Biofuel predictions for 2010

Thanks to Biofuels Digest.

CES Anyone?

Plans to attend CES Jan. 7-10? Please share.

Ready for Rio

    Enterprise Florida is expanding its help for Florida companies looking to do business in Brazil and may soon offer money to manufacturers and exporters based here while working to convince Gov.-elect Rick Scott to lead a mission there next fall.
    The effort "will include road shows" in Florida to promote the state to international customers and in Brazil to promote it abroad, said Manny Mencia, senior vice president for international trade and business for the state's economic development agency, and "a more proactive effort to get Florida companies to participate in US-certified trade shows in Brazil."
    He couldn't say how much the agency will contribute to those grants, or how more much it will spend on promoting doing business with Florida.
    Florida now has the largest pavilion at Hospitalar, a healthcare supply show held annually in São Paulo that in 2010 attracted 90,000 attendees from 41 countries, according to its website.
    Enterprise Florida has also run two export missions to Brazil and hopes for another to be led by Scott in fall 2011.
     http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/101230/story3.shtml

Gaylord to host Enterprise Connect

   Enterprise Connect, formerly VoiceCon, produced by UBM TechWeb, today announced keynote speakers and new conference programs for Enterprise Connect Orlando 2011. Enterprise Connect will be held February 28 - March 3 at the Gaylord Palms Hotel and covers the full range of platforms, services and applications that comprise modern communications and collaboration systems. Registration is now open at http://www.enterpriseconnect.com/orlando/.
   The keynote lineup reflects the changing market landscape in enterprise communications and collaboration, comprising top executives from companies with a long history of market leadership as well as relative new-comers who have achieved more recent success. The keynoters are:

• Avaya's Kevin Kennedy, President & CEO
• Cisco's Barry O'Sullivan, SVP Voice Technology Group
• HP's Arthur Filip, VP and GM, Technology Service Consulting, Enterprise Business
• Microsoft's Gurdeep Singh Pall, Corporate VP, Unified Communications Group
• Skype's David Gurle, General Manager and Vice President, Skype Enterprise

   Full release here.

Gov. Crist appoints 2 to Enterprise Florida Board

   Out with the old in with the new:
   Outgoing Gov. Charlie Crist appoints 2 to the Board of Directors of Enterprise Florida Inc. (Senate confirmation required).
    Scott Peelan, 52, of Winter Park, managing partner, Moreno Peelan Ruggie Pinto Clark LLC, succeeding Henry Rodriguez, appointed for a term beginning December 28, 2010, and ending July 11, 2014.
    Thomas “Marty” Fiorentino, 51, of Ponte Vedra Beach, president, The Fiorentino Group, succeeding Allan Bense, appointed for a term beginning December 28, 2010, and ending July 11, 2014.

Putnam staff appointments announced

Commissioner-Elect Adam Putnam announced staff appointments for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Mike Joyner joins Putnam’s team as Assistant Commissioner and Chief of Staff with Marion Aller, Shannon Shepp and Jay Levenstein as Deputy Commissioners. Link here.

HSR=Jobs, Dollars

   When high-speed trains got axed in Wisconsin, Talgo Inc., the Spanish manufacturer of high-speed train cars, announced plans to abandon its plant in Milwaukee in 2012, according to Nora Friend, a spokeswoman for the company.
   The decision was made after U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced Thursday that the federal government was rescinding the $810 million allocated to Wisconsin.
    'Nuff said?
    Of more import. Where will they go?

UCF's Snaith: Economy turns corner in 2011

    A leading Florida economist sees the Sunshine State turning a corner in 2011, with a weak recovery gaining steam and the downturn left behind as a painful — albeit lingering — memory, the Miami Herald reports.

    “From this point on, things are just going to get better,” said Sean Snaith, a University of Central Florida economist. On Tuesday, he issued an economic forecast for South Florida that predicts stronger growth in personal income and employment than he predicted just three months ago. “The bottom has been touched.”

    A crafter of economic sound bites -- in the spring he issued a press release comparing Florida's anemic recovery to the Foghat hit, Slow Ride -- Snaith's sunnier tone captures a broader mood shift.

3 posts for the price of one

From the Orlando Sentinel.
    The U.S. Small Business Administration has officially rolled out its revamped website, with improved navigation and new features. SBA also announced this month two new funding initiatives aimed at increasing the number of lower-dollar SBA loans going to entrepreneurs in underserved communities. The Small Loan Advantage and Community Advantage programs each include a streamlined application process for SBA-guaranteed 7(a) loans of as much as $250,000. Such loans can be used as working capital or to buy equipment or real estate.
    And now for something entirely different....
    Tom O'Neal, founder and executive director of UCF's Business Incubation Program, presented a paper on fueling entrepreneurship to the Technology Transfer Society at George Washington University in Washington. O'Neal shared a paper on entrepreneurial ecosystems that focused on the network of support enterprises that benefit clients of incubation efforts.
   Japanese firm partners with local researchers to fight obesity

   Officials at Orlando's Sanford-Burnham Research Institute and Florida Hospital on Monday announced a major partnership with Asia's largest pharmaceutical company — an alliance that will explore new ways to treat obesity. Story link here.

Harvard To Study Clusters for EDA

The Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School has been selected by the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration to lead the Cluster Mapping Project for the United States. The project aims to provide policymakers and development practitioners across America with rich data and tools for understanding industry clusters in every region of the country, together with tool kits and case studies to assist in formulating economic development strategies. In addition, the project will develop a directory of active cluster initiatives throughout the country.

How Will Changing U.S. Logistics and Cargo Movement Patterns Impact Economic Development?

A significant evolution in global logistics is taking place, which can be an economic development advantage or a liability for communities. To assess the potential impact, it's important first to understand trends and factors affecting freight transportation today. More at IEDC site here.

New Name for Valencia

Valencia Community College’s District Board of Trustees approved changing theschool’s name to Valencia College to more accurately reflect its mission and program mix, including the addition of bachelor’s degrees in 2011. The name change will take effect July 1, 2011. Valencia ranks first among the nation's 1,200 two-year institutions for the total number of associate's degrees awarded. Valencia ranks second in the number of degrees awarded to Hispanics and eighth in the number of degrees awarded to African Americans.

ORMC Plans $50 Million Expansion

     Osceola Regional Medical Center has announced a $50 million expansion that includes a new patient services tower. When complete, the tower will house an additional 64 state-of-the-art private rooms.Currently in the design phase, construction is expected to begin the summer of 2011 and to be completed by the first quarter of 2013. Osceola Regional anticipates spending nearly $6 million on technology and medical equipment to outfit the tower. The expansion will also create about 125 new jobs. Click here to read the entire release.

Kissimmee firm reaches deal with Caribbean Cinemas

   Golden Brothers Studios, a Kissimmee-based film production studio, has reached a distribution deal with Caribbean Cinemas Management Inc. in San Juan and plans to start production of its newest project, 365 Decision Time, in mid-February.
   Ariel Santiago, a principal of the firm, said Golden Brothers Studios specializes in feature-length films and TV productions that convey an uplifting message and positive role models. 365 Decision Time is currently the pre-production.
   Golden Brothers Studios is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program located at the Kissimmee City Centre.
   Golden Brothers Studios was founded by three professionals with more than 50 years of combined experience in the audiovisual and multimedia medium.

