Texture, Vol 6 Issue 1 2009 by Orlando Economic Development Commission

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VOL 6 ISSUE 1

TEXTURE 2009

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

ECONOMIC GARDENING How Central Florida is Sprouting New Business

LIGHT THE WAY Orlando as a Leader in Solar Energy

Official Publication of

ROCK

STARS

Top Docs Rock O-Town

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O F

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C E N T R A L

F L O R I D A

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Basic studies in living better

Lake Nona. The two smartest words you’ve said all day.

UNIT

SECTION 1

LESSON

Compared to other communities which focus strictly on living, working and playing, Lake Nona considers learning to be of great importance to residents. As such, Lake Nona is being developed using the most sophisticated community planning principles to ensure there is a good balance between living, working, playing and education.

LIVE

WORK

P L AY

vs.

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P L AY

NONANOMICS

Some serious research and development. SECTION 2

Lake Nona will also be home to an area aptly referred to as “medical city.” To say this region of Lake Nona has the power to change perceptions of Central Florida is most likely an understatement. Plain and simple, it will be a state-of-the-art health and biotechnology cluster of monumental proportions, with plans for the following major heathcare, research and education facilities to lay the foundation: t Burnham Institute for Medical Research - East Coast Campus

WORK

LEARN

t UCF College of Medicine and Health Sciences Campus

SECTION 3

In addition to the medical city, a major open-air Town Center in Lake Nona will feature over a million square feet of retail and oﬃce space with department stores, upscale fashion boutiques, large-scale retailers and an impressive mix of restaurants and entertainment venues.

t Orlando VA Medical Center t Nemours Children's Hospital and Research Campus This message has been provided to you by the Center for Nonalogic Research and Information Dispersal in an eﬀort to further educate you on the thoughtfully designed 7,000acre master-planned community that is Lake Nona.

t M. D. Anderson Orlando Cancer Research Institute

There is so much happening,

Come, take a Look!

t University of Florida Research Center

Find out more at www.LearnLakeNona.com or call the Info Center @ 407.888.6500 The features and amenities described and depicted are based on current development plans, which are subject to change without notice. No guarantee is made that the features, amenities and facilities depicted by artist’s rendering or otherwise described will be provided.

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contents

ORLANDO’S TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE

Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission President & CEO Texture Executive Publisher Raymond Gilley Vice President, Marketing Texture Editor & Associate Publisher Maureen Brockman Director, Publications & Web Design Texture Project Support Lisa Addy

TEXTURE SPRING/SUMMER 2009 VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1

Departments

Director, Business Development Texture Project Support Amy Dinsmore Director, Tech Industry Development Texture Project Support Eric Ushkowitz

FROM THE EDITOR 5 TECH TRENDS 6

Director, Public Relations Texture Project Support Jennifer Wakefield

TALENT POOL 8 INTERFACE 10

Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.®

SPECIAL FX 20 INNOVATION ALLEY 28

President Texture Publisher Gary C. Sain

INTELLIGENT FORMS OF LIFESTYLE 30 OFF THE WIRE 32

Vice President of Publications Texture Associate Publisher Deborah Kicklighter Henrichs

Features LET THERE BE LIGHT 12 Orlando is poised to become a national leader in solar power.

The practice of nurturing homegrown companies as an economic development strategy requires foresight and patience.

Associate V.P. of Advertising Sales Sheryl Taylor 407.354.5568 Contributing Writers Justin Campfield, Michael Candelaria, Sandra Carr, Barry Glenn, Kendall Litton Jensen, Jackie Kelvington, Jack Roth, Russ Stacey

SKYROCKETING HOPES 22 With sights set high, Space Florida seeks to take flight on the wings of its commercial launch zone.

Contributing Photographers Jacque Brund and Phelan Ebenhack

TOP DOCS 24 Orlando’s biotech rock stars take center stage.

Publication Artists Lisa Buck and Michele Mitchell Production Coordinators Shelley Hampton and Stacey Smith

HARVEST TIME 16

On the cover: Orlando has become a hot spot for economic gardening. Illustration by Jonathan T. Simon.

Managing Editor Jessica Chapman

This publication is sponsored in part by the Orange County Government’s Economic Stimulus Package 2.0 and the University of Central Florida. Texture magazine is produced by everything ink, a division of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.® (Orlando CVB), for the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. Orlando CVB: 6700 Forum Drive, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32821, Phone 407.363.5841, Fax 407.370.5021. Texture magazine assumes no responsibility for the return of 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. Fax: 407.425.6428. E-mail: info@orlandoedc.com. Advertising information: 407.354.5512. Copyright 2009 Metro Orlando EDC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part without the express written consent of Orlando CVB, on behalf of the EDC, is prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A.

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from the publisher

The Tech

PHOTO BY JACQUE BRUND

REVOLUTION

Ray Gilley

Texture, defined by Merriam-Webster as a composition of closely interwoven elements and various dimensions, describes many things: richly woven cloth, colorful musical patterns, unique facial appearance, and even intertwined community connections.

This semi-annual publication is designed to provide a sense of the texture of our community: Metro Orlando. This is a region blessed by global awareness of one dimension of our

economy; after all, Orlando is the tourism capital of the world. What is less known is that we are also home to an ever-growing tapestry of innovative companies, entrepreneurial endeavors and groundbreaking research. Those are the stories that Texture, the magazine, sets out to tell. In this issue you’ll meet some of the rock stars of our region. Rather than topping the Billboard charts, this talented group is making their mark with a new biotech cluster that is reverberating throughout Metro Orlando. While the over $2 billion in development underway at our new “Medical City” in Lake Nona is the most visible sign of this industry’s impact, these local phenoms are rocking all parts of our region — including inner city neighborhoods tra-

ditionally left out of the tech revolution. We also get the dirt on the economic gardening trend that is an important component of state and federal economic recovery plans. In an economic cycle where large-scale investment is difficult to come by, this trend’s focus on strategies designed to grow our own prosperity is taking root. And, much of that national dialogue is being led by Central Floridians such as Steve Quello who has advised presidents, legislators and governors, and Tom O’Neal, director of the UCF Technology Incubator network. Solar energy research is hot in Central Florida, home to the UCF Solar Energy Center. And our space industry is going where no man has gone before in establishing commercially-focused, vertical-launch capability for civil, military and commercial markets. Those stories, too, are found within these pages. All of this multi-dimensional activity, interwoven through and around the tourism industry for which we are famous, continues to take much of the world by surprise. Texture provides a means to open their eyes to those strengths and nuances of our economy that might not have been evident at first glance. The Metro Orlando EDC — in partnership with Orange County, the University of Central Florida and Florida High Tech Corridor Council — is proud to bring you this unique perspective on our rich and vibrant region. Explore and enjoy.

Ray Gilley, president & CEO, Metro Orlando EDC

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CONSERVATION

Breakthroughs

By Kendall Litton Jensen

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES BREED NEW METHODS FOR STUDYING AND PROTECTING AT-RISK ANIMALS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

COURTESY HUBBS-SEAWORLD RESEARCH INSTITUTE

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Conservationists with Disney’s Animal Programs have traveled the globe to improve the lives and habitats of endangered species. One of the program’s most notable projects, however, is taking place right here in Florida. Led by Senior Conservation Biologist Dr. Anne Savage, Disney’s animal care experts are using innovative satellite technology to track the travel patterns of endangered sea turtles. The project involves a Platform Terminal Transmitter (PTT), which is attached to the backs of

COURTESY WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

Lumiere the loggerhead is released into the wild with a transmitter attached to its back. Below: Wendy Noke Durden responds to help an animal found on the beach.

Without a doubt, conservation has become a hot topic. While concerns such as saving energy, reducing waste and lowering fuel emissions are often at the forefront of the movement, conservation has another, sometimes overlooked, component: species protection. With the help of technology, Central Florida researchers are pioneering new ways to protect at-risk animals, both locally and abroad. rehabilitated turtles upon release. When a tagged turtle surfaces for air, the PTT sends a signal to an orbiting satellite, which re-transmits the data to a receiving station on Earth. The information collected allows scientists to determine the latitude and longitude of the turtle’s location. It also provides clues about the creature’s behavior at sea, migratory and nesting patterns, and external threats. In August 2008, Disney used the tracking technology to raise awareness of

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COURTESY UCF POLAR BEAR PHOTO-IDENTIFICATION LIBRARY

A study at UCF tracks polar bears in Canada by recognizing their whisker prints.

human threats to sea turtle survival. Through an online event called the Tour de Turtles Migration Marathon, Disney and the Caribbean Conservation Corporation invited the public to track the movements of nine rehabilitated turtles, each representing a specific cause. Turtles included Lumiere, a loggerhead swimming for artificial light pollution, and Little Crush, a green sea turtle swimming for marine debris. Disney is not the only local organization using tracking technology to protect animals. Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI) in Orlando works with groups statewide to equip rehabilitated marine mammals with radio and satellite transmitters. “We are the first-responders to whale and dolphin strandings,” says Wendy Noke Durden, co-director of the HSWRI Marine Mammal Stranding Program. “After treating an animal, we generally monitor its progress for one to three months post-release with radio telemetry.”

