POINTS OF LIGHT

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THE COMMUNITY SOURCE FOR SMART BUSINESS J U LY 2 0 0 5 volume 8 number 7 w w w . o r l a n d o . o r g 5 POINTS OF LIGHT These tireless volunteers show us the meaning of community spirit. INSIDE Build a Housing Assistance Program
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Agrotechnology FOCUS ON | INSURANCE Riding Out the Storm 4 fm 07.05 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER ORLANDO REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT & CEO JACOB V. STUART EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT ROBERT RECKER ADVISORY BOARD SCOTT FAGAN
SHELLEY LAUTEN
CYNDI MATZICK
RUTH MUSTIAN
VILMA QUINTANA
KRISTINE VORPAGEL SHIELDS
LISA WINKELBAUER PUBLISHER KNIGHT IMAGES INC. PRESIDENT & CEO MICHAEL HINN VICE PRESIDENT PUBLISHING KEVIN ONEIL kevin@knightimages.com EDITOR IN CHIEF TRACEY VELT tvelt@knightimages.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS JACK ROTH
MICHAEL CANDELARIA CONTRIBUTING WRITERS KEVIN FRITZ
LISA MCDUFFIE
SCOTT WALLIN CREATIVE DIRECTOR MIKE FORISTALL ART DIRECTOR BARBARA GEORGOUDIOU PRODUCTION ARTIST TRICIA HEATH PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR NICK GEORGOUDIOU PRODUCTION MANAGER JEN WONDRELY PUBLICATION COORDINATOR CARRIE BRKICH ADVERTISING MANAGER KATRINA RINI FirstMonday is published monthly and prepared by the Orlando Regional Chamber of
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Fax 407-835-2500 info@orlando.org ADVERTISING INFO Kevin ONeil,VP Publishing 407-206-1011 kevin@knightimages.com COMMUNITY PARTNERS 5 fm 07.05 FirstMonday gives you positive, credible and compelling stories that focus on the key trends, people, businesses and events that drive Central Floridas growth and progress.We aim to build a strong, vibrant and diverse community. THE FIRSTMONDAY MISSION CONTENTS 07.05 N E W S I N D E X 100 Black Men of Orlando Inc. 38 Adult Literacy League Inc. 8 Agristarts III 19 American Heart Association 9 Aviation Authority 12 Baker & Hostetler LLP 32 Campbells 18 Carpet Co. 3 Inc. 25 Central Florida News 13 15 Central Florida YMCA 6, 8, 15 Central Florida Zoological
Society Inc. 8 Center for Florida History 9 City of Orlando 10 .COM Marketing 30 Compact 15 ConAgra 18 Council of 101 22 Darden Restaurants 6 Doubletree Hotel at
Universal Studios 14 Dr. Phillips Charities 8 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University 9 Fannie Mae Central Florida
Partnership 16 Florida Association of Realtors 16 Florida Housing Finance Corp. 16 Florida Food Products 18 Foundation for Seminole County
Public Schools 9 GloIn Safety LLC 27 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. 8 Harbor House 9, 15 Harris Corp. 8 Hatcher Insurance Inc. 26 Heinz 18 Historical Society of Central Florida 9 Hull & Associates 7 Independent Sector 10 Insurance Office of America 8 Intervention Services Inc. 8 J. Rolfe Davis 25 Junior Achievement of Central
Florida Inc. 8 Lockheed Martin Corp. 8 Markoly Foundation 9 Mercury Racing 8 Merrill Lynch 9 Metropolitan Center for
Regional Studies 12 Northrop Grumman Corp. 8 Orlando Museum of Art 22 Orlando/Orange County Convention
and Visitors Bureau 20 Orlando Regional Chamber
of Commerce 6 Polk County Historical Association 9 R.C. Stevens Construction Co. 9 Shepherds Hope 15 SKYLIST 30 SCORE 25 The Outdoor Channel 8 Track Shack Foundation 8 Travel Industry Association
of America 20 Tupperware 8 UNICEF 13 Universal Studios 11 University of Central Florida 12 University of Florida 19 U. S. Nutraceuticals 18 WESH TV 6 Xentury City Development Co. 13 Insurance coverage has become a burden for many small businesses. There are steps to take, however, that can lighten the load. by Jack Roth on the cover: (Pictured) Randy Lyon, Kim Murphy, Jay Leonard,