Yallaly Company in St. Cloud Launches Web Site

     Yallaly Company, which provides Professional Engineering services to rural Florida utility systems, has launched its own web sites at http://www.yallaly.com/.
     James Gary Yallaly, P.E., principal engineer for Yallaly Company, said his firm provides specialized engineering services to rural Florida cities, counties and regions to improve water, waste water, reclaimed water, storm water and solid waste utility systems. 

da Vinci arrives at ORMC

   Osceola Regional Medical Center performed its first robot assisted laparoscopic surgery last month. The surgery was performed by Dr. Richard Real, an Obstetrician/Gynecologist using the da Vinci® Surgical System.
    The new technology provides surgeons superior 3D visualization, improved dexterity, and increased precision for optimal performance of certain types of minimally invasive surgery, including gynecology and the treatment of gynecologic cancer. Among the benefits of this technology are less pain, blood loss, and scarring than conventional open surgery. In addition, reduced instances of infection, shorter hospital stays, faster recovery times, and quicker return to normal activities have also been reported.
    The new technology is part of Osceola Regional Medical Center’s ongoing commitment to providing the highest quality of care to the community.

ORMC Expansion complete

   Central Florida & Vascular Institute of Osceola Regional Medical Center announced  the completion of its new expansion project. The new Cardiac and Vascular Unit which includes the addition of a new floor to their cardiac tower will be a dedicated unit for cardiac and vascular patients.

   The state of the art and modern design of the Cardiac & Vascular Unit will add 22 private patient rooms, including a VIP Cardiovascular Room, for a total of 82 beds to the cardiovascular program. 

    An investment of $10 million is estimated on the project which began early 2010. 

    “We are excited to show off our new Cardiac and Vascular Unit to our patients, physicians and visitors.  Our priority is to continue to meet the demands of our growing population and provide the highest quality cardiovascular care,”  said Kathryn Gillette, Chief Executive Officer at Osceola Regional Medical Center. 

Florida DOE awards $2.3 million to Osceola

   The Florida Department of Education has awarded the Osceola School District $2,339,632 in 2010/2011 federal funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). The total includes continuation grants for existing local Cohorts III, IV, V, and VI.
   The 21st CCLC Program targets low-income families and students, low-performing schools, and schools designated as in need of improvement under Title I. The program purpose is to provide safe environments during non-school hours for students, as they participate in academic and personal enrichment opportunities and other activities that complement the regular academic curriculum.
   The program also engages adult family members of actively participating students through educational and personal development opportunities. Centers provide a range of high-quality services to support student learning and development, including: tutoring and mentoring, academic enrichment (e.g., homework assistance, reading, math, science, and technology programs), service learning, character education, physical education/recreational activities, and dropout prevention.

Impact Fee waiver approved for February

    Osceola County Commissioners hope to spark commercial development by waiving commercial transportation impact fees for year starting in February.
    Commissioners approved the concept by a 5-0 vote Monday in hopes that millions in savings will jump start the sagging economy and entice builders to develop properties.
    They must implement the measure by ordinance. The item is planned for action in January.
    County officials hope forgoing the fee revenue will bring more commercial development into the area.
    The impact fees pay for growth-related road projects.
    Ultimately, the county plans a comprehensive review of the impact fee program.
    The county’s impact fee moratorium only includes transportation impact fees and does not apply to other types of impact fees – such as those charged for parks, water and schools.
    The move will give builders noticeable cost savings on commercial construction and level the playing field on competitive economic development projects.

OIA on the upswing

   Upward momentum is accelerating at Orlando International Airport, where the number of airline passengers was up nearly 8 percent in October compared with the same month last year, according to this report.
   The monthly improvement in airline traffic was the sixth in a row for OIA, following two years of mostly declining passenger counts. The airport recorded 2.88 million passengers either coming or going in October, compared with 2.67 million in October 2009 — a 7.9 percent increase.
   Both domestic and international traffic showed robust growth in October: the number of domestic passengers rose 7.7 percent, while international traffic (a much smaller share of the total) was up 10.3 percent.

Rail money comes to Florida.

    The last piece of funding for a high-speed train linking Orlando and Tampa came through Thursday, after the White House sent to Florida $342 million from two states that rejected federal rail grants, reports the Orlando Sentinel's Dan Tracy.
    The award means the $2.7 billion project essentially is paid for, with almost 90 percent coming from the federal government and the remainder pledged in installments by the state.
     Eight teams of companies have indicated they would compete to design, build and run the 84-mile system, which would run largely along the median of Interstate 4. Construction could begin in late 2012, with the first trains rolling in 2015.
     The last potential roadblock is Florida's Gov.-elect Rick Scott, who has been noncommittal about the train.
     "I'm pleased that the federal government recognizes that sound infrastructure is key to Florida's economic growth,'' a statement from Scott's transition office said. "I look forward to reviewing the feasibility of this project in terms of return to Florida's taxpayers. I'm also interested in understanding the private sector's interest in funding this infrastructure project."

Biofuels Conference in Washington

    'The Year of Decisions'
    Administration officials from USDA, DOE and EPA, plus military and aviation fuel buyers will join the biofuels' feedstock and processing technology leadership in DC this April at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference.
    350 attendees are expected at the event, which last year drew CEOs representing 70 percent of announced worldwide advanced biofuels capacity.

    Four of the top 5 CEOs in the 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy are among the headliners at ABLC. April 19-21, 2010, at the Capital Hilton, in Washington DC.
     Early bird rates - $200 off the regular conference rate - are available for early registrants attending the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference.

    Full conference info and registration here.

Channel Intelligence Report on Xmas Season

Check out the video from CI's Alan Fulmer here. The company headquarters is in Celebration.

Additional Funds for High Speed Rail

Federal officials announced Thursday they are awarding Florida an additional $342 million for the $2.6 billion high-speed rail project.

Registration is now open for Manufacturing Days at the Capital 2011. The event is Monday, January 24-Tuesday, January 25, 2011 in Tallahassee, FL. On January 24 a briefing will be held at the TCC Advanced Manufacturing Training Center and a reception will be held at the Doubletree Hotel in downtown Tallahassee; on January 25 participants will make visits to legislators at the Capitol Building.
You may register online at www.mafmfg.com by going to the Calendar page. You may also sign up to sponsor the event online. The registration form, sponsor form, and agenda may be downloaded from the Calendar page, if you prefer.
We look forward to seeing you at this popular event for manufacturers in Florida!

Public Meeting for Lake Toho Hydrilla Control

    Anyone interested in learning more about the recent hydrilla control on Lake Toho should plan to attend a public meeting in Kissimmee on Tuesday, Dec. 14 from 7:15-8 p.m. at the Osceola County Commission Chambers in the Administrative Building at 1 Courthouse Square.
    Staff from the FWC will present information on the recent hydrilla herbicide applications, their results and plans regarding the adaptive approach to hydrilla control on Lake Toho for the upcoming winter and spring.

ESPN and Full Sail join forces

    Full Sail University announced the latest addition to its campus: the Full Sail University Sports Lab powered by ESPN. This new project – created under the guidance and direction of ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports – will allow select students the opportunity to create sports-based content and intellectual property, while also helping to develop new technologies alongside accomplished ESPN professionals.
   The project-based research and development center will serve as an on-campus hub for students, faculty, and ESPN employees to produce content and technologies that can be used across ESPN's properties, including its websites, television programs, mobile applications, and more. 
    The opening of the Sports Lab was announced during the same week as the announcement of Full Sail’s new Sports Marketing & Media Bachelor of Science online degree program. This program, scheduled to enroll its first class in February 2011, was designed specifically to teach students how the principles of marketing and the fundamentals of content creation can be applied to the sports industry.

