

I hope the leaders whose terms follow mine will not only lead the IACC into the future, but continue its growth, prosperity and advocacy for our members. Maintaining the energy and momentum we have established this year will continue to make our presence known in mainstream America. It has been a year of many firsts.

We have set a high standard and will continue to build on it. The IACC’s goal is to connect people and foster businesses, not only amongst ourselves, but throughout Florida, across the country and around the world.

What motivates you, both professionally and personally?

Whether the goal is short-term or long-term, the will to succeed and reach my full potential motivates me. It gives me great satisfaction to assist those in need, both personally and professionally, without any expectations.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Something I read from Gandhi: “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him.” To me, this means if life and/or business are not going in the direction you want, then you need to change the way you are living and/or doing business. Stay humble and look ahead at the path that you walk on. P

Thursday, April 11, 2019 | 5:00pm - Starke Lake, Ocoee Indulge in a variety of beer, wine and spirits from some of your favorite local restaurants along with scrumptious samples, including your favorite French, Italian, American and BBQ dishes! Best Fest is a street party-style event that is open to the public. Bring your friends and enjoy all the best of West Orange! All for one admission price!

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Best Practice

Leadership Love What You Do in Life — or Make a Change

Romaine Seguin is president of UPS Global Freight Forwarding, based in Atlanta. She can be reached at rseguin@ups.com.

"

No matter what position or status you achieve in life, never forget that you are no different from the cleaning person.”

— Romaine Seguin

44 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

If you think about how much time in our lives we spend building a career, it can be mind-boggling. Regardless of the job we have — entrepreneur, president, sales professional, full-time parent or high school custodian — we spend an immense amount of our lifetime contributing to our chosen path.

In the working world, I very often hear the word “stress,” and I think it’s highly overused. When I hear people say they’re stressed at their job, I immediately think they’re not happy or they don’t enjoy what they’re doing. I am not taking away that people might feel a lot of pressure or have more work than they can possibly complete. But my definition of stress is a bit different. When I think of stress, I picture someone facing a harsh reality — something extreme like living under a highway viaduct with no home or food.

Research shows the average person spends more than 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. That equals one-third of

your life. That’s why it’s important to pick the right path or paths where you will spend so many seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years. What makes it the right path? The fact that you enjoy what you do.

I’ve learned five insights from my almost 36 years of being in the workforce, and from a very special high school custodian: 1. Match your values, personality and comfort level with your selection criteria. Invest time up front on research.

I joined UPS because I identified with its values of integrity and the policies of promotion from within ... and also because I like the color Pullman Brown.

2. Talk to people who are inside the organization or industry. This may be a little more difficult, but keep asking. There is nothing better than hearing about experiences firsthand.

3. Don’t be in a hurry or a rush. You may be pressured to give an answer or sign a paper, but always ask for a night or a weekend to thoroughly consider your decision. If you’re not granted that time, then it’s not meant to be.

4. Run thoughts and questions by family, friends, professors or mentors. Valuable points of view come from those who know you and have your best interests in mind.

There is nothing wrong with wanting validation when making critical decisions.

5. Know when to make a change. If you find yourself on a path where you know you’ve given everything you possibly could give, and after doing an objective analysis you realize there are not many golden days, then it’s time to go in another direction. When you choose a career path and it’s just not working out, make the decision to change. There might be financial, family and other elements that need to be worked out, and it won’t be easy, but you’ll be glad you did.

My father, who passed away almost 20 years ago, gave me the two pieces of the best advice I’ve ever received, and I still remember them as if I heard them yesterday.

He said no matter what position or status you achieve in life, never forget that you are no different from the cleaning person. The only difference is that you might put your right shoe on first and the cleaning person might put his or her left shoe on first. Otherwise, we are all the same, pure and simple.

I often wait for the cleaning staff in the evening at my office and greet them with a big smile and ask if they want coffee or water and thank them for what they do. Their job is as important as any other in the organization, and we could not function without them. All jobs are important.

My father also said to love what you do in life. I never really understood what he meant until he passed away. I am the oldest of the siblings, so I was in charge of his funeral. I was overwhelmed when, during his wake, the funeral home had to bring in additional staff and call on police to direct traffic to handle the crowds.

As you might have guessed by now, that special high school custodian I mentioned was my father. I didn’t know how popular he was until that day I had to say my final goodbye to him. I still feel proud and inspired when I remember all the people who attended his wake: Students, former students, principals, administrators and coaches, they were all there. He was a great man, and people told me he always seemed happy.

It was because he loved what he did, and that’s why all these people loved him.

