Business Observer MARCH 2015
WELNESS WORKS
PUPPY LOVE
LOVE A PARADE
Why fitter, healthier employees are also more productive.
Associate returns dog to owner, propels company to help with shelter. PAGE 6
PAGE 8
PAGES 4-5
Big parades of homes are planned for Volusia and Flagler.
SKY’S THE LIMIT How the homebuilding industry is on the rise in Palm Coast and Ormond Beach, and why builders aren’t necessarily hoping for a large-scale boom.
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BUSINESS OBSERVER
OrmondBeachObserver.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
BUILDING PERSPECTIVE How memories of the bust and boom period help keep the builders association focused on steady, sustainable growth.
Photos by Wayne Grant
Builders not looking for ‘crazy growth’ Eric Phillips, of Phillips Coastal Construction, president of the Flagler County Home Builders Association, said construction was picking up, but not “crazy busy.” But he said they don’t want to see “crazy growth.” They prefer a steady, sustainable growth, because if it “went crazy” there wouldn’t be enough subcontractors to handle all of the work. He said that during the boom, several years ago, they had to ramp up the labor. Then in the recession, the labor force dwindled. “It happened very fast,” he said. He said the labor force is one of their concerns. “The average age of a construction worker is 47,” he said. “That’s not good for the future.”
He said the association has met with the school system to explore ideas about offering vocational classes. There is talk of increased interest rates, which would slow down building. “We’ll look at that when it comes,” he said. He feels confident about buyers finding money, however, because the association had a meeting with bankers to talk about lending. He said the financial institutions appear to be loosening up and are ready to loan money, which looks good for the industry. The housing industry goes hand-inhand with the economy. “If the economy gets better, people get confident,” he said. He has noticed that during the recession, some home builders kept business going by doing remodeling, and they are now back to building houses. His own business is home remodeling. Jason DeLorenzo, government affairs director at the Flagler County Home Builders Association, said for single family, including duplexes but not multifamily, there were 434 permits issued in 2013. There were 155 in unincorporated areas, Bunnell and Beverly Beach, 258 in Palm Coast and 21 in Flagler Beach.
A now-empty lot is ready for construction in the Hidden Lakes development.
In 2014, there were 545 permits issued. There were 187 in unincorporated areas, Bunnell and Beverly Beach, 331 in Palm Coast and 25 in Flagler Beach. “That’s a significant increase,” he said. “Around 22%.” In January of 2015, there were 50 permits in the county, which is keeping with the 2014 trend. “The builder confidence is pretty good,” DeLorenzo said. “They are seeing a lot of traffic.” Based on population projections from the University of Florida, the association is expecting another increase in growth this year. They are expecting growth to be 15-20%. There are a handful of developments on the way, including Park Place, by Seagate Homes, where a site plan has been approved. Building on the 123 sites and a club house could start in the fourth quarter. One place you can find houses going up is the Hidden Lakes development on Old Kings Road. Houses are being built by D.R. Horton, a national company, and Paytas Homes, of Daytona Beach.
TIME FOR A NEW COMFORT SYSTEM?
D.R. Horton builds homes throughout a development and then sells them, according to Bobbie Osborne, a real estate agent working for the company. She said they are currently building 62 houses and she is confident they will sell. “I sold seven homes in January,” she said. “There’s a lot of traffic and we’re just about to start the busy season.” Karl Diebold, a real estate agent for Paytas in the Hidden Lakes development, said he has seen more snowbirds in the area than in many years. He attributes it to the improving economy and the bad winter. He said many baby boomers are buying their retirement homes. Paytas sells a lot-and-house package, and builds the house to suit the buyer. Deibold said he believes Palm Coast is recovering from the housing slowdown caused by the big recession. “Some people were concerned Palm Coast might not boom again,” he said. He said most of the 50 lots in Phase Two have sold and they are currently surveying for Phase Three. — Wayne Grant
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PalmCoastObserver.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
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Vanacore now plans golf villas Association leader said area is seeing positive, sustainable growth. Following the success of the Tramore Subdivision in Halifax Plantation, which is nearly sold out, Vanacore Homes, owned by brothers Scott and Todd Vanacore, is planning a development of “luxury duplexes” in Halifax Plantation this year called Scottsmoor. Also called golf villas, most of the homes will be on a golf course and feature two-car garages, where some owners may want to keep a golf cart. Homes that are not on a golf course are on a lake. “We’ve had success with other golf villas,” Scott Vanacore said. “And there are a lot of duplexes in that community that have been very successful. “ They hope to have models and some inventory in about six months. “We’re getting ready to start building,” he said. Tramore, a neighborhood of singlefamily homes, was started two years ago. They are maintenance free, which means the yard, roof and paint are covered by a monthly fee. There is also a community center. Tramore has 75 homes and they have mostly been sold. Scottsmoor will also have a community center, which will include exercise facilities, including pickle ball, and an art director. Those who live in Tramore and Scottsmoor are full members of Halifax Plantation, with all of the golf course privileges. Vanacore points out that one of the conveniences of living there is the nearby shopping center anchored by Publix.
