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GO SPORTS Rallies the Region FOOTBALL AND MEDICINE Team Up for Cure Bowl Shelter Mortgage
Orlando Pride Women's Soccer
FORMULA
Orlando Scores with New Apollos
Special Olympics
Up Close with Bill 'Roto' Reuter
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BUILDING LEADERS
CLASS 96
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 #LO96
Angela M. Alban
CONGRATULATIONS TO
LEADERSHIP ORLANDO CLASS 96
Chair, Leadership Orlando Class 96 President & CEO, SIMETRI, Inc.
Banks Adebanjo Regional Director Special Olympics
Eric Alberts Corporate Manager, Emergency Preparedness Orlando Health
Kyle Alexandre Community Relations Manager Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
John Bachman Vice President, Commercial Banking Regions Bank
Traci Barber Account Executive Employment Technologies Corporation
Marci Baugh Vice President, Finance & Accounting Massey Services, Inc.
Chris Blackwell Senior Project Manager Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC.
Michael Blasco Chief Eating Officer Orlando Food Truck Catering
Jenny Bowman Director of Marketing, Market Strategy AdventHealth
Shane Burnsed Senior Director, Business Development Gilbane Building Company
Mia Cangelosi Banquet Manager Centerplate
Chelsea Coster Director, Business Development Nebbia Technology
Peter Counce Business Director Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Mike Crikis Manager, Environmental Sciences Reedy Creek Improvement District
Carlos Cuevas Program Manager TAPE, LLC
Josh Davis Senior Manager Withum
Joe DeBello Consultant Chepenik Financial
Donna Dyson Director of Sales Orlando Business Journal
Heather Eubank Director of Events Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
Katie Flury Government Consultant GrayRobinson, P.A.
Scott Fritz Chief of Staff School District of Osceola County
Jay Fulbright Vice President BB&T - Branch Banking & Trust Co.
Suzy Garcia Administrator Orlando Lutheran Towers
Scott Gasaway Vice President, Construction Operations Tavistock Group
Dolly Glass Vice President, Operations
Cameron Gomes Executive Director Central Florida Dreamplex
Bo Goode Director, Strategy & Business Development CAE USA
Jerramy Hainline Vice President, Sales, Golfnow & Golf Advisor Golf Channel
Alex Heidelberg Senior Director Orange Technical College - Mid-Florida Campus
Albert Hurtado Tax Partner GellerRagans
Nimit Kapoor Vice President, Middle Market Relationship Manager Fifth Third Bank
Travis Kolbjornsen Senior Project Development Manager Barton Malow Company
Danica Kramer Community Relations Manager Orlando Health
Jen Kreis Area Development Manager Holland & Knight LLP
Chris Krepcho Director of Insurance Florida League of Cities, Inc.
Angela Lagos Assistant Director, Diversity & Inclusion Universal Orlando Resort
Jen Lastik Senior Vice President, Events Central Florida Sports Commission
Caroline Letchworth Regional Import Manager Clear Channel Outdoor
Chris Lock Operations Manager Siemens Energy, Inc.
Nicole Lombardi Senior Tax Manager BDO USA, LLP
Cat Losey Managing Partner Losey PLLC
Brendan Lynch Shareholder Lowndes
Kathryn Maluda Senior Project Manager FINFROCK
David Margolis General Counsel Orange County Clerk of Courts
Brandi Markiewicz Senior Vice President The CI Group
Devon McBrayer Orlando Account Manager Cubix, Inc.
Lindsey McCann Tax Manager CiftonLarsonAllen LLP
Ashley McGehee Master Planner Walt Disney Imagineering
Kevin McGrath Area Manager Wawa
James Metcalf Assistant Professor, Nursing Herzing University
Sharon Nelson Community Relations Manager Embrace Families
Rich O’Brien Director of Sales Xpodigital
Capital Communications & Consulting
Janet Owen VP, Gov. Relations, Assoc. General Counsel University of Central Florida
Travis Owens Sales Director Cubix, Inc.
Cory Price Chief Operating Officer VA Medical Center Orlando
Dave Ramsey Chief Flight Operations NASA - John F. Kennedy Space Center
Allison Rivera Manager Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control - Orlando
Matt Phillipoff President, Craft/ Century Homes Tavistock Group
Mike Power Director, Human Resources Voxx Automotive
Eric Reed Partner Schutts & Bowen LLP
Kate Renner Vice President, Marketing Fairwinds Credit Union
Paul Robertson Relationship Manager Wells Fargo
Nick Rocca Senior Managing Consultant PFM Asset Management, LLC
Joe Sarrubbo Dean of Students, East & Winter Park Campuses Valencia College
DeCarlos Sheppard Executive Manager U.S. Courts
Marc Sherman Senior Project Manager BRPH
Gillian Smith Vice President, Marketing & Sales LEGOLAND Florida Resort
Keira Sullivan Director, Academic & Administrative Sponsorship University of Central Florida
Jonathan Sykes Associate Burr & Forman LLP
Kathleen Tagle Chief Strategy Officer Give Kids The World
Akash Vangani Senior Fleet Systems Engineer NASA - John F. Kennedy Space Center
Nick Venovski Commercial Banking Relationship Manager BBVA Compass Bank
Michelle Weaver Vice President, Retail Operations Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, Inc.
Noelle Williams Director, Recruiting Kavaliro
Anthony Ziomek Senior Vice President SunTrust Bank, Treasury Operations
About the Orlando Economic Partnership The Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership) works to provide the Orlando region with quality jobs, economic growth, broad-based prosperity and a sustainable quality of life. It is a not-for-profit, public/private partnership representing seven counties — Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia — as well as the City of Orlando.
Now Accepting Enrollment for Class 98 – Class Begins September 4, 2019 Contact Danielle Permenter at 407.835.2444 or visit LeadershipOrlando.org to reserve your space!
i4 Business Advisory Board WE’D LIKE TO THANK OUR ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS FOR KEEPING THEIR FINGERS ON THE PULSE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HELPING US BRING YOU THE BEST STORIES FROM AROUND CENTRAL FLORIDA.
Thank You
Judi Awsumb, Awsumb Enterprises Jim Bowie, University of Central Florida Business Incubator Program Jackie Brito, Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College Elaine Brouca, Consulate General of Canada Office in Miami Cari Coats, Accendo Leadership Advisory Group Andrew Cole, East Orlando Chamber of Commerce Laura Dorsey, African American Chamber of Commerce Stina D'Uva, West Orange Chamber of Commerce Carol Ann Dykes Logue, University of Central Florida Business Incubator Program Harry Ellis, Next Horizon
This Month's Featured Advisory Board Members Stina D’Uva For nearly 30 years, Stina D’Uva has been an integral leader in the Orlando community. As the President/CEO of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce for 18 years, she has helped grow the organization into a driving force of business that earned the coveted Chamber of the Year award from the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals in 2009, 2012 and 2015. D’Uva served as chair of the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals, and in 2014 she was elected and continues to serve as vice president of the MetroWest Master Association.
Judi Awsumb
Judi Awsumb is president of Awsumb Enterprises, a strateg ic business consulting company. She has more than 30 years of experience leading successful growth strategies for both corporate and entrepreneurial environments. She is the founder of WE-Women Entrepreneurs, powered by CEO Nexus, a group of second-stage business owners generating a minimum of $1 million in annual revenues. She has served on various advisory boards, including the ATHENAPowerLink board of governors; the Florida Executive Women board of trustees, where she is the programs chair; and the University of Central Florida Town & Gown Council.
Susan Fernandez, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Lena Graham-Morris, HORUS Construction Gwen Hewitt, United Negro College Fund Karen Keene, ATHENA Orlando Women's Leadership and Dean Mead Attorneys at Law Shelley Lauten, Central Florida Commission on Homelessness Lisa Lochridge, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association Catherine Losey, Losey PLLC law firm Laureen Martinez, Orlando Economic Partnership Hope Edwards Newsome, Triloma Financial Group Romaine Seguin, UPS Global Freight Forwarding Mary Shanklin, Fifth Estate Media Marni Spence, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)
Harry Ellis Harry Ellis III is president and CIO of Next Horizon, a Sanford-based IT and digital marketing solutions company. He is responsible for carrying out business strategy and IT infrastructure required to support clients and the company’s sustained growth. Ellis, who has a master’s degree in computer forensics from the University of Central Florida, serves on the boards of directors for the Seminole State College Foundation and the Seminole County Sheriff Foundation and is current chair of the Seminole County Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Robert Utsey, Coastal Construction i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 5
APRIL 2019
Features 18
A Winning Formula
22
Team Spirit
26
Pride to Soar Under New Leadership
28
Tackling Cancer
31
Building an All-Star Lineup
Orlando Scores Big with New Apollos AAF Team
GO Sports Rallies the Region to Attract Marquee Events
Sports and Medicine Team Up for The Cure Bowl
AthleteTypes Helps Draft Winning Teams
6 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
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Promoting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship
Celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit that thrives in the Central Florida region
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APRIL 2019
Promoting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship
BEST PRACTICES GUEST EXPERT COLUMNS
DEPARTMENTS
11
44
Decluttering and Organizing Your Workspace Should Be as Easy as Shaking Off April Showers Romaine Seguin | UPS International
46
Get Creative with Other Channels to Increase Traffic to Your Website Cherise Czaban | i4 Business
Publisher’s Perspective
13
From the Editor
14
Business Briefs
34
Take 5 with Visit Orlando
48
Scoring Points with Visitors
The Right Way to Find and Court Angel Investors William A. Grimm | Crummer Graduate School of Business
50
It’s Time to Scale Your Business with
These 7 Surefire Strategies Ronald Recardo | Catalyst Consulting Group LLC
SPECIAL SECTION
36
Shelter Mortgage | Lending a Hand
52
TREP TALK How Constructive Conflict Stirs Innovation
54
Social Entrepreneur Setting Goals, Breaking Records, Changing Lives
Special Olympics Florida Unites Athletes and Communities
58
Downtime Local Places to Visit on Your Day Off
60
Business Seens
64 ®
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ON THE COVER Quarterback Garrett Gilbert and Coach Steve Spurrier
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY Apollos AAF Team
A WINNING
GO SPORTS Rallies the Region FOOTBALL AND MEDICINE Team Up for Cure Bowl Shelter Mortgage
Orlando Pride Women's Soccer
8 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
FORMULA
Orlando Scores with New Apollos
Special Olympics
Up Close with Bill 'Roto' Reuter
Watercooler
CEO | PUBLISHER Cherise Czaban
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Diane Sears
SPECIAL SECTION
DIRECTOR OF ENCOURAGEMENT Donna Duda
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
Meaghan Branham
DIGITAL BRAND MANAGER Elyssa Coultas
MAIN PHOTOGRAPHY Julie Fletcher
ART DIRECTOR
Tanya Mutton - Sidekick Creations
COPY EDITOR
Susan Howard, APR
CONTRIBUTORS Writers:
Meaghan Branham, Elyssa Coultas, Cherise Czaban, William A. Grimm, Jeff Piersall, Ronald Recardo, Diane Sears, Romaine Seguin, Eric Wright
The June 2019 edition will focus on the area’s healthcare professionals that are dedicated to the wellbeing of our community. In our June issue, i4 Business® will include a special marketing section spotlighting the achievements and breakthroughs of these dedicated healthcare professionals throughout the Central Florida region.
Photography: Julie Fletcher, Nancy Brown
ADVERTISING Cherise Czaban 321.848.3530 i4 Business is a participating member of:
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Tel: 407.730.2961 i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 9
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SPECIAL SECTION
LEGAL PROFESSIONALS The July 2019 edition will include a special marketing section spotlighting the achievements and offerings of legal professionals throughout the Orlando region.
Visit i4biz.com or send $24.95 for a one-year (12 issues) or $39.95 for a two-year (24 issues) subscription to: i4 Business, 121 S. Orange Avenue, Suite 1500, Orlando, FL 32801. Please include name, mailing address, city, state, ZIP code, phone number and email. Please allow 4-6 weeks for subscription to start.
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REPRINTS Reprints and commemorative plaques may be ordered from Meaghan Branham with i4 Business, 321-7598977. No other companies offering similar products or services are affiliated with i4 Business.