In addition to using tracking technology, HSWRI uses geographic information system (GIS) technology, photo-identification and aerial surveys to map animal movement patterns, estimate population sizes and determine human impact on marine mammals. “Our studies help us understand and protect marine animals,” HSWRI Senior Research Biologist Dr. Daniel Odell says. “The only way we can begin to control human activity is to know how human behavior is affecting them.” In 2001, HSWRI joined forces with the University of Central Florida (UCF) to tackle marine animal conservation issues. The collaboration, led by Hubbs-SeaWorld Endowed Professor Dr. Graham Worthy, has resulted in new findings about the endangered West Indian manatee. Through cutting-edge initiatives such as the Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab (PEBL) and the Studies Investigating the Reproduction, Energetics and Nutrition of the Sirenia (SIRENS) pro-

grams, researchers are investigating the physiology and nutrition of manatees and other marine animals. With state-of-theart ultrasound equipment, they can determine manatees’ adaptability to conditions in the wild, diagnose medical issues and establish pregnancy in females. Thermal imaging equipment is also used to assess a manatee’s insulative qualities and to identify inflammation and infection. A unique component of the PEBL program is HSWRI’s high-tech Mobile Energetics Lab (MEL), a self-contained portable laboratory. With MEL, metabolism and energy research are not limited by location; rather, scientists can study marine animals at any facility in the country. PEBL and SIRENS are only part of the groundbreaking conservation efforts taking place at UCF. Recently, Biology Professors Jane Waterman and James Roth launched a one-of-a-kind online database to help track and identify threatened polar bears in Churchill, Canada. Called the UCF Polar Bear Photo-identification Library, the database incorporates special software that can recognize bears by their whisker prints. When an image is uploaded into the database, the software extracts the bear’s natural whisker spot pattern and compares it to every other photo in the system. To help ensure accuracy, two different recognition programs will eventually be used, including one modeled after a NASA algorithm for mapping stars. “The software acts like a virtual markrecapture study,” Waterman says. “It allows us to study the bears, their body condition and migration habits, without actually touching them. It also gives us a glimpse into the effects of human behavior.” By using technology for conservation efforts, Waterman and other local researchers hope to increase awareness and protection of animals around the world. “I hope our findings will impact the environment in some way,” Waterman says. “We want to make people think about the implications of their actions.” Seconds Disney’s Savage: “By sharing our findings, we hope we can influence people’s activities and help create longx term conservation solutions.”

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LIFE

Healthy Initiatives for a Be tter LARS HOUMANN, CHAIR OF bioORLANDO AND PRESIDENT A N D C E O O F F L O R I D A H O S P I TA L

Metro Orlando is entering a new chapter; transforming itself into a “medical city” anchored by two of the largest hospital systems in the nation, east coast headquarters of the Burnham Institute of Medical Research, the University of Central Florida’s brand new College of Medicine, and over 150 established life science companies. In July 2007, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) formed a collaborative council called bioOrlando, which is working to accelerate Central Florida’s growth as a center for healthcare, life science, biotechnology and pharmaceutical businesses.

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By Sandra Carr

bio Orlando chair and president and CEO of Florida Hospital, Lars Houmann, felt it was his institution’s responsibility to the community and its future to get involved with bioOrlando. “I have been the chair of bioOrlando for the past two years. I was invited to participate because of Florida Hospital’s visible role in the healthcare industry in Central Florida, which was viewed as part of the life sciences sector. I felt we [Florida Hospital] should participate in a very comprehensive way in order to strengthen and grow the Central Florida economy.” Houmann has been employed with Florida Hospital for 16 years and has served as president and CEO for the past

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three years. He began his career there in 1993, originally overseeing the behavioral health service line. Healthcare roots run deep in the Houmann family; his dad is a family practice physician and his mom is a physical therapist. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Columbia Union College in Washington, D.C. and a Master’s degree in healthcare administration from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, Calif. It was instructors and other mentors that influenced him towards a career in the Adventist Health System. They recognized the need for well-trained healthcare leaders and hospital administrators; and Houmann’s skill and passion were already evident. It is that determination to make a difference that drives Houmann’s career. Under his guidance, Florida Hospital is helping to shape the future of healthcare with its Creation Health principles, which are a blueprint for healthier living.

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T Texture: How has the Creation Health philosophy guided Florida Hospital for the past 100 years? lh Lars Houmann: Creation Health is a philosophy that we have named and identified really in only the past 10 years, but the content of this philosophy has guided the institution since it was founded as a sanitarium by people who wanted to address health improvement and holistic healthcare at the turn of the twentieth century. The whole idea is that being healthy is more than just avoiding disease or treating an illness. T Texture: How will Florida Hospital’s Creation Health lay the foundation for a healthier Central Florida community? lh I hope that it’s giving us a strong foundation, led by a major, credible healthcare provider, to enable the community to begin addressing issues like chronic disease and poor lifestyle habits that are denigrating our quality of life. T Texture: Tell our readers about Dr. Monica Reed’s book The Creation Health Breakthrough: 8 Essentials to Revolutionize Your Health Physically, Mentally and Spiritually? lh The book allows you to assess and think about your own lifestyle. It doesn’t offer eight simple steps in 30 days to fix everything in your life. What it does do is help you to understand what being a human being all is about. What makes life happen; what can throw you off; and what can help you achieve a more fulfilled life — understanding the importance of elements like having purpose, balance and making good choices. T Texture: How do the eight components (Choice, Rest, Environment, Activity, Trust, Interpersonal relationships, Outlook and Nutrition) in Dr. Reed’s book go hand-in-hand

with Florida Hospital’s healthy lifestyles mission? lh All of the components fit together into a complete picture. We have to become healthier and to find specific ways of improving health and reducing the long-term cost of healthcare in the U.S. This [Reed’s The Creation Health Breakthrough ] is Florida Hospital’s hand-and-glove contribution.

T Texture: From a business standpoint, how can Florida Hospital and bioOrlando assist with building Central Florida’s prominence as a preferred destination for healthcare, life science, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, especially after the Burnham Institute of Medical Research facility is built in Lake Nona? lh By demonstrating an exciting, collaborative, dynamic environment where committed professionals are providing healthcare, teaching those that are seeking health careers, and producing health services and products to advance healthcare. The Burnham Institute of Medical Research at Lake Nona will make a difference because, as one of those few, elite, private research institutes in the U.S., it brings Orlando the credibility that comes along with that level of research. Burnham’s presence gives us a partner, as well as an identity as a place where the finest research is going on. This allows us, as a community, to attract others in the research and life science realms at that same level of quality. T Texture: How can Creation Health make a difference in the lives of Central Floridians, especially in years to come? lh We’re opening the door to our responsibility to improving health. It [Creation Health] serves as a mental framework for how to live better and moves society as a whole to a x healthier place.

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Healthy Initiatives for a Be tter LARS HOUMANN, CHAIR OF bioORLANDO AND PRESIDENT A N D C E O O F F L O R I D A H O S P I TA L

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By Sandra Carr

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Let there be

LIGHT

By Justin Campfield

ORLANDO IS POISED TO BECOME A NATIONAL LEADER IN SOLAR POWER.

Throughout its history, Orlando has relied on one resource to power its economy: the sun. That abundant resource has created countless jobs and companies in the region by nurturing prized oranges, creating ideal launch conditions for the space industry, and providing warmth that entices millions of tourists each year to escape harsher climates.

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But the sun may not be finished generating new marquee industries for the region. With its ideal weather, proximity to a prominent research university, diverse technology cluster, and forwardlooking business and community leaders, Orlando is poised to become a leading force in what ultimately may become the transformational industry of the 21st century â&#x20AC;&#x201D; solar power. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe the economic impact

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potential for solar [energy] in Central Florida is limitless,” says John Lewis, Orange County’s economic development administrator. “It’s only a matter of time before more and more, and larger and larger solar-related companies establish themselves here.” After decades of researching how to use the sun to produce electricity, Bob Reedy, director of the solar energy division at University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), is convinced that the time for the region to shine in solar power has come. “We have potential with a capital P,” says Reedy. “We are right on the edge of when things are going to accelerate in huge proportions. “One study suggests that there will be 110 gigawatts of rooftop potential in Florida by 2020. That’s a big number, especially when you consider that the current generating capacity of all sources in the state is probably around 40 gigawatts.” But abundant sun alone doesn’t explain why Orlando’s solar future is so bright..Reedy says that Orlando’s existing technology cluster and advanced research continuously coming out of UCF set it apart from other regions. “We are well positioned to be an industry leader because we have a predisposition to technology due to the space industry,” says Reedy. “We have a broad technological base because space is not just aviation; it involves electronics, materials, chemistry, and even fuels like the hydrogen that we use for the shuttle.” Complementing, and in many cases driving, the region’s broad technology cluster is UCF’s growing reputation as one of the nation’s top research universities. In Intellectual Property Today magazine’s 2008 patent scorecard, which ranked technology innovations gained from patents, UCF earned the No. 8 spot. This places it in company with such internationally recognized schools as MIT, Stanford, NYU, and the University of California system. The university’s rise in national prominence is also illustrated by the amount of outside research dollars raised. Since 1998, that total has increased 336 per-

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Bob Reedy, director of the solar energy division at UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center.

cent, to a record $122.8 million in 2008. While UCF’s prominence in solar research is not new — FSEC opened its doors in 1974 — the quality of its other

at CREOL, UCF’s college of optics and photonics. “Now it is time for us to be a leader in solar application.” To accomplish that, many different

“We are well positioned to be an industry leader because we have a predisposition to technology due to the space industry.” — Bob Reedy, UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center research programs has created a potent cross-discipline approach to developing solar energy solutions. “UCF, through our Florida Solar Energy Center, has been a leader in solar research for 35 years,” says Dr. M.J. Soileau, UCF’s vice president for research and commercialization and a professor

UCF departments – ranging from optics and photonics, nanotechnology, turbine and energy, advanced materials, and mechanical engineering – are exploring technological breakthroughs that have the potential to greatly impact the use and generation of solar power. One of the researchers pushing the When Orlando Utilities Commission opened its new headquarters it equipped the building with 144 solar PV panels.

