Space Coast BUSINESS - Finance

Ken New’s

PROCESS

DRIVEN

APPROACH Pinnacle Financial Wealth Management

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AMBITIOUS DRIVEN TENACIOUS TOP SALES EXECUTIVES

WANTED THINK YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES? LET’S TALK.

Space Coast Magazines, LLC, publishers of Space Coast Living, Space Coast Business and Discover the Space Coast, among others, is seeking experienced, motivated sales agents for magazine, digital, and cross platform sales. Must be self-motivated, must have own transportation, and must have proven track record of developing leads and closing sales. Compensation determined by experience. Spanish a plus.

spacecoastmagazines.com | 321.622.5986

Table of

CONTENTS SPACE COAST BUSINESS APRIL 2020

COUNTING ON CHANGE: Brent Peoples, relishes the up-and-down ride of his industry — with an eye on fun and fundamentals.

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ON THE COVER: KEN NEW

Ken New’s

PRO CES S

DRIVEN

APPROACH

Process Driven Approach

Pinnacle Financial Wealth Management

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page

Photo by Jason Hook

stories Featured Story

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Ken New’s Process Driven Approach

Eckerd Connects & Brevard Walk of Fame

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best practice Digital Marketing - Naomi Aharony

It’s All About Trust: Ensuring and Increasing Engagement On Your Website Business Workplace - James (Jim) A. Greer

16 28

Implementing & Properly Maintaining a Drug-Free Workplace Program

“I realized at that point I wanted to be in control of my own destiny.”

COVER STORY, PAGE 8 IN THIS ISSUE

President’s Note Accessible Solutions The Ethical Capitalist

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Find more at:

spacecoastbusiness.com

UP CLOSE with

JOE MAYER

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APRIL 2020 1

President’s note

THE RIGHT PEOPLE ’m sure at some point in the cycle of your career or your business, you’ve experienced the type of change that ushered in a new wave of excitement, with ripple effects that shifted priorities and strengthened relationships. At Space Coast Magazines, publisher of SpaceCoast Business and SpaceCoast Living, we are inviting this type of change as we shuffle personnel and hire on new talent.

We want to make sure we have, as Jim Collins described in Good to Great: “the right people in the rights seats on the bus.”

Ours is a dynamic industry – one that requires cutting edge awareness, coupled with constantly evolving skills to keep pace with trends, technology and innovation. Gone are the days of broadside newspapers with long form storytelling and catchy adverts. In today’s media, you must combine the speed of digital news with the accessibility of social media into a format that joins together (rather than isolates) compelling and informative reporting. Finding someone who understands these needs, who also has the managerial acumen and team spirit to bring it – and hold it – all together has not been easy. But, recently, Joseph Duda and I brought on Shawna Lucas as Publisher of SpaceCoast Living and realized quickly that her skill set is equally as important to SpaceCoast Business, which she will also serve in that role. Many of you may be familiar with Shawna, who has broad experience in marketing roles with private and not for profit organizations, as well as extensive experience in travel and lifestyle publications. We are excited to welcome her to help strengthen and guide our family of digital and editorial publications.

My role, too, is evolving. In addition to continuing to pen thoughtful stories about technology, business leaders, community impact and more, I will be working to help cement the bond with our community partners, broaden our offering of specialty publications and be more visible in the community as the President of SpaceCoast Magazines. Shawna and I both look forward to hearing from you.

You can reach us via email.

Eric Wright LET’S TALK SEND AN EMAIL

FOLLOW US

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APRIL 2020 Eric Wright, President EDITORIAL Shawna Lucas, Publisher

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Cheyenne McCully, Creative & Print Operations Manager Evelyn Sutton, Art Director

PHOTOGRAPHY Jason Hook Gregory Daniel

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michael Candelaria

ADVERTISING & SALES Lori Reader, Director of Sales lori@spacecoastliving.com Natalie Guzman, Account Manager natalie@spacecoastmagazines.com

ADMINISTRATION Helen Reyes, Director of Operations & Human Resources

MARKETING Tasha Macri

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joseph Duda, Eric Wright For general inquiries call (321) 622-5986 TO SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe online at SpaceCoastBUSINESS.com or send $19.95 for a one-year (12 issues) subscription to Space Coast BUSINESS, 335 Pineda Ct. Ste. 101-104, Melbourne, FL 32941-0901.

Please include name, mailing address, city, state, zip code, phone number and email. Please allow 4-6 weeks for subscription to start.

Space Coast BUSINESS® 335 Pineda Court, Suites 101-104, Melbourne, FL 32940 Space Coast BUSINESS® is a registered trademark of Space Coast Magzines, LLC (“SCM”). The contents of Space Coast BUSINESS, associated websites, and any other print or electronic publications published by SCM or related to the brand, including advertisements, articles, graphics, websites, web postings, photographs and all other information (“content”), are for informational purposes only, are protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, broadcast or modified in any way without the prior written consent of SCM, or in the case of third party content, the owner of that content. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. SCM does not necessarily endorse, verify, or agree with the content, and makes no warranties or representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or usefulness of any content.

SCM shall not be held liable for any errors or omissions in the content.

PRESIDENT

Eric@spacecoastmagazines.com Shawna@SpaceCoastMagazines.com

spacecoastbusiness.com

spacecoastbusiness

SPACECOASTBUSINESS.COM

©2020 All rights reserved. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

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n a world of national and international consolidations and acquisitions, particularly in the accounting industry, Berman Hopkins Wright & LaHam has been able to maintain its unique, independent, regional focus, while enabling its clients to Phil Hayes literally reach around the world. With three offices in Central Florida, including Melbourne, Titusville and Orlando – the full-service CPA firm has assisted the business community and clients through its relational and solution-oriented approach to financial, accounting and tax services for more than 60 years.

Phillip (Phil) Hayes, who has been with the firm for more than 20 years, serving the last ten as Managing Partner, is a familiar face to many in Brevard. He is a recent past chair of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast, having served the EDC during one of the county’s most dynamic periods of growth. And he has guided the steady progress of the firm as they strengthened and expanded their Melbourne presence, expanded north to Titusville and developed a marquee brand in metro Orlando.

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Phil Hayes and Berman Hopkins

“We learned A LOT in the Orlando move, particularly that you can’t just blend cultures in an acquisition.”

Hayes thinks of Berman Hopkins as a firm that has all the assets and resources of larger accounting practices, without the cumbersome bureaucracy. “We are able to be face to face with our clients, and… still can handle the most complicated issues arising from tax legislation and reform,” he said.

Playing on Strengths Hayes has lived in Brevard since he was a kindergartener, leaving only to attend college in California. After graduating, he returned to Florida to begin a career in banking, starting with SunTrust and next on to Huntington Bank. Gilbert (Gil) Russell recruited him to Berman Hopkins when Russell was leaving the firm to return to banking.