Love what you choose to do. I absolutely do! P

i4Biz.com |FEBRUARY 2019 | 45

Best Practice

Productivity Understanding Human Behavior Can Improve Your Marketing Strategy

Cherise Czaban

is the publisher and CEO of i4 Business.

She can be reached at Cherise@i4biz.com.

"

The best marketing strategy ever: CARE.� — Gary Vaynerchuk

46 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

No matter how logical and calculated your approach to sales, the heart of every interaction is the relationship between you and your audience. And in order to really connect with people in that audience, you must first understand what instincts drive them when they’re buying. As human beings, we are less inclined to respond to tactics created with only numbers and hypotheticals in mind, and more likely to be responsive to messages that speak to instincts and our innate behaviors. While each buyer is unique, there are some core human tendencies, observed through psychology and sociology, that might help you better understand exactly what appeals to the majority of your market.

Loss Aversion

According to several reports in Psychology Today, people are more inclined to be afraid of the loss of something we already have than we are interested in gaining something new and unknown. When we find something we like and become attached, its value to us is heightened, and the prospect of losing it becomes more frightening than the potential and theoretical opportunity of gaining something else.

This might seem like a bad deal for companies just starting out or attempting to gain new clients, but it can be helpful to keep in mind when considering audience perspective. You can lower the risk of trying something new by providing free trials or

resources, and this helps people get to know you and trust your company. Once you’ve secured that relationship, that same loss aversion becomes helpful to you in retaining your audience.

Self-Interest

When you’re creating your marketing strategy, it might come more naturally for you to focus on your own interests and your story. This is necessary for building your brand and audience trust, but you must also leave room for where your audience fits within that story. The same instinct you have to cater to your interests exists in each of us. We want to hear about ourselves, our interests and how we can be included. When crafting your message, think about your audience members — what their needs are, what their lives might be like — and then work your messaging around that. Put your audience at the center of your messaging.

Curiosity

People are naturally curious. This fact, according to a report by Tom Stafford of BBC Future, is more than just an observation. It is a biological and evolutionary predisposition explained by the theory of neoteny, which accounts for how human beings retain our child-like characteristics throughout our entire lives, including our curiosity. We want to learn about our world, to understand how we relate to it.

When it comes to integrating this tendency into your strategy, appeal to what many marketers call the “curiosity gap,” defined as the space between what we know and what we want to know.

An eye-catching image with a brief but intriguing caption or a brief snippet of an article prompting the reader to “learn more” are some simple and effective examples of the curiosity gap.

Don’t give away all of the information at once. Keep in mind what might genuinely encourage your own interest, and use that for inspiration.

Social Proof

Similar to the well-known bandwagon effect, social proof theory from psychologist Robert Cialdini speaks to the power of social influence. When people aren’t sure of what to do, they will often observe others and mimic their behavior. This is made stronger when those doing the influencing are knowledgeable in the area, or when a large number of people seem to all be doing the same thing. Try using analytic reports and any numbers that demonstrate the widespread reach of your company, spotlighting reviews that speak to the fact that others have used and been pleased with your service, or sharing articles on your area of expertise with your audience to establish that you are a reliable source of information.

At the end of the day, when you’re delivering your message to audience members, you are reaching out to them from one person to another, and there are many common behaviors we all share that govern how we understand and navigate the world.

Take time to look into human behavior when you’re seeking inspiration for your next campaign and you may come away with some innovative and effective ideas. P

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i4Biz.com |FEBRUARY 2019 | 47

Best Practice

Processes A Lifestyle Business or an Industry Player?

Jim Bowie is the site manager for the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in Kissimmee. He can be reached at jim.bowie@ucf.edu.

"

The heart of your business is your processes and procedures.”

— Jim Bowie

48 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

You’re moving along, making some sales, bringing in some revenue, and hiring some staff to help you manage your growing business. Sound familiar?

It’s the normal course of action for all businesses in the first few years. The critical decisions are now upon you. Do you keep satisfying your customers and adding a few more as you go to sustain a nice lifestyle business that you’ve built?

Or do you take the other route and scale your business for rapid growth to become a serious player in your industry?

I was an operating partner in four start-ups in the 1980s and ’90s. Two were successful and two tanked. I have been coaching entrepreneurs and small businesses for the past decade. You know when you have developed a successful product or service formula. You provide a needed service, people will pay for it, and you retain their business because you deliver more than you promise and deliver it with consistency and dependability.

Now what do you do? Do you want to put processes in place to replicate your successful formula for growth, or are you happy with just making a good living with some customers and a few employees?

Both are great decisions. You have to dig deep and see which is right for you.