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solar envelope is Dr. Sudipta Seal, a professor at the university’s Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center. Dr. Seal is currently working with dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), which are promising alternatives to the photovoltaic (PV) cells found in most solar power systems, because they are more economical than PVs. The main drawback is that they are less efficient. Dr. Seal and his team are working to overcome that obstacle by studying how the kinetics of electron transfer within nanotubes of various diameters impacts the efficiency of DSSCs. Bottom line is that, if successful, the research could lead to less expensive solar power systems. But speeding up the adoption of solar power is not the only possible result of the research project. The quality of drinking water for millions of people across the world could also be improved. Dr. Seal theorizes that if the nanotubes being modified in his research were developed on a larger scale, they would be an optimum system for water purification using natural solar light. “On one hand, our research could help improve the efficiency of more economic options of solar energy, making it more reachable to the common man,” says Dr. Seal. “On the other, a successful project on the water purification side would diversify the use of solar energy.”

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Another UCF research project, being led by undergraduate students, seeks to collect the energy created by solar thermal means and store it in a tank for later use. Angelo Lisojo, who along with Bobby Gray, Michael Mixa and Rohit Yarabothu, is conducting the research under the direction of UCF Center for Advanced Turbine and Energy Research Director Dr. Jayanta Kapat, says that the project has many potential applications. “It could possibly lead to the creation of a thermal storage heat sink where not only solar energy could be stored, but different household appliances, such as refrigerators or air conditioning systems, could ‘dump’ wasted thermal energy,” says Lisojo, a mechanical engineering major. “This stored thermal energy can then be used to reduce the cost of heating water.”

SOLAR-POWERED VENTURES This multi-disciplinary approach is also being applied at two local companies that are using their expertise in other industries to make big forays into solar energy generation. One is Lake Mary-based Advanced Solar Photonics (ASP), poised to become Florida’s first PV manufacturer. ASP is looking to make its mark by producing thin film solar panels, which are more efficient than the industry standard crys-

SKYShades Powerbrella generates up to 128 watts of electricity per hour and stores it in a battery.

talline silicon, but are also more expensive to manufacture. However, the company believes it can bring the same efficiencies of thin film to a comparable cost. “We should be able to get the cost per kilowatt hour to less than one dollar by 2010,” says Edgardo Rodriguez, vice president of ASP. “Currently the industry is between two and four dollars per kilowatt hour, so this will revolutionize the industry and help commercialize thin film.” ASP is building out the existing 318,000 square-foot building it shares with another Central Florida tech company, Laser Photonics, to include a 50,000-plus-square foot solar panel production plant. When it is up in running in 2010, the plant is expected to employ between 150 and 200, with positions ranging from engineers and machine shop technicians to managers and salesmen. SKYShades is a Longwood-based company that specializes in the design, engineering and installation of stylish, high-tech tension membrane fabric shades that are increasingly found over playgrounds, pools and outdoor dining areas. Says SKYShades Executive Vice President Joe McKenna, “One of the things we asked ourselves was ‘do we believe that we need to pursue alternative energies?’ The obvious answer was yes, so then our focus became finding a way to participate in these new technologies.” The result of that focus is the Powerbrella, SKYShades’ high-tech take on the traditional café umbrella. With 16, eightwatt thin film solar panels bonded to its top, the Powerbrella generates up to 128 watts of electricity per hour and stores it in a battery, allowing people to simultaneously shade themselves while using solar energy to power their electrical devices such as laptops, cell phones and MP3 players. With a fully charged battery, the Powerbrella can fuel four laptops continuously for nine hours — even after the sun goes down.

SOLAR SUPPORT For a region to become a nationall technology cluster, a supportive environment is also necessary. Fortunately

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for solar, many of Orlando’s most influential organizations are big fans of its adoption and generation. In 2008, Orange County, the City of Orlando and Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) combined their solar interests for Orlando to be named one of 12 Solar American Cities by the U.S. Department of Energy. Along with the national recognition gained for Orlando, the designation included a $200,000 grant that the three entities are applying to programs that encourage the use and production of solar energy in the region. And Orange County’s solar partnerships don’t end there. It has also joined efforts with UCF’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness to author a cleantech

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gold-level LEED requirements, also features four solar hot water panels, a 30,000 gallon cistern that collects rainwater, and high-efficiency glass and daylight-sensitive lighting. OUC’s area electric utility colleagues, Progress Energy and TECO, also have a demonstrated commitment to solar power. TECO, the Tampa-based utility whose coverage area extends into portions of Metro Orlando, has had nearly 3,000 of its customers sign up for a program that enables them to purchase solar energy generated by four TECOowned PV systems. Progress Energy’s SolarWise for Schools program has installed solar power systems at seven Central Florida schools. The PV systems

“I believe the economic impact potential for solar in Central Florida is limitless.” — John Lewis, Orange County Economic Development Administrator.

OSCEOLA COUNTY'S DESTINY IS ECO-FRIENDLY If a city were designed from scratch to be as eco-friendly as possible, what would it look like? That is the challenge, and the opportunity, that developers of the future city of Destiny have before them as they plan to turn 65 square acres in the southeastern corner of Osceola County into America's first eco-sustainable city. A vision of developer Anthony Pugliese and his partner, Subway Restaurants co-founder Fred DeLuca, Destiny is aiming to be a model for sustainable living and environmentally-responsible businesses. “Environmental planning will be incorporated into all facets of the community, including water systems, energy, transportation, infrastructure and manufacturing,” says

benchmark study that is due to be released later this summer. The study will map out where the region currently stands in green technology and how it can take advantage of resources in the future. The purpose of the study, says Orange County’s John Lewis, is to bring together all of the region’s resources in the area of cleantech, including the large local contingent of solar-related companies, so that the area can better position itself to benefit from the opportunities ahead. “While the economic impact in Central Florida is limitless, other communities also feel this way,” says Lewis. “There will be competition for the best companies and projects.” When it comes to the adoption of alternative energy, actions speak louder than words, and perhaps nobody’s actions speak louder than those of electric utilities. OUC provided the ultimate example of “walking the walk” last fall with the opening of its new headquarters in downtown Orlando. The 10-story building is equipped with a rooftop array of 144 solar PV panels with the combined capacity to generate 32 kilowatt hours of electricity. The building, which meets

not only reduce energy consumption at the participating schools, but the panels are used to educate students about environmental stewardship and renewable energy. “Our goal is to make all of our customers aware of the benefits of emerging technologies, such as renewable energy,” says John Masiello, Progress Energy’s director of demand-side management and alter native energy. “SolarWise for Schools, and all of our renewable energy programs, help bring tomorrow’s energy technology into our customers’ reach today.” The impressive amount of solar activity in the region, spanning public, private and investor-owned sectors, has Bob Reedy feeling pretty confident in the region’s ability to catch up to other areas of the country that got head starts on solar adoption and generation. ”At this point we are behind California, Arizona and, amazingly enough, New Jersey,” says Reedy. “But, as I like to say, we are in a long race and we’ve been holding back. Now we are ready to burst out. We’ve been cruising along at number four or five in the pack, but now the other guys are winded and we are just getting ready to kick into x high gear.”

Randy Johnson, COO of Destiny. “The city will serve as a hub for companies developing clean technologies, renewable energy sources, and alternative fuels that will help reduce the country's reliance on fossil fuels and enable consumers worldwide to live a truly sustainable lifestyle.” Located near the intersection of Florida’s Turnpike and State Road 60 in Yeehaw Junction, Destiny is proposed to be the home of the state's first green energy station, an electric automobile charging station, a solar- and geothermal-powered convenience store, a multi-modal transportation system, and a 400-acre energy research park. Once fully developed, Destiny could accommodate as many as 250,000 residents living, working and playing in a truly self-contained green community. Johnson, a former state legislator from Osceola County, says that Destiny will do right what far too often has been done the wrong way in parts of the state. “The most important choice Florida has to make over the next 50 years is how to apply real growth management tools to guide the future development of our state's interior.”

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HARVEST TIME By Jack Roth

THE PRACTICE OF NURTURING HOMEGROWN COMPANIES AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY REQUIRES FORESIGHT AND PATIENCE.

Economic gardening, the underlying economic model that stresses business creation and expansion, has gained a foothold in Florida thanks in large part to a coordinated effort from Central Florida economic development leaders who view local entrepreneurs as the key to economic growth and prosperity.

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When the town of Littleton, Colorado, faced a potential economic disaster in 1987 due to layoffs of thousands of people by the community’s major employer, the crisis strained the resources of local residents and businesses and threatened to undermine the community’s overall tax base. Staring into a dark abyss, community leaders disregarded conventional economic development wisdom and chose a divergent strategic path.