Photos by Wayne Grant
Vanacore Homes is building a 12,000-square-foot home with six-car garage and an elevator on North Beach Street in Ormond Beach. The home building business for the year looks good. “Traffic is very heavy,” Vanacore said. “Sales are very brisk. There are a lot of people writing contracts.” The other Vanacore developments west of Interstate 95, Creekside, Hunter’s Ridge, River Oak, etc., have been “pretty busy” for the past several years, Vanacore said. Over the past year, he said there has been a slight growth in housing. He said his company had 10% growth from 2006 to 2010. “It’s what we call healthy growth,” he said. “Slow and easy.” “Last year was very good and this year should be better,” he said. Jim Mather, of Paytas Homes, and president of the Volusia Home Builders Association, said both large and small homes are being constructed in the area. Some people want the bigger home, and others buy a small home, 1,700 to
2,000 square feet, and invest a lot of money into it with a lot of features. In Volusia County, he said there were 66 permits taken out in 2013 and 80 in 2014, showing growth. He said he noticed that permits for housing construction dropped a little toward the The Vanacore Home on North Beach Street features a creativelyend of last year shaped pool. because inventory had built up. “We’re seeing very positive, steady and ment, and the second phase of Hidden sustainable growth,” he said. Lakes in Palm Coast. For his own company, Paytas, he said — Wayne Grant they are very active in the LPGA develop-
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BUSINESS OBSERVER
OrmondBeachObserver.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
WELLNESS WORKS Bank includes workout room, financial aid for fitness Angie Reed likes the convenience of having a workout room at her place of employment, First Green Bank, 175 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach. “It’s one less stop on the way home,” she said. She has a 5-year-old at home, so she’s motivated to stay in shape. Using a company benefit of $500 per year toward any health initiative, Reed has hired a personal trainer. “I’ve needed to work out for a long time,” she said. “This keeps me motivated.” She said the health initiative money can be used for a variety of exercise. For example, last year several employees went paddle boarding together. The office on Granada Boulevard has a room with several pieces of equipment, including a treadmill, which Reed likes to use. The gym is available for use anytime, but Reed, head teller, changes clothes after her shift for her workout and then drives home. Green Bank has several locations in Central Florida, and the home office in Lake Helen even includes showers. Including a workout in her daily schedule has made Reed feel better and have a more positive attitude as well as
Wayne Grant
Janet Marks walks in the treadmill at First Green Bank.
eat healthier, she said. Janet Marks, branch manager at the Granada location, said the workout room, which also has a treadmill, elliptical machine, rowing, activity balls, free weights and yoga mats, has existed for about three years.
Why fitter, healthier employees are also more productive, and how your business can make wellness work.