If you choose rapid growth, then many elements must fall into place: The right team, market timing, product demand, vertical markets, consistent quality delivery and several other factors will impact your success. I believe one of your most critical factors in scaling your business is your processes.

You can’t grow and have Mini-Me employees replicating what you’ve been able to create without processes in place.

You can’t hold each person’s hand, and you can’t do the work for them. You must create formulas and processes that your new team members can learn, implement and execute with ease. No matter how much talent people possess, if there is

not an easy step-by-step process for them to follow, they will struggle. It doesn’t matter if it is in sales, operations, service/ product delivery, customer service, accounting or some other aspect of your business.

Each area must be well-defined. You’ve been successful working by the seat of your pants with just a handful of people; but if you are going to scale and grow the business, that’s another animal. You hear that businesses fail because they don’t have enough cash to grow or they hire the wrong people. The truth is that there are many funding and financing options available to companies that have developed a successful service or product. You can “hire slow and fire fast” to get the right team around you. The underlying main reason companies fail to scale is a lack of processes in place.

If easy internal systems to follow have not been put into place, then chaos will come. You can’t move forward without consistent processes and steps in place that people can replicate for your customers.

One of the most important processes a business lives or dies on is its customer relationship management (CRM) system. That’s what controls your hunting for new customers and farming your existing customers to keep them happy and sell them more services. Most entrepreneurs start out by just doing spreadsheets to keep track of where they are in the sales cycle for closing new business. Once you get to a certain size, or if you want to scale the business, you have to implement a CRM system that ties all of your customer touches into one organized platform.

Sales automation is another term used in describing what you want the CRM platform to do. Companies that sell business to business need a good sales automation system.

Why? Because their sales cycles tend to be longer and more complex, so they must have elements in place to develop customer experiences. Finding and implementing the right CRM system for your business is a topic for another day.

The key is to establish your step-by-step processes, write them down, and have your team improve upon them. The brain of the business is the creativity and planning involved in developing and growing a business. The heart of the business is the processes and procedures involved in keeping the business pumping and in replicating the successful formulas that have been established.

Following processes gets things done and keeps all elements working in harmony toward the team’s common goals. You can’t grow sales, people and profits without these processes in place for successful expansion. P

DID YOU KNOW 92%

of U.S. adults read magazines

Americans of all ages read magazines — especially younger adults.

91% of adults 94% of those under 30 95% of those under 25

Source: MPA – The Association of Magazine Media

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 49

Best Practice

Business Strategy How to Execute a Strategic Plan for Your Entire Enterprise

Ronald J. Recardo

is the managing partner of The Catalyst Consulting Group LLC. He can be reached at rrecardo@catalystconsultinggroup.org.

Pick up The Wall Street Journal and you’re likely to see a story about a company that had a great strategic plan but “crashed and burned” because its leaders did a poor job of strategy execution. This article discusses six best practices we have learned from working with hundreds of companies over the years.

human capital planning, budgeting, financial forecasting and management reporting processes. Create a calendar to ensure when each process must start/end and the key inputs/outputs so each interdependent process is tightly integrated.

Best Practice 1:

Cascade the enterprise-wide strategic planning. The strategic planning process does not end with the creation of a multiyear plan. Each function needs to understand the specific impacts and requirements the enterprise-wide plan has on it and identify a series of actions to support the overall plan. For example, the

Synchronize your strategic planning process with other related systems. Like the human body, an organization has a number of systems that are interdependent.

To realize the maximum benefit from strategic planning, it is essential you map all of the inputs/outputs to your organization’s

Best Practice 2:

PMO MODEL REVIEW DELIVERABLES

TRAINING, SERVICES AND DOCUMENTATION

QUALITY MANAGEMENT

SCOPE CHANGE

DEPENDENCY MANAGEMENT

RISK MANAGEMENT

ADMINISTRATION

PROJECT REPORTING

ISSUE MANAGEMENT

KNOWLEDGE CAPTURE

DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

PROJECT

COMMUNICATIONS

PROJECT CLOSURE

PROJECT TEAMS 1

PROJECT DEFINITION

PROJECT LAUNCH

PROJECT DEPLOYMENT

PROJECT CLOSING

2

PROJECT DEFINITION

PROJECT LAUNCH

PROJECT DEPLOYMENT

PROJECT CLOSING

PROJECT DELIVERABLES

INDIVIDUAL PROJECT PROGRESS & BUDGET REPORTING

CROSS PROJECT INTEGRATION

PLANNING & MONITORING

PROJECT TARGETS

50 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

GOVERNANCE

PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE

PROJECT INITIATION

PROJECT PRIORITIES & GUIDANCE

PROJECT STRUCTURE

CONSOLIDATED PROJECT PROGRESS & BUDGET REPORTING

SENIOR MANAGEMENT

human resources function needs to provide leadership around identifying key capability gaps and how to ameliorate these gaps, assess whether the culture needs to evolve to promote desired employee behaviors, and design the right performance management, recognition and compensation programs to drive organizational performance.