Day at the Capital for manufacturers

Recovery will take time

Florida's recovery from the worst economic downturn since the 1930s is going to take a little longer than previously expected, but it is coming, a panel of economists said Monday in this report from the News Service of Florida.

EZ Does It

Check out the latest news from the Kissimmee/Osceola County Enterprise Zone.

Small Business Saturday

   Here are the top five reasons to support a small business on Small Business Saturday:
   Thanks to Barbara Wold for sharing. Pass these five reasons around your community --
  1. Buying local creates jobs: As the old saying goes, everyone talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. Well, the same could be said for jobs. Congress just changed hands mainly because of jobs, and President Obama’s job is in trouble because of jobs. We all want more jobs, but no one seems to be able to create them.

J. Herbert Corp at IAAP trade show

   Shawn Bray, who was staffing a booth  at this year's International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions trade show for J. Herbert Corp. of Kissimmee, told the Orlando Sentinel he had picked up about three-dozen business leads. And because his company sells less-than-glamorous products — hoists, cranes and lift tables — he considered the business' debut at the amusement-industry show a success.
   "This helps us to spread out and branch out, a more international type of marketing for us," he said.

Caamano heads Kissimmee Incubator

    The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program has appointed Rafael Caamano site manager at the UCF Business Incubator in Kissimmee. Caamano has more than three years of experience in business incubation management as program coordinator at the UCF Business Incubator in Winter Springs. He also serves currently as interim point of contact at the Business Incubator in Sanford.
    UCF, Osceola County and Kissimmee city officials recently opened the UCF Business Incubator in the City Centre Business Building on East Monument Avenue in Kissimmee. The 8,000-square-foot facility has offices and administrative space to accommodate 20 startup enterprises selected to join the UCF Business Incubation program.
     Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 140 emerging companies — including 90 current clients — create more than $800 million in annual revenue and more than 1,600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With eight facilities across the greater Orlando area, the program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the city of Orlando, Seminole County, the city of Winter Springs, the city of Sanford, Lake County, the city of Leesburg, Osceola County, the city of Kissimmee, the city of St. Cloud and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.
      See more here.

New pictures from Economic Development Events

More photos here.

Kissimmee Impact Fees To Drop 27 Percent

This story from WFTV:   Impact fees were so high in Kissimmee that some businesses couldn't afford to expand. Now, the city has agreed to drop impact fees by 27 percent. The Kissimmee City Commission hopes passing an amendment that lowers transportation impact fees by 27 percent will businesses out. A 10,000-square-foot building had to pay $192,130 in transportation impact fees. With the reduction, that would be cut to $140,000 in Kissimmee.

Florida – A Leading Cleantech State

   Cool information from Enterprise Florida and Greentech Media:
   Florida is on the leading edge of cleantech innovation:
   • Ranks #3 in cleantech businesses
   • Home to the largest solar photovoltaic plant in the nation
   • Possesses the most advanced 3rd generation biofuel technology
   The Florida Cleantech Market Brief provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in Florida. Explore Florida's cleantech assets and business advantages, areas of excellence, maps, R&D centers and leading companies and institutions.
    Click here to download the brief.

Nemours teams with Harmony Institute

    Nemours, one of the nation's largest children's health systems, has announces a community partnership between Nemours and The Harmony Institute to study the significant impact that nature, in the form of therapeutic gardens and animals, can have on children's health, wellness and the overall healing process.
     "We are very pleased to begin this evidence-based scientific work studying the impact that nature can have on children's health," stated Dr. David Bailey, president and chief executive officer for Nemours. "Our work with Harmony defines the type of innovative thinking and work that our new free standing children's hospital and health care campus will bring to Central Florida. This partnership allows us to more broadly explore the true meaning of integrated care for children with long term and complex illnesses."
     Martha Lentz, The Harmony Institute founder and president said, "The Harmony Institute is extremely gratified to have established this working relationship with Nemours. We look forward to improving the quality of health care for children in Central Florida and beyond by demonstrating the values of human-animal-nature interactions as part of their whole recovery."
     Full release here. More after the break.

HSR Links and Updates

   From the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Rail Enterprise:
   More than 1,800 business leaders, economic development organizations, national and international companies, representatives from the media as well as federal, state and local leaders were in attendance at the forum last week. The overall attendee feeling was one of enthusiasm and excitement for the high speed rail project.
   Forum Presentations: http://www.floridahighspeedrail.org/nov-2010-forum-docs/
   Proposed Bid Teams list: http://www.floridahighspeedrail.org/storage/interested-firms/FLHSR_bidteams_Nov2010.pdf
   Registered Attendee FINAL List with contact info: http://www.floridahighspeedrail.org/storage/nov-2010-industry-forum/registered-log/FINAL_IndustryForum-PreandPostRegis.xls
   FL HSR Computer Renderings: http://www.floridahighspeedrail.org/flhsr-images/fl-hsr-computer-renderings/
    If you are looking for any other information, please try the search feature on the website http://www.floridahighspeedrail.org/search or e-mail at mailto:info@floridahighspeedrail.org

Clinic systems conference at Gaylord

eClinicalWorks®, a market leader in ambulatory clinical systems, kicked off its 2010 Users’ Conference at The Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center with more than 2,500 attendees and 132 presentations and training sessions. The conference brought together users of eClinicalWorks software for training and networking.

Council on Aging gets grant from TD Bank

TD Bank’s charitable giving arm awarded the Osceola County Council on Aging Inc. a $25,000 grant to support affordable housing initiatives. More here.

Tupperware design insight

Check out this Q&A with Tupperware's Susan Perkins, Vice President - Global Design. Loyalty can be achieved if you care about the people who buy your products and strive to make their life a little bit easier, says Perkins. Products that are relevant, serviceable and lasting are able to cross borders, but to ensure global success, cultural awareness needs to be injected into the product design process. The recipient of the 2009 Design Team of the Year Award and a speaker at the marcus evans Industrial Design Summit 2010, taking place in Cannes, France, 22 - 24 November, Perkins shares her vision of culturally sensitive and diverse teams who create products that serve a purpose, have an emotional impact on people and create brand loyalty.

HBIF Spanish Seminar

HBIF has partnered with CredAbility to bring you a Spanish language seminar about personal credit that will take place on Tuesday, November 9, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. In this seminar, you will learn to understand your credit report, how to manage your finances and reach your goals, and how to pay off your bills effectively to be debt free.
Due to the high demand and limited space available, reservations are required. You can register at www.HBIFFlorida.org or by phone at 407-428-5872. Thank you for your interest in the HBIF seminars!
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
El martes, 9 de noviembre, HBIF en colaboración con CredAbility presentará un seminario sobre cómo mejorar y entender su crédito. El seminario se llevara a cabo de 2pm a 4pm en el Disney Entrepreneur Center. Durante el seminario usted aprenderá a entender su reporte de crédito, cómo manejar su dinero y alcanzar sus metas, y cómo eliminar sus deudas.

Debido a la alta demanda de este seminario, es necesario reservar su cupo. Puede reservar su puesto en nuestra página Web, www.HBIFFlorida.org, o puede comunicarse con nosotros al 407-428-5872. Gracias por su interés en los seminarios del HBIF.

