Space Coast BUSINESS - Business Leaders of the Year Edition

DEC 2019

space coast

2019

TODD J. POKRYWA President of The Viera Company

© 2015 Southwest Airlines Co.

Without a Heart, it’s just a machine.

So in 1971, a little Heart built a different kind of airline—one that made sure everyone could fly.

Everyone has important places to go. So we invented low-fares to help them get there.

To us, you’re not 1A or 17B. You’re a person with a name, like Steve.

Here, we think everyone deserves to feel special, no matter where you sit or how much you fly.

And with all the places we’re going next, we’ll always put you first, because our love of People is still our most powerful fuel.

Some say we do things differently.

We say, why would we do things any other way?

Without a Heart, it’s just a machine.

WELCOME

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

We Can’t Do It Without Them “If you want to know the temperature of an organization, stick the thermometer in the leader’s mouth.” So observed Rick Warren, the author of Purpose Driven Life. Though styles, methodologies and personalities differ, the central value of leadership never changes.

Leaders may be autocratic and mercurial like Steve Jobs. Or they can be charismatic dynamos like Theodore Roosevelt. His daughter once commented about him, “Daddy wants to be the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral.”

This month we focus on a select group of leaders who are making an impact that will be felt for years to come. Though many of the individuals we profile could have made the cover, we selected

Todd Pokrywa who leads the Viera Company. Located in the heart of Brevard, this community has become the gold standard for planned developments across the nation. A major component in Brevard’s talent retention strategy, Pokrywa continues to guide Viera’s evolution as a focal point of the Space Coast’s live, work and play culture.

Eric Wright PUBLISHER ERIC@SPACECOASTMAGAZINES.COM

THIS MONTH’S THEME: Business Leaders of the Year

6

8

20

36

COVER STORY BUSINESS LEADERS OF THE YEAR

FEATURE 2020 PEOPLE TO WATCH

FEATURE LIGHTHOUSE FOUNDATION

UNDERFORTY

FEATURE UNDER 40 WINNERS

DECEMB ER 2019: 1

3999 NORTH HARBOR CITY BLVD

your interests. your community. your inbox.

Get the latest local business & event news. | YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Pick Your Platform

NAME: Yari Fumero TITLE: Junior Loan Officer COMPANY: Shelter Mortgage

AUG 2019

YEARS IN AREA: 12 YEARS AT COMPANY: 10

A

Brevard County resident since 2004, Yari Fumero is a native Floridian, born and raised. Working in the mortgage industry since she was very young, she started her career at Shelter Mortgage nearly a decade ago as a Loan Officer Assistant. After taking a break to start a family, she worked in the title industry where she expanded her knowledge to include the title and closing aspect of the home buying experience. Returning to Shelter Mortgage in early 2016, she arrived as a well-rounded and knowledgeable Junior Loan Officer.

| YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NAME: Yari Fumero TITLE: Junior Loan Officer COMPANY: Shelter Mortgage

AUG 2019

YEARS IN AREA: 12 YEARS AT COMPANY: 10

You are busy. We know because we are too.

That is why we make sure this powerful content is easy for you to access. Our digital editions and exclusive updates keep you connected.

2: SPAC E C OAST B U SI N E S S

|

S PAC E C OAST B U S INES S .CO M

A

Brevard County resident since 2004, Yari Fumero is a native Floridian, born and raised. Working in the mortgage industry since she was very young, she started her career at Shelter Mortgage nearly a decade ago as a Loan Officer Assistant. After taking a break to start a family, she worked in the title industry where she expanded her knowledge to include the title and closing aspect of the home buying experience. Returning to Shelter Mortgage in early 2016, she arrived as a well-rounded and knowledgeable Junior Loan Officer.

Yari truly enjoys what she does and it fuels her passion to help individuals and families get into their new homes. She also understands the importance of the huge financial decision that her clients are making, because as she says, “They aren’t just buying houses; they’re buying homes for themselves and their families to enjoy for a lifetime.”

Yari truly enjoys what she does and it fuels her passion to help individuals and families get into their new homes. She also understands the importance of the huge financial decision that her clients are making, because as she says, “They aren’t just buying houses; they’re buying homes for themselves and their families to enjoy for a lifetime.”

ADVOCATES

AND EQUALIZERS

MORGAN & MORGAN’S BREVARD TEAM FROM LEFT Edward

C. Combs Jr., Derrick Connell, Grant Gillenwater

STILL THE ONE

Vinod Philip, Chief Technology Officer

Tourism’s Ongoing Impact on the Space Coast 50]OCTOBER2016 SCBMarketing.com

Over the years, Yari has worked closely with realtors and homebuilders all over the east coast of Florida and has built many long lasting relationships and partnerships that have served her well. Bilingual, she has used this to her advantage while working with both her English and Spanish speaking clients. Having grown up in a primarily Spanish speaking home and seeing her parents struggle to communicate helped her understand the need for bilingual loan officers. These skills combined with her extensive knowledge of many different mortgage loan programs has allowed her to help hundreds of families finance their dream homes with little to no money out of their pockets. Se Habla Español. ◆

Yari Fumero Yaresmi Fumero -- NMLS#552492 Shelter Mortgage Company LLC-- NMLS#431223 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

ADVOCATES

AND EQUALIZERS

MORGAN & MORGAN’S BREVARD TEAM FROM LEFT Edward

C. Combs Jr., Derrick Connell, Grant Gillenwater

STILL THE ONE

Vinod Philip, Chief Technology Officer Tourism’s Ongoing

on the Space Coast

Impact

50]OCTOBER2016 SCBMarketing.com

Over the years, Yari has worked closely with realtors and homebuilders all over the east coast of Florida and has built many long lasting relationships and partnerships that have served her well. Bilingual, she has used this to her advantage while working with both her English and Spanish speaking clients. Having grown up in a primarily Spanish speaking home and seeing her parents struggle to communicate helped her understand the need for bilingual loan officers. These skills combined with her extensive knowledge of many different mortgage loan programs has allowed her to help hundreds of families finance their dream homes with little to no money out of their pockets. Se Habla Español. ◆

Yari Fumero Yaresmi Fumero -- NMLS#552492 Shelter Mortgage Company LLC-- NMLS#431223 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

REAL ESTAT E

by MEILI

ASK US HOW WE CAN

SAVE YOU MONEY ON INTERNET & PHONE SERVICE UNIFYING COMMUNICATIONS

HOSTED PBX AND VOIP

You want a reliable, high-quality phone system that simply works so you can focus on your business and not your communications platform. Our system adapts and adjusts to your needs and seamlessly works the way you do. We have a solution that meets your needs.

CONFIGURATION FLEXIBILITY

Our reliable, feature-rich hosted phone services adjust as you need them to. We make it easy for our customers to deploy the communication apps and solutions that your business needs, creating an in-office experience right at your fingertips, wherever you are on whichever device you choose.

UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS

Unified Communications (UC) is the seamless integration of voice, presence, chat, data, applications, and other technologies that help drastically improve your communication p ro c e s s e s a n d b u s i n e s s p ro d u c t i v i t y.

SUPPORTIVE STAFF

We’re here to support your business at every level with our always-available, skilled and professional support team. We’ll help you with your specific needs and concerns, while giving you personalized customer support you won’t find anywhere else.

NO COST REVIEW OF

PHONE & INTERNET BILLS

LET US SAVE YOU MONEY (8 6 6) 8 1 4 - 5 8 5 5

•

S AV E N O W @ C O M M U L U S . N E T

•

W W W.C O M M U L U S . N E T

Life Force

Your Cancer Care Team Teamwork is a Powerful Force in Fighting Cancer.

Teamwork has been the basis of many of the world’s great achievements. It is also a powerful way to fight cancer working together to meet the needs of every cancer journey.

Your Parrish® cancer care team includes medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, nurses, social workers, dieticians, pharmacists, spiritual counselors and other medical professionals.

And because Parrish Healthcare is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, the cancer care team can work directly with Mayo Clinic specialists—the care you need, close to home.