Best Practice 3:

Develop/execute contingency plans. One of the components of a well-designed strategic plan is the identification of key risks that can have a material impact on the success of your business. It is essential to develop plans of action to delay, reduce or eliminate the most critical risks. One of our clients was a manufacturing company that produced highly engineered products that relied heavily on the tool and die department. If that department went “dark,� the company would stop making revenue. An action plan was initiated that centered on having contracts in place with independent tool and die shops that had unused capacity to ensure this capability would be restored in a crisis situation.

DID YOU KNOW

Best Practice 4:

Establish performance reporting. No company bats 100 percent. There is always some outcome(s) where actual performance is less than targeted performance. This is commonly called a variance. It is important to hold regular meetings to track performance, identify performance gaps and their causes, and aggressively implement remedial actions.

All of this is for naught if the senior leadership team does not use these metrics to hold employees accountable, differentiate rewards and ensure those who are the most talented progress up the corporate ladder.

Best Practice 5:

Deploy a scorecard of metrics. All companies, even start-ups, have measures that are used to guide them. The best practices are: A) Having a thorough understanding of performance drivers and using predictive and lagging measures; B) Ensuring the scorecard addresses a range of financial, market/customer, people and process outcomes; C) Cascading the scorecard down to each function, core/support process, team and employee; and D) Tightly aligning the scorecard to performance management and rewards systems.

Best Practice 6:

Strong program + project management = outstanding strategic planning execution. Many of the action items in a strategic plan relate to addressing capability/performance gaps or actions around growth. This often translates to a number of programs and projects. Therefore, strategy execution is a function of good program/project management. The table on the previous page highlights the functionality of a strategic project management office (PMO).

The audience for print and digital magazines increased by 3.3 million adults from 2016 to 2017.

65% of readers take action after seeing a print magazine ad

Organizations that utilize these six best practices have a distinct leg up on their competition and will typically outperform the market accordingly. P

Source: MPA – The Association of Magazine Media

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 51

EXALTING FREEDOM

THROUGH ETHICAL CAPITALISM

THE CASE FOR CURIOSITY

By Jeff Piersall and Eric Wright

Maybe Not for Cats, But Definitely for People

Jeff Piersall

Eric Wright

S

omeone once called curiosity “the spark behind the spark of every great idea.” Though it is said to have killed the cat, curiosity’s effects on humans and human achievement are altogether different. It inspires, informs and is ultimately the one thing that brings transformation — if we embrace it. Unfortunately, often the amazing is camouflaged by the familiar and the ordinary.

Milton Wright, the young nephew of the famous brothers Wilber and Orville, once said, “History was being made in their home and in their bicycle shop, but it was so obscured by the commonplace that we didn’t see it until years later.”

Apparently, Milton was not alone. Though we all remember the famous flight on the deserted beaches of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, it was upon the Wrights’ return to their native Dayton, Ohio, that they perfected their flying machine. Unbelievably, few made the journey out to Huffman Prairie, where they made countless flights and refined both their craft and the skills necessary to fly it.

In fact, detractors in the U.S. and abroad were skeptical about the Wrights’ claims because no members of the press had reported on their aeronautical breakthroughs. The reason was simple: They had not bothered to take the short ride, by trolley, to actually see if it was true.

James M. Cox, publisher at that time of the Dayton Daily News, later governor of Ohio and Democratic presidential nominee, explained years later, “Frankly, none of us believed it.”

What If? We are firm believers in the power of “What if?” or “Why not?” That is what the legend of the Holy Grail is really about — searching and finding something wonderful that for others is just the stuff of fertile imaginations. Francesca Gino, in an article in the Harvard Business Review, reported polling 3,000 employees from a wide range of firms and industries.

Only about 24 percent reported feeling curious in their jobs on a regular basis, and about 70 percent said they face barriers to asking more questions at work.

Keys to Curiosity Show up. Often, just showing up is the first step in opening doors of surprising possibilities. The reason is you acted on your curiosity, rather than dismissing it or defaulting to the equally fatal response of postponing it until you have more time. Guess what — you never will.

See limits as opportunities. Ed Catmull, one of the founders of Pixar, said, “Imposing limits can encourage a creative response.