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THE NEW BUZZ PHRASE Ray Gilley, president and CEO of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC), stresses that the EDC has always incorporated economic gardening as part of both an inside-out and outside-in economic development strategy. “We’ve always tried to create a balance between recruitment and retention and growth,” he explains. “Both the attraction of out-of-market companies into Metro Orlando and the retention and growth of companies already within this market are vital to the regional growth process.”

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A PERFECT FIT

Ray Gilley

PHOTO BY JACQUE BRUND

Instead of seeking a quick fix to replace lost jobs by offering relocation incentives and tax breaks to firms outside the region — an approach known as “economic hunting” — they embraced an alternate, long-term entrepreneurial strategy designed to generate new jobs from the community’s existing base of businesses. This approach, which became known as “economic gardening,” yielded remarkable results. During the 15-year period from 1990-2005, Littleton saw a 136 percent increase in the number of net new jobs, outperforming Denver Metro, the state of Colorado and the entire nation by a significant margin. Economic gardening proved to be a successful paradigm shift, as well as a burgeoning alternate strategy in the arsenals of economic development commissions across the nation. When Florida Governor Charlie Crist went against conventional economic wisdom and — during an emergency budget-slashing session this past January — pushed through an economic development pilot program that called for money to be spent on preferred small-business loans and entrepreneurial support services, it marked a bold and significant leap toward adopting economic gardening as a model for the state. The impetus for the state legislative action, however, started in Central Florida years ago with the efforts of a handful of pro-entrepreneur advocates who have understood the importance of “fertilizing” homegrown businesses and reaping the benefits of a strong harvest.

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The EDC is part of a particularly strong infrastructure in Central Florida that supports entrepreneurship, business growth, new-industry development and recruitment in the region, but

No region can be truly successful at economic development without local universities and colleges that offer the curriculums, mentoring and internship programs that help create and retain home-grown talent. This is true in Central Florida, where the University of Central Florida (UCF), Rollins College, Stetson University, three top-rated community colleges and other institutions offer the tools necessary for eager young talent to blossom. Take the UCF Business Incubation Program, for example. Opened in 1999, it has served more than 90 emerging companies that have generated more than 900 new jobs and more than $200 million in annual revenues. This community part-

“We’ve always tried to create a balance between recruitment and retention and growth.” — Ray Gilley, president and CEO, Metro Orlando EDC the recent buzz associated with economic gardening lies in how its basic philosophy syncs with the current economic climate. “A focus on existing companies is more practical right now, especially when cities and states have limited economic funds,” explains John Fremstad, vice president of BE&K Inc. and former vice president of the EDC. “You can spend limited funds on your own entrepreneurs, and the benefits will trickle down to other areas within the community.” In fact, a tough economy isn’t the only reason to consider an inside-out economic growth strategy. Globalization, the impact of the Internet, rapidly changing technologies, and the emergence of new, fast-growth overseas economies are forcing wholesale economic change across the United States, making business expansion programs more important than ever. Despite this, many cities and states still focus on recruitment, not expansion. So why is Central Florida, and now the entire state, so ahead of the curve? The answer: an infrastructure geared toward an entrepreneurial growth continuum and the presence of forwardthinking individuals.

nership provides early-stage companies with the tools, training and infrastructure needed to create financially stable, highgrowth enterprises. “Growing is our main role, which hopefully leads to maintaining,” says Tom O’Neal, associate vice president for Research and Commercialization at UCF and founder of the incubator program. “These young companies are run by individuals who have the intent and wherewithal to grow, so we help reduce the risks by being coaches and mentors.” The university has a built-in network of advisors, in the form of professors, who are familiar with the particular issues associated with various industries. It also nurtures the region’s future workforce. “We help these companies write grants so they can get money, and we connect them with graduate students who work with the professors to write the proposals,” O’Neal explains. “So when they graduate, they get jobs with these companies. It’s a good expansion model. We have many highly skilled graduates currently working on projects with incubator companies, so we’re parlaying this local talent into the region’s economic growth.” At the Rollins College Center for Entrepreneurship at the Crummer Grad-

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Tom O’Neal

uate School of Business, the goal is to provide the best possible training for its MBA students. The Center provides seminars, workshops, mentoring programs, internships and speakers, many of which are open to the public and all of which promote the retention of MBA talent. “Economic gardening is the foundation of what we are working to accomplish through the Center,” says Cari Coats, interim executive director. “We help our

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ney Entrepreneur Center secures its role as one of the many entrepreneurshipfocused organizations working in concert to create one of the best regional entrepreneurship systems in the United States. The Florida High Tech Corridor Council (FHTCC), under the guidance of president Randy Berridge, partners with various Central Florida institutions to attract, retain and grow high tech industry and to help develop the workforce to support those industries in the 23-county service areas of UCF, the University of South Florida (USF), and University of Florida (UF). “The Corridor Council plays an integral part in providing services to high-tech companies, many of which wind up becoming second-stage growth companies with often limitless capacity to provide jobs and wealth for the region,” says Ed Schons, director of Economic Development at UCF. Additional support for regional entrepreneurs comes courtesy of the Disney Entrepreneur Center, which has become

“These young companies are run by individuals who have the intent and wherewithal to grow, so we help reduce the risks by being coaches and mentors.”— Tom O’Neal, associate vice president for Research and Commercialization, UCF students successfully start and grow their own businesses. We also network with entrepreneurs in the region who are looking to grow their businesses and offer them access to resources and programs that will foster successful growth.” As a partner with UCF and five other Florida institutions, the Center for Entrepreneurship hosts the annual New Ventures Business Plan Competition, which has resulted in the creation of viable businesses that contribute to the economic vitality of Central Florida. The Center also partners with the Athena Powerlink Program, a national organization that provides panels of volunteer business experts who advise female business owners on important issues that can help them achieve growth and further success. The Center’s inclusion as part of a partnership that includes Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at UCF, and the Dis-

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nationally recognized for small business development and provides a variety of services such as free business coaching, networking functions, a resource library, access to video conferencing and more. “Whether an entrepreneur is just considering starting a business, or a seasoned business is seeking tools for growth, the 10 separate business organizations located at the Center can accelerate the process,” says Jerry Ross, executive director. “Our region is very entrepreneurial and we are very good at assisting the start-up/first-stage ‘main street’ businesses. By supporting and accelerating these start-ups into second-stage businesses, we are supporting the economic gardening concept of growing companies and, in turn, growing jobs.” There is no doubting that a strong infrastructure exists in Central Florida to educate, create and retain start-up businesses, but it is during the crucial next

step in a company’s growth cycle when support gaps often exist and many regions fail to fill them. Ross emphasizes second-stage growth companies as essential to economic development, and, in fact, they are the critical focus of economic gardening. It became clear to Ross that economic gardening could be an initiative worth considering for Central Florida when he read the 2006 Report to the President on The Small Business Economy, written by Orlando-based economic development researcher Steve Quello. “Steve has brought his knowledge and research on economic gardening to Central Florida because of the fertile ground of high-tech, biotech, and entrepreneurial capital present here,” adds Ross. “It only makes sense that a region that is so engaged and supportive of economic development would be at the forefront of this type of initiative.”

SECOND-STAGE GROWTH To Quello, who has been studying entrepreneurship and economic growth for more than a decade, economic gardening is more than a metaphor. It is a critical part of a broader economic development story associated with the continuum of entrepreneurship. There is a leverage point, he suggests, where communities can do better faster if they invest the right way. “With limited

Randy Berridge

resources, communities have to allocate resources strategically, and in times like this, industrial recruitment is not as effective as supporting expansion programs targeting resident businesses. Most jobs are created and sustained over time by the creation and expansion of local com-

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Steve Quello

panies. The message of economic gardening is to allocate resources more effectively, by focusing on the stagespecific needs of high growth/high potential second-stage companies.” The bracket typically used to describe second-stage growth companies is 10 to 99 employees and $1 million to $50 million in revenues. In this space, says Quello, if a community can cultivate the right environment and offer stage-specific support, they will generate the best return. Historically, he adds, the majority of public sector resources have flowed to supporting first- and fourth-stage companies, but entrepreneurs are not equally productive. Only a small subset of first- and second-stage companies have the desire and capacity to become truly high-growth enterprises. The goal of economic gardening is to recognize and support stage-specific needs of these high achievers in order to generate a greater return, no matter the industry sector. The Edward Lowe Foundation, based in southwest Michigan, was created to enhance entrepreneurship and economic growth across the country. Mark Lange, the executive director, has known Quello for 10 years, and together they have worked to better understand how to recognize and support second-stage growth companies. “Steve is our man on the ground in Central Florida,” he says. “He introduced me to Tom O’Neal four years ago, and I quickly realized what a great infrastructure Central Florida already had in place. We simply began to provide the data and new ways of thinking to key support people, and Steve became an advocate for these ideas in the region.”

