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Vol. 35 No. 51 December 18, 2017 $1.00 A Weekly Space Coast Business Magazine with Publishing Roots in America since 1839

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Please see Residence Inn Marriott & Courtyard by Marriott, page 23

By Ken Datzman

Times are good for hoteliers. Business

travel is up, rooms are filling up and

Florida’s $110 billion tourism industry is

strong. A record 60.7 million people

visited the Sunshine State during the

first six months of the year, through air

and vehicle travel.

“It’s been a very good year for our two

hotel properties,” said industry veteran

Jim Ridenour, who is the dual general

manager for the 133–room Residence Inn

Marriott in Melbourne and the 146–room

Courtyard by Marriott in West

Melbourne.

“The Courtyard in West Melbourne

has not had a year like 2017 since 2004–

2005. The Courtyard stood up to Hurri-

cane Irma. It lost only one room for a

couple of days. A lot of business com-

pressed into the Courtyard. It has not had

a slow day since Irma left town.”

He said the market segment mix for

the two hotels is 55 percent leisure and

45 percent corporate.

Ridenour, a former U.S. Air Force pilot

who served in Vietnam, started his post–

military career with Marriott Interna-

tional in 1993. He will be marking his

25th year with the company in 2018.

Sitting on many community boards,

Ridenour is a graduate of Ball State

University with a bachelor’s degree in

education. He has a master’s degree in

personnel management from Central

Michigan University. Ridenour retired as

a colonel in 1992 from the Air Force.

He began as a front–desk associate at

the Courtyard by Marriott in West

Melbourne and rose through the ranks to

his current position.

Many of the associates he recruited to

work through the years for the company

have carved out careers with Marriott.

Today, the management team for the two

hotels is built around a talented group of

University of Central Florida graduates.

The team includes: Julie Braga, the

assistant general manager for the

Courtyard in West Melbourne; Melanie

Paske, the operations manager for the

Residence Inn in Melbourne; Chiara

Kafer, the events specialist for the two

hotels; and Eric Braga, Julie Braga’s

husband, the chief engineer for the two

hotels.

“I have been with the Residence Inn in

Melbourne since 2008, working as a

front–desk associate and then as front–

desk supervisor,” said Paske, who earned

her bachelor’s degree from UCF’s Rosen

School of Hospitality Management,

ranked as one of top institutions of its

kind in America.

“I have worked for Marriott for 11

years. I started at Marriott’s Vacation

Club at the Grand Vista in Orlando, off

International Drive. Marriott is a great

company to work for, with all types of

opportunity to advance in your career.”

Marriott International recently

unveiled the company’s three–year

growth plan, which includes opening

roughly one hotel “every 14 hours around

the world.”

Julie Braga has worked for Marriott

for 19 years, following her graduation

from UCF. “It’s been a great career. Jim

The Residence Inn Marriott in Melbourne and the Courtyard by Marriott in West Melbourne are seeing solid growth as the U.S. lodging industry is enjoyingsome of its best times. Looking ahead to 2018, the economic momentum is expected to remain strong. From left, the team includes: Chiara Kafer, dualevents specialist; Melanie Paske, operations manager, Residence Inn; Jim Ridenour, dual general manager; Eric Braga, dual chief engineer; and JulieBraga, assistant general manager, Courtyard. The are all University of Central Florida graduates. The odd–man out is Ridenour, a U.S. Air Force Vietnamveteran and graduate of Ball State University. They are at the Residence Inn.

BBN photo — Adrienne B. Roth

Marriott brands shine as hotel–occupancy demand stays on track

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Jet–engine furniture fires up holiday giving;guide to cool, useful gifts from race team

Bet the person on your holiday shopping list who

allegedly “has everything” doesn’t have what Shock

Diamond Designs is offering.

The Palm Bay–based company makes furniture,

household goods, jewelry and more out of old jet engines

and race car parts. A unique amalgamation of DIY cool,

adaptive reuse and steampunk artfulness, Shock

Diamond Designs’ table, for example, uses a decommis-

sioned General Electric J–85 turbojet engine as its base.

The products are the brainchild of Brian Tocci, 25,

who has a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering

and later this month will receive his MBA from Florida

Institute of Technology. His day job is director of

operations at Larsen Motorsports, a Florida–based

company operating four jet dragster race teams.

“I love building stuff, whether a race car or furniture,”

Tocci said. “With these extra parts, we decided to reuse

them and not scrap them. So this gives me another

outlet to be creative while putting these items to good

use.”

A table or clock, a business card holder or lamp,

earrings or a necklace, there are unique items for all

interests and price ranges. Find more at

www.ShockDiamondDesigns.com.

Still have more people on your list? Larsen

Motorsports co–founders Elaine and Chris Larsen have

their own gift suggestions, and they are, not surprisingly,

perfect for the automobile enthusiast in the family — or

even just the drivers.

Consider updating or adding to the essentials: jumper

cables, tire pressure gauge (doesn’t have to be the digital

style), car care detail kit, flashlight for the glove box, a

sunshield, or even a full–car cover.

Thinking about safety? Maybe a seatbelt cutter or

emergency hammer for smashing out a window, or a

first aid kit.

And there are always great deals this time of year on

tools. Consider a basic tool kit that has screw drivers,

socket wrenches, a hammer and other items.

“If you are a car owner, we recommend having these

essential things,” said Chris Larsen, Larsen Motorsports’

head crew chief. “They will look great under your

Christmas tree and even better in your car or garage.”

Ronstrom’s annual Santa Food Driveat First Photo Studio in Cocoa Beach

For the past 20 years, Karl Ronstrom at First Photo

Studio in Cocoa Beach has been collecting food for Santa.

Specifically, Ronstrom will take your picture with Santa

in trade for a donation of a bag of canned food or a $10

cash donation (two photos per donation). He will also

take checks made out to the House of Hope. These

donations will go to the House of Hope on Merritt Island,

the First Methodist Church and other organizations.

The Santa Food Drive will be held Dec. 15–16 and

Dec. 22–23 at First Photo Studio, 18 N. Brevard Ave. in

Cocoa Beach. The hours are 3–6 p.m. on Fridays and 10

a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The First Photo Studio

phone number is 799–2535.

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4300 Fortune Place, Suite DWest Melbourne, FL 32904

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BrevardBusinessNews.com

PUBLISHERAdrienne B. Roth

EDITORKen Datzman

SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITORBill Roth

Brevard Business News is published every Monday byBrevard Business News Inc. Bulk Rate postage is paid atMelbourne, FL and Cocoa, FL. This publication servesbusiness executives in Brevard County. It reports onnews, trends and ideas of interest to industry, trade,agribusiness, finance, health care, high technology,education and commerce.

Letters to the Editor must include the writer’s signatureand printed or typed name, full address and telephonenumber. Brevard Business News reserves the right to editall letters. Send your letters to: Editor, Brevard BusinessNews, 4300 Fortune Place, Suite D, West Melbourne, FL,32904, or email [email protected].

Subscription Rates for home or office mail delivery are$26.00 for one year (52 issues). Send all addresschanges to: Circulation Department, Brevard BusinessNews, 4300 Fortune Place, Suite D, West Melbourne, FL,32904, or email [email protected].

When you’re an athlete, acquiring tunnel vision is a

skill that must be constantly mastered because one slip

and it could be game over for you or your team. So what

goal is your vision focused on?

Tunnel vision can benefit everyone in the right situa-

tions.

Focus on the task at hand and everything will take care

of itself, right? Sounds easy enough.

But there’s always distractions to plague your vision,

such as staying up too late, partying, eating unhealthy

foods, paying no attention to the controllable things that

can affect your performance on the field.

Two years after transitioning out of athletics, I realize

that my goal now at the end of the tunnel isn’t as clear and

the “distractions” aren’t as obvious or as easy to fix as a

simple switch of my diet.

I have been fortunate at UCF to be part of the DeVos

Sport Business Management Program, athletics and the

President’s Leadership Council. I feel like I’ve personally

come a long way.

I’ve constantly pushed myself through each application

process because I thought I could add value to these

organizations. My tunnel vision now is serving the

transformation of a student–athlete through personal and

professional development.

Through my tunnel vision I have acquired the urge to

want to gain more knowledge, not only from an athletic

point of view, but from a university involvement to help me

achieve my goal. I realize I have been given numerous

opportunities, to educate others about the side of athletics

the camera doesn’t always show, to hang with kids at the

Florida Hospital for Children, to help a student–athlete

land a job or internship post–collegiate career. I’ve gotten

to be a part of those things and share with others about

how stepping outside of ourselves and being appreciative of

the lane that has been assigned to us can silence the self–

doubt we all face when approaching new situations or

meeting new people.

Sometimes those self–doubts emerge after meeting new

colleagues: “Hey, my name is so–and–so and I am the

president of this big–time organization on campus. (My

self–doubt starts creeping in.) “I am involved with this and

that, where I organize this type of event for these types of

people.” (Fear.) “Upon completion of the program, I plan on

being the owner of this professional team.” (Insecurity.)

Accolade after accolade. Goals after goals. The words

would crank away and seemingly minimize how little I

thought I was doing now to achieve my end goals in life. I

start to think about other missed opportunities that I could

have been involved in along my journey.

Then it’s my turn in the introduction.

“Hello, my name is Christal Peterson and I am…”

(Maybe I should have studied harder, maybe I could’ve

been the president of an organization.) “…in the DeVos

Sport Business Management Program.” (Maybe I don’t

belong here. This is an elite group.) “And I am also the

graduate assistant of the Student–Athlete Welfare and

Development Office for UCF Athletics.” (Just cut my losses

now.)