Excellent work can emerge from uncomfortable or seemingly untenable circumstances.” Every creative endeavor must work with certain limits, whether that is creating digital animation or designing a pass play in the NFL. Like the wind resistance that enables flight, you learn to work with it, instead of against it.

Reward learning and experimentation, not just results.

Everyone lauded the Wright brothers’ success creating the first airplane, but that outcome came after years of research, bitter trial and error and hundreds, if not thousands of iterations. The truly great teams celebrate great practices, not just successful games.

Years after their initial flights, word began to spread about the Wrights’ success and a growing throng of journalists finally made their way to the isolated beaches of Kitty Hawk, where the brothers were doing final tests before their public trials. One would write, “This barren part of the world had in fact become the center of the world. Because it became the tangible embodiment of an idea, which is to make the world different than it was before. It was curiosity that drove us there.” P

Trep Talk is the educational platform of Jeff Piersall and Eric Wright; for more information visit www.linkedin.com/company/trep-talks-ec

1920s Ford Model T Assembly Line

Gino cites Henry Ford as a primary example of the perils of putting efficiency over innovation and exploration. Ford’s vision of mass production was to reduce the cost of an automobile to make it affordable for the average American. By 1908 he had realized his vision, and by 1921 had a 56 percent market share. But when market demand pointed to variety, the more innovative General Motors overtook them in the 1930s.

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 53

Social Entrepreneur

Planting Ideas and Cultivating

SOLUTIONS IDEAS FOR US

Takes Local Action to Address Global Challenges

By Elyssa Coultas

A

polar bear stands alone on an ice floe. A melting island; a disappearing mammal. Krill, once a plentiful food source, diminishes. A shifting ecosystem; a dying species. A garden, once in bloom, wilts without water. A lack of resources; an arid seed.

The world faces a multitude of present and potential global crises — often put aside by belief that the world’s resources are infinitely abundant, needing no management. In Orlando, environmental solutions incubator IDEAS For Us develops, funds and scales solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges by organizing the public, private-sector businesses, and local elected officials to advance sustainability.

The organization aligns many of its key performance indicators with the results of the most collaborative goalsetting exercise in human history: the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development, which were adopted after three years of collaboration among 193 countries and nonprofits. In 2015, the 17 resulting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were announced to address issues such as eradicating poverty, halting climate change, assuring gender equality and stopping human trafficking and slavery.

“IDEAS For Us funds action projects that address as many of the Sustainable Development Goals as possible

54 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

because addressing the problems at their intersectionalities yields the best solutions,” said Clayton Louis Ferrara, a biologist and the executive director of IDEAS For Us. “Our approach to sustainability is what we call the triple bottom line, which is being mindful of the economic, environmental and social factors within our projects and using that knowledge as a guideline to assure a positive economic, environmental and social impact on the people we are helping.”

IDEAS For Us started in 2008 in a dorm room at the University of Central Florida, where students Chris Castro and Henry Harding created the first chapter of Intellectual Decisions on Environmental Awareness Solutions, abbreviated to I.D.E.A.S. “Many of the environmental clubs on campus were very advocacy-focused, which certainly has its place,” Ferrara said, “but we always knew there was more that could be done than just talking without action.”

Ferrara and Castro, who serves as president of the group’s board and also as director of sustainability and resilience at the city of Orlando, saw the opportunity to turn the club into a nonprofit. They teamed up, and today the group is a 501(c)(3) and the only nonprofit in Central Florida that is accredited by the UN as a nongovernmental organization or NGO.

Pruning the 17

"

Social Entrepreneur

We’ve proven our develop, fund and scale model works at home, and we’re getting a lot of attention to build our efforts internationally, but we need more public and private supporters to keep our momentum in Orlando growing. This is where it all started.”

— Clayton Louis Ferrara

Data from the UN shows that globally, three in 10 people lack access to safely managed drinking water services and six in 10 lack access to safely managed sanitation facilities. It also reports that each day, nearly 1,000 children die from preventable water- and sanitationrelated diseases.

According to the UN, only 57 percent of the global population relied primarily on clean fuels and technology as of 2017, falling short of the 95 percent target. UN research shows energy is the dominant contributor to climate change, accounting for about 60 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions.

Growing Ideas

In response to statistics like those, IDEAS For Us supports projects that address harsh realities. “Environmental action is what's important to us,” Ferrara said. “That's why we started, and that’s still our focus today. It always will be our focus.”

The group’s hundreds of initiatives have included installing small-scale solar projects on homeless shelters in Miami; creating the internationally known urban farming eco-enterprise Fleet Farming; organizing environmental action projects in Central Florida, Nepal, Rwanda, Liberia and Romania; and spearheading the #LastStraw campaign, which

Ferrara and Castro developed the “Five Pillars of Sustainability” in 2011 to help drive IDEAS For Us projects forward with a solid foundation for their actions. The organization’s goal is to solve the energy, water, food, waste and ecology crises of this era through sustainability, action, leadership and innovation.