Brevard’s ONLY Commission on Cancer accredited program

Take our FREE CANCERAWARE

RISK ASSESSMENT

Visit parrishhealthcare.com/ healthaware

parrishcancercenter.com Healing Families—Healing Communities®

CONGRATULATIONS

UNDERFORTY Presented by Shelter Mortgage Company

Health & Wellness/Fitness

Chelsee Camero, Director of Marketing for Five Star Claims Adjusting Jessica Schneider, Founder & Owner of For Your Health Thermal Imaging, LLC Alena Janik, Owner of Fit Focus Heart

Construction

Agatha Hall, Marketing Sales Supervisor at Hippo Roofing Aaron Azar, Owner/Operator of Azar Tree Service Ryan Wilkins, President of Beacon Roof & Exterior Cleaning

Health Care

Dr. Katharine (Kat) Richardson, DC; Partner in Malabar Chiropractic Dr. Angela McNeight, Program Chair for Brevard Dental Society and Partner in Caudill & McNeight Orthodontics Nickolas Hetherington MOT, OTR/L, CIMI-II; Pediatric Occupational Therapist & Owner of Hetherington Therapy

Legal

David Alpizar, Partner in Alpizar Law Adam Bird, Shareholder of GrayRobinson, P.A., Attorneys at Law Blake Stewart, Managing Partner for Stewart Law Scott Alpizar, Alpizar Law

Manufacturing

Crystal Jacoby, VP of Operations at Compsys, Inc.

Technology

Jennifer Johnson, Founder and CEO of CinchShare Alex Cascio, Founder of Vibrant Media Productions (VMP) Kristin Colacchio, Senior Director of Information Technology for Harris Corporation

Finance

Tara Johnson, Mortgage Loan Officer at U.S. Bank Steve Trout, Owner of Brightway Insurance Shannon Bloom, Owner of SMB Accounting and Consulting

Education

Jill Youngkin & Julie Place, Owners of Gymboree Play & Music Dr. Abram Walton, Founding Director of Florida Tech’s Center for Innovation Management and Business Analytics Heather Barringer, Chief Operating Officer of Upper Mohawk Inc.

TO THE 2019 S PAC E COA ST B U S I N E S S UNDER 40 WINNERS Civil/Public Service

Diana Kuzma, Director of Social Service for Genesis Healthcare’s Huntington Place of Rockledge Sierra Thompson, Outreach Coordinator for the Women’s Center Shayla Murray, Governmental Relations Consultant with Space Coast Strategy, Inc.

Hospitality

Puneet “PK” Kapur, General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express, Palm Bay Kristin LaPorte, Owner of Executive Catering Cody Scarboro, Business Development Manager for First International Title

Coaching/Personal Development James “JR” Reid

Business Development/Sales

Jackie Schmoll, Director of Government Geospatial Systems with Harris Corporation’s Space and Intelligence Systems segment Alex Dunnam, Sales Manager at Creative Network Innovations Christie Lynes, Indialantic Neighbors and Beachside Living magazines

Entrepreneurial

Justin Jarek, General Sales Manager at Chevrolet Meghan Wolfgram, Founder and Co-owner of SwiftPaws Trisha Harris, Trisha Harris Photography

Tourism

Daniel Olsen, COO of Beyond and Back Travel

Entertainment/Art

Katie Eckert, Cirque Athletics Kati Rosado, Fine art wedding photographer Christina Brown, FSMD; Owner of Roses Are Red Florist & Violets In Bloom Florist

Marketing

Ashlee Davidson, Customer Engagement for Harris Corporation’s Electronic Systems segment Bailey Canales, Sales Executive for Sunbelt Title Agency Madison Conradis, Marketing Director and Co-owner of Your Logo

Real Estate

Lindsay Sanger, Owner/Broker of RE/MAX Solutions and Solutions Property Management; Owner of Motto Mortgage Megan Patel, Realtor with Real Estate Solutions Brevard Bradley Fairman Jr., Founder of House Facts Home-Selling Team 6: SPAC E C OAST B U S I N E SS

|

VIEW FULL BIOGRAPHIES AT S PAC E COA ST B U S I N E S S .CO M

SPAC E C OAST BU S INES S .CO M

space coast

A Legacy of Leadership DECEMBER 2018

2018 ROBERT CABANA

Director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

DECEMB ER 2 019: 7

Article by Eric Wright. Publisher Photography by Jason Hook

8: SPAC E COAST B U S I N E SS

|

SPAC E C OAST BU S INES S .CO M

TODD J. POKRYWA President of The Viera Company

I

magine you are finishing up your degree in Urban and Regional Planning, in this case at the University of Waterloo, just west of Toronto, Canada. Your senior honors essay, roughly the equivalent of a graduate thesis, is on New Towns as an Alternative to Urban Sprawl Development: Viera, FL Case Study. Then, fast forward twenty-four years and you are now the President of the very land development company you wrote about as an undergrad.

Unlikely? The odds of it happening defy reason.

Nevertheless, Todd Pokrywa (pronounced pok’-re-va), now leads the company whose vision and approach to land use captured his dreams of what a planned community can and should be.

“From the outset, the community of Viera has been built on a very clear plan and set of values that sees land development holistically,” Pokrywa said. Adding, “It creates a distinctive lifestyle opportunity, the convenience and adaptability needed for quality growth, along with the preservation of an irreplaceable ecosystem. All of which impacts the whole of Brevard County.”

Being virtually at the geographic center of a county that stretches 72 miles, Viera became a logical site for the principle seat of county government, the school system and the justice center. Also, with its proximity to primary traffic corridors, residents can access two international airports, as well as the northern and southern hubs for Brevard’s aerospace industry. The location was providential, but it took some $175 million in contributions to arterial and collector roadway development from The Viera Company, many of which are outside their property, to make it happen.

“Our success causes Brevard to succeed,” Pokrywa observed, “Just like Titusville, Cocoa, Palm Bay and

Melbourne’s success facilitates ours.”

In his blood Most children sharpen their artistic/design skills by drawing images of their favorite cartoon characters, princesses or spaceships. Not Todd Pokrywa: He was drawing grids of city plans, even as a preschooler. “I loved downtown Toronto and was always amazed at how the city grew and evolved,” he said.

What set the course of his future were two of the most influential mentors in his life, a 9th grade geography teacher and a 10th grade geography and urban studies teacher, Doug Struthers and Gord Wright. “In my 10th grade class, an urban planning professor came in as a guest speaker,” Pokrywa recalled. “After listening to his presentation, I knew that was what I wanted to be.” Though he did say he was also pondering the priesthood at the same time.

In Pokrywa’s mind, Florida was the most opportunistic place to be if you were considering a career in land and urban development. He worked for Sunterra Resorts, based in Orlando, which was one of the largest vacation ownership companies in planning and construction at that time. From there he became the vice president of planning for Schroeder-Manatee Ranch (SMR), the developer of Lakewood Ranch, the #2 ranked planned development in the nation, located in southwest Florida.

Rex Jensen, the President of SMR, brought Pokrywa to the community, where he worked for almost 12 years.

Through his involvement with the Association of Florida Community Developers, where he served as a chair, he got to know Tracy Duda-Chapman and Steve Johnson, both of which served as leaders of The Viera Company. In 2014, they contacted him, as Johnson saw his retirement on the horizon, and once the decision was made, for Pokrywa, it was like coming home.

space coast

Business Leader of the Year DECEMB ER 2019: 9

A unique attraction The faith and commitment of the Duda family, along with the patience to develop the community as a multigenerational asset, was a major part of what attracted Pokrywa to Viera.

“Because Duda is a private company, they aren’t driven by quarterly earnings and can maintain a vision that builds value over the life of the community’s development,” he said. “Our decisions take long term implications into account as we will live with them for the next 25 years, as Viera is built-out. Plus, Duda will always have a working ranch located here, so the sense of ownership, stewardship and responsibility is very long range.”

As previously stated, what seemed to seal it for him was that Viera started as a blank canvas, utilizing the best planning minds in the country to help develop the community, but it is a process that continues to unfold. Pokrywa realizes how central Viera is to all the communities and businesses in Brevard. Therefore, he spends a great deal of time reaching out to stakeholders in the region and within their community, to collaborate, to listen and to see how Viera can be involved in advancing the greater good.

alone, it requires a team. And two, doing what you need to do in the present is the only way to ensure your desired future.

The team approach, like most people who developed their leadership paradigm in athletics, comes naturally to him.

“I have learned to be patient, to listen to the team and let everyone share their perspectives. That being respectful and encouraging them brings out their best and is the most effective way to get the outcomes you are looking for. I always want to have an open door and open mind, so we are able to work together in addressing challenges and opportunities in real time,” he said.

He is adamant in emphasizing that the most crucial member of his team is his wife Cyndi, who is working on her doctorate in marriage and family counseling. Their daughter Samantha is married to sports broadcaster Taylor Maples and she serves as the head softball coach at Oklahoma Baptist University.