“I suppose my strength has been that I look at our company and other companies from my MBA perspective, which I am, and not [from the perspective of] a CPA, which I’m not. I think about how to effectively scale the business, build processes and make strategic alliances and acquisitions, versus the very important nuisances of tax law, which our CPA’s do amazingly well,” he said.

The fit was ideal for both Hayes and Berman Hopkins. With his freshly minted MBA, he fashioned an effective business plan and set in motion a series of steps that would help position the firm to where it is today.

As the firm grew, Hayes was the organization’s strategic leader and manager, but also developed invaluable skills as a business consultant – particularly in succession planning. As the sun sets on the World War II generation and millions of business-owning Baby Boomers want a transition plan into retirement, the time seems right for a new direction for Hayes and Berman Hopkins.

A New National Focus In 2020, Hayes plans to move out of the Managing Partner role and develop a nationwide arm of the firm, focusing on positioning businesses for acquisition. One method called ESOP, or Employee Stock Ownership/Employee Share Ownership, this process allows a company's employees to purchase shares in the company, and is a viable way for the original owners to exit while employees gain a financial stake in the company’s future success.

Much of this approach grew out of Hayes work with Berman Hopkin’s clients. CPA’s, often more than attorneys or banks, are the most trusted advisors a business owner seeks for advice and assistance.

Hayes is a C.V.A., a Certified Valuation Analyst, which facilitates the first step any company must take in a transitional plan. Calculating the actual value of a company or organization, based upon the Department of Labor’s evaluation methodologies, is the starting point.

Next, clients are guided through a process the creates a road map for the goals the owner(s) has identified for themselves, their business and their employees.

Drawing experience from the company’s successful foray into the commercial business tax sector, and the work they did to launch branches in Orlando and Titusville, those steps have laid the groundwork for the next phase of the company’s future. “We learned a lot in the Orlando move, particularly that you can’t just blend cultures in an acquisition,” Hayes shared. “Now, Orlando could grow to be as big as Melbourne for us and as everyone knows, the Titusville area is set to launch.”

Keeping control of the company with steady growth and thoughtful planning, Hayes explains that Berman Hopkins is focused on providing excellence in CPA services to its valued base of local clients. “We don’t want to spread out more geographically, other than this business consulting dimension I will be doing, which is national in scale. There is enough dynamic growth to sustain us right here in Central Florida,” he concluded.

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Ken New’s

PROCESS DRIVEN APPROACH Combining Experience & Experiences

By Eric Wright, President

ach of us are shaped by our experiences. They help form who we are and how we approach both life and business. For Financial Advisor Ken New, founder of Pinnacle Financial Wealth Management in Merritt Island, two very specific and seminal experiences seemed to have forged his character.

First, he grew up on a family farm in the Big Sky country of Montana. In fact, their land was in the same valley made famous by Custer’s Last Stand, where the Bighorn River provided the irrigation that turned the typically arid grasslands into a garden-like Eden. It is inherent in farming that you approach life from a long-term, seasonal perspective, where stewarding the resources you have can mean productivity, not for years, but for generations. It is an environment where hard work and initiative pay off, and where personal responsibility is required for success and imprinted on your psyche.

It was from this farmstead setting that New set off to Montana State University for an accounting degree, with a plan to springboard after to law school. He saw himself as a future business litigator and had the drive and acumen to realize that dream. But, sometimes, one dream gets eclipsed by another.

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During his first summer break – like many college students do, he took available jobs, which put him at the bottom of the economic food chain, as most students realize in today’s times.

“I heard about people working in Alaska on jobs related to the pipeline, earning ten times as much as I was,” he said. With the brighteyed determination of a typical student, and risk aversion at the lifetime low, typical of most 18year olds, New caught a ride with a trucker all the way to Anchorage and ended up staying ten years.

The Call of the Wild In this second paradigm-shaping experience, New’s farm background made driving big rigs across the ice and tundra, from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, a comfortable fit. Though comfortable is probably not the right adjective.

Adventuresome, often dangerous, in a setting as opportunistic as the gold rush days of the 1980’s. “I was pulling down serious money, for a guy my age, but I saw an entrepreneurial opening in the burgeoning population of Anchorage, that grew from 50,000 to 250,000 while I was there,” he recalled.

He and a few friends started a restaurant, Sea Food Restaurants of Alaska, which grew to five profitable and strategic locations.

New’s success was a combination of a farm-bred work ethic, entrepreneurial awakening and the fine-tuning of operational skills through the happenstance of learning from a McDonald’s executive who had come to Alaska to erect the golden arches.

That is also where he met his wife Linda, a native of the Space Coast, who had gone north to visit family and see what would unfold. Eventually, the New’s cashed out and moved to southern California. “We wanted to get as far from the frigid north as we could. But the traffic gridlock of San Diego, along with starting a new family, made us realize California wasn’t the place,” New said. They decided to head east to see what opportunities might present in Brevard County.

They moved to Merritt Island in 1993, where years later, their daughter, Lindsey would graduate from the same high school as her mother did. As New realized he was too young to retire, and the 24-7 commitment of the restaurant business was not conducive to the family life they aspired to, he began to look at financial services. It was a field that involved the people skills he had honed as a restaurateur, along with the operational management abilities he had discovered and developed.

Hitting the Reset Button “I had the opportunity to talk with some people from John Hancock. In the late ‘90’s they were expanding into the Central Florida market, and the more I learned, the more I realized this field was a good fit for me,” he said. As fate would have it, John Hancock’s recruiter happened to be one of Linda New’s best friends in high school, something they realized after he was offered a position at the company.

New enjoyed the mentoring and security of working for a major corporation but things were about to change. When the company decided to take their business in a different direction, he got served “the same pink slip as every other employee. They did a good job helping people transition,” he said, “but I realized at that point I wanted to be in control of my own destiny.”

The biggest change for New wasn’t running his own business: he had done that as a restaurant owner.

It was, instead, pushing reset regarding how to do business. “Basically, what my job had been was to sell John Hancock’s products to people. They had great processes, but I found a whole new portfolio of products that allowed me to customize what was best for each of my clients, instead of trying to fit everyone into the proverbial ‘round hole’,” he explained.

He left John Hancock right after the Y2K scare that began the new century. Looking back on the advances in the last two decades,

Looking Towards the Future To New, the key is helping clients understand all the different facets of proven and strategic financial management. That process unfolds not by offering advice, rather by asking questions.

According to New, “Each client has different desires; for one it may be income, with others there may be risk issues, or needs for legacy planning.” One major focus for New and his team is the tax implication of varied investment strategies, not to mention safeguarding against market volatility.

A strategy New has studied extensively is how large endowments have been able to smooth out market fluctuations by including private equity to grow assets while providing income. “The typical family has the same needs as the foundation: they need durable income, coming in at steady monthly increments, without sacrificing the asset,” he said.

The Yale Model, as it is called, was pioneered by David Swensen and Dean Takahashi. They originated this kind of investment approach while managing the endowment portfolio of Yale University. What is different today, versus previous years, is that you can get into this type of vehicle with a lesser investment, starting at around $50100,000, instead of the $1million buy-in required at the fund introduction.

