Texture - Spring 2011 by Michele Mitchell

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TEXTURE VOL 8 ISSUE 1

2011

O R L A N D O ’ S

T E C H N O L O G Y

L A N D S C A P E

Colors of CHANGE The Global Impact of Orlando’s Social Entrepreneurs

BIBLICAL Proportions

Technology Hastens Bible Translation

WOMEN IN

SIMULATION

Eight Industry Leaders

Official Publication of

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UCF is now one of 73 public

universities classified by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching with its highest designation for research activity.

today.ucf.edu UCF researchers in optics lab.

ÂŠ F S

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contents

ORlAnDO’S tEChnOlOgy lAnDSCAPE

Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission President & CEO Texture Publisher Rick L. Weddle Vice President, Marketing Texture Editor & Associate Publisher Maureen Brockman

t e xt ur e SPr ING/S uMMer 2011 VO L u M e 8, IS S u e 1

Departments

Texture Project Support Lisa Addy Director, Publications & Web Design Amy Dinsmore Director, Marketing & Communications

FROM thE EDitOR 5 A popular business movement has revolutionary results.

Gloria LeQuang Director, Aerospace & Defense Suzy Spang Vice President, Film & Entertainment

tAlEnt POOl 6 New training program focuses on homeland security. PEAK PERFORMERS 8 Meet eight leading ladies who are changing the face of the simulation industry.

Director, Public Relations Texture Associate Editor Jennifer Wakefield

Eric Ushkowitz Director, Life Sciences

Visit Orlando® President Texture Publisher Gary C. Sain

innOVAtiOn AllEy 14 Technology brings the Bible to remote cultures.

Vice President of Publications Texture Associate Publisher Deborah Kicklighter Henrichs

tECh tREnDS 16 Moving ideas from the lab through commercialization. intERFACE 22 Q&A with Henry Maldonado, president of Enzian film house and Florida Film Festival SPECiAl Fx 28 Orlando’s role in advancing 3-D technology

Managing Editor Jessica Chapman Publication Artists Lisa Buck and Michele Mitchell

intElligEnt FORMS OF liFEStylE 32 Trends in transportation

Contributing Photographer Phelan Ebenhack

OFF thE WiRE 34 How Metro Orlando is winning the future.

A WORlD OF ChAngE 10 Social entrepreneurship takes root in Central Florida, where business leaders are driving global change.

Associate Vice President Partner Development Sheryl Taylor Contributing Writers Justin Campfield, Sandra Carr, Jessica Chapman, Denise Bates Enos, Kevin Fritz, Jackie Kelvington, Kristen Manieri, John Marini, Erin Elizabeth Miller, G.K. Sharman, Kayla Torpey, Jennifer Wakefield

EVOlVing inDUStRiES 30 Innovative thinking leaves competitors behind.

Features

Production Coordinators Shelley Hampton and Stacey Smith

This publication is sponsored in part by Orange County Government and the University of Central Florida. Texture magazine is produced by everything ink, a division of Visit Orlando , for the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. Visit Orlando: 6700 Forum Drive, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32821, Phone 407.363.5800, Fax 407.370.5000. Texture magazine assumes no responsibility for the return of any unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, negatives, or transparencies. Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission 301 East Pine Street, Suite 900 Orlando, FL 32801. Phone: 407.422.7159 or 888.TOP.CITY (888.867.2489); Fax: 407.425.6428; E-mail: info@orlandoedc.com. Advertising information: 407.354.5512. Copyright 2011 Metro Orlando EDC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part without the express written consent of Visit Orlando, on behalf of the EDC, is prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A. ®

POWER PlAyERS 18

Four global corporations that call Orlando home.

MAnUFACtURing REAlity 24

From bikes to boats, local companies are producing quality goods in an industry that’s surprisingly rife with opportunity. On the cover: Central Florida is poised to be a leader in social entrepreneurship.

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from the editor

A HAnd Up

“You say you want a revolution/Well, you know/We all want to change the world” — “Revolution,” The Beatles

It’s hard to imagine a revolution being driven by plastic grocery bags, but that’s exactly what’s happening in Santa Catalina, Colombia. There, native women learned to take strips from plastic bags and weave what would otherwise become litter into traditional “mochilas” in a movement that’s bringing life-changing industry to a once impoverished village. The enterprise was developed by Proyecto Tití, an organization dedicated to protecting the highly endangered cotton-top tamarin, a small primate found only in that region of Colombia. Founded by a conservation biologist at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Proyecto Tití helped

create a cooperative of more than 300 women who now have a reliable source of income and can help support their families. The bags are sold on the group’s website as well as in Animal Kingdom, and proceeds support the group’s work. Changing the world may seem like an impossible endeavor, but companies around the globe are finding ways to do just that. From South America to Africa to India, a new breed of “social entrepreneurs” is leaving its imprint on people and communities worldwide. In Metro Orlando, the commitment to social entrepreneurship is on the rise. Business professionals as well as traditional nonprofits are tackling widespread social challenges by

providing a hand up, rather than a hand out. Whether their efforts are focused on offering steady employment and fair wages to artisans in developing nations, or replacing cocaine fields with crops of stevia in violence-torn Colombian villages, the intended result is the same: sustainable change created by an entrepreneurial venture that advances people’s skills, knowledge, and self reliance. In this issue you’ll discover how Rollins College in Winter Park is paving the way for social entrepreneurs. The programs and concentrated areas of study offered through the Crummer Graduate School of Business’ Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship give students the knowledge and tools necessary to address social needs through business enterprise. You’ll also learn how another Central Florida-based company, Wycliffe Bible Translators, is doing its part to change the world by tirelessly translating the Bible into the native languages of communities worldwide, many of which still lack a written alphabet. And you will discover why a number of global powerhouses — Siemens, Mitsubishi, Tupperware and Darden Restaurants — choose to call Metro Orlando home. So go ahead. Turn the page and learn how Central Floridians are starting revolutions. x

Maureen Brockman Editor & Associate Publisher

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talent pool

HOMELAND

Securing the

the firSt of itS kind in florida, a neW ProGraM at Valencia coMMunity colleGe, deVeloPed With the dePartMent of hoMeland Security, iS helPinG to educate local airPort Security PerSonnel.

New classes at Valencia for TSA employees could be the beginning of a specialized certificate in homeland security.

TSO LUiS iTURRinO

COURTESY MCT

TSO LUiS iTURRinO

By John Marini

Thanks to a new partnership between Valencia Community College (VCC) and the Department of Homeland Security, local Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel can now begin doing something most TSA employees around the country haven’t done — go to college. VCC has begun offering classes that program administrators envision will lead to a full degree in homeland security.

“Our TSA leadership team in Orlando recognized that continuing education is an important element to improving the professionalism and critical thinking skills of our workforce,” says John Daly, federal security director for the TSA at Orlando International Airport. “Our goal was to find a college partner that was innovative, proactive and responsive to the needs of the community.” And Daly found that in Valencia. “From the start, Valencia Community College was ready, willing and able to support us in this effort,” he says. “As a result of their tremendous responsiveness and commitment to supporting homeland security, we were able to start the program two years ahead of our initial schedule, making Valencia Community College the first college in the state of Florida to offer this TSA program.” Last May, Daly met with Gaby Hawat, VCC’s special assistant to the president for strategic initiatives and executive dean for economic development, to discuss the idea, sketching out the initial plan on a napkin. Hawat went right to work and after receiving approval from the Department of Homeland Security the following month, was able to have classes in place by August. “Valencia Community College has been a tremendous partner throughout the entire process of getting the TSA Associates Program started in Orlando,”

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Daly says. “Within only two months of being selected by TSA Headquarters to participate in the pilot project, Valencia was able to quickly develop the course curriculum, select an instructor and start the classes.” The classes filled up almost immediately after they were announced, and a total of 48 students participated last fall. Another 24 were added to the program this spring. The classes run concurrently with the traditional Valencia schedule, but are offered on airport property. The Department of Homeland Security pays for tuition and books, but TSA employees take the classes on their own time. There are 1,200 TSA employees and 200 air marshals at Orlando International Airport and Hawat believes there is a big misconception about them. “The general public sometimes thinks of TSA employees as federal workers brought in from Washington,” he says, “but the fact is they are all local employees. They are people from our community.” That’s one of the reasons Hawat is so eager to help. Currently, 90 percent of the uniformed TSA workforce does not have a college degree and Hawat wants to change that. “Our long-term goal is to have a homeland security degree,” he says. “Plans are still in the formative

stages. The next step will likely be a certificate of specialization and then a full degree.” In addition to the classes for TSA employees and air marshals at the airport, Hawat says that he eventually wants to begin offering courses to the general public on campus as part of a degree in homeland security through the criminal justice department. When TSA employees are hired, they spend two weeks in a classroom environment and then receive 60 days

and international laws that pertain to homeland security. After successfully completing that class, students can move on to take Intelligence Analysis and Security Management. This course reveals how the defense community operates and examines intelligence analysis and its relationship to security-management techniques and policies used after terrorist attacks, as well as man-made and natural disasters. The class also covers the threats these events pose to

IN ADDItION tO tHE cLAssEs fOr tsA EMpLOyEEs AND AIr MArsHALs, HAwAt EvENtuALLy wANts tO bEgIN OffErINg cOursEs tO tHE gENErAL pubLIc As pArt Of A DEgrEE IN HOMELAND sEcurIty. of on-the-job training. The VCC courses do not overlap with internal training, so there is no instruction on how to use body scanners or metal detectors or perform pat-downs. The classes are academic in nature and focus on history and theory. The first course, Introduction to Homeland Security, teaches students about the various agencies associated with the Department of Homeland Security and their interrelated duties and relationships. It also covers historical events that have impacted homeland security and its most critical threats, as well as the various state, national,

>>A SAfer ScAnner

national and private sector defense, in addition to other vulnerabilities. A third course, titled Transportation and Border Security, is being planned. Daly believes that the TSA workforce is one of the most highly trained in the world, and that college experience will have long-term benefits. “These college courses are critical to further developing the professionalism of our workforce,” says Daly. “This additional education furthers their professional development, allows them to excel as leaders in the transportation-security community, and improves their competitiveness for x future promotions.” Brijot‘s new SafeScreen scanner

COURTESY BRiJOT

The controversial full-body scanners now being used to screen airport passengers may become a thing of the past if a Lake Mary company, Brijot Imaging Systems, has its way. Brijot’s new SafeScreen scanners are currently being tested by the TSA and the company hopes to soon receive approval for their use. SafeScreen utilizes the same technology employed by Brijot’s Gen 2 scanners, which are being used to screen inbound passengers in the United Kingdom for concealed contraband, such as money and drugs. Those scanners have also been installed in other airports to detect theft by baggage handlers. Multiple Gen 2 scanners, with vastly improved image quality and resolution, are used in the construction of the SafeScreen portals. The SafeScreen portals are safer than what is currently in place for outbound passengers in most airports in that they emit no radiation; they work by reading the natural energy that emanates from a person’s body and highlighting any anomalies. They also protect individuals’ privacy because they don’t display anatomical details.