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Acknowledging that UCF was way ahead of the curve with its incubator program, Lange and the Foundation licensed its PeerSpectives Program to UCF. O’Neal was quick to embrace it as a “graduate program” for his incubator companies. PeerSpectives is a peer-topeer, learning and problem-solving program based on the best practices of CEO peer-learning programs across the country. Quello worked in concert with the Edward Lowe Foundation to study, design and implement the program nationally. In essence, second-stage CEOs meet in a roundtable setting once a month to discuss issues relevant to their businesses. The entrepreneurs decide what topic to discuss at the meeting. In launching this program, Quello also served as a facilitator, and has developed a mentoring program that goes hand-in-hand with PeerSpectives, in which third-stage CEOs give advice to second-stage CEOs. This supportive and proactive infrastructure has allowed Central Florida to overcome the most common hurdles associated with recognizing secondstage growth companies. “Most communities have a hard time finding them because they just don’t know who they are, but Central Florida can target them easily because they’ve already been part of the continuum process from the first-stage growth programs already in place,” explains Lange. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how this works out longterm for Florida now that initial funding from the state is in place. I can see using Florida, and Central Florida specifically, as a blueprint when taking economic gardening to other regions of the country.” At the core of all this, stresses Quello, is the entrepreneur. “They create the jobs and wealth that drive the economy. That’s the message here — being entrepreneur-centric allows Central Florida to be more productive and competitive in an increasingly “flat” world. Striking the appropriate balance of investment in entrepreneurship and innovation offers the only truly sustainable economic x development strategy.”

Signs of Second-Stage Growth A major principle of economic gardening states that high growth/high potential companies are critical to inside-out economic development. They can be of any size but are ideally bracketed between having 10 to 99 employees and $1 to $50 million in revenue; established companies operating at a stage beyond start up or early development. Most importantly, second-stage companies are particularly strategic. The Edward Lowe Foundation describes the second stage of business development as a point in the business life cycle when the casual ad hoc methods of entrepreneurial ventures begin to fail. It is a stage when the complexity of employing an increasing number of workers and the related regulatory compliance issues begin to exceed the span of control of one owner or CEO. At this stage of business development, more formal systems and processes may be required to effectively manage the business if it is to sustain or accelerate its current rate of growth to the next stage of business. These companies have moved from where the founder is owner, operator, manager, innovator — all in one — to an operation organized around specialization and more formal organizational structure. This is an inherently fluid stage of business development that requires support to be available in “just-in-time” fashion. “They require high-maintenance and are often difficult to get a handle on,” says Mark Lange, executive director of the Foundation. “We often liken second-stage growth companies to a child’s terrible twos. It's a tough growth period that requires specific support and understanding.”

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special fx

Commercial By Russ J. Stacey

SPOTLIGHT

THRIVING COMMERCIAL PRODUCTIONS PROVIDE THE BACKBONE FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA’S ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA PRODUCTION GROUP

>> A commercial shoot for Gillette takes place at Universal Studios.

“We have the sound stages, we have a sophisticated crew base, we are green practically 365 days a year when the rest of the country is in whiteout, and it will always be more cost effective to shoot here than in New York or L.A. Plus, we have a surplus of professional athletes who live here; that drives a lot to this market.” A healthy year, like 2008, can see 75 to 100 spots shot in the area. Despite

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When it comes to production companies scouting locations to shoot commercials, Central Florida has a lot going for it, explains Suzy Spang, head of the Metro Orlando EDC’s Film & Entertainment Commission.

challenges related to the sagging economy, Central Florida remains a hotbed for regional and national television spots. Benefiting from its world-class facilities, back lots and soundstages, Universal Studios Florida Production Group is one of the busiest companies around. Vice President and General Manager Pamela Tuscany-Warren estimates that the company produced

between 50 and 75 commercials last year. “Spots slated for this quarter include TD AMERITRADE, Bush’s Baked Beans, Steinmart, Cracker Barrel and Rooms To Go. Gillette has an ongoing campaign with Derek Jeter, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. The Tiger Woods’ Gatorade commercials — the moon shot one and the one where he hits the golf ball like a baseball — those were also shot here.”

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Universal Studios Production Group is also responsible for the Rooms To Go commercials.

ROLL CALL A sampling of recent, and upcoming, commercial shoots in Central Florida, and some of the familiar faces in them.

Many sports stars sign contracts with clauses permitting them to shoot their endorsements in the market where they live. Because so many live in this area, it is a boon to the industry. Orlando-based Convergence is another local production company that makes high-profile spots with well-known athletes. “We’ve shot with Roger Federer for Wilson and with Tom Watson for Adams Golf. We’ve shot with Jason Taylor, the former Miami Dolphin, and with golfers Fuzzy Zoeller and Nick Faldo. We did an Orlando Magic spot with Dwight Howard,” Partner Kenny Taht says. He describes 2008, when the company produced about 15 commercials and infomercials, as “very busy” and remains optimistic about 2009. What some people don’t realize is that the health of the television and film production industry here is inextricably tied to the stability and vitality of its cousin, the commercial production industry. “Florida has always been a strong state for commercials,” explains Celebration-based filmmaker Todd Thompson. “In fact, most of the crews we use on our films are technically ‘commercial’ guys. Filmmaking in Florida would not be possible if it weren’t for the steady flow of commercial work the state enjoys. That’s why we have such a solid infrastructure.” To maintain its solid position in commercial production, the industry relies heavily on the University of Cen-

tral Florida, Valencia and Seminole Community Colleges, DAVE School, Full Sail University and other schools to groom and grow the developing workforce. Spang describes these institutions as a “huge advantage for the community.” Another benefit of the area is its terrain. “I think that some people initially don’t understand what our geographic footprint is. We can look like Africa, we can look like Latin or South America, and we have small towns that look like Anywhere, U.S.A.,” she says. Film industry leaders have their fingers crossed as several bills containing creative solutions wait their turn in the current Florida legislative session. Due to budget constraints, the current state incentive fund that offers cash reimbursements to companies filming in Florida has been diminished. The new bills instead offer tax credits that can be deferred, so there is no cash outlay by the state. And though the commercial market is not necessarily driven by the incentive fund (the turnaround time on productions is so quick), it is a great asset of an overall marketing strategy that most other states don’t include in their incentives. “We have to keep reeducating people that this is a smart place to shoot all year long,” Spang says. “We have the infrastructure and we have the talent. It’s all here. This is a community that’s very supportive of the commercial industry.” x

AAA American Express AT&T Bennigan's Best Buy Buick Bush's Baked Beans Cadillac Cracker Barrel Dodge EASports Ford Friendly's Restaurants Gillette Home Depot Honda Johnson Motors Kodak Lowe's Nickelodeon Nike Pepsi Ragú Rhodes Furniture Rooms To Go Sea-Doo Sonic Steinmart TD AMERITRADE Toyota Wilson Carrot Top Nick Faldo Roger Federer Dwight Howard Derek Jeter Shaquille O'Neal Tom Watson Tiger Woods Fuzzy Zoeller

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HOPES

Skyrocketing By Michael Candelaria

WITH SIGHTS SET HIGH, SPACE FLORIDA SEEKS TO TAKE FLIGHT ON THE WINGS OF ITS COMMERCIAL LAUNCH ZONE.

Steve Kohler had only been on the job less than a year, but he saw the writing on the wall. Actually, it was stenciled in the sky.

Steve Kohler

Florida Governor Charlie Crist (third from left) was among the attendees at the dedication ceremony for Launch Complex 36.

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In May 2006, the Florida Legislature passed the Space Florida Act, consolidating Florida’s three space entities (Florida Space Authority, Florida Space Research Institute and Florida Aerospace Finance Corp.) into a single new organization: Space Florida, with Kohler taking the helm in October 2006. Created as a special district, Space Florida would serve as the single point of contact for all space-related functions in the state, encompassing civil, military and commercial areas. The problem was that commercial appeal sorely was lacking, not only across Florida but nationwide. During the previous decade, the U.S. market share for commercial launches had spiraled from 80 percent to roughly 10 percent. Space Florida, including Kennedy Space Center and Cape

Canaveral Air Force Station, either could be part of that problem or part of the solution. Secure in the knowledge that civil launches would be a continual go and that a “fair share” of military launches would come his way, Kohler chose the latter. “There wasn’t an ‘aha’ moment [about commercial launches],” he says. “It was a trend of reckoning that went back 10 years. “We really see the commercialization of space as the most rapidly growing sector, as the commercial industries of the world see the value and profitability that can be generated.” Kohler, though, isn’t sitting back, waiting for takeoff. He is, in his words, “incentivizing” to accelerate Space Florida’s flight. “We needed to create a compelling reason for the payload

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The Space Life Sciences Lab at Kennedy Space Center.

customers and the launch vehicle users to want to be here,” he asserts. As the calendar turns to spring 2009, mission one is establishing a Commercial Launch Zone, a move further hastened by phaseout of the shuttle program. Initially set for spring 2010, the shuttle’s retirement could be delayed until that fall. Still, there isn’t much time left to fill a significant void. Notably, a replacement to the shuttle, called Constellation, could be ready to operate as early as 2014, but there are no certainties about the program.

with launch activities possibly commencing late next year. As a result, more than ever before, the possibility of regular commercial launches happening on Central Florida’s coast is real. And, for metro Orlando, the benefits are evident in more than mere proximity, particularly for biotech companies. Kohler envisions a space-based biotech corridor that stretches from the International Space Station to Earth-based facilities and resources such as the Space Life Sciences Lab at Kennedy Space Center. There is precedent, too. Space Shuttle

Kohler envisions a space-based biotech corridor that stretches from the International Space Station to Earth-based facilities. As Kohler describes it, the Commercial Launch Zone, or CLZ, isn’t as much a physical area at the Cape as it is a strategy intended to create a more competitive business environment for companies involved in the aerospace sector. He plans to build it using tax incentives as a foundation and access to the International Space Station as a chief pillar. Last August, that effort received a booster rocket in the form of rights to Launch Complex 36. The U.S. Air Force announced that subject to completion of the environmental impact analysis process, Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral would be rebuilt as a multiuse vertical launch complex capable of supporting several launch vehicle configurations. The complex had been opened by NASA in 1961 and most recently was used as a military and commercial Atlas launch site. The final rockets launched in 2004. Kohler expects reconstruction to begin before summer,

