2012-10 - The Business Report of North Central Florida

Transcription

North Central Florida
OCTOBER 2012
www.gainesvillebizreport.com
B USINESS R EPORT
SOMEONE YOU SHOULD KNOW:
ROAD TAX
Some Alachua County roads
haven’t been resurfaced in 40 years
TIM GIULIANI
Follow story on pg. 24
Remaking a
NEIGHBORHOOD
Joe and Cindy Montalto have
overcome many challenges since
opening Magnolia Plantation in
1991, and their work has resulted in
today’s Bed and Breakfast District.
An Entrepreneur
at Any Age
INSIDE
Building a
Strong Team
7
Office Space:
Fracture
9
Renovated Space
in Depot Park
Leader Series-LG
Many seniors are pursuing new
opportunities, including starting
their own businesses and sharing
their wisdom with others.
Boost Business
with Pinterest
14
16
26
News Briefs/
On The Move
27
Transactions
29
30
Calendar
MENTAL ILLNESS in the Workplace
Overall, businesses in the United States
lose approximately $8 billion per year as
a result of mental illness related issues
involving employees.
2
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
3
Benefitting the
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Besilu Collection, Micanopy, Florida
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Congenital
Heart Center
at UF
Gainesville Today Magazine • First Federal Bank of Florida / Raymond James • Giggle Magazine
Drs. Michael & Allison Haller Home Magazine • North Central Florida Business Report • Our Town Family of Magazines
RTI Biologics • UF&Shands • The Village Journal • What’s Happening Publications / Gator Country • Coleen DeGroff, Realtor
Dr. Doug & Macky Barrett • Crime Prevention Systems / Custom Home Entertainment • Good Life Community
Healthy Steps Pediatrics • Holland & Knight • Ideal Image • Info Tech, Inc. • Lang Jewelers • Law Offices of Stephen K. Miller
MindTree • Neuberger Berman Wealth Management • Rembert Family Foundation • SFI
WRUF Sports Radio 850 / Country 103.7 The Gator / Florida’s 89.1 WUFT-FM • Rountree Moore Automotive Group
Jackson & Layne Sasser • Showcase Restorations & Co. Inc • Tyler’s Hope / Intermed Technology Management
Wells Fargo • BBI Construction Management • Charles Perry Partners, Inc. • Front Street Realty
Gaineville Dermatology Aesthetic Center • Gateway Bank • Gradell Farms • Kids Doc Pediatrics
Richard Allen and Susan Mastin • Gil & Becky Levy • Dr. Arlan & Edith Rosenbloom • Royal Restrooms • SunBelt Moving Co.
Venture Realty of North Florida, Inc. • Allure Boutique • Aquatic Training Institute • Mitch Blanton • Ken & Angela Cornell
Dave’s New York Deli • Exectech • Eric & Yvette Godet • Nancy E. Decker Pool Cleaning • Drs. Michael & Allison Haller
Harold & Bonnie-Jean Lyons • PNC Wealth Management • Ponikvar & Associates, Inc. • Seide Realty • Starling Eye Group
The Little Shop • WCA of Florida • XO Bijoux
4
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
5
B USINESS R EPORT
Editorial Director
Scott Schroeder
Creative Director
Hector Del Valle-Sosa
Senior Writer
Chris Eversole
Interns
Kara Lowe
Senior Account Executive
Pete Zimek
Account Executives
Carolyne Salt
Wilson Stern
Krista Mitchell Cornell
Distribution Manager
Ryan McDowell
Operations Manager
Lori White
Writers
Renae Cromwell
Contributing Columnists
Mason Alley
Chris Sarabia
Photographers
Chris Eversole
Bradley Osburn
Contact:
PO Box 15192, Gainesville, FL 32604
P: (352) 275-9469 F: (888) 927-2345
Email: [email protected]
© 2012
What is Important To You...
is Important to Us!
•
•
•
•
•
Premium Carpet Cleaning
Upholstery Cleaning
Fabric & Fiber Protection
Urine Damage Treatment
Tile & Grout Cleaning & Sealing
•
•
•
•
Oriental & Area Rug Cleaning
Carpet Stretching
Water Damage Restoration
Carpet Repair
tanding
The Most Outs
ience...
Cleaning Exper
E!
OR IT’S FRE
Call (352) 258-1357
www.CarpetSystemsPlus.com
The Business Report
of North Central Florida, Inc.
6
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
7
RECRUITING
a WINNING TEAM
employment aren’t
As fantasy football season begins, many of us
necessarily a red flag,
turn our sights to creating a winning team. Fan- but you’ll want to
tasy football is an easy outlet to pick individuask about them in an
als with the best attributes and build a winning
interview. A resume
virtual team. As you try to select individuals to
is the applicant’s first
add to the team at your business, you may find
impression. If the
that building a real work team is not as simple
resume is full of misas building a virtual team. As businesses grow,
spelled words, missevery company reaches the point where it is
ing words and poor
time to add one or two more people. Every
organization, this
company wants to find the best for the job. The won’t likely improve
big question is how to create a dream team in
on the job. If you are
the real world.
looking for a creative
Mentioning that your company is growing
individual, the resume
to find out what the applicant really did and
will prompt recommendations from friends and will probably reflect
what activities he or she simply supported. Ask
neighbors and soon resumes will start pourcreativity in the margins or layout. If creativity
about successes and failures for each position.
ing in. Looking at one resume after another
is one of the attributes you’d like in your new
Always ask why the applicant left one position
may make you realize that you skipped a step.
employee, that’s a great fit. However, if you
and moved to the next. This information will
Before you decide to add an employee, take
are trying to fill a routine job, you may want
help you learn what motivates the applicant and
the time to think about the work you hope your to gauge the applicant’s
will provide him or her
new employee will do. How much of your work real interest in the position
with a chance to explain
will you be passing on to the new employee?
with a phone interview.
any breaks in employWhat types of tasks will you expect the new
Interviews are a great
Think
about
how
much
ment. Don’t forget to ask
employee to accomplish? Are you going to train source of information, but
you know about a player the applicant what he or
the new employee and wait for them to grow
since this is the last piece
she finds attractive about
into the new job or are you looking for someone of the hiring puzzle, hiring
before
adding
that
player
working for your comto come in and make a difference right away?
employers often give it the
pany and what he or she
As you consider the key components of the job, least amount of time and
to your fantasy team.
hopes to learn in the new
it is also a good idea to think about what type
preparation. Before the first
position. These quesof employer you are. Do you expect that things applicant arrives, here are some basics. Let the
will be done exactly as you do them now? Do
applicant do the most talking. A great format for tions will often give you insight into whether
the applicant hopes to stay and grow with your
you expect that work is accomplished and you
the interview is to ask the applicant to go over
company or whether the applicant views your
don’t want to give detailed instructions? The
their career history. Start with where they went
answers to these questions will help define the
to college (or other school) and why they chose position as a stepping-stone to somewhere else.
Think about how much you know about a
qualifications and attributes of a successful new that school. The answers to that simple quesemployee.
tion will tell you a lot about what motivates the player before adding that player to your fantasy
Now you know what you are looking for. So,
applicant. Continue to ask about school experi- team. You’ve probably examined the player’s
stats and evaluated their performance over
how do you screen
ences. What courses
resumes and conduct
did the applicant take? multiple games. Moving position by position
through the resume starting with school is a
interviews to be sure
What were his or her
long process, but it keeps the focus of the interyou find someone who Mentioning that your
favorite classes and
view on the applicant and lets him or her tell
really meets the quali- company is growing will
why? What were his or
the whole career story. Use the time in the interfications and style you
her greatest successes
prompt recommendations in school? What were view to learn all you can about the applicant.
are after? There are a
Review what you wanted in your new position
few items that you can from friends and neighbors. his or her most diffiand then pick the applicant who is the best
easily see on a resume.
cult courses and why?
The first is degree
Through these questions match of qualifications and attributes. Gaining
a productive new employee who is successrequirements. If you are looking for someone
you can learn how an applicant likes to work
ful in the position will be worth the time spent
with a specific degree and it’s not listed on the
(large group, small group or independently).
making the right pick.
resume, then that candidate doesn’t have the
Move on to ask about each position on the
qualifications you are looking for. Another scan
of the resume should look for any breaks in
employment. With a tight economy, breaks in
resume. Why did the applicant choose that job?
What did the applicant work on? Always follow
up when an applicant says, “we did…” clarify
By Chris Sarabia
8
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
O f f i c e S PAC E :
FRACTURE
Fracture was conceived by co-founders Abhi Lokesh and
Alex Theodore during a nonprofit volunteer trip to Africa,
where they realized that framing and printing needed to
be revolutionized. Fracture now prints digital photos onto
glass frames, without the need for the traditional wood or
metal framing materials.
Fracture won a national competition from the Turnstone
office furniture company in May. They unveiled the new
office look in August.
“The new office helps us get our mind off of what chair
or desk we’re going to sit in and get our mind on production,” says Lokesh. He’s got a basketball hoop for the space
above his desk that he calls his hoop of wisdom.
Lokesh says they try to keep the office attitude pretty
casual. They might take a ride around on one of the skateboards or all take a trip to the farmer’s market.
Office pets include Buckbeak, the macaw, and dogs
Watson and Sierra. “Sierra brings the vocals,” says Lokesh.
Marketing director Matthew Bivens says that the name
Fracture came out of a desire to have the name stick out
like Google. In May, co-founder Alex Theodore said that
they wanted to keep the team small, but that even a small
team could make an impact and be a household name.
LOCATION 112 SW Sixth St., Gainesville
WEBSITE www.fractureme.com
IN CURRENT LOCATION Since November 2011
WHAT THEY DO Fracture specializes in printing highquality digital photos onto glass frames.
DESIGNED BY Turnstone office-furniture company, with
input from the Fracture team.