Recently, he has focused on establishing a commercial development adjacent to the new Viera Blvd. interchange on I-95. Viera abounds with residential options, along with restaurant and retail opportunities, but there are few corporate and office developments, so far. Insightfully planning far ahead, while allowing the market to dictate the developmental pace, has been one of The Viera Company’s hallmarks. A strategic approach that Pokrywa embodies.

In addition to leading the ongoing development in Viera, Pokrywa somehow finds considerable time to meet with the many parties that are impacted by Viera and impact Viera, that reach all across the Space Coast. Viera works closely with partners, like Brevard Public Schools, throughout the community, so the neighborhood school system can be maintained. They even waive the educational and school facilities impact fee reimbursements for which they are eligible, that help cover infrastructure costs, because they realize how important schools are when parents are making home buying decisions.

This project, along with northern and southern extensions of Lake Andrew Drive toward Viera Blvd and the Pineda interchange, respectively, and another east-west crossover for I-95 near the Lexus dealership, to ease traffic congestion on Wickham Road, are some of many projects currently on his radar.

“We are one of the major stakeholders in the county and of course part of that is because of our large-scale footprint that is located in the heart of Brevard,” he said. “We are currently tied to the jobs at the Space Center and around the Orlando Melbourne International Airport, so there is a lot of interdependence in Brevard’s future.”

Now and later

Recently Lynda Weatherman, of the EDC of Florida’s Space Coast, said that the key to job attraction and retention is not just high paying employers. Those employers, and their employees, are looking for a lifestyle that supports and enhances their professional experience. Todd Pokrywa is doing as much as anyone in Brevard to ensure that is happening now and into the future, as far as we can see.

Perhaps it comes from his years of playing hockey in Canada, that Pokrywa is able to exemplify that old Wayne Gretzky saying, “Skate to where the puck is going, not to where it has been.” But of equal importance, he recognizes two other vital factors in winning. One, he cannot skate there

space coast

Business Leader of the Year 10: SPAC E C OAST B U S I N E SS

|

SPAC E C OAST BU S INES S .CO M

Let our Business Law and Real Estate Law Group serve as your trusted legal advisors.

J. Cole Oliver

Kevin M. Barry

Clifford Repperger Jr.

Jason D. Slater

William J. Stewart

Firm Practice Areas Business Law • Real Estate Law • Probate / Trust Administration Asset Protection • Estate Planning / Wealth Preservation • Matrimonial & Family Law Civil & Complex Litigation • Local Government Law • Appellate Law • Land Use Law Employment Law • Healthcare Law • Guardianship • Elder Law www.RosswaySwan.com

Vero Beach 772.231.4440

Melbourne 321.984.2700

Coral Gables 305.443.5020 (By Appointment)

Article by Eric Wright, Publisher Photography by Jason Hook

12: SPACE C OAST B U SI N E S S

|

S PAC E C OAST B U S INES S .CO M

NATALIE SELLERS Vice President, Communications, Community & Corporate Services Parrish Medical Center

T

hough some might view it as a disadvantage, for Natalie Sellers, being an “Army Brat,” which meant she lived all over the United States and Europe, was a decisive advantage. Sellers, who oversees Marketing Communications, Human Resources, Patient Experience, Corporate and Community Development and Process Improvement for Parrish Medical Center, recalls her humanities class in Germany traveling to Paris to visit the Louvre. “We were able to experience first-hand what was in our textbooks,” she recalled.

St. Augustine once said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” For Sellers, her global experience shaped her life and gave her a unique set of skills.

She attended three different high schools and observed, “Constant change was a way of life. I had to learn and adapt quickly. This has served me well throughout my career.”

In the ever-changing world of health care, these experiences have allowed her to rise to the top of one of the most celebrated hospitals in the country. Sellers settled in Florida with her family when her father retired and attended UCF, before earning a graduate degree at Florida Tech. She started her career at Parrish as a marketing coordinator in 2001, and though she has risen to one of the most strategic positions in the organization, she never saw herself as a “leader,” per se.

“My focus has always been on serving, to be the very best I could be and developing collaborative, respectful and caring relationships,” Sellers said. A critical strategy, in a field where effective teams produce the outcomes patients expect and depend on.

To Sellers the future of health care requires a specific type of innovation. Namely, one that focuses on educating and incentivizing people on the benefits of health and prevention (wellness), thus reducing health care costs for individuals and easing health care costs overall.

“If you watch what is happening in the health care sector, entrepreneurs are entering the space focused on technologies that are easy to implement and to sell to consumers,” Sellers said.

Though they are inventing health-related devices, she feels they aren’t addressing the difficult sectors of health care, such as treatment for chronic conditions and life-long health. As a result, much of the growth in health care isn’t contributing beneficially to “health.” Thus, costs continue to rise in the industry, without noticeable improvements in our nation’s overall quality or longevity of life.

Sellers quoted one of her key mentors George Mikitarian, “The true disruptors in health care are not in the health care industry at all but are those demanding more accountability and better value for their money.”

Though she did not initially perceive herself as a leader, she has certainly become an effective one. In fact, when asked about keys to her leadership success, she said, “It is like the old saying, ‘Have the heart of lion, skin of a rhino, and the soul of angel.’ In life, anything you want to excel at, whether it’s leadership, sports, parenthood, etc., it requires continuous focus and attention, achieved through mindfulness and self-care.

“Leadership takes courage, patience, focus and desire, among many other attributes,” she said. Which she believes, requires that you take care of yourself. “Therefore, I love to exercise, spend time with my family, eat healthy and focus on my innerself, in order to maintain the energy that it takes to give back to others as a leader on a consistent basis,” she continued.

Concluding, with characteristic insight, she said, “Leaders don’t get to choose when and where they want to be a leader. You must be ready and prepared at all times to lead.”

space coast

Health Care Leadership Award

DECEMB ER 2019: 13

Article by Eric Wright, Publisher Photography by Jason Hook

14: SPACE C OAST B U S I N E SS

|

SPAC E C OAST BU S INES S .CO M

ANNE CONROY-BAITER

President of Junior Achievement of the Space Coast

G

rowing up on a family homestead that dated back to 1864, which was a gathering place for students, professors, priests and friends, shaped the dynamic of Anne Conroy-Baiter’s early life. Her mother was an accomplished artist and her father, who is in the Irish Football (soccer) Hall of Fame, was a professor of modern languages at St. Bonaventure University in western New York.

The vibrancy and enrichment of that environment birthed a passion inside her, which as president of Junior Achievement of the Space Coast, has spread like a virus into the hundreds of JA volunteers. Their common mission is to share the adventure of entrepreneurialism, the fulfillment of discovering a meaningful career and the lifesaving fundamentals of financial literacy with thousands of young people across Brevard County.

After graduating from Tuff’s University in Boston, as she put it, “With an ability to write, analyze and communicate, skills that have never let me down,” she eventually found herself working for a consulting company in Washington D.C. The firm experienced meteoric growth. “When I joined, they had 200 people, in four years they had 2,000 and I was running the creative services division, overseeing 35 employees. It was the perfect setting to blend my aesthetic and managerial sides,” she said.

She later moved back home to care for her parents and became the executive director of the Cattaraugus County Arts Council for eight years. “I immediately gravitated towards teaching artists business skills and creating markets to help the artistic community sell their work,” Conroy-Baiter said.

Moving to the Space Coast was her first exposure to Junior Achievement. She saw the opening for the director position, studied the organization and submitted her resume.

“I began to think about my three daughters, and I said to myself, ‘I don’t want my daughters to just survive a recession, I want them to thrive.’ What I realized was that a lot of the skills they

needed, I as a parent and our school system, wasn’t equipped to teach. That is what drew me to JA’s mission,” she said. “We make learning about financial literacy a skill, not a stress.”

In addition, in a world where the global competition for a competent workforce is at an all-time high, teaching young people the skills to help identify and prepare for a career is paramount. “Most students are exposed to just a few careers.

The ones their parents are in and those associated with education or medicine, the rest is an undiscovered country.

At JA we give them a window to see all those opportunities out there on the horizon. We provide personal access to understand those jobs in a way they have never heard,” she said.

Her sharp mind, quick wit and eyes that sparkle with enthusiasm have helped her win over an army of volunteers and leading CEOs in the county. “The goal we are continually shooting for is to stay relevant in an ever-changing environment and always playing well with others who may be advancing the same mission,” she said.

JA enjoys a number of strategic or “common ground” partners, as Conroy-Baiter calls them: the Brevard Public School system, Eastern Florida State College and organizations like United Way and the EDC of Florida’s Space Coast. It is, however, local corporations and businesses of all sizes, that provide much of the financial and volunteer support. In 2019 alone, 73,797 hours were donated by over 435 volunteers, to reach and educate some 13,149 students from Mims to Malabar. This is an increase of 22% over 2018.