All of these things go through my head every time an

introduction is made, but then usually something happens

towards the end of my wrap–up that catches attention.

Their response is something like: “Oh cool! That’s

amazing! So what is it that you exactly do?” or “I really

didn’t know that. I just learned something new!” or “I

would have never known any of that if it were not for you. I

can tell that you must really love what you do.”

After compliments and questions, my doubts and

insecurities start falling by the wayside, and what arises in

their place are words like grateful, pride and secure.

And just like that, things seem to click.

It’s so easy to be distracted by those around us who

seem to have it all together, when the feelings likely may

be vice versa.

So again, I say, stay in your lane and hone in on your

tunnel vision because no one can do what you do. Don’t

downplay your impact.

We are all constantly building and constantly evolving

into better versions of ourselves. It’s important that we all

check ourselves with methods or statistics that help keep

us focused when the distractions try to blur our visual

scope.

Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed with self–doubt,

anxiety or just confused as to why I feel like I am con-

stantly playing catch–up in comparison with those around

me, I just simply close my eyes and remember:

Down.

Take a deep breath.

Set.

Exhale.

And pop!

I’ve learned that tunnel vision can benefit everyone in the right situationBy Christal PetersonUCF Forum columnistUniversity of Central Florida

“You’ve got to stay in your lane.”

Close eyes.

“Focus on what you have to do and not on what

everyone else is doing.”

Take deep breath.

“You’ve got to have tunnel vision, if you want to be

great.”

Exhale.

“Now. Down, set…and pop!”

After my UCF track career, these are some of the

reminders I still focus on from time to time since hanging

up my spikes to pursue a different career route. I recall

those reminders when my anxiety is high and I need to put

things into perspective. Ask those people you consider

successful, and their usual message is: Block out all

distractions when in the pursuit of a goal.

Christal Peterson is a graduate student inUCF’s DeVos Sport Business ManagementProgram and a member of the President’sLeadership Council. She can be reached [email protected].

The 28th annual Port St. John Christmas Parade set Dec. 16

“Happenings Newsletter” of Port St. John and Parrish Medical Center are sponsoring the 28th annual Port St. John

Christmas Parade at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16. The theme this year is “The Reason for the Season.” The parade route

will be along the east–bound lane of Fay Boulevard, beginning at Waterloo Avenue, just east of the Kangaroo station,

across from Fay Park, and ending at Carole Avenue. Spectators “are asked not to stand in the median area for safety

reasons and because several floats face the south sidewalk side only.” Judging will take place at Manila Avenue and

awards will be handed out at Fay Park after the parade. Because of the parade, Fay Boulevard will be closed on Dec. 16

from Pleasant Avenue to Carole Avenue. This will be from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Anyone interested in entering the

parade, helping to stage the parade or making a donation to the parade, may contact Randy Rodriguez at Happenings.

The number is 633–7499. The entry form is also available at www.Happenings.net.



To Be Continued ...To Be Continued ...

‘Loyalty is everything to me!!!’Brevard County Sheriff Robert Wayne Ivey(321) 271–6029to Dana Delaney Loydat 5:19 p.m., April 29, 2015

‘Hi. I need to reportsuspected abuse.’Dana Delaney Loydaka Theresa Smithto Florida Abuse Hotlineat 11:12 a.m., April 29, 2015

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Content: Sent out by who

To: 3212716029Date: 2014-11-24 20:51:26

Content: Military reserves army

From: +13212716029Date: 2014-11-24 20:56:13

Content: Ten four

To: 3212716029Date: 2014-11-30 13:14:23

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To: 3212716029Date: 2014-11-30 14:35:57

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To: 3212716029Date: 2014-12-01 16:49:10

Content: I just heard you are putting Joe hellebrand in Jeter s spot?

From: +13212716029Date: 2014-12-01 16:52:39

Content: No he is taking over another role as program coordinator. Not sure what I'm gonna do yetwhen she leaves as everything seems to be on track pretty well with our managers.

To: 3212716029Date: 2014-12-01 16:54:17

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From: +13212716029Date: 2014-12-01 16:58:47

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By Lee H. HamiltonSenior AdvisorIndiana University Centeron Representative Government

One of the quirks of life in Washington, D.C., is that

pretty much the only people who don’t refer to lobbyists by

that name are, well, lobbyists. They’re “policy advisors,” or

“strategic counsel,” or “public relations advisors,” or

lawyers, or even just “consultants.” Whatever they’re

called, though, they play a huge role in making policy.

For the most part, they are able, well–informed, and

skillful at what they do. Their aim is to develop a cordial

relationship with policy–makers — whether elected to

Congress or serving in some federal agency — so that they

can advance their points of view. And policy–makers rely

on them: for information, for research and writing, for

persuasive arguments, and, of course, for political support.

Though there are members of the influence industry

who aren’t especially well–heeled, there are plenty who

are. As a whole, they spend a lot of money: $3.1 billion in

2016, according to the Center on Responsive Politics, which

tracks lobbying and lobbyists.

Some industries — among them pharmaceuticals,

communications, insurance, and oil and gas — employ

hundreds of people whose sole mission is to influence

federal policy–making. They write checks to politicians for

speeches, dole out campaign contributions, pay for travel.

They work hard to get their favored politicians elected and

to rally their members at important moments. They are

extremely sophisticated in the use of media, including

social media. They pursue public education campaigns,

grassroots organizing, and other means of getting mem-

bers of the public to back them.

There’s a reason for all of this: the stakes are high.

When I was in Congress, I used to wonder why I’d see

CEOs walking around Capitol Hill or stopping by my office

for a visit. These are important men and women who have

major responsibilities that have nothing to do with

politicians, and yet there they are. Why? Because if they

can get a few words added to or eliminated from regula-

tions or legislation, their companies can benefit by millions

and sometimes billions of dollars. It’s that simple.

And it’s why, no matter how much politicians like to

talk about “draining the swamp,” they never do. The

swamp keeps growing because what’s at stake for the

influence industry and the interests that fund it does, too.

I should say that I’ve known a lot of lobbyists over the

years, and respected them as hard–working, well–

informed participants in the process. I’ve been helped by

many of them, and misled by only a few. But I worry about

the growth of the industry and its outsized weight com-

pared to that of the ordinary American. As the impact of

well–resourced interests grows, I think the voice of

ordinary citizens has been diminished. The voter may have

a vote every few years, and that should not be discounted,

but it cannot possibly match the effect of people who are

there day in and day out, wielding the resources many of

them can bring to bear.

So what do we do about this? I do not think it’s enough

to say, as some politicians do, that in the scheme of things

there are so many countervailing voices that they cancel

each other out. That’s simplistic.

Part of the answer lies with robust disclosure and

transparency laws and enforcement. But as important, I

believe that Congress ought to increase its capacity to do

its own research, analysis, oversight, and fact–finding. It

Balancing out the lobbyists — Congress should increase capacity to do its own research, analysis, fact–findinghas some capabilities in this regard, through the Congres-

sional Research Service, the Congressional Budget Office,

and the Government Accountability Office. But as the

Brookings Institution pointed out earlier this year, those

three agencies, through budget cuts, lost 45 percent of their

combined staffs over the last 40 years, even as members’

workloads grew. Lacking the independently provided

information they need to make informed decisions,

Brookings noted, “Congress members will fall back on

documents provided by interest groups and lobbying

efforts.”

The problem is, members of Congress don’t seem

especially concerned about the outsized role the influence

industry plays in their deliberations; nor do they seem

especially interested in building their own independent

capacity to analyze issues and legislation. But if you care

about representative democracy, you ought to be.

Lee Hamilton is a Senior Advisor for the IndianaUniversity Center on Representative Govern-ment; a Distinguished Scholar, IU School ofGlobal and International Studies; and aProfessor of Practice, IU School of Public andEnvironmental Affairs. He was a member of theU.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.

Anna Alexopoulos Farrar joins DFS as communications directorTALLAHASSEE — Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis recently announced that Anna Alexopoulos Farrar will

join the Department of Financial Services (DFS) as Communications Director. In this capacity, she will oversee the

communications strategy for the department.

“Anna is a seasoned communications professional whose experience in both the government and private sectors brings

a fresh perspective to the role. This experience and her knowledge of the department will help us advance our efforts to

connect with Floridians on top issues that impact those living in our great state,” he said.

Farrar has more than 10 years’ experience in public and private communications. She joins the department after

nearly three years at a top Florida public relations firm, On 3 Public Relations, serving most recently as vice president of

accounts, where she led communication strategy and message development for major companies and organizations. She

previously served as press secretary for DFS under former CFO Jeff Atwater, and managed media relations for a national

disaster safety nonprofit.

Community Bankpick up BBN

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This Holiday Season

Share Joy with a Child in Need

Join Community Bank of the South as their team collects toysfor the children of the Central Brevard Sharing Center.

Bring unwrapped toys of any sizefor a child of any age to the lobby of any

Community Bank location before December 15, 2017

277 Sykes Creek Pkwy, Merritt Island - 2321 SR 524, Cocoa - 1902 S Fiske Blvd, Rockledge

CBOS.bank 321-452-0420


GIVE YOUR CHILD A GIFT THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME

Schedule an appointment by

January 31to receive a

$49.00Cognitive Skills Assessment

Regular price: $99.00

Space Coast Training Center is an outreach of Space Coast Early Intervention Center located at 3790 Dairy Road, Melbourne, FL 32904 www.sceic.com

Is your child struggling this school year? Is their self-confidence in need of a boost?