FUN FACT Fracture won the office makeover by participating in a national contest. The office currently features
two dogs, a bird and Rosey, the office robot.
9
10
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
11
MENTAL HEALTH
in the Workplace
Businesses can improve productivity by
providing preventative services.
After two DUIs and a pattern of arriving late to
work, damaging her personal relationships and letting her professional responsibilities fall by the wayside, Allison knew that she had an alcohol problem.
She knew that she needed help.
Frustrated by where she found herself, Allison
took a leave of absence from her job to seek treatment. Within one year this once completely self-sufficient woman lost her job, income, driver license,
home, vehicle, and overall sense of control.
The financial and emotional strain left her without
many options, so she turned to Meridian Behavioral
Healthcare, a local nonprofit healthcare organization
that provides treatment
options to individuals
with mental illness and
addictions.
There, she received
intensive care and a
case plan catered to her
individual needs. Over
the next five months,
the healthcare professionals at Meridian
worked tirelessly to
help Allison get her life
back on track and to
help achieve her professional goals. Allison explained that “Meridian staff
went above and beyond what they had to do for
me.”
Regarding her experiences in the program, she
explains that “It was a scary situation. I was intimidated by the population at Meridian at first until I
realized we were all sharing a common thing, and
eventually it felt like we had known each other forever.
“They help you realize that it’s a disease and teach
you how to manage it.”
Today Allison has her disease under control and is
constantly working to make amends for her actions.
She still has some obstacles in her life, such as her
reliance on public transportation and limitations
in her career field, but thanks to Meridian, Allison
says that her personal relationships are better than
ever and that she has been given the tools to create a
healthy lifestyle.
ness, and more than
five percent have conditions so severe that
they are disabling for
periods of time.
Approximately 20
million Americans
suffer from depression, which is greater
than the number of people affected by coronary
heart disease, cancer, or HIV/AIDS. The economic
burden of depression by itself in this country is estimated at $30 billion.
Mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and
stress-related substance
abuse tend to run against
economic trends, meaning
that the poor economic
conditions that we are
experiencing today cause
these disorders to rise and
have a negative effect on
business productivity in
already harsh economic
climates.
Overall, businesses in
the United States lose
approximately $8 billion
per year as a result of mental-illness-related issues involving employees. This
is generally due to employee absenteeism in which
they take time off of work due to mental illness, or
are distracted, withdrawn, and their work is slowed.
These issues interfere with a person’s ability to
function in the workplace and even their ability to
care for themselves, making them unproductive
employees and causing companies to lose time and
money.
American employees used
about 8.8 million sick days
in 2001 due to untreated
or mistreated depression.
The Cost of Mental Illness
While “Allison’s” story is real and she is one of
Meridian’s clients, we changed her name to protect
her confidential health information. There are still
many stigmas surrounding mental illnesses and
addictions, but these challenges are more common
than we would generally like to believe. One in four
people around the world are affected by mental ill-
Creating a Healthy Business
Taking note of the substantial impact that mental
illness and substance abuse has on businesses and
the fact that prevention costs approximately sixtimes less than direct care, Meridian is turning its
attention to the business community through its
Healthy Business Program.
This program offers assistance, referrals, shortterm support, and intervention services to improve
the productivity and overall well-being of employees. These preventative measures can be extremely
beneficial to businesses and help save money in the
long run.
This confidential program is designed to help
employees overcome any issue that effects job
performance and to improve workplace efficiency.
Services include management, consultation, supervisory training, employee education, individual and
motivational counseling, and assessment of mental
health, substance abuse and other workplace challenges.
By pinpointing issues before they arise, or at early
onset, Meridian can offer a solution and help to
implement preventative measures to ensure safe and
productive work environments for all involved.
One of the most important features of the Healthy
Business program is the Mental Health First Aid
training course. It gives individuals the skills to
assist someone experiencing a mental health or
emotional problem in a crisis situation before the
proper support arrives. With the right skill set,
employees can be prepared to help each other in the
event that a mental health emergency arises and help
those in need receive appropriate care.
Other Healthy Business services include Live
Scan electronic fingerprinting, background screening, and a team-building ropes course, along with
varying consultation and administrative services that
can increase the overall efficiency of a business.
Meridian’s President/CEO Maggie Labarta stated
that “Meridian’s reason for being is to invest in
better, more efficient care” for
its clients and its
ultimate goal is to
improve outcomes
while reducing
costs and bringing
care to as many
people as possible. Meridian is
expanding its client
base to include more individuals with private health
insurances, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield and is
focusing on positioning itself at the front end of prevention and wellness activities in the community.
Meridian has been serving people in our community for 40 years to ensure that choice, hope, and
recovery are within everyone’s reach. In hopes of
changing the perception of mental health and substance disorders, Meridian is moving to integrate its
services with the business and broader healthcare
communities to promote prevention and improve
overall the health and wellness.
By Renae Cromwell
12
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
Someone You Should Know
TIM GIULIANI
Tim Giuliani Building on
Gainesville Chamber’s Success
asked what other cities
Tim Giuliani may be young, at age 30, to run
would be attractive for
the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce,
him as he advanced his
but he has plenty of leadership experience.
career. He was stumped.
He started gaining that experience when
“This is the best place in
he joined SWAT—Students Working Against
the world for me for my
Tobacco—as a sophomore at St. Augustine
long-term career, a place
High School. Giuliani served as SWAT’s stateon the verge of a vibrant,
wide chair as a senior, and he became a spokes- world-leading economy,”
man for the national Truth campaign.
he says.
“I was 16, and I was chairing an organization How did you develop
with 16,000 members.” “It gave me a differyour interest in
ent mindset. I saw first-hand how an advocacy
leadership?
program worked, since the campaign reduced
From early on, I was
tobacco use amongst middle-school students in exposed to a wide variety
Florida by 50 percent.”
of leaders. From a young
For the past five-years, Giuliani served as vice age, I understood what
president of corporate outreach and engagement was possible. I believe
for the Florida Chamber of Commerce in Talwhat Margaret Mead says,
lahassee.
“Never doubt that a small group of thought“I worked with a very talented team to help
ful, committed citizens can change the world.
pass more than 70 pieces of legislation to make Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Florida’s economy globally competitive, with
When Gov. Lawton Chiles launched the antivibrant communities and high paying jobs.”
tobacco campaign, he said, “This is going to be
Legislation for which he worked that is imporyouth-led.” You’re talking about a $60 million
tant to Gainesville include the creation of the
campaign, and he said, “The youth are going to
Florida Growth Fund, which provides $500 mil- run it because this is a youth problem, and we
lion to invest in technology companies, and the need to have a youth solution.”
State Small Business Credit Initiative, which
Nancy Birchall from the Department of
is expected to increase
Health in St. Augustine
small business lending in
came to me and said,
the state by nearly $1 bil“Here’s an opportunity.”
lion.
She was a great mentor,
“I really see the chamber’s
Giuliani returns to
and I remain in contact
Gainesville, where he
role as leading the
with her today.
served as the chamber’s
community to the new
membership manager
How did your early
from 2006 through 2008, a economy through Innovation
opportunities equip
period when the organizaGainesville,
economic
you for leadership?
tion went through unpreceI came to understand what
dented growth. During that development and by
leadership is all about,
time, he also completed
providing businesses with
how important inspiration
a University of Florida
resources to be competitive.” is to not only being sucMBA.
cessful but also to having
In his earlier stint at the
an impact. I think people
Gainesville chamber, Giuliani worked under
want to be satisfied with their work, whether it’s
former President and CEO Brent Christensen,
mowing the lawn or leading a community-wide
who resigned in June after 10 years to lead the
initiative through a process.
Mississippi Development Authority.
There are so many stakeholders in an orgaWhile he was being interviewed, Giuliani was
nization like the chamber. Since we can’t pay
them, we can pay them with recognition and
involvement.
If they do a lot of behind-the-scenes work, it’s
important to make sure that they are the ones
who are getting the recognition. I don’t need it,
and I want to give it to them.
There’s so much here moving in the right
direction. I’m being extra careful to make sure
that I’m adding to what has already been a success.
I’m integrating into the organization instead
of the organization integrating into me.
I want to bring all the parties together and
ultimately be able to move the ball down the
court.
What are some core services that almost
every chamber has, and what’s unique
about this chamber?
Like other chambers, we provide many networking opportunities through which members
can meet like-minded individuals, whether it’s
for business development or helping improve
the community.
Also, chambers generally advocate for business. I see the chamber’s role as leading the
business community to the new economy. Innovation Gainesville is a great example of how the
chamber brings people together to move everyone toward that economy.
13
This chamber is at the cutting edge of what’s
next. One area in which we do that is with
young entrepreneurs. Our Entrepreneurial
Resource Center is available to our members.
We have entrepreneur roundtable discussions
that provide people with the opportunity to meet
one another and share ideas. The big idea is to
create an entrepreneurial ecosystem that makes
Gainesville a place where entrepreneurs want to
start and grow companies.
What changes have you noticed
happening since you were away?
How do you see the chamber being an
advocate for business?
How do you see the chamber bridging the
gap between the young entrepreneurs
and more established people?
The chamber has a vision for Gainesville to
become a national hub for health and green
technologies. We work with both the public
sector and the private sector so we can help
to articulate why certain issues need to be
addressed.
We want companies moving into town. We
want companies growing here. We don’t want
them leaving.
There’s a very competitive environment globally, and it’s easier to move than ever before. I
was meeting with a young business owner. All
he needs for his company is talented employees and an Internet connection. He could be in
Gainesville. He could be in Omaha. He could
be Boulder or Seattle.
When it comes to concerns such as improving the development review process of government, the chamber and the business community
need to have a seat at the table. We need to
provide examples of the consequences, as well
as the benefits, of decisions elected officials are
making.
It’s important that we contribute thoughtful
and informed opinions. The chamber needs to
be an advocate for a competitive business climate and for a strong quality of life that make
the community vibrant.