LEGAL PROFES SIONALS MARIO, GUND E, PETERS, RHODEN & KELLEY, LLC
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ur firm was establ ished in 1976. With over 130 combined exper years of ience our attorn eys have the know the law and of the ledge of legal system to assist matter. Mario, Gund you with your legal e, Peters, Rhoden & Kelley has been in the courtrooms practicing of Brevard Coun ty and before the County judges Circuit and here for over 41 years. A full service firm, we primarily practi ce in the areas of Criminal Law, Perso Family Law, nal Injury, Wills, Probate, Civil Litiga Appeals. Our attorn tion, and eys have litigat ed tough death heartbreaking child penalty cases, custody cases, dog bites, and prope They have also represented client rty rights. s in evictions, patern matters, bankruptcie ity, criminal s, elder matters, estate planning, personal injury probate, and cases. As attorneys and counselors at law part of our job with not just the is to help you cold law and facts of your case but case affects your also how your life as a whole. Aggressive repres compassion are entation and provided to every client we repres ent. Our seven attorn eys are David Gund e, Barbara Helm Rhoden, Micha Peters, Kenneth el J. Kelley, Bonn ie Klein Rhoden, Christina Farley 48]JULY2017 SpaceCoastB
Long, and Barto n W. Hogreve. Our founding partn Mario, has retired er, Anthony P. and is of couns el to the firm. Mario, Gunde, Peters, Rhoden & Kelley, LLC will treat you like is a family and part of our family we . For more inform firm and our attorn ation on our eys visit www.Legalfor a free consu Eagles.com or ltation. call today
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i4 Business® is published monthly by i4 Business, LLC, 121 S. Orange Avenue, Suite 1500, Orlando, FL 32801. Tel. 407-730-2961 | i4biz.com The contents of i4 Business magazine, i4biz.com and any other media extensions related to the brand, including advertisements, articles, graphics, websites, web postings and all other information (“contents”) published, are for informational purposes only. i4 Business® and all other affiliated brands do not necessarily endorse, verify, or agree with the contents contained in i4 Business. i4 Business makes no warranties or representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness, timeliness, or usefulness of any information contained or referenced. i4 Business shall not be held liable for any errors or omissions. © 2019. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.
Publisher's Perspective
LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM TOP COACHES This month i4 Business is celebrating its sixth anniversary. We launched in April of 2013 and our cover story was about the Holler legacy — the family business was celebrating 75 years. We promoted the magazine as the newest voice for business in Central Florida. Each issue would introduce our audience to the most successful and innovative entrepreneurs and ® business leaders in the area. In the premiere issue, we told the story HOLLer of how the Holler family shaped Legacy FAMILY CELEBRATES 75 YEARS OF AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATION the Central Florida automotive market and how they expanded and EA SportS overcame difficult times. They tErESA JAcobS always focused on their customers Premier and persevered. edition Planning Your Exit From The Start
The National Entrepreneur Center
Promoting Entrepreneurship throughout Central Florida
The Potential of Regional Thinking
April/May 2013
CHAIRMAN JULIETTE “JUDI” HOLLER >
IT’S IN ThE GAME AND IT’s IN ORLANDO
ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR
DIvERsIfyINg OUR BUsINEss BAsE
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This year our April edition’s theme is Sports. Coincidentally, one of the other stories in that first edition was “EA Sports: It’s in the Game and It’s in Orlando” about an industry that launched by taking the same technology being used in the modeling and simulation industry and applying it to the video game industry. In 1994, three programmers built their own game studio here in Orlando. Theirs is a story of entrepreneurship and innovation. In the spirit of the theme of sports, I wanted to write about lessons that can be learned from top coaches. I am a firm believer in the importance of always being a student. There is so much we can learn from others, especially those who coach teams on a daily basis. The same ingredients for success taught by athletic coaches apply to all of us in business. Here are three of the most important:
Responsibility “If you don't want responsibility, don't sit in the big chair. To be successful, you must accept full responsibility.” — Pat Summitt Leadership is about responsibility — not only when things go as planned, but also when they do not. I was taught long ago that accepting responsibility means taking a look at the situation and evaluating if clear objectives were defined. Making excuses is just seeking to validate the issue in our own mind. Instead focus on a solution so that you can avoid that pitfall the next time. Dedication “Football is like life — it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.” — Vince Lombardi Entrepreneurs and successful business leaders commit to the hard work it takes to propel their organizations, and they sacrifice because of their dedication. Potential, responsibility and dedication are three important keys to success in any endeavor, and they are traits you will see in the business leaders and entrepreneurs whose stories we have the privilege of sharing with all of you. The leadership of our company changed last year, but the mission of the publication remains the same: to introduce you, our readers, to the most successful and innovative entrepreneurs and business leaders in the community. Their stories are inspirational, the impact they make in our community is ongoing, and we have much to learn from them. To your success,
Potential “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” — John Wooden
CEO and Publisher
Acknowledging our strengths and focusing on being our best is vitally important. Equally important is surrounding ourselves with others who possess strengths we do not. That makes for a great team.
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 11
Communication and delivery platforms continually change and evolve. The constant in that change is the power of story. Print or digital, whatever platform you use, we have a way for you to connect to that story.
Connect with us on our social media channels: Facebook
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Connect With Us
12 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
to join us in daily experiences
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From the Editor
We All Benefit from Friendly Competition
I
I’ve always been a sports fanatic. Not long ago, I realized a whole year had gone by and I hadn’t watched anything on TV besides sports and news. And that was OK with me. You never know what you’re going to find on my television. Usually hockey, basketball or football. Men’s and women’s golf. Sometimes baseball, soccer or rugby. Anything Olympics. Downhill snow skiing and snowboard halfpipe. Triple Crown horse racing. Sometimes NASCAR or Formula 1 racing. And last year, I learned to love watching darts and snooker in the UK. Sports have a way of uniting us. I realized early on that talking about sports, whether you’re an athlete yourself or not, can be a great equalizer. No matter where you go in the world, talking about sports can break the ice, even when you’re not speaking the same language. Sports cross boundaries of gender, age, mental and physical ability, profession, religion and politics. We all identify with the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. In this issue, we examine the role the sports industry plays in Orlando. People are increasingly gathering in Central Florida to take part in competitive events — everything from the traditional, like tennis and little league baseball, to the ultramodern, like monster trucks and video games. Orlando is more diverse in its offerings than almost anywhere else on the planet, thanks to places like ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney, Camping World Stadium and Amway Arena downtown, and the Orange County Convention Center, just to name a few. I was on Church Street one recent evening heading to a Solar Bears hockey game against the Florida Everblades. All of us in purple and orange jerseys were “swimming upstream” toward the Amway Arena, and a flood of purple soccer shirts approached us. The Orlando City fans were headed out of the stadium they had packed that afternoon for their season opener against New York City. We all jammed into the sports bars, where we sat elbow to elbow, united, with our heads tilted toward the
TV screens. We were cheering for the unranked University of Central Florida men’s basketball team in a close game they eventually won against the eighth-ranked Houston Cougars. Whether we were Gators, Seminoles or Hurricanes, that evening we were all Knights. During commercials, we talked about whether the brand-new Orlando Apollos football team would win their fourth game that night in Salt Lake City, where heavy snow was predicted. (They did.) We were all comrades in arms. That’s how it is with sports. And with friendly competition. Some people don’t care about basketball, but they’ll watch “Top Chef,” “Iron Chef ” or “Beat Bobby Flay” on TV all day long. Others will tune in every week to watch “Dancing with the Stars,” “America’s Got Talent,” “American Idol” or “The Voice.” And others are superfans of “The Bachelor,” “The Bachelorette” or “Survivor.” It doesn’t matter whether you’re into baking pies, growing pumpkins or buying abandoned storage units, there is a competition for you. Competitive events help us escape. Many of us are running businesses, working with nonprofits, raising families, caring for aging parents, dealing with finances, studying for degrees, taking care of houses and yards, braving weather elements … the list goes on. Anything that helps us take a healthy rest from all of these daily pressures has to be good for us, right? It only makes sense that a place known for family-friendly entertainment options would also increasingly become known for sports. People are coming to Orlando from all over the world as competitors and spectators. And the sports industry is only going to continue to grow here. That is definitely OK with me. Have a great month!
Editor-in-Chief
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 13
Business Briefs
Lockheed Martin Unveils $50 Million R&D Facility Lockheed Martin opened a $50 million, 255,000-square-foot Research & Development II facility in Orlando that will support engineering, program management and business operations for the company’s Missiles and Fire Control division. The company has created more than 1,000 local jobs since 2017 to support this facility and its others in Central Florida, with hundreds more expected over the next three to five years. “The Research & Development II facility expands our robust Florida presence and fosters significant opportunities for collaboration and innovation among our employees,” Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Executive Vice President Frank St. John said. “We will continue our strong partnerships with local and state governments, community partners and area universities to grow our business, our workforce and the critical capabilities we provide to customers worldwide." Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill, Lockheed Martin Operations Vice President Pat Sunderlin, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Executive Vice President Frank St. John, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, Orange County Commissioner Victoria Siplin, and U.S. Army Colonel Wallace Weakley.
Lockheed Martin officially broke ground for the six-story building on Feb. 14, 2018, with an aggressive goal of completing it in a year. The company’s operations support an estimated 40,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs in Florida, with work spanning 1,300 businesses and suppliers.
J&J Human Performance Institute Opens New Global HQ in Lake Nona The Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, which has been part of Orlando for almost 30 years, has doubled its teaching capacity with a new state-of-the-art global headquarters in Lake Nona Medical City. The LEEDcertified facility blends design thinking with the science of human performance in a holistic, multi-sensory approach. In an immersive course, participants learn how to perform in the face of unrelenting stress while also maintaining their health, wellbeing and sense of purpose. “Johnson & Johnson’s investment in enhancing its Human Performance Institute experience in Lake Nona is a direct reflection of our company’s purpose to profoundly change the trajectory of health for humanity,” said Lowinn Kibbey, global head of the institute. “Enabling wellbeing is central to achieving this. The short, but intensive experiences we offer at Human Performance Institute
Business 14 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
have been clinically proven to elevate wellbeing by inspiring purposeful living and fostering sustained improvements in participants’ energy levels.” Since co-founders Dr. Jim Loehr and Dr. Jack Groppel opened the doors to the first facility in the 1990s, thousands have exp er ience d science -b ase d training solutions offered by world-class behavioral, exercise and nutrition experts.
performance,” said Ernesto Quinteros, chief strategic design officer at Johnson & Johnson. “Throughout the new global headquarters, we have employed a holistic, multi-sensory design approach that sets intention, hones focus and creates meaningful experiences that promote behavior change, which our participants can call upon even after they leave the facility.”
“Based on decades of research, result s and insight s, and t r ue to Hu m a n P e r f o r m a n c e Institute’s purpose, the redesigned experience ref lects the particular combination of ‘grace’ and ‘guts’ we recognize is needed to unleash human potential and achieve peak
Innovation
Education
New UCF Cyber Innovation Lab to Train for Tech Security Jobs A Cyber Innovation Lab that opened in mid-February on the University of Central Florida campus will help meet a growing local and national need for cybersecurity talent. Lockheed Martin donated $1.5 million toward the lab to fund software and technology support, and company employees will provide cyber training and professional me nt o r i ng t o e ng i ne e r i ng students. The grand opening included a ribbon-cutting, a demonstration by UCF’s Collegiate Cyber Defense Club (Hack@UCF) and a panel discussion with U.S. military and Lockheed Martin cyber experts about technology trends and how students can prepare for a career in the growing field. The National Institute of Standards and Te chnolo g y
estimates there are more than 13,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in Florida alone. That trend is expected to continue, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting jobs for information security analysts will grow 28 percent by 2026. The 970-square-foot lab is located in UCF’s Engineering I building and will serve as a learning hub for more than 350 students participating in cyber programs at UCF. Hack@UCF, a four-time national champion in cyber competitions, will use the lab as its primary practice center. In Orlando, Lockheed Martin employs approximately 2,500 UCF graduates, with plans to expand its cyber workforce. The company’s local Cyber Solutions business grew 400 percent over the past five years.
David Maria, UCF's Collegiate Cyber Defense Club's president, showcases some of the Lockheed Martin Cyber Innovation Lab’s technology and capabilities it will bring to students as they prepare for competitions and future careers.
Correct Craft Receives Top Honor from Regional Habitat for Humanity Orlando-based recreational boat manufacturer Correct Craft has received the Walter Pharr Legacy Award for 2018, the highest honor from Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola. The award was created in 2016 to recognize an exceptional organization that partners with the local Habitat group through philanthropy, volunteerism and other vital support. It is named after a board member whose spirit and passion helped shape Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola, which provides a hand up to families in need of affordable housing. Previous recipients
include Rosen Hotels & Resorts and the Universal Orlando Foundation. “Correct Craft has been a longtime supporter of Habitat Orlando & Osceola,” said Catherine Steck McManus, the Habitat group’s president and CEO. “They have volunteered with us, donated to our mission, advocated on our behalf, and served on our board of directors and committees. They are truly a familyfocused organization that has reached out into our community to embrace Habitat homeowners and strengthen our community.”
Correct Craft President and CEO Bill Yeargin said his company’s employees h av e e n j o y e d w o r k i n g w i t h t h e organization, which requires recipient homeowners to help volunteers with construction. The prog ram allows them to pay an affordable mortgage and achieve strength, stability and self-reliance. “While our team is deeply honored to be recognized by Habitat Orlando & Osceola, we are even more pleased to be able to positively impact our community,” Yeargin said. “Philanthropy and service are two of our core values.”