“We want to plant the idea of entrepreneurialism early in the education process. But of equal importance, almost every JA volunteer walks out of a classroom more encouraged about the future of America and about the potential this next generation has to offer,” she said.

space coast

Donna Scattum Community Leadership Award DECEMB ER 2 019: 15

Article by Eric Wright, Publisher Photography by Jason Hook

16: SPACE C OAST B U S I N E SS

|

SPAC E C OAST BU S INES S .CO M

ERIK COSTIN W+J Construction

E

ntrepreneurship, like life, is not a destination, it is a journey. In fact, it is the mindset that you never really “arrive” that keeps the entrepreneur innovating and pushing the limits of growth, often beyond the comfort zones of some.

The truly successful entrepreneurs, who actually build and scale the businesses they lead, also see the individuals who accompany them on that journey as being as valuable, if not more valuable, than the current vision they are pursuing. Such is certainly the case with Erik Costin who leads W+J Construction and who recently launched ADI Development and Trivium Luxury Homes.

For over 50 years, W+J has been one of the most respected builders in the region. The company has been responsible for everything from iconic launch gantries and KSC’s Saturn V Exhibit, to numerous schools and some of the most beautiful worship edifices in the region. Costin helped the company diversify away from focusing exclusively on government/ municipal contracting projects and has continued to guide its growth into the design, build and development space.

Recently, the company moved into their new, contemporary, two-story, 19,025 square foot office building off Viera Blvd.

The name, “Glendale Park” was a surprise decision Costin’s development partner made, which was a nod to a park in Boston that he grew up by.

“Moving into this office has created so much collaboration among our employees that didn’t exist in our old office,” he said. “We made the investment, believing this new environment would create efficiencies and returns.” It is a conviction Costin and W+J always had about their people. “Even in the downturn, we didn’t layoff any of our people, because we knew they were our greatest asset,” he said.

Because of the unique and often complicated projects W+J lands and the culture they have created, Costin has been able

to attract talent from some of the largest construction firms in the state. “These individuals are so capable and so experienced that it has naturally produced a pretty flat management structure. They are all consummate professionals, but they like working for us, because they can to go home at night and they love living in this area,” he shared.

Costin’s move into development began working as a contractor for Dr. Vishnu Patel, who would eventually be his partner. First, he did projects for him in the medical space, and then they started working together. Their slogan, ‘You can own your future,’ focuses on showing clients they can own their building, through ADI, over time.

In a similar way, Costin was able to leverage the trust he had built working with some of the most experienced people in the upscale residential market, to launch Trivium Luxury Homes.

Their first homes will be available in the Casa Bella community in 2020. Again, he takes a unique approach. “We won’t sell at a certain price point and then expect the buyer to cover added upgrades. Our homes include all the upgrades, at the price we quote,” he said.

A standout basketball player in high school and at the collegiate level, Costin grew up around the construction trades in a bluecollar neighborhood. Originally, he planned to go into law, but the housing market was so lucrative, that he went to work for a real estate developer after college, before moving to Florida and going to work for W+J. One of Costin’s strengths is the loyalty he is able to develop in employees, clients and partners. “Customer service is part of our culture, but it begins with how we treat our people, so they will in turn build relationships with our clients,” he said. “That is how you insure when the next project comes around, that client is already thinking of you.”

space coast

Simpkins Entrepreneurial Award

DECEMB ER 2 019: 17

Article by Eric Wright, Publisher Photography by Jason Hook

18: SPACE C OAST B U SI N E S S

|

S PAC E C OAST BU S INES S .CO M

JANICE SCHOLZ

Career & Technical Education Director Brevard Public Schools

S

ome call it an “Ah-ha” or “eureka” moment, others an epiphany. It is that memorable point of clarity, when the realization dawns, “This is what I was made for.” According to Janice Scholz, who oversees one of the most strategic and increasingly popular series of programs within Brevard County Schools, the CTE or Career and Technical Education program, that realization is something she wants for every student.

Scholz, who began her education career in the late 1970s, is passionate about giving students exposure to the tools, the opportunities and the real-world experiences, which would not only bring that awakening and the fulfillment that goes with it, but also meaningful employment. For Scholz personally, that connection happened in a home economics class, the forerunner of what is now offered as culinary arts or fashion design and merchandizing. Teaching, and in particular, teaching practical and applicable life skills, became a passion.

Fast forward and today America and Brevard County are in desperate need, not for many of the majors offered in our colleges and universities, but for welders, machinists and skilled technicians. These careers can and do command salaries comparable to or well beyond what many who have university degrees are able to command. And the need keeps growing.

The challenge Scholz faces are the common and often antiquated perceptions of these alternative pathways to career success, which are based on 20th, not 21st century work environments. Welders are needed at Blue Origin and SpaceX, machinists at Embraer and Knight Armament, where they work in meticulously clean, air- conditioned facilities, often using cutting edge robotic and computer equipment.

“It’s very hard as a parent to say, ‘My child’s going to be a machinist,’ or ‘My child’s going to be an automotive technician,’ because that doesn’t align with the American Dream that we want more for our children. Somehow, we’re measuring the success of raising our children on them getting a four-year degree, but nowhere do we talk about the four-year degrees

that lead to no employment and unprecedented debt. We need other choices for our students, but we also need parents to accept these choices as equally viable measures of success,” she added.

The CTE program includes specific academies, accelerated programs, industry certifications and other pathways to success that do not necessarily include going to college or university immediately upon high school graduation.

According to Scholz, few students graduating from high school know what they want to do with their life. Therefore, based on her experience, how fair is it to expect them to make that monumental choice with little or no exposure to the plethora of opportunities out there?

“Many of the great careers waiting for high school graduates do not require a college degree,” Scholz explained. “In fact, a growing number of companies don’t want the degree, they want certifications, like for computer programing.”

These certifications can lead to immediate employment, with unprecedented growth opportunities, as new certifications are earned.

“There was a time,” Scholz said, “when academic underachievers were told to go to the auto mechanics class.

Today, you can’t get a job working on automobiles unless you have very sophisticated computer skills.”

Not only has the skill level increased, but just like America began to recognize almost 20 years ago that we had a critical shortage of nurses, the need for technicians and skilled workers is reaching critical mass. The availability to find everything from plumbers and to electricians, to an advanced manufacturing workforce, is becoming the governor that is regulating economic growth and America’s global competitiveness.

Janice Scholz is bringing all her skills, charm and experience to bear on this critical issue right here on the Space Coast.

space coast

Joseph Duda Leadership Award

DECEMBER 2 019: 19

2020 PEOPLE TO WATCH Sarah B. Hiza, Ph.D.

Lockheed Martin Vice President for Fleet Ballistic Missile Programs

T

his year Lockheed Martin Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) officially relocated its headquarters from Sunnyvale, CA. The company is investing nearly $40 million into the Titusville campus as well as transitioning 350 jobs here.

Leading this effort is Sarah Hiza, who serves as Lockheed Martin’s Vice President for Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) Programs and Board of Director member for Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE, U.K.). Previously, she was FBM’s Director for Propulsion, Structures, Ordnance & Controls. Before joining Lockheed Martin, in 2015, she worked at ATK (now Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems) for 11 years. Hiza’s education includes a Bachelor’s in Chemistry from Virginia Tech and a Ph.D. in Polymer Science from The University of Akron.

Her technical expertise includes polymers and energetic materials such as explosives and rocket propellants.

Recognition of her contributions includes 2016’s honoree of Silicon Valley’s YWCA’s Tribute to Women Award, 2011’s Technology Innovator Award by the Women Tech Council, and 2010’s finalist for the Rising Star Award by the Women Tech Council.

Hiza currently serves as the Co-chair for Lockheed Martin Space’s Inclusion Council, as the executive sponsor for the Space Coast Women’s Impact Network, and as the Co-chair for the NOLS Advisory Council.

20: SPAC E C OAST B U S I N E SS

|

SPAC E C OASTBU S INES S .CO M

Christopher "Chris" E. Kubasik

C

L3Harris Vice Chairman, President and Chief Operating Officer

hristopher "Chris" E. Kubasik assumed the role of chief operating officer of L3Harris upon merger of Harris Corporation and L3 Technologies, Inc. in June 2019. The global aerospace and defense technology innovator, headquartered on the Space Coast, has more than 50,000 employees who serve customers in 130 countries. Immediately prior, he served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of L3 Technologies, Inc. Kubasik has more than 30 years of experience in the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry, having joined L3 as president and chief operating officer in 2015. Prior to joining L3, Kubasik was president and chief executive officer of the Seabury Advisory Group LLC, a leading aviation and A&D professional services firm. In 2010, he was appointed president and chief operating officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Before joining Lockheed, he enjoyed a successful career at Ernst & Young, where he was named partner in 1996.