Nearly the entire community is behind Innovation Gainesville. It’s done a great job of articulating what this community needs to become.
Brent did a tremendous job in bringing that
collaboration together. It’s exciting to be in a
community that’s focused on job creation and
fostering an innovation economy. That is really
what drew me back to Gainesville.
Why is the national publicity push
that Innovation Gainesville is making
important?
Innovation Gainesville is really big in Gainesville, but it needs to be really big in Atlanta and
New York and Boston and Silicon Valley and
Texas.
One of the executives of MindTree was reading stories about Gainesville in the US Airways
Magazine while she was sitting on a plane to
Gainesville coming here for a recruitment visit.
Gainesville has a great story to tell that key
business decision makers need to hear.
I moved here because I have connections to
the city, but for Gainesville to be a magnet for
talent, the story needs to get out.
Abhi Lokesh, the CEO of Fracture, and Kristen
Hadeed, the CEO of Student Maid, are coming
onto our board of directors. I think it’s really
important for the organization to be connected
What are your immediate goals?
with the future of the community, and this will
The chamber is always looking to grow. The
remain a focus of mine for my entire tenure at
chamber has really raised the bar, and now
the chamber.
it’s a matter of telling the story so that local
Today’s young entrepreneurs are what tomor- companies understand how growing an innovarow’s economy
tion economy is
is based on; so
important to their
clearly, they are
business, and
critically imporhow the cham“It’s exciting to be in a community
tant.
ber’s offerings
that’s focused on job creation, fostering to members is
diverse and applian innovation economy and has such
The chamber
cable to most
provides
great potential for overall economic
every type of
business
development.
That
is
really
what
drew
business.
services for
A globally
me back to Gainesville.”
FloridaWorks.
competitive and
Why is this
growing innovaimportant?
tion economy
The Council for Economic Outreach, the cham- raises all boats. The chamber has a great reputaber and FloridaWorks are working together on a tion in town and an important role in the comdaily basis in recruiting companies, for instance munity.
MindTree and Silver Airways.
It’s important to be able to plug into all our
The recruitment has both a workforce compo- services, whether to expand your business
nent and an economic development component. through marketing and networking activities or
Neither company would have through learning information to help you grow
come to Gainesville without
your business.
a comprehensive recruitment
It’s important to be part of an organization
strategy that included both
that’s going to advocate for your business.
elements.
I’m following in pretty big footsteps with Brent.
We know that the future
I worked for Brent, and we remain friends.
is all about talent. Having
There are so many people involved and so
the chamber coordinate both many really great leaders, I just want to make
economic development and
sure that I’m articulating their position. This
workforce development is
isn’t Tim’s chamber. It’s Gainesville’s chamber.
paramount to Gainesville’s
future.
By Chris Eversole
The most important thing
for me long-term is talent. I
would challenge you to find
a company that wouldn’t tell
you that its number one concern going forward is talent.
14
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
CITY TAKING BIDS for DINING SPACES IN DEPOT
The City of Gainesville is taking bids for
its restaurant and cafe spaces in the newly
restored historic depot building in Depot
Park near downtown.
The city is renovating the depot, and
it is setting aside room for a cafe in the
eastern part of the building and for a
restaurant part of the building. Bidders
can use one or both of the spaces.
The cafe space is 2,200 square feet, and
it is air conditioned. It features heartwood
pine flooring, tongue and groove wainscot
paneling, a restored pine ceiling and a bay
window overlooking Depot Park.
The restaurant space includes 1,000
square feet inside, which is cooled by
fans, and a 1,000-square-foot covered
neck. The space features a wood and steel
railing around the platform and rolling
barn doors.
Bids must be submitted by 3 p.m. Oct.
10. For more information call the city’s
Purchasing Division at (352) 334-5021.
Drawing shows potential space for a cafe and
restaurant in the historic Gainesville Depot.
2
12
Business of the Year
Sharing Stories of Success
Save the Date!
November 7, 2012
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville
Please RSVP to Tiffany at [email protected] or 352.334.7100 ext. 309.
Registration is required.
For more information, visit www.gainesvillechamber.com.
15
s
er
A.
d
ng
re
ts
16
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
the next few months, both in print and online, we’ll profile of some
LEADERSHIP Over
of the people and programs designed to build better leaders here in
Gainesville
Gainesville. As a business leader, our hope is that you discover, explore
or reconnect with these resources.
It’s 10:18 in the morning. You’re a
human resources professional dressed
in full O.R. scrubs, standing next to an
anesthesiologist. You watch as a steady
hand administers a fine-tuned blend of
prescription meds. A monitor tweets
out vitals of the patient in front of you.
A resident finishes prep. Nods up to
the surgeon who flips a switch on a tiny
drill that spins into a whir. The drill
dances delicately -- closer and closer
to the patient’s skull. Everything slows
down. Colors get brighter. Details
more focused. You angle for a better
view. This isn’t your typical Monday
morning all-call -For 39 years, the Gainesville Area Chamber
of Commerce has invested time, talent and
treasure into developing local leaders through
a program simply called -- Leadership Gainesville.
What began as a handful of after-hours seminars has evolved into a year-long experience
in which a diverse class of 40 local leaders (or
soon to be leaders) conduct a broad survey of
the community and gain an in-depth exposure
to the issues and individuals that make Gainesville what it is today.
Love the public school system? You’ll get
an up-close view of the people and politics that
make it happen.
Frustrated with unpaved roads or city-county
gridlock? You’ll engage directly with commissioners, municipal staffers and the business
leaders impacted by their decisions.
Ever wonder who feeds the homeless, protects
battered women, advocates for child victims or
helps turn today’s at-risk youth into tomorrow’s
community leaders?
Or wonder why more social services aren’t
being provided? You’ll be face-to-face with the
players involved.
The idea is that through working with a small
group of other leaders and exposing you to
some of the biggest obstacles and opportunities
our community faces today, you’ll help incubate
tomorrow’s answers.
Part of the experience is bonding with a group
of your peers from the community. Part of it
is designed to take you out of your comfort
zone and put you into an elementary school
classroom, or a squad car for an overnight ridealong, or even an operating room at 10:18 on a
Monday morning observing brain surgery.
All of it is meant to make you a better leader.
After seeing first-hand the group’s mission
and, Matt directed NFRMC to donate the hospiThe Director - Jan Patterson (a member of LG
Class 25) is part tour-guide, part life-coach and tal’s extras to Gainesville Harvest.
The result? A four-fold increase in the
all heart when it comes to the program she’s
number of meals the charity can serve to the
spearheaded for nearly a decade.
hungry. Small connection. Big local change.
As the official Chamber representative, Jan’s
Class projects may be the easiest impact to
job is to “lead leaders,” working with a small
measure. Several have morphed into ongoing
group of deans to map out and execute an indifundraisers for local nonprofits, including Kids
vidualized experience for each class.
Start, the LGAA 5K, O2B-A-Kid Again and A
“One of my favorite things about Leadership
Taste of Home.
Gainesville is helping to make connections,”
Recent efforts include the Nonprofit Center of
Patterson says. “The fruit of Leadership GainesNorth Central Florida and the Youth e-Safety
ville is the fabric that it weaves. Each group is
initiative, which helped secure a $400,000 law
part of that, with their gifts and talents.”
enforcement grant to keep kids safe from online
predators.
The Deans - Three members of the previous
The single largest byproduct of the LG expericlass are assigned to each year’s group of 40
ence is relationships. Participants are connected
leaders. The deans help plan the programs,
with classmates, deans, staff and local leaders in
encourage the participants and maneuver the
almost every area of our community.
potholes based on lessons learned the year
There’s no doubt that the strength of a
before.
leader’s relationships -- being able to pick up
The Class - The Chamber builds each class as a the phone or stop by the office or send a quick
diverse mix from “business, law, religion, civic email to just the right person at just the right
groups, the arts, minority organizations, educa- time -- will ultimately make a community stronger and better.
tion, healthcare, government, human services
Bottomline? This program increases your
and volunteer organizations.”
relational strength.
THE PLAYERS
IMPACT
It’s hard to measure the full impact of the program, but the list of Leadership Gainesville
graduates over the last 39 years is lengthy.
Some impact occurs in unexpected ways. For
example, Matt Davis, COO of North Florida
Regional Medical Center, spent one of his LG
sessions with volunteers from Gainesville Harvest, a local non-profit aimed at ending hunger
in our area.
THE INVESTMENT
The Leadership Gainesville experience comes
at a cost. Here’s a breakdown:
Financial -- Each member of this year’s class
will invest between $1100 (Chamber of Commerce member) and $1400 (non-members) to
participate.
17
Many participants receive full or partial tuition
from their employers, and the Leadership
Gainesville Alumni Association offers a limited
number of scholarships.
Time -- The program runs from mid-August to
late-May of the following year, with at least one
group session a month and several all-day experiences (medical and educational shadows, law
enforcement ride-alongs, etc.).
LG 39 ROSTER
Erik Anderson, McLeod General Trades
Ashley Bank, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Shareen Baptiste, Gainesville Area Chamber of
Commerce/FloridaWorks
S. Yvette Carter, GRU
Channing Casey, Frankel Media Group
Chris Coleman, Falcon Financial Management
Kelly Douglass, Campus USA Credit Union
Eric Drummond, Oelrich Construction
Carole Duval, Info Tech, Inc.
Byron Flagg, The Flagg Firm
Ife Goodson, Gainesville Area Chamber of
Commerce
Jane Harris, Capital City Bank
Jamar Hebert, Cox Communications
Kelly Henderson, Trend Management Solutions
Amy Howard, Venture Realty of North Florida,
Inc.
Blair Janes, Brightway Insurance Agency
Bob Krefting, Carr Riggs and Ingram, LLC
Meghan Latorre, Info Tech, Inc.