Ferrara sighed as he rattled off global statistics. “This year we’ve experienced more carbon emissions than ever before in human history. The oceans have grown increasingly acidic — a 26 percent rise since the Industrial Revolution. Water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of the population, and 60 percent of all wildlife has disappeared in just the last 30 years. If you want to know the future, look at the past. Data like this means major global extinctions and human suffering are inevitable without action.” i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 55

Social Entrepreneur

"

Our goal with the Hive is to bring the community together to focus on a particular environmental or social issue.

— Clayton Louis Ferrara

encourages businesses to switch to compostable products over plastic and offer straws only by request.

The catalyst of this action is the IDEAS Hive, a local intergenerational, interdisciplinary think-and-do tank. The monthly meetings are open to the public and are held on the second floor of East End Market on the first Wednesday evening of every month.

that more than 23 million Americans, including 6.5 million children, live in “food deserts,” areas that are more than a mile away from a supermarket.

Fleet Farming offers these residents access to nutritious fruits and vegetables. It has grown more than 3,840 pounds of produce and converted more than 70,140 square feet of lawns into foodyielding gardens.

The open-door policy allows for everyone to join the IDEAS Hive and be a part of the conversation and brainstorming process. They can participate in expert lectures, educational movie showings, community field trips and action projects.

Ferrara and Castro invented the concept in 2013 to further catalyze action in cities trying to advance local sustainability.

Local and Global Impact

“Our goal with the Hive is to bring the community together to focus on a particular environmental or social issue, learn about it, then form breakout sessions using human-centered design thinking for them to figure out different kinds of solutions,” Ferrara said. The Hive then selects and refines one of the proposed solutions and forms it into an actionable plan.

“In our last round that we held in the fall, we had 26 different countries apply,” Ferrara said. “It's really exciting to see so many people wanting to take action in their community.”

Urban Farming Revolution

One of the most popular local projects that evolved from the Hive is Fleet Farming, an urban agricultural program that turns lawns into food-producing gardens.

“This idea came to us in 2014,” Ferrara said. “It quickly evolved into garden installs for hospitals, retirement homes and university campuses. It brings organic gardening to those audiences and reconnects people to nature in the most basic and meaningful way — through the ecology of food.”

UN research shows one in every nine people around the world is undernourished. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture report 56 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

The IDEAS Solutions Fund is a micro-granting program designed to fund pilot projects that advance the SDGs around the world. Organizations, individuals, students and community leaders can apply on a quarterly basis for mentorship and funding from IDEAS For Us to help make their projects possible.

IDEAS For Us plans to launch revolutionary projects around Central Florida in 2019. From creating floating gardens in retention ponds and public lakes, to installing trees and plants as permanent sources of food throughout the community, IDEAS will continue to work against energy, water, food, waste and ecology challenges with action.

“In order to advance communities, we have to have participation and a vision from the business community, the public sector and the independent sector nonprofits and charities. We need big businesses to stand up and help support our work because it works,” Ferrara said. “We’ve proven our develop, fund and scale model works at home, and we’re getting a lot of attention to build our efforts internationally, but we need more public and private supporters to keep our momentum in Orlando growing. This is where it all started.” P

Giving to Goodwill is good for business.

Strengthening our community means Building Lives That Work. Through a wide array of career services and vocational programs, Goodwill provides tools that help people overcome barriers to employment and find a permanent path out of poverty.

When you shop at or donate to Goodwill, you’re funding services that help people find jobs and achieve economic self-sufficiency . . . right here in our community. In 2017, Goodwill Industries of Central Florida served 47,531 people and placed more than 8,100 individuals into jobs.

7531 SOUTH ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL | ORLANDO, FL 32809 | 407. 857. 0659 | GOODWILLCF L.ORG

Downtime

Unique experiences for your day off APOPKA A one-way 11-mile stretch of road guides visitors through the lush Florida wetlands in the comfort of their vehicle. Guests can spot wildlife and connect with nature as the drive meanders through a portion of the 20,000 acres that comprise Lake Apopka and its various trails. Other adventure seekers might enjoy a more fast-paced experience on the 15 miles of jogging, cycling or horseback trails that weave throughout the property. Keep an eye out for a variety of birds: This is one of the top birding destinations in the state.

sjrwmd.com/lands/recreation/ lake-apopka

CENTRAL FLORIDA Central Florida Ale Trail Not all trails include hiking, sunshine or being outdoors.