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Tourism
Growth
Inspiration i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 15
Orlando’s Tech Community Converges •••••••••••••••••••••••
Digital Orlando 2019 will explore how technology and innovation will shape our culture, companies, and community.
APRIL 10, 2019 Learn More & Register at www.DigitalOrlando.co
YOU’RE INVITED TO JA INSPIRE, Junior Achievement of Central Florida’s annual hands-on, interactive career exploration program for nearly 3,500 8th grade students from Osceola County. This is an opportunity to engage students with your company as we showcase Central Florida careers from regional businesses, non-profits, government, and educational organizations.
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF CENTRAL FLORIDA’S 2ND ANNUAL JA INSPIRE KICKS OFF
APRIL 11, 2019 WHY JA INSPIRE By participating in JA Inspire, you can: • Provide career practice for area youth.
• Inspire nearly 3,500 8th grade students to become workforce-ready in time to plan their coursework for high school. • Share career pathways for high growth, high need industries and careers from our region through interactive exhibits. • Engage with your future talent pipeline!
WHAT JA ALUMNI SAY
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
• 1 in 5 work in the same field as their JA volunteer or mentor.
JA Inspire needs Career Station sponsors to:
• 1 in 3 credit JA with influencing their career decision.
• Fund student participation including transportation and curriculum. • Exhibit and mentor visiting students at career stations.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact: Kathy Panter | 407.270.4960 | kpanter@jacentralfl.org
A Winning Formula
ORLANDO SCORES BIG WITH NEW APOLLOS AAF TEAM By Diane Sears
W
hen the new Alliance of American Football announced it was starting a professional spring league team in Orlando with iconic Coach Steve Spurrier at the helm, the news sent ripples of excitement through Central Florida. In its first game, just six days after the Super Bowl, the team of 52 athletes beat the Atlanta Legends on its home turf, the Spectrum Stadium on the University of Central Florida campus. After five straight wins, it became clear the Orlando Apollos were the team to beat. Behind the excitement of a new football squad in a new league, there has been another team hard at work. The 30 people in the front office have been tasked with making sure the Orlando Apollos organization
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assimilates into the community, sells tickets, brings in sponsors, supports local causes and creates a favorable reputation for all of AAF football year-round. The man behind that tall order is Mike Waddell, president of the Orlando Apollos. Ask Waddell how a guy who worked with NASCAR in North Carolina was the one to get the call from a recruiter to be the leader of the operation in Orlando, and he shrugs. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just lucky,” he says, grinning. “I’m a fan with a really cool seat as the team president. … I could not be more thrilled to be working with General Manager Tim Ruskell and Head Coach Steve Spurrier. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to work with these guys.”
Waddell’s sports broadcasting background comes out when he recites the stats about Spurrier’s 50-year career: “We are very, very blessed to be aligned with the Head Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier, a former Heisman Trophy winner, a Florida football legend as a player and as a coach. To have him as
the face of the team has been an incredible bonus for what we’re trying to build here in Orlando. “His first year as the quarterback of the Gators was in 1964. He went through his playing career there, winning the Heisman Trophy there. He’s been the head coach there. He was head coach also at Duke University, University of South Carolina, the Tampa Bay Bandits in the USFL. He also played in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. He was also the head coach of the Washington Redskins in the NFL. And now he’s the head coach of the Orlando Apollos. “In terms of that type of background, it would be accurate to say he is as high profile as anyone in the league,” Waddell said. “It brings immediate credibility and name recognition to The Alliance and the Apollos.” The team’s general manager also brings prestige to the Orlando franchise,
Waddell said. Ruskell has worked with the NFL in several high-level leadership positions for teams including the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans, where he held titles including president/general manager, director of player personnel and director of college scouting. He spent his teen years in the Tampa Bay area and graduated from the University of South Florida.
Good Football When Waddell started his job at the end of August 2018, he was a staff of one. Since then, he has built the front office team hire by hire. “So, our football team has only been together for 59 days, and our off-the-field team has been together maybe 90 days,” he said. “When you look at that, it really is incredible. Everybody has come together and worked very hard.”
Steve Spurrier I AM CERTAINLY GLAD THE ALLIANCE OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL MADE ORLANDO ONE OF ITS CHARTER TEAMS. WE’RE COMMITTED TO MAKING PEOPLE FEEL THAT AS SOON AS THE SUPER BOWL IS OVER, IT’S NOT THE MOST DEPRESSING DAY OF THE YEAR ANYMORE. — Mike Waddell
Mike Waddell i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 19
It has been an interesting assignment selling a sport that is familiar but somewhat different. The AAF, which has eight charter teams, issued a set of rules that makes the game distinct from that of the NFL or other leagues. In addition to learning the new rules, the players and coaches have gone through additional challenges. Because of a glitch in Florida’s workers compensation rules, the team has spent part of the season staying in Jacksonville and driving over the state line into Georgia for daily practices. “I am certainly glad The Alliance of American Football made Orlando one of its charter teams,” Waddell said. “We’re committed to making people feel that as soon as the Super Bowl is over, it’s not the most depressing day of the year anymore. … They wanted to make sure in year one that, above all else, the football is good.” It’s up to Waddell’s crew to make sure Apollos fan have a good experience every time they come into contact with the team. “Every day, we can’t forget who we’re here for, and that’s the fans,” he said. “We’re aware we are a brand-new organization, so we’ll have things that will go well and we’ll have things that need to be improved. But we’re committed to listening to the fans.”
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I’M A FAN WITH A REALLY COOL SEAT AS THE TEAM PRESIDENT. — Mike Waddell
Why Orlando? Central Florida was ripe for an AAF team, Waddell said, because it loves sports. Especially football. He names all the different events Orlando hosts — everything from college bowl games to the NFL Pro Bowl to high school games and adult flag football leagues. “It’s a great town with great weather — an outstanding sports town,” he said. “When you look at the success 30 years ago of the Orlando Magic launching, and then the Solar Bears and what Orlando City Soccer has done … it’s a great sports town and deserving of a football team. We’re excited to fill that void.”
Why Orlando?
About half of the Apollos team members have played college football for teams Central Florida was ripe for an AAF including the UCF Knights, the Florida Gators, team, Waddell said, because it loves the Florida State Seminoles, the Miami sports. Especially football. He names all Hurricanes and the Bethunethe different events Orlando hosts — Cookman Wildcats. everything from college bowl games to the NFL “We have guys who were known to the Pro Bowl to high school games and adult fandom here,” Waddell said. “They’re football flag excited not only to see Coach Spurrier but football leagues. also to engage with these former collegiate stars from the state of Florida and have them “It’s a great town with great weather all said. be united here on one team as Apollos.” — an outstanding sports town,” he “When you look at the success 30 years A 30-year veteran of professional and ago of the Orlando Magic launching, and college sports, Waddell had spent the then the Solar Bears and what Orlando City previous two years as vice president at Soccer has done … it’s a great sports town Richmond Raceway, a Virginia track that and deserving of a football team. We’re hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup excited to fill that void.” Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
The Apollos roster includes 29 men who Working on only two events a year was a have played college football for teams shock to the system for someone who was including the UCF Knights, the Florida in college athletics for 28 years and had Gators, the Florida State Seminoles, the games on his schedule 46 weekends a year, he Miami Hurricanes and the Bethune-Cookman said, laughing. Wildcats.
“I don’t know what it’s like to “We have guys who were known to the football fandom here,” Waddellslow said. down,” Waddell said. “I enjoy “They’re excited not only to see Coach being manically busy. I need a Spurrier but also to engage with these frenetic pace to keep me on track. former collegiate stars from the state of That’s why I think this was such a Florida and have them all be united here on one team as Apollos.” strong match with The Alliance and what A 30-year veteran of professional and we’re doing here in Orlando.” college sports, Waddell had spent the Like Spurrier and Ruskell, Waddell came to previous two years as vice president at Orlando with a long list of credentials in the Richmond Raceway, a Virginia track that sports world. He started off as a radio and hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup television broadcaster with the University of Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. North Carolina at Chapel Hill and continued in similar Working on only two events a year was aroles at the University of Virginia, shock to the system for someoneAppalachian who was State University and the U.S. Military in college athletics for 28 years and had Academy. At Towson University in Baltimore, games on his schedule 46 weekends a year, he oversaw the construction of a new $62 million multipurpose arena and he said, laughing. negotiated the 10-year, $4.75 million naming rights deal. He also worked in executive “I don’t know what it’s like to slow down,” athletic leadership positions at the University Waddell said. “I enjoy being manically busy. I need a frenetic pace to keep me of onIllinois, track. University of Arkansas, University That’s why I think this was such aofstrong Cincinnati and University of Akron. match with the Alliance and what we’re Waddell comes by his love of sports doing here in Orlando.” naturally. His father started taking him to Like Spurrier and Ruskell, Waddellfootball came togames when he was not even 9 Orlando with a long list of credentials in the months old. His career started when he was sports world. He started off as a radio and grade in North Carolina, where in seventh television broadcaster with the Why his Why father, a business attorney, worked with
several NASCAR drivers. Waddell helped NASCAR champion Ned Jarrett on his nationally syndicated radio program, making copies of tapes. His challenge in Orlando will be to get the Apollos involved in the community even in the off-season. The team is already engaging with nonprofits including Special Olympics and the Boys and Girls Clubs. “We’re looking forward to being engaged throughout the year,” Waddell said. “This is a long-term commitment from The Alliance of American Football to be here in Orlando.”
Here to Stay Waddell had visited Orlando numerous times for sporting events and conferences. But even that didn’t prepare him for what he’d find in Central Florida as part of the Apollos organization. “So, I knew about Orlando, but I’ll tell you, it’s overwhelming when you get here and see the true spirit of the people,” he said. “I was blown away. And I’m not talking about sports now, I’m just talking about in general. Everyone I’ve met has been incredibly welcoming, from the government folks to the fans, to business and corporate leaders. “It’s a world class city and so deserving of all the accolades it gets. I think sometimes people know Orlando just for the entertainment element and don’t know about the true heart of the people. For someone who has lived in a variety of different places across the nation, it is a welcome change and something I feel blessed to be a part of.” He quickly switches gears from sports to entertainment and can already rattle off his favorite restaurants, movie theaters and performances at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center. It’s easy to get into the community as a newcomer, he said, because Orlando feels like “a really big small town.” “The rest of the nation could take a lesson from what’s going on in Orlando and try to replicate this,” he said. “The world would be a much better place if there were more Orlandos out there.” P
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 21
TEAM SPIRIT
GO Sports Rallies the Region to Attract Marquee Events By Diane Sears
L
ike so many kids, Jason Siegel grew up with the dream of becoming a professional athlete. Like so many adults, he eventually realized that wasn’t going to happen. So he did the next-best thing: He found another career in sports. He majored in economics in college and turned down a finance job in New York City, instead opting to work in the Hartford Whalers National Hockey League organization for a fraction of the salary he would’ve made. He wasn’t in it for the money. Today, as the CEO and president of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission since 2016, Siegel has been in the industry 32 years and he’s still excited every day about going to work. He heads up a team of 10 people who collaborate with organizations all over the region to bring marquee sports events to Central Florida. The goal is to help boost the economy in a region that is increasingly becoming known for sports as well as entertainment. Rebranded in October 2018 from the Central Florida Sports Commission, the nonprofit founded 27 years ago now goes by the nickname GO Sports. Siegel explained the logic behind the change. “The first question when you presented yourself as the Central Florida Sports Commission was, ‘Where is that? Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Lakeland?’ The second question was, ‘Who do you represent?’ Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties and the City of Orlando. We’ve eliminated the first question.”
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But the smaller events in the Orlando area also add up for big economic impact — everything from the USA Canoe & Kayak Nationals to high school lacrosse spring training to collegiate golf. Since 1993, GO Sports has hosted or co-hosted more than 1,200 events with a total economic impact exceeding $1.4 billion in direct spending.
Future Growth
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and GO Sports CEO Jason Siegel
The rebranding has done exactly what the commission and its board of directors hoped it would do, he said. “We know how strong the Orlando brand is and how recognizable it is. Obviously, we wanted our brand to reflect that positive perception of Orlando.”
Versatile Offerings With the slogan “Terrain for every game,” GO Sports has been positioning Orlando as a place that can host nearly any kind of sporting event. One of the biggest would be World Cup Soccer by FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Orlando was one of nine U.S. cities to host the 15th FIFA World Cup in 1994 and still counts that as one of its crowning achievements. Orlando is in the running to be one of 23 North American cities that host the 2026 event. FIFA accepted a joint bid from the U.S., Canada and Mexico in June 2018 and is narrowing down the host cities to three in Canada, three in Mexico and 10 in the U.S. Orlando, with a capacity of 68,000 at Camping World Stadium, wants to be one of them.