Troy Lauramoore, Charles Perry Partners
Michael Lavoie, Windstream Communications
Chantele Martin, UF College of Medicine
Makaya McKnight, Florida Institute for Workforce Innovation
Allison Megrath, Plum Creek
Amber Miller, HOME Magazine
Prem Paul Murrhee, Atrium of Gainesville
Jackie Paris, McDonald’s
Jane Parkin, Santa Fe College, Charles Perry
Construction Institute
Mike Powell, Mike Powell & Associates
Douglas Pratt, TD Bank
Jennifer Quinn, Junior League of Gainesville
Mike Remer, Computer Care, LLC
Greta Rice, GACAR
Claire Rini, Sun Country Sports Center
Daniel Rodkin, Santa Fe College
Craig Sainz, Craig A. Sainz Chiropractic
Rachel Stimler, The Education Foundation of
Alachua County
Carrie Tam, Florida Works/FIWI
Meg TheLosen, Info Tech, Inc.
Chris Towne, DRMP, Inc.
John VanDuzer, James Moore & Co.,P.L.
Jordan Webb, Gentle Dental
GET INVOLVED: With only 40 seats avail-
able each year, participation in Leadership
Gainesville is competitive. Applicants are
asked to describe past community involvement
and share future plans for putting what they
learn in the program to work.
Not already a standout in your workplace,
civic group, non-profit or your church? Apply
anyway -- part of the program’s purpose is to
identify and develop leaders on the rise.
The class is intentionally diverse and typically
includes a wide-range of participants, including
entrepreneurs, social service pros, law enforcement, marketers, managers, government workers, builders and more.
ON THE WEB: Learn more about Leadership
Gainesville, including how and when to apply,
and follow Class 39 through this yearlong experience.
NEXT MONTH: Leadership Gainesville
Alumni Association
18
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
An Entrepreneur at Any Age.
Many seniors are pursuing new opportunities, including starting
their own businesses and sharing their wisdom with others.
more mature. They’ve been through a lot, and
Local men and women in their 60s and 70s are
that experience helps them do their job better.”
embracing new careers with the same drive that
Wang, co-director of the Human Resource
has motivated them throughout their lives.
Research Center at UF’s
Some, like Gary Kinsey and Geraldine
Warrington College of Business
Douglas, are starting new businesses, after
Administration, is the co-author of the new
having had their entrepreneurial spirit stoked by book, Mid and Late Career Issues: An IntegraFloridaWorks and other agencies.
tive Perspective.
Others are transferring skills that they’ve
Many employers are mistakenly wary of
acquired over their lifetime to new positions.
hiring older workers, fearing they’re harder to
Among them is Elijah Hamilton, who lost part
train and not as energetic as their younger counof his right leg due to a blocked artery in 2005
terparts, says Wang, who was part of a research
and who is now serving as a role model for the
team that conducted numerous interviews
men and women he helps as a disabled veterans and reviewed academic studies about senior
outreach coordinator for FloridaWorks.
employment.
Still others are devoting themselves to helping Older workers can be intimidated by jobothers as volunteers. They include Bob Hudson, hunting and updating their computer skills, says
who retired in 2006 as the president and CEO
FloridaWorks Executive Director Kim Teschof Santa Fe HealthCare and the CEO of AvMed Vaught. “They need some computer skills even
Health Plans.
to apply for jobs, since most applications are
Douglas, who closed her business Utopia
done online.”
Chalet a year ago, is finding her purpose in
FloridaWorks realizes that seniors can be
selling wellness products through the ZANGO
uncomfortable in large computer classes filled
company and through community service
with people of all ages. That’s why it offers
benefiting young professional women and girls
computer classes for seniors only with the class
needing assistance.
size limited to 10 students.
“I would feel useless without a purpose,”
“You don’t feel bad about asking questions if
Douglas says. “I don’t know how people handle you’re in a small class with similar people,”
it.”
Tesch-Vaught says.
Among Hudson’s civic roles is serving as this
year’s chairman of Santa Fe College’s Board of Overcoming Obstacles
Seniors not only can get
Trustees.
discouraged by today’s labor
“I didn’t want to retire and
market, but also they can face
sit at home,” he says. “I’ve
a struggle with their health.
had friends who didn’t do
For Hamilton losing part of
much after they retired, and I didn’t want to retire
they ended up with health
and sit at home. I’ve had his leg was demoralizing at
first, and job-hunting seemed
issues.”
friends who didn’t do
futile. “I put in millions of
Finally, some seniors, like
much after they retired, applications,” he says. “My
Skip Everitt, are turning
their longtime hobbies into
and they ended up with wife wouldn’t allow me to be
discouraged. She offered me
a vocation. Everitt has cut
health
issues.
sympathy, but no pity.”
back severely on his work
FloridaWorks programs
as a business consultant and
launched a second career
Bob Hudson, retired CEO helped Hamilton regain his
improve his
around his passion for golfof AvMed Health Plans self-confidence,
computer skills and learn how
ing.
to present himself better when
He self-published a book,
seeking work. He impressed the FloridaWorks
The Back Nine: How to Play Your Best Golf
staff so much that they hired him to help
EVER in Later Life, and he’s become the Oak
disabled veterans.
Hall High School golf coach. He is also creatEveritt’s health deteriorated due to a bout with
ing a network of other golfers who are interested in maintaining their game as they age and cancer. As he recovered, he decided to apply the
has developed a website with instruction videos principles that he uses as a business coach to
rebuild his body and get back on his golf game.
and other information.
“I realized that many people could benefit
Debunking Stereotypes
from what I learned, so I decided to write a
The drive to do a good job—and be of
book and share my approach,” he says.
service—is common among older workers,
Hudson was experiencing severe hip pain
says a University of Florida business professor. when he retired from Santa Fe HealthCare and
“They love to work,” says Mo Wang. “They’re
AvMed. “I hadn’t been getting much exercise
Gary Kinsey has started a new business that sells a device that
helps prevent backflow from urinary cathaters, a major cause
of infection.
the last 10 years before I retired because I often
worked through lunch and had meetings into
the evening,” he says. “I was afraid I would
need a hip replacement,” he says.
Hudson discovered Pilates, and he continues
doing its exercises. “I don’t want to be one of
those people who fades away,” he says.
In addition to serving on the Santa Fe College board, Hudson is a member of the advisory
board of Kaiser-Permanente Foundation Health
Plan of Georgia, and he’s secretary of the
board of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys
National Wildlife Refuge.
He has returned to Vietnam, where he served
in the Army on two tours during the Vietnam
War. “It was cathartic,” he says. “Even the
people I met who had been North Vietnamese
soldiers welcomed me. I’ve come to understand
that Vietnam is a country, not a war.”
Geraldine Douglas needed to find a new identity after a year of big changes—closing Utopia
Chalet in July 2011 and her husband’s death
in January. “I asked myself, ‘What am I?” she
says.
The answers are coming, partly through the
help of others and partly through her lending a
hand to others.
Douglas’ biggest source of help was
FloridaWorks. “I’ve taken their classes, and
I’ve learned a lot about myself,” she says. “I’m
getting my confidence back.”
In addition to building her business as a
distributor for the ZANGO wellness company,
she’s participating in the Professional Women’s
Roundtable, a program of the Gainesville Area
Chamber of Commerce, and volunteering for
the PACE Center for Girls.
19
Creating Businesses
While some programs target seniors, others
serve people of all ages. One such program
is Start-Up Quest, which helps unemployed
people of all ages who are college graduates
learn to start businesses.
Kinsey’s experience in Start-Up Quest led
him to form a team that has started a new
venture, North Florida Medical Solutions.
Two of Kinsey’s three partners in the business
were on his team that worked on a business
planning exercise through Start-Up Quest. As
part of the exercise, Kinsey reviewed the many
UF inventions that the Office of Technology
Licensing compiles.
One invention caught his eye, a simple device
to strap urinary catheter bags low enough on
a wheelchair to prevent urine backflow, which
causes infections.
“My background is as a physical therapist,
and I had seen the enormous amount of urinary
tract infections that improper handling of
catheter bags cause,” Kinsey says. “This behavior-modification device has the potential to save
thousands of lives.”
Kinsey was receiving unemployment compensation when FloridaWorks representatives
contacted him about Start-Up Quest. “At first,
I wasn’t all that interested in it, but they kept
bugging me,” he says.
Kinsey praises the support he’s gotten through
Start-Up Quest. “It’s been lots of fun to network
with an incredible group of people,” he says.
He had tried other business ventures in the
past, but he couldn’t get them off the ground.
“Now I’ve learned how to write a business plan,
find a manufacturer and create marketing material,” he says. “I’ve never been surrounded by
so many motivated people.”
Start-Up Quest has been so successful that the
Alachua/Bradford Regional Workforce Board,
the parent organization of FloridaWorks, has
received a $12 million federal grant to replicate
it in cooperation with seven regional workforce
boards across the state.
“Many older adults are great at following a
script, and they are dependable in their work
habits,” McGinnis says.
Workers will be able to use skills they’ve
gained over their lifetimes in staffing the call
center. “Many of our clients aren’t sure what
they have to offer an employer, but they have
many skills that are transferable to today’s
needs,” McGinnis says.
Other Opportunities Available
Santa Fe College’s Displaced Homemaker program serves many seniors,
focusing on women who have limited job
experience, but who now need to earn
money because of divorce or the death of
their husbands.
Seniors with limited income can receive
assistance such as a stipend and health
insurance by volunteering through the
RSVP and Foster Grandparents programs.
Among the programs at the Melrose
Senior Community Center is Project
Restart, which is funded through the
AARP Foundation.
In looking for potential jobs for clients,
the project team learned that companies
that conduct telephone surveys were
having a tough time finding employees,
says program manager Melissa McGinnis.
Veteran Edward Martin gets assistance in finding a new career from
Elijah Hamilton of FloridaWorks.
