November 2013 Member Spotlight

Connie Menor

Fort Family Investments

1.            How did you become a member of CREW Jacksonville? I am a client of Laura Gonzales with BBVA Compass Bank. Laura introduced me to CREW and invited me to attend 2012’s Christmas Party. I was very impressed with CREW and what the network has to offer so I applied to become a member.

2.        Tell us a little about your company and your role. I am the Executive Vice President/Controller for Fort Family Investments. Fort Family develops/owns a property management company, multiple apartment communities and commercial assets throughout Jacksonville. I have been with the company for 19 years and oversee the entire operations on both the management and financial end.

3. If you have been very involved with CREW Network during your time with CREW, can you tell the members how to best take advantage of what CREW Network has to offer? Information is the key in becoming involved with the CREW Network. The Crew Website and Crewbiz offers an array of information on how to take advantage of the educational and networking opportunities available for members.

4. What is the best networking experience at CREW? I am an extreme introvert so networking is very difficult for me. With that being said the monthly luncheons have been my best networking experience. I have found that the luncheons provide a casual and comfortable atmosphere to meet and get to know other members. I can sit at a table where I know no one and by the end of the luncheon I have met and had great conversation with several CREW Members.

5. In the years you’ve been a member what has been your favorite activity? My favorite activity has been participating in the philanthropic activities with the PACE Center. Career Day at PACE gave me the chance to get to know some of the girls and hear their stories of what brought them to PACE. We try to encourage the girls of the positive opportunities that are within their reach not only in the commercial industry but with education and other career fields as well.
 

 

www.perimeter-realty.com

Leigh Gunn, IIDA Principal, Group4 Design - August 2013 Member Spotlight

Leigh Gunn, IIDA

Group4 Design

1. How did you become a member of CREW Jacksonville? 

After being invited by Mel Schock to the inaugural events of CREW in Jacksonville, I became a charter member of CREW.  I left CREW for a short time during a job change but because of the great relationships and the outstanding programs I came right back!

2. Tell us a little about your company and your role.

Group 4 Design, Inc. is a fun and talented group of 15 creative types who deliver amazing design concepts that are unique to every client.  We provide integrated interior design; architecture and landscape design services and pride ourselves on great relationships both with our clients and the general contractors and vendors that we work with.  We strive to have all of our marketing come from repeat business because of the satisfaction of the whole team with not only the final result but with the whole process. 

As interior design principal it is my role to make sure that we have well-coordinated, outstanding designs while keeping each idea fresh and new.  Unlike a lot of firms, which principals and managers are not hands on, I participate in every step of the design process from space planning in the beginning to putting the accessories in place at the end.  Because of the talented designers and architects we have assembled into our group, my job offers me the luxury of enjoying what I do each and every day and being extremely proud of what we have all accomplished together in such a short amount of time.  I am so lucky to be inspired every day by the amazing people around me.

3. If you have been very involved with CREW Network during your time with CREW, can you tell the members how to best take advantage of what CREW Network has to offer?
JOIN A COMMITTEE!!  This is where you get to know people on a personal level, where you learn how well you work together and where you get to celebrate great results within CREW.   It helps your confidence level in how teaming on business projects with the individuals will work and you make great friends in the meantime.

 

4. What is the best networking experience at CREW?

Involvement with the Membership Committee has been my best networking experience.  It has given me the chance to make contact with both potential and new members and strengthen my ability to market.  It’s great to make a call about something for CREW and introduce yourself and your company during someone’s early experiences with CREW, hopefully it makes you memorable to them.

5. In the years you’ve been a member what has been your favorite activity?

The Christmas events and auctions for PACE are always a favorite of mine, I’m always amazed by the enthusiasm of the girls and how it shows through in their art for the auctions and by the dedication of the CREW members who work so hard to put it all together.

Caryn Carreiro, CCIM CREW Member Spotlight July 2013

July 2013 CREW Member Spotlight

Caryn Carreiro, CCIM

How did you become a member of CREW Jacksonville?  I was a member when the CREW Jacksonville chapter was first organized.  I was introduced to CREW by Amy Sterling and Laura Gonzalez and all of the founding members as a professional women’s organization where we could conduct business with individuals whose core industry was in commercial real estate.

Tell us a little about your company and your role.  NAI Hallmark Partners was founded in 1993 as a full-service commercial real estate company with expertise in real estate development of office buildings, retail and multi-family; provider of corporate real estate services; and leasing/managing a portfolio in excess of 3 million square feet – focusing in North Florida.

My role is managing the Asset Management department responsible for asset and property management, operations, finance and construction.  I lead a team 8 in Jacksonville.

  Take time to meet each member and get to know them as they have vast knowledge to share and are interested in helping all members succeed professionally and personally.  The CREW Network has allowed me access to members in multiple cities in Florida and that has been an invaluable resource.

What is the best networking experience at CREW?  Every event has provided me an opportunity to get to know fellow members in more depth.  In addition, when speakers provide updates in their field I have been able to meet new people that I would not otherwise have had access to.

In the years you’ve been a member what has been your favorite activity?  The opportunities to have access to information about current economic conditions and important local/national issues.

Florida Legislature Passes Water Quality Bill - sponsored by King Engineering Associates, Inc.

During the April-May, 2013 Florida Legislative Session, CS/SB 1808 was passed by the Senate (on April 24) and the House (on May 1), and is expected to be signed into law by Governor Scott.
 