Linda Chapin and Ybeth Bruzual 21 Build a Housing Assistance Program 16 E-mail Newsletters 30 Agrotechnology 18 Riding Out the Storm 25 25 FOCUS ON | insurance D E PA RTM E N TS 6 UPFRONT JEFFERSON AWARDS 7 TRADE SECRETS 6 STRATEGIES TO SEPARATE WORK FROM PLAY 8 REGIONAL WRAP 16 ON LOCATION BUILD A HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 18 TECH KNOW AGROTECHNOLOGY 20 DESTINATION INTERNATIONAL VISITORS 22 STATE OF THE ARTS DEVELOP A SOLID VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 30 SPIN E-MAIL NEWSLETTERS 32 ISSUES WATCH CHAMBERS WASHINGTON FLY-IN 35 CHAMBER INSIGHT 38 PARTING SHOTS RONALD O. ROGERS, 100 BLACK MEN OF ORLANDO INC. COVER STORY 5 POINTS OF LIGHT These tireless volunteers show us
the meaning of community spirit. by Scott Wallin F E AT U R E 10 PHOTOS BY DAMON TUCCI April Rossi looks forward to Ybeth Bruzuals visits to Shepherds Hope. UPFRONT Make a Difference ITS A SIMPLE IDEA, BUT ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
IN THE WORLD. ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Jefferson Awards for Public Service From left: Jacob Stuart, Sam Beard, President
of Jefferson Awards for Public Service and
Bill Bauman, VP and Gen. Mgr of WESH-TV 6 fm 07.05 NEIGHBOR HELPING NEIGHBOR this ideal
is at the very heart of our democracy at work
and is one of the defining traditions upon
which America was built. But across the
United States, theres been a growing concern
that our tradition of civic engagement is
eroding. The pressures of todays business
climate, the impersonal nature of some
electronic communications and the over
commitment of family members make it very
difficult for us to think about, and act upon,
the needs and challenges faced daily by those
nearest to us. It was for these reasons that the American Institute for Public Service was created by
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Sen. Robert Taft
Jr. and Sam Beard to establish a Nobel Prize for
public and community service. These prizes,
called the Jefferson Awards, have been
presented at both national and local levels
since 1972. You will easily recognize this
sampling of national recipients: Dr. Henry
Kissinger, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day
OConnor, Gen. Colin Powell, Lance Armstrong,
Oprah Winfrey and my personal favorite, John
W. Gardner. There are just too many to list
here. Besides, how can we compete with these
superstars? Easily. Remember, one person can
make a difference! On the local level, Jefferson Awards recipients are ordinary people who do
extraordinary things without expectation of
recognition or reward. To help communities
identify and celebrate such unsung
heroes, a group of community partners
has been engaged to help communicate this
opportunity for well-deserved recognition
of local individuals who change the lives of
their friends and neighbors in positive and
substantive ways. Your Orlando Regional
Chamber of Commerce in concert with
Universal Orlando Resort, the Central Florida
YMCA, Darden Restaurants, and long-time
Jefferson Awards media partner, WESH TV
is committed to promoting these awards and
identifying exceptional stories like these: Linda Gregory
2002 Jefferson Awards Winner, Orlando
Lindas life changed in 1998 when a mentally ill
man killed her policeman husband. Linda paired
with the sister of the killer to create a mental
health awareness and training program. John Aho
2004 Jefferson Awards Winner, Brevard County
John has dedicated 40 years of service
to fulfilling the needs of handicapped,
underprivileged and special-needs children.
Together with Eunice Kennedy Shriver and
Willard Scott, he founded the Special
Olympics in 1968. Through a variety of
fund-raising events, hes helped raise more
than $500,000 to grant 200 wishes in
Brevard County. There are stories just like these in your board rooms and your break rooms, in your
churches and your community centers, in
your schools and on your playgrounds.