20
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
Remaking a
NEIGHBORHOOD
Joe and Cindy Montalto have
overcome many challenges since
opening Magnolia Plantation in
1991, and their work has resulted in
today’s Bed and Breakfast District.
Gainesville’s Bed and Breakfast District fits
neatly into an area just east of downtown.
It’s quiet, and the multiple inns, with a total
of about 100 rooms, provide a tranquil
respite for travelers.
Such was not the case in 1990, when
Orlando residents Cindy and Joe Montalto
came to town as they were scouring the
state for a house in which to establish a
B&B.
The Montaltos take pride in their accomplishments with the Magnolia Plantation.
The house they found, today’s Magnolia
Plantation, was in disrepair, and student renters
were growing marijuana in flowerpots on the
first floor.
With a lot of hard work and tremendous
community support, Joe and Cindy restored the
building and launched their business.
While Cindy manages the business on a dayto-day basis, Joe has additional responsibilities,
running his civil engineering business from his
office on the building’s third floor.
Joe’s father, Joe Montalto, Sr., a landscape
architect in Joe’s hometown of Vero Beach, is
also a member of the team. He designed and
helps maintain the elaborate gardens on the
property.
As time went on, the Montaltos purchased six
additional homes and cottages around them, and
they now can accommodate a total of 41 guests.
Some guests are here on vacation, and some
are attending football games, graduation and
other special events. But many of the guests are
here on business, sometimes for several months.
Over the years, their friends and relatives
have joined in the renaissance of the area by
buying homes and establishing additional
B&Bs.
The Business Report talked with the
Montaltos about their journey.
How did you become interested in
operating a B&B?
Joe: We stayed at our first B&B back in the
early 1980s. I had no clue about old houses or
historic structures. Cindy is from Cleveland
and lived in some old neighborhoods. I’m from
Vero Beach, and there wasn’t much old down
there.
Cindy planned a vacation for us in New
England, and we stayed at our first B&B, the
32-room Cleftstone Manor in Bar Harbor,
Maine. It’s a gorgeous area, and it was pretty
spectacular.
A delightful couple from England ran it, and
we immediately had a connection to them.
In 1984, we bought a colonial revival cottage
that was built in 1938 in the Cherokee Historic
District in downtown Orlando. Over the years,
we decorated the house to replicate
Cleftstone Manor.
Cindy discovered the AAA Reservation
Service in Winter Park, and we started using it
to book guests in our little guest wing in 1989.
I was working as a transportation division
manager for Lochrane Engineering in
downtown Orlando, and Cindy was working as
a real estate paralegal downtown.
One evening, when I got home from work,
Cindy informed me that we had to move out
for the next two weeks because she had booked
us out of our bedroom. Our guest wing was
already booked with two business travelers.
This poor guy who she booked into our
bedroom had been in a hotel for a couple of
weeks. He was miserable, and she felt sorry for
him, so she gave him our bedroom.
Fortunately, some of our friends were moving
to Charlotte, N.C., and their home was empty.
We blew up our air mattress and slept on it
while our house was filled with Cindy’s guests.
Rather than get upset about this, I said to her,
“I guess you’re really serious about this B&B
business.”
“I usually try to get
as much prep work as
I can the day before,
so that I’m not up at
three in the morning
preparing everything.”
Cindy Montalto
21
We started looking for a home to make into
a B&B in Orlando. We found a house a few
blocks away from ours that had been for sale
for two years. We made an appointment with
a real estate agent for 6:30 p.m. to put it under
contract.
At 6 p.m., we got a call from the agent who
said another agent had just presented a contract,
and the owners had accepted it.
Rather than getting too bummed out, we
decided that we weren’t supposed to create
our B&B in Orlando. We looked all around the
state, and we hadn’t found exactly what we
wanted.
We decided to come over to Gainesville, and
we saw a Victorian house listed in the paper for
sale. It was owned by a college professor.
As we were going through the house, one of
the tenants was asking us all kinds of questions.
We thought she was just curious about our plans
for the house. A few days after we toured the
house, we talked to the professor about making
an offer, he said, “I’m sorry, but River Phoenix
is going to buy the house. His girlfriend called
him, and she doesn’t want to move.”
Then Thad Crowe, who was the city’s historic
preservation officer, told us about this house.
Jean and Terry Marshall, an ophthalmologist,
bought it in 1985 for $120,000.
Mike Wineger, who was their contractor, was
restoring it. Within the year that they bought
it, Mike got melanoma and died. They were
broken-hearted and lost interest in the house.
On Easter Sunday 1990 we came up here,
and we brought my mother and father with us
because we felt, “Here are two sane people who
will talk us out of doing something stupid.”
We pulled up to the house, and I saw this
incredible Second Empire Victorian house.
Cindy looked at it and saw something totally
different.
Cindy: I thought, “Oh, no. A couch was sitting
on the roof of the porch. The shutters were
falling off the house. There was dog poop in the
hallway.”
Joe’s mom and I saw that there was a window
seat on the first floor. She said, “Look, they’re
gardeners.” I looked at the plants and saw that
they were pot plants.
That same day we made an offer to buy the
house with Mom and Dad’s blessing. We had
just opened a line of credit on our home in
Orlando, and we wrote a $10,000 check on our
line of credit.
The Marshalls told their lawyer, “Figure out
what we owe on it. We want to walk away from
the closing with no money. We don’t want to
make a profit on it. We want them to do this.”
The house that they paid $120,000 for in
1985, they sold to us for $80,000.
How did things go from there?
How did it happen that Lochrane
Cindy: When we came up here, we couldn’t find Engineering agreed to have you set up an
a bank in this town that would loan us a penny
office in Gainesville?
on the house. We went to the city’s economic
development officer in Gainesville, and he
figured out a way for the city of Gainesville to
use HUD money to make us a temporary loan.
Joe: The city was using HUD money that
it had committed to another project that was
due to start in 120 days, which was April 15.
We came into town not knowing anybody, but
Jane Myers, who was the real estate agent the
Marshalls used, was good friends with Keiffer
and Sandy Caulkins.
Keiffer had done a lot of restoration work,
and he helped us put a team together that was
composed of unique people that had the skills
Joe: I actually turned in my resignation, and
Tom Lochrane said, “My father told me that
many people pass in and out of your life. Some
people you let go, and some people you keep.”
He agreed to pay me my full salary and made
me a principal of the firm. He bought me a car
and a car telephone and told me to go open an
office.
That was a very good venture. I was with
the firm for another 15 years. I left 10 years
ago to start my own business, which is located
back where I started from when I came to
Gainesville, on the third floor of our house.
How was business after graduation?
“For the first 10 years,
we were in a very
hostile environment.
It wasn’t conducive
to a B&B. People
were out until 4 in
the morning having
parties on their front
lawns.”
Joe Montalto
Cindy: We still had about $10,000 left over
from our loan, so we got through May and June.
We didn’t know what summers in Gainesville
were like. In mid-July, I was looking at our
checkbook, and I realized I didn’t have enough
money to pay the electric bill, let alone the
mortgage. I said to Joe, “Maybe our mission in
this whole thing was just to restore the house,
and now maybe we’re supposed to sell it.”
Joe said, “No, our mission in this whole thing
was to open a B&B inn. Restoring the house
was a sidekick.”
He went out to get the mail, and he came back
in and handed me an envelope. He said, “How
can you not believe in our dream when people
believe in it more than you.”
Somebody had come to our mailbox and stuck
an envelope in it with a $500 American Express
money order made payable to Joe and Cindy
Montalto. The remitter was “From a grateful
guest for a life-changing experience.”
About 14 people had stayed with us by then,
and I had no idea who it was. It wasn’t all the
we needed to work on an old house.
We were 90 percent completed in the 120 days,
but still none of the banks in town would mess
with us. The city’s economic development
officer connected us with an SBA lender in
Pensacola, who gave us a loan.
Cindy: We opened on graduation weekend
1991 and we were completely booked. That last
week, we literally worked around the clock.
I can remember standing in front of the oven
with a baking pan of cookies and realizing I had
no idea how to turn the oven on. I was so tired
because we hadn’t slept in three days.
Fortunately, our friends from Orlando, Rick
and Jean Chance, had moved into a house
across the street. Rick and Jean came over,
and he said, “Go to bed, we’ll take care of the
cookies.”
The gentlemen’s parlor features a fireplace.
22
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
money that we needed, but it was what we
needed emotionally.
A week later, as we were coming into church,
someone who we had met during this project
handed us an envelope. She said, “Don’t open
this until after church.”
All through church, we were staring at this
envelope wondering what was in it.
Joe: Inside the envelope was a $5,000 check
and a note saying, “I know you guys are hurting
right now, and I know you need this. I’m hoping
this helps you get through. Gainesville really
needs you.”
You need another source of income to run a
B&B. When the inn is down, my income covers
it.
How have you done financially?
How do you approach cooking?
Joe: The first football season is when we started
seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We
built this inn on Steve Spurrier’s tenure.
We’re grateful to still be here after 22 years,
but this is a very low margin business because
of the operating and maintenance expense of
a 100-year-old structure. The major value in
doing something like this is the value of the real
estate when you sell it.
We’ve restored and sustained an old building,
and the two of us wouldn’t want to live alone in
a 5,400-square-foot home. Something like this
is meant to be shared.
Cindy, what are the things you do in your
workday?
In the morning, I come down and put breakfast
in the oven, I run back upstairs while breakfast
is cooking and strip beds.
I throw laundry in the washer and I run back
downstairs and cut up fruit. Then I run back
upstairs and put towels in the rooms.
I answer the phone and check e-mails. It’s
kind of a whirlwind.
Cindy: I spend a lot of time cooking. I usually
try to get as much prep work as I can the
day before, so that I’m not up at three in the
morning preparing everything.
I read cookbooks like people read novels.
After 20 some years, I have things I can just do
in my sleep.
