i4 Business - June 2018

Medical

Bill Oakley

Harbor

UpClose with

Marijuana

44 Years

House

Edwin Hernandez

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JUNE 2018 MAY 2018

MedTech

2018 Innovations in Medical

Treatment and Technology

Nano Discovery Bridging the Gap

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FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

14 MedTech 2018

12 Publisher’s Highlight

30 Orlando Tech Association

Innovations in Medical Treatment and Technology

20 Nano Discovery

Bridging the Laboratory to Marketplace Gap

34 Visit Orlando

24 Taking Care of Business

38 Coach’s Corner with Jeff Piersall

56 Up Close with Edwin Hernandez

The New i4 Business Team

36 Bill Oakley

60 Social Entrepreneur

44 Years with Goodwill

62 Business Seen

COMPANY & EXECUTIVE PROFILES

64 Wright Angle

28 Rapid Prototyping Services 29 Fairwinds Credit Union

14

BEST PRACTICES | GUEST EXPERT COLUMNS 46 Florida’s Medical Marijuana Market

Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed | Tara Tedrow

48 Structured Selling

Crossing the Threshold of Want | Brian J. Klink

50 Scaling Purpose and Sustainability

MedTech 2018

20

Purpose Pioneers | Thomas Waterman

52 Everything Flourishes in Florida

Fidelity Bank of Florida | Ray Watson

54 The Importance of Situational Analysis

SCB Marketing | Cherise Czaban

JUNE 2018 6]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

Nano Discovery

24

The New i4 Business Team

36

Goodwill

38

Coach's Corner

46

Medical Marijuana

56

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Up Close with Edwin Hernandez i4Biz.com

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i4 Business offers a direct line to the thriving community of innovators and influencers in Central Florida

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

T

he U.S. healthcare market remains the largest in the world, not only in terms of dollars spent, but also by the percentage of GDP — approximately $3 trillion a year and close to 18 percent of U.S. gross domestic product. We also spend more on healthcare per capita than any other country in the world.

Get Well Soon [Eric Wright]

Because of the size of our healthcare market, the demand and opportunity for innovation is also unequaled and provides an opening for a new generation of entrepreneurs to bring products to the industry, the government and, increasingly, directly to consumers.

Also, the United States uses a mix of delivery models. Many healthcare operations are owned and operated by private sector companies, and within the last 20 years we have seen considerable consolidation among these competitors. Yet, some 58 percent of U.S. community hospitals are non-profit. Twenty-one percent of community hospitals are government-owned and 21 percent are for-profit.

However, like all industry sectors, the United States is just a piece of a very large pie. Also, with more than one billion people on this planet having less than one dollar a day to live on, healthcare pioneers are looking for solutions that are not only substantially cheaper, but better than those currently used in the developed world.

In spite of all the advances, some of which we cover in this issue, medicine is still about people, not technology or biology. As William Osler, one of the founders of John Hopkins said, “The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.” ◆

i4 Business Production Team Jack Roth (Managing Editor) Tracy Conner (Production Manager) Meaghan Branham (Profile Editor) Jason Hook (Photo Editor) Nevin Flinchbaugh (Art Director)

Favorite Quotes From This this Issue: Issue: “ The b est and most successf u l technologies in medicine are the ones that are simple.”

— Dr. Vijay Kasi [Pg 14]

“The simplicity and portability of Nano Discovery’s technology enables us to bring complex testing to the remotest village or your neighborhood walk-in clinic, and this is significant.”

— Davian Santana [Pg 20]

12]JUNE2018

i4Biz.com

“One of the most important roles of a university is creating an environment conducive to learning — one that sparks curiosity, encourages inquiry, explores divergent views, develops people’s talents and abilities.”

— Edwin Hernandez, PhD [Pg 56]

MedTech T W E N T Y- E I G H T E E N New technologies are driving medical innovations across Central Florida. A sample of activity reveals great promise for the treatment of cancer, robotic surgeries, cardiology care and the emergence of new products.

By Michael Candelaria

Mathematical Speaking Math makes a difference, right?

While cancer therapies that target a specific protein have improved outcomes for patients, many others eventually develop resistance to those targeted therapies and their cancer comes back.

In response, researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa are using an uncommon approach by combining typical cell culture studies with mathematical modeling.

In turn, they are determining how tumor cells and the surrounding environment affect responses to targeted drug therapies – with the understanding that differences among tumor cells may contribute to drug resistance.

The big advantage: This mathematical approach can analyze many different tumor scenarios and drug combinations, and offers a way to more accurately predict heterogeneous tumor responses.

“We’re only just beginning to understand the importance of nongenetic heterogeneity,” explained lead study authors Dr. Eunjung Kim and Dr. Alexander Anderson of the Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology at Moffitt. “Much more needs to be done in teasing apart the contributions of genetics, cells and the microenvironment; how they interact and modulate one another, and how this might alter our current combination of treatment strategies.”

Cells within a single tumor may have different genetic characteristics, leading to different protein levels or activity, and act differently in response to a stimulus or targeted therapy.

In addition, the surrounding tumor environment can produce chemical signals that further alter tumor cells and their response to targeted therapies.

At present, the typical approach researchers use to study cancer development and treatment is to consider the cells within a given tumor to be the same and to have a similar response to therapy. By using mathematical modeling and experimental data, Moffitt researchers are able to take tumor cell heterogeneity into consideration – enhancing the percentage of accurate prediction.

Sensory Precision

The idea was for Florida Hospital to bring high-tech features and lower costs to robotic-assisted surgeries – and do it sensitively.

Last fall, Florida Hospital introduced the TransEnterix Senhance Surgical System, a new surgical robotic system available to patients in the United States for the first time. Previously in use in Europe, it received FDA approval last October, as the first new robotic surgical system to receive such approval since 2000. In turn, Florida Hospital became the first U.S. healthcare system to utilize the Senhance, both for training and for clinical use.

The system is expected to benefit patients across a range of procedures and specialties, including gynecology and colorectal surgery. As 2018 began, several Florida Hospital surgeons already had completed their training on the system.

“The FDA approval of Senhance in the United States and the early adoption of the system at Florida Hospital are milestones in the progress of robotics,” said Todd M. Pope, president and CEO of TransEnterix, Senhance’s manufacturer. “Senhance will strengthen the senses, precision and comfort of the surgeon, minimize the invasiveness of surgery for the patient and maximize value for the hospital.” ▸ i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[15

Shockwave and Awe

“The best and most successful technologies in medicine are the ones that are simple,” said Dr. Vijay Kasi, an interventional cardiologist and director of cardiovascular research at Orlando Health. “The complex technologies are often not practical, and they don’t translate to everyday medical use. That’s the beauty of this technology.”

Kasi went on to explain the Lithoplasty System, a treatment for calcified plaque in patients with peripheral artery disease, pioneered

by California-based Shockwave Medical. Earlier this year, Orlando Health became one of the first nationwide to perform test cases.

“Senhance will strengthen the senses, precision and comfort of the surgeon, minimize the invasiveness of surgery for the patient and maximize value for the hospital.”

– Todd M. Pope, President and CEO of TransEnterix

According to Dr. Steve Eubanks, executive medical director of the Florida Hospital Institute for Surgical Advancement, the system represents “innovative technology to advance patient care” at Florida Hospital.

The controls for the Senhance mimic traditional laparoscopic surgery, allowing for an accelerated adaptation for surgeons currently performing surgeries with these tools. The surgeon sits in an ergonomically comfortable position and can see inside the body with 3D visualization. Optical sensors allow surgeons to move the camera and select commands simply by moving their eyes.

The Senhance is also the first robotic system that offers “haptic feedback,” which re-creates the sense of force feedback for surgeons so they can “feel” forces encountered via the system’s robotic arms.

16]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

Peripheral artery disease affects nearly nine million people in the United States, blocking blood flow to the legs and feet, causing significant pain and limited mobility, and potentially leading to surgery or even amputation in severe cases.

Arterial calcification, caused by plaque that hardens over time, is increasingly common as preventive care and disease management enable patients to live longer, making vascular disease a chronic condition. The challenge is that, unlike cholesterol, the calcium “is very hard to remove … and very risky,” Kasi noted, adding, “Here comes along Shockwave.”

The Shockwave Medical Lithoplasty System is the first-ever device designed to selectively target hardened calcium in patients with cardiovascular disease. The device integrates two familiar and powerful technologies: the calcium-disrupting power of sound waves (known as “lithotripsy,” which is commonly used to treat patients with kidney stones) with the simplicity of angioplasty balloon catheter devices. Intermittent lithotripsy pulses disrupt both superficial and deep vascular calcium – breaking it into tiny fragments – while minimizing soft tissue injury, and an integrated angioplasty balloon expands blockages at low pressures to restore blood flow.

“By using Shockwave, it makes it much easier to push the calcium aside, just like we push the cholesterol aside. Then the balloons and stents expand nicely. … This could be life-saving in several situations,” Kasi explained.

Triathlon Triumph

A statistical ache definitely exists. Nationwide, total knee replacements are expected to increase 673 percent by the year 2030. Yet, studies have shown that approximately 30 percent of patients are dissatisfied after conventional surgery.

The potential solution: total knee replacement using Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery – just like first performed last October by Jewett Orthopaedic Clinic’s Dr. Pratik P. Desai.

The Mako technology, developed by the Michigan-based Stryker Corp., provides a surgeon with a patient-specific 3-D model to preplan your partial knee replacement. During surgery, the orthopaedic surgeon guides the Mako roboticarm based on a patient-specific plan. That allows the surgeon to remove only the diseased bone, preserving healthy bone and soft tissue, and assists the surgeon in positioning the implant based on the patient’s anatomy.

Essentially, Mako Technology was designed to help surgeons provide patients with a personalized surgical experience based on their specific diagnosis and anatomy. This latest advancement distinguishes the Mako System as the first and only robotic technology that can be used to perform total knee, total hip and partial knee replacements.

While over the years, knee replacement techniques and instrumentation have undergone “countless” improvements, according to officials at Jewett Orthopaedic Clinic, the Mako technology is “transforming the way joint replacement surgeries are being performed.”

Notably, after the surgeons at Jewett guide the Mako robotic-arm to remove diseased bone and cartilage, they insert something called the Triathlon Total Knee implant. Yes, Triathlon.