Are you looking for a way to help them do better?

This holiday season, give your child the gift of better learning skills!

Schedule an assessment to learn the cause of their struggles

and how we can help.

Call today! 321-729-6858

Ask for Sue

The tools they need to build a strong foundation can be gained through Brain Training!




The King Center in Melbourne to mark its 30thAnniversary with Broadway shows, special events

The Maxwell C. King Center for Performing Arts has announced its 30th Anniversary

of performing arts and entertainment on the Space Coast.

“We are grateful we have been able to bring quality performing arts and entertainment

to the Brevard County community over the past three decades, said Steve Janicki, the

King Center’s executive director. “The 30th Anniversary Celebration marks an exciting

milestone for the King Center and is also an opportunity to raise funds for the future of

the theatre. As the building ages, the cost of building upkeep increases, and fundraisers

become more important than ever.”

The signature fundraising event for the theater is the 30th Anniversary Celebration.

This exclusive event package includes tickets to see “The Illusionists: Live From Broad-

way,” and an invitation to a cocktail party at the Eau Gallie Yacht Club in Indian Harbour

Beach, immediately following the show on March 4, along with tickets to Kinky Boots on

April 24 and an invitation to attend a cocktail party in the King Center Rotunda before

the show.

Wear your favorite boots and prepare to “walk the catwalk.”

In addition to great seats to two Broadway shows, “fabulous” parties and other VIP

benefits, your sponsorship will support the King Center, a not–for–profit arts organiza-

tion. Proceeds from this fundraiser will help grow the King Center’s endowment.

Managed by financial planners, the endowment works much like an investment fund.

The more the fund grows, the greater the benefit to the King Center. By participating in

the 30th Anniversary Celebration, you will help us continue bringing “world–class

performing arts and entertainment to the Space Coast for many years to come.”

Special event chairpersons for the King Center’s 30th Anniversary fundraising

celebrations are Darcia Jones Francey, Pamela Gatto, Myra Igo Haley, and Kim Vice.

Various contribution levels are available for this signature event. For more information

on this program, visit KingCenter.com or contact Autumn Shrum at 433–5720 or

[email protected].

All proceeds go to the King Center for the Performing Arts programs and Endowment.

The King Center is a direct support organization of Eastern Florida State College.

Space Coast Symphony Orchestra to presentfree holiday concert Dec. 16 at The Avenue

VIERA — The Space Coast Symphony’s “Holiday for Everyone,” a free “mega concert,”

will start at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16, at The Avenue Viera.

Christmas at The Avenue will be presented outside the AMC Avenue 16 Theater, with

members of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra in a concert of Christmas favorites. The

third annual program will include familiar holiday music selections, including “Sleigh

Ride,” and “Christmas Festival,” along with selections from the film scores of “Sound of

Music,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” and “Star Wars,” among others. Santa and Mrs. Claus

are scheduled to make an appearance during the concert, which will also include a reading

of “The Night Before Christmas.” The concert will conclude with an invitation to The

Avenue Viera shoppers to join in a sing–along of Christmas carols.

Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the casual outdoor

program. For more information about Christmas at The Avenue, presented by The

Avenue Viera and sponsored by Tropic–Care of Florida Inc., Commercial Landscape and

Lawn Maintenance, visit www.SpaceCoastSymphony.org or call (855) 252–7276.

The Avenue Viera is an outdoor lifestyle retail center off Lake Andrew Drive.

Space Coast Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Artistic Director Aaron Collins said

he is “proud to have partnered with The Avenue Viera” for the third year in a presentation

of free musical events.

“The look on the shoppers’ faces turns from surprise to delight when the music starts at

The Avenue Viera,” said Collins. “It starts on Black Friday with music for the lighting of

the 35–foot–tall tree and continues with weeks of free concerts and caroling by community

and school groups. Christmas at The Avenue is the biggest event of all, with the Space

Coast Symphony Orchestra performing some of the season’s most beloved holiday music

for everyone at the Avenue Viera. Bring a chair and a blanket and don’t miss the fun.”

For more information about The Space Coast Symphony Holiday for Everyone, visit

www.SpaceCoastSymphony.org.

AT&Tpick up BBN

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© 2017 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.

At AT&T we know businesses help communities thrive. In Brevard County and across the nation, we empower connections that help to build a better tomorrow.

Keeping communities connected. At AT&T, it’s how we do business.

Brevard County connected



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Port hosts international dignitaries as part of abusiness innovation and entrepreneurship tour

PORT CANAVERAL — A delegation of more than 50 influential dignitaries from

around the world recently visited Port Canaveral as part of the Americas Competitiveness

Exchange (ACE) tour, promoting Port Canaveral as an internationally known hub for

business innovation and entrepreneurship.

Port Canaveral was selected to host the ACE tour which builds global networks

between local and visiting stakeholders, and establishing long–term collaborative

partnerships. The visit was organized by the Economic Development Commission of

Florida’s Space Coast.

“Port Canaveral is proud to host this year’s ACE 8 tour, showcasing our innovation and

entrepreneurship,” said John Murray, Port CEO. “It is our goal at the Port to develop and

establish long–term relationships with business leaders, both locally and globally. Port

Canaveral is a world–class gateway for cruises, cargo, recreation and logistics, as well as a

gateway to new frontiers, including space. We are fully committed to strengthening the

economic development and collaborative partnerships with our community.”

Port Canaveral was one of three premier locations for the tour, including Florida Tech’s

Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovative Design facility and NASA’s Kennedy

Space Center.

Port Canaveral Commission Chairman Tom Weinberg welcomed the delegation to

Port Canaveral. “You represent for the Western hemisphere what we are all about here at

Port Canaveral and that’s commerce, trade, shared culture and friendship,” stated

Weinberg.

Jacqueline Emmanuel–Flood, CEO of the St. Lucia Trade Export Promotion Agency

and ACE delegate, presented an award to Murray, recognizing Port Canaveral’s contribu-

tion to the ACE program and establishing long–lasting global relationships.

In his closing remarks to the group, Murray said that Port Canaveral is poised to

facilitate the commerce needs of the nations and government or commercial enterprises

the delegates represent. “We are a gateway serving the rapid growth of Central Florida, a

high demand and high consuming market. We have opportunities for import and export of

goods like perishables, specialized commodities, automobiles, machinery and equipment.

Bring that message back to your trade folks in your respective countries and share that

Port Canaveral is here and ready to serve Central Florida.”

Since 2014, the ACE tour has been held in the United States, Argentina, Mexico, and

Canada, becoming a catalyst to strengthen hemispheric ties, building on ideas and models

that work to promote economic and social development.

Diane Thomas and Dawn Garrison openEmpower Fitness at The Avenue in Viera

VIERA — Empower Fitness has officially opened its new women’s–only fitness center

at The Avenue Viera, it was announced by Diane Thomas and Dawn Garrison, the owners

of the unique fitness facility. “We are so pleased and proud to be offering our services to

women of all ages and to help them become a better version of themselves,” said Thomas,

adding, “Women today are not only looking to become fit, but they are putting more of a

focus on the total health of the body, mind, and soul.”

The state–of–the–art fitness center is located at 6729 Colonnade Ave. The location

formerly housed Delta Life Fitness, where both Thomas and Garrison worked with and

assisted clients.

Empower Fitness Personal Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors have extensive

backgrounds in fitness training and have focused on serving women for several years. “It

is our hope and dream that Empower Fitness will continue to be known as the No. 1

women’s fitness center in this area,” said Garrison.

Empower Fitness is an all–encompassing health club that solely works with women,

and all personnel are women. The Empower Fitness facility is designed with a focus on

women’s comfort, convenience and ambitions in mind.

“Empower Fitness is for women who spend most of their lives putting others first, as

mothers, friends, wives and professionals,” the owners said.

While a formal grand opening celebration is planned for the beginning of next year,

Empower Fitness is already open Monday through Saturday. For additional details go to

EmpowerFitnessViera.com.

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TALLAHASSEE — Florida Commissioner of Agricul-

ture Adam Putnam issued the following statement

following the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of the

Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, which allows a

qualified individual to carry a concealed weapon in states

that allow individuals to carry concealed weapons.

“This is a historic day for law–abiding gun owners and

an affirmation that our constitutional right to keep and

bear arms does not end when we leave our home state

Florida operates the nation’s largest concealed weapon

licensing program, and national reciprocity will reduce the

burden on Floridians who travel out of state with their

guns.”

Florida currently operates the nation’s largest

concealed weapon licensing program with more than

1.8 million active licenses and has reciprocity agreements

with 36 other states.

Since coming into to office, Putnam has worked to make

applying for or renewing a Florida concealed weapon

license as convenient and efficient as possible. In 2014, he

launched a first–of–its–kind partnership with county tax–

collector’s offices to receive applications, take fingerprints

and send the information to the Florida Department of

Agriculture and Consumer Services for processing.

To date, 51 counties participate in the program and

nearly 250,000 Floridians have applied for or renewed a

concealed weapons license at a tax–collector’s office.

The department also expedites concealed weapon

license applications for all active military members and

veterans. To date, more than 90,000 active military

members and veterans have received expedited concealed

weapon licenses. And for the third time since taking office,

Putnam announced in June of 2017 that the fee to apply

for or renew a concealed weapon license was lowered.

For more information on Florida concealed weapon

licenses, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.