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peak performers

Superwomen

of Sim

By Jackie Kelvington

Meet eight leaderS who are changing the face of the SiMulation induStry.

While the numbers may show that men continue to lead when it comes to heading up tech firms and working as engineers and scientists, women are quickly gaining ground. And leading the way is Metro Orlando’s globally recognized MS&T industry. Take note: The region is home to the largest cluster of MS&T companies in the country, and these leading women “simulationists” are at the forefront of industry advances. Beverly Seay is senior vice president and general manager of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Virginia. Seay leads SAIC’s MS&T business based in Orlando. In addition to pioneering the concept of composable, reusable systems for simulation and developing cutting-edge, simulation-based technologies, Seay co-founded SAIC’s 2,000-member Women’s Network,

and created the company’s Mentoring Connection. She also was the 2009 recipient of the Women in Aerospace Leadership Award, and is a major supporter of young women pursuing careers in engineering. Improving human performance — whether it’s on the battlefield or in the classroom — is what the Carley Corporation’s interactive technologybased products are all about. Under President Sharon Wolford’s direction, the company has been recognized as a top military-training technology firm, and won significant military contracts last year. Carley’s custom training solutions include anything from software to simulators to electronic classrooms, and its clients include the Department of Defense, as well as impressive list of international organizations. Another top female simulationist also has military ties, both in business and in her own family. Colonel Karen

Lockheed Martin

There are changes brewing in the world of modeling, simulation, and training (MS&T). Let’s review the checklist: major research and development taking place? Check. New products entering the market? Check. Usual suspects advancing science and technology? Not anymore!

Lockheed Martin’s Joanne Puglisi is the program director of F-35 Lightning II Training Systems.

Saunders is project manager of Constructive Simulation in the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO-STRI). A third-generation Army soldier and one of four siblings serving in the military, she specializes in signals intelligence, operations research, modeling, simulation and Army battlecommand systems. Saunders attended the Naval Postgraduate School and has a Masters in Computer Science, with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. In addition, she has a Masters degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College. Under the leadership of Carol Wideman, Vcom3D’s innovations in 3-D avatars, game-based adaptive learning, and mobile communication tools have become a force multiplier for the country’s deployed military personnel. Wideman is the president

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and CEO of the company, whose rapid transition of mobile applications to warfighters deployed in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Africa provides a low-cost and portable education and communication tool that enables American soldiers to communicate effectively with local residents using culturally appropriate language and gestures. Lockheed Martin’s Orlando-based Global Training and Logistics Division works closely with the military, as well. Joanne Puglisi, program director of F-35 Lightning II Training Systems, has been with the company for 17 years. She is responsible for the production of many of the training and support systems for the F-35 Lightning II, the nation’s newest fifth-generation fighter jet. Puglisi also has worked with the Navy’s Simulation Training Division in Orlando and is a University of Central Florida (UCF) graduate. When it comes to the simulation industry, UCF plays a significant role in its growth. UCF industrial engineering professor Mansooreh Mollaghasemi is the founder and CEO of Productivity Apex. She began laying the groundwork for her company in 2000, when she first worked for NASA, analyzing how the space agency processes a space shuttle flight from start-up to launch. Today, using high-

>>UPWARD TREnDS

tech methods such as simulation modeling and analysis, data mining and artificial intelligence, and system optimization, Productivity Apex is all about increasing productivity and efficiency for its clients, which include NASA, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Disney Company. Mollaghasemi’s work holds promise for a wide range of applications, including transportation, manufacturing, logistics and health care. At UCF’s Media Convergence Lab/ Institute for Simulation & Training, associate director Eileen Smith and researcher Lori Walters are engaged in major research that utilizes computer simulation. Recent projects include: pain management training for nurses to better understand the true postsurgical pain level of a patient and to incorporate non-pharmacological approaches to their pain management; a simulated recreation of the New York World’s Fair with add-on virtual experiments; and simulated education projects that provide for the exploration of time, space, and scale that’s not possible within the constraints of traditional exhibitry. Whether affiliated with a university, the military, or a global corporation, Orlando’s eight superwomen of simulation are paving the way for continued advances in simulation technology. x

WOMen’S S&e B.S. DegreeS 250k 200k 150k 100k 50k 0

Saic

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) is a leading developer of simulation-based technologies. Beverly Seay leads the company’s Orlando division.

The number of women employed in Orlando and Florida’s information and computer system design sectors (which make up the simulation industry) is on the rise. According to 2009 U.S. Census Local Employment Dynamics data, women make up nearly half of the employees in the Orlando Metropolitan Statistical Area’s information sector, accounting for nearly 10,800 jobs, compared to the 14,000 jobs held by men. Statewide, the number of women employed in simulation increased 18.5 percent from 2004 to 2009. The growth is a result of several factors. One is that more women are pursuing degrees in science and engineering (S&E). According to the national Science Foundation, the number of women in the U.S. earning bachelors in S&E fields increased from 200,952 in 2000 to 249,389 in 2008.

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

The fastest-growing occupations projected for 2018 include computer software engineers, network systems analysts, and biomedical engineers — all of whom will interact with and potentially develop simulation-based systems. Connect that to the fact that 440,000 women ages 25 to 54 are expected to enter the workforce by 2018. Think they’ll be pursuing the hottest occupations? Check. Dating to the 1950s, the concentration of military simulation and training commands based in Orlando also has ushered in major industry projects, from research and development to private industry growth. That, coupled with the city’s strong and entrepreneurial business environment, has attracted even more women to Orlando’s simulation industry.

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A World of By G.K. Sharman

CHANGE

Social entrepreneurShip iS taking hold in central Florida, where a new initiative at rollinS college iS bringing attention to the buSineSS oF global reForM.

give a man a fish, as the proverb goes, and you feed him for a day. but teach a woman to make and sell handicrafts, and you feed her family, strengthen her community, and maybe even change the world.

BAJALIA

Craftsmen in developing nations have found a friend in social entrepreneur Debbie Farah. She established a business to help drive social change around the world.

thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what debbie Farah believes, so she set up training sessions for artisans in underdeveloped countries and found retail outlets for their wares, including a niche on the home Shopping network and a storefront on park avenue in winter park. Meanwhile, Marc lajeunesse sees a better future for colombian farmers in stevia, a sweet-leafed plant thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s becoming an increasingly popular, allnatural alternative to sugar. Farah and lajeunesse are central Florida-based social entrepreneurs, or people who use an innovative business approach to solve a social problem, particularly in marginalized or impoverished populations. this movement combines business strategy with a passion to create meaningful change in the world. on the company balance sheet, social value is what counts, and profit is a sustainable means to get there. the common thread that connects the two local entrepreneurs is rollins collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crummer graduate School of business, where both initially sought assistance to bring their business plans to fruition.

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SOCIAL WHAT?

better chance of long-term survival, according to garton. nonprofits, by definition, can’t make a profit. they also have the ongoing challenge of fundraising, and may be forced to put programs on hold if money isn’t there to support them. today, social entrepreneurial efforts are being recognized at high levels. Muhammad Yunus, an economist in bangladesh, was awarded the 2006 nobel peace prize for founding grameen bank, which provides microcredit, no-collateral loans to the poor. closer to home, the obama white house has set up the office of Social innovation and civic participation to help promote innovative ways for individuals, nonprofits, private enterprises, and the government to work together on social challenges from the bottom up. Farah and lajeunesse’s companies illustrate rollins’ definition of social entrepreneurship: recognizing a societal

problem and using entrepreneurial principles to create, organize, and manage a venture to make change and advance the public good. garton says that there’s an increasing interest in the movement, so much so that crummer has identified a new area of focus that addresses both social entrepreneurship and its sister movement, sustainable enterprise. as these business models continue attracting attention — and funding — their names are being tossed around more and more, causing some confusion in exactly what constitutes each. although there is some crossover in the concepts, what sets social entrepreneurship apart is the focus on the bigger picture, both in terms of profit and social change. it’s bigger than giving someone a fish. it’s even bigger than teaching someone to fish. bill drayton, ceo and founder of ashoka, a leading global thought leader in social entrepreneurship, puts it

ROLLINS COLLEGE (2)

Social entrepreneurship “is gaining momentum all over the world,” says chrissy garton, program manager at the center for advanced entrepreneurship at the crummer graduate School. “it’s a revolution in how people do business and affect social change.” the term is relatively new, dating to the 1960s and ‘70s, and only came into widespread use in the past few decades. the movement, however, has been around for quite some time. those who study the phenomenon cite examples of early social entrepreneurs, such as Florence nightingale, founder of the first nursing school; robert owen, who started the cooperative movement; and vinoba bhave, who established india’s land gift Movement. Social entrepreneurs take what garton calls “a broader look at the system.” For instance, a nonprofit social service agency might respond to last year’s earthquake in haiti by providing food or medical relief. Someone with a social entrepreneurial mindset might approach the situation by asking, what was different in haiti? why was the quake so devastating there? one answer might be that buildings there are not made well. So the entrepreneur might establish a construction company in order to accomplish several things: build sturdier homes, provide training and jobs for locals, and start an initiative to help haitians secure financing to buy the houses. technically, social entrepreneurial ventures can be either nonprofit or for-profit, however, the latter have a

Concern with global issues is part of what makes Rollins a top educational institution. Students there can participate in service-learning field trips to numerous countries.