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“If there was a missing piece of information that was costing you money now, or that would cause a significant problem or cost in the future, when would you want to find out about it?”

his business has evolved right along with it. Because it has been a period of dramatic change, following and adapting to change became a part of his company’s DNA, along with developing effective processes that help clients reach their financial goals.

After understanding the client’s needs and expectations, New sees his role as empowering his clients through education. He likes to say, “If there was a missing piece of information that was costing you money now, or that would cause a significant problem or cost in the future, when would you want to find out about it?” Of course, the answer is before you make a decision.

“One of the best ways for clients to make money is to avoid losing it in the first place. So, we focus on all the missing facts, to keep your money from falling through the cracks.”

Combined with the lessons of his younger years, these are the strategies that New and his team have utilized for more than twenty years of building relationships with people of all ages, from all walks of life, with a variety of financial goals.

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APRIL 2020 11

A LEGACY OF

SERVING

KIDS IN NEED Eckerd Connects & the Brevard Walk of Fame

Stanley Brizz, Director of Community Services

or many Americans, and certainly for most Floridians, Eckerd’s was the neighborhood drug store where we filled prescriptions, bought gossip magazines and orange sodas, and ran into friends from around the community. The Florida-based chain, which grew to over 2,800 stores in 23 states, was the brainchild of business legend Jack Eckerd – one that eventually was absorbed into a giant drugstore chain that vanquished the brand from our collective landscape. But not all of the Eckerd legacy went with it. The foundation that Jack and his wife Ruth founded in 1968, Eckerd Connects, lives on proudly with its mission to assist children in need, simultaneously the most vulnerable and with the most potential, among us.

As the legendary power-couple would always answer when asked about their motivation in creating the non-profit, “It’s about the kids.”

In Brevard, Eckerd Connects has a long and growing influence on the youngest residents of the Space Coast. Director of Community Services, Stan Brizz, and his team do so much to provide social support services to children in need, while remaining steadfast that there still is much to do. The main programs offered at their Melbourne location serve different purposes, but there is often overlap for the recipients. “There is a lot of crossover in the work we do and services we provide,” said Brizz. The overarching objectives are communal: to provide the services needed so at-risk children (and often, their families) can thrive. One young mother, Alyssa, spoke of the impact Eckerd Connects had on her life. “If you would’ve asked me a year ago, where I thought I’d be in the next year, I’d never thought I’d be living in my own apartment with my fiancé and my son,” she said. “I never thought I would be able to say that I was drug-free.

Eckerd Connects has helped me in so many ways. I used to be on drugs, in the streets, homeless…today, I’m working a full-time job, I’m a full-time mom and soon to be a wife and I live in my own place. Thank you Eckerd Connects.”

Eckerd Connects Programs Include THERAPEUTIC & STANDARD SUPERVISED VISITATIONS This program helps parents improve parenting skills, while providing monitored visitation for safety and even court advocacy, when needed. The children in these programs have been removed parental custody, and are in foster care or with another guardian. The hope is to preserve and reunify the family, if possible.

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HI-FIVE Classroom, small groups, and individual character education, violence prevention and substance abuse prevention services, available to children in grades 3 – 6, at four local elementary schools. This includes teacher and parent education, as well as educational field trips.

SPACECOASTBUSINESS.COM

PREVENTION COUNSELING Individual, small group, and classroom substance misuse prevention counseling sessions for students in grades 6 – 12 at Brevard County Alternative Learning Centers.

BREVARD FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES (Homelessness) For families and individuals like Alyssa, this program provides case management and financial assistance for families who have a substance misuse history and are homeless.

The Brevard Walk of Fame The Brevard Walk of Fame is the organization’s annual signature event that showcases its programs and successes, while highlighting individuals who have made significant contributions to the community. The 2020 event highlighted and celebrated the 10th anniversary of this signature event and focused on the legacy of giving and community partnerships that Eckerd Connects has established over the last decade.

Keith and Marlene Winsten

Sponsored by Northrop Grumman, the event shined a light on the 1,800 children and families impacted through Eckerd Connects each year and paid special tribute to local couples that have made a lasting impact on Brevard through their philanthropic generosity. They include Keith and Marlene Winsten of Brevard Zoo, Don and Julie Herndon of Classic Wood Flooring, Tom and Susie Wasdin and Mahesh “Mike” and Rashmi Shah of Southeast Petro.

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Don and Julie Herndon

Tom and Susie Wasdin

Mahesh “Mike” and Rashmi Shah APRIL 2020 13

Boost

ACTIVE COUPLE HELPS

COMMUNITY’S HEALTH are both part of Health First's Integrated Delivery Network (IDN). The IDN's goal is to improve the wellness and health of all Brevard residents. "We make a donation every year," Larry said of supporting the Foundation.

The couple, married 54 years, started giving annually after learning about The Heart Center at Health First's Holmes Regional Medical Center a few years ago.

"We were invited to take a tour, and we were very impressed," Sherry said.

arry and Sherry Sietsma are advocates for a healthy lifestyle.

Senior Couple Serves as Advocates for a Healthy Lifestyle and the Importance of Supporting Community Health Services

And part of their well-being includes encouraging others achieve their optimal health.

Last year, Larry Sietsma biked 444 miles on the Natchez Trace Parkway, starting in Natchez, Mississippi, winding through Mississippi ite and ending Wr a caption for in Nashville, Tennessee. oto. this ph Sherry supported him, following behind by car, and their efforts raised money for Multiple Sclerosis research. It's one of 14 SPACE COAST BUSINESS

many rides he's taken to boost his health while raising funds to help others.

In addition, the couple recently presented the Health First Foundation with a gift to assist Health First Aging Services. "My father is 101, and he had some health issues," Sherry said. "Health First Home Care came in to help him, and we were very impressed with their care."

That care compelled the couple to donate to the Foundation, with money designated to go to a program that assists older community members - Health First Aging Services. While the two services aren't directly related, they |

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The couple hopes their passion for embracing healthy habits will inspire others in the community to do the same. "It's important to exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle," said Larry, who bikes about 42 miles a week at age 80.

Sherry keeps her health in check with long walks.

"If we exercise and try to eat healthy, maybe we won't need to be in that Heart Center," she joked.

To learn more about giving to the Foundation and all it does for the community, visit HFgive.org.

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By Sara Paulson, Writer

Hope

Grieving Family Finds Glimmer of

after Heartbreak Bright Star Helps Parents, Sister Heal after Beloved Teen’s Death

iffany and Chad were understandably devastated when their 15-year-old son, Donovan, died tragically in their family home.

Their heartache was compounded as they watched their young daughter struggle to cope with the loss of her brother. “You can barely function yourself,” Tiffany said. “We were really concerned with our daughter, Natalie.”