Seeing the Light

If necessity is the mother of invention, Mark Nathan was in bad need. A frequent traveler on planes and in hotels, Nathan constantly was sick.

“There had to be a way to make disinfection easy,” he reasoned.

A subsequent decade of research and development brought Nathan to Violet Defense, a product tested and proven to kill

up to 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses in hospitals and, as it turns out, pretty much everywhere else.

Since landing on the solution in 2012, Nathan, CEO of Violet Defense LLC in Celebration, Florida, has been inching toward mass marketing. The product made its first appearance in 2017 at the “Wellness Home built on Innovation and Technology,” a one-of-a-kind living lab that features an integrated set of health and wellness solutions and technologies in Lake Nona.

The antibacterial effects of ultraviolet light were discovered 140 years ago, but the appropriate combination of technologies and materials have been identified, and Nathan’s breakthrough has produced a technology that not only kills all forms of germs/ microbes on the product itself, but also the surrounding areas and even within the air and nearby water/fluids.

“At the end of the day,” Nathan concluded, “what we’re trying to do is not create a sterile world; we’re trying to reduce potentials for infection.” ◆

FROM IDEA TO INDUSTRY At UCF, we turn bold ideas into big solutions. Our researchers have a fast track from the lab to the market, resulting in new inventions, intellectual property and startup businesses that drive economic growth and improve lives across Central Florida and the world. That’s why UCF is ranked by the Milken Institute alongside MIT, Stanford and Columbia as one of the nation’s top 25 technology transfer universities and is named a top 25 patent-producing U.S. public university by the National Academy of Inventors.

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20]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

Nano Discovery Bridging the Gap

by Eric Wright

“I believe our technology can make a big difference in the diagnostic industry,” she asserted. “We have a very simple, elegant and unique new immunoassay that can be potentially used for the diagnosis of many types of diseases.”

The technology will also allow Huo and her team to develop new tests to obtain health information that no other tests currently in the market can provide. She added, “I’m optimistic we will bring some revolutionary advancement to healthcare.”

From Lab to Market

Dr. Qun (Treen) Huo and Davian Santana

Dr. Qun Huo’s device occupies no more space than a small, portable printer, and its portability and affordability may have implications for those seeking testing in remote, underserved regions.

T

he Internet, GPS, seat belts, lithium-ion batteries, plasma and touch screens, LED’s, solar panels, CAT scans, Gatorade — the common denominator all these technologies and products, and thousands more, share is they all were developed by university researchers.

Despite this astounding track record, the challenge of moving breakthrough university-based research into the marketplace remains daunting. Often, the scientific or technical expertise that develops a potentially revolutionary product is not paired with the business acumen that can assemble the players, along with the capital, necessary to bring an innovation to market.

There are exceptions, like the ones cited, that have changed the world. Looking ahead, Nano Discovery could be added to this list and, in the process, put Central Florida on the global bio-medical technology map.

Recently, University of Central Florida (UCF) professor Dr. Qun (Treen) Huo

22]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

and her team discovered a new technique for chemical and biological detection and analysis using gold nanoparticle optical probes, coupled with dynamic light scattering, which they call NanoDLSay™ or D2Dx. This process is a one-step immunoassay or, simply put, a means of testing for and identifying viruses, like Zika, in a blood sample with the potential of identifying, quickly and efficiently, a host of other diseases.

What makes this so revolutionary is to do an assay like this normally requires a machine that performs a complex multi-step procedure in a laboratorylike environment that fills a small room. Attempts have been made to miniaturize this process without real success. Huo’s device occupies no more space than a small, portable printer, and its portability and affordability may have implications for those seeking testing in remote, underserved regions.

In addition, the test requires only a small sample of blood.

The company Huo started, Nano Discovery Inc. was formed to commercialize this technology by working with the Office of Research and Commercialization at UCF and their Technology Transfer team. Back in 2009, these UCF organizations helped to protect her discoveries through several patent applications and then licensed the technology to her company. That same year, Nano Discovery was accepted into the UCF Business Incubation Program. However, moving the technology to market seemed to be stalled until Huo found Davian Santana on an Internet search.

“I read the story of Vista Clinical Diagnostics and Davian,” she explained.

“I was utterly impressed by Davian's accomplishments. The diagnostic industry is a highly competitive business, and to be able to start from scratch and build a strong and robust diagnostic company like Vista Clinical left me without any doubt about Davian's acumen as a businessman.”

Santana, the founder and president of Vista Clinical, which is based in Clermont, responded to Huo’s request and came to UCF to meet her and get a grasp of what she had developed. He immediately recognized and was captivated by not only how the technology greatly simplified a very complicated process, but also Nano Discovery’s ability to deliver that process in such a small device.

A Veteran on Multiple Levels Vista Clinical is an entrepreneurial story that rivals the likes of hotelier Harris Rosen. Santana was introduced to the blending of science and technology in the U.S. Navy, where he developed a knack for

understanding how complex diagnostic and robotic machinery worked and the science it was meant to deliver. These are subjects he is still fascinated by and talks about like an enthusiast would describe a racing yacht or an art connoisseur a Rembrandt painting.

After leaving the Navy he transferred this passion over to his civilian career working as a clinical engineer with companies like Beckman Coulter, installing, testing, training and servicing medical procedure and analysis equipment across the state.

During this time Santana began pondering how to move from being a well-paid employee to an owner. Though many are bit by the entrepreneurial bug, he took an unusual track to realize his dream.

Rather than borrowing the incredible amounts of money it would take to launch a medical testing facility, Santana and his partner at the time decided to boot strap their venture. Continuing with their “day jobs,” they bought used equipment that was not working up to the industry’s rigid standards and repaired and installed it themselves in their facility in Clermont.

“We worked nights and weekends, p e r s on a l ly r u n n i ng e ve r y l i n e , connecting all the terminals, plus, using our technical and science backgrounds, brought each piece of equipment into top working order,” he said.

Then, like most entrepreneurs, he recognized that the best clinical diagnostic facility in the state had no value unless it had clients who used its services, so he put on the business development hat and hit the street.

From 2004 to 2017, Vista Clinical grew into the largest privately-help clinical laboratory services provider in the southeast.

An Exit to a New Entrance

Santana was able to craft the sale of a major portion of Vista Clinical to LabCorp, one of the world’s leading healthcare diagnostics companies. He held on to his diagnostic facility in Clermont and his sites outside of Florida.

Still in the midst of the transition of his company over to LabCorp, he received a reach out from Huo regarding her technology. Shantala Weiss, who handles marketing for Vista Clinical, had aggressively promoted the company’s capabilities to test for the Zika virus, which was the catalyst for Huo’s initial inquiry.

Once Santana talked to Huo and visited her laboratory at UCF, the Nano Discovery technology and opportunity captured his imagination and passion on every level. “It’s one thing to cut down the expense involved in a typical test of this type, which is significant in and of itself. What makes this truly incredible is it’s mobile,” he explained.

“It eliminates the need for large costly machines, which require a specialized

environment, multiple steps, electricity and extensive training to use. I don’t use the word ‘disruptive’ lightly, mainly because it’s overused, but this truly is.”

What Huo was looking for in Santana was someone who could translate what she had developed in such a way that business people understood what the market potential was. Because of his background and expertise, Santana was able to instantly recognize everything Huo was hoping a business ambassador would see. “I could immediately visualize what it would replace, how it would be applied, how it would be marketed and how it would be used,” he recalled.

“We spent years of strenuous and rigorous research to develop multiple tests and to accumulate a large amount of clinical study data to back the successful application of this technology,” Huo said.

“We’ve also developed and manufactured working prototypes.”

Santana concluded, “The simplicity and portability of Nano Discovery’s technology enables us to bring complex testing to the remotest village or your neighborhood walk-in clinic, and this is significant.” ◆

“I could immediately visualize what it would replace, how it would be applied, how it would be marketed and how it would be used.”

– Davian Santana

“That wasn’t an easy transition for me,” he said. “I’m a science and technology guy, not a natural salesman, but I had to do it if we were going to survive.”

Santana carved out a niche for his company by bringing same-day test results to nursing facilities. Often, with prompt test results nursing homes can greatly reduce the need to transfer patients to hospitals, which saves time and expense for everyone. “As we brought a higher level of service to this underserved market, our reputation and our footprint rapidly increased,” he said. i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[23

Taking Care of

C

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herise Czaban, Diane Sears and Donna Duda can all be described as storytellers in their own right. Each of us is shaped by stories, both our own and those we have been told. What sets these three apart, however, is how their passion for listening to, cultivating and sharing the unique histories of our community has led them to join forces as the new team behind i4 Business magazine.

in print and digital media as a calling. Women’s experiences hold a particularly special place in her heart, as evidenced by her community involvement as Orlando Chapter chair for the Women Presidents’ Organization, Central Florida director for the Women’s Business Development Center of Florida, and cofounder of the Go for the Greens Foundation, which produces an annual conference for women business owners.

As part of the original team that introduced i4 Business, Czaban has always been passionate about the publication and its impact.

“I continue to see i4 Business as a vehicle for empowerment and mentorship, promoting the entrepreneurial spirit, and celebrating the success of others,” said Czaban, who has served as the magazine’s director of business development and has now become the publisher and CEO.

Duda serves as director of corporate communications for A. Duda & Sons Inc. (DUDA), participating in a legacy that began in 1926. As one of the original investors in i4 Business, she is taking on the role of director of encouragement. “I love to read about real people, how they think, the experiences that shaped them, and what helped them be successful,” she said.

Sears, on the other hand, has been a fan and reader of the magazine.

She is stepping into the role of editor-in-chief. As founder and president of DiVerse Media in Orlando, as well as a writer and editor with an extensive list of publications including Florida Trend and the Orlando Sentinel, Sears describes her lifelong career 24]JUNE2018

i4Biz.com

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In addition to her work in the professional realm, she works alongside other members of the community to give back, even co-initiating a fundraising committee for the Redlands Christian Migrant Association. Her work has always focused on connecting those around her and fostering positive impacts in her community.

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Serving Others – Cherise Czaban With a strong background in sales and marketing, it may come as a surprise to those who have not met Czaban that her mind for business is matched only by her gracious and empathetic approach to others. It is clear that her drive comes from a desire to give, in whatever work she does. It is an attitude she attributes to the influence of her grandfather, who was an entrepreneur himself.