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Social entrepreneur Marc Lajeunesse has transformed Columbia’s farming industry, helping locals shift operations to grow stevia, a popular sweetener that’s being used increasingly throughout the world as a sugar substitute.

this way: “Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. they will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.”

LOCAL REVOLUTIONARIES

“i started developing a passion for some of these issues,” Farah says. She also started to understand something very basic: women’s issues, including lack of education, were connected to many of the problems in developing nations. after operating her own nonprofit to train women artisans, she began bajalia, a for-profit venture to sell the women’s wares and “tell the story of women globally,” she says. today, women in 22 countries create handcrafted jewelry, housewares, and other items. bajalia’s first retail shop is located on park avenue in winter park, just down the street from ten thousand villages, a national nonprofit enterprise with a similar mission to cultivate long-term, fair trade relationships with artisans in developing nations. bajalia buys its products directly from craftsmen, some of whom make 10 times the average wage for their region, says Farah. putting money into

BAJALIA

the orlando area provides a strong base for social entrepreneurs, even if the fruit of their work is on the other side of the globe. both Farah and lajeunesse saw needs elsewhere in the world, but developed business plans here to address them. an entrepreneur for most of his life, lajeunesse first formulated the idea to get colombian farmers to grow stevia about six years ago. Most farmers in the tolima province, where his operation, grupo latour, is located, had been forced to grow cocaine or be displaced by drug violence. lajeunesse, who started with just five acres, early on sold private-label stevia in stores such as albertson’s supermarkets. last year, the region experienced the worst floods in 65 years, but the farmers managed to save the crop. the operation now has a greenhouse for its seed program and lajeunesse hopes to have 250 acres under production by the end of this year. he’s also planning to arrange financing for farmers who want to raise chickens. rather than producing his own end product, lajeunesse sends the leaves to china for processing. the resulting product — which he jokingly refers to as “the other white powder from colombia” — is 300 times as sweet as sugar and is used by major soft drink

makers, pharmaceutical companies, and candy, cereal and protein shake manufacturers in north and South america. in an area where unemployment is 18 percent, colombian stevia workers are bringing home the equivalent of minimum wage and are now able to buy houses. in all, approximately 250 families are benefiting from lajeunesse’s efforts. “it’s a drop in the bucket,” he says humbly, “but it’s what i can do.” Farah’s path to the fair-trade jewelry and handicraft business began with the nonprofit side of the equation. a former creative director for an advertising agency, Farah was invited to do some photography for a nonprofit group. inspired by its philanthropic efforts, she began to learn about global concerns, eventually serving on the boards of several nonprofits and traveling as much as possible to africa, china, and india.

Debbie Farah’s Bajalia Trading Company empowers women in impoverished nations by paying fair wages for their handicrafts, which are sold at her Winter Park store.

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an economy — especially into the hands of women — builds families and gives women a voice in their communities. purely social ventures just won’t work, lajeunesse maintains. people need a sense of ownership, of partnership and revenue, for an effort to be successful.

>> LOCAL LEADERS WITH GLOBAL REACH

A LOOK TO THE FUTURE

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PROYECTO TITÍ (2)

recognizing that social entrepreneurship is a growing segment of the business world, rollins is increasing its related offerings. over the past year, the college presented a speaker series that brought in leading experts to discuss education, sustainable agriculture, microfinance, and other elements of social entrepreneurship. rollins also has active partnerships with global social entrepreneurship pioneers, such as ashoka, which invited a select group of students, faculty, and administrators to join those of other top educational institutions at a recent retreat at duke university. the college is currently working toward establishing an official institute that is dedicated to social entrepreneurship and sustainable enterprise, and will serve students as well as the community by providing curricular education supplemented by co-curricular experiences, including conferences, speakers’ series, seminars, internships, community outreach, networking, and research. “there are so many students here who want to use their education and business savvy to do something real, to help people,” says garton. “we are actively doing something locally to raise awareness and expertise of social entrepreneurship.” the move toward social entrepreneurship and the solutions it seeks to provide boil down to this: significant change in this world requires money. Social entrepreneurship begins where social programs and charitable efforts often fall short, with knowledgeable business leaders recognizing that sustainable profit is key to initiating x long-term societal change.

While they don’t fit the standard definition of social entrepreneurships, there are other initiatives that embrace some of the movement’s concepts, bringing positive change to our local community, as well as to other nations. Long-term conservation success involves science as well as “community programs that involve local people in culturally relevant, action-based programs,” says dr. anne Savage. a senior conservation biologist at disney’s orlando-based animal kingdom, Savage is the founder of proyecto tití, an organization dedicated to protecting endangered cotton-top tamarins, a primate found only in colombia. when a colleague and his wife were hanging around the proyecto tití office with her one day, the wife started looking for things to crochet. She used an old cassette tape for starters, then Savage spied some plastic bags. what if they were cut into strips? the light bulb went on. if local women could make mochilas — a multi-purpose carry-all bag common to colombia — out of plastic bags, they would have opportunities for employment as well as funding for proyecto tití, and what would otherwise be harmful litter would be recycled into something useful. the enterprise started with about 15 women and now has more than 300. workers are paid by the piece, and their earnings enable some of them to buy homes for their families. their handmade “eco-mochilas” are sold in the country, on Proyecto Tití’s website, and at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney isn’t the only example of a large local company that’s making a difference. Approximately 30 percent of Rosen Hotels & Resorts’ employees are from Haiti or are of Haitian descent — a fact that owner Harris Rosen takes to heart. Not only does the company offer language development and continuing education programs to its associates, but Rosen also has been spearheading efforts to improve Haiti’s quality of life for more than a decade. His Harris Rosen Foundation has provided residents with food, water filtration systems, and educational and medical supplies. Its latest effort, Relief-Rebuild-Sustain, was established in response to the earthquake that devastated the nation last year. A major component of the program is the Little Haiti House project, an effort to provide affordable, sustainable prefab housing to victims of the disaster.

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innovation alley

SCRIPTURE

Speedy By Kristen Manieri

WYCLIFFE BIBLE TRANSLATORS GOES HIGH TECH TO PROMOTE THE WORLD’S BEST SELLER.

The Winklers are missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators, the world’s largest Bible-translating organization. Founded in 1942 by missionary William Cameron Townsend, Wycliffe originally was located in Orange County, California, but in 2000 moved to Orlando, where a lower cost of living was more favorable to its missionary families. The process of translating the Bible into the remaining 2,100 languages in the world begins in Orlando at Wycliffe’s 148,000-square-foot U.S. headquarters. The company’s mission — to give every person on the planet access to a Bible in his own language — is hardly a modern one. In fact, Wycliffe’s name gives a shout out to John Wycliffe, a 14th century preacher who is credited with translating the New Testament into English for the first time. Back then, it took a lifetime to translate a Bible; these days, it can take less than 10 years. And while the reason for translating Bibles hasn’t changed at all in the last several centuries, the methods definitely have. Thanks to innovations in telecommunications, computers, and software, Wycliffe is in the midst of the greatest acceleration of Bible translation in history. At this moment, there are more than 7,000 Wycliffe missionaries at work

Wycliffe (3)

Chris and Christie Winkler and their two-year-old son, Judah, are a long way from Orlando. For the last year and a half, they’ve been living in Africa, where they operate a central office that supports nearly 100 Bible-translation projects throughout Nigeria, a country that has 500 different languages, 300 of which do not have Bible translations.

Orlando-based Wycliffe uses the latest technology to introduce the Bible to remote cultures in their native language.

on over 1,500 Bible translations around the globe. It’s a process that involves linguists, translators, support staff and nationals, and one that often begins with the creation of an alphabet, since many of the world’s languages are oral only. Next, reading materials are designed and the process of teaching the locals to read their own language ensues. Information about AIDS and other health-related materials are also translated, an initiative that not only solidifies the team’s standing within the

community, but one that has quite possibly saved thousands of lives. Once the team begins documenting and dissecting the language, translators start utilizing software called Adapt It. “This program allows a translator to take two related languages — one of which has the Bible and the other which has yet to be translated — input data, and quickly start to generate a translation in the language still in need,” Chris Winkler says. “This means that certain translation tasks that used to

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Wycliffe creates alphabets to teach villagers to read their own language.

take years can now be done in a just a matter of months.” Technology not only assists in the translation process, but also keeps missionaries such as Winkler and his wife connected to the outside world. “We have a difficult time imagining life as a missionary without access to modern technology,” says Winkler. “We both have laptops, as well as local cell-phone options, including one that allows for inexpensive calls to the United States. We often use Skype, Facebook and e-mail to both carry out our work, as well as to connect with friends and family in the U.S.” (The Winklers even have their own blog: thosewinklers.wordpress.com.) Of course, many such technological innovations would be futile if not for solar power and satellites, both of which are increasingly being deployed in some of Wycliffe’s most remote sites and which account for much of the company’s accelerated progress. With the help of JAARS, a partner organization, solar tools that power laptops, backup systems, and even refrigerators, are now being used by missionary families, who experience constant power-supply disruptions that can make completing daily tasks extremely difficult. “At both our house and our office, we have solar technology that provides more consistent power,” says Winkler. “Nigeria just doesn’t generate enough power to provide electricity to the whole

country at all times. We never know when the power will go off or when it will come back on. From the time we had the solar backup system installed at our house, our quality of life improved dramatically and productivity also increased.” Wycliffe also employs a handful of innovative satellite systems. These backpack-sized communication kits allow missionaries to quickly transmit video and data to team members in the U.S. “Communication used to be incredibly challenging,” Winkler says. “Now with improved satellite-phone and Internet capabilities, one team member can be in a hut in a rural village in Nigeria and the other can be sitting in an office in the United States, yet

they can be looking and talking through the same drafts and documents simultaneously. Instead of having to wait months for the team to be reunited in the field, conversations can take place in real time as the project progresses, shaving months and years off of the time needed to translate.” Wycliffe plans to have more than 200 of these backpack systems deployed in the next few years. The company’s dedication to using the latest technology has created more effective and efficient ways to introduce the Bible to even the most remote cultures. Thanks to Wycliffe, the one book that’s been the world’s best seller since it was first printed in 1456 will likely be able to maintain that status. x

The process of Bible translation comes to life at Wycliffe’s visitors center.