Mission STS-123, launched in March 2008, hosted salmonella research that validated results of experiments from shuttle mission STS-115 two years earlier. Kohler’s belief is that biotech leaders in metro Orlando, such as the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, will broaden that activity. Already, Burnham occupies a portion of the Space Life Sciences Lab’s roughly 100,000 square feet. Burnham, which this spring moves teams of scientists who study diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and drug discovery into a permanent headquarters facility at Lake Nona, utilizes an approach to medical research that involves scientists from different disciplines assembling in teams to accelerate research. Research in space is a potential element of that approach, Kohler contends, largely by virtue of that lab, which is officially recognized as an integral connecting point with the Space Station and features superior payload-

prep capabilities for Space Station experiments. Dr. Daniel Kelly, scientific director of Burnham, affirms that point. “Burnham Institute for Medical Research at Lake Nona has prioritized translational research and committed technology resources so that our basic science discoveries can advance toward application at a faster pace,” he says. “Collaboration with other scientific organizations, such as Space Florida, can attract the attention of investors and speed commercialization of the most promising projects.” Beyond launch activity and research, there are potential metro Orlando partnerships in activities such as construction and space tourism, as well. One recent partnership involved Lockheed Martin’s work on the building out of the operations and checkout facility at Kennedy Space Center. Kohler also acknowledges a mutually beneficial relationship, with metro Orlando providing a talent pool that is critical to Space Florida’s success. “The inherent understanding that the central region has for space is unique in the country,” he comments. His hopes are, well, high for metro Orlando and, mostly, for Space Florida’s commercial appeal. And the sky isn’t even the limit. x

“POPE SCOPE” COULD SETTLE HERE Space Florida officials are in discussion to obtain a world-class telescope from the Vatican. The telescope would be donated for educational purposes. Among the issues to be resolved is the cost of transporting the telescope to Kennedy Space Center.

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TOP DOCS ORLANDO’S BIOTECH ROCK STARS TAKE CENTER STAGE

by Jackie Kelvington

Orlando’s rock star status is rising, especially on the biotech charts. And behind the community’s growing collection of industry breakthroughs are several emerging and legendary artists. Meet the nation’s rising biotech rock stars and learn about the blockbuster work they're producing that is taking Metro Orlando all the way to the top.

CHARLES HODGES

An Orlando native, Dr. Cheryl Baker left Central Florida after receiving her undergraduate degree from Rollins College to earn her Ph.D. at Texas Tech. From there, she established an impressive reputation as an instructor in the surgery department at Harvard Medical School and Children’s Hospital in Boston, as well as an Assistant Professor in the Cancer Biology department at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. But it was like a dream come true when she was approached about the opportunity to return to her home-

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town to establish and take the helm at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando's Cancer Research Institute, a division of the Orlando Health hospital system. What gets Dr. Baker and her team out of bed every morning is their passion for understanding a disease that affects millions of people every year, and their determination to develop new and better treatments. Under her leadership, the Orlando facility specializes in treating more than 11 types of cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, pancreatic, breast, gastrointestinal, neurological, head and neck, lung and pediatric; and brings together expertise in areas that include: harvesting and processing human cancer tissue; evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of targeted agents, chemotherapy and radiation; nanotechnology; and multi-wavelength fluorescence and X-ray imaging.

Dr. Henry Daniell knows that two of the most challenging problems in human healthcare today are the skyrocketing costs of prescription medicine in developed countries, and

their lack of availability in developing countries. High costs related to fermentation-based production systems, expensive purification methods, lowtemperature storage, transportation, and delivery through sterile injections are at the root of those problems. Enter Dr. Daniell, professor and microbiologist at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, who is determined to shake things up. Dr. Daniell has discovered that most of these expensive production and

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Recently named “Central Floridian of the Year” and a Harvard Medical School graduate, Dr. Deborah German is the force behind one of the nation’s newest, most prominent medical schools. Set to open this fall, the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine is projected to help create more than 30,000 local jobs and to have an estimated economic impact of $7.6 billion in the year 2017. As the founding dean, the energetic and inspirational Dr. German seems to be everywhere at once. She is leading a team that is building a medical program from scratch and attracting the country’s best and brightest faculty and students to UCF. Dr. German has generated widespread community support for a first-ofits-kind full scholarship campaign for the inaugural class. With more than 4,300 applications received for the 40 openings in the charter class, UCF’s College of Medicine may be the country’s most selective medical school. Turning a dream of Dr. German’s into reality, each member of that class will receive a $160,000 scholarship for

tuition, living expenses, and fees for the four-year medical degree program. The scholarships were completely funded by nearly $7 million in community donations from across the Central Florida region. UCF’s medical school will be one of the anchors in a new “medical city” taking shape in Central Florida. The College of Medicine already has a strong research component thanks to the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, which boasts active research in cardiac and neurosciences, infectious diseases and cancer. Partners in the Lake Nona development include the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, a new Nemours Children’s Hospital, a new VA Hospital, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando’s Cancer Research Institute and a University of Florida medical research lab.

PHELAN EBENHACK

delivery systems can be minimized or eliminated with biopharmaceutical proteins expressed and orally delivered via plant cells. He and his team are leading work to produce human therapeutic proteins in plants for large-scale, low-cost production and oral delivery. For example, he has successfully used tobacco or lettuce plants to combat the top infectious diseases listed by World Health Organization (cholera, malaria, rotavirus, amebiasis) and the top biothreat agents listed by the CDC (anthrax and plague). Published research from his lab has shown that animals orally immunized with the plague vaccine survived an aerosol challenge of 50 billion spores, whereas only one fourth of animals immunized with injections survived. Daniell’s lab recently announced success in genetically modifying lettuce heads that produce insulin in the quest to develop a cure for diabetes. After injecting the human gene for insulin into leaves of lettuce that are grown in the lab, the leaves can be ground into powder and put into a capsule. The lettuce helps the powdered capsule reach the intestine. There, plant cells meet with bacteria and release the insulin. This stimulates an immune response and helps the body to produce its own insulin. “It is the same insulin that is injected, but we are presenting it to the immune cells in the intestine and educating them to recognize that this is your own protein,” Dr. Daniell said. “What we have done is to teach the body how to cure this immune disorder. This is a totally new concept, a new platform to use this oral delivery system to fix this immune disorder.”

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After a parasailing accident that broke 15 bones and left him temporarily unable to walk, talk or move his arms,

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successful obstetrician Dr. Ed Guindi found that his injuries made it impossible to return to his former life of delivering babies. His life-altering experience has since altered the life of thousands, as the doctor turned his attention to becoming a champion in a new field: non-embryonic cord blood stem cell collection. With a business partner, he founded CORD:USE in 2004, drawing on his medical experience to develop the least-intrusive, most-effective way of obtaining cord blood cells. Since then, CORD:USE has entered into agreements with hospitals across the country to provide mothers the option to donate their babies' cord blood, which is a critical component of therapies for more than 70 diseases, including blood cancers (leukemias, lymphomas and myelomas) and other blood diseases such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia. After collection, Guindi’s company processes cord blood units at Duke University Medical Center and then adds them to the National Marrow Donor Program registry. Orlando’s CORD:USE is now on target to become the leader in the collection, processing, storage and delivery of hematopoietic (blood-forming) cells found in cord blood and provided to transplant centers worldwide.

As professor and scientific director of Burnham Institute for Medical Research at Lake Nona, Dr. Daniel Kelly guides the scientific direction of Burnham’s new East Coast campus. He has established

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the Diabetes and Obesity Research Center and has attracted a faculty of scientists with varied specialties to conduct research that is focused on diabetes, obesity, metabolism and heart disease. And, he is helping lead an effort to form a Florida Hospital-Burnham Clinical Research Institute to study diabetes. Both of these initiatives focus on Dr. Kelly’s long-term scientific goals: fundamental and translational research in cellular energy metabolism relevant to common diseases such as heart failure and diabetes, especially diabetic heart disease. And the science is only beginning at Burnham Orlando. The Institute will receive $35 million in research funding from a National Institute of Health grant to equip and manage small-molecule screening and discovery centers. Research partnerships have also been established, including collaborations with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Orlando and with the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution at Florida Atlantic University, with whom Burnham scientists are creating synthetic versions of a substance found in ocean sponges that has the potential to fight pancreatic cancer. “We want to make Burnham at Lake Nona a catalyst to grow Orlando’s biomedical cluster,” said Dr. Kelly. “The pioneering spirit of Orlando makes Lake Nona the perfect site for this new research initiative.”