This followed a March 15, 2013 Agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), through which the EPA agreed to delegate establishment of all surface water quality standards to the FDEP, provided such standards and developed and adopted by the state within a certain time frame.
 
These water quality standards are referred to as Numeric Nutrient Criteria (NNC), and focus on the primary nutrients Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorous (P) that occur in surface waters.
 
The enactment of this Bill recognizes that the FDEP has established (and EPA has approved) NNC for inland waters (including streams, springs, lakes and some estuaries), and that these adopted standards will be implemented in accordance with the document entitled “Implementation of Florida’s Numeric Nutrient Standards”, which is also adopted by reference.
 
The Bill also provides that the FDEP will establish NNC for coastal waters (including remaining estuaries) by December 1, 2014.  The FDEP must submit a status report on coastal NNC development to the Governor and Legislature by August 1, 2013.
 
For more information on how these rule changes may affect your interests, please contact us at depregulations@kingengineering.com

St. John’s County brings value to the commercial real estate negotiating table.

CREW Jacksonville presented a breakfast program highlighting the outstanding success St. John’s County's economic development efforts at the St. John’s County Convention Center at World Golf Village on Tuesday morning, March 12, 2013.  The event featured key representatives of various economic development entities in St. Johns County who are involved in top level decisions regarding the economic development.  The event was held to educate members and guests on the collaborative efforts of public agencies and private economic development groups in the County to expand existing businesses and attract new businesses to their area.  CREW Jacksonville represents the entire First Coast Region including St. Johns County.  Each of our northeast Florida counties has special and unique qualities that complement each other to attract business to the entire region.  It is important that our Commercial Real Estate professionals are apprised of incentives their clients are afforded in the northeast Florida region.  

Cyndi Stevenson, St. Johns County Commissioner, District 1, spoke about St. Johns County being Business Ready with full Commission support for economic development.  Cyndi highlighted the fact that the commission is small in comparison to its Jacksonville neighbor and real estate decisions such as permitting and zoning can be made quickly and efficiently as a result. 

Carol Saviak, Government Relations Manager for the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce gave a presentation on the attributes that make St. Johns County so attractive for development.  She pointed out its proximity to the Port of Jacksonville, its Northeast Regional Airport, major rail and highways as a logistical strength for manufacturing and distribution companies.  She went through a lengthy list of business incentives for companies looking at the county for their property locations including the strength of the school district, no state income tax for company employees, no county sur-tax (which neighboring counties have), executive level activities such as golf and boating as well as the pristine natural surroundings the area residents enjoy including the long stretch of beaches from St. Augustine Beach to Vilano Beach.

Peter Apol, Chair of the St. Johns County Industrial Development Authority described the IDA and its purpose to provide financing to profile and non-profit entities through the use of public financing in the form of bonds.  Over the past 30 years, the St. Johns County IDA has issued over $500 million in bonds.  There projects include Publix at the Vilano Beach Town Center, Flagler Hospital, the Council on Aging and the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The final speaker was John Patrick Reagan, St. Augustine City Manager who talked about the Economic impact of the 450th anniversary in 2015.  John mentioned the extensive planning that is underway for the event and described it as a spoked wheel approach with the City of St. Augustine as the hub.  Many groups are lining up to be part of the event including the band “Mumford and Sons”, whose manager emailed the City’s staff from the City website because “They couldn’t believe there was a city in the US 450 years old”.

The event was a popular one, drawing city and county dignitaries and top commercial real estate business professionals.  Over 70 people attended the event which included a buffet breakfast with the presentation.  CREW encourages networking amongst its event participants and this event offered high impact opportunity!  CREW Jacksonville is the local chapter CREW Network.   CREW Network is the industry's premier business networking organization dedicated to advancing the achievements of women in commercial real estate. Our 8,000 members represent nearly every discipline within the industry and are located in 76 major markets across North America.  For more information on CREW Jacksonville and its events, visit our website at www.crewjax.org

CREW held a drawing for a $250 prize from those members who renewed before the end of February.  Madeline Banks, from Golder Associates won the drawing.  CREW is holding a membership drive for an additional $250, which will go to the member who gets the most new members to join CREW Jacksonville before this summer.  Members, call your friends now!

CREW Jacksonville would sincerely like to thank the event sponsor St. Johns County and table sponsors King Engineering Associates and American Enterprise Bank of Florida.  

CREW Jacksonville continues to celebrate our northeast Florida region at our May 7 luncheon program celebrating the women leaders of Clay County.  For more information and registration visit www.crewjax.org

March 12th Breakfast Event

CONSERVE & RESERVE

 

InvestSmart with

Please join us as we hear JEA’s Manager of Business Clients,
MARITZA I. RIVERA-CLAPP, PE, CE and
Trane’s CARLETON KNOTTS, CEM, CBCP, LEED AP, Energy Consultant
discuss how the commercial market can take advantage of InvestSmart with JEA rebates and improve the bottom line for their business.  Come and find out how to determine if your commercial properties collectively qualify for a JEA discount.

February 5, 2013 from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
11:30 am - Registration
11:45 am – Lunch Served
12:00 pm - Program

Maggiano’s at St. Johns Town Center 10367 Midtown Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32246

$30 Member / $45 Non Member

REGISTER AT WWW.CREWJAX.ORG BY 02.01.13 $15 fee added after the deadline