Live Webcast on Mitral Valve Replacement today

The Central Florida Cardiac & Vascular Institute of Osceola Regional Medical Center is pleased to announced a live webcast event on Reconstructive Mitral Valve Surgery on Thursday, November 4, 2010 at 9:00 pm (EST) and 8:00 pm (CET) Central European Time.  The interactive live webcast will be presented by Sorin Heart Valves and hosted by Dr. Vinay Badhwar, MD, Cardiovascular Surgeon at Central Florida Cardiac & Vascular Institute and Dr. David Bach, MD from University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center.  Viewers can access the live broadcast on ORlive at www.OsceolaRegional.com . 

Florida Opportunity Fund

Have you heard about the Florida Opportunity Fund? The Florida Opportunity Fund recently made a commitment of $3 million to 5AM Ventures II, a bioscience venture capital fund that recently completed an investment with a life sciences startup company in South Florida, according to TechJournal South. The Fund has announced five investments from the State's $29.5 million fund. Fund managers have been on an aggressive schedule since 2009 to make commitments that will attract more venture dollars to the State.

FDA Inspections Summit coming

Fifth Annual FDA Inspections Summit, Nov. 3–5, 2010, Bethesda, MD. This year, it's more important than ever to clearly understand the FDA's expectations for inspections. With a record-setting budget, more new inspectors than ever before, and a clear mandate to be more proactive, the FDA is changing the rules, as well as how it operates.Click here for more information. 

Nothing but links.

NAIOP's Development '10 starts today at the Peabody.Big things in solar.
How to get biofuel moving.
Advanced Biofuels Mark Nov. 9-10 in San Francisco

www.kissimmeechamber.com

The 2010 SEBIO Investor Forum is only 7 DAYS AWAY! 

Siemens displays HSR tech at Orange County Convention Center Nov. 8-9.

World's biggest solar plant

Solar Millennium’s 1,000 MW Blythe plant checks the final box in its permitting checklist.  Still waiting on the federal Loan Guarantee, some hefty equity investors—and then it’s shovel time, Greentech Media reports. Solar Millennium LLC's Blythe concentrating solar project secured a Final 'Record of Decision' from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approving the plant's Right-of-Way Grant. Read more here. And here's a link to other CSP projects in the U.S.

3D Tech Talk

   Consumer electronics leader Panasonic and media analyst Paul Kagan announced today the program for 3D MEDIA MARKETS, the conference that analyzes the business structure and future prospects for the new 3D media industries is meeting next week at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria.
   Headliners include interviews with leaders in motion picture content, distribution and technology, and panels on 3D exhibition venues covering: the cinema, TV, videogames, mobile and internet networks and advertising.
   Among those participating with Osceola ties: Michael Lewis (CEO RealD, glasses are made here) and Anthony Bailey (VP/Emerging Tech, ESPN, Wide World of Sports is testing site for much of network's 3D tech).
   ReadD is the largest theatrical 3D provider in the world. Lewis is a veteran producer of advanced 3D programming and innovative financing for 3D ventures. RealD now has 3D screens in 17 of the world’s 18 largest theatre circuits.
   Jeffery Katzenberg - CEO, DreamWorks Animation - is also scheduled to appear.
   See the full release here.

Bruno White Foods sparks culinary excitement

   Yummy Creme Brulee without a torch. Kissimmee’s Bruno White Foods started selling Cookal with Elle & Vire dessert bases 1 year ago and now offers a retail sales option as well. In the company's  first year, they have sold over 50,000 liters of dessert bases which make over 550,000 individual desserts. In addition to this they have caramelized over 450,000 Crème Brulee’s with Cookal.
   The company has also launched Coconut flavor Cookal, and is testing 3 new products from Elle & Vire, including Tiramisu. A new product is schedule for launch in January.
    BWF Sales Director Christian Nicholson says that chefs who have opened their minds are now regular users of both products and are using their creative skills to explore the possibilities of how the products can be used. Those that have embraced the products are now using them on a regular basis and can’t live without them in their kitchen, Nicholson says.

$8.3 million grant for Health Department

    The Osceola County Health Department has been awarded a Facility Improvement Project grant totaling $8.3 million. As a result of this grant from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Osceola CHD will expand facilities at two of its Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in Kissimmee and St. Cloud; and construct a new two-story building in Poinciana, which has been operating out of modular units since 2005.
   "We are excited about the grant award we have received" stated administrator Belinda Johnson-Cornett. "It will enable us to expand primary care services and provide a medical home to more of the uninsured and others in our county who are in need of medical care. Osceola County Health Department's FQHCs are a major safety net provider within Osceola County. Without our services many would go without healthcare. We are looking forward to working with the county and other community stakeholders to ensure this project is successfully implemented."
    According to the American Community Survey compiled by the Census Bureau, Florida ranks fourth in the nation with 20.9% uninsured. The Orlando-Kissimmee metro area exceeds both the state and the nation, with 21.2% uninsured. Additionally, Osceola County experienced the greatest increase in poverty among children of any Central Florida county, increasing over 6% from 2008 to 2009.
    The Capital Development program grants, administered by HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will support major construction and renovation at 143 community health centers nationwide over the next five years.

St. Cloud Incubator gets some Ink

Here's a story from the Orlando Business Journal about Osceola County's first incubator. A second is scheduled to open next month. Both are operating in a partnership with UCF, the county and the cities of St. Cloud and Kissimmee. http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2010/09/27/story10.html?b=1285560000^3994551

Incentive money helps keep film business in Central Florida

VIA the Orlando Sentinel: Visit the set of any film being shot in and around Orlando and you're likely to see Michael Finn. A veteran assistant director, he has been on local productions from "The Waterboy" in 1998 to "The Final Destination" in 2009. It's finding work here that's always a problem. So Finn often ends up traveling to Tennessee or Michigan, California or Utah, "where the work is." But these days Finn is back in Central Florida working on a local project, thanks in part to the Florida Legislature's approval of $53.5 million to fund film-business incentive credits this year. That's more than double the amount of previous incentives and will total $242 million during the next five years. Full story here.

Florida business tax amnesty deadline Thursday

   Businesses are rushing to pay overdue taxes without penalty before Florida's tax amnesty period ends Thursday, reports the Bradenton Herald. Bunesses are coming forward in a hurry to pay their overdue taxes without penalty and at a reduced interest payment. Florida's tax amnesty program is set to expire Thursday and state officials and local tax professionals say they're seeing increased activity as a result.Renee Watters, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Revenue, says the state has collected nearly $69 million from more than 24,000 signed amnesty agreements. The state estimated it will collect $121 million, Watters said.
    The Florida Legislature in April approved House Bill 5801 to implement the state's first tax amnesty program since 2003. The program, which started July 1, applies to all taxes other than unemployment tax and lets businesses avoid paying a penalty that could be as much as a $50 per month late fee and realize some savings on their interest payments.