An internationally recognized expert in the field of minimally invasive robotic prostatectomy, Dr. Vipul Patel, medical director of the Florida Hospital Global Robotic Institute, has personally performed more robotic prostatectomies than anyone else in the world. Under his leadership, the Celebration,

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Florida-based Global Robotics Institute has become a sought-after destination program, serving international, domestic, and local patients. Dr. Patel is also part of the team of talented surgeons and healthcare professionals helping to train nearly 7,000 physicians each year on the latest minimally invasive and non-invasive surgical techniques through unique interactive teleconferencing technology and on-site at Florida Hospital’s Nicholson Center for Surgical Advancement. And, he hosts a world symposium for robotic surgery, which brings together surgeons from around the globe to share knowledge and skills, improve robotic surgery practice, and learn about technical innovations. His global connections are far-ranging. Not only is he an associate professor here at home at the University of Central Florida, he also serves as a faculty advisor for the Korean University in Seoul and for the European Oncology Institute in Milan. Our own Dr. Roboto’s goal is unyielding: to find and eliminate prostate cancer, which strikes one-in-six men in their lifetime.

Can you imagine the cost and time savings if it were possible to substitute often misleading preclinical human and animal drug trials for a “clinical trial in a test tube”? Dr. William Warren and his company, VaxDesign, not only imagined it, they pioneered it! VaxDesign’s MIMIC TM (Modular Immune In vitro Construct) System uses human blood cells under conditions

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similar to that in the human body, replicating the human immune system and allowing testing in a more “natural” environment. Its technologies enable researchers to test drugs, vaccines and chemical formulations more reliably and predictably, while potentially saving companies years of development time and millions of dollars in development costs. It is no wonder that Warren and his Orlando-based company are recipients of the R&D 100 Award, and recognized by BioWorld as one of the most innovative companies in biotech .

about. Partnering with Central Floridabased IT company TeKONTROL to do this important work from a new research, development and manufacturing facility headquartered in a disadvantaged area near Downtown Orlando brings help even closer to home. VRMC develops and uses computer-generated simulations and other special effects to treat mental health disorders, aid physical and mental rehabilitation, and train health care providers and military personnel. For example, they have pioneered Virtual Reality-enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (VR-CBT), used to treat clients with panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia and other phobias. Here in Central Florida, in addition to their partnership with TeKONTROL, VRMC is partnering with the University of Central Florida to create a virtual game to aid stroke survivors in expanding their range of movement. x

Developing and producing specialized devices and advanced medical simulation systems designed to save lives on the battlefield and the emergency room is what Virtual Reality Medical Center (VRMC) and its president, Dr. Mark Wiederhold, are all

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innovation alley

GROUP

Support By Dean Hybl

THE FLORIDA HIGH TECH CORRIDOR COUNCIL OFFERS A NETWORK OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT HELP HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES. Access to the research minds of some of America’s great academic experts and their graduate students is driving an applied research explosion in Florida that is solving problems for companies of all sizes and creating downstream value in the form of contracts, patents, jobs and capital investment for a region that is home to 70 percent of the state’s high tech employment.

PHELAN EBENHACK (2)

includes the University of Florida (UF), 14 community colleges and nearly two dozen economic development organizations across a 23-county corridor within the central portion of Florida. With a mission to attract, retain and grow high-tech industry and to develop the workforce to support it, the Council has developed or supported a wide variety of programs that have assisted hundreds of companies across the Corridor, ranging from large global giants to small incubator start-ups.

ACCESS TO RESEARCH Take a tour of FHTCC with its online virtual visit program. Its Matching Grants Research Program (MGRP) is just one of the threads in a fabric that the Florida High Tech Corridor Council (FHTCC) has been developing for more than a dozen years to weave together the pieces of a hightech blanket for the region, helping provide Central Florida’s high-tech and innovation sectors with much needed

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comfort and support as they look to grow and flourish. Created in 1996 when the Florida Legislature empowered the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando and the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa to partner in a unique economic development initiative, FHTCC has now grown into a powerful alliance that also

Over the last 12 years, more than 300 companies have worked with researchers at UCF, USF and UF on more than 900 applied research projects ranging from agritechnology to solar energy. The groundbreaking research that has resulted from these partnerships has led to the development of innovative products, treatments and research methods that have enhanced the lives of people across the globe. One example of the variety of research being funded through the

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Council’s matching grants program is a project currently underway at UCF that is developing a new way for doctors to virtually “see” inside a patient’s body and visualize the movements of an internal organ in real time. Doctors at M.D. Anderson Center Orlando have partnered with simulation experts at UCF to help physicians better administer radiation treatment to lung tumors. Created by Drs. Jannick Rolland and Anand Santhanam, both UCF researchers, the technology uses a headmounted display that projects a 3-D lung model on goggles designed to give the experience of seeing through a patient’s chest. That model is an expanding and contracting lung specific to the patient.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Over the years, FHTCC has invested in a multitude of programs designed to assist in workforce development across the region through support for education and workforce initiatives. The Council has provided financial support for an initiative to develop 2+2 Associate Degree programs designed to ensure that students completing the first two years of a college career at the community college level, have a program available to help them achieve a bachelor’s degree through collaboration between the community colleges and research universities. Currently, there are 2+2 Associate Degree programs available in the technology sectors of microelectronic manufacturing; biotechnology; modeling, simulation and training; wireless technologies; digital media; photonics; and information technology security. In addition, the Council has helped support a SpaceTec Certified Aerospace Technician program and a Manufacturing Center of Excellence certificate program. Another successful Council initiative is the outreach to teachers and their students in public school systems through the techPATH program, a partnership with educators throughout the 23county region. techCAMP, the program’s signature offering, has engaged more than 2,000 teachers, and through them reached hundreds of thousands of stu-

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dents through nearly 50 techCAMPs held across the Corridor. In addition, the Council has hosted two Career Expos, which provide an opportunity for companies across the region looking for technology workers to meet face-to-face with career center directors from some of the leading colleges and universities in the country.

CREATING PARTNERSHIPS AND PROMOTING THE REGION Through its unofficial mantra of “leave your egos and your logos at the door,” FHTCC has been able to bring together business, economic development, workforce and educational leaders from across the Corridor with the single goal of working together to enhance and grow high-tech industries within the 23-county region.

techCAMPs are just one program offered by FHTCC.

Under the guidance of FHTCC President Randy Berridge, the Council is always looking for opportunities to partner on initiatives that will enhance the Corridor, either through the addition or expansion of a high-tech company, recognition of the Corridor as a place where high-tech innovation thrives, or promotion of some of the activities and economic tools available within the Corridor. The Council has helped spearhead

flvec.com, which is a Virtual Entrepreneurial Center designed to be a onestop shop where new and expanding businesses can find the information they need on everything from potential vendors to permitting regulations. FHTCC also developed a regional Virtual Visit (www.VisitTheCorridor.com) that allows site selectors from across the globe to learn about the great hightech amenities available within the region without the expense of making an in-person visit. Recognizing the value of social networks in the world of high tech and innovation, the Council recently initiated a YouTube channel (www.floridahigh tech.com/resources/facesoftechnology. html) with videos featuring some of the high-tech innovators in the Corridor. FHTCC is also looking at the possibility of hosting an interactive social network that would allow researchers and entrepreneurs from across the region to connect online to discuss subjects of interest. But even in this electronic age, the Council also recognizes the value of creating relationships through personal contact. A supporter of the Tampa Bay Technology Forum, which brings technology leaders from the Tampa Bay area together for regular social and professional functions, since its inception, FHTCC is currently working with leaders within the Metro Orlando area to re-engage the Central Florida Technology Forum. The goal is to provide technology companies from the Metro Orlando area with regular opportunities to engage in networking and relationship building that fosters the spirit of collaboration that has helped FHTCC become such an important part of the high-tech fabric of x Central Florida.

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intelligent forms of lifestyle

Going

GREEN

By Barry Glenn

TWO OF CENTRAL FLORIDA’S BIGGEST VENUES ARE PROUDLY WEARING GREEN.

electric vehicle spots would probably be on the first floor — easy in, easy out,’’ said Brian Purlow, an architect for HOK Sport, designers of the center. “So there probably would be an advantage to driving a vehicle like that.’’ Although low-flow fixtures will be installed in restrooms and elsewhere to reduce water use, the center’s landscaping won’t be using any city water. Instead, it will be nourished with captured rainwater or condensation from the air conditioning units. Piping will carry the water to a ground-level cistern that’s tied in to the irrigation loop. Even the events center’s dazzling signature object — a 120-foot lighted glass tower — will use an energy-efficient form of lighting. The tower’s beacon will be lightemitting diodes, “and LED is the most

The Orlando Events Center, being built downtown, will showcase environmentally friendly features, such as a dazzling iconic tower; while the Orange County Convention Center is nearing completion of a rooftop solar-power system that will be the largest in the Southeast.

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©C.S.WHITE

When built, the new Orlando Events Center will be the first NBA arena to achieve LEED certification.

COURTESY HOK SPORT

The city and the Orlando Magic are aiming for the events center — set to open in the fall of 2010 — to become the first NBA arena in the country to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The LEED honor is bestowed by the U.S. Green Building Council to promote design and construction practices that reduce the negative environmental impacts of buildings, while improving the well-being of those who use them. The to-do green list at the events center includes using light-colored roofing to reflect sunlight and reduce the amount of air conditioning needed; recycling construction waste and using many materials made from recycled products; and implementing high-tech cooling, heating and ventilation systems that are calibrated with one another for peak performance. There’s also a treat in store for those who drive hybrid or electric cars. “In the parking garage being built south of the building, the hybrid or

energy-efficient lighting you can get,’’ said Stephanie Graham, sustainability coordinator with HOK Sport. “The intent here is to use a very low energy source to provide a feature that will really make the events center an icon of the community.’’ The beacon’s cool factor: It can change colors depending on the event taking place — for instance, blue for a Magic game or red for an Orlando Predators football game. Also lighting up the outside will be a 50-by-60-foot “media mesh’’ screen made up of LEDs to display still imagery and messages. Inside there will be more technology to wow fans. “It’s going to be the most technologically advanced events center in North America,’’ said Alex Martins, chief operating officer of the Orlando Magic.