Siegel recently traveled to Colorado Springs to meet with Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the U.S. Olympics Committee. He was proud to talk about ongoing developments that will make Orlando even more appealing as a host for Olympic sports: the Orlando International Airport expansion, additions to the Orange County Convention Center, the planned Orlando Magic Sports and Entertainment District project, the downtown joint campus under construction for the University of Central Florida and Valencia College, and others. “The list goes on and on,” Siegel said. “When you’re able to talk about our future growth with site selectors and event organizers, they just light up.” There are opportunities Orlando couldn’t have imagined 15 years ago because of efforts by major stakeholders in the community. He cited the Orlando venues initiative, which included construction of the Amway Center arena and the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center and the renovation of Camping World Stadium. He also pointed to Visit Orlando, the theme parks and other tourism partners that led to Orlando being named in 2018 the most visited destination in the U.S. with 72 million visitors annually. “When you bid on Wrestlemania or the World Cup or a national football championship, it’s not just about the venue,” Siegel said. “It’s also about locations for a training site, it’s about hospitality at the convention center or the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center. It’s about all of our assets, along with a robust tourism community and 120,000 hotel rooms and the collaboration with the hotel and lodging association and our wonderful airport.”
For now, Siegel and his team are excited about several other marquee events that are booked in Orlando:
The Monster Jam World Finals are May 10-11 at Camping World Stadium, the first venue in a new rotating schedule for the annual event. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 men’s and women’s tennis championships May 16-25 are at the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) facility in Lake Nona for the first time. The Major League Soccer All-Star Game takes place July 31 at Orlando City Stadium, a first since the Orlando City Lions debuted in 2015.
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 23
OUR NO. 1 PRIORITY IS FOR ALL SPORTS ENTITIES TO SUCCEED IN THIS COMMUNITY — Jason Siegel
The Rise of Esports Orlando was the first region outside of Los Angeles to host the Call of Duty World League Championship at the Amway Center in 2017. Considered the Super Bowl of video game events, the fifth annual event brought in 32 four-member esports teams to compete for $1.5 million in prize money. Since then, Full Sail University in Orlando has invested in a $6 million, 11,200-square-foot arena called “The Fortress” with room for 500 spectators. GO Sports has led a regional task force on esports that held its fourth meeting in February. “When you have access to numerous regional sports organizations and conceptualize their roles, we see our role as the glue to help bring these entities together to have important strategic conversations as a community,” Siegel said. “We’re talking about the size and scope of bandwidth and capacity we need in our facilities. We’re talking about education – at what level do we need to have conversations about curriculum so that if UCF and Valencia and Full Sail are offering certain majors, do we start to introduce that conversation at the middle school and high school levels?”
Community Focus Ask Siegel his favorite sport, and he laughs. That would be like asking him to choose which of his four children he loves the best. “Our No. 1 priority is for all sports entities to succeed in this community,” he said. “At the commission, we root hard for everybody. Whether it’s an established franchise like the Magic or City Soccer or a brand-new franchise like the Orlando Apollos, we want to see everyone succeed.” He’ll always have a soft spot in his heart for hockey, he said. He spent much of his career in the National Hockey League working with the New Jersey Devils as part of a conglomerate with the New Jersey Nets basketball team and the New York Yankees baseball organization. In 2011, he was one of the investors who brought the defunct Solar Bears minor league hockey team back to life after an 11-year hiatus with the slogan “Out of hibernation.” The DeVos family bought the team in 2017 and incorporated it into the fold of the Orlando Magic organization. He’s happy to be in Central Florida, where he and his wife, Sarah, are raising their family. When he’s not working or serving on one of numerous community boards, Siegel is the assistant coach of the Winter Park Little League Dodgers, a team that includes his 10-year-old son. “I love our community,” Siegel said. “This is a community that treated us incredibly well when we brought the Solar Bears here in 2011. It’s a community where you can be incredibly successful because of how collaborative and inclusive we are at all levels, whether it’s public or private. There’s such a great story to tell. … If you’re here to contribute, this community will welcome you.” P 24 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
Metro Orlando Boy Scout gOLDEN EAgLE DINNER cHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE
Mayor Jerry Demings Orange County DINNER HONOREE
Camp. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Presented By:
Leadership Team Jeff Jennings Jack Jennings & Sons, Inc. DINNER CHAIRMAN
Save the Date
Mayor Buddy Dyer City of Orlando MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Sheriff John Mina Orange County MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 Amway Center 400 W. Church Street, Orlando, FL 32801 | Reception 6 p.m. Dinner 7 p.m. To RSVP and/or Donate Online, please go to: MgE.CFLSCOUTINg.ORg For additional information contact, Nancy Mireles: Nancy.Mireles@cflscouting.org or call 407.790.6325
Dinner Sponsors:
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Pride to Soar Under New Leadership By Meaghan Branham
O
n April 14, the Orlando Pride women’s soccer team will kick off its fourth season with a match against the Portland Thorns — a game that will mark not only the first of the new year, but the first under new leadership.
In January, the Pride announced a new coaching team that includes Marc Skinner as its newly appointed head coach, Carl Green as the assistant coach and Lloyd Yaxley as the goalkeeper coach. Skinner and Green’s ability to combine their skills and lead a team to victory has already been tested and proven in their previous positions: Both are joining the Orlando City Major League Soccer (MLS) operation having made the leap from across the pond, where they previously worked with the Birmingham City Ladies Football Club in the United Kingdom. Skinner served as manager, leading the team with his clear vision of both the ultimate goal and the style with which he believes his team should get there. The two have already shown their complimentary leadership styles have the power to unite a team and lead its players to victory. Their introduction to Central Florida is yet another opportunity to raise the stakes, this time with new challenges that could mean greater payoff. In an interview with Orlando-Pride.com, Skinner expressed how his time with his previous team prepared him for the City Beautiful: “We built something special at Birmingham that I was going to continue, but it was this project that replicated one of the biggest challenges for me. I look at the values of the Pride and Orlando City SC in general and they are almost identical to Birmingham but on a grander scale. I think the biggest word that comes out of me is the ‘challenge’ of the project because I think we can be the best.”
That faith in the roster he inherits, in both talent and a commitment to continuously improve, comes with high expectations for each player — expectations that will determine the first steps in their new journey. “I will assess all of the players,” he said. “I’ll work with the players to see the key ingredients needed and the details needed to take the vision that I see forward. If that needs changing, I’m not scared to change that but, at first, I want to get to know the people. I want to get to know the players.” Skinner approaches his teams with an emphasis on not just the game, but on the character of his players — even calling it the “secret to coaching.” This proves to not only be successful, but to make perfect sense in the grander scheme of his coaching philosophy. “We have some of the world’s best players, and we have to build the team mentality to support that,” he said. “Everyone will have to do their part within the team because it doesn’t matter how good you are as an individual, if you don’t play as a team you aren’t going to win anything.” Ultimately, that win is still the team’s main goal. But for Skinner and Green, the way they win is just as crucial, and far more important to the legacy of the Pride and the entire National Women’s Soccer League. Skinner said his emphasis will be on his tenets of “control, manipulation and entertainment,” but there is also a surprising emphasis on another word: style. “There’s still an element that we need to turn this into a winning team, but I want to do it with style,” he said. “I have to get this team fighting for the same goal and, for me, that is winning. It’s being successful, but it’s also doing it with character and charisma. It’s winning with quality.” P
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TACKLING
CANCER Sports and Medicine Team Up for The Cure Bowl By Meaghan Branham
On the third Saturday every December since 2015, about 20,000 people file into the stands of Camping World Stadium for a college football game that might be easy to mistake for any other — if it weren’t for one bright pastel exception.
Here, the sea of sports fans is united by a vibrant pink, replacing what otherwise might be a crowd divided by the colors of team or sponsor allegiances. This is the AutoNation Cure Bowl, and the name says it all. This National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) game between teams from the American Athletic Conference and the Sunbelt Conference puts finding a cure for breast cancer first. The game’s history dates back to 2007, when the board of directors for the nonprofit Orlando Sports Foundation first came together to host a college bowl match-up in Orlando. Senior Director Alan Gooch and his peers wanted to be sure their bowl would bring something lasting and meaningful to the community they all loved so much. It all started when Dave Brown of ESPN called former University of Central Florida Athletic Director Keith Tribble, who had previously served as CEO of the Orange Bowl, about adding another bowl
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game to the Orlando market. One thing led to another, and former UCF football coach Alan Gooch was brought into the conversation. At an exploratory meeting, John Rhodes suggested he would like a new bowl game to raise money for breast cancer awareness. His sister, Laura Goldstein, had been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Gooch had entered the meeting unconvinced of a need for a third college bowl game in Orlando. Today, he looks back at how this sobering news, and the words of other women in similar fights, sparked the moment of conviction about how the bowl would be handled — and how it would help. “There were five women at the meeting with Laura, all with bandanas on their heads,” Gooch said. “I quickly learned that all five women were in the middle of undergoing chemo and fighting for their lives. They came up to me and we began talking.
Bringing Teams Together
“As they spoke about the potential of the bowl, I was thinking about the realities of the facts — the work to acquire TV and conference agreements, securing a title sponsor, how much time this was going to take — making excuses in my mind.” Then Gooch was struck by a much harsher reality. “As I was standing there — actually half-listening to them — I remember one of the women, who I now know as Susan Makowski, leaning in, locking eyes with me to get my full attention. She said, ‘Well, coach, I can see you have a lot going on. However, I can tell you this: Cancer takes no holiday.’ Right then I felt if there was going to be a third bowl, it had to be about that. The cause had to be first, not as an aside.” The next day, he told his collaborators, “If we put the cause first, I am in.”
OF THE $3.6 MILLION RAISED SINCE THE START OF THE CURE BOWL, $1.2 MILLION HAS GONE TO KHALED’S RESEARCH. THE FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTES THE REMAINDER NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.
The mission statement that was created back in 2014 came easily. Kennan Burch, who is now fighting cancer himself, led sponsors and board members in a group branding session. It was decided the mission would be “Bringing teams together to find a cure for cancer.” The teams would include those both on and off the field. Those on the field were fighting for a championship win for their college. Those off the field were fighting for life. The organization’s first partnership was with a foundation dedicated to a cure, with a mission matching that of the Orlando Sports Foundation. “We really want to solve the root of the problem,” Gooch said. “Research is the only path to that solution, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation donates 91 percent of its proceeds directly to research. They also have an outstanding science board that vets all researchers and has benchmarks i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 29
for the researchers to meet to receive funding. We liked the integrity of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.” Central Florida proved rich in resources for the mission. It soon came to Gooch’s attention through a UCF Pegasus magazine article titled “UCF’s Cancer Assassin” that some of the research the organization was so excited about supporting was being conducted at UCF.
Pre-Game
“We introduced the ‘Cancer Assassin’ UCF professor and cancer division head, Dr. Annette Khaled, to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which approved her as one of the researchers they would fund,” Gooch said. Of the $3.6 million raised since the start of The Cure Bowl, $1.2 million has gone to Khaled’s research. The foundation distributes the remainder nationally and internationally. “We are working to understand the normal processes in the body so we can get a better understanding of how cancer subverts those processes and go from there,” Khaled said. “The big need is in metastatic cancers, or cancers that spread throughout the body. What we’ve discovered in our lab has great applications for these stage 4 and stage 3 cancers.”
Right Time, Right Place
Survivors
“There is an energy in this area,” Khaled said of Central Florida. “Everyone is so entrepreneurial, so willing to take risks and try something new. People may often be very skeptical of new discoveries, but here I’ve found they are more willing to try new things — and that’s how we’re going to advance.” The Cure Bowl and its partners are exactly the kind of forward thinkers for the job. Along with title sponsor AutoNation and early presenting sponsor AdventHealth, other sponsors have proved to be passionate crusaders in the fight to find a cure, and the community has thrown its support behind the cause. “It takes an army to put on these types of events, including those who serve on our board and our advisory board,” Gooch said. “There are also companies that have gone above and beyond.”
Halftime
AutoNation alone has donated $3.3 million to the Cure Bowl since 2015 through its nationwide Drive Pink campaign — and that is on top of its title sponsorship of the game. Softwash Systems, a company that cleans roofs and building exteriors, has raised $103,000 for the Cure Bowl in three years. The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association raised $17,000 in its own golf tournament, and JA Edwards of America roofing and repair company donated $15,000 this past year.