At Wycliffe’s visitors center, figures represent real people around the world who help bring the Bible to new audiences.

>>IMMERSE YOURSELF To allow scripture enthusiasts the opportunity to dive into the world of Bible translations, Wycliffe created the Wycliffe Discovery Center (formerly called WordSpring), a petite visitor’s experience tucked into a small corner of the company’s southeast Orlando headquarters. Here, guests come face to face with nearly a dozen wax-like figures that represent the various cultures, countries, and languages in which Wycliffe has worked. The figures, dressed in their native attire, are exact replicas of real people involved in the translation process in faroff corners of the globe. Visitors press a red button by each to hear them read John 3:16 in their native tongue. Audio and video components bring Wycliffe’s mission to life, while interactive stations — such as the one that lets visitors see what their name looks like written in foreign letters — engage people in the translation process. To learn more about the visitors center, visit www.wycliffe.org/ wordspring.

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tech trends

RECOVERY

From research to By John Marini

The Florida high Tech corridor council’S granT PrograM PairS leading univerSiTieS wiTh PrivaTe coMPanieS To acceleraTe r&d, and helPS SPur econoMic recovery in The ProceSS.

Orlando’s bdDisplays is working with UCF researcher Dr. Sabine Freisem to develop head-mounted displays for first responders. This image shows what someone wearing one would see.

BDDISPLAYS

Like the proverbial stone tossed into a pond, Florida’s focus on job creation and rebuilding its innovation economy is being aided by the ripple effect of a unique applied-research program that for nearly 15 years has brought high-tech industry into partnerships with three of the nation’s largest research universities, their faculty and their graduate students.

According to a study by Innovation Insight Inc., applied-research partnerships with universities are playing a substantial role in economic recovery as companies large and small report increased jobs, new product lines, research funding and profitable contracts as the result of their working relationships with the Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s (FHTCC) three partner institutions. The Council’s Matching Grants Research Program (MGRP) has been recognized nationally and internationally for its impact on competitiveness by providing matching dollars to fund applied research on the campuses of the University of Central Florida (UCF), the University of South Florida (USF) and the University of Florida (UF). Faculty members and graduate student researchers work side-by-side with industry researchers to solve problems that can facilitate progress and lead to commercialization. “This program has created a ripple effect of job creation and company start-ups and attracted revenue that comprises a significant portion of our state’s economy,” says Randy Berridge, president of FHTCC. “It’s staggering to think what our economy would look like were it not for this investment in applied-research partnerships.” Innovation Insight’s comprehensive study concluded that the FHTCC’s state-funded research program has leveraged $54 million over 14 years to

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create a direct and indirect economic impact of $1.3 billion in the 23 counties that make up the Corridor, in addition to generating an equivalent impact of 3,276 jobs downstream. Through new research partnerships with UCF, Metro Orlando-based businesses are continuing to contribute to the program’s ripple effect. One company that has relied on the MGRP for the past five years to complete much-needed R&D of its products is bdDisplays, a start-up company that develops head-mounted displays for use by first responders, such as firemen and police officers. Used to create immersive virtualreality environments, head-mounted displays are being used in more and more applications. With advances in their sophistication, the power required to run them typically increases, as well. So for the past two years, bdDisplays CEO, Dr. Michael Bass, has worked with a UCF researcher, Dr. Sabine Freisem of CREOL, the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers. Together, they are

developing a semiconductor chip that enables head-mounted displays to run off of a small, but efficient, battery. High-efficiency, low-voltage microdisplays have the potential to improve both quality of life and workplace productivity as the displays get smaller and lighter, and Freisem believes that she is on the right track with her chip research. In toning down the power needed, she may just rev up the simulation industry in Florida, which is already an important part of the High Tech Corridor’s industry base. In her pursuit of a more efficient semiconductor, Freisem is experimenting with gallium arsenide (GaAs) and other elements from groups III and V on the Periodic Table, instead of the traditional silicon. “We are developing a new kind of semiconductor chip for these displays,” explains Freisem. “In making the chips we grow the crystals, first designing how the crystals have to be grown. There seem to be a lot of advantages of the III-V. We’ve had interesting results so far.”

Freisem has been working on the project since fall 2008, and as of now there is funding in place to keep it moving forward until September 2011. Freisem’s work is now targeted toward commercialization with the hope of having a marketable product in hand. “It’s a more involved process than getting a single device working,” she says. “It’s a challenge to work with a company whose actual goal is not the research itself — it is really in the end to have something that works — that you potentially could sell.” Unlike some research projects that evolve over time into different areas, this one pretty much has stayed true to its original intent. But the unintended consequences could turn out to be just as important. Only time will tell, but fewer batteries could end up being discarded, and there is potential for these microchips to be used in other applications because of their low power drain. For more information on FHTCC’s MGRP, visit www.floridahightech.com/ x research.php.

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PROGRESS ENERGY SERVICE ARE A

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local powerhouse

Power

Players

They acT globally and live locally: Four inTernaTional powerhouses make Their home base righT here in By Denise Bates Enos cenTral Florida.

scratch the surface of orlando’s status as a leader in the tourism industry, and you’ll find that the area is also ideal for companies in other sectors. The same amenities that make it a top vacation destination — an international airport with an abundance of direct flights and a mild year-round climate — also make doing business here attractive. add in a burgeoning high-tech industry, a skilled workforce, and a low cost of living, and you have a location any corporation would find suitable for its home base. headquartered in central Florida, these four international companies are respected the world over for their innovations, and embraced here for their contributions to the community.

SIEMENS ENERGY INC. (2)

A worldwide leader in wind and other energy technologies, Siemens Energy Inc. serves all of the Americas from its Orlando headquarters.

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with roots that go back more than 150 years, germany-based siemens ag has a presence in 190 countries, and its 400,000 employees work at 1,640 locations around the globe. westinghouse power generation relocated its global headquarters to central Florida in 1982. siemens then acquired westinghouse in 1998 and merged the companies to form what is today known as siemens energy inc., one of the world’s leading suppliers of products, services, and solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power, and for the extraction, conversion and transport of oil and gas. “we relocated westinghouse to orlando in 1982 because of the proximity to the university of central Florida (ucF), its easy access to markets all over the world, and for its outstanding quality of life,” says randy Zwirn, who is now president and ceo of siemens energy, inc. The orlando headquarters serves all of north, south, and central america, with more than 3,600 employees in eight central Florida facilities. orlando is also home to siemens wind power, which grew from just one employee in 2005 to 150 today. siemens has a strong foothold in the community. in addition to its executive involvement in organizations including Florida hospital and the metro orlando economic development commission, the company has a longstanding relationship with ucF. over the past 10 years, siemens has donated more than $3 million to the school to help fund research and development. its latest partnership with ucF is the siemens energy research center, where students, professors, and siemens professionals work together to increase the efficiency of power generation equipment. in addition, siemens is a strong supporter of local nonprofits such as goodwill and habitat for humanity. The company recently pledged $30,000 to habitat orlando’s largest homebuilding project to date: stag horn villas, an $8 million development

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Siemens Energy Inc. cites several reasons for basing its operations in Orlando, including close proximity to the University of Central Florida, which is one of its major research partners.

that will provide affordable housing for 58 families. known for its environmental concern and innovations in the energy sector, siemens made the project more energy-efficient with its donation, which helped purchase “green” products. siemens employees also contributed more than $4,000 to habitat for humanity, and are active members of local community groups. From little league to girl and boy scouts and from walk-a-thons to bowl-a-thons, siemens employees give countless hours and donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to many charitable organizations.

locally grown

“darden restaurants is truly homegrown,” says rich Jeffers, its director of media relations and external communications. “central Florida has been darden’s home since our founder, bill darden, opened the first red lobster in lakeland in 1968.”

in the four decades since, darden has grown into the world’s largest full-service restaurant company. This year, it teamed up with americana group to expand into the middle east, with at least 60 new restaurants planned over the next five years. but to Jeffers, remaining in central Florida is a no-brainer. in addition to the great year-round weather, vibrant arts and cultural offerings, and affordable cost of living, the region embraces an entrepreneurial spirit. “central Florida is a great place to do business because it has strong business and community leadership, with a shared commitment to the success of the city and the companies located here,” he says. “The region’s diverse population provides access to a talented workforce, and it’s also an attractive feature when we recruit talent to darden.” The company always has been active in the local community, supporting a variety of charitable and nonprofit

organizations, such as second harvest Food bank and orlando ballet, as well as other groups that have benefited from darden’s ongoing “good neighbor grants” program.