“We had a special bond when I was growing up, and I was able to spend a lot of time with him. I saw firsthand the relationships with his customers and learned invaluable lessons about serving others.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Currently, she serves on the boards of both the Founders Forum and Athena PowerLink and recently joined 100 Women Strong, a giving circle affiliated with the Central Florida Foundation.

Her years of experience getting to know entrepreneurs in the community have served as a kind of inspiration for Czaban to embark on this new venture, instilling confidence in her team. After all, who could better understand the power of the platform than someone who has helped to build it, and who has, in turn, been shaped by it.

Personal philosophy? “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” by Eleanor Roosevelt. Also, “You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want,” by Zig Ziglar.

A Calling – Diane Sears “I joke that I’ve been a journalist since I popped out of the womb,” Sears said. “I’ve had a long career in print and digital media.”

Since her first job as a salesclerk at a gift shop in St. Petersburg, where she learned the ropes of client relations by means of customer service, she has cultivated a rich portfolio. Her work as founder of DiVerse Media includes content marketing strategy projects that include more than 100 nonfiction books as well as white papers, TED Talks, executive speeches, events and online marketing.

She has often been described as a “champion of women-owned business”, devoting much of her personal and professional time to the cause. In addition to her other nonprofit

DID YOU KNOW?

work with women-owned businesses, Sears serves on the board of the Athena PowerLink program and was named to the Women’s Business Enterprise Hall of Fame in 2015 by the American Institute of Diversity & Commerce.

Her work in this arena means she is no stranger to the challenges women face in business. “Some of it is about a lack of access — to things like capital for women business owners, role models of other women who have been where we want to go, and mentors who can reach back and pull us up,” she said. “The other piece is about our belief that this lack of access can stop us. We just have to keep pressing forward.” ▸ Personal philosophy? “What are you waiting for?” One of my bosses said this to me long ago, and I wrote it on a Post-It and stuck it on my computer screen for a long time. It was a fun alternative to carpe diem.” i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[25

A Supporting Role – Donna Duda Duda is most at ease helping others and improving channels of communication.

When she joined the family business in 1991 while pursuing her degree at the University of Central Florida, she found her true calling. She took on a job in the corporate communications department, where she was able to apply her love of writing and find her place supporting communications efforts for the business and its leaders.

Today, as a team leader, she believes part of leadership is supporting and encouraging. In fact, it is what she most admires about her partners. “I love how much Cherise and Diane care about helping our business community succeed,” she said. “They’re both leaders with integrity who aren’t afraid to share their success with others.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Like Czaban and Sears, she has found ways to apply her passions and skills to projects designed to create a positive impact in the community. “I helped initiate a fundraising committee for the Redlands Christian Migrant Association, which I continue to serve on,” she said.

“We use art drawn by kids at RCMA schools across Florida to develop Christmas cards, which are sold for a profit and qualify for matching state funds. Beyond the funds we raise, our project also increases awareness about RCMA.” Duda is excited about her supporting role with i4 Business. “As an investor partner, I will not be involved in the day-to-day management, but you can bet I’ll be encouraging and supporting Cherise and Diane all along the way.”

Personal philosophy? “Multiply life by the power of two,” from the Indigo Girls; and “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken,” by Oscar Wilde.

Their collective vision involves sharing the stories of business leaders in the community to better understand the vast talent that makes Central Florida a special place, to inspire entrepreneurs and people who think entrepreneurially, and to foster connections. With a strong foundation, an inspiring community, a supportive team and a million more stories to tell, the three are looking forward to the future.

As Sears explained: “I’ve seen i4 Business magazine make a difference in the community already, after just five years, and it’s really just getting started. There’s so much more we can do as we build on that base. The next five years will be fun.” ◆

26]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

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| Company Profile

RAPID PROTOTYPING SERVICES EXECUTIVE: Ken Brace, Owner FOUNDED: 2004 LOCATION: Satellite Beach, FL WEBSITE: www.rapidps.com

28]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

RPS is a 3D printing service that makes parts using large industrial 3D printers. Starting in 2004 with only one used, $20,000 3D printer, the company now has around $1.5 million worth of printers on the floor running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. RPS makes 1pc to 700pc using state-of-the-art equipment. The company recently added the largest 3D printer manufactured, allowing it to make a part as large as 36x24x36 inches in one piece. To make room for this new machine, the company donated two older machines to the non-profit organization Limbitless Solutions (limbitless-solutions.org), which is dedicated to providing children with 3D–printed bionic limbs at affordable costs. With its headquarters only five miles south of Cape Canaveral, the company is looking forward to servicing the growing commercial space market in 2018 and beyond. ◆

Executive Profile |

JORGE FONT COMPANY: FAIRWINDS Credit Union TITLE: Senior Vice President

of Commercial Services EDUCATION:

University of Central Florida, B.S. in Finance; University of North Florida, MBA; University of Virginia, Graduate School of Retail Bank Management

YEARS IN AREA: 40 YEARS IN INDUSTRY: 34 Jorge Font’s extensive background in the financial industry began before he entered college, where he later graduated with a degree in finance. After a friend left a position with a bank located in Winter Park, Font took the opportunity to step into the vacant role and has remained dedicated to the industry ever since.

This dedication has only strengthened through the years, as Font has worked with a diverse portfolio of clients. “I have the opportunity to meet people in every industry, from technology and construction to professional services,” he said, and to “see those people succeed, both personally and professionally.”

For Font, banking is a platform where his talents for business and helping others come together. As senior vice president of commercial services for FAIRWINDS Credit Union, where he has worked for five years, he is a trusted leader and adviser, developing solutions that help members throughout all stages of their business. Whether working with startups or wellestablished organizations, Font keeps members’ needs at the heart of every decision.

“What are they looking to do? Is their current plan the best for them? Are there other options to consider? These are the questions I always ask,” he explained. “We have the chance to improve our members’ financial well-being.”

In an ever-changing market and industry, Font praises his team for their experience and ability to evolve along with their members.

“Eighty percent of our team has at least 20 years of experience,” he asserted. “We are proud to be a local institution and there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t discuss how we can improve the member experience.”

With roots firmly planted in Central Florida, Font believes strongly in his FAIRWINDS crewmembers and the community, explaining that “a good community lends itself to a good banking market.” ◆ i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[29

CREATINGJOBS

AND GROWING THE TECH COMMUNITY

W

hen it comes to creating jobs and fostering growth in Central Florida, Bruno Sousa is leading the way. Sousa serves as the chief technology officer for Frontline Technology Solutions, where his role spans all aspects of business and technology strategy for the organization. One of his main responsibilities has been the massively successful growth of Orlando-based TravelTab. Having created hundreds of jobs over just the last couple of years, TravelTab provides a proprietary collection of traveloriented software, including mobile applications focused on dedicated navigation, international and domestic calling and texting, secure WiFi hotspots and an e-commerce platform offering discounted tours, attractions, shopping and dining deals.

The company’s expertise is in asset management, data connectivity and mobile solutions, which enable it to provide exceptional IoT solutions to its partners. TravelTab’s technology has been successfully implemented across a portfolio of companies that includes world-renowned brands such as Avis, Alamo, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, Thrifty and many more. Due to the company’s national success and 120 percent year-to-year growth in revenue, the TravelTab team now has its eyes set on expanding operations to European markets and future acquisitions.

Before devoting his work full-time to Frontline, Sousa held executive and C-level roles in both entrepreneurial and large corporations including Optum Health, Bonnier Corporation and Disney. He also had a 10-year career with IBM in its Global Services Merger & Acquisition division, where he says he developed a passion for helping emerging companies overcome growth obstacles and positioning them for future success.

Sousa has also facilitated the acquisition, remediation, integration and/or “exit” of dozens of companies over the last 20 years.

He had the distinct privilege of being asked to take a two year “sabbatical” to offer his technical expertise in helping to build the 650 million-dollar Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center located in Downtown Orlando.

By Jim Thomas, CEO, Orlando Tech Association Jim Thomas is the CEO of the Orlando Tech Association. He can be contacted on social@ JimThomas.URL or at www.OrlandoTech.org. Get involved at our new website: Orlando.Tech. You can learn more about TravelTab at TravelTab.com

In addition to his professional career, Sousa is civically engaged and was elected chair of the Orlando Regional Tech Association earlier in 2018. Orlando Tech is dedicated to bringing together the brightest minds in technology throughout the seven county region of Central Florida, and having Sousa in this position will no doubt help the association continue to meet and exceed its goals.

Sousa stated, “The Orlando Regional Tech Association is bringing together corporate, civic, educational and community partners across Central Florida around technology to advocate for and foster a forward-looking, prosperous region. Our focus is on three main objectives: Sharing the rich and diverse tech story of our region, connecting more than 100 of our major tech leaders and companies to our deep talent pool, and continually building up and advocating for our tech community as a whole.

We’ll achieve this through collaboration and inclusiveness and by being actively engaged in supporting the hard-working, thriving tech businesses and entrepreneurs in our region.”

Orlando Tech’s mission is to partner and feature world-leading tech verticals such as space and aeronautics, modeling and simulation, photonics and nano-engineering, entertainment and tourism, gaming and mixed reality, software and digital media, and additive and advanced manufacturing. “We’re truly one of the nation’s most exciting emerging tech hubs,” asserted Sousa.

In addition to his leadership role at Orlando Tech, Sousa serves the community as a board member of Orlando Inc., the Rollins College Crummer Graduate School, Habitat for Humanity, and the Rotary Club (as a Paul Harris Fellow). He was also honored in 2015 as a Top C-Level Leader by the Orlando Business Journal.

Sousa was born in Angola, Africa, and has worked in numerous locations around the globe. His travels have taken him to more than 15 countries throughout Europe and South America, and 20 U.S. cities, including working in Palo Alto, Chicago, Boston and most recently New York prior to finding “home” here in Orlando.

He is also an avid soccer fan but says most importantly, above all else, he is the proud father of three children who give him his greatest purpose in life. ◆

Want To Learn More?

For more information on the Orlando Tech Association, please visit

OrlandoTech.org. i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[31

Executive Profile |

RICHARD E. CARMAN COMPANY: Universal Engineering Sciences TITLE: Corporate Director of Environmental Services EDUCATION: B.S. Geology, 1994, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio; M.S. Geology, 1996, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio.