The family first tried to find solace through a support group held in

someone’s home, but it didn’t feel right. When a doctor referred them to Bright Star Center for Grieving Children & Families, the pieces of this heartbreaking puzzle seemed to fit. “It was a very different sort of atmosphere,” Chad said.

It’s become a place of refuge, where Natalie can mourn the loss of her brother and cherish his memory with peers.

While Natalie was scared the first time she walked in Bright Star’s doors, things quickly changed.

“We’ve really learned from this program that children’s minds work differently,” Chad said.

“The counselors let me know she is going to come to me. She’s going to get what she needs, and that quieted my fears.”

“By the end of that evening, she had made a collage,” Chad said. “She had five new friends to show and introduce me to, and she was just loving it.”

Natalie relishes making crafts at Bright Star and also loves the biannual Camp Bright Star. It reminds her of the good times with Donovan.

“Me and my brother did a lot of art,” she shared.

“And I don’t have to worry about anyone saying anything mean, because they are going through the same thing.”

Making connections and being accepted by other children and adults experiencing loss can help to lift the burden of grief.

“I think every human has a need to feel a place where they’re comfortable and accepted,” Chad said.

Donovan’s family has found a glimmer of hope thanks to the love and support of other Bright Star families.

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By Sara Paulson, Writer APRIL 2020 15

Best PRACTICE

DIGITAL MARKETING

For more business resources go to: spacecoastbusiness.com/category/best-practice

IT’S ALL ABOUT TRUST: Ensuring and Increasing Engagement On Your Website 1. Social media activity (47%)

id you know that of those visiting a retail website:

79

%

2. Recognized trust seals (47%)

45

%

of users do not trust or engage with a website that has grammatical or spelling errors

of shoppers won’t purchase from a website without an active social media page

7%

Only of people would interact with a website they distrust with

3. Affiliated with trusted websites (45%) 4. SSL certificate (43%) 5. Address & phone number listed (40%) 6. A professional design layout (38%) NAOMI AHARONY is the Managing Director of Reboot SEO Agency and be found at Rebootonline.com

93

%

9. Terms and conditions and privacy policy (31%) 10. About Us page (31%) 11. Up to date Google/Yell details (25%) 13. Meet the Team page (18%) 14. Limited advert banners (18%)

TRUST SEALS

– those prominently-displayed security logo granted by a trusted entity to assure users of the role the business has in protecting their data – ranks as the most trustworthy feature of a website.

16 SPACE COAST BUSINESS

8. No stock images (36%)

12. FAQ page (22%)

disengaging as soon as possible

More than one half of brand profitability relies on effective consumer engagement. Often, the biggest challenge websites developers face is maintaining this engagement and often, it boils down to whether or not a user trusts the website.

With stats suggesting that an unhappy user will leave a website within 1020 seconds if they are dis-

7. Familiar payment methods (36%)

satisfied, businesses can see that retaining a visitor for longer than this is both a challenge and an opportunity.

Building Confidence In a bid to discover how websites can increase engagement and build trust among customers, Reboot SEO Agency surveyed 1,322 people, asking participants to choose the top five features that build confidence towards a website. From this, we found the most trustworthy features on a website that encourages interaction among users, as ranked by the results: |

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Almost half of participants surveyed said that a company with consistent social media activity is the top feature that makes a website trustworthy - specifically, being active on Instagram, as brand interaction is facilitated with ease. We also found that 56% of users view a company that uses Instagram as more trustworthy than those using other social media platforms. And interestingly, 45% of respondents said they would not use a website that isn’t active on social media. A significant number of respondents – 43% – believe that one of the most trustworthy features is an SSL certificate, with 58% stating they would significantly reduce their interaction with a website if they did

not have one. [SSL Certificates are small data files that digitally bind a cryptographic key to an organization’s details. When installed on a web server, it activates the padlock and allows secure connections from a web server to a browser.]

Having familiar payment methods (such as PayPal, Mastercard, Visa, American Express, etc.) on your website ranked as the sixth most trustworthy feature. Almost all were in agreement that that they would not trust or engage with a website that uses unfamiliar payment methods. Having an author bio was ranked as the least important feature that makes a website trustworthy.

What Not to Do We have found if a website has high customer engagement, then it implies customers’ expectations have been met and there has been a positive experience.

This valuable interaction naturally leads to strong customer trust which has been earned from the website.

After asking participants to choose the top five features that make them distrust a website., Reboot discovered the key issues that reduce customer engagement: 1. Pop ups adverts (65%) 2. Grammatical errors & spelling mistakes (56%) 3. Lots of adverts (52%) 4. Very large discounts & broken links (45%) 5. Blurry images (43%) 6. No reviews (40%) 7. No trust seals (38%) 8. No SSL certificate (36%) 9. Wrong currency entering a website (34%) 10. Missing contact details (29%) 11. Slow loading time (29%)

We found that customers have little confidence in a website with those pesky pop ups. Sixty five percent of users stated that this makes them question website authenticity and would choose to reduce interaction with this website, which also ties into the heavy number (82%) of participants who expressed concerned about malware and security.

For consumer-friendly websites, where retail is more and more driven by how you present your offerings and how you secure end-user’s data, these findings are critical to structuring your online presence.

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APRIL 2020 17

Brent Peoples, a 25-year veteran of Raymond James Investments, relishes the up-and-down ride of his industry — with an eye on fun and fundamentals.

By Michael Candelaria, Writer

Counting on

CHANGE eferring to a role that is practically extinct, Brent Peoples calls himself a “dinosaur in the business.”

Then he laughs.

Peoples shifts time between roles as both Senior Vice President of investments at Raymond James & Associates Inc., and branch manager of two offices in Melbourne and Viera. In the world of financial advising, such duality is no longer a regular occurrence. “If you’re an adviser, you manage and help your clients,” he explained. “And if you manage the offices, you’re focus is totally, 100%, on your employees.”

Peoples, however, also has a place on his resume that reads, “Dates Employed: November 1995 - Present,” with the same job titles. And he relishes the roles — one in which he collectively he manages some $1.5 billion in client assets and the other where he manages approximately 30 employees of Raymond James. In reality, Peoples noted, the jobs are different, but they’re also much the same in many ways. He sums his thinking up in one concept: service.

“When I’m helping my clients, the idea there is to give them great customer service,” he said. “And when I have my manager hat on, it’s very similar in that when I look at the employees — the financial advisers who work in the two offices – I think the same thing: What can I do to help them?”

“We Don’t Want to Be the Biggest, We Just Want to Be the Best.”

Peoples further points to Raymond James, a company headquartered in St. Pete with more than 8,100 financial advisers nationwide, as well as Canada and overseas. It was founded in 1962 and has been public since 1983. There are approximately $896 billion in client assets.

According to Peoples, that longevity, success and broad scope didn’t happened by accident. “The firm, I believe, has done it right over the 25 years,” he said. “The company treats the advisers like it treats its clients.”

In relative terms, Peoples is a financial-services lifer, with a total of more than three decades in industry.