You can help to tell the stories of the excep-
tional and the extraordinary who live, and
serve, our family of communities. Visit www.orlando.org and click on the Jefferson Awards to learn how you can
nominate deserving individuals for this
prestigious national recognition. They are
right there in front of you. Just take a
moment to notice them, listen to their
stories, encourage them and support them
in their mission. Were all familiar with the random acts of kindness campaigns. Believe me, theres
nothing random about the commitment and
dedication of the many selfless heroes who
walk beside us each and every day. Jacob V. Stuart President Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce On the local level,
Jefferson Award
recipients are
ordinary people
who do extraordi-
nary things. JACOB V. STUART 6 CHANGE THE CULTURAL CLIMATE In the United States, we have the
shortest amount of vacation time of any
Western country, says Hull. Weve gone
from two-week vacations to one week at
a time to [a few days] around a holiday.
And now, long weekends are the norm.
We never get away for any length of time,
and thus we never disengage. If you own a
company or are a manager, its vital that
you effect a change to this type of cultural
climate [that was] started by the baby
boomers. Its not a healthy one, and today,
people in their late 20s and early 30s
are starting to say, No, thank you. I want
a life. SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS What can you realistically get done
before you leave for vacation? asks Hull.
You wont get it all done before you go,
so dont kill yourself before you leave. Its
counterproductive from the destressing
process of a vacation. And when you do
leave, ask yourself this question, Do I need
to call the office? SHOW TRUST AND LEARN TO DELEGATE Business owners often think of their
businesses as their babies, says Hull.
They ask themselves, How can I trust
somebody else with my baby? Delegate
what you need to get done while youre
gone and dont feel threatened by it. You
have to give yourself a chance to disen-
gage from work. Trust your colleagues or
employees to get the job done properly.
Think of it as cross-training. If you were to get hit by a truck this
week, you couldnt help but delegate
while you recovered, so pretend you got
hit by a truck! HIDE ALL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES Make it hard for people to get in touch
with you, Hull stresses.We have a
tendency to answer the phone every time
it rings. At the very minimum, put your
cell phones and pagers on vibrate so you
dont feel as compelled to respond right
away. Bring them in case of personal
emergencies, but if you go on a day hike
in Belize, leave your cell phone at the
hotel. And finally, if you put proper away
messages on your electronic devices,
people will respect that and contact the
person you suggest will be glad to help
them in case of an emergency. DO SOMETHING FUN Hull suggests you do something you can
look forward to and enjoy. Doing so will
help take your mind off work. Deal
with your spirituality and not just your
productivity, she says. KNOW YOUR PERSONALITY Different personality types relax in
different ways, says Hull. Some
people need to be doing something in
order to relax, while others need to be
doing nothing. Workaholics need to
keep busy in order to feel comfortable,
so when on vacation, keep busy with
activities and have fun. To others,
relaxing is being around other people,
while for others solitude is imperative.
The bottom line: Know what makes
you happy and do it. In the end, says Hull, maintaining your competitive edge is accomplished when
you work when working and play when
playing.Do both well, she says.Just make
sure you have balance; its imperative. Strategies to Separate Work from Play EVERYONE NEEDS A BREAK. HERES HOW YOU CAN RELAX ON YOUR VACATION,
WHILE MAINTAINING YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE AT WORK. TRADE SECRETS 7 fm 07.05 1 2 3 4 5 AS A BUSINESS OWNER, CEO or
manager, you may find it hard to
leave work at work. With pagers,
cell phones, BlackBerrys and other
high-tech communication devices,
its easy to stay in constant contact
with the office. But is this really
good for you? Constant contact with work isnt good, says, Mimi Hull, Ph.D.,
president of Hull & Associates in
Orlando, a performance-improvement
training and consulting firm that
helps business leaders develop
organizational and personal
effectiveness. Too much of a good
thing is still too much. Building
your life around one support
work can be counterproductive
both professionally and personally. We punish ourselves twice, by never getting away and when we
do [get away], we beat ourselves up
for having gone away. As a result,
no matter where we are, we feel like
we should be somewhere else. In
the end, we feel guilty about having
down time and having fun. Hull, a corporate psychologist, offers the following tips for separat-
ing work from play: 6 We punish ourselves twice, by never getting away and when
we do get away, we beat ourselves up for having gone away. MIMI HULL, HULL & ASSOCIATES REGIONAL WRAP BREVARD The Outdoor Channel (TOC) is using the
Harris Corp.s automation solutions for its new
high-definition (HD) network. Theyll use the
system for the management and playout of
content as well as control of promotional
announcements and logos. Northrop Grumman Corp. has been selected by
Lockheed Martin Corp. to provide communica-
tions software for the U.S. Navys new MH-60R
and MH60S multimission helicopters. Under
the $3.8 million two-year contract, Northrop
will design, develop, test and, possibly, maintain
the software. LAKE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is adding a
second aviation tire evaluation center in Port
Alfred, South Africa. Goodyears existing facility
is at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
in Daytona Beach. OSCEOLA Mercury Racing won the grueling 24 Hours of
Rouen endurance powerboat race for the 11th
time in 12 years. Mercury, headquartered in St.