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Green efforts at the Orange County Convention Center include the use of solar panels and an extensive recycling program.

The scoreboard will feature numerous high-definition and LED screens to play video and relay information, and there will be two message-carrying electronic “ribbon boards” stretching around the interior of the arena. Fans have other treats in store. Brad Clark, HOK Sport’s senior project engineer for the center, envisions a “pedestrian front porch’’ in the way the center opens out onto Church Street, when part of that thoroughfare closes during events and becomes a seamless extension of the center. Clark points out another fan-friendly

“I think it’s visionary’’ he said. “It’s the way we all need to be thinking.’’ A few miles down Interstate 4, the Orange County Convention Center has been thinking like that for quite a while now. In May, it plans to start using a huge array of solar panels being installed on top of its North/South Building. Officials hope that one day the photovoltaic system, the largest in the Southeast, can provide all the power to the massive 1.1-million-square-foot building. That could help the center trim its power bill, which is running $7 million to $9 million annually.

“We recycle everything, whether it’s bottles, cans, cardboard, paper, even down to the batteries.’’ — Gwen Wilson, OCCC’s public relations manager.

cardboard and 14 tons of office paper. Four years ago, the center began a reusable donations program, asking event organizers to donate materials they might not ship back home or might otherwise throw away. Last year, Wilson said, local charities received $1.8 million worth of these items, including cases of water, tools, even signs that art students could use in their classes by drawing on the back. Call it going green with a heart. x

TECH ADVANCES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA Rube Lab, a Lake County think tank specialized in advancing environmentallyfriendly innovations and solutions, is building a solar-powered recharge station for electric cars and golf carts in down-

locale — the upper concourse, which will feature a Magic-themed play area for young children and a video game area for teens. It’s designed so that Mom and Dad can keep an eye on their youngsters but still have a view of the action on the floor. Clark has kudos for the decision of local governments and the Magic to go green.

Meanwhile, the nation’s secondlargest convention center is carrying on with its other green programs. “We recycle everything, whether it’s bottles, cans, cardboard, paper, even down to the batteries,’’ said Gwen Wilson, the center’s public relations manager. And the numbers prove it – in 2007 the facility recycled 80 percent of all of its dry waste, including 1,200 tons of

town Eustis. When complete, the charging station, which is expected to be operational by the end of this month, will accommodate three slots for small electric cars and will also feature a pedestrian bench and shelter. Building Lake County’s clean tech industry is a key objective of the county’s recently adopted strategic economic development plan.

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off the wire

ECONOMY Building

By Jennifer Wakefield

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EQUALS ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

While there is no doubt we are in the midst of tough economic times, the key to economic recovery is economic development — the attraction, retention and expansion of companies that create high-wage jobs for citizens and build the tax base through capital investment. The Metro Orlando EDC is aggressively marketing the region as the premier location for business. As a result, here are some of the most recent economic development announcements:

>> Lake County-based Buildtelligence Web Solutions, an information technology company specializing in search engine optimization, is expanding in Mount Dora. The company will add 31 new positions with average salaries of more than $36,000. >> Digimation, a provider of 3-D content and related services to the entertainment and defense industries, is moving their headquarters from St. Rose, Louisiana, to Metro Orlando. The new location will result in 30 new jobs; will generate $750,000 in capital investment; and will lease over 4,000 square feet of space on International Parkway in Heathrow/Lake Mary. >> Dream Balloon Productions, a digital media production studio, has relocated its headquarters from New Jersey to Orlando. The company now occupies 10,500 square feet of space in the DrewTina Commerce Center in Orange County. They expect to add up to 60 new employees over the next three years.

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>> DataSite Orlando is investing $26 million to renovate an existing 130,000square-foot facility into a 21st century data center that prioritizes energy efficiency. Located in Orange County’s South Park on John Young Parkway, the building’s features will include thermoplastic roof membrane, capturing rainwater for liquid cooling, ducted returns to remove warm air before it mixes with cold air, and participation in an energy-efficiency program offered by Progress Energy. This project is expected to generate 39 new jobs averaging salaries of $70,000. For the latest economic development news in Orlando, visit www.orlandoedc.com/News.

FLORIDA OPPORTUNITY FUND CREATED TO LURE INVESTMENT Nearly 700 venture-capital deals have closed in the State of Florida since 2000, resulting in more than $6.4 billion in total venture-capital spending. A new state program hopes to accomplish more of

the same. The State of Florida has created the Florida Opportunity Fund, a multimillion-dollar program that directs investments to high-performing funds committed to seed and earlystage businesses. This program seeks to realize significant long-term returns from funds making investments in early-stage opportunities. The Florida Opportunity Fund was established by Enterprise Florida, the state’s economic development arm, and is managed by Florida First Partners (FFP). The program is designed to build upon investment activities of leading national venture-capital groups, such as Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Benchmark Capital and Sycamore Ventures. These firms provide capital to companies focused on developing advanced technologies such as surgical robotics design, business intelligence software, defense and aerospace applications, and green methods to create new products out of recyclables. For more infor mation, visit www.floridaopportunityfund.com.

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VIRTUAL RESOURCE FOR ENTREPRENEURS Metro Orlando is increasingly recognized as a great location for growing businesses and entrepreneurs ... and a new online resource is available to assist start-up and expanding companies located in the region. The Virtual Entrepreneur Center is a one-stop Web portal maintained by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, in partnership with the Metro Orlando EDC and other local economic development organizations. The user-friendly and comprehensive site catalogs local, regional, state and global resources for starting and growing a business. Users can find information ranging from developing a business plan and addressing legal and tax issues, to handling challenges related to growth and evaluating a variety of technology options. The EDC worked with Florida High Tech Corridor Council and Web site developers at Daytona Beach Community College to provide contact links and other resource information from the counties and cities within our four- county region. The Disney Entrepreneur Center, a national program located in downtown Orlando, is also a supporter of this entrepreneurial project. To visit the Virtual Entrepreneur Center, go to www.flvec.com.

MEDICAL CITY UPDATE Orlando is one of only two cities in the world currently building a “medical city” — the other being Dubai. And this year, Orlando’s Medical City at Lake Nona goes from dream to reality. Here is the latest: >> Burnham Institute at Lake Nona This spring, the doors to the 175,000-square-foot, $80 million Burnham Institute for Medical Research at Lake Nona will open. But scientists have already begun conducting research at temporary lab space located at Florida’s Blood Centers — studying a deepsea sponge found off of Florida’s coast that could hold a cure for pancreatic and colon cancers; and partnering with Florida Hospital to create the Florida Hospital/Burnham Clinical Research Institute to take prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and obesity to the next level. >> Veteran’s Affairs Hospital This 1.2 million-square-foot facility is under construction and slated to open in 2012; the 134-bed hospital will establish inpatient services for veterans in Central Florida. >> Nemours Children’s Hospital The $400 million, 95-bed children’s hospital is under construction with plans to open in late 2012. The hospital will emphasize pediatric research. >> University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine The Burnett Biomedical Sciences building should be completed by this summer. The inaugural College of Medicine class of 40 students — all of whom received unprece-

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story, 124,000-square-foot space on Ingenuity Drive in the Central Florida Research Park. The facility houses admissions advisors, financial aid officers, human resources and information technology representatives who will support Kaplan University’s online students. Kaplan expects to employ as many as 750 people over the next four years.

dented full- tuition scholarships with living expenses for all four years — will begin classes this fall in temporary space at Central Florida Research Park. For the latest, visit www.med.ucf.edu.

HIGHER EDUCATION UPDATE From excellence in university research to innovation in education, here is the latest news from a few of Metro Orlando’s higher-education institutions:

>> Lake-Sumter Community College has partnered with both Florida Hospital Waterman and the Central Florida Health Alliance to provide scholarships for nursing students.

>> DeVry University regularly partners with high school students to nurture their interest in science, business and technology fields. DeVry, which annually hosts a FIRST Robotics competition, on April 30 will play host to Her World , an event geared toward female high school juniors and seniors to get them interested in pursuing business and technology in college.

>> Rollins College’s MBA program was ranked #24 in the nation by Entrepreneur Magazine and The Princeton Review . Rollins’s international efforts were also featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

>> Kaplan University opened a new online student support center in a two-

>> Seminole Community College (SCC) has been awarded a $2 million,

three-year federal grant to ease the nursing shortage. SCC has also been approved to offer its first four-year degree — a Bachelor of Applied Science in Interior Design. >> University of Central Florida (UCF) is now the 5th-largest university in the nation, with more than 50,000 students. UCF is listed in the Top 10 “patent scorecard” for universities, which ranks technology innovations gained from patents. The UCF Incubator Program — named a top incubator in the nation — has plans to add three new incubators: Leesburg Business & Technology Incubator in Lake County; St. Cloud Research & Technology Center in Osceola County; and a virtual business incubator in Winter Park. > > Valencia Community College opened its new 80,000-square-foot allied health and sciences building at the West Campus on south Kirkman x Road.

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