Kubasik serves on the executive committee and board of governors of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and is a member of the Air Force Association (AFA), the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), the Navy League of the United States and the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). He is also vice president of the board of governors of The Wings Club Foundation, Inc. and a member of the University of Maryland board of trustees, his alma mater.

Amar Patel

President and CEO Brevard Achievement Center

A

mar Patel is one of the most respected voices in Brevard’s influential and ever-growing millennial community. In addition, he is also a leader in championing meaning employment for individuals with disabilities.

The President and CEO of Brevard Achievement Center (BAC) since June 2012, he serves an organization that is the 27th largest employer in the county and the largest employer of persons with disabilities. BAC serves more than 4,000 individuals with disabilities each year through innovative services across its various programs. Since 2012, their budget has grown by more than 20%, with annual revenues in excess of $26 million.

Prior to joining the BAC team, Patel was with L3 Harris Corporation for eight years, where he provided a leadership role as program manager of F35, the largest avionics program to date at the Melbourne-based communications and information technology firm. Patel holds a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, an M.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering and an MBA from the University of Florida. He serves on numerous boards and was the 2015 recipient of LEAD Brevard’s “4 Under 40” award. Of his many accomplishments, however, Patel is most proud of his family: wife, Megan, and two children, Layla and Luca.

DECEMBER 2 019: 21

22: SPAC E C OAST BU SI N E S S

|

S PAC E C OAST BU S INES S .CO M

DECEMB ER 2019: 2 3

BEST PRACTICE

SUCCESS

David VOLK David Volk has been a Brevard County Commercial Litigation Lawyer for thirty-two years. He worked in his family’s blue-collar businesses from age twelve through law school and also has an accounting degree. Volk Law Offices is in its twenty-fifth year of service in Brevard County.

PATIENTLY PERSISTENTLY PURSUING PROFIT

H

ello, business owners. This one’s for you. And for those that work for you, because without talent working for you, you probably don’t have much of a business.

money purchase or trip. Like a shooting star, there may have been a pretty flash at first.

That usually fades away, because their heart is not in the right place.

Volk Law Offices is celebrating its 25 year in business and it has me reflecting on how we started, survived occasionally difficult times and ended up here in a good place with even better days ahead.

Woody Allen said something to the effect that 90% of life is just showing up. Woody Allen is crazy for thinking that. We do have to keep showing up, but how we view and approach what we do is the key to success.

So, how do you put your heart in the right place and build a successful business or career? You patiently and persistently pursue profit. You commit to lifelong learning. When you are starting out, you will probably encounter several lean years. You have to realize you are building a foundation for something that will last instead of having a get rich quick mentality or a mentality of conspicuous consumption.

I have had a lot of clients over the years who thought starting or buying a business was going to finally put them in their happy place. Then, they could have others do the work and boss them around and sit in their office smoking a cigar with their feet on the desk while they planned their next big

One of my favorite books is “The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy.” Buy that book. Learn it.

Love it. Live it. My primary takeaway from that book is that you should realize you must put your best efforts in to your financial wellbeing for a long, long time. The authors

th

24: SPAC E C OAST BU S I N E SS

|

SPAC E C OASTBU S INES S .CO M

SPONSORED

stress the value of long-term thinking and building wealth over time. Think 25 years from now instead of 25 hours from now. That applies to business owners and anyone with a decent job. The long-term goal is financial selfsufficiency and “building wealth takes discipline, sacrifice, and hard work.”

Over time, you also have to invest in the business by committing your time and interest into improving the business. You have to figure out where it works effectively and enhance those aspects. You have to figure out where it is ineffective and fix those parts. That is the essential part of a Chapter 11 business bankruptcy by the way.

You have to convince the court that the business can be fixed and that it will be profitable once it is fixed. Spoiler alert: if you are passionate about what you do, you will never stop working on it. If you own a business, ask the great questions my law office consulting firm asks: "do you have a job or a business?" Put differently, they ask, "are you working in the business or on it?" To have a business which you are working on, you have to commit to continuous improvement. If you work for someone else,

ask similar questions about what you are doing. Think career instead of job.

Committing to continuous improvement is best achieved if you decide you will be a lifelong learner. How can you easily become a lifelong learner if you are not there already? Be a voracious reader. I just told you about a book you need to read. There are several classics like that and once you start reading them, you probably will not stop. For an easy start, make success.com, cnbc.com, and psychologytoday.com favorites on the browser on your phone. These have wonderful quick reads on how to improve your approach to business life. In about ten minutes a day, you could read an article in each one and at the end of the month, you will have read, wait for it … roughly 150 articles! In one year, you will have read, wait for it … roughly 1,800 articles of newfound or enhance wisdom. How much more awesome would you be if you read 1,800 articles? And, it will only cost you about 10 minutes a day.

DECEMB ER 2 019: 25

BEST PRACTICE

BUSINESS PSYCHOLOGY

Cynthia HOWARD Cynthia Howard (www.eileadership.org) is an executive coach, performance expert and the author of The Resilient Leader, Mindset Makeover: Uncover the Elephant in the Room.

She researched stress and its consequences in performance during her PhD. In the past 20-plus years she has coached thousands of professionals, leaders and executives toward emotional agility and engaged leadership.

WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR COMPANY’S CULTURE?

LOOK IN THE MIRROR, LEADER

Originally published on globaltrademag.com

E

xtensive research has shown that a positive work culture often results in productive employees who both value their work and feel valued themselves.

But company leadership, not the employees, usually creates that culture. Executives and managers have a significant responsibility to establish a positive culture that is conducive to company success.

Culture can be thought of as the inner life of the organization.

It is the self-sustaining mix of values, attitudes and behavior that drives performance. Culture is the brand identity of the company, and it has the ability to attract and retain great talent or not.

Thus, it’s incumbent on the leaders to be aware of their culture, what they can do to improve it, and honestly assess if it’s the kind of place where people want to be and want to grow.

26: SPAC E C OAST B U S I N E SS

|

SPAC E C OASTBU S INES S .CO M

Another key reason that company leaders need to make work culture a high priority, Howard says, is because millennials — who comprise the largest segment of the workforce — rank culture as their top consideration when choosing where to work.

Five ways leaders can foster a positive work culture: • Model positive, respectful behavior. A positive work culture starts with the leader setting the tone, which can send the right message to leaders at other levels in the company. Don’t play the blame game.

Encourage an environment where it’s OK to make mistakes and move forward. Frontline staff crave leaders who understand them and care about them, will mentor them and will provide professional guidance to make fair and tough decisions.

2020

• Show gratitude. Show your gratitude and appreciation for accomplishments by acknowledging people during a meeting or with a note. Celebrating wins lifts morale, and when people know they will be recognized for exceptional work, they’ll be more motivated.

• Communicate consistently and with clarity. “Keep employees in the loop with consistent updates. Give them regular feedback, not just at review time. This keeps people connected, feeling part of the team, and removes the mystery — and inherent tension — of where they stand. Create clear goals and make everyone feel that they are necessary components toward reaching those goals. That inspires an environment of inclusion, pride and commitment.

• Really listen. This is the important other side of communication that some leaders fail to master. For the leaders underneath you and the employees throughout a company to truly feel valued, they have to know they have a voice and that it will be heard. Be open and encouraging to others’ ideas and solutions.

AUG 2019 JULY 2019

The Silicon Valley of Space

ADVOCATES

AND EQUALIZERS

MORGAN & MORGAN’S BREVARD TEAM FROM LEFT Edward

C. Combs Jr., Derrick Connell, Grant Gillenwater

HISTORY HAPPENED HERE STILL THE ONE The Next Small Steps For Man And Giant Leaps For Mankind

GENERATIONS Collins, Bezos, the Moon & Beyond

Tourism’s Ongoing Impact on the Space Coast

Advertise with us!

• Promote collaboration. One of a company leader’s primary jobs is getting the most out of their team — mainly by defining the importance of team. Maximizing the strengths of a team means knowing each person’s uniqueness and talents and using them in the best possible way. It also means creating a culture where everyone respects each other’s talents and is enthusiastic about working together for the greater good.