Cure Bowl UCF Cancer Lab
The cash and in-kind donations that come from those and many other organizations help cover the expenses of the event, allowing the Orlando Sports Foundation to donate more of the money raised to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. With an event of this scale, every act of generosity helps lower the cost and allow more of the money raised to be funneled into the cause. This helps strengthen the hope of those doing the fighting. And no matter who scores highest in the football game, everybody wins. P 30 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
Building an
All-St r
Lineup S E P Y T e t e l h At Helps Draft Winning Teamoulstas By Elyssa C
T
en seconds left. You have the ball at the 17-yard line. That’s two shots into the end zone. If you catch this ball in-play, you’ve got to either get out of bounds or you’ve got to score. Brady to the end zone. And that’s Thompkins with a touchdown! F
That moment from a New England Patriots game against the New Orleans Saints in the 2012 NFL season was one of many that helped establish quarterback Tom Brady as an icon. His expert play-calling and precision passing have made him one of the most well-known names in American football. Before Brady was named Super Bowl MVP and league MVP twice, before he led the Patriots to 11 division titles and six Super Bowls, before he launched an NFL career that has spanned 19 seasons so far, Brady had trouble standing out. The University of Michigan quarterback didn’t receive much attention from pro scouts. He was the 199th player chosen in the 2000 draft, when the Patriots took a chance on him and picked him up in the sixth round. The Patriots had intel on Brady’s higher-level characteristics that indicated he had potential to become a star player. The team worked with
Drafting the Play Established in 2017 and housed at a University of Central Florida Business Incubator in Orlando, AthleteTypes operates on the premise that the right team can accomplish more than one great individual. The company uses people-centric science, proprietary psychometric assessments and predictive analytics to help individuals and teams reach their full potential. Its user-specific reports deliver metrics that help companies and teams look past tangible characteristics and understand the je ne sais quoi of personality types. “One of my greatest ironies is that I know very little about sports,” Bates said. “I’ve learned through osmosis and being in this environment, but I’m more so interested in the science of sports and team psychology.” Bates got his start in the information technology department at Disney, working as a business intelligence strategist. His focus was delivering the right information to the right people at the right time. 32 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
AthleteTypes co-founder Dr. Robert Troutwine and were early adopters of the Troutwine Athletic Profile (TAP) assessment, an online test that identifies players’ intangible characteristics such as leadership, grit and mindset. This blueprint of Brady’s qualities signified to Bill Belichick, head coach of the Patriots, that Brady had room to grow and was the right type of player for the team. “In draft player evaluations, Belichick looks for diamonds in the rough. He looks for people with room to grow their development to see if they’d be a good fit and coachable players,” said Sterling Bates, co-founder and chief technology officer of AthleteTypes. “Ninety percent of success in sports is mental. Belichick understands that and uses our tool to figure out how to get the most out of his players.”
“After 10 years, it became clear that many of the challenges we encountered had less to do with technology and more to do with this other thing: people,” Bates said. He shifted his focus toward psychology and the structure of teambuilding. He left Disney to become an entrepreneur. As Bates built his business, he realized he needed to form his own award-winning lineup. He met cofounders Troutwine, a prominent sports psychologist with more than 30 years of experience working in pro sports and with other elite organizations such as the U.S. Navy SEALs and Ford Motor Company, and Robert Pike, a former football player, technology company veteran and lawyer. “It was just one of those things where all of our forces combined were much more powerful than they were independent,” Bates said. “That realization was the impetus to join us all together.” Beyond generating a detailed report on intangible characteristics, AthleteTypes offers deep intel and actionable
techniques to improve a player’s performance and mindset.
“In many ways, we don’t see ourselves as an assessment company,” Bates said. “While certainly we are famous for our assessment, in reality, that's not where we see our value. That's the starting point. “Consider Google Maps or your GPS. The first thing that measures is where you are — your longitude and latitude. So that, to us, is the assessment. But you have to know where you’re trying to go or what you’re trying to accomplish. The value comes not from the data, but from actually changing people’s lives by helping each person on a team know how to best be successful.”
Equity in Action Major league baseball team the Kansas City Royals uses the assessment and online sports psychology courses to hire the right players along with teams representing 10 professional leagues including the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, the National
We’re training America’s next set of business leaders, but we’re delivering it through sports training and development. — Sterling Bates
Hockey League and Major League Soccer. The Mayo Clinic, Ford Motor Company and Navy SEALs use the assessment as well. The metrics apply to individuals and teams across any industry, economic background and age range. Individuals can take a free version of the TAP assessment online at no cost. This provides useful analytics to the individual and adds to the TAP database. “One of the things we're aware of is that there are many athletes in the world who don't have a lot of money,” Bates said. “We felt very strongly that some of our goal was to help individuals, mainly high school students, no matter what their economic background.” A paid feature referred to as the “mental gym” acts as a personal, ondemand sports psychologist. It allows users to embark on a journey of selfimprovement through a series of courses. “It turns out that many of the mental skills an athlete uses are the same mental skills that your therapist might recommend,” Bates said. “How do you improve your resilience? How do you
improve your grit? How do you go help yourself be more productive?” Instilling beneficial mental skills, particularly in high school students, is one of AthleteTypes’ missions. “There’s a statistic that some 95 percent of CEOs played sports in college or high school,” Bates said. “So, in many ways, we’re training America’s next set of business leaders, but we’re delivering it through sports training and development.” P
ONE OF MY GREATEST IRONIES IS THAT I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT SPORTS. I’VE LEARNED THROUGH OSMOSIS AND BEING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, BUT I’M MORE SO INTERESTED IN THE SCIENCE OF SPORTS AND TEAM PSYCHOLOGY. — STERLING BATES
TAKE
with Official tourism association for America’s most-visited destination.
DISTRICT APPEAL Key Stats on the Magic’s Planned Entertainment District Downtown
$200 Million+ Cost to build
8.4 Acres Size of complex property
7
Rooms slated for luxury hotel
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How the Orlando Magic use global marketing to grow their fan base, and bring attention to our destination. Q&A with Charlie Freeman
President of Business Operations, Orlando Magic
T
Stories of office space
250
Scoring Points with Visitors
200,000 Square feet
raveling may be a violation in the rules of basketball, but it’s a win for growing Orlando’s profile as a sports destination. The globetrotting Orlando Magic use their platform to tell Orlando’s story and invite fans to discover the area’s array of world-class athletic venues. We recently spoke with Charlie Freeman about those initiatives — and the latest on the Magic’s emerging entertainment district in downtown Orlando.
How do the Magic demonstrate leadership in sports-tourism marketing? We travel around the world talking about sports, the Magic and Orlando as a whole. We’ve also tapped into the global brand of the NBA, which has established a presence in 215 countries and built one of the world’s largest social media communities. Our goal is to capture that fan base and tap into their interest in traveling to Orlando for an NBA game.
President and CEO of Visit Orlando
How does sports play into Orlando's identity as a destination? Orlando’s tourism industry saw the vision for creating venues that attract world-class events. Now, with our beautiful facilities, we can be an entry point for visitors who perhaps have never been in an NBA arena. This is a tremendous asset as we look to grow the game around the world. When Orlando hosted the NBA All-Star game in 2012, we had a $100 million economic impact. These are excellent opportunities for visitors to see what Orlando has to offer.
Orlando’s brand gets an assist from the Magic
GEORGE AGUEL
A WINNING COMBINATION
S
ports have a remarkable ability to unite and inspire people from all walks of life. The Orlando Magic have done an excellent job tapping into that spirit among basketball’s global fan base, and these efforts have only enriched Orlando’s already well-loved brand.
In December, Visit Orlando traveled with the Magic to Mexico City for a pair of games, engaging with key tour operators to raise awareness and generate exposure for our destination. Visit Orlando and the Magic have also teamed up during road trips to London and Rio de Janeiro.
How has Visit Orlando been part of growing global awareness of Orlando's sports assets? Visit Orlando has played an integral role in bringing attention to Orlando’s sports brands and telling our community’s story. Their efforts help us with everything from merchandising and ticket sales to growing our social following. When the Magic traveled to play in Mexico City and London recently, Visit Orlando was right by our side, engaging with key tour operators to generate even more exposure for our city. Their commitment, along with our local leaders, players and staff, are helping us forge Orlando’s identity as a leading sports destination. How is work progressing on the Orlando Magic’s Entertainment Complex? At this stage, momentum is building quickly. We’re finalizing the design, we’ve hired a commercial partner to help us procure office tenants, and we’re seeking retail tenants. Once the design phase is completed, we will have a better idea of the construction commencement and timeline. What do you envision the complex providing for visitors to Orlando? In addition to our corporate headquarters, the design includes Class A office space, multifamily residences, a first-class hotel with meeting and event space, and plenty of dining options with a vibrant central events plaza. The development will have a major focus on technology and sustainability, helping it stand out from other sports entertainment districts in the country.
As Charlie Freeman points out in his Q&A, when we create top-notch venues, events and entertainment experiences, it’s a win for our economy. It also wields a significant impact by showing visitors a new side of Orlando — which broadens our destination’s overall appeal. When the Magic team up with Visit Orlando on their road trips to key international markets such as the UK, Brazil and Mexico, together we engage with tour operators and other travel professionals to bring further exposure to our destination. It’s all part of Visit Orlando's efforts to keep visitors coming back in record numbers. Whether you’re here for a professional sporting event or one of our many large-scale amateur athletic competitions, Orlando offers something for everyone. We truly are America’s best destination for combining recreation and family entertainment — and with our steadily increasing portfolio of unique attractions and exciting venues, there’s no shortage of magic to go around.
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 35
LENDING A Hand With spring here and summer right around the corner, many people are preparing to take the leap and buy a home. According to Realtor.com, warmer months mean more activity for buyers in the market, with 50 percent of homes sold in the summer. For those beginning their search, the excitement might be eclipsed by the stress of navigating
Your Lender Can... Help You Raise Your Credit Score
new financial questions in need of answers. Instead of turning to a quick web search or the advice of friends and family outside of the industry, seeking the guidance of a lender has the power to save time and money — and to make sure that even a big financial decision doesn’t have to be a difficult one. At Shelter Mortgage, the team of lenders is passionate about empowering buyers to get the most for their dollars. From the first loan discussions to the closing table and even beyond, Shelter Mortgage is dedicated to being at the buyer’s side every step of the way, there to answer and ask the right questions.
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Your credit score is a numerical expression of your credit history, used by banks and lenders to predict the likelihood of loans being paid back in the future. It is often determined by payment history, amounts owed, length of history and credit types. Your lender can help you perform a credit score review and work with you to understand which actions can affect it and which loan products might be available to you. A credit review with your lender covers: Factors that may be negatively impacting your credit score: These can include closed accounts, credit activity, and debt-to-income ratio, along with other things may have lowered your credit score without you realizing it. Which debts to pay down: A careful examination will show any debts that can be paid down quickly to help raise your number. Negotiating a higher credit limit with your creditors: A larger gap between your balance and your limit can help increase your score. There are plenty of other factors that can affect your score, and each person’s circumstances are different. A lender can help you take a look at your particular circumstances and get creative to figure out what option might work best for you. A review and an honest discussion with a mortgage loan professional might even help you raise your score in a much shorter time than anticipated.
Help You Understand Your Buying Power Knowing your buying power will help you go into your home search with a clear idea of which properties are in your price range. Your buying power is affected by your credit score, debt-to-income ratio, down payment and assets, including savings and investments, all of which a lender can help you determine. Your buying power may be affected by:
Home equity:
There may be equity in your home that can be used for debt reduction, which can then help strengthen your debt-to-income ratio and increase your buying power. Knowing what you have in equity may also help you to determine what home you may be able to afford if that property was sold.
Refinancing loans:
A review of each of your existing loans can help determine which can be refinanced, to help them better align with your credit goals, dropping your monthly payment and leading to a better purchase limit.
Having a co-borrower:
Having another person added to the mortgage may help you qualify for loans that otherwise may be unavailable because of a low debt-to-income ratio.
Opportunities you may not have thought of:
Sometimes, your lender can shed light on options you might not have considered. Simple things like asking for a raise at work a bit early, or gifts that may be coming your way soon from relatives, can be counted among income and assets, and help you qualify for new loans. i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 37
Empower You on Your Path to Your Dream Home The good news is that on the path to buying a new home there are plenty of chances to make sure you get the best possible deal. However, with all of the possible product options, financial plans and steps along the way, going it alone leaves too much at risk and may leave you feeling in the dark. It doesn’t cost anything to apply, or to seek out the advice of a mortgage professional like those at Shelter. Its lenders are armed with years of expertise and industry knowledge that they carefully leverage for each buyer and are passionate about open and thorough communication to make sure buyers feel empowered in their search. Your lender can illuminate paths to the dream of homeownership and guide you along step by step. You may be pleasantly surprised to learn you are closer than you think to becoming a homeowner.
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Working with you and for you to find the best mortgage. After you’ve found your dream home, let Shelter Mortgage Company provide the dream loan. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer, looking to buy your next home, or refinancing, your satisfaction is our #1 priority. • Lots of options for low down payments on our Conventional, VA, USDA, FHA, and even Jumbo loans • Renovation Loans: Facilitate home improvements • Jumbo loans up to $3M • Construction-to-Permanent Financing • Qualify with Less-Than-Perfect Credit
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407.897.6656 sheltermortgageorlando.com 408 East Ridgewood St. Orlando, FL 32803
KENT WINKELSETH 407-765-3810 WINK4LOANS.COM
YARI FUMERO 407-897-6656 WINK4LOANS.COM
ROLANDO GARCIA 321-961-8106 GARCIAHOMEMORTGAGE.COM
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© 2018 Shelter Mortgage Company, L.L.C. All Rights Reserved. This communication does not constitute a commitment to lend or the guarantee of a specified interest rate. All loan programs and availability of cash proceeds are subject to credit, underwriting and property approval. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions apply. Shelter Mortgage Company, L.L.C, 4000 W. Brown Deer Road, Brown Deer, WI 53209. Corp NMLS#431223 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). 408 East Ridgewood St. Orlando, FL 32803. Yari Fumero - FL/#36477; NMLS#552492. Kent Winkelseth - FL/#LO17485; NMLS #552527. Rolando Garcia - FL/#LO39842; NMLS#476625.