YEARS IN AREA: 13 YEARS IN INDUSTRY: 25 Richard (Rich) Carman has spent more than a quarter century in the environmental services profession, the last year and a half with Universal Engineering Sciences (Universal) managing the $75-million-plus firm’s growing environmental presence.

Carman came to Universal (www.universalengineering.com) from Bureau Veritas North America, bringing with him extensive national expertise and reputation in the fields of environmental due diligence, subsurface assessments, Brownfields remediation, regulatory compliance and oversight, industrial hygiene, and Phase 1 and Phase 2 consulting.

Carman resides in Tampa with his wife Victoria, son Julian and daughter Valencia, but he directs Universal’s environmental consulting activities throughout Florida, including the firm’s primary offices in Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and South Florida.

Universal is a 54-year-old, family-owned engineering consulting firm with 750 employees working in the firm’s Orlando headquarters and from 17 branch offices throughout Florida and Georgia. In addition to environmental sciences, the firm specializes in geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, threshold inspection and building inspection services.

It is currently ranked Number 197 in Engineer News Record’s Top 500 Design Firms for 2018. ◆

i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[33

TAKE

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

Orlando’s Largest

Medical Conventions

43,000

Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society

30,000

American Dental Association

22,000

American Society of Hematology

19,000

American Academy of Dermatology

17,000

American Society of Health System Pharmacists

16,000

American Society of Anesthesiologists

6,500

American Society of Plastic Surgeons * As ranked by approximate attendance; list represents conventions that either met here in 2017 or are booked for future years.

34]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

Q&A with Bill Reed, American Society of Hematology

Medical Conventions Find Vital Resources in Orlando

B

ill Reed is chief event strategy officer for the 17,000-member American Society of Hematology (ASH), which serves scientists and clinicians working to conquer blood diseases. As the primary planner for ASH’s Annual Meeting & Exposition, he scouts locations that offer large conference spaces, upscale dining options and quality hotel accommodations for numerous attendees — the very things that help make Orlando the country’s No. 2 destination for medical conventions. After ASH held another successful event at the Orange County Convention Center in 2015 (its fifth since 1996), the organization signed on to come back in 2019, 2025 and 2030.

Why Orlando? What factored into your decision to secure future meetings here?

The Orange County Convention Center certainly factors into our selection because it is almost perfect for our needs. Since the ASH annual meeting is the largest hematology trade show and conference in the world, the convention space we choose must have a good mix of meeting areas, exhibit halls and larger venues.

What do medical associations need from communities when planning a major conference?

Because healthcare is a global industry, you need hotel facilities that will accommodate and support a global audience. For example, at the ASH annual

GEORGE AGUEL meeting, 50 percent of the attendees come from outside the United States. In a community like Orlando, which has a proven track record of supporting international visitors, that is very positive for most medical associations and their conferences, but specifically ones like ASH that are highly global in nature.

What feedback did you receive from attendees after your previous Orlando meeting?

Beyond the strong capacity of the Convention Center, our attendees are really happy that Orlando has been enhancing its restaurant offerings with more locally owned, non-chain restaurants that provide uniquely regional experiences and local cuisine.

How important is it to have a quality hotel portfolio for attendees to enjoy when off the convention floor?

Orlando is a beacon for excellence regarding its large hotels close to the Convention Center. The hospitality community is comprised of workers who are highly skilled in the art of customer service in convention arrangements.

When I think of Orlando, one of the things that makes me relieved is that everyone in the hotels genuinely cares about their customers. That makes a huge difference to attendees and is a real strength of Orlando.

How does Visit Orlando help your group put on a successful convention?

Visit Orlando is an invaluable resource and strong investment by the community that helps us connect with local vendors. If we ask our Visit Orlando colleagues to find the best provider of X, they will help us identify which one might be the right fit for our working style and quality level. That information is vital and may not be clear from web searches alone. ◆

President & CEO of Visit Orlando

A LEADING MEDICAL DESTINATION If you have lived and worked in Central Florida for even a short time, you have probably heard of Orlando’s “Medical City,” which is becoming a sought-after destination for medical research and education.

But did you know Orlando is a leading destination for medical conferences and conventions as well?

Orlando is in fact a leading hub in this area, now hosting approximately 40 percent of the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitor Association’s top 50 largest events. According to the most recent HCEA report, Orlando hosts the second-most medical conventions in the country — and at Visit Orlando, our team is always hard at work to secure that business.

What does this mean for our region? In 2017 alone, Orlando welcomed nearly 200,000 medical convention attendees across 180 events, generating an economic impact of more than $335 million. Total attendance was evenly split between the Orange County Convention Center — the nation’s second-largest such facility — and Orlando’s wide portfolio of convention-sized hotels.

Thanks to assets such as these, in addition to Medical City — recognized in 2016 as the “emerging destination of the year” by the Medical Tourism Association — and our thriving medical simulation and training industry, we have earned a reputation among conference organizers as a destination offering diverse options to medical groups.

As Richard Parker, director of healthcare for American Express Meetings & Events, noted to Corporate & Incentive Travel magazine, markets like ours “offer access to a larger pool of key opinion leaders and facilities that enable showcasing medical, surgical and hospital goods.”

I am sure you can agree that as our reputation grows as a hub for medical research, our opportunities in the valuable medical meetings and conventions market will grow as well. I am confident our destination will continue to capitalize on this growth.

Photo by: ByCSWhite.com

i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[35

From the Bottom Up Bill Oakley’s 44 Years of Service — By Ryan Randall —

36]JUNE2018

i4Biz.com

A

fter 44 years of service to Goodwill across multiple regions, Goodwill Industries of Central Florida President and CEO Bill Oakley has announced his plans to retire, effective June 30. Oakley joined the nonprofit in 1974, serving in leadership roles at Goodwill organizations in Savannah, Georgia, and Greenville, South Carolina.

In 2010, Oakley became the president and CEO, and was part of a team that made a massive difference in Central Florida. Oakley and his staff have driven the nonprofit’s growth through new retail stores, donation centers and Job Connection Centers across Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Brevard and Volusia counties. The sales of the donated goods in its network of 28 retail stores led to funding services that provided more than 47,500 people with resources and training to help them find jobs last year.

Under Oakley’s leadership, Goodwill has expanded its offerings to adapt to the community’s changing needs, adding programs to assist military veterans, the homeless and other job seekers in need. The employee experience has also improved during Oakley’s tenure, and he is very proud of the quality of the benefits and programs the company now provides for its employees, including wellness, financial literacy, employee assistance, diversity, and training and development.

The Evolution of a Career

Shortly before Oakley graduated from Indianapolis’ Butler University in 1974, the social sciences major knew he wanted to assist people. A college recruiter showed

him around the local Goodwill, which led to Oakley filling out an application.

Oakley has worked in the Goodwill family of organizations from that time until today.

Starting out at an entry-level position, Oakley worked his way up the corporate ladder through four different Goodwill corporations in four states. During his time working at the company, Oakley has learned many things, experiencing firsthand the resiliency of many of those utilizing the services of Goodwill.

“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned, and it’s been reinforced over the years, is that many people are incredibly strong when they find themselves in tough circumstances.”

– Bill Oakley

“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned, and it’s been reinforced over the years, is that many people are incredibly strong when they find themselves in tough circumstances,” he said. “In fact, I think many of those people are stronger than I am or would be if my circumstances were similar to theirs. This represents a very humbling element of the work we do, when you see what people can bounce back from and cope with on a daily basis.”

Working in Central Florida all these years, Oakley has come to know the

generosity of the region. Goodwill has approximately 90 percent of its goods come from donations. Oakley applauded the local community’s responsibility in recognizing serious social problems, such as homelessness, with inspired leadership from the Orlando Economic Partnership, Heart of Florida United Way and Central Florida Foundation.

“It’s been a joy to be a part of a community that cares so deeply and works so carefully to ensure we’re effective in the development and applications of resources to make a difference,” he said.

Allowing for Useful Change

While Bill Oakley will retire this year, he hopes to support Goodwill in some fashion, not only in Central Florida, but across the country. He is also looking forward to spending time with his family, including his nine grandchildren.

And while Oakley has seen much change at Goodwill over his 44 years, one thing that has stayed consistent is the organization’s dedication to the community.

“The one thing that has always been the same about Goodwill from the day I started in 1974 to today is our commitment to helping people who need us most to grow in employability and independence so they may provide for themselves and their families at a level they aspire to,” Oakley asserted. “We’re an organization that works with people; we don’t do things for or to people. We use a lot of support, encouragement and sometimes the setting of expectations, which allows for useful change.” ◆ i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[37

Coach's Corner

[CRITICAL DECISION-MAKING] Avoiding Decisions is Missing Opportunities

W

ith greater authority comes greater responsibility, the two go proportionately.

Eventually you are working on two things – putting out fires and vision. If you are not careful to protect your time to allow for creativity, the fires quickly overtake vision.

In a growing business, your job comes down to a plethora of daily decisions.

Some take place unconsciously, others require great thought. Knowing the difference is critical.

We do not need to address the unconscious decisions – it is the critical ones that require a process to protect the desired outcomes. What is more, these

38]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

decisions are often made in the midst of chaos. Therefore, you still must be able to slow things down in order to properly process.

From the experience working alongside entrepreneurs from a variety of industries, I have determined five crucial steps that must be taken to insure success in critical decision-making: 1. Check your ego at the door 2. Seek to understand before being understood 3. Learn or win, no complaining or blaming allowed 4. Seek wisdom 5. Act with courage

STEP 1: Check your ego at the door.

Our egos are critically important to driving a team forward. There is nothing wrong with a healthy, confident and balanced ego; but when critical decisionmaking rears its head, you must check it at the door, as it can cloud your decisions with emotion, not reason, leading to bad consequences.

STEP 2: Seek to understand before

being understood. Basically shutup and listen, ask a lot of questions. Big decisions do not have apparent answers and you need to gather all critical data from a multitude of perspectives. So, keep seeking information; the pieces will come together.

“Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.”

– Peter Drucker

It is important to note in this step that any relevant information you fail to gather will potentially come back to hurt you later. There is a lot of time pressure in this process, but you must try to answer as many questions as possible.