Gartner Symposium brings IT heavyweights to Central Florida

   The Gartner Symposium/ITxpo is the industry's largest and most strategic conference for senior IT and business professionals. More than 6,000 senior business and IT strategists will gather for the insights, tools and solutions they need to ensure that their IT initiatives are key contributors to and drivers of their enterprise's success.The 20th anniverary event is set for Oct. 17-21 at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel.
    In celebrating its 20th anniversary, some of the most influential leaders in technology will take to the Symposium/ITxpo stage to provide their perspective on the future of IT and its impact on their businesses.
   Mastermind Interview Keynotes include:

• Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO, Salesforce.com, on Tuesday, October 19
• John Chambers, chairman and CEO, Cisco Systems, on Wednesday, October 20
• Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft Corp., on Thursday, October 21     

CBRE presenting Wednesday in NYC

   CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG) announced that Gil Borok, Chief Financial Officer, will be presenting at the JMP Securities Financial Services & Real Estate Conference in New York on Wednesday, September 29, at 11 a.m. eastern time.
    A live audio webcast of the presentation will be accessible via the Investor Relations section of the Company's web site at www.cbre.com/ir. An audio replay of the webcast will be posted within 24 hours of the live event and available at this url for 90 days thereafter.
About Richard Ellis
    CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world's largest commercial real estate services firm (in terms of 2009 revenue). The Company has approximately 29,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate owners, investors and occupiers through more than 300 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CB Richard Ellis offers strategic advice and execution for property sales and leasing; corporate services; property, facilities and project management; mortgage banking; appraisal and valuation; development services; investment management; and research and consulting. Please visit our Web site at www.cbre.com.

ESPN 3D

   The Consumer Electronics Association teamed up with ESPN to show and educate consumers all that 3D TV offers in the world of sports.
   ESPN has a long history of leading in technology and sports including developing high definition sports seven years ago and is doing it again with developing content in 3D for sports. In the course of the year ESPN will have nearly a hundred events telecast in 3D including college basketball, pro basketball, college football and the X Games from Los Angeles and Aspen.
   3D TV technology, that is available to consumers in 60 million households, creates an opportunity to provide a lot of people with engaging content and will grow faster than HD TV grew. In contrast, when high definition programming first launched there was virtually no one who could see it.
    Megan Pollack of the Consumer Electronics Association and Bryan Burns from ESPN discuss the future of 3D TV and sports. See the video: http://yourupdate.tv/technology/3D_demo_days/
    To find out more about 3D TV technology you can check out digitaltips.org.

ESPN 3D strikes deals

    Disney/ABC Television Group, ESPN and Time Warner Cable have entered into a long-term, wide-ranging agreement that will provide Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks cable customers the programming of ABC Family, Disney Channel, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes, and SOAPnet, as well as WABC in New York, KABC in Los Angeles, WTVD in Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, WTVG in Toledo, and associated HD cable networks. Subscribers will also have unprecedented digital access to online content and expanded Video On Demand services.
     The addition of ESPN3.com, ESPN's live sports broadband network, which will be available to all Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks subscribers who get ESPN. ESPN3.com gives Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks fans a 24/7 online destination that delivers more than 3,500 live, global sports events annually as part of TV Everywhere. This addition also gives Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks the rights to feature cleared content from ESPN3.com on its sports tier.

Tupperware Jubilee

   Earlier this summer Osceola County-based Tupperware hosted nearly 6,000 members of the Tupperware US and Canada sales force—the largest gathering to date— for its annual Jubilee sales convention. Tupperware consultants spent threedays celebrating their accomplishments, learning about new products, participating in career-specific classes and sharing their personal Tupperware stories and successes with one another.
    Unique to this year’s Jubilee, Chef Stuart O’Keeffe (star of the Food Network’s “Private Chefs of Beverly Hills” program) and Chef Lucas Lucceti participated in cooking demonstrations featuring new Tupperware® products at the Jubilee Expo. Additionally, fashion designer and “Project Runway” season six winner, Irina Shabayeva, participated in an onstage interview to share her passion and her story of confidence. Immediately following the interview, Irina showcased several of her exclusive designs created using Tupperware materials that were originally unveiled at New York Fashion Week in February 2010.
    The event marked the 56th year that Tupperware has held its annual Jubilee event
    “Everything we do at Tupperware is for our sales force,” said Rick Goings, CEO and Chairman of Tupperware Brands Corporation. “This marks a banner year for Tupperware US and Canada with its highest record of Jubilee attendees ever, and we are proud to have a sales force that continues to evolve and expand in such leaps in bounds while maintaining such passion and drive for their business and the Brand.”

Gartner Outsourcing & Vendor Management Summit

   Neoris, a global business and IT consulting company that specializes in SAP and application outsourcing, announced its sponsorship and participation in the Gartner Outsourcing & Vendor Management Summit 2010 that was held at Gaylord Palms.
   At the event, Neoris gave a presentation on Earned Value, which helps businesses reduce risk, manage costs and streamline operations on IT outsourcing initiatives.
    Neoris’ experience and focus in SAP solutions and nearshore outsourcing has gained industry recognition in 2010. Gartner Inc. named Neoris one of the top 20 IT services providers with the highest market share in Latin America based on revenue. Neoris also was recently named to the 2010 Global Services 100 and recognized by SAP for its leadership with customers, the SAP community, and its revenue contribution across Latin America.
   About Neoris
   Neoris is a global business and IT consulting company that specializes in SAP and application outsourcing. Neoris is the largest IT consulting and systems integration company in Mexico and the second largest in Latin America. Neoris offers systems integration, custom application development, IT consulting and software deployment and support solutions. The company is a leading provider of nearshore outsourcing services through a global delivery model leveraging six worldwide software development centers. In 2009, Global Services ranked Neoris as the Best IT Service Provider in Latin America. Headquartered in Miami, Fla., Neoris has operations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.neoris.com.

A-Life Hospital exhibits at Gaylord

   A-Life Medical, Inc., the pioneer in and leading provider of computer-assisted coding (CAC) products and services for the healthcare industry and its wholly owned subsidiary, A-Life Hospital are exhibiting and demonstrating its pioneering CAC offering including its Actus® solution during leading industry trade association platform.
    Demonstrations to highlight Actus’ capabilities as well as its ICD-10 features and functionality. In addition, Mark Morsch, vice president of technology at A-Life, will present on Saturday (September 25) at 1 p.m inn the Osceola Room 4-6 at the Gaylord Palms Hotel and Convention Center on the topic of “Computer-Assisted Coding of Medicare Advantage (Part C) Hierarchical Condition Codes - A Case Study.”

Early Stage Venture Capital Conference,

   The Florida Venture Forum has selected 16 Florida companies to present at its Early Stage Venture Capital Conference, to be held at the Omni ChampionsGate on October 5. Sixteen of Florida’s best early-stage prospects for equity financing will make 10-minute presentations to an audience of venture capitalists, private equity investors, angel investors, investment bankers, financial intermediaries and entrepreneurs.
    Presenting FROM Central Florida is:
Unikey Technologies, Inc., which develops passive access control products such as residential door locks, commercial door locks, computer access, financial transactions and more. These devices are controlled by a single key, a cellular phone, with a mobile application to enable the ultimate level of convenience.

    About The Florida Venture Forum
The Florida Venture Forum is Florida’s oldest, largest and most prestigious statewide support group for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, helping emerging growth companies come together with sources of capital from across the country. Throughout the year, the Florida Venture Forum provides monthly programs on a statewide basis.