Commissioner Adam Putnam’s statement on the passage of the concealed Carry Reciprocity Act

Wilmarth achieves membership in elite Raymond James’ councilSteven Wilmarth, senior vice president of investments at Wilmarth Private Wealth Management Group of Raymond

James and Associates Inc. in Melbourne, was recently named a member of the 2018 Chairman’s Council. Chairman’s

Council honors are presented only to those financial advisors who have demonstrated an “unparalleled commitment” to

personal service and professional integrity. Members of the Chairman’s Council represent the top echelon of the firm’s

financial advisors, “which is a privilege limited to a select few.” Wilmarth, who joined Raymond James in 1998, has more

than 19 years’ experience in the financial services industry. The team offers customized investment, retirement and

estate–planning services for families throughout the United States. Chairman’s Council membership is based mainly on

assets under management, education, credentials and fiscal–year production. Requalification is required annually. For

more information on the Wilmarth Private Wealth Management Group, contact Victoria Wilmarth at 253–7911.

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Please see The Eye Institute for Medicine & Surgery, page 19

Dr. McManus and Dr. Darlington of The Eye Institute for Medicine and Surgeryoffer ‘The Christmas Cataract’ gift of sight program; has a dedicated websiteBy Ken Datzman

The holiday season is a time of joy and giving. And one

longtime area ophthalmology practice has been giving the

gift of sight to needy patients on an annual basis since

2012, in what is called “The Christmas Cataract”

program at The Eye Institute for Medicine & Surgery.

Dr. James McManus, The Eye Institute’s founder,

started off performing one cataract surgery for a needy

patient and then last year the program expanded when

colleague Dr. Jason Darlington joined him as a partner in

The Christmas Cataract community–service initiative.

Dr. Darlington came aboard The Eye Institute’s M.D.

team two years ago, moving here from Los Angeles.

They are both highly experienced board–certified eye

physicians and eye surgeons. Each will be performing

cataract surgery on the appropriate candidates as part of

the 2017 charitable program.

Cataracts are a common eye condition where the

natural lenses becomes clouded, impairing a patient’s

vision, said Dr. McManus. “What happens over time with

the clouding of the human lens, is that it becomes more

difficult for patients to see clearly. It’s challenging for

them to see fine print or to see street signs from a

distance, for example. When it starts affecting their

activities of daily living, then we start talking about

cataract surgery,” he said.

According to the National Eye Institute, more than

20 percent of Americans will have cataracts by the age of

65, and the prevalence increases with age. Cataracts, a

natural part of aging, are the most common cause of

vision loss in the United States. They typically develop

slowly, so symptoms may not be immediately apparent.

Over time, cataracts can cause vision to become blurry,

cloudy, dull, or dim, and can interfere with daily activi-

ties.

The two physicians encourage Brevard County

residents who may be experiencing vision loss because of

cataracts — and who are uninsured and are in need — to

visit TheChristmasCararact.com. There are instructions

on the website explaining how an individual or a loved

one can share their story describing how vision loss has

impacted their life and how they believe their life could

improve if their vision was restored.

“Cataract surgery is generally a medically necessary

procedure that’s covered by health insurance,” said

Dr. Darlington. “Unfortunately, not everyone has health

insurance in Brevard County. So, it can be a fairly

expensive procedure for someone without coverage.”

He added, “Through the Christmas Cataract program,

we offer cataract surgery free of charge to someone who is

in need and cannot financially afford the procedure. We

select two patients for the program. It’s one way The Eye

Institute gives back to the community.”

Dr. McManus and Dr. Darlington will review the

entries from the website and carefully determine the two

individuals most likely to benefit from cataract surgery.

“We have already begun receiving stories from patients

describing their situations as it pertains to their vision.

We would like to have all The Christmas Cataract entries

before the end of the year, so we can begin the selection

process,” said Dr. McManus.

The feedback from patients who were chosen in past

years for The Christmas Cataract program, and under-

went the surgical procedure, has been uplifting, said

Dr. McManus.

“It’s been very rewarding to read the heartfelt letters

we’ve received from The Christmas Cataract patients.

Some of them have even made artwork — something

they could not do before they had the surgery — as an

appreciation of their sight being restored. It’s very nice to

see this. The surgery has changed their lives.”

A new survey from Alcon, a global leader in eye care

and a division of Novartis, demonstrates that people

experience significant emotional and lifestyle benefits

after cataract surgery. Nearly three in four respondents

who expressed an opinion agree that after having the

surgery they were “happier, more satisfied, and had a

greater appreciation for life.” The survey also confirmed

that life before surgery posed several daily challenges. A

majority of survey respondents said cataracts made

“simple, day–to–day tasks harder” and made them feel

“annoyed and frustrated.”

Eye surgeons Dr. James McManus, left, and Dr. Jason Darlington of The Eye Institute for Medicine & Surgery will again this year be givingthe gift of sight to two needy patients who are suffering from cataracts. The Christmas Cataract program is one way the two physiciansgive back to the community that has supported their practice for many years. The dedicated website is TheChristmasCataract.com. Theyare at the practice’s main office in Melbourne.




Please see Candlelighters of Brevard, page 21

Candlelighters reaches out to pediatric cancer patients; ‘Have–A–Heart’ set —$10 tickets to win new Hyundai Ioniq; Resale Shop stocked with holiday giftsBy Ken Datzman

INDIALANTIC — Candlelighters of

Brevard Inc., a more than 25–year–old

nonprofit entity that has been instrumen-

tal in providing programs and services to

children fighting cancer, and their families,

reached new heights in 2017, thanks to

strong community support.

In the past year, the organization has

grown to where it is now serving 74

children and families. “That’s the greatest

number of kids and families we have

served at one time in our 28–year history,”

said Natasha Duran, the executive director

of Candlelighters of Brevard.

“This totals more than 370 individuals

being served through our organization this

year alone — since we provide the financial

needs of the entire family unit as it relates

to the total impact experienced from the

diagnosis of childhood cancer — the out–

of–county treatment need and much

more.”

Also this year, Candlelighters extended

its services to Indian River County, created

new programs to keep up with the evolving

needs of the families, increased the caps on

its most utilized financial programs, and

hired a resource development specialist.

“We would not be able to do this

without the support of the community,”

she said. “Candlelighters of Brevard is 100

percent funded by the community. From

local businesses to individual donors,

Candlelighters’ programs are only made

possible through the generous support of

our donors, sponsors, volunteers, and

board.”

The new resource development

specialist is Carolyn LaRock, who began

her role with Candlelighters in August.

Before joining Candlelighters, she special-

ized in business development and sales at

the Melbourne Regional Chamber of

Commerce. LaRock has a bachelor’s degree

in political science from Gannon Univer-

sity, located in her hometown of Erie, Pa.

Now her duties include managing

Candlelighters’ Resale Shop and working

with the organization’s volunteers.

“Carolyn has done an extraordinary job

in just the few months she has been with

Candlelighers,” said Duran. “She is

another voice and advocate for the

organization and will be out in the

community using every opportunity —

whether it’s networking events or making

presentations — sharing the

Candlelighters story and recruiting

volunteers. The volunteer base needs to

grow as the number of families we serve

grows.”

Candlelighters’ executive board and

staff strategically work on a wide variety of

initiatives, including fundraising events,

Resale Shop promotions, grants, and more,

to grow the organization’s financials. “This

in turn allows us to provide the significant

financial support needed by the local

families whose children are battling

cancer,” said Duran.

Because there are no pediatric

oncologists in Brevard County, the

Candlelighter families must travel out of

the county in order to seek medical care for

their children. These are children who are

going through extreme physical pain and

the side effects of pediatric cancer. In one

year alone, Candlelighters families spent

947 days at clinic visits. And, more than

175 days were spent at the Ronald

McDonald Houses in various locations.

The good news is “more than 90 percent

of our Candlelighter kids go on to overcome

the diagnosis. They go on to be live happy,

Candlelighters of Brevard will host its 16th annual ‘Have–A–Heart Valentine’s Extravaganza’ Feb. 10 at the Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place. Tickets andsponsorships are available. The highlight of the event is the drawing for a 2017 Hyundai Ioniq, donated by the Brevard County Hyundai Dealers. Thetickets are $10 each for the drawing. From left, the team includes: Adis Perez, director of family services; Natasha Duran, executive director; CarolynLaRock, resource development specialist; and Karrie Torok, operations manager.




MADISON, Wis. — Sonic Foundry Inc., a global leader

for video creation and management solutions, recently

announced that a longtime customer, Florida International

University, has completed a major expansion of Mediasite

in the colleges of Business, Law, Engineering and Comput-

ing and FIU Online.

The university has used Mediasite for video manage-

ment since 2011.

With the expansion, the university has standardized on

Mediasite for video capture, video management and

flipped and distance learning. More than 33 classrooms

across the South Florida university are equipped with

Mediasite to record lectures for students. Instructors can

either schedule recordings for automated lecture capture or

walk into a classroom and start recording with the simple

push of a button.

Video use among faculty and students has soared since

the expansion. Faculty have already created nearly 1,900

videos that have been viewed more than 40,800 times to

date in its learning management system.

“Mediasite allows students to focus more in class. They

don’t need to worry about taking copious notes. They’re

coming to the lecture halls, and online students are

watching lectures in real–time. They can focus on the

lecture and look back at the recording at home to make

sure they didn’t miss anything. Mediasite supplements

what happens during class,” said Stephen Bromfield,

assistant director of media systems, media technology

services at FIU.

l Driving flipped learning with personal capture

Faculty, student use of video soars at FIU after school expands Mediasite; allows students to focus more in classIn addition, all faculty and students have access to My

Mediasite, personal capture software that is driving the

use of flipped instruction. My Mediasite allows them to

create, edit and share videos, screencasts and slideshows

from any computer or smartphone.