STEP 3: Learn or win, never allow complaining or blaming.

When a critical decision appears, you cannot allow those that you are seeking information from to start the complaining and blaming others. Only learning or winning is allowed, both are positives. Engaging in the “blame game” allows no one to win or to learn. Your role is to seek clarity, to see through the confusion and the emotions.

JEFF PIERSALL Jeff Piersall, a former awardwinning collegiate basketball coach, is the CEO & founder of SCB Marketing, an innovative content marketing company that inspires brands to higher levels of success by elevating trust and connecting brands with key people of influence. Jeff is a successful entrepreneur, business consultant, speaker and co-author of “Dogs Don’t Bark at Parked Cars.”

TO CONTACT OR FOLLOW JEFF please call 321-622-5986 or email: jeff@scbmarketing.com

STEP 4: Seek wisdom. The most critical step – mentors

are extremely important. Groups like CEO Nexus, Vistage and Strategic Coach allow leaders to be around other leaders from different industries and present issues in a confidential manner. It is amazing the perspectives that will be gained by hearing from those who only care about you and are not in the middle of your hunt. They will offer invaluable advice.

Most people are afraid to share their issues because they don’t want to expose a weakness or are embarrassed, when the opposite is true – all leaders are going through the same issues, there is nothing new only the names change.

Remember problems are opportunities turned inside out and paying for personal experience is expensive; seeking the wisdom of others to gain a better perspective is priceless and saves countless dollars and time. Avoiding this step can carry disastrous outcomes. Wisdom brings clarity and helps make that long journey between your head and heart, a journey the leader must make daily.

COACH'S CORNER features wisdom from:

STEP 5: Act with courage. Trust your instincts and avoid

analysis paralysis, eventually you must make a decision. You probably will not have all information and the consequences of your decision will still have unanswered outcomes. Consider your timing, but when ready, decide with courage and go forward. Never look back and second guess yourself. There will always be fear present, but courage is acting with faith for the outcome, in spite of the fear.

Weigh the risk verse the rewards and balance with your ethical compass – then ACT. ◆

Now available on

Amazon.com i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[39

SPORTS

TRAVEL

ENTERTAINMENT

BOY SCOUTS AUCTION AUGUST 17, 2018 | 6:30 PM CHECK-IN

Marriott Orlando Downtown | 400 W. Livingston St., Orlando VIP PACKAGES - $175 ALL INCLUSIVE

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BUILDING LEADERS

CLASS 94

Members of Leadership Orlando Class 94 visit the National Training Center in Lake County.

Are you on the outside looking in? Are you ready to use your expertise and passion to advance a cause that will change and strengthen our region? Do you want to step inside the circle of decision-making that is shaping the future? Are you ready to raise your hand in service to our family of communities?

ENRICH Our Family of Communities EXPAND Personal and Professional Networks ENHANCE Your Knowledge of Central Florida EXPLORE Regional Issues and Assets ENGAGE with Established and Emerging Leaders

Through this one-of-a-kind experiential curriculum, you will learn the most important aspect of leadership – You can follow a leader or BE ONE! See for yourself how, since 1975, Leadership Orlando recruits, cultivates and encourages established and emerging leaders to better serve the Central Florida Region.

@LeadershipORL #LO94

Michael D. Armbruster, Ed.D.

CONGRATULATIONS TO

LEADERSHIP ORLANDO CLASS 94

Chair, Leadership Orlando Class 94 Associate Superintendent, Career and Technical Education Orange County Public Schools

Stephanie A. Asendorf Senior Manager, IT Strategy & Risk Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control

David Brady Senior Public Relations Manager LEGOLAND Florida Resort

Jason M. Burton Chief Planner City of Orlando

Royal E. Caswell, III Senior Vice President McKinley Companies, LLC

Kelly Astro Director, Valencia PromiseTake Stock in Children Valencia College

Gennifer L. Bridges Attorney Burr & Forman LLP

Janet E. Caramello CEO Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida

Bradley Collor Director of Operations & Youth Services CareerSource Central Florida

Stephen W. Belflower, AIA, LEED AP President HuntonBrady Architects

Jeff Buhler Vice President, Customer Service Massey Services, Inc.

J. Paul Carland General Counsel Seminole State College of Florida

Teresa E. Crews Product Management/ Development NBC Universal

Franklin E. Espinal Associate Director, Infrastructure and Quality Veterans Health Administration

Wesley Hackett Financial Consultant Fulcrum Partners

A. Noni Holmes-Kidd Vice President and General Counsel Parkway, Inc.

Corinne M. LaGosh Associate Greenberg Traurig, P.A.

Fermin Espinoza Military Deputy, Surface Training Systems Naval Air Warfare Center

Scott C. Hall Senior Vice President CNL

Laura D. Howe Senior Managing Consultant PFM Financial Advisors LLC

Alejandro J. Lanauze Commercial Relationship Manager ZIO

Bill Evans Developer Tsyklon, LLC

Erik A. Halluska Senior Manager WithumSmith+Brown

Lisa Hultquist Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications Orlando Economic Partnership

Marisel B. López Ramos Director of Marketing & Business Development SIMON – Orlando International Premium Outlets

Allan J. Fluharty Deputy Commander Air Force Agency

Matt Hammer Partner Baldwin Krystyn Sherman

Dr. Ivan S. Itebejac Chief, Pharmacy Service VA Medical Center Orlando

Melody B. Lynch Shareholder Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A.

Patricia E. Frank, MBA, CPA President & CEO Community Coordinated Care For Children, Inc.

Brian P. Hanafin Attorney Holland & Knight LLP

Shanta Jackson General Manager Transdev

Christopher J. Maddox Director, Foodservice and On Premise Key Accounts Coca-Cola Beverages Florida

Jamie Giller Director, Communications & Marketing UCF Downtown Campus

Simeon Hardy Senior Director, Human Resources Golf Channel

Daniel E. Kelley President KPI Financial Consulting, LLC

Kenneth B. McKellar, Jr. Central Florida Territory Manager Ethos Laboratories

Allisa D. GillieanCrump, Ph.D. Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Career Alignment Rollins College

Jeremy C. Harris Assistant Director, Marketing & Air Service Development Greater Orlando Aviation Authority

Amy A. Kennedy Senior Project Manager Balfour Beatty Construction

Adam Meek Project Executive Finfrock DesignManufacture-Construct

Marc Giovanni Senior Vice President PNC Financial Services Group

Catherine Henderson Administrator Orlando Lutheran Towers

Melinda L. Kieffer Assistant Director of Catering Sales Centerplate

Barron E. Mills Consultant/Veteran Advocate Camaraderie Foundation

Darren S. Gray City Manager City of Clermont

John Hicks Vice President/ Branch Manager/ Principal ECS Florida, LLC

Brenda Kincaid Vice President, Culture & Talent Summit Broadband

Lauren Morgan Vice President, Marketing Tavistock Group

Jeffrey S. Gray Vice President GrayPointe Capital

Thomas Hoffman Director, NOC Engineering Smart City

Damon B. Kruid CEO DBK Inc.

Tracie Morris Director of Marketing and Development Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida

Phyllis L. Murphy Assistant Professor/ ACCE Herzing University

Luis F. Pinzon President CONDOR Construction Corp.

Kauren Sidhu

Pavel Vakh General Manager ITernative

Michele T. Napier Chief Revenue Officer Orlando Health

Mark A. Reed, Sr. Chief Development Officer Give Kids The World

Jaime St. John Real Estate & Public Affairs Representative Clear Channel Outdoor

Emily A. Walton Senior Account Executive AppleOne

Denise M. Nicholson, Ph.D. Vice President of Intelligent Training Soar Technology, Inc.

Tracey Robilotto Associate Director REdI Veterans Health Administration

Dr. Sharon L. Stanke Associate Director National REdI Veterans Health Administration

Jerry Warner Corporate Director of Physician Billing Orlando Health

Louis H. Nimkoff President-Elect of the Board of Directors Orlando Regional REALTOR Association

Debbie M. Rodriguez President Competitive Edge Partners & Consulting, LLC

Melanie Stefanowicz Executive Director of Secondary and Postsecondary Education School District of Osceola County

Michael R. Weeman Vice President, Operations Andy Frain Services

Jenise Osani Director, Marketing & eCommerce OUC - The Reliable One

Ashley Ross Clinical Exercise Specialist SportsnFitness

Charles Stovall Global Public Relations Manager Walt Disney World Co.

Charles D. Wilder Lead Council Estate Planning and Legacy Law Center, PLC

Taylor C. Pancake Partner Foley & Lardner LLP

John V. Russell Co-Founder/BrokerAssociate Mainframe Real Estate

Anthony K. Sudler Chief Development Officer Nemours

Nina Yon, MNM Director of Development United Against Poverty Orlando

Gabriel D. Park Senior Director, Business Development Florida Citrus Sports

Nikee J. Schurig Business Development Manager BDO USA, LLP

Rouselle A. Sutton, III Board Certified Construction Attorney Thompson, Jaglal & Sutton, P.A.

Michael V. Perry Supervisor Regional Operation CenturyLink

Adrianna M. Sekula Manager, Government Relations Walt Disney Parks & Resorts

Kevin T. Thomas Senior Director of Sales Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Now Accepting Enrollment for Class 96 – Class Begins September 5, 2018 Contact Danielle Permenter at 407.835.2444 or visit LeadershipOrlando.org to reserve your space!

Angela Alban

Chair, Leadership Orlando Class 96 President & CEO SIMETRI, Inc.

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| BEST PRACTICES

MEDICAL MARKET

TaraTEDROW Tara Tedrow is a land use attorney and the co-chair of the Cannabis and Controlled Substances Group at Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A.

FLORIDA’S MEDICAL MARIJUANA MARKET: SIX ISSUES TO CONSIDER

In 2016, Florida voters overwhelmingly supported the passage of Amendment 2, legalizing medical marijuana for an expanded group of eligible patients statewide. Even with the passage of time and new regulations, many feel left in the dark as to what this industry will really mean for the Sunshine State. Here are a few key takeaways to keep in mind:

It is always tempting to use standard agreements for business transactions, but in the world of medical marijuana, nothing is business as usual.