How much help do you have?
Cindy: I have a housekeeper, Kim Offenbach.
If she ever left me, I would probably slit my
wrists. I supplement her with other help as I
need it.
How did things develop over
time?
The bed and breakfast was built in 1885.
Joe: For the first 10 years,
we were in a very hostile
environment. It wasn’t
conducive to a B&B. People
were out until 4 in the morning
having parties on their front
lawns.
I spent a lot of time from 1
to 4 a.m. waiting for the police
to show up to bust up student
partiers. I went over there at
first to try to reason with them,
but I found out that I wasn’t
getting through in talking to
drugged-up, drunken students
and telling them that I was
trying to make a living.
The police had their hands
tied, so the city commission
changed the noise ordinance
so that if the noise was clearly
audible from 200 feet, they
could do something about it.
These people finally left the
neighborhood, and families
started moving back in. The
Sweetwater Inn opened two
years after we did.
In 1999, we talked our friends
Monta and Peggy Burt, whose
daughter, Megan, worked for us
as a college student, into buying the old house
next door. In a weak moment, while they were
having breakfast at our dining room table, I
talked them into buying it.
I took him over there after breakfast to see
the house, and Monta said, “Who would be so
foolish to buy this house?” Two months later,
he was looking at himself in the mirror and we
now have the Laurel Oak Inn next door.
We had invited my cousins, Pat and Tom, to
come visit us for 15 years. They finally came
seven years ago, and it cost them dearly. They
bought the corner house, which they restored
into the Camellia Rose Inn.
Rick and Jean Chance, our friends from
Orlando who moved here soon after we did own
about five houses across the street from us.
We’ve built a neighborhood here.
What makes you appealing to guests?
Joe: Business travelers are attracted to us
because when you go to a hotel, you basically
have a hotel room. You’re not in a garden-like
setting like this. Most hotels are located where
it’s not that great to walk.
This is an ideal location for guests because
there are 30 restaurants within a five-to
10-minute walk. When we got here in 1990,
there were very few restaurants downtown.
The connection between the B&Bs and
downtown has been a really good thing. We
stabilized a neighborhood that was a liability to
downtown. The downtown provides our guests
all the entertainment and places to eat.
Among the four inns here, we can
accommodate more than 100 guests. We did the
branding with the banners. We’re the Bed and
Breakfast District.
The city undergrounded the utilities a few
years back, and they put in the streetlights.
How does it feel to look back on your
accomplishments?
Cindy: We didn’t realize the effect that we were
having on the neighborhood. Sometimes I look
at the book about Gainesville that has photos
of our home that we have the hallway and say,
“That’s my house,” but mostly it’s just getting
through each day.
We found something bigger than us. Joe and I
are the kind of people who always need a project. When things are going smoothly, we get
bored, and we start looking for other things to
do. We actually have something bigger than us.
Joe: It started out as restoring an old house
and operating a bed and breakfast, but it quickly
became more about restoring an old neighborhood. Our purpose in life wasn’t to open a bed
and breakfast. It was to catalyze the redevelopment of this neighborhood.
By Chris Eversole
Liquid Creative Studio & Marketing Mud
our randing solution!
y
f
t o plete b
r
pa com
branding
web design
graphic design
social media
consulting
promotional products
corporate apparel
trade show displays
23
24
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
Some Alachua County roads that haven’t been resurfaced in 40 years would be improved with the sales tax dollars.
DECIDING which
ROAD TO TAKE
Both sides in debate over county
transportation sales tax proposal use
economic arguments.
is not neglecting the fundamentals.”
Both sides debating the Fix Our Roads sales tax
Waldo Mayor Louie Davis is among the tax’s
proposal on the Nov. 6 ballot make their argusupporters. “This is the only chance we have for
ments in economic terms.
the cities and the county to upgrade our roads
Supporters of the tax—including three county to the place they need to be,” he says. “Nothing
commissioners and many officials of small
for roads is ever going to pass, if this doesn’t
cities—say that the tax is crucial in protecting
pass now.”
deteriorating roads and streets.
Opponents of the tax—including many
“It’s understandable that people are against
Gainesville city commissioners—say the sales
new taxes,” says County Commissioner Pinko- tax proposal ignores the need for expanding bus
son, who’s campaignservice as the area’s
ing for the 15-year,
economy expands.
three-quarter cent sales
A stronger bus system
tax proposal. “When I
will aid economic
explain the problem to
development
by taking
This is the only chance we have
people, it doesn’t take
cars off the road and
for
the
cities
and
the
county
to
long for them to realize
relieving congestion,
the gravity of the situa- upgrade our roads to the place
Gainesville Commistion.”
sioner Thomas Hawkins
they need to be.
Using the $22.5
says.
million a year from
In addition, adding
Waldo Mayor Louie Davis buses in a big way will
the sales tax is fairer
than paying for road
take cars off the road,
improvements through property taxes, says
reducing the need to add new roads in the
Pinkoson.
future, Hawkins notes.
“Visitors to the county pay sales tax,” he says.
Originally, the county commission voted
“I don’t want to increase property taxes to pay
to place a proposed quarter-cent sales tax for
for roads. That would increase the burden on
expansion of bus service on the ballot. The
property owners, who are constantly being hit
county commission later decided to take that
with high taxes.”
proposal off the ballot, angering many city offiThe community needs sound infrastructure
cials.
in order to be attractive to businesses that are
“The county commission broke its word,
considering moving to the area, Pinkoson says. and it’s not fair to the citizens of Gainesville,”
“We need to demonstrate that Alachua County
Mayor Craig Lowe says.
Roads Need Growing
Among those supporting the Fix Our
Roads proposal is Bruce Nelson, one
of the few county residents, other than
elected officials, who’s standing up for
the sales tax referendum. He’s spent the
last several years studying the county’s
road needs.
“I know my county has a serious problem,” he says. “Our roads are becoming
dangerous. We can’t say ‘no’ to fixing
them anymore.”
Supporters of the road sales tax point
out that the road repairs needed on both
county roads and city streets throughout
the county total $550 million.
The county and the municipalities
haven’t been able to keep up with their
needs as roadways deteriorated over
time, County Engineer Dave Cerlanek
notes.
Waiting two years to fund road
improvements will add to the cost, he
says. “The county’s needs, which are
now $380 million, will increase by $65
million in two years as deterioration
continues.”
25
Differences Over Gainesville’s Role
While planning a transportation sales tax proposal over the past two years, the county had
asked each municipality for a list of projects for
which it would use its share of the money.
The Gainesville Commission opted for a
roughly 50-50 split between road improvements
and expansion of bus service, including developing a “bus rapid transit” system. Bus rapid
transit would feature attractive buses that would
run frequently, possibly using dedicated lanes to
avoid traffic congestion.
In the vote to drop the quarter-cent for buses
off the ballot, Winston Bradley, who replaced
Rodney Long on the county commission after
Rodney Long resigned, sided with Commissioners Lee Pinkoson and Susan Baird.
Pinkoson, Baird and Bradley argue that plans
for bus rapid transit are premature and that
including money for buses on the ballot, even
as a separate proposal, would hurt chances of
money for roads winning approval.
The public is concerned that money for bus
rapid transit could result in narrowing Archer
Road and Newberry Road at spots in order to
provide the dedicated bus lane, Pinkoson says.
Hawkins counters the argument that bus rapid
transit plans aren’t complete. “We don’t have
complete plans for all the road improvements,
but we need to make plans to fund them,” he
says. “BRT is no different.”
The county commission’s decision to drop the
money for buses out of the sales tax proposal
short-changes the city, Hawkins claims. If the
roads-only proposal passes, the average Gainesville resident will pay $97 a year in extra sales
tax, but city government will receive only $25
of that money back for its road needs due to the
county winthdrawing the transit tax proposal,
he says.
Both Hawkins and Lowe see the county
commission’s decision to keep any funding
for buses on the ballot as disrespectful of the
Gainesville commission’s authority. “This particular approach is nothing but an affront to
home-rule authority,” Lowe says.
Hawkins says he doubts if the Fix Our Roads
proposal will win, partly because Gainesville
voters will reject the way the county commission treated the city’s wishes.
He favors Gainesville and county officials
working together with community leaders to
craft a combined road and bus proposal that
would go on the ballot in 2014.
Pinkoson contends that Gainesville residents
will benefit from the proposed road tax. In addition to the Gainesville street projects that would
be completed with sales tax dollars, the county
will rebuild sections of N.W. 16th Avenue and
43rd Street that are in the city or along the city
limits, he says.
“We can still put a quarter-cent for transit on
the ballot once the information about it is complete,” he says.
By Chris Eversole
26
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
7
WAYS TO ENHANCE your BUSINESS THROUGH
Social media is a huge part of our
daily lives and has even made it’s
way into the world of business
as a valuable tool for engaging
customers.
The latest craze in social media
is a virtual pinboard website called
Pinterest, which allows users
to “pin” their favorite products,
recipes, ideas, and anything else
they can think of into a collection
visible to their followers. It allows
users to showcase their interests
and give their followers a more
intimate idea of who they are and
what they like.
Like other social media outlets,
such as Facebook and Twitter,
Pinterest provides a great outlet
for businesses to engage with
their current customers and attract
potential clients, but in its own
unique way.
In the information age that we
live in, people want to know as
much as they
can about
a company
before trusting
them with
their business
needs. This
information is
easily accessible
online, but what
most companies
do not provide
is a unique
insite into their
personality.
Letting people see a more
personal side of your company by
showcasing things that you love
will encourage people to trust your
brand.
A great example of how to use
Pinterest to its fullest potential
is a local graphic designer and
expert on all things cute, Lauren
McKinsey. Currently at 1,045
followers, 60 boards, 1,293 pins,
and 171 “likes,” she is clearly
doing something right.