The Central Florida Ale Trail combines the adventure of exploring local breweries with the delight of drinking their craft beer and socializing all around Central Florida. The trail includes 17 breweries and is slated to acquire new landmarks in 2019. With no time limit to complete the trail, guests can take their time exploring the communities surrounding each brewery in Lake, Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties.

centralfloridaaletrail.com

Follow us on Facebook and share some of your favorite local places to visit: @i4biz 58 | FEBRUARY 2019 | i4Biz.com

Photography provided by St. Johns River Water Management District

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive

Downtime

ORLANDO An Irish Evening Gary Lovini is a British TV personality and international violinist who hails from the North of England, where he began his music career at age 16. Lovini was the first UK violinist to successfully bridge the gap between classical and popular music. A true showman, he captivates audiences of all nationalities, ages and tastes in music. He has performed internationally at theaters and concert venues and appeared regularly on British TV, including Sunday Night at the London Palladium and the prestigious Royal Variety Performance for Her Majesty the Queen of England. He will perform two St. Patrick’s Day shows in Orlando: March 15 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and March 16 in the Celebration Concert Series.

www.garylovini.com ORLANDO Leu Gardens Experience an oasis of tropical and subtropical plants, blossoming just minutes from downtown Orlando. Harry P. Leu Gardens features a variety of collections ranging from exotic tropical plants to rare annuals. With the goal of inspiring the community to learn about and appreciate plants, Leu Gardens features exhibits and hosts classes year-round.

Stroll through the Tropical Stream Garden, admire the Vegetable Garden or share a sweet moment in the Rose Garden. The variety of collections at Leu Gardens offers something enchanting for every visitor.

leugardens.org

ORLANDO Chocolate Kingdom Step into a land of pure imagination and allow the alluring scent of authentic European-style chocolate that drifts through the streets near International Drive to guide your way to the entryway of the Chocolate Kingdom Factory Adventure Tour. Visitors can expect an educational experience as a fairytale-themed tour unpacks the processes involved in transforming cacao beans into chocolate truffles. Factory tours are scheduled on the hour every hour and last 45 minutes.

chocolatekingdom.com i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 59

Business Seen |

21ST ANNUAL DON QUIJOTE AWARDS GALA The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando (HCCMO) and Prospera co-hosted, for the 21st consecutive year, the annual Don Quijote Awards gala. The event took place on Dec. 8, 2018, at Epcot’s World Showplace Pavilion, and its top sponsors were Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Wells Fargo. The gala has become the premier event for the region’s Hispanic business community, where businesses and individuals are recognized for their vision, courage and impact on Central Florida — qualities exemplified by the classic literary character Don Quijote.

Chris McCullion, City of Orlando; Jennifer Foster, One Orlando Alliance; Carlos Carbonell, Echo; Kathy DeVault, City of Orlando; Felipe Arboleda, Wyndham Destinations; Kay Rawlins, Orlando City Soccer and Orlando City Foundation

Cukiara group performs

Gaby Ortigoni, president of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando

Vocalist Patty Padilla performs

Kevin Gidusko accepts Community Champion Award for his late mother, Nancy Gidusko

Vicki Jaramillo accepts Professional of the Year Award

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| Business Seen

Janet Perez-Eckles accepts Lifetime Achievement Award

Agusto Sanabria, Prospera; Eddie Soler, chair of Prospera; Christina Pinto, chair of Don Quijote Awards; Yamile Luna, recipient; Kevin Gidusko, son of recipient Nancy Gidusko; Esteban Garcia, recipient; Janet Perez-Eckles, Lifetime Achievement Award; Vicki Jaramillo, Professional of the Year; Lucelis Torres, recipient; Gaby Ortigoni, president of HCCMO; Paul Roldan, board chair of HCCMO

ATHENA

POWERLINK PROGRAM

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS ATHENAPowerLink is an advisory program which guides women business owners, whose companies are poised for growth, in defining and achieving tangible goals by providing them with access to a panel of business advisors.

Learn more at athenaorlando.com

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 61

Business Seen |

ORLANDO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP ANNUAL DINNER The Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership) celebrated the seven-county region’s past, present and future during its annual dinner attended in November 2018 by more than 800 business and civic leaders and their guests. Held at Epcot’s World Showplace Pavilion, the event highlighted economic and community development champions as well as debuted the Partnership’s Launch to Tomorrow initiative, the Orlando region’s three-year mission to advance broad-based prosperity.