The new kid

mitsubishi power systems america (mpsa) was established in 2001 to serve as the center for power-generation equipment in the americas, as a subsidiary of Japan-based mitsubishi heavy industries, a diversified Fortune “global 150” company with more than $30 billion in annual revenue. based in lake mary, mpsa grew further with a service center later that year, and expanded its manufacturing facilities in 2007. From its central Florida base, mpsa focuses on manufacturing, servicing, and supplying power-generation equipment and systems throughout the western hemisphere. “since 2001, mpsa has invested over $550 million in its north american

DARDEN RESTAURANTS

Known the world over for its popular restaurant brands, such as Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse, Darden Restaurants traces its roots to the first Red Lobster restaurant, which opened in Lakeland in 1968.

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Mitsubishi Power Systems America’s Central Florida location includes both its turbine-component repair and new-component manufacturing facilities.

infrastructure growth, including $175 million in central Florida, making us the power-equipment manufacturer with the largest investments in the u.s. in the last 10 years,” says david walsh, mpsa’s senior vice president of manufacturing and services. “There are several reasons mpsa located in the orlando area, as well as why we continue to expand here,” walsh explains. “The key factors are orlando’s proximity to the central location of power-generation suppliers’ growth (i.e. the southeast u.s.), and the ability to recruit and obtain

qualified personnel from the area, including graduates from great schools like ucF, uF, valencia college, and seminole state. The state and local governments have been extremely supportive of our manufacturing expansion. orlando international airport and other nearby airports provide excellent transportation capabilities. The weather is also a huge bonus. our clients in the north enjoy scheduling meetings here this time of the year, and can relax playing golf after the meetings are finished. There are also fantastic beaches very close by,

including famous daytona beach, where you can enjoy nascar races and motorcycle events.” mpsa’s more than 700 full-time central Florida employees have those same reasons to love where they live and work, and then some. The company strives to engage its workforce through initiatives such as its ideas program, which solicits, recognizes, and implements employees’ suggestions for improving the safety, quality or productivity of its processes, rewarding them with certificates of appreciation, drawings for prizes, and special events. and that cooperative spirit extends beyond the workplace. mpsa has been an active community partner since it opened here, participating in local organizations, such as the ymca, the chamber of commerce, and the metro orlando economic development commission. mpsa is also a supporter of seminole state college and ucF, and has a matching gift program through which it matches employee contributions to eligible charitable groups.

The old Timer

in a city where Florida natives are as rare as snowflakes, a still-thriving company whose roots here date to the 1950s is almost as scarce.

TONY LEPS/MITSUBISHI (2)

MPSA’s state-of-the-art new-component manufacturing facility has highly automated machining operations and productivityenhancing systems to ensure that its gas and steam turbine parts are of top quality and are rapidly available.

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The fountain in front of Tupperware’s south Orlando headquarters is an iconic part of the brand that’s featured in the company’s logo.

international airport, and the fact that orlando has the resources of a big city but the feel of a small town. Tupperware’s hundreds of consultants come from all over the world to visit its headquarters, and they are always awed by the area’s great weather. but beyond sunshine and blue skies, as a central Florida business for more than 50 years, Tupperware takes pride in the abundance of cultural and business opportunities the community offers. To give back, it supports the boys & girls clubs of america and recently donated $1 million to fund

the construction of a new club facility in osceola county. Tupperware also supports a wide variety of philanthropic and cultural endeavors, including the orlando science center and share our strength, an organization that combats childhood hunger. like this quartet of corporate heavies, many other companies of all sizes have chosen to establish their headquarters in central Florida. The quality of life here, coupled with a business-friendly environment, make metro orlando an ideal place for x businesses to call home.

TUPPERWARE BRANDS CORPORATION (2)

back then, Tupperware was quickly becoming one of the most popular american products. business was booming, and Tupperware inventor earl Tupper decided he needed to build a headquarters where there was ample land to accommodate the evergrowing business. brownie wise — the new general sales manager of what was then known as Tupperware home parties inc. — had recently relocated to Florida and began looking for land that would fit the bill. The company settled on 1,200 wooded acres in kissimmee, just south of orlando, with no other businesses or homes around for miles. buying the land was one of the company’s largest investments at that time, but executives knew that they had found a gem in central Florida. with its sunny skies and warm weather, it was a perfect home base for Tupperware’s colorful products. That original headquarters building, a classic example of modern midcentury architecture, is still command central for a company that has gone increasingly global in scope. after a decade of success in the u.s., Tupperware expanded into europe. in 1963, it had a presence in six european countries and then launched in Japan and australia. it also had sales offices in africa and latin america before 1970. since then, it has extended to almost 100 countries around the world under its eight brands. in 2005, it changed its name to Tupperware brands corporation to reflect its everexpanding product spectrum: The company acquired beauticontrol in 2001 and international beauty group in 2005, and now carries seven brands of beauty and personal care products. sales for the company have been up for the past five years, and it has continued expanding into emerging global markets, including brazil, india, indonesia, malaysia/singapore, Turkey, the philippines, and venezuela. Tupperware closed out 2010 with record sales of $2.3 billion. The company cites several reasons why central Florida is its preferred home base, including its dynamic and diverse residents, a world-class

Tupperware is a strong supporter of local community organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club of America, to which it contributed $1 million to fund a new facility.

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interface

HENRY

documenting By Jessica Chapman

Henry Maldonado, preSIdent enzIan & FlorIda FIlM FeStIval

Metro Orlando’s film industry has exploded over in recent years, turning locals into celebs, enticing companies to shoot and set up shop here, and creating demand for advanced specialty degrees. One constant on the scene since its founding in 1985 has been Enzian, Central Florida’s premier independent movie house and home of the Florida Film Festival. In fall 2009, Henry Maldonado retired from WKMG, local Channel 6, after four decades in television, and became president of Enzian and its renowned film festival. A lifelong film aficionado, he has produced more than 100 shorts and served on Enzian’s board of directors for nearly a decade.

T Texture: How long have you been interested in filmmaking? hm Henry Maldonado: Since I was 8 years old. I was the family documentarian, shooting us all in 8mm and 16mm during the 1960s. I would take the bus to the local movie house and sit there spellbound in darkness, alone. I lied about my age and got in to see La Dolce Vita — more to see Anita Ekberg in a movie that was “condemned” by the Catholic Church — and fell in love with movies. By accident I went to Boston University, which at the time was one of the few schools that had a film degree. While I was trying to decide on a major, all the pieces came together. When I told my parents that I was not shooting for Law School, but was going to be a documentarian, it was like announcing that I was going to be a poet. Of course my dad blamed my mother, who actually loved poetry, so she got it. T You’ve lived and worked in many major U.S. cities — what brought you to Orlando, and what keeps you here?

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PHELAN EBENHACK (4)

hm I worked for the Washington Post television division for over 25 years. I was hired in Detroit to take a last-place station and turn it around. The selling point from them to me was, “this station is so bad, it can’t get any worse, so we can do whatever we want.” It was a golden age of local television. We did talk shows, prime-time documentaries, live fireworks, even an “American Idol”type show. So when the Post took over channel 6 [in Orlando], after several general managers fell short, I was sent as the corporate suit to do what needed to be done. Now, 10 years later, I like to think WKMG is a factor and a player, and I love this community, I love Enzian, and I intend to make this area the place where I have my life’s next adventures.

T As a producer for one of Central Florida’s biggest news stations, you inherently played a major role within the community. Do you try to foster a sense of community at Enzian? hm Enzian, just like a television station, touches audiences in a deep, emotional,

personal way. One of the key things I learned in my 40 years in television was to have an ongoing dialogue with your audience. In TV I would do that both through our programming, and with commentaries I would do on-air after the news. At Enzian, before each movie, I address the audience with a short video, telling them all the things we’re up to. A movie theater has to be a center for community, a place where we come together to be exposed to new ideas, and at Enzian we provide a very comfortable setting, not only to receive, but to discuss and digest, both the ideas and some great food and drink. We are a place where the social interaction around the movie is an integral part of the experience, and where a movie house is as much a total destination as it is about performance.

T What’s one of the most enjoyable aspects of your job? hm We show classics every month and have special events that include food and drink and a great classic. For Valentine’s Day this year we showed Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. Last year it was Casablanca. I always introduce the movie, and I always ask how many have seen it. Invariably, almost 100% have seen the film, but when I ask how many have seen it on the big screen, usually only one or two. I then promise them that they will be seeing this movie for the first time. I love to stick around and say goodbye to all of them, because they are floating three feet off the ground, and they tell me how moved they were by a film they thought they knew. “You were right” are the overwhelming parting words.

Is this your dream job?

hm Enzian is a wonderfully engaging

canvas within which you explore ideas. The people I work with are real pals, and love movies. Most importantly the Tiedtke family, which started Enzian 25 years ago, is totally involved in the operation. Sig and Philip Tiedtke are the heart and soul of Enzian, and they are dear friends. So this is as close to a dream as real life can get.

T Central Florida’s film and entertainment industry has experienced tremendous growth in the last 20 years. Where do you see it going from here? hm The future of film in Orlando, and overall, is in the independent film. The literature of film resides with the independent filmmaker. The fact that making movies for them is getting more and more accessible, the time is here for them to be poets, visionaries, and truly make films the new literature. In the 60s and 70s when I was learning the craft, the phrase “the medium is the message” was the mantra. And that was all wrong. We now know that “the message is the message.” Script, storyline, acting are what movies are all about, and with portability, ease of shooting, and inexpensive video equipment, the filmmaker is now free to truly explore what makes film so powerful: the story and how you tell it. T The Florida Film Festival takes place April 8-17 this year. What’s in store for patrons? hm We celebrate Florida. In addition to the films in competition, we’ll celebrate both the movie side of our state, and the food and drink we love so much. Enzian has always been a feast for the eyes and for the palate, and so the Florida Film Festival follows suit. So get ready for some great Southern hospitality, and all the joy of film, food and friends that comes with it. T 2011 marks the Festival’s 20th anniversary. To what do you attribute its longevity and success? hm First and foremost, I credit our audience. We have an audience that is very film-savvy. They come to Enzian every week of the year, and gobble up independent films. So when the Festival brings more than one hundred independent films to our area, and along come filmmakers, directors, actors, and distributors of independent films, our audience is there to welcome them, not only with great affection, but with a very deep appreciation of what x they do.