46]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

1. Commercial real estate may see marked growth. Because indoor medical marijuana cultivation requires enough space and a consistent climate necessary for the growing cycles, the sale and leasing of industrial spaces and agricultural lands could see a boom. Some predict that hundreds, if not thousands, of groups could apply for the next round of Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) license applications. Thus, the need for cultivation and processing facilities (whether retrofitting existing spaces or buying vacant land to build) as well as retail dispensing locations for those license hopefuls may mean more opportunities for brokers and owners statewide. With now more than 100,000 patients registered in Florida, existing MMTCs will also be looking for key

retail dispensing locations in high-population centers to meet this growing demand.

2. Be wary of using standard agreements. It is always tempting to use standard agreements for business transactions, but in the world of medical marijuana, nothing is business as usual. Simple boilerplate provisions can cause serious problems. For example, agreeing to comply with all local, state and federal laws is typically a no-brainer provision, but because medical marijuana remains illegal under federal law, that provision would put a licensed MMTC in automatic default.

Similarly, even though landlords are not growing or selling the medical marijuana products, that does not mean they are necessarily immune from liability. Thus, the federal liability implications must always be carefully considered.

3. Figure out financing. Because of marijuana's federal illegality, obtaining financing is difficult, if not impossible, for many in the marijuana industry. While there are lenders and private groups willing to finance certain deals, the terms of those loan agreements must

be carefully reviewed. For example, collateral for the loan should not necessarily be in the form of all of the assets of the business. Why? Because as a lender (who is not licensed to sell marijuana), coming into possession of all marijuana products by virtue of a default means you could now be violating both federal and state law.

4. Be aware of local codes and ordinances. Under Chapter 381.986, local governments can either ban or permit marijuana dispensaries. However, if permitted, such dispensaries must be treated as pharmacies for zoning purposes and must be located at least 500 feet away from existing schools. When looking at properties, a close review of existing and pending ordinances in that jurisdiction is necessary. Zoning verification letters or other official written determinations from local planning and zoning departments is the best way to know whether your property is actually permitted to have a dispensary.

5. IP issues remain sticky. In the marijuana industry, trademark registration is a thorny issue, as the United States Patent and Trademark Office has denied applications because the applicant cannot demonstrate it has made “legal use” of the mark in commerce due to its illegality under federal law. As a result, many medical marijuana businesses are relegated to seeking more limited protection afforded by the state trademark registration process. Also, due to the difficulty (or legal impossibility) of operating marijuana businesses across state lines, participants often employ intellectual property (IP) licensing agreements to extend their brands and/or monetize their know-how beyond their home states. It is imperative to structure these deals correctly to protect your IP and avoid potentially placing yourself at criminal risk.

6. Employers should employ caution. Just because medical marijuana is legal for qualified patients with a physician recommendation, that does not mean every employer's drug-free workplace policy has gone up in smoke. Quite the contrary — Florida statutes specifically allow employers to establish, continue, or enforce a drug-free workplace program or policy. Employers do not have to accommodate the medical use of marijuana in any workplace, and the ADA similarly does not require such accommodation.

Employers should nonetheless review and evaluate their current employment practices and policies concerning drug testing, workplace conduct and drug/alcohol use.

Even though medical marijuana is legal in Florida, it still remains an uncertain market given its federal illegality. Consulting lawyers and professionals well-versed in the nuances and regulatory complexities of the industry is always recommended before entering the market. ◆

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TEL: 407.917.3819 i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[47

| BEST PRACTICES

NETWORKING

Brian J. KLINK, PhD, MBA Brian Klink is the president of Strategic Business Solutions, Inc. and has over 30 years’ experience at Fortune 500 Companies and as an independent consultant. www.MyResearchPartner.com

STRUCTURED SELLING

CROSSING THE THRESHOLD OF “WANT”

For many, the process for helping the customer migrate to a “Yes” buying decision is a complete unknown and is rarely taught in employee training.

48]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

In every customer interaction, there are opportunities to advance relationships and trust. In addition, there are also opportunities to evaluate where customers feel they are in making a decision to buy. For many, the process for helping the customer migrate to a “Yes” buying decision is a complete unknown and is rarely taught in employee training.

Structured Inquiries = Eliminate Buying Uncertainty

As part of our Executive Development Program, we often use the following quick reference approach to review client and prospect interactions and coach people to better understand how every interaction can strengthen a relationship, increase trust and deliver value.

Ask your sales force if they have heard any of the following phrases:

Best Practice = Structured Inquiries

As part of our years of research, we have identified and documented many of the most frequent questions and responses of conversations and face-to-face interactions.

With these frequent exchanges in mind, we created a hierarchy of structured inquiries for migrating conversations. This is designed to help both sales professionals and potential buyers quickly determine if there is likely a buying decision that day, and if not then, when there might be.

In many scenarios the single greatest barrier to closing a sale is buyer uncertainty. Helping potential buyers gain the clarity to make a decision in a timely fashion is what successful sales representatives do. Sellers that spend time in other forms of dialogue are often less effective.

• “Not Now” • “Pretty Soon” • “Just Looking” • “I Was Wondering …”

• “We Were Thinking About …”

• “I Am Considering …”

These phrases are on our list of most frequent conversational barriers to closing a sale.

Unfortunately, many sales professionals do not understand there are common interactions when the customer is desperately searching for help to alleviate buyer uncertainty.

We truly believe using our structured inquiry approach can provide relief for people who are struggling to decide.

I understand Delivering Relief = Early Assessment We believe there is one key question that sets the stage for a diagnostic buying assessment: “Is there anything you need today?”

Our experiences indicate that early identification of need is the cornerstone of strategic selling.

SBA loans

In fact, almost everything else discussed is a variable in the equation of sales inefficiency. In our opinion, there is no more important goal for anyone involved in selling than to quickly and efficiently identify if there is an immediate or upcoming need.

Fulfillment vs. Relationship Development If “Yes” … Then Support, Compassion & Expediency If the answer is “Yes,” then quite often your only job is to simply deliver fulfillment in three areas.

Support Once they declare a need, you should listen closely or even write down what they say and be supportive. They have explained what they are looking for and now it is your job to deliver to the best of your ability.

Compassion In other scenarios, the “Yes” response is followed with an explanation of their personal scenario or declaration of urgency.

Remember, alleviating buyer uncertainty is a key skill set for successful sales staff.

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Expediency Finally, it can also be important to assess the customer’s transaction needs. It is not uncommon for people to wait until the last minute to make buying decisions. So, once you have fulfilled their product need, helping to expedite the transaction can create a long-lasting bond.

Relationship Development = Iterative vs. Quantum Leap Dialogue If “No” … Then Relationship Development If the answer to our question is “No,” then your job is to try to build a potential future relationship by helping identify possible ways you can satisfy lesser levels of purchasing desire.

We have found that crossing the “threshold of want” can be achieved using iterative progression or by more aggressive quantum leap approaches to quickly assess likely buyer behavior. ◆

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Large enough to serve you, small enough to know you.

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| BEST PRACTICES

MILLENNIAL WORKFORCE

ThomasWATERMAN Thomas Waterman is the co-founder of Purpose Pioneers.

He believes that when we find meaning in our work, we experience real-time fulfillment.

He can be contacted at thomas@ purposepioneers.com and @ purposepioneers on the socials.

Contributors: Angela Minerva

SCALE YOUR PURPOSE

TO SUSTAINABLY SCALE YOUR BUSINESS

These leaders fear that as they grow and hire more people, they will not keep the original purpose of the business top of mind.

50]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

When used as intended, capitalism is a powerful tool that abundantly serves the needs of everyone. At its core, capitalism is the expression of the intention to transform the lives of others by giving them value that directly serves their needs so they can survive and thrive in life. And in turn, the deliverer of this value receives what they need to thrive. At its root, capitalism allows more and more people every day to be served with real value, which helps the world get continuously better.

There is a challenge that lies in harnessing capitalism though — it seems as we have progressed and grown as a society, some have forgotten these roots. As time passed, many large corporations focused on monetary growth because it is easy to want to make more money, especially when you are already making a lot

of it. But solely focusing on the bottom line led to a disconnect between businesses and the people they serve. The true intentions were revealed, layer by layer.

Now that we are standing on the shoulders of the information economy, the key to creating a sustainable and thriving business is to scale products and services with the intention of truly transforming our customers by serving their actual needs. This is easy at the conception of any business and continues to be easy if the founder’s purpose, vision and values are embedded into the organization before it hits major growth.

The scary story for most leaders we have talked to and who are growing their businesses is a tale of trust. These leaders fear that as they grow and hire more people, those people will not have the

same passion they do; they will not make the same decisions they would, and they will not keep the original purpose of the business top of mind as they serve customers. They also fear they will create a system that empowers their team to do these things consistently without supervision.

A New Dawn for CATARACTS

Simply, these business leaders believe in their own vision, intuition and magic touch with customers, but they worry about that secret sauce getting tragically lost as the company’s team and client base grow.

We thought long and hard about this and realized these leaders are right to a certain extent. They will struggle throughout the growth journey if they are not intentional about keeping the pillars of purpose, vision and values as the drivers of every aspect of the business. When purpose-driven leaders do not have a system to keep these keys at the core of the business, their attempts to grow it will result in losing the magic that launched the business in the first place.

So, time and time again the question arises: “How do I grow my business and keep the founding purpose, vision and values alive in the process?”

There is a solution, and it is not as hard as you think. The answer is systematizing purpose — infusing that deep-rooted “why” and the guiding principles into every single business process. This will allow your company’s culture and impact to scale alongside your products and services.

When leaders do this, it frees up their need to stay hands on in terms of maintaining culture, engaging in decisionmaking and keeping the vision in focus. When leaders can take their hands off the wheel, they empower the business to finally grow beyond the constraints of one person or a small team who just “gets it.”

So how does a company systematize its purpose into the business?

Step 1: Uncover your purpose and values and define what

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they mean to you in an actionable way.

Step 2: Articulate them repetitively with your team, customers and community.

Step 3: Systematize them into the processes that focus on how you plan, hire, serve and work together.

When leaders scale their company’s purpose, vision and values as they grow their businesses, the culture built creates alignment, empowerment and fulfillment for each person on the team. The beauty here is that this applies to teams from 1 to 100,000 and beyond. That sounds like an organization set up for abundant, long-term success! ◆

Downtown Orlando

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| BEST PRACTICES

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

GROWING SMALL BUSINESSES

RayWATSON Ray Watson is the CEO of Executive Leadership Resources, Inc., a member of the Board of Directors of Fidelity Bank of Florida, and a group facilitator for the University of Central Florida’s GrowFL initiative.

