Osceola salaries lead Central Florida in percentage increase

Osceola County has seen the largest percentage increase in salaries in Central Florida over the past five years, going from $31,572 in 2005 to $35,464 in 2010, a 2.35 percent increase, a new On Numbers study shows. read the full story in the Orlando Business Journal.

IDN Summit set for ChampionsGate

     The evolving landscape of the healthcare industry has spawned no shortage of perspectives on whether each of the various changes are good or bad for the future of healthcare. The IDN Summit and Reverse Expo brings together senior healthcare executives and their GPO and supplier partners to improve healthcare delivery through a more effective supply chain, which includes managing change for the best possible outcome and the chance for greater future opportunities.
    With this in mind, the 2012 Spring IDN Summit & Reverse Expo will focus on a theme of "Change Brings Opportunity" when it takes place April 23-25 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. The IDN Summit is partnering with renowned business educator Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer University to bring in-person world-acclaimed business leadership instruction to the 2012 Spring IDN Summit.
     "IDN Summit attendees are being confronted by incredible challenges shaping the very climate and culture of the healthcare supply chain," said John Kelly, CEO, Bluegrass Business Media. "Having an educational partner of this caliber contributing to the 2012 Spring educational program helps IDN Summit provide attendees with some of the information, education and insight so critical to their daily strategic thinking and decision-making processes."
     Read more here and here.

SPA Keynote Speaker Announced

   The International SPA Association announced the keynote speaker line-up and details for its 22nd Annual Conference and Expo to be held at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee from Oct. 15-17, 2012.

    This year's conference theme of Inspire will resonate with attendees through an exciting line-up of notable keynote speakers that will kick-off on Monday, with Jim Collins -- author of the international bestseller "Good to Great." His most recent book is "Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck-Why Some Thrive Despite Them All," coauthored with Morten Hansen. It answers the question: Why do some companies thrive in uncertainty, even chaos, and others do not?

     Lisa Ling, an award winning journalist and former co-host of The View, will provide the keynote address on the second day of conference. Ling can currently be seen on Our America with Lisa Ling on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and as a contributor to ABC News' Nightline and National Geographic's Explorer. Ling's achievements span the globe and her perspective delves into some of the most challenging, thought-provoking issues in society today.

Enterprise Connect: Kicks off Monday

   Enterprise Connect 2012 kicks off Monday (March 26) at the Gaylord Palms. Enterprise Connect (formerly “VoiceCon”) has become the premier industry event covering the evolving enterprise market for unified communications (UC), which has now expanded to encompass video teleconferencing, collaboration, contact center, and enterprise social networking, along with the IP PBX.
   Siemens Enterprise Communications announced that Chris Hummel, President, North America and Global CMO, was selected to give a keynote this year.
   Hummel will discuss what it takes for enterprises to fulfill the promise of unified communications (UC) as well as the key issues enterprises need to prioritize to drive real value from communications investment.

Real-world customers will share their stories to help illustrate how best to drive competitive advantage through collaboration, next-generation architectures and new deployment options such as the cloud. Additionally, Hummel will highlight exciting developments at Siemens Enterprise Communications that will move the communications market forward.

Fighting Fraud this Summer

    The 23^rd Annual ACFE Fraud Conference & Exhibition this summer at Gaylord Palms offers an unparalleled opportunity to advance careers as an auditor, compliance officer, investigator - or any profession relating to the prevention, detection and deterrence of fraud. 
    The conference runs June 17-22.     
    The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners is the world's largest anti-fraud organization and premier provider of anti-fraud training and education. Together with more than 60,000 members, the ACFE is reducing business fraud worldwide and inspiring public confidence in the integrity and objectivity within the profession. To learn more about ACFE, visit ACFE.com today.

Kowtown Festival Saturday!

Live, work and play!

GAI Aquires Ovideo company

    GAI Consultants Inc.  GAI Consultants Inc. Latest from The Business Journals Follow this company added a local structural engineering firm to its fold, its second acquisition of a Central Florida company this year, the Orlando Business Journal reports.
    The Homestead, Pa.-based civil engineering firm bought Oviedo-based Metz and Associates LLC for an undisclosed price to expand services in the transportation industry and strengthen its design-build capabilities, said a news release. Metz and Associates, founded in 1995, specializes in design-build, value engineering and specialty engineering markets, the release said.
    About six employees from Metz and Associates will move to the GAI Building on South Street in downtown Orlando this fall, said a spokeswoman. Metz and Associates will continue to operate under its own name as a GAI company.
    GAI Consultants, which earlier this year also announced its acquisition of Orlando-based Real Estate Research Consultants Inc., was Central Florida’s 18th largest engineering firm based on its 2011 local billings of $5.5 million, according to Orlando Business Journal research. GAI now has 66 employees in its local office.

Stallion 51's yearlong 'Silver Jubilee'

P-51s and T-6 are available at Stallion 51. Photo: Mark A. Pino

       KISSIMMEE - Stallion 51 announces a yearlong "Silver Jubilee" commemoration beginning with Sun 'N Fun International Fly-in and Expo in Lakeland March 27 - April 1, 2012. Sun N' Fun will dedicate Friday, March 30, to Stallion 51 in commemoration of its 25 years of aviation excellence. Lee Lauderback, Stallion 51's president and chief pilot, will perform his signature solo Mustang routine at the beginning of the night air show that will culminate Sun 'N Fun's "Stallion 51 Day."
   "Stallion 51 has evolved into its own fighter squadron with flight operations to keep things running smoothly, a crew chief to keep planes ready to go, briefing rooms to plan upcoming flights and a flight surgeon at AVMed 51 to keep pilots in the cockpit," says Lauderback. "There are fighter pilots out there today who would give anything for my job!"
   Stallion 51, known for its P 51-D Mustang "Crazy Horse," provides a flight experience like no other. Each flight, whether in one of Stallion's dual-cockpit, dual-control Mustangs or historic T-6 Texan, is unique and tailored to dreams and goals of each person who comes to fly.
     During the past 25 years, Stallion 51 has expanded its operation to include three large pristine hangars at Kissimmee Gateway Airport. Flight operations include T-6 Texan orientation flights and transition training program, visual flight rules (VFR) unusual attitude training program in a P-51, unusual attitude training (UAT) orientation flights in the L-39 Turbo Jet and AVMed 51's FAA medical exam office and full-time senior airman medical examiner on staff. Stallion 51 has grown from a "one-room school house" to a multi-dimensional international campus of higher learning. Visit www.stallion51.com for more information about Stallion 51's Silver Jubilee activities.