In addition to the $500 per year in general reimbursements, the company also will pay $40 per month toward a gym membership, if the employee goes to the gym at least eight times per month. She said the company makes it a point to notify employees by email when there is a 5K race in the community. She said she believes when employees get some exercise in their day, they have a more positive attitude and it’s evident in the office. “You walk in and you can feel the difference,” she said. “A better body means a better mind.” She notices employees coaching each other, and there have also been events where the employees from the different branches join together in a race, providing a team building opportunity. “We don’t get to see them that often,” she said. Most employees at the bank also have Fitbit activity trackers, Marks said, which record steps taken and calories burned. “You can friend someone in the bank and compete with them,” she said. They also have blenders, and employees make smoothies to share. “A healthy culture makes a happy culture,” she said. “I’ve never worked for a company that cared so much for my wellness.” According to Sydney Hirst, spokeswoman, First Green Bank was recently recognized as an American Heart Association Fit-Friendly Worksite. She said according to the Chapman Institute, corporate wellness programs can lead to a 25% reduction in sick leave and health costs, and a 32% reduction in disability costs. — Wayne Grant
City of Palm Coast active in employee wellness plans According to a report on workplace wellness, the Department of Health and Human Services states that approximately half of U.S. employers with 50 or more employees offer wellness promotion initiatives. Larger employers are more likely to offer programs than smaller employers, and also offer a greater variety of options. Programs often include a combination of wellness screening activities to identify health risks, and opportunities to reduce risks and promote healthy lifestyles, according to the report. “A review of the scientific literature evaluating the impact of workplace wellness programs on health-related behavior and medical cost outcomes found, consistent with previous reviews, evidence for positive effects on diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol use, physiologic markers and healthcare costs, but limited evidence for effects on absenteeism and mental health,” the report states. There is a large employer in Palm Coast that takes workplace wellness seriously, namely the city of Palm Coast. Wendy Cullen, human resources manager for the city, said the city has several initiatives. —The city encourages prevention, such
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BUSINESS OBSERVER
PalmCoastObserver.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
Hospitals offer programs for employees, community Jill Piazza, assistant vice president of health promotion and wellness for Florida Hospital Volusia/Flagler, believes that wellness initiatives for employees can reduce absenteeism and improve workplace satisfaction and productivity, as well as cut health care costs. “Healthier people are more productive at work,” Piazza said. Also, she said, a wellness plan provides an incentive to work there and acts as a recruiting tool. The employee feels Piazza the organization truly cares about them. “There are lots of positive aspects for a company to offer a wellness program,” she said. Florida Hospital launched a program called Change Your Life in 2013 at all of their campuses. There are two membership levels, a free plan and a plan with a fee that includes gym membership. Membership is also available to the community. (Visit changeyourlifechallenge.org.) “We incorporate health risk assessment with different types of programs throughout the year to help employees lead healthier lives,” Piazza said. “We’re continually developing ways to interact with the community and keep them healthier.” She said employees are provided with a health profile, which tells them what risks they have in getting certain diseases, as well as information on what they should do to reach wellness goals. Throughout the year, they offer wellness challenges and educational programs. There are also cash incentives. Piazza said the wellness trend got “kicked into high gear” by the Affordable
Courtesy photos
Employees are shown at an early morning exercise session beside the walking trail at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center. Care Act. The problem of rising health care costs has been around for decades, but only came to light in the past five to 10 years when employers began noticing that the annual cost for managing health plans was their highest expense, Piazza said. She said it was difficult to find ways to reduce that cost in the past, but parts of the ACA address and promote employerbased wellness programs. The ACA provides guidelines for employers to offer financial incentives to employees for participating in wellness programs. She said when a company starts a wellness plan, it normally takes three years before changes are noticed in sick leave. The goal in the first couple of years is for the company to make all employees aware of the “wellness culture” of the company. “That’s step one,” she said. “To affect change, you need to get participation up to a high level.” She said management should also take on a role in the wellness plan. For exam-
ple, Daryl Tol, Florida Hospital Volusia/ Flagler chief executive officer, has taken part in health challenges. “He supports the program anyway he can,” she said. A side benefit to the wellness program has been team building. In the first quarter of last year, they focused on physical activity, which involved contests and prizes that involved a lot of social interaction. “We got a lot of feedback on how it was good for morale building,” she said. Then, when they focused on nutrition, they only had seminars and noticed the camaraderie was missing. She said they are looking at restructuring the nutrition education, to add more social interaction. She believes investments in wellness are worth it. “If you look at the data, you can’t afford to not do wellness,” she said. “Costs are going up, so there is a cost in doing nothing.” — Wayne Grant