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UP CLOSE
Bill 'Roto' Reuter With
By Meaghan Branham
Bill “Roto” Reuter has always been one to lead by example. His nearly 30-year career in the Navy, where he served as both a test pilot and as commander for their premier training and development organization, required him to navigate high-pressure situations all while establishing his own leadership values, but both his personal and professional outlook began to take shape long before that. He recalls his first “job” was at the age of 7, painting trailer hitches for his father and grandfather’s mobile home business in Key West. Under their guidance, he learned perseverance and attention to detail early on, as well as a respect for every client, co-worker and mentor. Now, he serves as president of R-Squared Solutions, acting as everything from business coach to motivational speaker, and leading both his team and others toward an approach rooted in communication, philanthropy and dedication. What did you want to be growing up?
I was very fortunate to have my version of “clarity” at an early age. At the age of 8, my grandfather took me from our home in Key West to the Cape in mid-July of 1969. Most of us in Central Florida are very familiar with the significance of that month. After being on the jetty just north of Cocoa Beach on July 16 for the launch of Apollo 11, it was crystal clear to me that I wanted to be an astronaut. I was hooked. I stepped out with the naivete of a child to pursue that dream, knowing that even if I didn’t make it, I was going to chase it.
How would you describe the path/previous experiences that led you to your current role?
Every experience has led to where I am today, having learned from my mistakes and my successes. I am grateful to have been around tremendous people both in and out of the Navy. I have been influenced by phenomenal servant leaders, from author John Maxwell to so many of my Navy shipmates — relationships I still enjoy today. Growing up in a trailer park in Key West in a pretty chaotic family system gave me an appreciation for so many things. We grew up taking our 40-plus year-old sailboat from the Keys to the Bahamas every summer. A week after I graduated high school and having just turned 18, my father allowed me to take the boat myself to Bimini in the Bahamas direct from Key West. The 27-hour trip straight up the Gulfstream galvanized some key traits for me, which included not only confidence and self-reliance, but also humility. Unfortunately, my dad passed away the following year at the age of 37 while I was a sophomore at the University of Florida. This tragedy actually focused me even more to keep my eye on my goal of becoming an astronaut. I did all the things that I controlled — engineering degree, advanced degrees, test pilot, etc. Having been a finalist three times, I learned more about what “failing forward” really means, and in executing the “cookbook” for the astronaut program, I had the opportunity to do things I didn’t even know existed
when I started. This led to a very gratifying career in the Navy and beyond.
How did being a test pilot help you develop your clarity of purpose?
The only thing I knew about test flying before becoming a test pilot were the things I would see in movies like The Right Stuff. I was always fascinated by the marriage of engineering and flying, two things I enjoy. I learned in order to be an effective test pilot, beyond the “stick and rudder” skills, I needed the ability to translate between the two domains. I discovered that I had a knack for that. This same communication acumen I then used to add value to people and organizations by translating across multiple boundaries the best I could. It led me to understand the value of “connecting” rather than just “communicating.” This revealed for me the purpose of working to add value both personally and professionally to people and organizations.
How does your experience as a veteran influence your approach to bettering the community? As veterans, we are exposed to so many things, some negative, but the overwhelming majority were positive. Beyond the more obvious things like discipline, perseverance and order, we develop a deeper understanding of leadership, service, stewardship, culture and climate. I believe it is crucial for veterans to be good stewards of these gifts in serving their community well beyond the time they spend serving in the cloth of our great Nation.
How do you select the boards and community organizations you have been involved in?
I look for an intersection, places where I can add value and where I have a passion for the cause. In the case of my work with the Samaritan Resource Center for the Homeless, it was Divine Providence as I had no idea I would be investing
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 41
UP CLOSE time and energy into this crucial issue, but it continues to be gratifying beyond words. This has led me to pursue a project called “HomeMore,” which focuses on more novel approaches in addressing the homeless and at-risk in our nation. With the Navy League, it was about preserving our history of the Navy in Central Florida through the Lone Sailor Memorial in Bluejacket Park. On the civic side, it is about contribution and rich relationships with other leaders. They enrich me and I am grateful. As the chair of the Florida Defense Contractors Association, it is about enhancing the connective tissue between businesses small and large across the state while providing insights on how government agencies can facilitate an even richer ecosystem, much like my work with the National Center for Simulation.
How do you lead such large teams? What advice do you have for other leaders?
I will say that I believe we often confuse management for leadership. The first law of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (John Maxwell) is the “Law of the Lid,” meaning an organization cannot grow beyond the leader’s ability to lead. The larger the team, the more capable the leader needs to be, not in managing people but leading them. Understanding that difference is crucial. I chose to figure out ways to connect and resonate with as many of the levels of the organization as possible. This takes a ton of energy and investment in the people, but the results have been tremendous. Leaders need to continue to grow as leaders and not “preside” but LEAD. In my last leadership role in the Navy, there were over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, of very diverse disciplines and backgrounds. In order to create clarity of identity, I would say three things every time I was before the team: “Transparency breeds credibility, seniority does not equate to superiority and leadership is a servant activity.” One of the most challenging things in leading large organizations is creating clarity throughout the organization down to the “deckplate,” as we say in the Navy, meaning the lowest levels of the organization. It is not enough to rely on a memo or edict to generate clarity. It needs to be “led” into the company/command with a more personal touch. This takes more energy and a diverse communication style, but will greatly enhance buy-in to your mission, vision and strategy.
Your career has consistently found you in high-pressure situations. How do you handle that?
I believe it is amazing how the human mind and body can adapt when trained in high-pressure environments. What looks like the seemingly insurmountable task — landing an F/A-18 on the aircraft carrier at night with the deck pitching and no horizon — can be broken down and the focus made clear with the right training. I was honored to be exposed to that environment as it has served me well since. Whether leading through a crisis or navigating tragedy, both of which I have been unfortunate to lead through, those high-pressure experiences have shaped my style and resilience in such situations.
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What are some of the challenges you faced in your transition to establishing your own business?
I was very gratified to have known the date of transition well before it happened, which gave me time to prepare. That preparation came in the form of so many in Central Florida that took the time to mentor me. I was honored to have formed rich relationships with leaders in our region through my participation in Leadership Orlando and other board service activity while still in uniform. I think the most difficult part was packaging and monetizing my value to organizations. Fortunately, I have received some great coaching from former shipmates to mitigate that risk. As I move my business beyond the Department of Defense to a larger market, the challenges are different. As a speaker, executive coach and trainer, I have similar challenges ensuring I have defined the addressable market and effectively packaged offerings for this new customer base. I am learning “in game” ….as always.
What are some of the tenets of a healthy organization?
As you can imagine, I would start with strong leadership as I believe many of the other tenets flow from good leadership. Leaders need to inspire trust, unleash talent and create clarity, among other things. I believe another important attribute is how you embrace the power of diversity, thought, background, etc. In order to leverage the power of diversity, an organization needs to master conflict. When I use the term “transparency breeds credibility,” it is all about the leader inspiring trust. Younger generations (and others, I would add) buy-in much more readily to leaders who share as openly as possible. The value of emotional intelligence in leadership cannot be overstated. Without an ability to understand personality styles, generational differences and cultural nuances, it is impossible to nurture a high-performing organization. In placing trust in your team, you are inspiring trust while breaking down the potentially toxic pockets of cynicism.
What motivates you?
Making a difference for both organizations and individuals is really where I draw my energy. God gave us all precious gifts. We are asked to develop those gifts and be good stewards, using them for good, both professionally and personally — I am passionate about doing that. I don’t feel myself better than anyone else, and that was clear in the organizations I was honored to lead. Like Zig Ziglar said, “I am not a big shot, just a little shot who keeps shootin’.” I love experiences. Love to travel, dive, sail and explore. I guess that would be summed up by the name of our boat growing up: “Wanderlust.”
Best piece of advice you have ever received?
From my Key West High School football coach, Gene Roberts, who was a Florida State University fullback in the 1960s: “Make your mistakes full speed.” P
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Best Practice
Productivity Decluttering and Organizing Your Workspace Should Be as Easy as Shaking Off April Showers
Romaine Seguin is president of UPS Global Freight Forwarding, based in Atlanta. She can be reached at rseguin@ups.com.
When you look around your office or your home, do you ever feel you need to get organized and decluttered? Are you looking at paperwork you’ve had on your desk for days or items you’ve had sitting around your house for years and are not actively using? It’s just like getting caught in a downpour, and all you want to do is shed your wet jacket or shake out your umbrella and let it dry. If only taking the steps of decluttering an office, a room or even a drawer were as easy as drying off after a rain shower, our surroundings would be a bit more organized. We’ve all had those moments when we walk into an office and see mounds of folders. The vehicle we use for work is full of samples from recent visits with customers or vendors. We open a bedroom drawer and shudder, or we can’t open a
"
Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions. — Barbara Hemphill, author of Taming the Paper Tiger
44 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
child’s closet because there are too many games or toys stuffed into it. How do we finally get control and make decluttering as easy as taking off a soaking blazer? Let’s attempt to tackle these tasks and bring orderly fashion into our daily routine. Here are some tips I’ve developed over the years: 1.
End the day with a clean workspace. Think back to how you feel when you walk into an accountant’s or physician’s office and you can’t see the desk, the filing cabinets or sometimes even the floor. When I have my annual physical, I get nervous — not about the exam, but because of the meeting in my doctor’s office. Paperwork, files and samples are everywhere. I’ve always said under my breath, “Thank goodness there is no smoking allowed in here.”
How do you avoid this in your own workspace? Every day before you leave your office, set aside 30 minutes, no matter what, and file away your paperwork, tools and other items that clutter your workspace. I do not have my assistant do it because I know where everything needs to be placed. If you can’t complete this task one day, have a drawer where unfiled paperwork gets placed, and make addressing that file your first task on your next day in the office. Always leave with a clear desk.
DID YOU KNOW
2. Get rid of things you don’t need. At work or at home, we have to take on those dreaded drawers or cabinets from time to time. If you just pick two tasks a month to organize, that will be a start. Sometimes a task will need planning and support, like when you want to clean out your stockroom at work or a garage or shed at your home. You might need special tools, shelves, a removal vehicle or a paper shredding company to get it done.
92%
of U.S. adults read magazines
But most tasks don’t need a major effort — just a commitment and a small block of time. My rule of thumb is if you haven’t used it or worn it for a year, then donate it, give it away or completely discard the item. 3. Pick 10 major items a year to donate. My baby sister has a daughter who just turned 11, and she has a brother who’s 24 and a sister who’s 23. She is showered with many games and toys. When she turned 7, her mom asked her to pick out 10 items to give away and then they would take them together to a charity to donate to people who are less fortunate. This year, Addison was able to pick the place where she wanted to donate her 10 stuffed animals and games. She picked Haven of Grace, a home for battered women where one of her favorite aunts, my sister Rochelle, volunteers in St. Louis. Now you know why I saved this for last. In addition to clearing out clutter, this task has the bonus benefit of helping promote the spirit of understanding, appreciation and giving. Plus, now my niece’s closet door will open. You can make this work in your office, too. As we head into a season of April showers that will bring May flowers, what a perfect time to have a fresh, organized approach before we get to those bright, long, sticky days of summer. I would love to hear from you about how you’ve mastered these tasks. P
Americans of all ages read magazines — especially younger adults.
91% of adults 94% of those under 30 95% of those under 25
Source: MPA – The Association of Magazine Media
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 45
Best Practice
Marketing Strategy Get Creative with Other Channels to Increase Traffic to Your Website
Cherise Czaban Cherise Czaban
is the publisher and CEO of i4 Business. She can be reached at cherise@i4biz.com.
"
Getting an audience is hard. Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time. — Bruce Springsteen
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Remember the maze games for children that almost always appeared on the backs of restaurant menus and cereal boxes? The ones we would trace our crayons through, hoping to crack the code the first time around? The trick to those, as most of us soon learned, is to work backward — to start at the finish line and wind a path to the beginning. When you’re trying to direct your audience through the sales funnel to the finish line, you may find yourself facing a problem as daunting as a real-life labyrinth. You know where you want your audience members to end up — your website — but there are so many paths that might take them there and so many false leads that may steer them off course.
To make sure traffic goes to the right link, it can be helpful to map out your strategy, treating each step in the buyer journey as a marker that people are on the right course toward the goal.