The right business coach or mentorship group can act as a compass of sorts to help you overcome challenges by providing research, feedback, advice and fostering your development as a leader.

52]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

THROUGH MENTORSHIP, INVESTMENT AND A COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE We are fortunate to live in the Sunshine State, with powerful solar energy, vast citrus groves, teeming oceans and amazing wildlife.

Florida is a paradise, especially for those with the knowledge and skill to harness its energy and work with its abundant resources. Florida’s small business owners have a similarly powerful environment for achieving success, driven by the commitment of local initiatives, banks and communities to supporting their growth. Sometimes it just takes the right conditions in place to truly shine – a team of partners that offer guidance, financial support and further opportunities when the time is right.

Find Your Compass

Over the past decade in my work as a CEO group facilitator with the University of Central Florida’s GrowFL/CEO Nexus program, I have been able to help CEO roundtable members develop as leaders, refine their strengths, build a culture of excellence and assist in achieving a successful exit when the time is right. Look for community organizations and initiatives that connect business leaders to each other to share strategies, resources and support. The right business coach or mentorship group can act as a compass of sorts to help you overcome challenges by providing research, feedback, advice and fostering your development as a leader as you navigate the waters of growth and change.

All of these steps are paramount to leadership of a small or mid-sized business. Whether you, as the CEO, see yourself as the face of the company or the driving force behind it, it is your ship, and as you go, so it goes.

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR FEATURED ARTICLE!

Make It Rain

Nothing grows in nature without some water. Likewise, businesses do not develop without funding. Find an investment partner who believes in your organization, your leadership and your future. I have been on the board of directors of Fidelity Bank of Florida for three years, which has allowed me to do what I am most passionate about – help small businesses succeed. As a community bank, Fidelity Bank of Florida has the ability to build relationships with all customers, understand their unique needs, and help fulfill their dreams by providing a personal banking relationship and financial support for their growth.

Find a bank or investment partner with a solid history of commitment to community businesses, the capacity to fund what you as a CEO are trying to build, with the tools and expertise to support that growth successfully. Your investor should be a driving force in the local economy.

Keep the momentum of your feature going with a plaque in your office long after the issue leaves newsstands.

Plant a Seed for the Future

As your business grows, be sure that you appropriately plan for tomorrow and give back to the community as well. Part of any good leadership approach is recognizing that someone else must lead a company that is built to last into the future, planning for that transition, ideally identifying that person and facilitating the change. Be comfortable with change. I was privileged to begin my career serving as an officer in the U.S. Army Special Forces, then brought that leadership training to my business career as an executive in Fortune 500 and Inc. 500 companies.

As an entrepreneur, I have owned companies in the IT, medical, manufacturing and construction industries before transitioning into my current role working with business owners as a coach, facilitator and board member. Invest time in your community too. I serve as a member of the board of directors for The Seminole County Region Chamber of Commerce, act as a volunteer on the advisory boards at both Seminole State and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and partner with The CEO Leadership Forum, a group of Central Florida professionals working with Valencia College to support its business program and provide content briefings to CEOs. “Give of your time and talent to others, and you will reap what you sow.” ◆

Ann Conroy-Baiter

President, Junior Achievement of the Space Coast Pictured with daughters Rowan,Trinity and Pallasgrean

Rowan, Trinity, Pallasgrean and I moved here from New York state three years ago, and like many northerners, we struggled to find our tropical holiday footing. In New York, we lived in my family’s 152-year-old homestead—a perfect Christmas house with huge 16-pane windows to watch the snow fall on cozy nights with hot cocoa. It was Hallmark Christmas movie material.

In keeping with homestead traditions, a large part of our holiday traditions revolved around dragging in the largest tree that would fit in the house, sending out a holiday card made from one of my paintings, and hand making most of our decorations together. We made paper chains, garlands, snowflakes and stars mostly out of white paper, stringing them from corner to corner, lit up by strings of white lights. Much to our surprise, we found out that those white paper decorations and white lights translate perfectly to beachy interiors and we realized we didn’t need to change our traditions all that much.

This year’s plans include large-scale paper poinsettias and three-dimensional stars. The tree? Well, after one disastrous live tree which took joy in shedding showers of needles whenever I entered the room, we’ve traded our live tree for multiple ‘pretend’ trees in different sizes. And my holiday paintings have converted from scenes of snowy sledding to scenes of Christmas parade boats. We've done our best to prove that the north doesn't corner the market on cozy. ◆

44 :  

Featured in SpaceCoast Living Ann Conroy Baiter President

Alyssa Anelli

alyssa@scbmarketing.com 321-499-1557

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| BEST PRACTICES

MARKETING STRATEGIES

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

CheriseCZABAN Cherise Czaban is the vice president of business development at SCB Marketing, i4 Business, SpaceCoast Business and SpaceCoast Living Magazine.

She can be contacted at cherise@scbmarketing.com or (321) 848-3530.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS Over the course of the past few months, we have discussed aspects of marketing ranging from content and social media strategies, to brand awareness and recall, and plenty in between.

Used both independently and in an integrated strategy, these pieces can be incredibly effective, but at first seem overwhelming when choosing which will fit your message best. To make this process a bit less intimidating, it is necessary to rewind a bit to the groundwork that must be done before any of these strategies can be chosen, implemented or evaluated.

The most important aspect of this foundation is called a situational analysis. This is exactly what it sounds like: a careful breakdown of the internal and external factors at work regarding your company or business. This includes product or services strengths and weaknesses, audience and potential customer analysis, and

Your business does not exist in a vacuum, so a look at the factors outside of your company is vital to a complete understanding of how you can better reach your goals.

54]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

business environment. With an understanding of your strengths and opportunities, as well as your weaknesses and threats, you can better navigate your marketing strategy.

Your Analysis 1) Product Take a moment to examine what you are selling. An insider’s perspective means you know your product most intricately, from its strengths to its weaknesses. However, it is also important to get the opinions of others, from employees to customers.

Here you can also examine the product in relation to the audience. What needs is the product or service designed to meet?

Is it meeting those needs? What does a potential customer look like? Where are they spending their time?

Stop Getting Overlooked!

2) Competitors

After an analysis of your products, you must understand its place in the current market. Make a list of your competitors and summaries of their products. Taking a careful look at how they approach their marketing, where they place their messages and who they target in their strategy can give you an idea of the current landscape.

While it may be difficult to stay objective in this analysis, reading customer reviews or consulting industry experts can assist in this process.

Consumers seek brands that they connect with and making that connection is the key to elevating your brand.

3) Distribution

Distribution analysis means assessing how and where you are getting your product out. Are you easily accessible to your audience? Are you visible to potential customers? How can you distinguish yourself from competitors? Examine your other options for distribution and what factors, both external and internal, might affect strategy in the future.

4) External factors Your business does not exist in a vacuum, so a look at the factors outside of your company is vital to a complete understanding of how you can better reach your goals.

This includes trends in the market, new competitors, emerging technology and the state of the economy.

SWOT

After analyzing these elements, you should feel better equipped to create a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis (SWOT). Your strengths are the things that set you apart, the quality of your product or service, your experience and any other aspect of your company you are proud to showcase. Your weaknesses include aspects of your business that will require a little more nurturing or resources that you might lack. Finding opportunities will most likely be made easier after your situational analysis, as you can get a better look at gaps in the market or new chances for advertising or distribution you may not have realized before. Finally, threats include any obstacles or competitors offering something you may not be, and even the state of the market or industry at the time.

Capitalize on your strengths and make the most of your opportunities, and be prepared to work on your weaknesses and navigate the obstacles. You will find you feel more prepared than ever to craft a message that stands out from your competitors, that communicates clearly to your audience and that is accessible to them. â—†

Don’t Let Customers Pass You By! At SCB Marketing, we tell your story in a way that provides differentiation and identification, yielding the best results for your business.

Contact your SCB Marketing Representative before more customers get away.

Melbourne Office: 321.622.5986 Orlando Office: 407.917.3819

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CLOSE

with Edwin Hernandez [ By Jack Roth ]

Edwin Hernandez, PhD, president of Adventist University of Healthcare Sciences (ADU), is successfully feeding the local healthcare talent pipeline with skilled professionals and good citizens. With several highly regarded health science programs, the university has grown from Orlando’s “best kept secret” to an important player in the region’s education and healthcare sectors. Hernandez recently spoke with us about his role as president, his passion for inspiring people, and his goals for the future of ADU.

WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CHOOSE A PATH IN ACADEMIA?

HOW DOES A GOOD LEARNING ENVIRONMENT ENHANCE THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE?

My mother, Alba, stayed home to raise my brother and me when we were very young, then returned to school for her nursing degree while we were still in school. It was inspiring to see how education transformed her life and led to a very fulfilling career. My father, Fred, was also a strong influence. A minister in the Seventhday Adventist church and a denominational leader, he believed strongly in my potential and encouraged me to pursue higher goals. When I was an undergraduate at Loma Linda, one of my professors, Dr. Rick Rice, invited me to give up my job on a student paint crew to come work as his academic assistant. He became both my inspiration and mentor, and was instrumental in my journey toward a career in academia.

One of the most important roles of a university is creating an environment conducive to learning — one that sparks curiosity, encourages inquiry, explores divergent views, develops people’s talents and abilities. When we create that kind of an environment, it cultivates confidence, conversations, creativity — all the elements that drive innovation and excellence. The next great innovations in healthcare will come in the next decade, and ADU and Florida Hospital will be at the forefront of ensuring we don’t lose our humanity and our whole person care philosophy in the face of ever-increasing technology.

YOU HAVE DEGREES IN BOTH THEOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY. HOW HAS THIS HELPED YOU IN YOUR ADU CAREER? The intersection of theology and sociology is an interesting one... it is where our spiritual beliefs and values connect with our cultural norms and expectations. Both fields of study — theology and sociology — have given me profound insights into people: what they believe and how they interact. I know as a theologian and a sociologist that the most powerful levers for human achievement are in our brains, yes, but also in our hearts and souls. When we’re driven by deep beliefs and genuine motivation, when we’re inspired by educators and leaders who elevate our thinking, when we’re challenged by high expectations and supported by people who believe in our potential, we can soar.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE AS PRESIDENT OF ADU? Time, the great equalizer. We all have the same number of hours in a day. Warren Buffett, the sage of investment value, says that because time is our most finite resource, it’s our most valuable. My biggest challenge is making sure I make every hour, every minute count.