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as getting a mammogram, with a punch card system. When an employee gets 10 punches in a year, they get a gift card. —They have a three-day benefit fair each year prior to open health insurance enrollment in March. Rather than just taking blood pressure and EKG readings, the fair also provides information for health opportunities in the area. In addition to representatives from local gyms and medical providers, there are booths for financial planners to help employees plan for retirement and have secure futures. “It’s turned into something we’re quite proud of,” Cullen said. “We try to promote financial health as well.” — Employees can cash in their sick leave time for money to be spent on wellness, or can convert it to their health savings account. Money can be spent on kayaking, running shoes, or even technology items like computers. “We want staff to grow and be tech savvy,” Cullen said. —The city pays toward the cost of healthy activities such as gym memberships. Cullen said the wellness program has been around for about 10 years. Before that, there was not much information for employees about health. Employers have learned the financial benefits of employee health. “Employers have not only realized a return on health insurance but employees are generally happier and more productive,” she said. — Wayne Grant
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BUSINESS OBSERVER
OrmondBeachObserver.com
PUPPY LOVE
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
By Jeff Dawsey | Staff Writer
Employees take up cause to help animals Coldwell Banker is now assisting with the adoption of local animals, thanks to one of its employees helping a lost dog. “Knowing that she was well-loved created an urgency to find her owners, because I know if I were missing my dog — I just can’t even imagine it,” recalled Animal Behavior Specialist and Coldwell Banker Premier Properties Realtor Courtney Keppen. The day started out like most others. Keppen was doing her job, viewing property on Clermont Court, in Palm Coast, when she spotted a white, female German shepherd. Keppen assumed the dog belonged to someone in the neighborhood, but after knocking on doors she realized the dog didn’t live anywhere around. By the time she was done searching for a possible owner, it was dark outside, so Keppen decided to take the dog home with her and seek her owner online. “She was clearly very thirsty and had been on her own for what seemed like a few hours, if not longer,” Keppen said. “She had definitely been someone’s dog, as she was well behaved but scared, seeing that she was in a new environment. I was concerned that there was a distraught family missing their dog out there.” After placing an ad on Facebook that night, Keppen was contacted by the Flagler Humane Society the next day with the owner, and all parties met up around noon. “At first, I was leery because white German shepherds are popular dogs, and I
For me, it makes this company feel more like a family. Having that outlook and trying to do everything you can for animals is my passion in life. — Courtney Keppen, Coldwell Banker Premier Properties Realtor didn’t want anyone trying to claim her,” Keppen added. “But the second I saw the lady’s face and the dog’s behavior, I literally let go of the leash. The lady came running at us, yelling her name, and the dog was ready to go to her, so I just let them reunite. Then, I met the lady, and she gave me a giant hug. “It was a very rewarding experience to know that that dog is not running around in the street lost forever, but that the people have their dog back,” Keppen said. After hearing the story about his sales associate, Coldwell Banker Premier Properties Manager Tom Heiser felt compelled to get involved with the Humane Society. Heiser instructed Keppen to inquire about anything Coldwell could do for them, whether getting money for the
Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Coldwell Banker employees, Courtney Keppen and Tom Heiser, share a moment with the company’s mascot, a statue called Russell, a golden retriever. shelter or finding families for the animals. “Coldwell Banker nationally is working with Adopt-a-Pet.com to hopefully adopt 20,000 animals within the next year,” Heiser said. “I’ve always had animals growing up, and I remember one night my next door neighbor’s dog was chasing a deer and got lost, so we were out for two hours in the middle of the night looking until we found him.” With the two being avid animal lovers and pet owners themselves, Keppen and Heiser admire their company for taking part in a great cause. “For me, it makes this company feel more like a family,” Keppen said. “Having that outlook and trying to do everything you can for animals is my passion in life.
... I’ll do a training session for free just to make sure that the success rate of having that dog stay in the home is higher. Having a company that backs that and shares the same emotions is priceless.” “Years ago, Russell the golden retriever was Coldwell Banker’s mascot,” Heiser said. “We’ve always had affection for animals, because we’re all about making a house a home. Children make it home, but pets make homes too, and that’s why Coldwell got together with Adopt-a-Pet. com to try to save 20,000 animals this year.” Coldwell Banker Premier Properties is located at 211 St. Joe Plaza Drive. Email Jeff Dawsey at jeff@palmcoastobserver.com.
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BUSINESS OBSERVER
PalmCoastObserver.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
7
Score marks 50 years, seeks volunteers
+ Jon Hall tops in nation
designated as a platinum level chapter putting us in the top 10% of chapters nationwide. Our chapter’s goal is to be the preeminent provider of counseling and mentoring services to formative and existing small businesses in Volusia and Flagler. We are now seeking highly qualified volunteers to help take us to the next level. The key qualification for our SCORE volunteers is real-world business experience. Our members are or have been business owners, executives and managers who understand and have experienced many of the same challenges faced by entrepreneurs today. By sharing their knowledge and experience with our clients, we can help them start, grow and prosper in their business pursuits. For more information about becoming a SCORE member, please contact Rosalie Kalman at 386 2556889 or visit our website at SCORE87.org. — Tom Hellman Chapter President/SCORE Mentor
+ Studio offers yoga and spin classes
Jon Hall Chevrolet, 551 N. Nova Road, owned by Glenn Ritchey, former mayor of Daytona Beach, sold 344 new Chevrolet vehicles in February, the most of any Chevrolet dealer in the nation. It was a 56% increase over February of 2014, according to Rebecca Williamson, marketing director. She said total sales for January and February were up 40% over last year. In 2014, the dealership received an award from General Motors Chevrolet Division for being the largest Chevy dealer in the Southeast region in volume sales for the year. The dealership had an 11 % increase last year from 2013.