Print advertising
The distance between print advertising and digital may seem like a lot of ground to cover, but there are some effective ways to increase traffic to your website from the more traditional medium. When done right, this can combine the reliability of print with the immediate feedback offered by technology. The advantage of print includes an already targeted audience. Often, when
preparing something for print, the publication has a targeted demographic, taking much of the work out of the equation for you. It’s easier to capture audience members’ attention when they are already inclined to learn more. In order to maximize the effectiveness of a print ad and tie it to your digital marketing, make sure to keep your branding consistent. The design, color and verbiage of your print ad should easily be associated with your online efforts. When directing people to your site, try digital calls to action with invitations to check out a certain hashtag, visit your website, or engage with you online through social media.
DID YOU KNOW
Social Media
Speaking of social media, this can be one of the quickest ways to get your audience from point A to point B. It might be as simple as a well-written and curiosity-piquing social media post that encourages a reader to visit your website. An engaging post is tailored to the platform and doesn’t give away too much of the story, encouraging your audience to keep reading. But how do you ensure that people find your social media in the first place? Again, this can be done through a print advertisement, but it can also be accomplished through digital means. Cross-channel promotion, boosting posts to certain audiences, relationships with other companies with a strong digital presence, influencer advertising, and constant conversation with your followers are all good examples of the first step on your audience’s journey to your website.
Email Blasts
Email blasts can be a convenient way to get a specific message or promotion to an already curated list of your contacts. By the time they are on your contact list, they are most likely already on a more advanced stage in the buyer journey, but this doesn’t automatically mean they will click on the links inserted in your messaging. There are certain strategies that can be employed to make them more likely to click. Keep your emails concise and clear, with one purpose — in this case, to direct them to a landing page or other portion of your site. Make those call-to-action buttons clear and easy to find, and place them where they’re visible without the reader having to scroll down to them after opening your email, making them more accessible. Be sure to add social media links as well. If people don’t get to your website directly from your message, they may be directed to a platform like Twitter or Instagram instead, where they can interact and get to know your brand, eventually ending up on your website. P
Consumers immerse themselves in magazine content both in print and digital editions.
51.5 minutes
48.3 minutes
*primary print readers
*digital edition readers
*Subscribers/newsstand buyers and other members of their households. Source: MPA – The Association of Magazine Media
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 47
Best Practice
Business Development The Right Way to Find and Court Angel Investors
William A. Grimm J.D., MBA
is an executive in residence for entrepreneurship and negotiation at the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. The school touts top MBA rankings and is among a select group of business schools carrying AACSB International graduate-level accreditation, including the first accredited Executive Doctorate in Business Administration program in the state.
"
Entrepreneurs typically view angels as 'suppliers selling capital,' when they are in fact 'customers buying equity' — William A. Grimm
48 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
I often speak with entrepreneurs about the difficulty in raising capital from individual angel investors — a feat that often proves more difficult than raising capital from angel groups. Entrepreneurs are accustomed to going through the motions of securing a coveted invitation to present to an angel group (and often presenting again), receiving a term sheet from the group, proceeding with negotiations and then closing the deal. When it comes to individual angel investors, it’s a completely different dance. The secret doesn’t lie in how you ask, it lies in how you build up to it — how you build the relationship, garner trust and convert them to serve as your evangelists.
View Angels as Customers
Entrepreneurs typically view angels as “suppliers selling capital,” when they are in fact “customers buying equity.” This shift in mindset will not only motivate you to better prepare for your interactions with angels, but transform your approach and, hopefully, increase your success.
Do Your Homework
Before you begin courting potential angel investors, you should be able to speak as confidently about why they should invest in your business as you do about why your target audience should purchase your product or service. The Entrepreneur’s Guide To Raising Capital From Angel Investors by Tarby Bryant is a fast read and
and a great place to start, as are blogs and articles on www. kauffman.org that discuss raising capital from angels.
Invest in Building Relationships
It’s a tough fact seasoned entrepreneurs know firsthand: You have to bootstrap for a year while you establish relationships with credible angels and angel groups. In short, you need capital to stay afloat while you raise more capital. And that takes serious planning and perseverance.
DID YOU KNOW
It also requires much more than finding a wealthy person, and it’s risky to raise capital from complete strangers. Instead, build face-to-face rapport over multiple face-to-face meetings. It’s like a courtship built slowly over time, with each encounter leaving the angel investor wanting to know more. Another way to build trust in the relationship is to ask for advice after you’ve shared insights into your business. Once the trust is established for both parties, make the move — but not before you have an attorney-approved term sheet prepared.
Expand Your Horizons
Do not limit your prospects to Central Florida. If you’ve been referred to an angel through a common contact, make sure you’re arming your referral source with tools to pass along: a professionally designed website, a non-confidential summary of your business model, and a brief summary of your background and other team members’ backgrounds. Once those relationships are developed, new angel investors can champion with other angel investors in their circles.
Closing the Deal
A challenge with raising capital from individual angels is to get each angel to commit before you have commitments from others for the entire minimum offering. While you could formalize the commitment by requesting a signed agreement and deposit in an escrow account until the minimum is raised, this is usually not well received by angels. You’ll have much more luck if you go with trust. Once you have similar non-binding commitments from others, sign the agreements and close. It also helps if the investors know one another, as a commitment from one will lead the rest and result in a closing. After you close your first deal with a new angel investor, even greater opportunities for both parties come as your relationship grows. Like other investors, angel investors see opportunities each year to re-invest. Building a solid foundation from the beginning will benefit both in the long run. P
The audience for print and digital magazines increased by 3.3 million adults from 2016 to 2017.
65% of readers take action after seeing a print magazine ad
Source: MPA – The Association of Magazine Media
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 49
Best Practice
Business Strategy It’s Time to Scale Your Business With These 7 Surefire Strategies
Ronald J. Recardo
is the managing partner of The Catalyst Consulting Group LLC. He can be reached at rrecardo@catalystconsultinggroup.org.
What do start-up companies Webvan, Pets.com, WebTV, and IndexMedical all have in common? They were companies that had great concepts and experienced initial success but couldn’t scale. Listed below are seven surefire strategies for scaling any business: Develop and execute a strategic plan. Sustained growth starts with having a formalized strategic plan. That means one that’s not in your head. This plan must be based on the company’s core competencies and focused on the appropriate internal growth engines, such as promotions, and external growth engines, such as joint ventures, alliances and partnerships. Three key data points are essential: 1) a vision that serves as the starting point, 2) execution of an annual strategic plan, and 3) a strategy that details the end game — an exit.
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Develop and cascade a scorecard. Focusing the efforts of employees and resource consumption/burn rate are extremely important inputs for growth. The creation of a balanced scorecard of metrics is a critical step to focus employees and hold them accountable for targeted results. It is essential to cascade the scorecard throughout the organization to ensure employees are focusing on the right things and help identify and fix variances between actual vs. target performance. Secure access to capital for growth. A common theorem in business is you have to spend money to make money. The challenge is securing the needed capital on favorable terms to fund equipment, facilities and the new product introductions essential for growth. Your potential for success is increased by cultivating relationships with lenders and investment bankers and demonstrating
a track record of consistent growth by following the strategies outlined in this article. Establish robust marketing and sales capability. Growth is dependent on having a strong go-to-market strategy. This typically requires activities in image building, such as blogs, articles, website and search engine optimization; and lead generation, such as advertising, social media, pricing, promotion, packaging and positioning. Many businesses require investment in the sales and marketing functions that range from technology, including CRM systems, and market research to sales forecasting and prospect management. Develop formalized and stable core and support processes. As a company begins to experience rapid growth, there is a need for standardized and formalized processes to ensure efficient and reliable results. Processes also need to be pressure-tested to ensure they deliver acceptable outcomes in cost, quality and throughput at different volumes. Too much structure ends in costly bureaucracy, and too little structure prevents the company from realizing economies of scale. Two processes that are mission critical are cost management — you have to manage your spending — and budgeting. These are absolutely essential for achieving targeted growth. Periodically evaluate and evolve the business model. An organization’s business model should be periodically evaluated to ensure alignment with the business strategy. The leadership team should engage in ongoing discussions around such issues as 1) insource vs. outsource, 2) centralize or decentralize and 3) how to cultivate distribution channels, including the possible use of channel partners. Making these tough decisions will have a profound impact on your growth and profitability curves. Build a strong leadership team with supporting bench strength. Critical leadership attributes vary by stage of business. The skills needed to start a business are different from the leadership skills needed to scale a business. Many founders lack the requisite skills and must augment their gaps by bringing in “professional leaders” who have a track record in transitioning a start-up to an emerging growth company and beyond. Remember that a prospective acquirer will be looking at not only your senior leadership team but also the quantity and quality of your midlevel managers who serve as bench strength. During my career I have personally worked with more than 140 companies, and scaling is by far the most significant challenge facing entrepreneurs, business owners and executives once the company is founded because of an innovative technology or science, a catchy product or service, or a new market space. The seven best practices highlighted in this article are a blueprint to successfully take a business to the next level. P i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 51
EXALTING FREEDOM
THROUGH ETHICAL CAPITALISM
SUSTAINOVATION By Jeff Piersall and Eric Wright
How Constructive Conflict Stirs Innovation Jeff Piersall
Eric Wright
52 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
I
Door #1, #2 or #3
The song was the first major hit, if you could call it that, by two brothers, Robert and Richard Sherman. They would go on to have Robert craft the lyrics and Richard compose the music for such musical film classics as Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book and many others.
To have innovative teamwork, you must have what could only be described as “constructive conflict,” not some vanilla mix of personalities. A constructive conflict approach doesn’t allow discussions to become personal. Everything is on the table, with everyone participating, without a prescribed outcome. Aristotle described this quality as an “educated mind,” saying, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
Interestingly, the brothers couldn’t have been more different. Robert was described as having the “slow precision of a brooding poet,” while his brother spontaneously combusted his buoyant melodies. Eventually the clash between the two personalities ended the collaboration.
The alternative is a conflict avoidance strategy, where candor is discouraged, because certain people may get offended. Then you have, as one writer put it, “the meeting before the meeting, the meeting after the meeting, but no meeting at the meeting.”
This same tension existed between one of the most famous and playful NBA big men, Shaquille O’Neal, and the fast, yet cerebral Kobe Bryant. It took the coaching genius of Phil Jackson to blend their skills and their personalities into
The other equally pointless approach is “destructive conflict.” We have all been there, where everything is personal and emotional. Instead of listening, the goal is to win the point or bully others into reluctant agreement.
f you visited a Disney park as a child or took your younger children or grandchildren there, you have probably experienced the It’s a Small World attraction. At one time there was a version of the animatronic ride at every Disney park in the world. The famous song, by the same title, is said to have been played over 50 million times, beating out any single from Bruno Mars to the Beatles.
three championships (adding to the five Jackson won in Chicago).
To have a Sustainovation Culture You Must:
1.
Be vulnerable and have the freedom to ask stupid questions. Like venture investment, where you
put money into 10 companies, because one will produce a payday, maybe only one question in 10 sparks innovation, but if you do not ask, you will not get the answers.
2.
Be comfortable enough to challenge others and confident enough to accept feedback. Great leaders are able to challenge and be challenged. When it is a one-way street, the insecurity becomes obvious.
3.
4.
Encourage a hungry determined approach to work. Hungry people look for solutions and different approaches, satisfied people do not. Remember what Edison said about genius being one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. Malcomb Gladwell, in his book Outliers, confirmed that the inventor was spot on.
Make a clear plan for where you want to go and develop a sound strategy about how to get there. True innovators are as interested in the science
of innovation as they are in the art. They insist on developing methodologies in order to make the innovative process replicable.
5.
Continue to experiment relentlessly. There
is no definitive explanation for why creative genius, from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Albert Einstein, seems to hit a wall. But those who continue to experiment are the only ones who make the discoveries.
Trep Talk is the educational platform of Jeff Piersall and Eric Wright. For more information visit www.linkedin.com/company/trep-talks-ec
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 53
Social Entrepreneur
SETTING GOALS, Breaking Records,
Changing Lives
SPECIAL OLYMPICS FLORIDA Unites Athletes and Communities By Elyssa Coultas
M
ary Ann Gonzalez filtered throughout the foster care system all of her life. Uprooted and relocated countless times, Gonzalez felt alone and lost. At age 8, she got involved with the Special Olympics. Immediately, her coaches and teammates supported her, encouraged her and helped her find footing. They quickly became family. The sense of cohesiveness and spirit she found in Special Olympics allowed her to dream big and set goals for her professional and academic life. Years later, while attending college, Gonzalez began to struggle in her courses despite her confidence and sense of purpose. On the edge of her seat in the front row of her classrooms, she strained to grasp the lessons.