Yet, the years preceding Raymond James were too full of changes. Stability came with his arrival to Raymond James. Not that Peoples doesn’t welcome a little industry turbulence. He describes that as “fun.”

Constant changes to regulatory environment, as fiduciary standards continue to be raised for financial advisers, is one example. But that isn’t a big deal to him because “in our world at Ray James for the past 20-plus years, we’ve been doing these things.” Then there’s the part that makes Peoples’ eyes light up — working with clients.

“That’s the exciting part for me in the business… There are no two days that are exactly the same. And there are no two clients exactly the same. “Helping clients through the crazy ups and downs of the economy,” he said, is an invigorating process.

Notably, Peoples made that statement just as the Dow stock market index was in the midst of a historic weeklong plummet, largely the result of a health scare, the Coronavirus. While no financial adviser can devise a cure for such a malady, or prevent a Dow freefall, Peoples believes client-focused fundamentals are always a steadying force. His prescription is problem-solving.

“Getting to sit down with somebody face to face and try to figure out what they’re looking for and then fixing their problem. That’s the fun part of the job to me,” he said. “It might involve insurance or stock investments or a bond portfolio, but those are just instruments to help solve the problem. It’s about helping people, the clients.”

“We don’t want to be the biggest, we just want to be the best. That’s probably an overused cliché,” Peoples said.

“But every individual investor is different, and our goal is to find out what that individual investor really wants to get accomplished. And then our role is help them accomplish it. “Our advisers do amazing things. … They’re involved in [clients’] lives. We become that trusted person, not just as an adviser, but really almost to a point where we become one of the family and one of their friends.”

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WHAT CAN Chamber Membership DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS? • Business support and development resources • Networking events, including monthly business breakfasts, business after hours events, council events, and more • New business opportunities • Access to professional development, including seminars and workshops • Participation in councils and committees pertaining to your field • Complimentary listing in Melbourne Chamber Member Directory on website and app • Complimentary Traffic Catcher website • Exclusive advertising and sponsorship opportunities to other chamber members as well as the community • Representation on governmental issues • Advocacy for a strong business community

Contact the Chamber today for more information.

1005 East Strawbridge Avenue Melbourne, FL 32901-4782 Tel: (321) 724-5400 www.MelbourneRegionalChamber.com APRIL 2020 19

EMPOWERING PROGRESS FPL & Bart W. Gaetjens

art Gaetjens is arguably one of the most recognizable and engaged individuals in the county. From Palm Bay to Mims, if there is an important issue or initiative, whether it involves essential electrical services or just making our communities better the Corporate External Affairs Manager for Florida Power and Light is usually on the job.

In his role, Gaetjens manages the relationships Bart W. Gaetjens between the utility, the county and municipal governments, alongside roles with corporate, community and business leaders in Brevard and Indian River counties.

His work assisting local Chambers, the EDC and a host of nonprofits such as Junior Achievement and Eckerd Connects provides experience and expertise in helping guide their stated missions.

Gaetjens grew up in South Florida and is the son of two schoolteachers. In fact, he has a yearbook signed by one of his father’s students, Jeff Bezos, who thanked him for the influence he had on his life. The family spent summers traveling across the country, visiting nearly every state in the continental 48.

“We left when school got out and, usually, got home right before school began again; camping in a Sears tent and cooking on a Coleman stove,” he recalled.

20 SPACE COAST BUSINESS

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SPACECOASTBUSINESS.COM

Gaetjens attended FSU (which he likened to living in another state, compared to his hometown of Miami), and earned a Business degree. Upon graduating in 1981, the country was in a recession and jobs were scarce. He applied to many – and still keeps the rejection letters to remind him of his blessings today – before landing a job with FP&L, where some four decades later, he is still working.

“My kids say, ‘Dad you have been married to the same woman and working for the same company your whole life?’ and I say, “And your point is?” he responds to them with his easy, characteristic smile.

Chosen from a pool of 100 applicants for a specialized customer

service program laid the groundwork for his career, where Gaetjens worked his way up from a call center to internal auditing and a stint in corporate security before his role managing corporate accounts. Though Gaetjens admits he felt underqualified and over-challenged in many of those positions, he developed a reputation as a problem solver and people manager. His predecessor and colleague, Sandy Sanderson, approached him about taking the external affairs job when he was ready to retire.

“I had worked with the CEO’s of major corporations and hospitals, which isn’t a lot different than working with mayors and city managers. They are smart, motivated people, who want to move things forward, so the transition wasn’t that difficult,” he said. “Now I deal with all of them.”

Bringing A Personal Touch When FPL was building their first solar farm in the area, which backs up to the Barefoot Bay community, it was Gaetjens and his team that organized the community meetings, but they also hoofed it house to house among the neighborhoods bordering the project, answering questions and addressing concerns. “I remember one man who, when he saw the renderings

said, ‘I love the project, but when I look out, I will see a fence and then vegetation. I would like to see vegetation and no fence.’ At the time I thought, that was a great idea and very reasonable. So that is how we did it,” he recalled.

Gaetjens honed in on how to communicate with electrical end users, providing a personalized touch and approach from the largest energy company in the United States, as measured by retail electricity produced and sold.

FPL serves some 10 million customers in Florida, with a typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill that is billed at approximately 30 percent lower than the national average (and among the lowest in the country.) This is coupled with service reliability that is better than 99.98 percent.

FPL is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, based in Juno Beach, which was ranked No.1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2020 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.” They operate in 33 states and Canada, and are also the parent company of Gulf Power Company, which serves 460,000

people in Northwest Florida. “The reason I am on so many boards, is twofold,” Gaetjens said. “First, they are all involved in worthy efforts that are moving the needle in our community. Secondly, it keeps my finger on the pulse of what is happening, now and next, in the region.”

In an era where people have multiple concerns that focus on energy supply and future demand, Gaetjens has a role as liaison, advocate and vision caster. According to him, FPL is leading in alternative energy, including natural gas and an ever-growing solar energy footprint. “Solar technology has reached a point where it is becoming more and more efficient and cost-effective,” he said. “We have also spent billions ensuring our coastal communities are able to withstand and recover from hurricanes as soon as possible.”

Though he admits any power lost is too long for those without it, the commitment and engagement of people like Gaetjens add a level of humanity and a face to what otherwise would just be another corporate utility service.

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“Solar technology has reached a point where it is becoming more and more efficient and cost-effective.”

APRIL 2020 21

ACCESSIBLE SOLUTIONS Matching Good Intentions with Invention

ost classic business stories start with the goals: a business starts with a vision for a need in the marketplace – a need that could be handled more efficiently, more cost-effectively and more elegantly, for example. When a need is accepted and adopted, filling the void that existed before the product or service was created, then success is possible. Dynamic business stories take that a bit further, as some have, with a business starting with a napkin drawing, or an entrepreneur working late into the night or on weekends in a kitchen, or

22 SPACE COAST BUSINESS

Greg Prosser

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garage, or behind the blue screen of a home computer. Then the success is not only more fantastical, it is indeed much more satisfying.

order to what is often a chaos of spreadsheets, overflowing file cabinets and frustrated workers and volunteers struggling against a tide of paperwork.