Faculty are recording short video lectures that students

watch prior to class, making room for more interactions

and discussions during class time. Students are recording

video assignments and presentations.

l Showcasing all campus videos

FIU uses Mediasite Showcase to create its own

YouTube–esque environment called The Playlist where it

can share certain videos from campus events with the

public. Completely customized to fit with FIU’s brand and

website, playlist.fiu.edu houses videos from faculty and

students that have either been captured with Mediasite or

imported in from other devices.

“Mediasite is a very feature–rich technology,” said Matt

Hagood, director of media technology services at FIU. “We

love that Mediasite can capture dual video, and its

customizable viewing experience allows viewers to

rearrange the player, make videos larger or smaller and

even speed them up or slow them down. Mediasite’s

integration with learning management systems was

essential, and the fact that we can actually get interaction

with the students from Mediasite through chat, polling

and quizzing features was a big selling point.”

“Florida International University has already created

an impressive amount of video in the first few months after

its major Mediasite expansion, and it is exciting to see

faculty and students embrace video in the classroom to

supplement their teaching and learning. Sonic Foundry is

proud to be FIU’s trusted video partner,” said Gary Weis,

Sonic Foundry CEO.

“Trusted by more than 1,500 colleges and universities,”

the patented Mediasite webcasting and video content

management system quickly and cost–effectively auto-

mates the capture, management, delivery and search of

live and on–demand videos for campus events, lecture

capture and flipped learning, he added.

Health First Palm Bay Hospital announces Light Parade winnersPALM BAY — The 2017 Health First Palm Bay Hospital Holiday Light Parade was held on Saturday, Dec. 2. More

than 75 different organizations participated in the parade. The judges’ scores have been tabulated and the winners were

chosen.

The winner in the Best Marching Band category was Heritage High School. The winner for Best Float was The

Mission Church. In the Animal category, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office took top honors. The Best Motorized Vehicle

entry was the Space Coast Jeep Club. The winner in the Best Walking Group category went to the Southwest Middle

School Cheerleaders. And the entry chosen for the Walking/Vehicle category was Gail’s House Inc.

Catholic Schoolspick up BBN

12/11/17page 14

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JAN. 28, 9 AM – 12 PM and JAN. 31, 9 AM – 2 PM

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ST. JOSEPHCATHOLIC SCHOOL

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Visit BrevardBusinessNews.com for Advertising InformationDECEMBER 18, 2017



TALLAHASSEE — Speaker Richard Corcoran praised

legislation (HB 33) recently filed by Rep. Jackie Toledo

(R–Tampa) and prime cosponsor Rep. Emily Slosberg

(D–Boca Raton) making texting and driving a primary

offense while protecting civil liberties.

Upon filing of the bill Corcoran said, “Texting and

driving presents a real, life–threatening danger to

Floridians both on and off the road. The data is over-

whelming and the need to act is equally compelling. We’re

proud to unveil a bill that does just that while also

addressing legitimate civil liberties concerns. This bill

establishes a proper balance between safety and law

enforcement and our cherished liberties. The goal is safer

streets not greater conflict.”

He added, “I commend Rep. Toledo for taking on this

issue and thank Rep. Slosberg for her heartfelt and per-

sonal commitment to the safety of Floridians on the road.”

Bill sponsor Toledo said, “In 2015 there were over

45,000 distracted driving crashes in Florida. These crashes

resulted in 39,000 injuries and more than 200 fatalities. As

the mother of five children these numbers are as frighten-

ing as they are compelling. As an engineer the data is

crystal clear. And as a legislator, my goal is safer streets

and the rule of law. I thank the Speaker for his support

and encouragement and look forward to sending this bill to

Gov. Scott.”

And prime cosponsor, Slosberg concluded by saying,

“Providing law enforcement with the ability to enforce the

‘Texting While Driving Ban’ as a primary offense will save

lives and prevent injuries. I’ve been contacted by constitu-

ents with stories about parents dying, kids dying, and it is

time that we take action.”

What the Bill Does

l The bill strengthens the current ban on texting,

emailing, and instant messaging while driving, by

changing the current enforcement of the ban from second-

ary to primary.

l A first violation remains a nonmoving violation that

carries a $30 fine plus court costs, for a total fine of up to

$108.

l A second or subsequent violation committed within

five years is a moving violation that carries a $60 fine plus

court costs, for a total fine of up to $158, with three points

added to the driver license record of the vehicle operator.

l Any violation of the ban that causes a crash results in

the addition of six points to the offender’s driver license

record.

l Any violation of the ban committed in conjunction

with any moving violation for which points are assessed,

when committed within a school safety zone, results in an

additional two points being added to the offender’s driver

license record.

l The bill protects civil liberties by requiring a warrant

to access a driver’s phone. It also requires a law enforce-

ment officer who stops a motor vehicle for a violation of the

ban to inform the driver of his or her right to decline a

search of the phone.

Texting and driving to become a primary offense under newly introduced house bill filed by two representatives

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11/2717

Picture Yourself in This Tundra!“For the Love of Dogs” Truck Drawing - $25 per ticketOnly 2,000 tickets sold!

2003 Toyota Tundra . . . Great condition!V8 . . . tow package . . . Bedliner . . . 65K miles

Diamond-cut Toolbox . . . Access CabIn Memory of Charles

“Fred” Fauldsto fund

Rooms for Dogs

Drawing will be held Saturday, December 23 at noonat Brevard Humane Society, 1020 Cox Road, Cocoa

You do not have to be present to win!“No Warranty - As Is”

Tickets available:Molly Mutt Thrift ShopsLow Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic Cocoa Shelter on Cox RoadMerritt Island Adoption Centerbrevardhumanesociety.org




KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — The Center for the

Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) and the

National Science Foundation recently announced a joint

solicitation wherein researchers from the fluid dynamics

community will have the ability to leverage resources

onboard the International Space Station (ISS) U.S.

National Laboratory.

Up to $2 million will be awarded for multiple research

investigations to support flight projects to the ISS National

Laboratory. This is the second collaboration between the

NSF and CASIS dedicated toward the funding of fluid

dynamics concepts onboard the space station to benefit life

on Earth.

Through this partnership, CASIS and NASA will

facilitate hardware implementation and on–orbit access to

the ISS National Laboratory. NSF will fund the selected

projects to advance fundamental science and engineering

knowledge. CASIS is the nonprofit organization respon-

sible for managing and promoting research onboard the

ISS National Laboratory.

NSF supports transformative research to help drive the

U.S. economy, enhance national security and maintain

America’s position as a global leader in innovation.

The unique high–quality and long–duration

microgravity environment on the ISS National Laboratory

has many benefits for the study of fluid dynamics pro-

cesses and phenomena. Many processes that affect the

behavior of fluids on Earth, such as thermal convection,

sedimentation, hydrostatic pressure, and buoyancy, are

absent in microgravity. The elimination of these variables

allows phenomena of interest to be studied without

gravitational interference.

Through this solicitation, CASIS and NSF seek

proposals that will evaluate phenomena such as capillary

flow, diffusion, interfacial behavior, multiphase flow,

separation, and surface tension. Studies in fluid dynamics

could have significant applications for many industries,

including consumer products, electronics, manufacturing,

medical devices and pharmaceuticals, and oil and gas. All

proposals must demonstrate a tangible benefit to improv-

ing life on Earth.

Before submitting a proposal to NSF, all interested

parties must submit a Preliminary Feasibility Review

form to CASIS, which will determine the operational

feasibility and economic merit of the proposed project.

CASIS will notify the proposer of a passing or failing

review score within 28 days of the Preliminary Feasibility

Review form being submitted. The deadline to submit the

Preliminary Feasibility Review form is Jan. 24. Only

projects that pass the CASIS Preliminary Feasibility

Review will be invited to submit a full proposal to NSF.

The notification of a passing score must be included in the

full proposal submission. NSF will close this grant

solicitation on March 5.

Information on the CASIS Preliminary Feasibility

Review can be found at https://www.iss–casis.org/research–

on–the–iss/solicitations/fluid–dynamics–2017.

To learn more about the on–orbit capabilities of the ISS,

including past research initiatives and available facilities,

visit www.spacestationresearch.com.

To learn more about the funding opportunity, view

www.NSF.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18521/nsf18521.htm via the

Division of Chemical, Bioengineering and Environmental

Transport (CBET) in the NSF Engineering Directorate.

Center for Advancement of Science in Space and NSF team up for research funding opportunity; deadline set

Industry veteran Milton Carroll newest member of Fidelity Bank’s lending teamLONGWOOD — Milton Carroll Jr. has joined Fidelity Bank of Florida, N.A., as a commercial loan officer. Carroll will

be responsible for soliciting and servicing prospective business customers providing a variety of commercial and real

estate loans. He will be an integral part of the bank’s Certified and Preferred SBA lending team. Carroll has more than

25 years’ banking and lending experience, working with both national and local community banks in Central Florida.

Carroll has a bachelor’s degree in business management and entrepreneurship from Louisiana Tech University,

where he played football as a defensive back. Carroll is a member of the board of directors and the Team Selection

Committee for the nonprofit organization Florida Citrus Sports, which hosts the Citrus Bowl.

Open since 1990, Fidelity Bank of Florida specializes in being “large enough to serve you and small enough to know

you.” It serves Central Florida from locations in Brevard and Seminole counties. To contact Carroll, call (407) 883–7119

or send an email message to [email protected].