WHAT IS YOUR NO. 1 GOAL AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY? Smart growth. The demand for new, trained health sciences professionals continues to grow. ADU graduates are in high demand because we have a solid reputation for equipping students with advanced skills and deep compassion.

Patients at Florida Hospital have told me they can always tell the ADU graduates by their kindness and compassion.

We never want to lose that. At the same time, we must grow, both in the number of programs and the number of students, to meet the demand of the healthcare workforce. ▸ i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[57

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? When I think about the ability to initiate new ways of creating opportunity, expanding and growing the organization, it is exciting. To be part of a new moment in the history of the organization... to harness opportunities and take it to a new level, inspires me every day. For my entire career ,I’ve been raising the expectations of people, encouraging them to achieve. We have an excellent faculty at ADU, yet everyone can be better teachers, role models, leaders, lead in clinical space and exemplify extraordinary uncommon care. The best part of my job is helping people discover that, and then seeing what they achieve.

WHEN YOU TALK TO STUDENTS, WHAT DO YOU MOST WANT TO CONVEY TO THEM? I had a recent encounter with a tall young man on campus.

We were engaged in wonderful conversation, and he said to me, "Dr. Hernandez, we need to have better vegan options in the cafe. This is a health science organization."

I laughed and told him he was right! So, in the fall, we’re starting a healthy campus initiative. When I talk to students, I want to listen first. I can learn from them. They’re brilliant and thoughtful and committed to making the world a better place. I just want to convey to them that I see their brilliance.

I see their thoughtfulness. I see their commitment. I sense their hunger for purpose and meaning. I believe in them.

WHERE DO YOU SEE ADU IN 10 YEARS? The next decade will be consequential. In ADU's first 25 years, the faculty, staff and administration built a broad range of academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including online degrees. In 10 years, we’ll have enriched and expanded these offerings to include new waves of research, a continuously evolving range of innovative clinical partnerships with Florida Hospital and Adventist Health System, strategic collaborations with other universities, an increase in research and publishing, and facilities equipped to provide exceptional and increasingly technology-rich educational opportunities for our students. ◆

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Social Entrepreneur

Safe Harbor Harbor House of Central Florida is working to prevent and eliminate domestic abuse by providing critical life-saving services to survivors, implementing and advancing best practices, and educating and engaging the community in a united front.

By Jack Roth

T

he numbers are sobering: One in four women will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives and have to cope with it, as will one in five men.

our emergency shelter, so when someone comes here, they can come with their entire family, including their pets. We serve men, too, because domestic violence touches everybody.”

As an innovative organization that guides the way for safer communities by developing, deploying and modeling best practices to eradicate domestic abuse in Central Florida, Harbor House is making a positive impact on lives in the region. The only certified domestic violence center in Orange County, Harbor House offers an emergency hotline and a shelter, but also a lot more, with a court program, advocates, attorneys and outreach offices scattered across the county.

The gateway into Harbor House is its emergency hotline, which is manned by skilled advocates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Many victims will call and ask questions, including: Is this domestic violence? Is this sexual assault? What's going on in my life right now with this relationship? Am I safe? By speaking with victims and asking the right questions, advocates can determine the best course of action.

“When it comes to domestic violence, people's needs are different,” said Michelle Sperzel, Harbor House CEO. “It’s not just adult women who need our help; we have a kennel and child care in 60]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

BREAKING THE CYCLE OF ABUSE Once a survivor takes back control of her life from her abuser, the violence tends to escalate, and not just for the survivor, but for her children and the people trying to help her because

the abuser knows everything about the victim — where she works, where she works out, who her parents and friends are, etc. This is why domestic violence emergency shelters exist.

“Abusers look at their victims as property,” explained Sperzel.

“Often, they're not even focused on the kids; they're focused on the intimate partner who left them and getting her back. Unfortunately, the collateral damage comes when children see the abuse.”

Harbor House offers a safe, temporary place for victims and their children so they can get emergency injunctions, acquire the knowledge they need to make their next move, or simply stay in a quiet environment to recover from injuries, whether physical or emotional. This short circuits the abuse, but a big part of breaking the cycle of abuse for good is education.

“When someone in our outreach program is trying to figure out what to do, our role is to listen, provide information and offer up a safety plan,” said Sperzel. “We talk to them about what's happening in the relationship. Are there guns in the house?

Has the person threatened to kill you? Has the person ever kicked, punched or strangled you? We ask a lot of questions to wrap our heads around how lethal the situation may be, and then have a conversation regarding what we can do to help them be safe. We don't tell people what to do; we try and make them more aware, give them options and provide them with access to different resources.”

According to Sperzel, domestic violence is about power and control. The abuser might be someone who does not have any control in his professional life but wants to be the king of the kingdom when he comes home. It can be someone who, as a child, witnessed violence in the home and grows up to be an abuser, just as a girl who witnesses violence in the home is more likely to become a victim.

“We don't tell people what to do; we try and make them more aware, give them options and provide them with access to different resources.”

- Michelle Sperzel

“It's a learned behavior,” asserted Sperzel. “When we're talking about breaking the cycle, we're also talking about breaking the generational cycle. When we're working with kids who have experienced trauma, we give them different choices in how they can deal with situations they’re reacting to. Can we teach them perseverance? Can we help them with different types of conflict resolution? It’s about choices, because abuse is a choice.”

With 63 full- and part-time staff, including case managers, administrators, court advocates, outreach advocates, economic justice advocates, economic empowerment advocates and child protection investigator advocates who all go through extensive core competency training, Harbor House works with the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Orange County Sheriff ’s Department, and various local groups and businesses to educate and inform about, and ultimately prevent, domestic violence.

It has to go both ways,” concluded Sperzel. “We need the intervention piece at the emergency shelter, but we definitely need the prevention piece so that we're able to reduce the number of people who ever need an emergency shelter.” ◆

Want To Learn More?

For more information, please visit

www.harborhousefl.com. i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[61

| BUSINESS SEEN

METRO ORLANDO GOLDEN EAGLE DINNER Attendees filled the floor of the Amway Arena on April 17th for the Metro Orlando Golden Eagle Dinner honoring Harvey Massey.

The annual fundraising event helps make scouting, which touches some 22,000 families in Central Florida happen. It brings together the business, civic and political leaders of our community to share the story of scouting’s impact on our youth.

Lou Marquez, John Visser, Daniel Voss, Gary Trytten

Ron Randolph, Sanjay Parekh, Patrick Donnally

Harvey Massey

Sylvia and Brad Bishop

Len Williams, Marilyn Williams, Leonard Williams Sr., Rick Walsh

62]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

Abhi Vyas, Andy Lee, Ian Hall, Shari Barte

Jeff and Judy Piersall

BUSINESS SEEN |

Admiral Al Harms Jr. Gina Harms, Derek Brown, Heather Layson Brown

Carla Biermann, Jami Smith, Meredith Hall, Kristen Jacobs

Grey Raymond, Matt Rome, Alex DeLoach, Bo Terry

Kevin Rennah, Carlos Palenzuela, Francisco Palenzuela, Tom McNamara

Edward Rice III, Nina Rice, Braden Woo

Don Tooley, Robert Gibson

Fred Kittinger, Tony Sudler

Frankie Green, Matt Masterson, Julianna Eldemire, Noah Sigman, Kim Sache, Jose Pajares

i4Biz.com

JUNE2018[63

The Wright Angle

by Eric Wright

Four Healthy Choices

I love the scene in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where Jones’ nemesis on the quest for the Holy Grail, Walter Donovan, is told to choose which chalice is the actual Holy Grail. The aged knight, who for over a millennium has been standing guard, advises Donovan, “Choose wisely.”

He, of course, takes a beautiful jewel encrusted chalice and drinks, only to be turned into a skeleton. The Grail Knight sageously comments, “He chose poorly.”

Today’s healthcare industry, the 21st century equivalent of a Holy Grail quest for everlasting life, is now worth three trillion dollars in the United States and absorbs 18 percent of this nation’s GNP. And with this is coming similar advise: “Choose wisely.”

I am not referring to where you get your insurance coverage or which doctor or delivery system you receive care and treatment from. Frankly, we are blessed to have numerous options, all of which are state-of-the-art across Central Florida. Rather, I am referring to the fact that all the thought leaders in the field, whether they are medical practitioners or executives studying the statistical data, are in complete consensus — most healthcare issues are a matter of either positive or negative health choices made by individuals.

Every day you and I make choices that affect not only our physical health, but the emotional health of key relationships, both personally and professionally. Challenging circumstances and difficulties are inevitable, but the choices we make usually determine what sort of outcomes we will have.

Choices All Can Make

1. Choose Responsibility – On Harry Truman’s desk was a famous plaque that said, “The Buck Stops Here.”

Choose

Wisely A “Buck” is the hilt of a knife, particularly a Bowie Knife, that was made from a buck’s antler. When playing poker, the buck pointed to the next dealer. You could, of course, “pass the buck” to the next person, but to Truman, that responsibility could not be passed. The best definition of responsibility I have ever heard is “the ability to make a response.”

2. Choose Your Attitude – Many act as though their attitude or disposition chooses them, which is not so. “Between stimulus and response there is a space,” Viktor Frankl said.

“In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

3. Choose Partnership – Working with people always has its challenges, but the results are much greater than anything we can do alone. As Stephen Covey said, “Synergy is what happens when one plus one equals 10 or 100 or even 1,000! It's the profound result when two or more respectful human beings determine to go beyond their preconceived ideas to meet a great challenge.”

4. Choose Your Destination – None of us had a say in how we started life or the gene pool we more or less fell into, but we do have a choice about where we want to end up.

That legacy is not just what we do or have, it is who we are. And who we are is fashioned, like a sculpture, by the choices we make every day. As Dan Sullivan said, “Hell is coming to the end of your life and being face to face with the person you might have been.”

So, choose wisely!

inspiring the TREP in you 64]JUNE2018 i4Biz.com

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