This classic story is the tale of the locally-based, family-owned and national- recognized Accessible Solutions, Inc., whose team develops a software platform called ServTracker.

This cloud-based program is designed to help senior service organizations (such as Meals on Wheels) bring

Accessible Solutions has a strong presence in Brevard County and recently bought and will be expanding into new building in North Merritt Island, anticipated in the second quarter of 2020.

The expansion is the latest step in an exciting journey for the company.

SPACECOASTBUSINESS.COM

The Mother of Invention Greg Prosser and his wife Sarah Prosser make up the leadership team for the company. Sarah remembers the spark that lit the original idea for what became ServTracker. “My mother worked in a senior center in the early 1990’s. She was responsible for coordinating the delivery of the Meals on Wheels program. She didn’t have a database of any sort to keep track of the clients that they were serving.”

Greg notes that although “necessity is the mother of invention,” in this

case, the father in law of invention was what got the business ball rolling.

It was Sarah’s father who was most intrigued by the problem and he set about to develop the first version of ServTracker to help alleviate his wife’s job frustrations. “There were no databases [back then] that tracked this sort of information” and were available for purchase, Greg said. So instead, “[my mother in law [was coming home and working at night to catch up on recording all her daily tasks over and over again.”

The ServTracker program developed by her husband allowed her to

Husband and wife leadership team: Greg and Sarah Prosser

better organize her work and eliminate unnecessary redundant efforts.

The family lived in the Midwest at the time and, after introducing the program to oth-

er organizations in Southwest Ohio and the Cincinnati area, word of mouth did its job and soon senior services organizations were beating a path to their door.

APRIL 2020 23

features to support their needs, which in effect helped to organically move the platform into other services outside of just meal delivery.”

In 2002, the family relocated the business here and continue to build the company, focusing intently on customer service.

“I know my father didn’t get into this to build a business,” Sarah said. “He’s an engineer to his core. He can fix anything. He saw something that could work better, and he created a way for that to happen.”

Demand Brings Innovation “Organizations would hear about what the program [was doing],” said Greg, “and they would contact us and ask if they could use ServTracker for their organization. They also inquired if we could add more

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Accessible Solutions, Inc., is valued for its close relationships with customers, allowing ServTracker to evolve and expand by solving the needs of individual organization’s unique requirements. Often, this meant an improvement in the product for all end users.

Solving a Bigger Problem In 2018, Accessible Solutions developed a partnership with Meals on Wheels America. The goals of the national organization go beyond providing food to seniors in their homes. “Providing proper nutrition and looking at food more like medicine, results in reductions in re-hospitalization, relieves some chronic conditions, helps with social isolation and improves their quality of life,” he explained.

Accessible Solutions has come a long way from the early days. Now the company is a national force, with customers in 41 states, a successful annual national user conference and a planned 5,000 sq. ft. facility that will be home to more than 22 employees.

“I know my father didn’t get into this to build a business,” Sarah said. “He’s an engineer to his core. He can fix anything. He saw something that could work better, and he created a way for that to happen.”

•

24 SPACE COAST BUSINESS

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1005 Viera Blvd, Suite 202 Rockledge, FL 32955 License# CGC34068 APRIL 2020 25

Perhaps one of the most recognizable and most quoted phrases in all of literary drama comes from the Bard himself:

THE

ETHICAL

CAPITALIST

By Eric Wright, President

“TO BE OR NOT TO BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION.” n Shakespeare’s classic, Hamlet is lamenting the inevitable trials of life and questions how we should respond to its’ uncertainties. What he calls “The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” or “The heartache and the thousand natural shocks…that makes calamity of so long a life” might be a veiled reference to suicide as a way to depart from a hard road ahead. Unlike the Danish Prince, I believe how we respond to the challenges and difficulties of life define who we are and whether our life will stand for something or count for nothing.

Therefore, we must decide if “to benefit or not to benefit” from the experiences of life is truly the question to ask.

It’s Not Elementary, Watson Granted, one would have to have the emotional constitution of the Vulcan Dr. Spock to not wonder why life throws so many curve balls. But neither the deductive powers of Sherlock Holmes nor the mystical genius of Francis of Assisi can unravel the conundrum of difficulty and pain to render the intricate as “Elementary.”

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To Benefit or Not to Benefit…

THAT is the Question.

Pain is an important part of the life process, and though sometimes it can be avoided, it is never truly inescapable.

Again, it’s the way we process the pain – and perceive it – that makes a difference.

I’ve observed a couple of specific responses to people in the throes of darkness. The first is the self-blame response, or “the I deserve this bad thing because I’ve done something wrong/bad/inappropriate. So basically, I’ve got to “Do the time, because I’ve done the crime.”

Now, don’t misunderstand me, there are consequences for our behaviors, regardless of our intentions. And although we can choose our behaviors, we can’t choose our consequences. However, if all negative circumstances are punishment for our wrongs, then is our only choice is to shrug our shoulders and passively accept our fate?

Another typical response to hard times is: “I’m a victim, this shouldn’t be happening to me.” Of course, there are genuine victims of circumstance, people who truly are helpless in the face of adversity, and yes, Virginia, really bad things do happen to really good people.

However, there is a marked difference between being a victim and victimization. Haddon Robinson said, “If you want to get rich, invest in victimization. It is America’s fastest growing industry.”

When we have the view that life should be pain free, then we are quick to cast blame when pain arrives, as it always does, and always will. This perception removes my ability (and motivation) to change my attitude by placing the onus for how I feel on others, who really have no control of my feelings.

There is an alternative to these two thoughts, and one best described

by Helen Keller, who was born deaf and blind. She said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” There is hope in this statement, a promise that weathering the storm will bring you to the sunshine. And many times, I’ve found this to be the truth.

Recently, some surprising discoveries about the brain has uncovered that we really can “change our minds.” Experts are finding that repeated patterns of thought, whether positive or negative, produce neuro pathways that cause us to think in a particular way, like an

automatic default. If we work on changing how we think, for example, from thinking pessimistically to optimistically or from a place of resentment to one of gratitude, our brain gradually constructs new pathways that change how we view the world. In the process our emotional response to triggers and circumstances also is changed.

Whether your goal is a thriving business, a successful season, an enriching marriage or a supportive family, at some point all these relationships are defined by our response to adversity, and how we choose to think.

So, the question for each of us becomes, truly, “To benefit or not to benefit?’

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“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”

There is hope in this statement, a promise that weathering the storm will bring you to the sunshine. And many times, I’ve found this to be the truth.

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APRIL 2020 27

Best PRACTICE

BUSINESS WORKPLACE

For more business resources go to: spacecoastbusiness.com/category/best-practice

IMPLEMENTING & PROPERLY MAINTAINING A DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE PROGRAM hile many companies may have a drug testing program for employees in place, there are times that these programs are administered incorrectly. These issues or deficiencies in the program may have started at the very beginning of implementation.