Channel Intelligence recognized

   Channel Intelligence supplies e-commerce solutions for many of North America's largest retailers, and has been named one of the top retail technology providers for 2010. The Guide to E-Commerce Technology, recently published by Internet Retailer, lists Channel Intelligence (CI) as a leading provider in the Comparison Shopping Engine Feeds category.
   Channel Intelligence manages online commerce for 30 of the Top 100 retailers in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide. Those 30 retailers represent 59 percent of the total revenue reported by the aggregated Top 100, making CI the largest provider of comparison shopping engine services in North America.
   "Our industry-leading clients include six of the Top 10 retailers on the Internet Retailer list," said Rob Wight, Channel Intelligence CEO. "Those Top 10 retailers represent almost 50 percent of the revenue reported by the entire Top 500, illustrating that a majority of the very largest players in online retailing value our solutions and entrust their considerable success to a partnership with Channel Intelligence."
   Retailers interested in learning more about CI's Managed Shopping Engine Solution can contact the company by e-mail at performancemarketing@channelintelligence.com or by phone at (321) 939-5129.

Osceola Regional expands cardiovascular research

    Osceola Regional Medical Center has signed an agreement with Sarah Cannon Research Institute, one of the largest clinical research programs in the nation, to be a major cardiovascular clinical research strategic site. The agreement will allow the Central Florida Cardiac & Vascular Institute of Osceola Regional Medical Center to expand its cardiovascular research program and offer physicians and patients the opportunity to participate in clinical trials locally.
     Osceola Regional Medical Center will initially conduct clinical trials in several different cardiovascular specialties including interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, and cardiac and vascular surgery.
     “Osceola Regional Medical Center has a stellar reputation for delivering quality and innovative cardiovascular care in multiple specialty areas,” said Steven V. Manoukian, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.S.C.A.I., director of cardiovascular research for SCRI. “Working with Osceola Regional will help SCRI reach our goal of advancing therapies for patients through our growing cardiovascular clinical research network.”
    “Because of our agreement with SCRI, our patients will have access to the latest advancements in cardiovascular disease therapy,” said Brian Marger, F.A.C.H.E., chief operating officer at Osceola Regional Medical Center. “We look forward to expanding our cardiovascular research through clinical trials, which means we can offer our patients additional cutting-edge treatment options for many conditions.”
      As part of the agreement, SCRI will help manage quality assurance and regulatory compliance as well as provide information technology capabilities and support. In addition, the staff will have access to SCRI’s physician experts and clinical research team.

The 2010 Hot Concepts! Awards will be presented during Nation's Restaurant News' 51st Annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators Conference at the Gaylord Palms Resort  from October 3-5, 2010. Pizza Fusion, the all-natural and eco-friendly restaurant franchise has been selected as one of Nation’s Restaurant News Hot Concepts of 2010. The rapidly growing franchise is continuing its expansion on a two-pronged front. First is by raising equity financing for a corporate store expansion program and secondly through aggressive area developer, multi-unit operator and franchising opportunities

New Tradeshow for Environmental Management Slated for Gaylord

    Waste & Recycling News, the leading news source for environmental management, is launching a new world-class business conference. The 2011 Corporate Recycling & Waste Conference (CRWC) is scheduled for Sept. 27-29, 2011, at the Gaylord Palms Resort. 

    The Corporate Recycling & Waste Conference will feature speakers from general businesses, the environmental management sector and government.The conference focuses on how business executives can advance their organizations’ sustainability issues while controlling expenses and maximizing profits.
      The Corporate Recycling & Waste Conference will bring together environmental executives from Fortune 1000 firms, procurement managers, sustainability officers, business owners, policymakers, commodity managers, waste handlers, recyclers, equipment manufacturers, operations managers at recycling and waste facilities, regulators, packaging experts, attorneys, consultants, educators and advocates.

Florida ranked 3rd in Cleantech Businesses

Florida is on the leading edge of cleantech innovation. Check out the new Florida Cleantech Market brief here.

Amateur Sports Capital

Based on a variety of events, Osceola County is the Amateur Sports Capital of the World. "Youth sports in general is one of the fastest growing industries around and softball in particular is growing worldwide,” says Pete Rodriguez, sports facility manager of Osceola County. “We’ve made it our goal to create the best facilities around to serve that industry.” Read more.

FCA Convention comes to Kissimmee

    The Florida Chiropractic Association's National Convention and Expo starts Thursday in Kissimmee at Gaylord Palms. The FCA has brought back and enhanced the new Plenary Session Saturday morning this year to get attendees not only a taste of what’s being offered class-wise throughout the convention, but to get everyone excited for the future of the profession. This year full courses are offered for DCs, CCPAs and CAs, CRTs and LMTs. This year’s expo will have some 400 vendor booths with products and services. Read more.

Florida among Smart Grid Leaders

    As smart grid initiatives advance in the U.S., key states -- including Florida -- are emerging as policy leaders, according to GreenTech Media. Bolstered by US$4.5 billion in federal smart-grid stimulus funding, these states are laying the groundwork for market development and shining light on the economic, technological and regulatory issues associated with smart grid’s nascent integration.
    GTM Research's latest report, United States Smart Grid Policy 2010: In-Depth Analysis of Ten Key States Driving Deployment, has identified 10 states that, in addition to leading in stimulus funding, are diversified in terms of their smart grid policy prescriptions and geography: California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
    Within these states are projects planned or underway by 43 grid-operating entities. Their scope ranges from multimillion-meter projects in Texas to Western Massachusetts Electric's pilot program to install 1,750 advanced meters. With such variation from one state to the next, these 10 markets can be viewed as smart-grid "case studies" for more specific, large-scale approaches in the future.

Back blogging

After a brief vacation respite, we're blogging about a little bit of everything. :)

Microlending helps small businesses

    Elvita Francois proudly shows off a shiny new buffet counter at her tiny restaurant inside the Opa-locka Flea Market, where she serves Haitian and Latin specialties like goat, oxtail and congris. As an entrepreneur operating on a shoestring, Francois didn't have the means to buy that counter -- or other equipment like a refrigerator, freezer and stove that she had to replace soon after she drained her savings to purchase Job Restaurant four years ago.
    So she turned to OUR MicroLending, a Miami-based lender and worked out a loan for a little more than $2,000.
    "They helped me a lot," said Francois, 58, who lives in North Miami Beach. "I didn't have money in my hand to even buy food."
     With banks cutting back on lending during the past two years of financial crisis, microlenders are seeing a rise in demand, as small businesses -- the lifeblood of South Florida's economy -- still require credit to keep their businesses afloat.
www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/25/1744376/tiny-loans-propel-big-dreams.html

Posey Announces Aug. 12 Job Fair

    Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) has announced an upcoming job fair at Osceola Heritage Park on August 12, 2010 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. All participating employers are presently seeking candidates to fill available positions within their companies and organizations. There is no cost to participate and no pre-registration required. Attendees should dress in professional and appropriate attire and come prepared with copies of their resume
    The Osceola Job Fair will be hosted in conjunction with: Workforce Central Florida, Osceola County EDD, Heart of Florida United Way, Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, St. Cloud Area Chamber, U.S. Small Business Association, Internal Revenue Service, Bright House Networks, University of Florida IFAS (Osceola County Extension), Osceola County on Aging, Community Vision, Inc., Osceola Human Services/Library Services, Osceola County Sherriff’s Office, Hispanic Business Initiative Fund, UCF Business Incubation Program, and State Representative Mike Horner.