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JACKSONVILLE — The Chamber of Shipping of

America has honored 106 Crowley–owned or –operated

vessels with Certificates of Environmental Achievement.

The awards recognize the company for operating vessels

without any environmental incidents, displaying a

commitment to respecting and protecting the environment

on oceans and inland waterways.

The 106 vessels represent a combined sum of 1,068

years of service without experiencing an environmental

incident, which includes reportable spills or port citations.

Among them, 42 vessels have served at least 10 years

without an incident.

“The significant number of vessels with long tenures

without an environmental incident is a credit to the

dedicated men and women who serve as crews and shore–

side personnel. At Crowley, we always put safety atop our

core values, and that includes a commitment to being

environmental stewards where we work,” said Crowley

Vice President Mike Golonka, government services, who

was among recipients at the CSA awards ceremony Nov. 8.

“We are grateful and appreciative of awards from CSA,

and share their support for environmental protection.

“Safe and environmentally responsible operations is a

culture fully embraced by the maritime industry as a

whole and as evidenced by the performances of the award

recipients,” said Kathy Metcalf, president of CSA.

The awards are open to all owners and operators of

vessels that operate on oceans or inland waterways.

Jacksonville–based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding

company of the 125–year–old Crowley Maritime Corp., is a

privately held family and employee–owned company.

106 Crowley vessels recognized for environmental safety by Chamber of Shipping of America

Winner are named for PMC’s ‘Stars of Space Coast Awards’Winners have been named for the Parrish Medical Center “Stars of Space Coast Awards” that honor the “stellar work”

of nonprofits, presented by 2–1–1 Brevard.

They are:

l Family Promise of Brevard for the Health First Supernova Award.

l Tom Kammerdener of Aging Matters in Brevard for the Hospice of St. Francis Superstar Award.

l Joe Steckler of Helping Seniors of Brevard for the Imperial Plaza/CBRE Superstar Award.

l Brevard Family Partnership for the Florida Power & Light Community Star Award.

l 2–1–1 hurricane volunteers Chris Brotemarkle, Geraldine Doyle and Keith Gee for the Publix All–Star Award.

The nonprofit 2–1–1 Brevard operates a 24–hour helpline that provides information and referral to resources, as well

as crisis and suicide intervention. People reach the helpline by dialing 2–1–1 or texting a ZIP code to 898211.

CramerFlorida Business Development

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Nominations now being accepted forJames Ellis New Generation Scholarship

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Board of

Directors of the Space Foundation recently held its

annual meeting, where James Ellis Jr., a retired

U.S. Navy admiral, led his final meeting as chairman of

the organization.

In lieu of a traditional departure gift, the Space

Foundation established a special scholarship recognizing

Ellis for his commitment and support of the Space

Foundation’s New Generation Space Leaders Program.

This scholarship, to be presented annually, will

provide a young professional member of the U.S. armed

forces full participation in all Space Symposium events,

including the New Generation program and a seat at the

Space Classified sessions.

The principal intention of this scholarship is to foster

the participation of New Generation professionals in the

Space Classified programs at the Space Symposium, to

recognize an exceptional young professional and to

provide a unique opportunity for growth and develop-

ment.

The scholarship, named the Admiral James O. Ellis

Jr., New Generation National Security Scholarship, is

now accepting nominations. The criteria includes being

an armed forces member, nomination from commander,

active TS/SCI clearance, and New Generation age, 35

years or younger.

Nominations will be accepted until Monday, Jan. 15.

Nominations should be submitted by a service member’s

immediate supervisor, including a one–page nomination

letter, and sent to: [email protected].

A selection committee will process the applications

and the recipient will be announced by mid–February.

The scholarship winner will receive full registration for

the 34th Space Symposium, to be held April 16–19 at

The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs; a seat at the Space

Classified session, to be held April 18; and seating at the

Space Foundation Board of Directors table at dining

functions during the Symposium.

Fossils, fun and ferocious prehistoriccreatures await Brevard Zoo campers

Elementary schoolchildren are invited to step into the

shoes of a paleontologist as part of Brevard Zoo’s winter

break camps. Games, crafts and hands–on animal

encounters are themed to tie into the Zoo’s recently

opened “Dinosaurs Are Back!” exhibit.

“The campers are doing some unbelievably fun things

this year,” said Chris DeLorey, director of education

programs at the Zoo. “Depending on which session they

attend, they may get their hands on real fossils, feed

animals, compete in relays, go on an egg hunt, create

imaginary dinosaurs, make amber slime and more.

They’ll even have the opportunity to conquer a Treetop

Trek course.”

Two four–day sessions of the camps, which are open to

children in grades one through five, are offered the weeks

of Dec. 26–29 and Jan. 2–5.

Registration is available at www.BrevardZoo.org/zoo–

winter–camps.

Light of Hope

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© 2017 Regions Bank. This information is general in nature and is provided for educational purposes only. Regions makes no representation as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any information presented. Information provided should not be relied on or interpreted as accounting, fi nancial planning, investment, legal or tax advice. Regions

encourages you to consult a professional for advice applicable to your specifi c situation. | Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen color is a trademark of Regions Bank.

For additional articles, calculators and tips, visit regions.com.

Follow us for helpful tipsand information.

PAY IT SAFE Six Ways To Reduce Credit Card Fraud

1 Carry only the credit cards you need.

Just because you have several cards doesn’t

mean you need to carry them all. Minimize

the damage you could experience from

credit or debit card theft by carrying only the

cards you need each day and keeping the

others in a safe and secure place.

2 Protect your personal information online and offl ine.

Be careful about the personal information

you share on social networks. Credit card

fraudsters often collect details such as

birthdates, addresses, passwords and

account numbers, then use the combined

information to impersonate their victims.

Password protect your smart phone,

tablet and computer to prevent hacking.

Passwords should vary by device or

account and include a mix of letters,

symbols and numbers rather than a

simple word or date. Password-protection

programs such as Dashlane or LastPass

can suggest some secure options. Also,

avoid using a public Wi-Fi network to

access personal accounts, such as your

bank account. Instead, use a password-

protected private Wi-Fi network.

Offl ine, shred sensitive records rather

than put them in the trash or recycling bin

where thieves can fi nd them.

3 Review the vendors and amounts that appear on your credit card statements.

One of the most frequent and insidious

credit card scams involves a legitimate

purchase with an infl ated total charge –

a doctored tip amount at a restaurant, for

example, or a fake “cash back” amount

added to a gas station purchase. Keep

receipts from gas stations and restaurants,

then compare them to the totals on your

statement. Also watch for phantom charges

from vendors you don’t recognize, and

always report suspicious activity right away

to your credit card provider.

4 Check your credit report every four months.

By regularly monitoring your credit report,

you can identify and address credit card

fraud quickly. You can access your credit

report for free once a year from each of the

three major U.S. credit bureaus – Equifax,

Experian and TransUnion – through

annualcreditreport.com. By staggering your

requests, you can check a credit report

every four months. (For example, you might

request your credit report from Experian

each year on Feb. 1, from TransUnion on

June 1 and from Equifax on Oct. 1.)

5 Tell your credit card company when you plan to travel.

Traveling out of state or abroad? Tell your

credit card providers where you’re going and

how long you’ll be there. Not only will this

keep your credit accounts from being frozen

because of unusual activity, but it also lets

card providers know that any activity near

the home base during this travel period

could be fraudulent.

6 Verify before you give away credit card information.

Before giving your credit card number or

confi rming personal details over the phone,

call the company back using their offi cial

customer service phone number.

The same goes for online transactions.

Never give out personal information to

strangers who contact you via email. If

they say they are from a company you do

business with, go to its offi cial website and

reply directly to the customer service team.

Hacker sites may look authenitic, so make

sure the URL is the one you’re familiar with.

Avoid entering personal information on

websites that have strange URLs.

By following these six tips, you can

pay it safe and reduce your risk of

becoming a victim of credit card fraud.



The Eye Institute for Medicine & SurgeryContinued from page 12

If you are considering cataract surgery, you will want

to research all the different types of intraocular lenses

available. Some candidates are opting for the premium

lens. “We are doing more of the so–called ‘premium

lenses’ for cataract surgery,” said Dr. McManus. “The

premium lenses allow us to correct for a patient’s

astigmatism. In general, it gives the patient a greater

range of vision.” A premium lens can help improve a

patient’s nearsightedness and farsightedness.

He said there are a lot of new technologies in his field

and more are on the way.

“As a practice, it’s important for The Eye Institute to

keep on top of the current developments in ophthalmol-

ogy. For example, on the horizon is a really fascinating

small device called a ‘nasal stimulator’ that was approved

by the Food and Drug Administration. The device fits in

the nostrils and stimulates the nerves. It has been shown

to increase tear production. So, for those patients who

don’t respond to other ways of treating dry eyes, this is

another option for them. Currently, it’s not available to

the public. But as soon as it is, we will have it at our

practice.”

For years, patients suffering from dry eyes have had

few options. Most of them simply purchased artificial

tears and hoped they got better. Scientists are now

developing new therapies that do more than just relieve

symptoms.

A study of dry–eye sufferers who inserted a handheld

neurostimulator device in their nose to make their eyes

produce more tears experienced significant relief,

according to research presented at the recent annual

meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in

New Orleans.

The device gives patients a “new, drug–free alterna-

tive” to lubricating eye drops and topical ointments. As

important, this new route to dry–eye relief produces a

complete tear, containing all the elements in natural

tears.