Knowing the Special Olympics program provides free health examinations through its Healthy Athletes program, 54 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
Gonzalez went in for an evaluation. She learned that her hearing had degenerated over the years. She needed hearing aids. Once she received the devices, her classroom performance and comprehension improved instantly. Forty-seven years after Gonzalez first stepped foot on a field and joined the Special Olympics family, she serves on the leadership council, has a full-time job and is graduating with a computer science degree from Lake-Sumter State College. She attributes her self-confidence and drive to the support she received from her coaches and her teammates — her adopted family. Through Special Olympics, Gonzalez competed in several sports including basketball, golf, softball and volleyball. She went on to become a certified official, officiating for the Special Olympics at the 2003 World Games in Ireland and the 2007 games in China. She was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. All over the world, Special Olympics is changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. This global movement champions a world of inclusion and community, where every person is accepted and understood, regardless of ability or disability.
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Social Entrepreneur
This program, the coaches, the environment — it gives our athletes the confidence to build their skills so they know they can be better contributors to the community. It teaches them they can set goals, accomplish them and excel. — Sherry Wheeler “We even have our own division now within the board of the High School Athletic Association,” Wheeler said. “This means our athletes get to perform in the same types of competitions, on the same timeline, as other high school athletes. They go to finals. They win trophies. They compete just like everyone else in their school.”
Healthy Athletes
As the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with disabilities, Special Olympics has provided training, competitions and
health services to more than 5 million athletes since 1968. Understanding that athletes’ health comes first, Special Olympics Florida expanded its healthcare coverage and offerings and is now the world’s largest public health organization for people with intellectual disabilities. The Healthy Athletes program provides more than 11,000 exams annually. Psychological examinations, dental check-ups, eye screenings and physical therapy are all provided at no cost to the athlete.
Sherry Wheeler, the CEO of Special Olympics Florida, reflects on the impact the program can have for people like her friend Gonzalez: “You see this type of situation often. This program, the coaches, the environment — it gives our athletes the confidence to build their skills so they know they can be better contributors to the community. It teaches them they can set goals, accomplish them and excel.”
Championing Growth
Wheeler came on board as CEO in 2012. With a vision and focus on growth, quality, inclusion and sustainability, she sought to expand the program and opportunities for Florida athletes. Under Wheeler’s leadership, the enrollment grew from 21,000 athletes to 52,000 throughout the state. From bowling to basketball, equestrian competitions to tennis, Special Olympics Florida hosts more than 500 sporting events each year. i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 55
Social Entrepreneur
"
The program brings people together. It does not discriminate. It simply builds confidence and teaches everyone that anything is possible — Sherry Wheeler
“It’s been amazing to see how many medical professionals volunteer with us, then return to their private practices, universities or hospitals and implement change on how they interact with, communicate with and include this group of amazing individuals,” Wheeler said. With more than 33,000 volunteers in Florida annually, the high level of engagement speaks to the program’s impact on individuals, families and communities. Wheeler acknowledges the importance of the medical professionals and coaches who get involved with Special Olympics. “Volunteerism is at the heart of everything we do,” she said. “Our volunteers are the backbone that make this program work.”
Global Recognition
Florida recently won the bid to host the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World. For one week in June, 5,500 athletes from the U.S., the Caribbean and Canada will challenge themselves and showcase their abilities right in the heart of Central Florida. The 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games, held in March in Abu Dhabi, drew athletes and spectators from around the world for competitions in track and field, volleyball, soccer and tennis. Two athletes from Seminole County represented Florida. “The program really does change lives and opens doors,” Wheeler said. “It gives children and adults the opportunity to learn and grow.” Professional tennis player and Sanford resident Brittany Tagliareni, who was diagnosed with autism at a young age, got her start at the Special Olympics. She has since competed in the INAS World Tennis Championships, hosted by the Netherlandsbased International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments. She competed in the #OrlandoUnited Doubles Tennis Charity Open to help families of the Pulse nightclub tragedy. She has built a career advocating on behalf of athletes with intellectual disabilities. “The program brings people together,” Wheeler said. “It does not discriminate. It simply builds confidence and teaches everyone that anything is possible.” P 56 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
Thursday, April 11, 2019 | 5:00pm - Starke Lake, Ocoee Indulge in a variety of beer, wine and spirits from some of your favorite local restaurants along with scrumptious samples, including your favorite French, Italian, American and BBQ dishes! Best Fest is a street party-style event that is open to the public. Bring your friends and enjoy all the best of West Orange! All for one admission price!
Sponsorship and Vendor Registration Open Now Showcase the BEST aspects of your restaurant or business to well over 1,000 potential customers at Best Fest! To sponsor this event and for vendor registration, please visit wochamber.com or call 407-656-1304 today!
Downtime
Unique experiences for your day off LAKE WALES Bok Tower Gardens The lush scenery at Bok Tower Gardens provides an everchanging work of art for visitors strolling through the grounds. The wandering landscape, designed to be a contemplative and informal woodland setting, offers romantic strolls and tranquil resting spots, picturesque vistas and breathtaking views of the Singing Tower. Spectators can admire the stunning 205-foot neo-Gothic structure adorned with stained glass and a 60-bell carillon that orchestrates haunting melodies.
www.boktowergardens.org
ORLANDO Orlando Watersports Complex Known as the No. 1 wakeboard park destination in the world, the Orlando Watersports Complex decided to make even more waves by adding Central Florida’s first inflatable aquapark. The aquatic jungle gym features areas to climb, slide, bounce and splash. It floats next to the complex’s two-tower wakeboarding cable system and boating lake. Guests can test the waters with wakesurfing, kneeboarding or stand-up paddleboarding, or they can simply enjoy themselves in the sun at the snack bar.
www.aktionparks.com/orlando-watersports-complex
Follow us on Facebook and share some of your favorite local places to visit: @i4biz.com 58 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
Downtime
WINTER PARK Mad Cow Theatre For an evening of dynamic and powerful entertainment, the Mad Cow Theatre offers an intimate local performance venue. Currently in its 22nd season, the theater produces classical and contemporary plays and musicals that inspire and unite the local community through engagement and creativity. The theater promises a lineup of shows full of courage, love, exploration, laughter and great storytelling with no boundary.
www.madcowtheatre.com
FACTUR Ivanhoe Village Downtown Orlando’s nonprofit “makerspace” is a fabrication laboratory with a mission of helping people make what they imagine. A hybrid co-working space, classroom, workshop, woodshop, 3D printing lab and laser cutting facility, Factur adds a unique flare to Ivanhoe Village by hosting events like glass-blowing classes, wood-turning workshops and factory tours.
www.ivanhoevillage.org
DOWNTOWN ORLANDO SAK Comedy Lab If you like the show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” you’ll love the performances at SAK Comedy Lab. Since 1991, it has been a starting place for comedians and comic actors including Wayne Brady and others who have gone on to work with “Mad TV,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Scrubs,” “The Office” and “30 Rock.” The 250-seat venue provides an intimate setting for the audience and the actors to share in a live improv and stand-up environment. Audience members engage with the actors and comedians to create a truly one-of-a-kind improvised show.
www.sakcomedylab.com
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 59
Business Seen |
THE 2019 i4 BUSINESS WOMEN’S INSPIRED LEADERSHIP AWARDS i4 Business magazine held its annual Women’s Inspired Leadership Awards luncheon March 1, 2019, at Rosen Shingle Creek. The awards recognized nine outstanding Central Florida leaders in categories including advocacy, collaboration, engagement, entrepreneurship, innovation, mentorship, progress, international business leadership and emerging leadership. Photography: Nancy Jo Brown - 106Foto
Keynote speaker Romaine Seguin
Marni Spence and Suneera Madhani
Karen Keene and Alyse Quinn
Mary Reynolds, Lauren Reynolds Neff, Shelley Lauten, Fred Lauten and Tori Lauten
Habitat for Humanity
Pam Nabors and Shelley Lauten
60 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
| Business Seen
Davia Moss and Wendy Brandon
Erin Gray and Catherine Steck McManus
Stephanie McFee and Pamela Rogan
Ashley Hill and Avani Desai
Susan Harper and Maria Grulich
Elaine Brouca, Sharon Hoydich, Lauren Grulich, Maria Grulich, Susan Harper, Juana Watkins, Dave Garrison, Ximena Pauvif-Machado
Kathy Panter and Dena Jalbert
Back Row: Karen Keene, Sally Word, Melanie DiVirgilio, Heather Eubank, Lauren Nelson, Kelly Ferris Duckworth, Michelle Velasquez, Rachel Calderon Front Row: Woody Walker, Alyse Quinn, Suzi Gaiser, Hope Newsome i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 61
Business Seen |
BIG ORANGE AWARDS It was a magical evening under the Big Top at this year’s West Orange Chamber of Commerce Big Orange Awards, held at Disney’s Contemporary Resort on February 1, 2019. The event celebrated the accomplishments and triumphs of some of the chamber’s most admired and inspirational members. Guests enjoyed interactive entertainment, gourmet food and beverages, and live and silent auctions. Photo Credit: Cannonfire Photography
Chamber President and CEO Stina D’Uva and West Orange Foundation Chairman Joe Alarie with award recipients Chris Garcia, Dennis Foltz, Bill Heichel, Lynn Walker Wright, Geegee Burmeister, Orange County School Board Chairwoman Teresa Jacobs, Debbie Clements and Ken Kupp, along with Chamber Chair Tim Haberkamp.
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Who’s taller than the Ringmaster!
On-the-spot caricatures
Enjoying the Midway Games!
The night's festive reception
| Business Seen
Photo booth fun
Guests celebrating a great night
The night's festive reception
HOMES END HOMELESSNESS.
By providing homes for 339 Central Floridians experiencing chronic homelessness, the Housing First strategy reduced their emergency room visits by 60%.
Visit HomesAreTheAnswer.org to learn how Housing First saves lives, saves money, and gets people off the streets for good.
i4Biz.com | APRIL 2019 | 63
Watercooler
Stuff you didn’t know you wanted to know
61% Voting rate of the student body at the University
To be frank, I’m a little emotionally exhausted.”
— SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at a post-launch news conference after a successful launch from Kennedy Space Center of astronaut capsule Crew Dragon, without passengers, paving the way for a new era of spaceflight
$2.8 billion
Construction cost of new terminal complex at Orlando International Airport. That compares with the $2.3 billion price tag for rebuilding Interstate 4 Source: Orlando Sentinel
of Central Florida, which has been recognized as one of 123 colleges and universities nationwide with a Voter Friendly Campus
100
designation. UCF’s goal is 70 percent by 2020.
Number of public airports “We’re on the precipice of launching American
There is a scarcity that is making it hard to recruit, retain and reward topquality people. To be the firm of choice, we have to create a more attractive office environment that provides our employees with the flexibility, challenges and continued growth opportunities they are looking for. — Jed Grennan, founding partner of Grennan Fender CPA & Advisors in Orlando Source: Invest: Orlando
64 | APRIL 2019 | i4Biz.com
astronauts on American rockets from American soil again for the first time since the retirement of space shuttles in 2011.” — NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
“It’s just an incredible task. It brings an excitement back to KSC that we haven’t seen in a while.” — Joel Montalbano, deputy manager of the International Space Station Program
in Florida
$144 billion Estimated impact of the aviation sector statewide “It’s not, ‘Build the real estate
and then they will come.’ It’s, ‘Provide great experiences and then they will come, and then your real estate is worth something.’” — Lilly Donohue, CEO of Holiday Retirement, the nation’s largest independent living provider, which moved its headquarters to Winter Park from Lake Oswego, Oregon Source: Chief Executive magazine
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MEET TWO OF OUR TRUSTED CEO ADVISORS John Andersen | CEO, Merchant Consulting Service, Inc. 321-800-6533 | www.merconserv.com “At each Forum I receive so much more than I give.” Take Control of Your Operations. For more than 25 years, Merchant Consulting Service (MCS) has® dedicated itself to helping businesses of all sizes and types take control of their merchant accounts. Through our consultative approach and trademarked DACTA process, MCS will listen to your needs, analyze your accounts and help you understand how credit card processing REALLY works. Once becoming a client, your merchant accounts will be audited on a regular basis to ensure you always pay exactly what you were promised. This eliminates “rate creep”, thereby putting more money to your bottom line and keeping it there.
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FORUM EVENT SCHEDULE FOR 2019 February 7 May 9 August 23 October 24
Events located at Valencia College West Campus 8:00am -12:00pm See website to register and review Forum topics and details.
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Register for our next event at www.ceoleadershipforums.com OUR SPONSORS
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© 2015 Southwest Airlines Co.
Without a Heart, it’s just a machine. So in 1971, a little Heart built a different kind of airline—one that made sure everyone could fly. Everyone has important places to go. So we invented low-fares to help them get there. To us, you’re not 1A or 17B. You’re a person with a name, like Steve. Here, we think everyone deserves to feel special, no matter where you sit or how much you fly. And with all the places we’re going next, we’ll always put you first, because our love of People is still our most powerful fuel. Some say we do things differently. We say, why would we do things any other way? Without a Heart, it’s just a machine.