Kissimmee SBDC staffer honored

    Nilda Perez of the Kissimmee office of Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UCF received the Regional Employee of the Year Award recently at the recent Florida Small Business Development Center Network Annual Professional Development Conference.
    Perez is the program assistant for the SBDC's sub-center in Kissimmee and was recognized for the greatest contribution to the operations or special projects for the region. Perez has served the SBDC at UCF-Kissimmee for the past three and half years, providing administrative and operational support to the area manager, coordinating events, and promoting SBDC services to the Hispanic community within Osceola County.

Jennie Finch retiring after season

Jennie Finch had no trouble dazzling everyone. The striking blonde with the unhittable stuff was the most dominant softball pitcher of her time, giving her sport a new face just as it was starting to really catch on in the United States. Finch won an NCAA championship in record-setting fashion and added Olympic gold as she spread softball's popularity in America and beyond. But after 10 years of playing internationally, Finch is turning her focus to her family and her desire to have more children. The 29-year-old Finch announced Tuesday that she'll play one more week with the U.S. team and retire from the sport next month when the National Pro Fastpitch season is over. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?campaign=rss&ex_cid=Twitter_espn_5394292&id=5394292&source=twitter

The Bandits play four games at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Osceola County July 29-31 vs. the USSSA Pride.

Sanford-Burnham news

The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute now has 17 lead scientists at Lake Nona and is more than halfway toward fulfilling its plan to recruit up to 30 principal investigators to the site, it announced recently. One of the hubs in Central Florida's growing Medical/Life Science cluster, the recruitment further expands the Institute’s expertise in basic discovery and its translational capabilities to develop therapeutics aimed at pervasive diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Fraydoon Rastinejad, Ph.D. and Sepideh Khorasanizadeh, Ph.D., both from the University of Virginia, are the newest members of the faculty.

Florida's workforce ranked No. 1

The Sunshine State was ranked No. 1 in the nation for its work force in CNBC’s newly released fourth annual America’s Top States for Business rankings, the Orlando Business Journal reports. The CNBC study examines 10 different categories, including work force, to measure each state’s ability to attract businesses. Florida moved up from the No. 3 spot in 2009, reclaiming the No. 1 ranking it held in 2008. The rankings can be viewed online at www.cnbc.com/id/37516706.

Sentinel report on commercial lease rates

   This report from the Orlando Sentinel: "While there's no shortage of empty industrial space in the Orlando area, the region is showing signs that point to a recovery. A second-quarter report by CB Richard Ellis noted that corporate users are taking advantage of market conditions by negotiating long-term leases at aggressive rental rates. Landlords continue to offer concessions and historically low rental rates as they compete for tenants able to commit to long-term leases.
   Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties had a 16.3 percent overall vacancy rate for industrial space in the April-through-June period. Vacancies were highest in southeast Orange, at 23.6 percent, while northeast Orange had the lowest rate, 6.8 percent, the report stated.
   It also cited an increased number of owner-users actively looking for buildings to acquire, with the expectation that building sales will slowly increase. A majority of prospective buyers are interested in buildings from 20,000 to 50,000 square feet, though a few are shopping in the 100,000- to 250,000-square-foot range."

Recycling gets boost?

New legislation aims to light a fire under Florida's lukewarm recycling efforts, according to SunshineStateNews.Com. Blending a market-based approach with more rigorous reporting requirements, House Bill 7243 aims to move the state closer to its 75 percent recycling goal by 2020. That on-again, off-again target, originally set by lawmakers a decade ago, has receded into the distance in recent years. Some Florida communities' recycling rates barely top 30 percent. HB 7243, which was signed into law by Gov. Charlie Crist, went into effect July 1 and establishes a Recycling Business Assistance Center to coordinate between state agencies and the private sector to develop new markets for recyclable materials locally and globally.

Collier out of race for Cubs

Naples officials hoping to bring the Chicago Cubs to Collier County for spring training said they withdrew their spring training proposal, according to a news report. The decision comes after the group — dubbed Project Homerun — was unable to get the assurances it needed from team president Crane Kenney to continue with their work. Those assurances, said Gary Price, a partner in Fifth Avenue Advisors, one of the two private companies trying to lure the Cubs from Mesa, Ariz., included an exclusive negotiation period similar to what was afforded to Mesa.

State officials will not seek funds this summer to extend high-speed rail to Tampa's airport, the Tampa Tribune reports. That means the first phase of high-speed rail would end, as long planned, in downtown Tampa when service begins in 2015. Nazih Haddad, chief operating officer for Florida Rail Enterprise, said in an interview Monday the state will apply next month for $1 billion state in federal funds to complete the Tampa-Lakeland-Orlando route, but the application would not include a Tampa airport station, as some recently have supported. In January, the Obama administration had awarded $1.25 billion, or about half the money needed to complete the project, with the understanding that additional funds would be available in the future.

State's Tax Amenesty Program underway

Starting July 1, 2010, Florida taxpayers that owe back taxes will have the ability to participate in Florida’s three-month Tax Amnesty program. Signed into law by Governor Charlie Crist, the amnesty program gives taxpayers a chance to settle their debts with the state at a reduced interest payment, and with no imposed penalties. Learn more here.

Avatar Holdings ranks high in Cash Equivalents

     Below are the top five cash rich companies in the Real Estate Development industry as ranked by Cash Equivalents, according to http://www.mysmartrend.com/. Analysts use CE as a measure to compare the cash cushion of companies in the same industry.
    Avatar Holdings (NASDAQ:AVTR) ranks first with CE of $213.23M; Forestar Group (NYSE:FOR) ranks second with CE of $6.59M; and Stratus Properties (NASDAQ:STRS) ranks third with CE of $5.91M. Homefed (NASDAQ:HOFD) follows with a CE of $5.87M and Maui Land & Pineapple (NYSE:MLP) rounds out the top five with a CE of $0.8M.
    Avatar Holdings Inc. operates in the real estate business in Florida and Arizona. It engages in the development, sale, and management of active adult communities that include recreation facilities, two 18-hole golf courses, and an active park housing various sporting and games facilities. The company also involves in the development and sale of primary residential communities. In addition, it sells commercial and industrial land for third-party development, primarily in Poinciana. As of December 31, 2009, it owned approximately 16,000 acres and had ownership interest in an additional 830 acres of developed, partially developed, and developable residential, commercial, and industrial property. The company was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Coral Gables.

New Web site for Mercury Marine

   Mercury Marine, with a plant in St. Cloud, has redesigned its consumer website, mercurymarine.com, by updating the product information content and the layout for easier navigation and accessibility, Mercury reported in a press release.
   The company says a new dropdown menu with one-click access to all product families and services makes the site easier to navigate. Product specifications and engine test data are now placed together and engine tests are now linked on the homepage. Visitors to the site will also soon be able to view products that complement the engine. The site now features shareable video content, including tutorial videos. Mercury Marine’s Facebook and Twitter pages are also linked on the homepage.
   Other new features include interactive tools that help uncertain visitors make educated decisions on parts; recommendations based on variables such as boat type, technology and horsepower; and a remodeled Mercury Prop Selector.

Gaylord Revenue rises

    Gaylord Entertainment Co. on Monday said its second-quarter revenue per available room rose, despite the shutdown of one of its four hotels because of flooding. The Gaylord Opryland has been closed since the first week of May because of major flooding in Nashville. Through June 30, advance reservations for 273,151 room nights were canceled at the severely damaged hotel.
    The company has worked to transfer conventions scheduled for that facility to other properties. Advance bookings through June 30 included 43,645 flood-impacted room nights that were transferred to other Gaylord hotels, the company said.
    Revenue per available room, an important gauge of a lodging operator's performance, rose 5.7 percent at its properties in Kissimmee, Grapevine, Texas and National Harbor, Md.
    Total revenue per available room, which includes food and beverage sales and other services, rose 4.7 percent at the three remaining hotels.
    Gaylord Entertainment is scheduled to post full second-quarter results before the market opens on Aug. 3.
    In afternoon trading, Gaylord shares added 47 cents, or 2 percent, to $24.90. The stock has changed hands between $10.22 and $34.55 in the past 52 weeks.