When inserted into the nose, the neurostimulator

“produces the same reaction as when you cut into an

onion. Except with onions, a chemical compound is what

stimulates the eyes’ glands so they release tears,”

according to the research presented at the meeting in

New Orleans.

More than 20 million Americans suffer from dry eyes,

says the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In fact,

one out of every four patients report symptoms of dry eye,

making it one of the most common conditions seen by

eye–care practitioners.

Taking simple steps can help protect your sight.

Roughly 37 million adults in America have age–related

macular degeneration, cataract, diathetic retinopathy, or

glaucoma, all of which can cause visual impairment or

blindness, according to the National Eye Institute.

However, recent studies show that making healthy

choices and getting regular eye examinations can help

reduce a person’s risk of vision loss. Ophthalmologists

encourage people to take charge of their eye health and

preserve their sight by following some simple tips.

WEAR SUNGLASSES. “The development of cataracts

is certainly related to the amount of UV light that’s

traveling through the ocular structures,” said Darlington,

who is fellowship–trained in the subspecialties of

glaucoma and cornea. “So, if you wear sunglasses

outdoors — or even if you have prescription glasses that

are clear they generally have UV protection — that limits

the amount of damage that happens to the lens through

the years.”

Over time, exposure to UV rays from the sun can

increase your risk of cataracts, certain cancers, or

growths in or around the eyes. When choosing sun-

glasses, pick ones that block out at least 99 percent of the

UV rays, ophthalmologists say. A wide–brimmed hat

offers great additional protection as well.

GET A DILATED EYE EXAM. Many eye diseases

may have no symptoms in their early stages. A dilated

eye examination is the best way to detect eye diseases so

they can be treated as soon as possible to help prevent

vision loss, said Dr. Darlington. “A dilated eye exam is

critical to maintaining a healthy ocular system. It’s not

uncommon for people to have glaucoma and not know it

because they can’t feel it.”

He continued, “Glaucoma is called the ‘sneak thief of

sight’ because you can’t feel the pressure going up and

some people don’t even have elevated pressure in their

eyes. So, people can have glaucoma with a normal eye

pressure and the only way to detect it is to dilate the eyes

and look into the back of the eyes. There are other things

that can be detected through a dilated exam — high

blood pressure damage, diabetes damage, and sometimes

people can have a retinal tear, which could lead to

permanent vision loss, and not know it.”

KNOW YOUR FAMILY HISORY. Certain eye

diseases can be inherited. If you have a close relative with

macular degeneration, you have a 50 percent chance of

developing the condition, according to the American

Academy of Ophthalmology.

“Family history increases your risk to certain eye

conditions, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration,

as well as retinal tears and detachment,” said

Dr. Darlington.

A family history of glaucoma increases your chances of

developing the condition by four to nine times. So, talk to

your family members about what eye conditions they

have, recommends the American Academy of Ophthal-

mology. It can help you and your eye–care professionals

evaluate whether you may be at a higher risk,

USE PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR TO PREVENT

INJURIES. Roughly a third of all emergency–room visits

for eye–related issues stem from traumatic eye injuries,

according to a recent study in the journal “Ophthalmol-

ogy.” To help prevent injuries, wear the right protective

eyewear when doing activities that could cause eye

injuries, such as home repair, garden work, and sports.

Not long after 2018 begins, two Brevard residents will

see much better, thanks to The Christmas Cataract

program. “Brevard County has been a wonderful place to

live, to raise a family, and to practice medicine. We want

to give back to the community that has been so good to

our practice,” said Dr. McManus.

Barbara Wallpick up BBN

12/04/17page 14

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BREVARD BUSINESS NEWS online at BrevardBusinessNews.com

Avison Young’s Michael Fay appointed toFlorida Council of 100, a private entity

MIAMI — Michael Fay, principal and managing

director of Avison Young’s Miami operations, has been

invited to join the prestigious Florida Council of 100.

Founded in 1961, the Florida Council of 100 is a

private, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of business,

civic, and academic leaders, created for the purpose of

improving the quality of life and economic well–being of

Florida residents through the pursuit of better, business–

driven public policy.

As part of the Council that works closely with Gov. Rick

Scott and state agencies, including the Legislature, the

judicial branch, federal leaders and officials, Fay adds

more than 33 years’ experience in commercial real estate,

with a focus on capital markets and investment sales.

Throughout his career he has established rapport with

local, national and international investors. Fay has closed

more than $8 billion in real estate transactions where he

specializes in investment sales, real estate workouts and

note sales, as well as strategy and implementation for

large national corporate real estate accounts.

“I am truly honored to be invited to join the Florida

Council of 100,” said Fay. “I look forward to contributing

my unique perspective based on my deep–rooted knowl-

edge and experience in commercial real estate with the

council of business leaders as we collaborate to further

improve economic development throughout the State of

Florida.”

Prospective members are invited to join by current

Council members, who select recognized and successful

leaders from all types of Florida businesses. Representing

more than 100 companies and more than half–a–million

employees, Council members have achieved a high degree

of success and recognition in their business or profession;

have demonstrated involvement in Florida public policy

issues; and possess the personal qualities of character,

personality, and leadership ability.

Avison Young is the “world’s fastest–growing commer-

cial real estate services firm.” Headquartered in Toronto,

Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm

owned and operated by its principals.

Banana River Dental keeps hometowntouch in Indian Harbor Beach market

As a native of Melbourne Beach, Dr. Ryan Collins said

he has “always envisioned a slow paced, friendly, dental

office on the barrier island.” After a few years serving in

nonprofit health centers in Indian River County, he has

returned to the beachside of Brevard County to focus on

his vision.

Dr. T. Michael McHenry recently retired from his

practice of 40 years in Indian Harbor Beach, and handed

the reins over to Dr. Collins. The office is in the same

location, in the Publix and Bealls plaza on the corner of

South Patrick Drive and Eau Gallie Boulevard.

The practice is now known as Banana River Dental.

“It is a truly family office, with all ages welcome, from

2–year–olds to great grandparents,” said Dr. Collins.

For more information on the practice or to schedule an

appointment, call 777–6453.

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12/11/17page 10

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Candlelighters of BrevardContinued from page 13

healthy, and productive lives,” said Duran.

The most common types of cancer diagnosed in children

ages 0 to 14 in the United States are leukemias, followed

by brain and other central nervous system tumors,

lymphomas, soft–tissue sarcomas, neuroblastoma, and

kidney tumors, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The most common types of cancer diagnosed in 15– to

19–year–olds are lymphomas, followed by brain and other

central nervous systems tumors, leukemias, gonadal

(testicular and ovarian) germ cell tumors, thyroid cancer,

and melanoma. The overall outlook for children with

cancer has improved greatly over the last half–century,

according to the National Cancer Institute.

To continue its mission to help pediatric cancer patients

in the region, Candlelighters will be hosting its flagship

fundraiser — the 16th annual “Have–A–Heart Valentine’s

Extravaganza — from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Saturday,

Feb. 10, at the Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place. Last year

more than 400 people attended the event.

“The most important thing we do during the year to

raise funds and raise awareness for the Candlelighter

children with pediatric cancer, is Have–A–Heart,” Duran

said. “That event alone provides more than one–third of

our annual budget. So, it’s absolutely necessary that

Have–A–Heart be successful. The money we raise from

the event goes into our programs and services for the

children and the families.”

The 2017 Have–A–Heart grossed more than $220,000.

“Obviously, it’s a testament to the community. It is the

reason why we were able to produce that result from this

fundraiser last year.”

Individual tickets for Have–A–Heart are $175. The

price includes a four–course meal and live entertainment.

The tickets are sold at www.CandlelightersofBrevard.com.

Have–A–Heart sponsorships range from $1,000 to

$25,000, with various amenities at each giving level. For

example, the $5,000 Pink Rose Sponsor will receive six

invitations to attend Have–A–Heart, two invitations to

attend the private Sponsor Reception on Thursday, Feb. 8,

at the home of Gary and Kelly Stein on Lansing Island in

Indian Harbour Beach, a half–page advertisement in the

event program, and other promotional and advertising

opportunities.

“Whether you are a $1,000 sponsor or a $25,000

sponsor, as an organization we try to give sponsors a

return on their investment. We try to support those, in

various ways, who support the local nonprofit sector. We

want to make sure we do that,” said Duran.

To inquire about being a sponsor for Have–A–Heart,

call 728–5600 or send an email message to

[email protected].

The highlight each year of Have–A–Heart is the

drawing for a new car. The Nelson family of the Brevard

County Hyundai Dealers has again donated a new car to

benefit Candlelighters. “They are donating a 2017

Hyundai Ioniq. It’s a sporty vehicle. This is the 16th

consecutive year they have supported the event this way,

by contributing a new car for the drawing. The Nelson

Family has stood behind Candlelighters all these years.

We are grateful for their support.”

In addition to contributing a new car through the years,

Candlelighters’ “Angel Car Care Program” was founded by

the Nelson Family. The program covers repair services

and automotive parts for the personal vehicles the

Candlelighter families use to travel to the treatment

facilities for their children.

The $10 tickets to win the car are sold on the

Candelighters website, or they can be purchased at

Candlelighters’ Resale Shop at 435 Fifth Ave. “They make

great stocking–stuffers as consumers try to come up with

their final gifts for the holidays,” she said.

The winner of the Hyundai Ioniq will be announced at

Have–A–Heart. You do not need to be present to win. The

winner of the vehicle is responsible for the tag and title.

The special celebrity guest for the Sponsor Reception

will be Darin Jordan, who was in that role last year. He is

a former NFL linebacker who played four seasons with the

Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers.