321-622-5986 advertising@spacecoastmagazines.com

Poor culture leads to lots of turnover. When you as a leader instill and insist on a positive culture, you reap the benefits. Happy, engaged employees mean a thriving company.

AUG 2019 OCT 2019

AUG 2019

SEPT 2019

HELPING MAKE HOMES HAPPEN

BOBBIE DYER AND THE PERSONAL TOUCH OF DYER MORTGAGE

FOUNDER OF THE YEAR

Special Feature

Luke & Associates

SYNERGISTIC SUCCESS

SENA-TECH & VEYTEC: TOGETHER THEY ARE BETTER

Nicholas Roney & Steven Terry

INTENDED CONSEQUENCES

The Lockheed Headquarters Story

NOW AVAILABLE AT PUBLIX, WALGREENS, CVS & WALMART.

DECEMBER 2019: 2 7

BEST PRACTICE

LEADERSHIP

Oleg KONOVALOV Oleg Konovalov (www.olegkonovalov.com) is a thought leader, author, business educator and consultant with over 25 years of experience operating businesses and consulting Fortune 500 companies internationally. His latest book is Leaderology. His other books are Corporate Superpower, Organisational Anatomy and Hidden Russia.

Konovalov received his doctoral degree from the Durham University Business School. He is a visiting lecturer at a number of business schools, a Forbes contributor and high in demand speaker at major conferences around the world.

ARE YOU A VISIONARY?

6 TRAITS EVERY STRONG VISION SHARES Originally published on globaltrademag.com

T

here’s a reason many of the most successful businesses in America – Apple, Amazon and others – had a visionary leader behind them, propelling them to achieve their goals at the highest level.

A vision pushes people not just to do more, but to do more than they think they are capable of.

Yet, even though everyone does a lot of talking about the importance of vision, he says, it’s not easy to fully grasp just what it is.

I’ve discussed vision with CEOs of big companies, serial entrepreneurs, creators of unique software and many others. Every single person with whom I have spoken viewed vision differently. But in the course of all these discussions I discovered that there were some properties of a strong vision that remained constant.

28: SPAC E C OAST B U SI N E S S

|

S PAC E C OAST BU S INES S .CO M

• Vision reflects the highest purpose of leadership. A leader’s vision should include actual benefits for those affected by the vision, such as employees, customers, the leaders themselves, employees’ families and society at large.

A main stimulus of vision is people and the care of their needs. If a vision is not formed around people and their needs, then it is not vision but personal ambition.

• Vision doesn’t lead to dead ends. A vision is always scalable and should show multiple potentials for expansion.

But to be able to scale the vision you should maintain an appropriate cognitive distance from it. This allows you to see the broader picture while keeping the important details in sight. Stand too close and you see the details but lose

the whole picture. Stand too far away and you lose the important details from which the vision is created.

• Vision reveals a path to success. As you pursue your vision, watch for the signs and clues that will help lead you to success. They will be easy to follow if the vision is strong. Those signs are always around in different forms – words of encouragement, expressions of real need from strangers and answers to critical questions coming from unexpected perspectives. Paying attention to such signs helps people spot opportunities while crafting the most effective path to success.

• Vision means taking on responsibility. If you’re the person with a vision, you are taking on a responsibility that will have an impact on people’s lives. And the greater the vision is, the greater the responsibility. But this huge responsibility also comes with incredible opportunities, the kind of opportunities available only to pioneers. It may be intimidating to take on all that responsibility, but it will reward you in return.

• Vision should be easy to understand. Vision involves elegant thinking about complicated things. But that

doesn’t mean the vision itself should be so complex that everyone is left puzzling over what you’re saying.

Just the opposite. Great vision is genuinely easy to understand. The simpler the vision is in its core meaning, the easier it can be shared with employees, customers, and partners.

• Vision generates excitement. A person with a vision isn’t nonchalant about it. Strong vision is always accompanied by excitement. Actually, vision is a strong emotion itself. If someone tells you about his great vision and he sounds ho-hum about it, then most likely he is lying to himself and others. Such a person might have a goal, but they don’t have a vision.

Vision is a great leadership ability and success instrument.

Vision defines and explains why and where effort should be focused. And while vision is normally created by a single person, it quickly becomes the property of many, and that’s important.

No one can accomplish something great on his or her own.

Vision is what attracts the people needed to take what you want to accomplish and turn it into a reality.

2020 COMING SOON SpaceCoastLIVING.com DECEMB ER 2 019: 29

BEST PRACTICE

LEGAL

Scott ALPIZAR Scott Alpizar is a trial attorney with Alpizar Law, LLC and practices in the area of automobile, trucking, motorcycle, bicycle, moped and pedestrian accidents, personal injury and wrongful death. He is currently the PresidentElect of the Brevard County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and was named a 2019 Rising Star

by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers, an honor that only 2.5% of attorneys in the State of Florida are selected to receive.

NOT ALL MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS ARE CREATED EQUAL

O

ftentimes the phrase “motor vehicle collision” gets used to describe many different types of potential claims that can arise when another person causes a collision while operating a vehicle. However, not all motor vehicle claims are the same. Motor vehicle collisions can involve a semi-truck, automobile, motorcycle, bicycle, moped, pedestrian or any combination of the above. Each type of collision can have a different set of rules, regulations and laws that apply. Each may also require different litigation tactics to ensure that no evidence is lost and that your case can be pursued as vigorously as it deserves.

Consult with an attorney early In all types of collisions, it is important that you seek legal advice as soon as reasonably possible. Make sure the attorney has specialized knowledge and experience handling the specific type of collision that you were in, and don’t just take the attorney’s word for it. In addition, retaining an attorney early on will ensure that

critical evidence does not disappear. Further, the types of critical evidence vary depending upon the types of vehicles involved. For example, a semi-truck involved in interstate commerce is subject to both state and federal regulations, and preserving evidence such as log books, maintenance records, the actual tractor and/or trailer, employment records and load details can result in additional avenues of recovery against the driver and/or the business(es) who contracted with the driver. Not all of the above evidence is required under Florida law. Make sure the attorney you hire is an expert in handling the specific claim you need. For more helpful tips to ensure the attorney you are hiring is the right one for your claim, refer to the article “Is My Personal Injury Lawyer Right For Me?” in the March 2019 Ed. of Space Coast Business.

Know the applicable law The law that applies to a collision depends on the types of vehicles involved. Knowing the nuances is critical to understanding what categories of

SPONSORED

damages you may be entitled to after a crash. For example, under Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Laws, Florida Statute § 627.737(2) states that when the collision involves a motor vehicle, you can only recover non-economic damages if you can prove that you: (a) sustained a significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function; (b) sustained a permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, other than scarring or disfigurement; (c) sustained significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement; or (d) died, as a result of the collision. For more information see Alpizar Law’s article “The Importance of Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage” in the January 2018 Ed. of Space Coast Business.

Non-economic damages include pain, suffering, mental anguish, disability, disfigurement, inconvenience and loss of the enjoyment of life, and § 627.737 is often referred to as the Tort Threshold. Depending on the types of injuries sustained in the collision, proving one of the above can be a difficult task, and insurance companies almost always dispute that the injuries meet one of the above criteria. However, Florida Statute § 627.737 only applies to “motor vehicles,” and Florida Statute § 627.732(3) defines “motor vehicle” in part as having four or more wheels. If you were riding a motorcycle when the collision occurred, you are not subject to Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault laws, including the Tort Threshold. It is critical for your attorney to know these nuances to secure maximum value for your claim. Insurance companies will never volunteer this information to you, and they hope that your attorney isn’t familiar enough with the nuances of Florida Law. Similar examples can be given for inter-state trucks and intrastate trucks, which are subject to Florida Laws while operating their vehicles on the roads in the State of Florida. They may also be subject to Federal laws and regulations if they are operating across state lines. There is a tremendous amount of differences in trucking cases in comparison to automobile cases. Likewise, mopeds have their own subset of laws that apply depending on the size of the engine and the speed it travels at.

Protect and pursue your claim When you are injured because another person chose to operate their vehicle in a negligent manner, you have the right to seek reimbursement for the damages that person caused to you. Almost always, reimbursement comes from an insurance company and not the person directly. Despite what is advertised on TV, insurance companies are for-profit companies that are in the business of collecting premiums from their customers and paying out as little as possible when a claim is made. You only have one chance to bring a claim. Ensuring you hire the right attorney who knows the distinctions of Florida law as it applies to your unique facts is essential to ensure the right evidence is preserved and you are reimbursed fully and fairly for your injuries. For over 40 years, Alpizar Law, LLC has specialized in handling all types of collisions and can help navigate you through the complexities involved in collision claims.