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Manufacturing RE A L IT Y By Justin Campﬁeld

THINK AMerICA DOeSN’T MAKe ANyTHINg ANyMOre? NOT ONLy IS THe U.S. A WOrLD LeADer IN MANUFACTUrINg, BUT Here IN CeNTrAL FLOrIDA, THe INDUSTry IS STILL grOWINg.

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BIG CAT HPV (3)

Central Florida manufacturers, such as Big Cat HPV, produced more than $2.04 billion in total wages last year.

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Visitors to Correct Craft’s Orlando headquarters may wonder if it really is where the company makes its renowned line of Nautique boats. After all, with its showroom-floor lighting and operating room-like cleanliness — not to mention the two tree-lined water ski lakes on site — the company’s local manufacturing facility is about as far removed from the smokestack-stained stereotype of manufacturing as you can get.

BIG CAT HPV (3)

But Correct Craft is just one of a surprisingly large number of companies in the Orlando area that are doing what many in political and business punditry claim can’t be done in the United States any longer: make things and provide good-paying jobs while doing it. The U.S. manufacturing industry has been much maligned in recent years, with the general idea being that nothing is being made in this country anymore. The truth is that the U.S. ranks No. 1 in the world in manufacturing. And the competition for the top spot isn’t even close. According to data compiled by the United Nations, the U.S. produced $2.15 trillion worth of manufactured goods in 2009. That’s a pretty comfortable margin over China’s $1.48 trillion. Interestingly, that same year, America produced 20 percent of goods worldwide, which isn’t far off from the 1990 figure of 21 percent. Locally, the argument that manufacturing has all but disappeared doesn’t hold water, either. In Central Florida, there are 1,723 manufacturing companies, 150 more than five years ago. Nearly four percent of Metro Orlando’s total employment is in the manufacturing industry, which also accounts for five percent of Florida’s workforce. Not only is the area’s manufacturing industry growing, but it pays well, too. The average wage for a manufacturing job in Central Florida is $54,213, or more than $13,000 higher than the Florida average. Last year, local manufacturers produced more than $2.04 billion in total wages. So how are companies able to hold their own against the likes of China and India with their cheap labor and exportfriendly government policies? For a number of Orlando companies, the answer has been to fully dedicate

themselves to advanced manufacturing principles. While there is not one widely accepted definition of the term, for the following local businesses, it means utilizing the latest technologies and processes to operate smarter, faster, and more efficiently than their competitors.

BIg CAT HPV

At a time when conventional wisdom suggests that U.S. manufacturing is moving overseas, one Winter garden company has been working hard to bring as much manufacturing as possible under its own roof. For Big Cat HPV, which produces and distributes 2,000 high-quality recumbent trikes and bikes a year through a world-wide dealer network, being able to build its bikes from scratch gives it a distinct competitive edge. “We are working to become more self sufficient so that we can respond to demand more quickly,” says Paulo Camasmie, a Brazilian-born mechanical engineer who started the company in 1990. “We are much more flexible than our competitors, who buy from

China. We can make anything within three days and ship it the next day because our production system is so efficient.” The company recently invested heavily in robot technology that has allowed its eight manufacturing employees to produce themselves a key component they’ve been working for years to bring in house: wheels. At one point, Big Cat was importing wheels from Taiwan, but Camasmie grew weary of having such an important part of his product be so disconnected by geography. He says that more and more U.S. companies are going to start realizing the disadvantages of relying on imported parts. “When you outsource important parts, they get stuck somewhere in the production process, you have to forecast everything ahead four months or more and then wait four months to get them,” Camasmie explains. “Then you get them and they got it wrong, so you have to discount everything. We can turn anything into exactly what we are selling. It may cost more, but it is much more sustainable.”

Every year, Winter Garden-based Big Cat HPV manufactures 2,000 recumbent bikes and trikes from the ground up.

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>>STEM: A National Concern

CORRECT CRAFT (3)

Correct Craft’s signature Ski Nautique boats are built in its east Orlando manufacturing facility. Right: Innovative T5 lighting ensures a high-quality finished product.

MerCUry MArINe

FArO TeCHNOLOgIeS

While Big Cat has been successful in nearly eliminating imports from its supply chain, one of Central Florida’s oldest manufacturing facilities is actually building parts that are exported to China and Japan before they are included in finished products that sell across the world. Mercury Marine’s St. Cloud parts manufacturing facility has been churning out boat engine components for more than 50 years. Specializing in high-performance plastic and electronic components and assemblies,

MERCURY MARINE

Today’s manufacturing facilities aren’t like they used to be, and neither are the employees who work in them. The advanced machinery and innovative production principles used in many of today’s manufacturing facilities mean that manufacturers are increasingly in need of employees who are well educated in science, technology, engineering and math, collectively referred to as STEM. Although the U.S. is still the world’s No. 1 manufacturer, producing approximately 20 percent of the world’s goods, fretting about the state of American STEM education, and by proxy the country’s ability to keep its competitive edge against rising economies, such as those of China and India, has become something of a national obsession. That has never been more apparent than during President Barack Obama’s most recent State of the Union address, in which he called for an investment of $100 million in STEM education that would, among other things, research and develop better methods of STEM teacher preparation, recruitment and retention models, and train an additional 100,000 STEM teachers over the next 10 years. These proposals are in addition to previous STEM-related initiatives pursued by the administration and the business community, such as STEM’s prominent role in the $4 billion “Race to the Top” education funding competition and the $700 million in financial and in-kind support for STEM programs that was contributed by industry, university, foundation, and science and engineering professionals.

Mercury Marine makes electronics and other components here in Central Florida.

the plant and its roughly 125 employees has relied on innovation and a dedication to quality to maintain its competitive edge. “you have to be very flexible and forward looking,” says Mark Hamilton, the plant’s engineering manager. “We work closely with our engineers and our suppliers to stay as close to the leading edge of technology as we can. And we work really hard on quality and price.”

Not many manufacturers are glad the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009 happened, and neither was Faro Technologies. But the Lake Mary-based company didn’t let a good opportunity go to waste as it took advantage of a temporary lull in business to completely reshape its manufacturing process. Faro Technologies, which designs, manufactures and markets computeraided 3-D measurement and imaging products, used the downturn to jump headfirst into implementing “lean manufacturing.” A descendent of the Toyota Production System, lean manufacturing focuses on the relentless pursuit of reducing waste in the manufacturing process. Waste targeted for elimination can be anything from raw material to an inefficient number of footsteps a worker must take in order to reach a tool or accomplish a task. “We looked at everything in our facilities to see what we didn’t need,” says David Morse, Faro’s senior vice president and managing director for the Americas. “We ended up gutting the manufacturing facility and starting over with the most efficient production line possible. As a result, we’ve seen a 40-percent increase in efficiency from the same footprint.” Faro also used the opportunity to rethink the way they did things by letting their production line workers show them what worked and what didn’t. “Our workers really designed the process,” says Morse. “We took every operator we had and had our engineers and managers shadow them to see how

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>>STEM: Local Solutions

they built the products and where they had issues. We learned a tremendous amount from the operators and have used those standards to better perfect the manufacturing process.”

COrreCT CrAFT

Unlike many companies who have to reconfigure their manufacturing facilities in order to fully take advantage of lean manufacturing principles, Correct Craft had the benefit of being able to construct a brand-new, state-of-the art, 216,000-square-foot building. Matt Mcginnis, director of operations, says, “Our company has completely evolved over the last few years.” As it designed its new facility, Correct Craft implemented many lean manufacturing techniques, such as making the transition from batch building to one-piece flow, allowing it to make components one at a time as they’re needed for customer orders. The effort has paid off, as each of the 1,200 boats that roll off the manufacturing line at the plant each year now requires 40 percent less labor hours to build than just three years ago. But that doesn’t mean the company is done. “I always tell people who come out to the factory that if they come back in six months, it’ll look different,” says Mcginnis. “We are always changing and continuously looking to improve.” If anyone doubts that products can be manufactured in such a clean, organized facility, people are welcome to go see it for themselves: Factory tours are offered by appointment twice daily, x Monday through Thursday.

Central Floridians are well aware of the importance of STEM education. One of the most widespread local efforts to increase awareness of STEM-related manufacturing careers was the production of “Manufacturing Heroes,” a coloring/comic book that was recently distributed to 14,000 fourth graders during career week. Developed by the Manufacturing Association of Central Florida (MACF) in partnership with Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), the activity book profiles Orlando-based manufacturers and highlights careers they offer. Statistics about the industry’s significant presence in Central Florida are sprinkled throughout. “We want teachers and students, and especially parents, to understand that there are high-paying jobs in manufacturing,” says MACF Executive Director Sherry Reeves. “People talk a lot about bio-, green, and medical innovation, but advanced manufacturing is the base of all these industries.” MACF and OCPS may be targeting students, but another local group is focusing on those on the other side of the equation. “The students are the end users; educators and parents are the influencers,” explains Bill Duerden, vice chairman of the Central Florida STEM Education Council. Started in 2009 in response to the growing need for workers with advanced STEM education, the Council is comprised of a who’s who in defense, technology, and entertainment, with representatives from Lockheed Martin, Harris, Boeing, Disney, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, and NASA. “India and China alone are graduating more scientists and engineers than the U.S. is total students,” says Duerden. “We won’t have enough students coming out of STEM in the next ten years to fill retiring positions, let alone fill new jobs.”