“Last year he helped us raise more than $30,000 at the

private reception. Darin led the live auction that raised the

money. Darin is not only larger–than–life in size, but he

also has a larger–than–life personality. The donors and

volunteers at last year’s reception just loved him. He’s a

wonderful individual,” said Duran.

One way to support Candlelighters is to visit and

purchase merchandise from their upscale Resale Shop.

“This is a busy time of the year for the Resale Shop. We

are fortunate to have wonderful donors, such as Sue’s

Hallmark Shop (in Indian Harbour Beach). They donate

new Christmas ornaments and everything you could

dream of for the holidays. Right now, our store is all

Christmas. We encourage people to come by and shop. The

Resale Shop is really doing well,” said Duran.

Donations of new or gently used furniture pieces,

designer bags, gowns and home goods/décor “are appreci-

ated,” she said. “Every donation dollar raised at the Resale

Shop goes back into our programs and services for the

families served.”

Volunteers are needed to help with furniture pickups

on the weekends, she said. For more information on

volunteering, call 728–5600.

There are other ways, too, to help the organization.

They include making Candlelighters your charity of choice

through the United Way of Brevard Workplace Campaign.

For more information, inquire through your employer and

use the following: Candlelighters of Brevard Inc., 436 Fifth

Ave., Indialantic, Fla., 32903; EIN 59–3068501.

Another way to invest in the long–term sustainability

of Candlelighters is by creating an endowment fund for

Candlelighters established through the Community

Foundation for Brevard.

“If people are hearing about Candlelighters for the first

time or for the 25th time, I hope they understand the

magnitude of the work we do. At the end of the day, we are

a nonprofit that assists children with pediatric cancer by

offering emotional support and financial assistance, and

we do that through a number of programs and services.

And we have been able to help more families because of

community support. We thank the community for helping

these families,” said Duran.

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Residence Inn Marriott & Courtyard by MarriottContinued from page 1

(Ridenour) recruited me to work for the Courtyard in

West Melbourne. I started on the front desk and have

worked in a variety of operations and sales positions over

the years with Marriott.”

She was the first director of sales for the now

10–year–old Residence Inn in Melbourne. “I also worked

for two years in area sales for Marriott, before returning

to the Courtyard in West Melbourne to be the assistant

general manager. That position opened four years ago.

My position has changed quite a bit with the dual general

manager structure we now have for the two hotels. It has

given me more opportunity to be hands–on in the day–

to–day operations of the Courtyard. It has worked out

great.”

Kafer, who has a bachelor’s degree in business

administration, said she was hired by Julie Braga.

“I have worked in the industry for 10 years. I have

been a sales coordinator, a dual property coordinator, and

now the dual events specialist. It’s been a very interesting

career and it’s great to work alongside UCF colleagues.”

The two hotels, under Marriott management, have

different owners. “The two hotels do not compete against

each other. We made them complementary. So that

makes the dual manager position even more logical, and

it has worked out well for both owners. It has created a

lot of synergy,” said Ridenour, whose two hotels employ

about 75 people.

“The dual structure especially helps when you do

capital expenditure projects for both properties,” said Eric

Braga, who earned his bachelor’s degree in business

administration, with a concentration in marketing.

“It allows me to negotiate a little better pricing. I think

it makes sense to have both properties managed and

engineered under one roof. We are Marriott–managed

and the cost synergies are much better under one

umbrella as opposed to two.”

Eric Braga joined the Marriott team five years ago as

a technician for the Residence Inn in Melbourne. He has

extensive experience in construction, having built and

renovated homes. “I started working in the construction

industry when I was 16 years old. I love what I’m doing

today in my role with the two hotels, which are seeing

good growth.”

Julie Braga said the season for her hotel is typically

January through May. “But this year business never

really slowed down. It’s been year–round. There was a bit

of a slow period during the summer, and then we had to

deal with Irma. After Irma, business soared again. Last

year, business was solid as well for the Courtyard. We

have seen a gradual increase in demand in this market

for at least the last two years.”

And hotel–occupancy demand is forecast to continue

in 2018. The U.S. Lodging industry will enjoy continued

growth in all major metrics next year, based on a new

report by CBRE Hotels’ Americas Research. The firm is

forecasting year–over–year increases in occupancy,

average daily–room rate, revenue per–available room,

and total operating revenue.

Next year will be the ninth consecutive year of rising

occupancy, something the industry has not seen since the

1990s, the report says.

While the growth in occupancy does point to the fact

that the industry “is at the top of the business cycle, all

factors indicate we are in the midst of a record–breaking,

sustained period of prosperity for U.S. hotels.”

A new hotel industry report by

PricewaterhouseCoopers says “demand will continue to

outpace supply in 2018, albeit barely, resulting in the

highest occupancy levels since 1981, at 65.9 percent.”

Previous research conducted by CBRE has found that

75 to 80 percent of a hotel’s performance is dictated by

the local economy and market factors. So that analysis

fares well for Brevard County. “The Brevard economy is

doing well and a lot of businesses are expanding and

hiring,” said Ridenour, who is the chairman of Brevard

County’s Tourism Development Council and serves on

the City of Melbourne’s Babcock Street Community

Redevelopment Agency.

He said December started strong for his two hotels,

especially for the Residence Inn, which had lost some

rooms because of the hurricane. But now the inventory is

back on line, with the exception of just a couple of rooms.

“We have seen high demand, beyond what we

normally experience at this time of year. That’s encourag-

ing and we see the momentum continuing in 2018.”

As tax–reform legislation has passed, a new economic

impact study found that tax cuts could generate

$131 billion in economic activity for hotels and related

industries over the next 10 years.

On behalf of the American Hotel & Lodging Industry,

Oxford Economics analyzed the impact of tax–policy

changes that would result in a tax cut of $1.5 trillion over

10 years, which they believe will increase real gross

domestic product growth to accelerate to 3 percent in

2018.

The results show that tax cuts will stimulate the

economy and are expected to generate a boost to hotel–

industry operations, cause additional guest spending at

restaurants and stores in the travel destination, and

increase hotel capital investment — all benefiting the

broader national economy.

The local hotel market has been a benefactor of a

number of positive dynamics, one being corporate

business travel. Northrop Grumman Corp., Harris Corp.,

and Brazil–based Embraer S.A., for example, have

helped uplift hotel occupancy in the area.

“All three of those companies have had a big impact on

our business at the two hotels,” said Ridenour, “especially

Embraer for the Residence Inn property. They have

brought many employees from Brazil who stay at our

property for 90 days or longer. The Residence Inn in

Melbourne is their home for that time period. It helps to

have the Marriott name, the Marriot product, and the

Marriott quality.”

The Residence Inn features one– and two–bedroom

suites. The Residence Inn pioneered the extended–stay

hotel concept in 1975. The Residence Inn is designed with

the extended–stay traveler in mind, said Ridenour. Every

guest room is a suite with studio, one– and two–bedroom

options that afford guests more spacious and functional

living space. Each suite is complete with a fully equipped

kitchen, so guests can have control over what they eat

and how their food is prepared.

About one–third of all business travel room nights are

part of an “extended stay,” according to Marriott. “We

opened the Residence Inn 10 years ago in Melbourne and

the model has been well received by business travelers

and other guests,” said Ridenour, who is the Florida

Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Space Coast

chairman–elect for hotels.

He said both the Residence Inn in Melbourne and the

Courtyard in West Melbourne stay on top of renovations

and upgrades, and now the remodeling cycle will be even

quicker.

“The Courtyard will be undergoing a full makeover in

2019. Marriott is now on a shorter, six–year renovation

cycle. The owners are held to that. We renovated the

Residence Inn in Melbourne two years ago. We did the

hotel lobby, but we didn’t do the rooms for two more

years. We have bright, sharp–looking rooms that were

just renovated. Moving forward, the owners must do the

lobby and the rooms in the same year, which makes it

better for our guests. We did the lobby in a gray tone —

the ‘millennial look’ — and people really like it.”

The Residence Inn now touts a presence in all 50

states which underscores the brand’s popularity with

customers and the hotel investment community, alike.

“Marriott now has a total of 30 brands. It operates

more than 6,000 properties and we’re in 22 countries. The

company’s total revenue in 2016 was $17 billion, and we

now have 100 million rewards members. That’s huge,”

said Ridenour.

Marriott International’s loyalty program “Marriott

Rewards” edged out Hyatt Hotels Corp.’s “World of

Hyatt” to win J.D. Power’s just announced 2017 “Hotel

Loyalty Program Satisfaction Study.”

The annual study, which measures member satisfac-

tion with hotel rewards and loyalty programs, found this

year that members who redeemed rewards points for

dining, car rentals, product purchases, and special events

exhibited greater satisfaction than those who redeemed

only for hotel stays.

The study is based on 4,682 responses from rewards

program members who experienced five or more trips

during the past 12 months and was fielded in September

and October of 2017.

In its recent presentation to investors, Marriott

outlined plans to accelerate its growth, adding 285,000

to 300,000 rooms worldwide by 2019, “which could yield

a record $675 million in annual stabilized fees from these

rooms.”

The expansion will allow the company to further

capitalize on its industry–leading loyalty programs —

Marriott Rewards, which includes The Ritz–Carlton

Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guest. The programs

are growing at a record pace of roughly 1 million new

members per month, according to Marriott, since the

company’s historic acquisition of Starwood Hotels and

Resorts in September 2016.

“We are excited about Marriott’s future and its growth

plans. I think the local lodging market is poised for

another good year. We see nothing but good signs ahead,”

said Ridenour.

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