Therefore, it is important that when an employer (regardless of size) considers implementing a drug-free workplace testing program, they have exercised due diligence in developing the entire program from the company policy: who’s tested, when they’re tested, the selection of the testing facility and what action will result if an employee tests positive.

An employer has the right to be a drug-free workplace and the courts throughout Florida, and in fact throughout the nation, continuously support this position.

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Consideration 1 – The Policy

JAMES (JIM) A. GREER is the President/ CEO of Accredited Drug Testing and Chairman of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association.

Jim has been in the drug testing business since 1993 and is considered one of the nation’s leading experts in drug-free workplace policies and drug testing requirements.

SPACECOASTBUSINESS.COM

When considering and implementing a drug-free workplace program, it is absolutely imperative that an employer create and distribute the drug-free workplace policy in writing to current and future employees, and employers should obtain a signature acknowledging receipt of the policy.

The policy should contain a statement of the employers’ commitment to being a drug-free workplace, the circumstances in which an employee or applicant will be tested, what type of test is administered, and what the result will be if an employee tests positive (termination, second chance, etc.). Taking adverse action for a positive test when no written policy exists can cause an employer potential liability and is a poor employment business practice.

Consideration 2 – When to Test Most employers test for pre-employment or when a conditional offer of employment is made. However, another type of testing is random testing. Many employers conduct random testing on current employees through a random selection program. A random testing program reduces the use

of illegal drugs once an employee is hired. Other types of testing needs include post-accident (an employee is injured on the job or while operating company equipment), or reasonable suspicion.

Whether an employer tests for one or all of these circumstances, it should always be explained in part of the written drug and alcohol policy.

Consideration 3 – Selecting a Testing Method Another consideration for employers when developing and implementing a drug-free workplace policy is selecting what type of testing method to implement, choosing between urine or hair testing? The answer to this question generally relates to two factors – how far back an employer wants to go relating to the detection period, and the cost factor of urine vs. hair. The detection period for urine is generally 1-5 days and the detection period for hair can be up to 90 days. The testing method should also be clearly stated in the company’s drug and alcohol policy, and adhered to. An employer should not state they do one sort of testing and then surprise an employee with a different one.

your

interests.

your

community.

your

business.

Consideration 4 – An Employee Tested Positive, What Now? Once again, what does the policy say? An employer has the right to be a drug-free workplace and the courts throughout Florida, and in fact throughout the nation, continuously support this position. However, it is important that employers clearly define via company policy what action will be taken if a drug or alcohol test is positive.

While many employers have a strict policy of termination, others provide a “second chance provision,” allowing the employee to continue with the company while also submitting to unannounced drug testing. It should be understood that no employee is obligated to provide a second chance policy, but whatever action is taken (termination or second chance), the policy must be consistent – if you give a second chance to Bob, you must also give a second chance to Mary. Consistency is crucial to a successful drug-free workplace program.

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Consideration 5 - Benefits of a Drug-Free Workplace The U.S. Department of Labor over the years has consistently demonstrated that being a drug-free workplace provides many benefits. These benefits include a reduction in worker compensation claims, a reduction in absenteeism and tardiness, improved employee morale and an enhancement to customer service. Employees that are drug-free make better employees. In addition, in the state of Florida, employers who qualify as a drug-free workplace can receive a discount on their workers compensation rates, which can result in significant savings for many companies.

Ken New’s

PRO CES S

DRIVEN

APPROACH

Pinnacle Financial

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APRIL 2020 29

UP CLOSE with

JOE MAYER

Lockheed Martin Space, Director, Government Relations-Florida

[ By Eric Wright, Publisher ] Photography by Jason Hook

F

or over a half century, Lockheed Martin has had a strategic role on the Space Coast helping usher forward some of the industry’s most futuristic builds, from the earliest manned missions, to landing on the moon and the exciting development of the Space Shuttle and the Orion spacecraft, the company has made innovative and historic contributions to these projects and many more.

A less-publicized role – but one that has been equally important and definitely as challenging technologically speaking – has been its support for America’s Fleet Ballistic Missile Programs. Joe Mayer, Lockheed Martin Space, Director, Government Relations-Florida, has been a part of the company’s evolution on the Space Coast, as well as playing a vital role in guiding the community’s economic revitalization as Chair of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC).

EW: Describe the professional journey that brought you to Brevard?

JM: I’m a New Jersey native, but I’m right at home on the Space Coast, because so many of our residents here are from New Jersey and New York. I never imagined I would be working in the space industry when I began as a history major at William Paterson University in New Jersey. I had watched a TV program called Firing Line, with a public policy expert and my academic advisor recommended that I do graduate work at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. That really opened my eyes to the broader world of foreign and public policy and the national security arena. I then landed a job doing national security work for Senator Jake Garn, during a very exciting time when the Senate was debating ratification of the SALT II Treaty. Senator Garn opposed ratification, and I worked with him on that issue, as well as a collaboration with Senator John Glenn to revive the B-1 bomber program.

EW: So how did you come to leave the Senate?

JM: My counterpart in Senator Glenn’s office went to work for Rockwell International. About five years later, he contacted me and shared they were setting up a congressional relations group and asked me to join. I loved working in the Senate, but it was the right time, personally and professionally. Also, instead of working on the DOD programs side of Rockwell, I would be involved with NASA’s portfolio; Rockwell, for example, was the prime contractor on the Space Shuttle, which had broad support on both sides of the political aisle. From that time, I have

worked in a very bi-partisan arena of public policy supporting U.S. leadership in space exploration.

I’ve also experienced a certain kind of industry ‘bi-partisanship’ as companies work together as teammates, such as on the F-35 program, while competing in other areas. That’s where the term – which was new to me – ‘competimates’ applies. This new dynamic has created a changing and more integrated space program, with new ‘commercial’ companies and traditional ‘government contract’ companies, like Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin, teaming together to support programs such as NASA’s Lunar Lander.

In my mind, it’s no longer ‘new or old’ space, but rather ‘Future Space’ which is what we are and will continue to create here on the Space Coast.

EW: What brought you to Texas?

JM: Truth be told that after nearly 20 years in the nation’s capital, my wife, Robin, asked “Is there someplace other than Washington, D.C. where we could live and raise our family?”

I found a job leading government & external relations in Houston, Texas. It was a great opportunity where not every conversation focused on what congress or the president was doing. My work involved the broader community and grassroots space advocacy.

It changed my paradigm about how the company contributes to the community, while also pursuing its business goals. That experience really broadened my portfolio of professional relationships, working not only with elected officials, but the superintendent of schools and local business leaders. One of my primary connections there was with the Bay

Area Houston Economic Partnership, BAHEP. Like here, in addition to the chambers, it was where NASA and all the major contractors interfaced with the community.

EW: Then you transitioned to Lockheed Martin but you took that experience with you?