The Council hopes to reverse that trend by communicating STEM opportunities to parents and teachers via a multi-media campaign. The group also tries to engage students by offering hands-on education that includes video games, science camps, and robotics competitions. “Students are always going to learn more when they are engaged in something rather than reading about it or listening to someone lecture about it,” says Duerden. Two Orlando-area companies are not only taking that sentiment to heart, they’re betting their companies on it. TEQ Games and FX Design Group have developed school-based flight simulators that use immersive games to teach core concepts in math, science, and physics. FX Design Group builds the simulator shells, while TEQ Games focuses on integrating the software and curriculum. Currently being used by 7th- to 12th-graders at the National Flight Academy in Pensacola and in beta testing at two high schools and one middle school in Northern Florida, the product is already showing results. Math retention at the middle school has increased by 25 percent, and 7th graders at the flight academy have shown a 24-percent gain in math efficiency, compared to just a five-percent gain for non-academy students. “When students are in a cognitive, pragmatic situation, they tend to retain things a lot better,” says TEQ Games Chief Operating Officer John Fitzgibbon. “Instead of giving lectures, teachers give mission briefings. Instead of doing homework, students do mission challenges and create flight plans.” Of course, it never hurts to have an innovative solution to a problem that has the attention of those at the highest levels of government and industry — all the way up to the President himself.

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special fx

trendsetting TECHNOLOGY By Sandra Carr

When it comes to the latest 3-D technology, orlanDo is at the forefront of innovation.

From video games and simulators, to films and television, threedimensional (3-D) technology is fast becoming a modern staple.

“It’s here to stay,” says Alana Parker, business development director for Computerized Training Systems, LLC (C-T-S), “though some people still believe it’s a fad.” C-T-S (www.C-T-S.com) has been in the computer-based training business for the past 20 years, and for the past four, it’s been offering 3-D postproduction and editing services to companies in a range of industries, from military to education. “3-D technology is blooming across the board,” Parker says. “Every day we learn of new techniques, software and advancements. It’s growing fast.” C-T-S can provide out-of-thescreen, post-production after-effects,

as well as 2-D and 3-D conversions, for an entire project or just a portion of it. Its clients include government agencies, the U.S. Navy, film-production companies, and even museums. “We can take anything from 2-D and convert it into 3-D for art displays,” says Parker. “Anything that makes an immersive exhibit more immersive is where we come in.” C-T-S specializes in technical training solutions that include interactive 3-D animations, as well as 3-D modeling with real-time environments, 3-D visual databases and 3-D advertising. Parker says that the recent blockbuster Avatar reignited interest in 3-D technology. “Now you’ll see that all of

the movies coming out are going to have a 3-D form. That’s the beauty of 3-D: you can always have a 2-D version, so it’s a double amount of everything — double the sales and the revenue.” When it comes to 3-D technology and sales and revenue, the video-game industry is another major player. And Winter Park-based Helios Interactive (www.Heliosx.com) has positioned itself at the forefront of gaming. For the past seven years, the company has been developing cross-platform, 3-D game-engine software to build games for PCs, Macs, Web browsers, and even Facebook. Its GameCore (www.GameCore3d. com) engine is bringing real change to the industry, as it allows users to build their own 3-D video games online by importing 3-D content from modeling packages without any conversion process. It also updates that content automatically, without the need to re-import it. Helios’ Founder and CEO Ravé Mehta explains that the gaming market traditionally consisted of either complex engines that were very programmer-centric, or more artistfriendly ones that were extremely expensive. GameCore has filled the gap between the two. “I saw the future was moving towards 3-D games on the Web,” says

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Helios’ GameCore engine is revolutionizing the gaming industry.

Helios

Mehta. “We decided to lock down this new direction, with the Web and social media as our primary focus.” There are several advantages to Web-based games, including the ability to make ongoing improvements in real time. They are also much less expensive to develop than console games, plus, the audience is much larger, with 1.2 billion PCs in use versus about 100 million game consoles. Helios’s innovative product has brought much-deserved attention to the company, as well as to Central Florida. “GameCore has helped put Orlando on the 3-D gaming-technology map,” says Mehta. “There aren’t a lot of game-engine companies out there. Most of them are on the West Coast. Having one here just shows that Orlando has the talent for creating 3-D technology.” On the other side of town, Lockheed Martin recently introduced some revolutionary new software, as well. Launched last November, Prepar3D (www.prepar3d.com), built on Microsoft ESP, provides a virtual world that trains military, academia, aviation, and other professionals in immersive experiences with realistic environments. It’s compatible with PCs, Macs, laptops, and full-motion simulation systems. “Prepar3D is a game-changing technology for the modeling and simulation industry,” says Martile Allen, Prepar3D program manager. “The open nature of the software-development kit, the affordability factor, the direct availability of the software and the agility with which a customer can have a solution are leading the way in addressing our customers’ toughest economic challenges.” Prepar3D’s realistic environments include real-world roads, rivers, lakes, coastlines, and cities, and users can select the weather, moon phases and time zones. The beauty of the software is that it can be customized for a variety of applications ranging from aviation to academia, and can be tailored to train for different environments. “The Prepar3D reconfigurable simulation framework is built on top of an entire, round, virtual earth and it

is able to change vehicle types in a matter of minutes,” Allen explains. “So, if a trainee who learned to fly in one area of the world is going on a mission in another country, that trainee could practice in the Prepar3D virtual world prior to deployment.” Prepar3D is currently being utilized globally by several groups, including the U.S. Army and Navy, and the U.S. Air Force, which trains its C-130 crews with it. American soldiers are some of the largest users of a development from Orlando’s VCom3D (www.vcom3d. com). The company, whose motto is “author once, use anywhere,” takes communication to the next level. Its Vcommunicator software suite includes Vcommunicator Studio, Gesture Builder, and Vcommunicator

expressions. The library features more than 100 characters from different cultures and age groups. Vcommunicator Mobile’s downloadable applications help soldiers learn the language and culture of the country where they’re being deployed. Current offerings include versions for Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Arabic countries in Africa. “Say you want to accomplish your mission and you have to obtain some information and convince people to cooperate with you,” says Wideman. “You have to treat them with respect and be able to understand their culture. We call that cross-cultural familiarization.” Communication is VCom3D’s field of expertise, and it creates custom solutions for a variety of clients, including corporations, the Department of

“I THINk wE’rE CrEaTING awarENEss Of OrLaNdO as a HIGH-TECH CENTEr, EspECIaLLY sINCE wE’rE THE LEadErs Of mObILE dELIvErY.” —CarolWideman,co-founderandCEOofVCom3D

Mobile, a collection of downloadable applications created exclusively for military use. “We’re helping the world communicate by providing tools, services, solutions, and products that can help people be more adaptable in unfamiliar situations and with cultures in other countries and our own communities,” says VCom3D co-founder and CEO, Carol Wideman. The software suite’s authoring tools work together to create 3-D characters that illustrate gestures as well as facial

Defense, military branches, and schools for the hearing impaired. Oakridge Associated Universities even commissioned VCom3D to develop medical avatars for people who interface with cancer patients. “I think we’re creating awareness of Orlando as a high-tech center, especially since we’re the leaders of mobile delivery,” says Wideman. “The whole world has to move towards mobile capability because that’s what the new generation is using. It’s easy and works for us in today’s world.” x

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evolving industries

MODERN

leap

By Kevin Fritz

By utilizing new technology, two innovative central Florida companies are taking their traditional industries to the next level.

From a second-floor office overlooking Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, Bob Moore unassumingly places orders for the manufacturing of more than one million pallets — each and every day. With that level of volume, it’s no surprise that this CEO and president of Intelligent Global Pooling Systems (iGPS) has the honor of being known as the man who has bought more pallets in his lifetime than anyone else in the world.

O,R&L FACILITIES SERVICES

O,R&L Facility Services is responsible for maintaining iconic local buildings, such as Orlando City Hall.

By issuing an average of 75 million pallets to clients a year — each one American made — Moore’s title as pallet king appears to be safe. What is more remarkable is that iGPS opened its doors merely five years ago and in that short period of time, it has taken an industry historically ruled by wood and turned it upside down — all in the name of a healthier, safer supply chain. Today, Moore operates the world’s first pallet rental service using lightweight, 100 percent recyclable, all-plastic pallets with embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. “When I was buying 20 million pallets a year, I started seeing issues with them, such as pathogens,” he says, noting that wood can become breeding grounds for salmonella, E. coli, and listeria, the latter of which is particularly prevalent in wooden pallets. Having been surrounded by pallets most of his working life, Moore was troubled that our food chain was susceptible to contamination. The solution, he surmised, lay in plastic: It weighs less and is nonporous and non-organic. As for worker safety, with plastic there are no splinters or nails, and fewer back injuries. While plastic pallets have been around for about 40 years, at $79 each they were considered too expensive for corporations to purchase (wood pallets range from $20 to $22). So Moore decided to rent them for the same price as wood pallets. That business model now serves the giants in product distribution: General Mills, SC Johnson, Kraft, and Walmart.