Happiness is a

Healthy

Smile

Beverly Rose, DMD

Always Gentle, Always Friendly

Family Dentistry | Cosmetic Dentistry | TMJ/Neuromuscular Dentistry Relaxation Dentistry | One-Visit Crowns & Fillings Metal-Free Dentistry | Porcelain Veneers | ZOOM! Whitening Digital X-rays (90% less radiation)

Beverly Rose, DMD 2755 North Wickham Road, #101, Melbourne, Florida 32935

(321) 259-4666 www.BeverlyRoseDMD.com Five Star Customer Service ★ Elegant & Comfortable Office ★ Complimentary Consultations

DECEMB ER 2019: 3 1

COMPANY HIGHLIGHT

SPONSORED

(From left) Pablo Cuervo Cano, Olivia Covey, Justin Connors and Corine Connors

F

or Connors Wealth Management founder and CEO Justin Connors, client and community service are both paramount to professional identity. “We serve at a very high level,” Connors explained, “and pride ourselves on being a relationship-based firm rather than one based on transactions. Our clients are truly like family to us, and we work hard every day to help them feel special.”

As independent financial advisors focused on preretirees and retirees, the Connors team focuses on helping clients establish sustainable retirement income and ensuring a legacy for their family and their philanthropic interests. "Our mission is to help our clients achieve their investment goals so they can focus on what’s most important. We call this True Wealth; living life by design, not by default."

101 North Atlantic Avenue Cocoa Beach, FL 32931 (321) 868-0732

Connors Wealth’s service to the community extends to their business partnership with Marine Bank & Trust.

“What really drew us together was a similar mentality,” Connors said. “It’s a high level of interaction and communication with the people we serve and a focus on giving back to our community. Our partnership enhances our existing service options for our respective clients by providing a trusted resource that operates with a similar level of personalized care.”

Securities offered through IFP Securities, LLC, dba Independent Financial Partners (IFP), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through IFP Advisors, LLC, dba Independent Financial Partners (IFP), a Registered Investment Adviser.

IFP and Connors Wealth Management are not affiliated.

6525 Third Street, Suite 209 Rockledge, FL 32955 (321) 241-4000

connorswealth.com justin.connors@spacecoastadvisors.com

SPONSORED

COMPANY HIGHLIGHT

Matthew Jehs and Gary DiGiacomo

T

uttle-Armfield-Wagner Appraisals & Research, Inc. is a full-service property appraisal company with 15 appraisers and support personnel. Our staff performs approximately 4,000 residential and 400 commercial property appraisals every year. Our commercial division has extensive knowledge of a variety of property types including industrial, retail, office, multi-family residential and vacant land, along with many other special use properties. Led by Matthew W. Jehs, MAI, over the last 10 years, the team has appraised over $1 billion worth of commercial real estate for financing, estate planning and litigation.

throughout the Florida market. DiGiacomo has over 30 years of experience appraising in Brevard County and serves frequently as an expert witness.

The residential division, overseen by Gary DiGiacomo, specializes in single-family homes, condos, multi-family residential properties up to four units and vacant lots

For those looking to buy, sell, invest or manage real estate in Brevard, we look forward to serving your valuation needs.

Founded 1985

(321) 723-7010

The firm’s concentration of work is for most property types prevalent in Brevard County and clients include banks, attorneys, government agencies and property owners. Qualified by our experience and knowledge, TAW also provides appraisal review services to determine the adequacy and credibility of appraisal results as well as compliance with applicable. We also provide replacement cost estimates for insurance purposes.

taw@t-a-w.com

t-a-w.com

111 W New Haven Avenue Melbourne, FL 32901 DECEMBER 2019: 33

SPONSORED

Cindy Schmitt EXECUTIVE HIGHLIGHT

Senior Director of Continuing Education

T

he American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) named Cindy Schmitt, senior director of continuing education at Florida Tech and Brevard County resident, as one of the ‘Top Ten Business Women of the Year.’ This award is a national program honoring ten outstanding businesswomen from across the country for excellence in career, education and community involvement.

Ms. Schmitt was the only woman chosen from Florida. She has been with Florida

(321) 674-8336

Tech for 17 years and is the immediate past president of the award-winning Oceanside Charter Chapter of ABWA in Melbourne. ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities to help women grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support and national recognition. Florida Tech, a national doctoral research university, was founded in 1958 to provide continuing education to the “missile men," helping to build a foundation for the U.S. space program. Florida Tech is Florida’s STEM University with a can-do culture.

cschmitt@fit.edu

fit.edu/continuing-education

150 W University Blvd Melbourne, FL 32901

SPONSORED

Dr. Bradley Clow EXECUTIVE HIGHLIGHT

Chiropractic Physician

D

r. Clow grew up in Brevard County and has been serving the community since 1984. He has never strayed from his goal of helping as many people as possible reach their optimum health potential through holistic care.

After 30 years of providing chiropractic services to our community with some of the most advanced technologies and techniques, it became evident to Dr. Clow that our community, and the world, was only getting sicker. This was due to not only

(321) 725-8778

34: SPACE C OAST B U SI N E S S

the physical stressors that we are already successfully treating but also because of the ever-increasing neurological and chemical stressors in our environment. It became Dr. Clow’s mission to do something. At this stage of his career, most doctors would retire (or even downsize), but Dr. Clow embarked on the mission to neutralize the stressors and restore health energy back into our patients, family and community.

Dr. Clow believes that there is a tremendous gap between the latest research and the standard of medical care that most patients receive. Using only the most advanced natural healing methods available today it is his goal to bridge that gap. It's your future.

Be there healthy.

drbradleyclow@clowchiropractic.com

|

S PAC E C OASTBU S INES S .CO M

clowchiropractic.com

145 Palm Bay Rd. NE #120 West Melbourne, FL 32904

SPONSORED

Victoria Brannon

Business Owner, Event/Entertainment Director

ictoria Brannon is a Space Coast Native who found her love for music, dance

and the arts at a young age. Her passion to dance became the catalyst that launched her entrepreneurial spirit of performance, coaching, teaching and event creation. As a professional choreographer, she began her S Corporation right out of high school. Her love of music and singing also fueled her momentum in the industry, which affords her endless resources for connections in music and arts that will bring the best of

(321) 505-1333

Victoria@CreativeEventAgency.com

CreativeEventAgency.com

EXECUTIVE HIGHLIGHT

V

entertainment to your special event. Over the course of the past six years, her business evolved into what it is today as Creative Event Agency, your Corporate Event one stop shop. Her expertise grabbed the attention of the Hospitality Program at Eastern Florida State College where she was able to teach and present to diverse ages about her experiences and knowledge on the subject. She is a focused and determined entrepreneur with a long-term plan in the business and is looking to expand in other states. Victoria, along with her team of professionals, will ensure that you are truly a guest at your own event. From seminars and conferences to galas, fundraisers and holiday events, she will turn ordinary into extraordinary with a memorable experience for you and your guests that will last a lifetime.

P.O. Box 410341 Melbourne FL 32941

SPONSORED

Shannon M. Bloom, CPA Owner

hannon is the owner of SMB Accounting and Consulting LLC, a small business CPA firm specializing in controllership and federal government contracts. She started her career as a civilian accountant for the USAF. Her multi-national staff in England, Japan and the United States quickly taught her the importance of effective communication and efficient teamwork.

Exposure to business practices that brokered fraud, waste and abuse positioned her to attain a vast amount of firsthand experience in a short time and gather an

(321) 775-3724

sbloom@smbaccountant.com

in depth understanding of requirements associated with federal government contract accounting and general accounting principles. Shannon’s comprehensive attention to detail and ethical predication enable her to focus on providing the right set of tools to businesses so that anyone can succeed. She has presented seminars at the UCF Business Incubator and Groundswell to assist startups with federal government contracting issues and provide guidance on setting up their accounting systems for success.

smbaccountant.com

EXECUTIVE HIGHLIGHT

S

7640 N Wickham Rd. Suite 109B Melbourne, FL 32935

DECEMBER 2 019: 35

COCOA BEACH

BEACON OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT [ By Michael Candelaria, Writer ]

C

ape Canaveral Lighthouse’s remake shines a light on a rich past as well as the civicmindedness of the present.

Rear Adm. James W. Underwood endured the rigors of the U.S. Coast Guard for 37 years, encompassing both commands nearby along the shorelines of Brevard County and across to Alaska.

Yet, these days Underwood is more like a little boy at Christmas, giddy about the plans that are coming together for a transformation several years in the making.