JM: When I came here, I believe the first week, I made an appointment to meet with the EDC’s President and CEO, Lynda Weatherman. We were already EDC members, but I saw with BAHEP what that could mean to a company and a community, and I wanted to strengthen that relationship.

EW: How has Lockheed Martin’s presence and footprint evolved here since you arrived in 2013?

JM: It has been dramatic. When I arrived, we had two major programs, one was the Orion spacecraft, the deep space exploration vehicle, which, because of the leadership of the EDC, is being assembled here on the Space Coast at KSC. The state invested $35 million to modify and upgrade what is now the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Facility, which was then offered to companies for programs like Orion.

The other program was Fleet Ballistic Missile or FBM. I actually didn’t know much about our FBM program presence on the Space Coast when I arrived in Florida. In fact, when I was driving to my office the first day, I saw a sign that said, ‘NOTU’ and I had no idea what that was. Then I discovered we had three to four times as many people supporting the Naval Ordnance Test Unit (NOTU), on the Navy’s strategic deterrent program, than we did with NASA, assembling the Orion spacecraft which had a much larger public profile.

EW: I suppose a quantum leap was moving Lockheed Martin’s FBM headquarters here?

JM: Yes, the headquarters of that operation is now in Titusville, led by our Vice President for FBM Programs, Dr. Sarah Hiza. In addition, Lockheed Martin is assembling the first of two Orion spacecraft, Artemis 1 and 2, to support deep space human exploration missions to the moon and destinations beyond, like Mars. Artemis 1 will be delivered to NASA this year in the June time frame, and will ultimately fly from KSC uncrewed aboard a new rocket, the Space Launch System or SLS. The Artemis 2 vehicle will be the first to fly a crewed lunar mission where America will

again be putting astronauts into deep space from the Space Coast. By the way, one might think of deep space in these terms: Space Station in lowEarth orbit is about 240 miles from Earth, while the moon (deep space) is 240,000 miles away, and Mars is, at its closest, about 40 million miles away. Orion and Artemis are deep space human exploration programs.

Lockheed Martin and NASA have also just signed the OPOC contract, which is the Orion Production and Operations Contract. It is for up to 12 spacecraft through and past 2030, for work that will be done right here at KSC on the Space Coast. It is a centerpiece element of human exploration to the moon and Mars. It is amazing, in the relatively short seven years I have been in Florida, Lockheed Martin has relocated its headquarters for the Fleet Ballistic Missile Programs, established and expanded our Orion spacecraft assembly and manufacturing capacity, and purchased Astrotech Space Operations, which is located in Titusville and processes most of the spacecraft payloads that fly from this area, whether for scientific, commercial or national security missions. In addition, we are part of United Launch Alliance or ULA, which is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

Florida, when I arrived, ranked third in terms of Lockheed Martin jobs in states where we operated. Now, we have moved ahead of California to second, with more than 16,000 jobs in the Sunshine State, including 8,000 people working in the Orlando area for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and Rotary Mission Systems. And we are continuing to grow.

EW: What is the biggest challenge?

JM: Without a doubt the key to not only Lockheed Martin’s future here, but the whole aerospace industry, is to continue to produce and to recruit a highly skilled workforce, from engineers, to technicians and all the support personnel in between. I'm hopeful that the initiatives, like the Certified Production Technician program, underway through the EDC, our apprenticeship collaborations with Eastern Florida State College, our internship programs with Florida Tech, and our partnership with CareerSource Florida and CareerSource Brevard will contribute to our community’s ability to successfully meet that challenge. •

More Than Just Golf

The 102-year-old Rockledge Country Club, with its especially inviting amenities, welcomes all.

By Michael Candelaria, Writer

ndrea Beyel is quick to rave about the golf course at Rockledge Country Club, noting a “unique layout full of mature oaks and pines lining the beautiful fairways that almost feels like you have been transported to another part of the country.”

Then Beyel, Rockledge Country Club’s general manager, follows that description with her most important point: “We are more than just golf!”

“We want to be where you think of having your corporate meetings, parties and the premiere destination for everything from baby showers and celebrations of life to weddings, rehearsal dinners and more,” Beyel adds for good measure.

Indeed, there is more than meets the eye at Rockledge Country Club, which is saying much, given its picturesque setting off South Fiske Boulevard in Rockledge.

Actually, the club’s first event, dating back to 1918, did involve golf — a tournament for the W.W. Brown Cup Trophy, won by a player named E.L. Horwood. The cup sits today in a trophy case in the club’s golf shop.

Yet, since that time, the club has evolved. A 20,000-square-foot clubhouse now sets the stage, with dramatic views and plush, inviting décor. The emphasis is on inviting, as

club members and nonmembers alike are able to use the facility. Weddings, for example, currently are being booked at double the pace of 2019.

Not coincidentally, the club is especially relaxed, highlighted by the venerable Vue 18 Bar & Grill at the clubhouse — open to the public — offering diversions such as “Sippin Sunsets” (with cocktails). Also, there are indoor seating and an open-air veranda, ample TVs, and a regularly changing dining menu with daily specials.

In a similar welcoming fashion, existing tennis courts have been refurbished and turned into six pickleball courts, with lights, to attract newcomers. Pickleball? It’s a sport played on a badminton-sized court with a perforated plastic ball, sort of a wiffle ball, and with paddles that are roughly twice the size of pingpong paddles. And, by the way, it just happens to be the fastest-growing sport nationwide, according to the USA Pickleball Association.

storied course. The City of Rockledge was officially founded in 1887, making it the oldest incorporated municipality in Brevard. A bit of historical trivia: In March 1921, prior to his inauguration, President Warren G. Harding played a round at the club.

Today, golfers can enjoy Diamond Zoysia grass and five sets of tees, with a variety of pin and hole locations placing a premium on shot-making throughout the course, 50 strategically placed bunkers and six acres of water features.

Practice facilities are plentiful, too, including a full driving range with daily measured yardages to multiple targets, a large putting green and short-game area for specialty shots.

Meanwhile, an associate membership program is available, allowing access to the course on a pay-toplay basis. “We like that we offer an exceptional value along with quality service for the golf consumer,” Beyel comments.

Further, the theme of inclusivity also is evident off the property in events such as a haunted hayride at Halloween for children and the Rockledge Country Club Breast Shoot Out of the Year, among others. Chief benefactors include Driven by Heart, a provider of free local support services to newly diagnosed female cancer patients; the Brevard Achievement Center, an agency that serves people with disabilities; and Folds of Honor, which serves the families of fallen and disabled members of the military.

Make no mistake, however. When it comes to recreation, golf at the Rockledge Country Club remains No. 1 and, in fact, the first.

Beyel is especially proud of such efforts. Born in Rockledge, she has deep roots in area, with children who live in the community, as well as grandchildren (the sixth coming in May).

The 18-hole, par-71 layout is the Space Coast’s original and most

Beyel concludes, simply: “This is a friendly club for all.”

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