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Lotus Yoga & Fitness, 28 W. Granada Blvd., and the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce celebrated new ownership with a ribbon cutting and plaque presentation. Lotus offers both yoga and spin classes. Call 333-9527 or visit lotusyogaormond.com.
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provided guidance to over 700 entrepreneurs in the pre startup, startup and ongoing phases of their business cycles. In addition, 46 customized workshops were held. The workshops were attended by over 1,150 individuals interested in learning the basics of business planning, management and leadership. In addition to supporting small business entrepreneurs, our SCORE Chapter partners with chambers of commerce and business development groups in Volusia and Flagler. An example is the partnership that we recently entered with the UCF Incubator at the Daytona Beach International Airport. We hold the majority of our workshops at the incubator and provide a team of mentors to support the business growth activities of the Incubator’s clients. These activities of the chapter have received national attention. Over the past two years, we were recognized as the second runner up as SCORE’s national chapter of the year, and more recently we were
#WhatsnextOrmond
2015 marks the 50th anniversary of our local SCORE Chapter. It is truly a remarkable accomplishment for any organization, either for profit or nonprofit, to survive and thrive for over a half century. To put some perspective as to how long ago 1965 was: It was the year President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, the Ranger 8 rocket crashed into moon and the “Sound of Music” premiered. Although SCORE originally stood for Service Corps of Retired Executives, the organization now simply goes by SCORE, as many of our volunteer mentors are still working in their respective industries. Since 1964, SCORE has helped over 10 million people with their business goals. Today, SCORE has more than 300 chapters nationwide with over 11,000 volunteers. Closer to home, our SCORE Chapter, which includes Volusia and Flagler counties, has 25 certified mentors, who in the last year held over 1,100 counseling sessions (both face to face and cyber) which
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8 OrmondBeachObserver.com love a parade By Wayne Grant | News Editor
PROTECTING YOU
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BUSINESS OBSERVER
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
Since 1956 HOMEOWNERS COVERAGE
Homeowners insurance is one of the most important insurance policies available to property owners and should not be ignored. It will provide compensation to repair or rebuild your home due to a covered loss, and personal property damage is also included. But what does it entail? • House structure • Liability • Loss of use • Medical payments • Other Structures • Personal belongings • Special property
Courtesy of flaglershowcasehome.com
The showcase community for this year is Beach Haven, which is south of Marineland on State Road A1A.
Volusia, Flagler schedule their parades of homes
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Big parades are set for this spring in both Volusia and Flagler counties as the home builders associations prepare their big tents to showcase new homes. Both parades are set for March 21-29. The Flagler parade, organized by the Flagler Home Builders Association, offers a sneak peak at the showcase home at the parade website, flaglerparadeofhomes. com. The Parade of Homes guide will be published in the Palm Coast Observer before the event. Debi Peterson, executive officer of the association, said there are more homes in the parade than there have been in many years, and they will be in seven communities. New this year will be a showcase community, Beach Haven, which is south of Marineland on State Road A1A. She said it’s a unique development, near the beach with a Key West style. This will enable those on the parade to check out an entire
community, rather than just a home. She’s expecting a big turnout. “This is the most popular event we have all year,” she said. Jake Hickson, of Hickson Construction, parade chairman of the Volusia County Parade of Homes, said there is also something new in his county. This year, an app for mobile phones is available to enhance the tour. For example, if a person is at a home on the tour, they can get directions for the next home. They can also find builder profiles. Hickson said there were 50 entries last year and there are 60 this year, the biggest parade since before the recession. The showcase home was built by ICI in Plantation Bay. He said sizes of homes are starting to get larger, after a trend toward smaller homes in the recession. For more information, visit volusiabia. com or call 226-1414.
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