Here are seven ways that your
business can use Pinterest to it’s
advantage:
1. Pin more than just your
products. While it is a good
idea to pin some of the products
that your company offers, do not
use Pinterest as a sales floor. Pin
popular products that you think
people will like, or have a need
for, and they
will repin them
for others to
see. It is also
important to pin
other things that
are not directly
associated with
your business.
This can be done
by “repinning”
things that you
find interesting,
which will alert
the original pinner of your activity
and give everyone following you a
better idea of what your company
is all about behind the scenes.
2. If you don’t have products to
pin, make your company visible
in other ways.
Pinning employee profiles or
executive head shots that link
back to a profile on your website
is a great way for people to learn
more about your company. If you
are selling services rather than
products, try putting together an
infographic outlining industry
trends, or pin images that link back
to industry related blog posts.
3. Host a contest!
Contests are a great way to engage
customers, especially when there
is a prize involved. Encourage
followers to create a pinboard on
their own account and pin things
that show what they love about
your brand. Give a prize to the
pinner with the coolest or most
creative board. Tying the contest
into your company’s philosophy or
a seasonal event is an even better
way to make customers aware of
different aspects of your company.
4. Add a “Pin It” button to your
website.
Through Pinterest, you can add
a “Pin It” button to your website
which allows your customers to
pin your visual content directly to
their Pinterest boards. This feature
allows customers to become brand
advocates and proactively promote
their favorite products for others
to see. Another option is to add a
“Follow” button to your site, so
that visitors can easily become a
follower right from your website.
5. Conduct market research.
Take a look at the most popular
pins to keep up with the latest
trends. See what people are into at
the moment and find out how you
can make your company part of the
trend.
6. Learn more about your
customers.
What are your followers pinning?
Looking at what your customers
pin will give you a good idea
of who they are and will allow
you to understand what they are
interested in. You can then tailor
your products or services to better
suit the needs of your clients, or
anticipate the needs of potential
clients.
7. Bring your social media
together.
Add a sense of cohesiveness
among all of your social media
profiles by showcasing your most
interesting pins on Facebook and
Twitter. This can help bring your
other followers to your Pinterest
board and give your products more
exposure. More followers = more
repins!
You are now well on your way
to becoming a Pinterest guru and
giving Lauren McKinsey a run for
her pins! Incorporate these tips
into your Pinterest account and
turn it into something that people
get excited about. People pin what
they love to Pinterest, so make sure
you’re business is feeling the love!
By Renae Cromwell
27
NEWS BRIEFS
Startup Quest Expanding to Seven Other
Florida Regions
FloridaWorks has received an $11.95 million grant from the
United States Department of Labor by forming the Business
Advocacy and Self-Employment Consortium, which consists
of seven Regional Workforce Boards from around Florida, and
represents almost 43 percent of Florida’s civilian labor force and
41 percent of the number of unemployed individuals.
FloridaWorks and the University of Florida’s Office of
Technology Licensing announced the grant and the expansion of
Startup Quest, a program designed to train out-of-work, degreeholding professionals in entrepreneurship and small business
management.
ACG Therapy Center to Offer Adult Speech
and Occupational Therapy
ACG Therapy Center has expanded its services to offer adult
speech and occupational therapy evaluation and treatment.
Some adult diagnoses include ADHD, aphasia, dyslexia, stroke,
stuttering and traumatic brain injury. Available treatments will
include aphasia therapy, social skills training and interactive
metronome.
ON THE MOVE
Wes Bryan Named No. 1
Technical Instructor in
the World
Wes Bryan, of the New Horizons Computer Learning
Center, has been named the
No. 1 Technical Instructor in
the World based on student
evaluations.
New Horizons North
Florida Named Center
of the Year
New Horizons North Florida
received the Center of the Year
award for medium market size.
The award was accepted by
Owner and General Manager
Tim Broom on behalf of the
center.
SumTotal Voted as
Finalist in Best of
Elearning! 2012 Awards
SumTotal Systems, Inc. has
been voted a finalist in three
categories of the eighth annual
Best of E-learning! Awards.
The categories are Best Talent
Management System, Best
Learning Management System
and Best Learning Content
Management System.
Gainesville Named by
AARP in Top 10 Best
Places to Live on $100 a
Day
The AARP has announced its
list of the 10 Best Places to
Live on $100 a Day, which
includes Gainesville, alongside
cities like Pittsburgh, Omaha
and San Antonio.
Yopp!inc., to Open Union Academy/
Rosa B. Williams Recreation Center
Yopp! inc., formerly Gainesville Creative Kids, will open the
doors of its new Union Academy/Rosa B. Williams Recreational
Center on Oct. 6, providing new recreational, cultural and
education programs.
The center will feature music, dance and theater performances
as well as tutoring for students and professional training
programs focused on resume building and interview skills. Local
organizations will be able to use the center for meetings, and
residents will be able to hold events and parties in the space.
Shands Pediatric ER Receives NoiseCancelling Earphones, Thanks to
Leadership Gainesville Class 38
Leadership Gainesville Class 38, which includes 41 local
business leaders, donated a set of noise-silencing earphones to
the Shands Pediatric Emergency Room. The ER’s previous set
was stolen. The earphones are designed to drown out the noises
of instruments like cast saws for children who are frightened by
the loud noises.
28
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
YOUR BUSINESS IS MOVING FAST.
CAN YOUR PHONE AND INTERNET KEEP UP?
“Highest Customer Satisfaction
among Data Service Providers
for Small/Midsize Businesses”
Get award-recognized service
and 24/7 support with feature-rich
Cox Business VoiceManagerSM
and Business Internet to keep
your business running smoothly.
The only service that’s at your service.
BUNDLE BUSINESS
INTERNET & PHONE
ONLY $88 PER MONTH.*
1-877-404-BIZ8
coxbusiness.com
*Offer valid until 12/31/12 to new commercial subscribers of Cox Business VoiceManagerSM and Cox Business InternetSM in Florida/Georgia Cox-wired, serviceable
locations. Minimum 3-year service agreement required. Offer includes one (1) standard Cox Business VoiceManager Anywhere package phone line and Cox
Business Internet Starter (max. 5.0Mbps/1.0Mbps Internet). Additional charges may apply. Services not available in all areas. Other restrictions apply. Telephone
services are provided by an affiliated Cox entity. ©2012 Cox Communications. All rights reserved.
Cox Business received the highest numerical score among small/midsize business data service providers in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Major
Provider Business Telecommunications Data Services Study.SM Study based on 5,143 total responses measuring eight providers andmeasures opinions of small/
midsize businesses (companies with two to 499 employees). Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of businesses surveyed in October
2011 and February 2012. Your experiencesmay vary. Visit jdpower.com.
29
TRANSACTIONS
All content comes from city, county and state official records.
VACANT LAND
Address: 6812 NW 16th St.,
Gainesville, Fl., 32653
Land Type: (IND) Industrial
Seller: Brooker trustee
List Agent: Ronald Shema
List Firm: Florida Homes Realty &
Mortgage
Sell Agent: Ronald Shema
Sell Firm: Florida Homes Realty &
Mortgage
Sell Agent: Eric Ligman
Sell Firm: Bosshardt Realty Services
LLC
COMMERCIAL SALES
Address: 7515 West University Ave.,
Property Type: (OFF) Office
Lessor: TD Bank
List Agent: The BeeryRainsberger
Group
List Firm: Coldwell Banker/MM
Parrish
Sell Agent: The BeeryRainsberger
Group
Sell Firm: Coldwell Banker/MM
Parrish
Address: 3424 West University Ave.,
Gainesville, Fla., 32607
Property Type: Commercial
Seller: Richard E. Jones Trustee
List Agent: The BeeryRainsberger
Group
Parrish
Group
Parrish
Address: 104 North Main St.,
Gainesville, FL., 32601
Lessor: NG 104 N Main; LLC
List Agent: Bruce Rider
List Firm: Bosshardt Realty Services
LLC
Group
Parrish
Address: 8475 NW 39th Ave.,
Property Type: Commercial
Seller: P I HOLDINGS NO 3 INC
List Agent: Bruce Rider
LLC
Sell Agent: Bruce Rider
LLC
OCCUPATIONAL
LICENSES
Address: 4104 NW 13th Terrace,
Lessor: Johnson
List Agent: Rick Cain
Parrish
Sell Agent: Rick Cain
Parrish
Address: 6717 NW 11th, Gainesville,
FL., 32605
Lessor: N/A
List Agent: David Ferro
LLC
Sell Agent: John Pla
Sell Firm: Venture Realty of N. FL.
Inc.
Address: 3528 NW 97th Blvd.,
Property Type: (OFW) Office/
Warehouse
Lessor: N/A
List Agent: Eric Ligman
LLC
COLLEGE OF VETERINARY
MEDICINE CLASS OF 2016
LEONARDS FURNITURE
Mobile Only
KENNEDY, JASON PHILIP
2801 NW 23rd Blvd., Apt. J66
Gainesville
KANE, RICHARD A
Mobile Only
LEDBETTER, SARA
Mobile Only
LILES JEWELERS INC
06419 W. Newberry Rd.
MISH, JONATHAN M
Mobile Only
NEVIN, SCOTT
Mobile Only
NEWBERRY ANIMAL HOSPITAL
MAIN ST, INC
AUNT GOOSEY CREATIONS
ODOM, MATTHEW WEIGHT
LOSS SOLUTIONS
EXPRESS FUNDING &
MERCHANT SERVICES LLC
2226 NW 8th Court
FRIMBERGER, LISA M
Mobile Only
GAINESVILLE SWEEPSTAKES
LLC
221 NE 39th Ave.
GALLOWAY-BRITT, EDWENNIA
K.E.S.T. JANITORIAL SERVICES
2117 NE 13th Ave.
GINSBURG, NICOLO F &
GINSBURG, MARIA V PREMIUM
PHYSICAL THERAPY LLC
1062 SW 2nd Ave.
OSBERG, CANSEL
Mobile Only
REKIS, HENRIJS
Mobile Only
RIOPELLE, TARA BEACH
BREAK SALON
603 W. University Ave.
RUFFS, CHRISTOPHER E
CHRISTOPHER RUFF’S A-1
ELECTRONICS
3825 SW4th Pl.
STUDIO 32 ORTHODONTICS
LLC
2222 NW 40th Terr.
TARGETED TRAINING
SOLUTIONS, INC.