Underwood is president of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation, which has guided the remake of the 151-year-old Cape Canaveral Lighthouse. In August, only 16 months after breaking ground, first of three replica keepers’ cottages were completed. That first cottage, scheduled to open in December (as you read this), will serve as a museum — the Keepers’ Cottage Museum. In addition, other surrounding restoration work continues.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Underwood said.

“Lighthouses are so incredible when you look at where they are, the timeframe they were built and how difficult life was back then compared to what we have now. These people worked hard, and when you look at what they constructed in some of the most remote places on the planet, it caught my interest. Lighthouses are fascinating to me.”

Particularly the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse.

James W. Underwood

Underwood held a Coast Guard command in Brevard from 1992 to 1994. In 2009, after his retirement, he became involved in the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation, which was created in 2002 to help preserve the lighthouse and provide public access to the national landmark.

A little context: The lighthouse was completed near the beach in 1868, but shoreline erosion

36: SPACE C OAST B U SI N E S S

|

Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Photos provided by the Lighthouse Foundation

forced its relocation inland, where it was reassembled in 1894 atop Florida sand at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, approximately one mile from Cape Canaveral's eastern tip. It wasn’t an easy task — the structure has iron plating bolted together, and the entire tower is lined with two layers of brick.

The actual light in the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse is an active-duty aid to navigation that is maintained by the Coast Guard, while the lighthouse facility and grounds are owned by the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Space Wing. In 2002, when national security tightened in the wake of 9/11, greatly limiting public access to the lighthouse, the newly formed foundation partnered with the Air Force.

“We are basically supporting the Air Force’s desire to preserve, protect and promote lighthouse to the public, so that the public has an understanding of its history and the history the lighthouse plays with the entire aerospace industry.

“This sentinel, this light, has been flashing for the last 151 years over the seas, out to 18 miles, so ships wouldn’t run aground. It’s

S PAC E C OAST BU S INES S .CO M

been flashing for every rocket launch and for every cruise ship,” Underwood continued.

In 20-second loop cycles throughout the night, the lighthouse flashes twice during 4.8-second spans and then goes dark for 15.2 seconds.

Now, the black-and-white striped lighthouse, at 151 feet tall, promises to put its shine on tourism, thanks to 1934 Coast Guard drawings for a realistic exterior facelift and enough funding to ensure a full renovation up to today’s codes. Notably, all of the underground utilities (sewage/water, storm drainage and others) are now completed for future cottages.

Funding came by virtue of dollars from the Brevard County Commissioners Space Coast Tourist Development Council ($500,000) and the State of Florida ($250,000). Funding requirements called for the establishment of the museum.

“It’s going to be a terrific tourist attraction. … This will work,” said Underwood, pointing to planned tours, a gift shop and the creativity of Becky Zingarelli, co-founder of LightShift Associates LLC and the president of the Museums of Brevard. Zingarelli’s handwork is visible at the Veterans Memorial Center on Merritt Island.

COCOA BEACH REGIONAL Chamber of Commerce

Think of the CBRCC when you’re ready to market your business to the local community!

Partnership of more than 1,500 local businesses Expanded offices in Viera, Cocoa Beach and kiosk desk in Port Canaveral’s Exploration tower Consists of 80% small business Assists in bridging the gap between big business and small business

Further, the remakes will extend Lighthouse Foundation’s community reach.

In October, the foundation hosted 100 fourth-graders from Louis Carroll Elementary School in Merritt Island at the lighthouse, as part of an ongoing commitment to share Florida history with youngsters throughout the county.

On Nov. 10, the 2nd Annual Cape Canaveral Lighthouse HalfMarathon and 10K Race were held, providing an “opportunity for people to run out to the lighthouse and see it, and have a lot of fun,” said Underwood, who noted that more than 100 volunteers would participate and added that such events “synergize what we’re trying to do for the community.”

Fosters a pro-business environment while providing valuable tools and resources to ensure business success

Stop into any of our locations for area information, coupons and more!

Underwood is a volunteer, too, as are most others who have been involved in bringing the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse’s history back to life.

“As the president of the organization,” Underwood concluded, “I probably do the least compared to everybody else that doing work.

And, for me, this is a labor of love.”

Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce (Main Office) (321) 459-2200

The Avenue Viera (321) 454-2021 Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Information Office (321) 784-6444 Tourist Information Kiosk, Exploration Tower 670 Dave Nisbet Dr. Port Canveral

Education cottage plan

CocoaBeachChamber.com DECEMBER 2019: 37

SPONSORED

Photo provided by Health First

CUTTING-EDGE ANATOMICAL IMAGERY ARRIVES AT HEALTH FIRST

THE O-ARM SYSTEM COMBINES RADIOLOGICAL IMAGING WITH PRECISE THREE-DIMENSIONAL NAVIGATION [ By Michael Polarchy, Health First, Contributor ]

H

ealth First strongly believes in having the best possible surgical enhancements to safeguard successful patient outcomes and expectations. This is why we are providing an important tool to help improve the wellness and health of the community we serve.

The O-arm System is a surgical imaging platform geared toward: spine; ear, nose and throat; and trauma-related surgeries and orthopedics. It provides real-time imaging of a patient’s anatomy with high-quality images and a large field of view in both 2D and 3D. “The O-arm is a technology that combines radiological imaging with precise three-dimensional navigation,” said Dr. Mark Fulton, Neurosurgeon at Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center. “It is very useful in making surgery more precise and, therefore, safer.”

The technology design allows its moveable frame to open and provide lateral patient access, positioning and

38: SPACE C OAST B U S I N E SS

|

flexibility. Once closed around the patient, the O-arm helps with pinpoint decision making during surgical procedures, which helps to guide navigation of difficult areas with greater precision and less risk. The main benefits for patients are they will endure far fewer incisions and experience shorter recovery time.

During a surgical procedure, the O-arm provides more than just improved image quality. It also helps with sterility, patient safety and operating room accessibility.

The device can be moved from one operating room to the next for imaging on demand. It is an important resource when meeting patients’ needs at any time during a procedure.

“The O-arm is especially helpful in patients with complex spinal deformities or patients that have had prior surgery,” Dr. Fulton said. “It is also finding an increasing role in brain surgery.”

SPAC E C OASTBU S INES S .CO M

SPONSORED

Photo provided by Health First

HEALTH FIRST HELPS DELIVER CARE TO COMMUNITY’S UNDERSERVED BREVARD HEALTH ALLIANCE’S MOBILE CLINIC [ Provided by Health First ]

H

ealth First is committed to improving the wellness and health of Brevard, whether that’s caring for the customers who come through our doors or those seeking help throughout the community.

Through collaboration with several local nonprofit organizations, outreach programs are here to meet the needs of the community we serve. Health First is proud to support the Brevard Health Alliance (BHA), the county's only Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), which includes BHA’s Mobile Clinic. In 2018, Health First provided $171 million in community support. BHA was one of those beneficiaries.

A supplement to BHA’s locations throughout Brevard, this mobile clinic aims to provide extraordinary care to the medically underserved in our area on a weekly basis. No

appointments are needed for those seeking medical care – services are provided first come, first served.

BHA provides care for underserved patients with a complete range of services, including adult medicine, pediatrics and pediatric urgent care services, dental services, behavioral health services, women’s health services, as well as pharmacy services for their patients.

BHA began as the HOPE (Health, Outreach, Prevention & Education) Clinic at Health First's Holmes Regional Medical Center in 1995. Since 2005, when the HOPE Clinic evolved into BHA, Health First has continued as a loyal supporter with an annual grant of a $1.1 million, as well as the provision of in-kind diagnostic services.

DECEMB ER 2 019: 39

Get Smart, Get SMARTdial!

Customers today demand more from your business than ever. They expect a fast response and convenient communication.

To keep up, your team needs to be available and able to collaborate easily. You need Affordable Agility and Speed -- you need SMARTdial from Artemis.

How can SMARTdial help your business? Call 321-757-8909 today to speak with a Communications Specialist!

HD Call Quality

Speedy Setup

Stay Connected

Superior Support

Superior call quality, because we understand IT and networking

Installation and training Included

Unified Communications features keep you in touch

US-based live support

Upgrade to SMARTdial today!

Discover how Artemis can help improve your operations with a reliable, cost effective SMARTdial Unified Communications Solution, call today!

40: SPAC E C OAST BU SI N E S S

|

S PAC E C OASTBU S INES S .CO M

from the Space Coast Magazines team

Photography by Harmony Lynn Goodson

321.726.8338 VolkLawOffices.com