Stage actress, author and entrepreneur Ashley Eckstein serves as host

Yolanda Londoño and Ken Potrock

Charles Freeman, Scott Faris and Tim Giuliani

William Dymond Jr. and Jim Pugh

Daryl Tol

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer

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| Business Seen

Carol Palacio, Sarah Nemes, Maritza Martinez, Alexis Pugh, Kari Conley, Shannon Gravitte and Stephanie Howell

Scott Fagan, Stephanie Smith, Belinda Ortiz Kirkegard and Ken Potrock

Yolanda LondoĂąo, Jacob Stuart and Tim Giuliani

Tony Jenkins and Simon T. Bailey

Kat Hughes, Johnny Hughes, Danielle Irigoyen, John Cox, Laureen Martinez, Saede Nyak, Justin Braun, Jason Meder and Lisa Hultquist

Gregory Dryden, Nick Abrahams, Sean Gross, Sara Potter, Evan Wyant, Betty Whittaker, Dan Pollock, Mandy Wilcox, George Huddleston, David Stahl, Lisa Winkelbauer, Carlos Osorio and Reggie Riley

i4Biz.com | FEBRUARY 2019 | 63

Watercooler

Stuff you didn’t know you wanted to know

21

The record number of launches executed by SpaceX in 2018 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, with the latest lifting off Dec. 23 carrying a GPS satellite for the U.S. Air Force

“We’re always looking for the world’s tallest something.”

— Chuck Whittall, president of Unicorp National Developments, which developed the world’s tallest swing ride, the Orlando StarFlyer, on International Drive Source: Orlando Sentinel

“Our staffs would travel together across the state, and sometimes people would be shocked by it … as if somehow Republicans and Democrats are supposed to be allergic to one another.”

— U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Miami), about his former Democratic counterpart, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson of Orlando

90 Portable buildings at fastgrowing Horizon West’s Bridgewater Middle School — the largest number at any Orange County public school — where 2,610 students attend a campus built in 2017 for 1,040 Source: Orlando Sentinel

"Our mantra, our motto, has been 1-0. … We want to win everything we do.

When you do the little things right, when you do your job, everything else takes care of itself. It is the little things that build into big things."

Senior offensive lineman Wyatt Miller of the University of Central Florida football team, which saw its 25-game win streak end Jan. 1 at the Fiesta Bowl Source: UCF Today

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JUST THINK: OVER 3 BILLION PEOPLE, MOUNTAINS, OCEANS, DESERTS, EVERYTHING I EVER KNEW WAS BEHIND MY THUMB. — Astronaut Jim Lovell during an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the December 1968 Apollo 8 mission and the now-famous “Earthrise” photo taken from space showing the Earth rising above the lunar landscape

99,000

Approximate number of building permits Orange County issued in 2018 during a construction boom

Source: Orlando Sentinel

51%

Population growth in metro Orlando area in past 17 years, almost 3 times the national average

5%

Increase in wages during that time frame, compared with 17.9% average nationwide Source: Stateline news service at The PEW Charitable Trusts

134,656 Insurance claims, worth a total of $4.65 billon, filed in Florida as of late December 2018 from Hurricane Michael’s landfall in the Panhandle Oct. 10 as a Category 4 storm Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation

Two Spectacular Events. One Incredible Cause UCP’s ANNUAL CELEBRITY POKER TOURNAMENT UCP OF CENTRAL FLORIDA’S

POKER at the PALACE

Friday March 29, 2019

Hosted by Rachael Harris, Cheryl Hines, & RJ Mitte

Cigars & Scotch Tasting ALSO AVAILABLE Blackjack & Roulette

PRESENTED BY

UCP’s 26TH ANNUAL EVENING AT THE PALACE GALA

LIVE FROM THE PALACE

Saturday March 30, 2019 Hosted by Rachael Harris, Cheryl Hines, & RJ Mitte with special guest Dan Aykroyd

SATURDAY

NIGHT

PRESENTED BY

UCP’s 26th ANNUAL GALA

HONORING Don Asher

Don Asher & Associates, Inc.

Jackie Bailes Legacy Award

RD Michaels, Inc.

Jack Holloway Star of Gratitude

Proceeds Benefit the children and families of

For sponsorship opportunities or event details, visit www.ucpcfl.org

Make a

MOVE Total Energy and Water Solutions for Your Business Businesses looking to grow in Orlando can count on OUC – The Reliable One as a partner every step of the way. We offer affordable rates, record reliability and innovative, sustainable energy and water solutions. As a long-time proponent for economic growth in our community, we can help you cut through the red tape and get down to business. Learn more at oucpowersgrowth.com.

Visit OUCPowersGrowth.com, an online resource to help you along the way as you make your power move.

OUCPOWERSGROWTH.com