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iGPS OPENED itS DOORS MEREly fivE yEaRS aGO. iN that ShORt PERiOD Of tiME, it haS takEN aN iNDuStRy hiStORically RulED by wOOD aND tuRNED it uPSiDE DOwN — all iN thE NaME Of a hEalthiER, SafER SuPPly chaiN.

iGPS

What makes his pallets even more popular are the embedded electronic tracking devices, allowing a watchful eye to trace deliveries throughout the entire door-to-door process. Last fall, Moore added a “spider” to his “smartpallet” tracking system that piggybacks cell phone technology using GPS satellites. “Now we can follow product right down Interstate 4,” he boasts. iGPS also employs the same accelerometer technology that allows your smartphone screen to turn sideways. “That way, we can tell if a driver is taking corners at 45 mph,” he adds. His epiphany to forever change the way goods are shipped and tracked has not gone unnoticed: In 2010, Moore was named by Ernst & Young as its Entrepreneur of The Year in the Emerging Category.

division to the Orlando area, and Owens followed a year-and-a-half ago. Today, O,R&L Facility Services offers much more than just maintenance; It employs innovation and green-certified products, and also monitors the energy efficiency of each building, thereby saving its clients’ money while also reducing their carbon footprints. “We maintain a building for its life cycle,” Owens notes. His business model has been wellreceived so far. Today, O,R&L Facility Services maintains several of the city’s most iconic structures, including

O,R&L

Bob Owens, CEO and president of O,R&L Facilities Services, knows about real estate and endurance. His family’s business, Owens Realty, enjoyed a long and healthy life for more than 90 years. That experience proved to be indispensable in transforming a janitorial service company into a fullservice facilities-management business that goes well beyond the old mop and bucket. What started out in 1982 as a northeastern-based development company centered on construction, brokerage, and property management, morphed into O,R&L in 1990 with a primary focus on service. Seven years ago, the company moved its facilities-services

Janitorial services are just the start to what O,R&L offers.

Orlando City Hall, the Amway Center, the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre, and the Citrus Bowl Stadium. In all, Owens manages approximately 20 million square feet of facilities. Owens explains that while many janitorial service companies concentrate heavily on the bottom line, O,R&L

Facility Services considers the importance of first impressions. That’s why the industry standard of a 70 to 80 percent level of cleanliness is just not good enough. “We can’t help but go beyond that and provide a cleaner place,” he says. “Ours is 90 percent-plus.” While being a “green” company may seem passé today, Owens began adopting the use of healthy, more sanitary products in the late 1990s, long before being green was considered an environmentally conscious modifier. He simply followed the lead of hospitals, recognizing the quality of their cleaning agents and the effectiveness of creating a cleaner environment. Owens also introduced high-volume cleaning equipment that saves time and money. Robotic floor scrubbers, for example, “drive the floor through the night while we all sleep.” But his dedication to his industry doesn’t stop with products. To see to it that buildings are running as efficiently as possible, Owens monitors energymanagement systems and has even discovered some that were not being fully utilized in new LEED-certified structures, which are considered the best of the best in energy efficiency. Owens also strives to maximize the life of his clients’ buildings by educating their occupants about the importance of turning off lights and faucets and keeping watch for potential problems. “We are always looking at industry best practices,” he says. “We don’t compromise on quality. x We’re results driven.”

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intelligent forms of lifestyle

By Jessica Chapman

READY

-Set-Go

A Look AT THE LATEST TRENDS IN TRANSpoRTATIoN

HeadQUarter Honda

Headquarter Honda in Lake County is the first Platinum LEED-certified commercial building in Florida.

From commuter trains to charging stations for electric cars to one of the nation’s most innovative auto dealerships, the future of transportation is coming to Orlando.

DRIVING CHANGE The greenest car dealer in Florida can be found right here in Clermont. Headquarter Honda is the state’s first commercial building to be Platinum LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a status of the U.S. Green Building Council. It’s no small feat, considering that less than 6 percent of the roughly 7,000 LEEDcertified projects worldwide have platinum status. The 48,000-square foot dealership was designed and constructed using

state-of-the-art “green” building materials and techniques, and features a variety of innovative amenities. The building generates 12.5 percent of its electricity, which is produced by 8,500 square feet of solar panels located on its rooftop, where a system of grass and other plants form a “rainforest” to help insulate the building. An on-site water system uses two underground barrels to collect rainwater, and reclaimed water is used for 100 percent of the property’s landscaping irrigation. Inside, automatic faucets and low-flush toilets are standard, a “smart lighting” system turns lights off in unoccupied rooms, and 75 percent of regularly occupied areas are illuminated by natural sunlight rather than electricity. Headquarter Honda is already reaping significant rewards from the über-efficient building, including energy savings of 33.4 percent over comparable traditionally built dealerships. Lower operating costs mean the dealership can pass the

savings on to its customers, but it’s also working to share its insight with other companies, touting the notion that going green is not just the right thing for the environment, but it’s good for business, too.

IT’S ELECTRIC The future is here! Last summer, Orlando became the first American city to install a ChargePoint Networked Charging Station for electric vehicles (EV) as part of the $37 million ChargePoint America program. In doing so, the city became eligible to receive hundreds of free home and public ChargePoint stations — an amenity that will come in handy as major automobile manufacturers continue producing car models powered by electricity. ChargePoint America is a project of Coulomb Technologies, which will partner with Orlando Utilities Commission to install an additional 300 to 500 stations around Orange County,

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Green Power tecHnoLoGIeS

Central Florida will soon be home to hundreds of ChargePoint stations.

making Central Florida the leading test market for the project. Ultimately the company will provide nearly 5,000 charging stations to participants in nine U.S. cities. Local businesses that are interested in having public charging stations installed on site can submit an application through www.chargepointamerica.com, the program’s website. The trend is already catching on. Local company Sunshine Restaurant Corporation, which owns Central Florida’s Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants recently teamed up with Progress Energy to unveil EV charging stations at its new Clermont and Kissimmee locations. This marks the first restaurant chain to offer the stations, which will be available free of charge to customers.

RIDING THE RAILS As of press time, plans to move forward with construction of SunRail commuter lines throughout the Greater

HeLIoS

SunRail commuter trains will link Central Florida from Kissimmee to DeLand.

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options. Train stops are planned for Lake Mary, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, and Winter Park in north Orlando, with central stops at downtown hospitals, the LYNX bus station, Church Street Station and Sand Lake Road. The second phase will feature five more stations. Construction of a SunRail station in DeBary is expected to begin by 2012, with service starting x the following year.

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off the wire

at Work INNOVATION By Erin Elizabeth Miller & Kayla Torpey

HERE’S A LOOK AT JUST SOME OF METRO ORLANDO’S RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS.

In an effort to motivate American businesses, President Barack Obama recently said, “That’s how America will win the future — by out-innovating, out-educating and out-building our competitors.” If the means to innovation are education, research and infrastructure, then Central Florida holds the keys to success. EARLY EDUCATION

>> Full Sail University is partnering with Seminole County’s Midway Elementary School of the Arts to provide students in grades K through five access to the university’s resources. The goal is to promote real-world multimedia and innovative learning skills to children at this innovative artbased school.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals to explore new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease and psychiatric disorders. Sanford-Burnham and Florida Hospital also will collaborate with Asia’s biggest drug maker, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., on a two-year project that addresses new therapeutic approaches to obesity.

In 2010, UCF drew $133.3 million in research support.

HIGHER LEARNING

>> The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching ranks UCF among the nation’s top research institutions, along with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Stanford. >> According to The Princeton Review and GamePro Media, UCF’s video game graduate school — the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA) — ranks as the number two video game school in North America.

UCF

>> In 2010, the University of Central Florida (UCF) received a record $133.3 million in research support. Research at UCF has played a major role in launching local businesses. Started in 1999, UCF’s Business Incubation Program has led to the development of 100 companies and has contributed to more than $200 million in economic gain.

“This ranking is another sign of the hard work done by our faculty and staff to prepare the next generation of game developers and interactive entrepreneurs,” says Ben Noel, FIEA’s executive director. >> Leadership Excellence magazine ranked Rollins College’s MBA program as the best in Florida for leadership development. Rollins is also included in the 2011 edition of The Princeton Review’s Best 300 Business Schools.

NOTABLE

>> The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute announced a threeyear partnership with Ortho-McNeil-

>> In 2010, its first year of operation, GrowFL helped Florida companies create more than 400 jobs. A program of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute at UCF, this state-funded initiative is based on proven business support strategies known as “economic gardening,” and targets second-stage growth companies. >> Florida’s film, television, and commercial production industry has been sizzling. P3 Magazine, an international trade publication, named Florida a top 10 U.S. film location, thanks to its newly revamped incentives, diverse locations, and deep infrastructure. Industry professionals continue to take advantage of all that Central Florida offers: Filming for Transformers 3 recently took place at Kennedy Space Center and Orlando International Airport’s Signature Jetport. Also, at Universal Orlando, production recently wrapped on the film Tooth Fairy 2, which stars popular x comic “Larry the Cable Guy.”

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Visit one of Orlandoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best multimedia attractions

Lewis Duncan, Rollins College

Show this ad to receive two-for-one admission DCAD2023

Wycliffe Discovery Center 11221 John Wycliffe Blvd. Orlando, FL 32832

407-852-3626 (Guest Services) discoverycenter.wycliffe.org

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The Orlando Science Center’s 31-kilowatt (kW) solar array atop the Dr. Phillips CineDome

AT OUC WE ARE COMMITTED TO weaving sustainability through everything we do while providing clean, reliable and affordable energy and water to our customers. We’re making our mark by investing in solar power, biomass and landfill gas and pursuing alternative water sources. OUC partnered with the Orlando Science Center to install a high efficiency photovoltaic system that not only provides green power to the Science Center but also an educational experience on the science of solar for its visitors. To see what else we’re doing to make our mark, visit www.OUC.com.

NEW WAY FOR YOUR BUSINESS TO SAVE! Make your mark by investing in energy efficiency upgrades for your business with the Custom OUC Commercial and Industrial Incentive Program. We understand that every business is different and no one knows your business better than you. We want you to bring us your ideas—from lighting retrofits to refrigerator upgrades—we will help craft a plan that will make life a little greener in your business and on your bottom line. Email savegreen@ouc.com for more details.

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