State unemployment down again in June

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June 2010 is 11.4 percent. The unemployment rate is down 0.3 percentage point from the May rate of 11.7 percent. This is the third consecutive monthly decline in the state’s unemployment rate and the lowest rate since October 2009. Prior to this year, the last time Florida recorded monthly declines in unemployment rates was February 2006. Osceola County's unemployment rate was unchanged from May -- 12.1 percent.

More Venture capital news

    Venture capitalists funneled more money into U.S. startups in the second quarter, indicating continuing confidence that the economy is on the mend, the AP reports.
     A study scheduled for release Friday shows that startup investments in the April-June period climbed 53 percent from the same three months in 2009 to $6.5 billion. This is the most money invested in startups since the third quarter of 2008.
     Funding went to more seed and early-stage companies than in any quarter since mid-2007. That signals investors are feeling good about investing in new ideas even though the market for acquisitions and public stock offerings for more mature startups continues to be rough -- meaning it'll be awhile before venture capitalists see returns on their investments.
     The study was conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association based on data from Thomson Reuters.

Venture Forum at ChampionsGate

    The Florida Venture Forum is now calling for early stage private companies in all industries from the state of Florida to apply to be presenters at its Third Annual Early Stage Venture Capital Conference, to be held Sept. 15, 2010 at the Omni Resort in ChampionsGate.
    The Florida Venture Forum is Florida’s premier organization focused on assisting entrepreneurs of emerging companies as they develop their businesses and raise capital. The Early Stage Venture Capital Conference showcases approximately 10-12 early stage, high growth private companies before a national audience of venture capitalists, angel investors, private equity investors and investment bankers. These entrepreneurial companies should have talented management teams, proprietary technology and high growth potential, and should currently be seeking early stage funding.
    Companies wishing to submit an application to present at the Conference must e-mail their one-page Executive Summaries to pat@floridaventureforum.org. Potential presenters are encouraged to apply by the early deadline of Friday, July 30, 2010 and the final deadline is Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010.
    The Executive Summaries will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of venture capitalists and private equity investors.

Merck Shutting Sites as Part of Consolidation

Merck will close eight research sites and eight manufacturing plants as part of its restructuring plans following its merger with Schering-Plough, according to Drug Industry Daily. The drug giant expects to save between $2.7 billion and $3.1 billion in annual costs in 2012 as a result, the company said. It also plans on laying off 15 percent of the combined companies’ workforce to achieve a goal of $3.5 billion in annual savings. Merck’s Cambridge, Mass., research facility is the only U.S.-based one slated for closure.

Florida getting $7 millon to retrain workers effected by spill

   While local governments struggle to get reimbursed for millions spent fighting the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill, the federal government is about to grant Florida $7 million in retraining programs for laid off workers in the fishing, hospitality and tourism industries in 27 coastal counties, Florida Today reports.
   The National Emergency Grant, announced Wednesday by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, an Orlando Democrat, is coming from the U.S. Department of Labor and will be administered by the state Agency for Workforce Innovation.
   Counties covered by the grant include Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Jefferson, Franklin, Gulf, Bay, Lee, Collier and Charlotte. Florida got the second-largest haul of a total of $27 million worth of retraining money, with Louisiana getting $10 million and Mississippi and Alabama each getting $5 million.
   The programs eventually will be available at AWI's one-stop career centers. However, an AWI spokeswoman said it was too early to say when the programs will be up and running.
   U.S. Department of Labor spokeswoman Lina Garcia said the money will pay for rapid retraining and certification programs so that workers can launch new careers or find new jobs as quickly as possible.

Incubator breaks ground

   The UCF Business Incubator Kissimmee broke ground at City Centre in downtown Kissimmee. Check out photos here.
   Osceola County, City of Kissimmee and University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program officials participated in the ground breaking of the UCF Business Incubator–Kissimmee on Thursday, June 24, at the City Centre Avenue.
    The University of Central Florida partnered with Osceola County, the City of Kissimmee and Kissimmee’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) on the facility that will offer support services to help start-up companies accelerate their growth and generate jobs in downtown Kissimmee.

Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: CTAS), the leader in secure document management, announced that nominations for its 2010 Excellence in Healthcare Information Management Award are open. The award will recognize one leading healthcare facility that has gone above and beyond to implement secure document strategies to protect its patients’ private information and remain compliant with government standards. The winning organization will receive accommodations for two to learn more about data protection at the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Convention and Exhibition taking place September 25-30. The winner will receive two complimentary registration passes and three nights stay at the Gaylord Palms Hotel. The organization may also opt to make a donation to its charity of choice instead of attending the conference. All practicing healthcare organizations are eligible. Entries must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern on August 1, 2010.  Submissions can be made at www.cintas.com/healthcareaward.

Unemployment dips

   TALLAHASSEE – Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May 2010 is 11.7 percent. Thisrepresents 1,086,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,272,000. The unemployment rate is down 0.3 percentage point from the April rate of 12.0 percent. This was the second monthly decline in the state’s unemployment rate since February 2006.
    “A growing number of positive indicators, including an increase in job opportunities and a decline in the
unemployment rate, provide continued evidence that the state’s economy is recovering,” said Agency for
Workforce Innovation Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo. “With the leadership of Governor Crist, we remain focused on providing resources to Florida’s families and supporting employers as our economic climate improves.”
     Osceola's rate also fell to 12 percent from12.3 percent in April.

CI in the news

   Celebration's Channel Intelligence Inc. (CI), the leader in technology innovation for Web-initiated commerce, announced last week adoption of its patented retailer solutions technology by PETCO.COM. The specialty pet retailer is implementing CI’s SellCast™ RetailerSolutions service, the industry-leading solution for improving retailers’ data performance on comparison shopping engines (CSEs) and online marketplaces. 

    CI, which connects manufacturers and retailers through e-commerce portals, has named industry veteran Ron Sparks to head up development of its suite of retail data-feed management software. Sparks, who joined Channel Intelligence in June 2006 as program manager for the client engineering team after working for retail organizations including Blockbuster Online, will serve as vice president of SellCast development, leading ongoing improvements to the company’s SellCast suite of software.

   Florida Hospital and Nicholson Center for Surgical Advancement all mentioned in Orlando Sentinel story about Robotic Surgery. Urologist Vipul Patel, a world-renowned robotic surgeon who is largely responsible for the development of Florida Hospital's robotics program and its Nicholson Center for Surgical Advancement, which focuses on robotic surgery and training.
   Training on the da Vinci system is typically in two parts: Surgeons receive on-site, half-day training by Intuitive Surgical at their hospitals to become familiar with the robot and its instruments. Then they are sent to a two-day surgical-skills training at one of da Vinci's 19 regional training centers, which include Florida Hospital's Nicholson Center at Celebration Health.
   Patel said the center also provides advanced training opportunities. "Our training is individualized; a surgeon could spend a day or a month with us," he said.