TEAM SYNERGY BRAZILIAN
JIU-JITSU ACADEMY, LLC
2337 SW Archer Rd.
3333 SW 34th St.
HARVEST THYME CAFÉ
UNIVERSITY AVENUE
CHEVRON INC.
HENRY, JAMES RICHARD
Mobile Only
HOOK FISH & CHICKEN “FISH
PLACE”
1340 E. University Ave.
INKONOMICS
FICTITIOUS NAMES
1ST CARE CLEANING SERVICE
2525 NE 19th Dr.
Gainesville
4122 NW 6th St.
ARROW’S AIM RECORDS
JAUNDZEIKARE, ZANE
101 N. Main St.
Gainesville
Mobile Only
PO Box 357876
Gainesville
2902 NE 13th Dr.
Gainesville
Mobile Only
4725 NW 30th St.
3102 SW 34th St.
HUNGRY GATOR RESTAURANT
AND BAR
JB TRANSPORT
2525 NE 19th Drive
DIVERSIFIED RECREATIONAL
CONCEPTS, INC. DBA CYCLE
THERAPY
4804 NW 119 St.
Gainesville
4613 NW 6th St., Suite 6
Gainesville
KANE, MATTHEW A
1ST CARE CLEANING SERVICE
ATLAS ELECTRIC
BILL’S USED GOODS &
APPLIANCES
Mobile Only
NICHOLAS, CHRONDA
L’AMORE BRIDAL & EVENT
PLANNING
Address: 2135 NW 40th Terrace,
Lessor: Alarion Bank
List Agent: David Ferro
LLC
Sell Agent: Larry Taylor
LLC
KANE, CINDY S
1609 S. Main St.
CORNER
COMMERCIAL LEASES
JONES, EDWARD JR.
Mobile Only
COLLIER COMPANIES
CONSTRUCTION, INC.
220 N. Main St.
Gainesville
3224 NW 13th St.
Gainesville
MONSTER CREATURES
1803 SW 43rd Ave.
Gainesville
MOTHERS TOUCH CLEANING
SERVICES
COMMUNITY WASTE
SERVICES
2007 SW 69th Dr.
Gainesville
1609 NW 29th Rd.
Gainesville
NEW LOOK AUTOMOTIVE
CORNERSTONE REALTY AND
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
2137 NE 7th Pl.
Gainesville
4510 NW 6th Pl.
Gainesville
NORTH FLORIDA JUDGMENT
RECOVERY
COUNTRY FOODLY
PO Box 5095
Gainesville
4445 SW 35th Terr. #460
Gainesville
DENNIS FISCHER CARPET
CLEANING
1707 SW Williston Rd.
Gainesville
ROSE GARDEN CHINESE
RESTAURANT
15530 NW US Highway 441,
Suite 10050
Alachua
ROYAL TOUCH
FEMALE PROTECTIVE
SOCIETY LODGE #4
5915 NW 33rd St.
Gainesville
717 SW 143rd St.
Newberry
RUNNING HORSE EXPRESS
GAINESVILLE ANIMAL
HOSPITAL WEST
Gainesville
3604 NW 170TH ST.
NEWBERRY
SALVATORE AMBROSINO
PO Box 1574
Newberry
GAINESVILLE ANIMAL
HOSPITAL
SHAH MEDICAL CLINIC
Gainesville
1103 NW 13th St.
Gainesville
GAINESVILLE HOME DIALYSIS
SHAKTI RIOS
Gainesville
5021 NW 34th St.
Gainesville
GARDENING BY KIM
SHEA’S GLASS
17200 SW 134th Lane
Archer
1313 NW 4th Pl.
Gainesville
GATOR CONVENIENCE
SHEILA SHINE CLEANING
SERVICE
3550 SW 34th St.., #H
Gainesville
GATOR SPIRITS & FINE WINES
Newberry
GLOBALHR RESEARCH OF
CENTRAL FLORIDA
8831 SW 92nd Lane
Gainesville
4 SE 26th St.
Gainesville
TASTY GATOR
PO Box 142277
Gainesville
TROPICAL SNO – HAWAIIAN
SHAVE ICE
10025 SW 135th St.
Archer
HATCHER AND WEBER
DENTISTRY
WEB FLECK
2845 NW 41st St.
Gainesville
7809 SW 49th Pl.
Gainesville
Huaxing Szechuan, Inc.
D/B/A name: Lucky Joker
Internet Cafe
407 NE 23rd Ave.
30
The Business Report
OCTOBER 2012
CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER 25, TUESDAY
Gainesville Chamber of
Commerce, Connect Me
City College, 4pm
SEPTEMBER 26,
WEDNESDAY
Gainesville Area Innovation
Network
Startup Weekend Gainesville
Santa Fe CIED, 5pm
OCTOBER 15, MONDAY
Gainesville Area Innovation
Network
Monthly Luncheon Speaker Series
Carrabba’s Italian Grill, 11:30am
GAINESVILLE AREA
NETWORKING GROUP
2nd Annual Investor Business
Pitch Shootout
Harn Museum of Art, 12:30pm
SEPTEMBER 27, THURSDAY
OCTOBER 25, WEDNESDAY
Commerce
Chamber After Hours
Hilton UF Conference Center,
5:30pm
Commerce
Chamber After Hours
Gatorland Toyota, 5:30pm
SEPTEMBER 28, FRIDAY
Commerce
Connect Me
Gateway Bank, 4pm
Commerce
Deadline for Business of the Year
Applications
OCTOBER 30, MONDAY
Regular Meetings
NEWBERRY AREA PROFESSIONALS
NEWBERRY MUNICIPAL BUILDING
Every Tuesday, noon
KIWANIS CLUB OF UNIVERSITY CITY
UF Hilton
Every Tuesday, noon
GAINESVILLE AREA NETWORKING
GROUP
Northwest Grille,
Second and Fourth Wednesdays of every month,
11:30am
KIWANIS CLUB OF GAINESVILLE
Paramount Plaza Hotel and Suites
Every Wednesday, noon
SUNRISE ROTARY
UF Hilton Conference Center
Every Thursday, 7am
BREAKFAST CLUB OF GAINESVILLE
UF Hilton Conference Center
Every other Friday, 7am
ROTARY CLUB OF GAINESVILLE
Paramount Resort and Conference Center
Every Tuesday, noon
GREATER GAINESVILLE ROTARY CLUB
Napolatano’s
Every Monday, noon
USGBC HEART OF FLORIDA CHAPTER
Green Caffeine
Volta Coffee, Tea and Chocolate, First and Third
Wednesday Monthly, 8pm
ROTARY CLUB OF DOWNTOWN
GAINESVILLE
Jolie, 6 W. University Ave.
Every Wednesday, noon
GAINESVILLE AREA WOMEN’S
NETWORK
Sweetwater Branch Inn
Third Wednesday of every month, 11:30am
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS
Ayers Plaza
Second Tuesday of every month,
5:30 pm
THE GAINESVILLE BOOKKEEPERS
ASSOCIATION
Third Wednesday every month
Times may vary, see gainesvillebookkeepersassociation.com
31
Mike Ryals has been involved in commercial real estate in Gainesville for
over 25 years. He has vast experience and expertise within Gainesville,
Alachua and the surrounding areas. Whether you are looking to sell,
buy, or lease commercial real estate in or around the Gainesville area,
Mike can help you. He has handled hundreds of millions in transactions
over the last decade and worked with many national and local firms. So
whether you are looking to invest, sell or lease, give Mike a call.
Sa
441 Alachua
4,500 SF
$195,000
4 Acres
Sa
Jonesville
NE 23rd Ave.
$200,000
.5 Acres Park Avenue Office Park
Coming Soon!
The Courtyards Redevelopment and Retail Project.
1231 SW 3rd Avenue
26,000 SF of prime retail and/or restaurant space at
the front door to the University of Florida.
Sold
Sold
Pe
Office Lot
FoR Sale
FoR Sale
new
liStingS
Office Lot
le
Ker’s Wing House Coming Soon
2,100 SF US 441/NW 53rd Ave.
5,482 SF
Class A Office
$15/SF
17,000 SF
Williston Road
PriCed to Sell!
Archer Road
Development Opportunity
FoR Sale
108 Acres
Pe
ng
i
nd
FoR leaSe
ng
i
nd
le
Waffle House Coming Soon
Former YMCA
$650,000
Sold
108 Acres
Sold
Recent SaleS
and/or
leaSeS
LLC
Call for Details
12.5 Acres
SW 24th Avenue
arCher/ 34th
Brytan Development
SW Archer Road
Commercial Sites
Office/Retail
Investment Opportunity
10,000+ SF
Multi-tenant Retail Building
all or Part
$2,650,000
nW reStaurant
With drive thru
39 nW 39th avenue
Call for lease rates and/or broChure.
3,215 SF + Patio
Commercial Lots
.5 to 3.45 Acres Adjacent to...
O’Reilly Auto & Dollar General
nW 39th ave.
$1,000,000
all or Part
Call for PriCing

2012-10 - The Business Report of North Central Florida

Transcription

Similar documents

Gainesville 3D Campus Map

Saundry 50,000 SF Warehouse - Bosshardt Commercial Realty

RANDY AND FRIENDS, INC.

what people are saying - University Press of Florida

Energy Management, Inc.

bevill state webct

John Moran`s Collection – Now has a permanent home at SunState