Cloud, has powered more first-place finishers at
the French race than any other engine builder. Tupperware, with headquarters in Osceola
County, donated more than $1.5 million worth
of food storage products to Feed the Children, a
nonprofit organization that provides assistance
and other necessary aid to children and families. ORANGE The Dr. Phillips Charities donated more than
$235,000 in grants to four local organizations
the Central Florida Zoological Society Inc., Junior
Achievement of Central Florida Inc., Adult Literacy
League Inc. and Intervention Services Inc. More than 4,500 runners and walkers, represent-
ing 243 corporations registered for the Insurance
Office of America Corporate 5K, sponsored by
the Track Shack Foundation. The Central Florida
YMCA Youth Scholarship Fund will receive
a portion of the proceeds. FROM BREVARD COUNTY TO VOLUSIA COUNTY, BUSINESSES
ARE THRIVING. HERES A SEVEN-COUNTY VIEW OF WHATS
GOING ON IN THE REGION. 8 fm 07.05 FirstMonday and myregion.org want to hear about your partnerships, new technology, community awareness and more! Help myregion.org bring together the business, government and institutional leadership representing the seven-county Central Florida region to ensure Central Florida's success in the 21st century global marketplace. To submit your information, please e-mail editor in chief Tracey Velt at tvelt@knightimages.com. GIVE US THE SCOOP Orlando-based R.C. Stevens Construction Co. was
awarded a $2.6 million contract to renovate the
first, second and third floors of Orange Countys
administration building in downtown Orlando. Harbor House, Orange County Center Against
Domestic Violence announced that KB Home
has volunteered to build the organization an
additional safe shelter that will touch the lives of
hundreds of local residents. Captain John W. Young, Orlando native and space
pioneer, received the Historical Society of Central
Florida's highest honor at a May ceremony. The
first-ever John Young History Maker Award was
bestowed upon the former astronaut during a
private celebration at the Orange County
Regional History Center. POLK The Center for Florida History, in collaboration
with the Polk County Historical Association
(PCHA), has published the second of a
two-volume history of Polk County, None Can
Have Richer Memories: Polk County 1940-2000,
by noted historian Dr. Canter Brown. SEMINOLE The Foundation for Seminole County Public
Schools recently granted $11,200 to help 110
Seminole County students from eight local
high schools attend academic competitions
at the state and national level. The Heathrow office of Merrill Lynch was named
the firms Office of the Year. Through the generosity of the Markoly
Foundation, the American Heart Association
presented a $25,000 grant to the Seminole
County Government at a recent county
commission meeting. These funds will help
place AEDs (automated external defibrillators)
throughout the community. VOLUSIA Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universitys Extended
Campus dedicated a new Daytona-area teaching
center. REGIONAL WRAP 9 fm 07.05 From left: 1. Runners and walkers enjoy the Insurance Office of
America Corporate 5K 2. Located in the restored 1927 Orange
County Courthouse in downtown Orlando, the History Center
provides a variety of dynamic changing and permanent exhibits.
3. Mercury Racing won the 24 Hours of Rouen. 10 fm 07.05 5 POINTS OF LIGHT These tireless volunteers show us the meaning
of community spirit. Volunteers arent that hard to identify. Theyre the ones who usually have a hard time saying no. Im a sucker for a good cause, says Orlando volunteer and former Orange County Chairman Linda Chapin. Shes far from alone. Last year, more than 14,000 people donated 136,000 hours to City of Orlando volunteer programs. The region cant function without volunteers as needs will always outweigh government budgets. Independent Sector, a national coalition that represents charitable causes, puts the hourly value of a volunteers time at $17.55. Thus, the City of Orlando received $2.2 million worth of assistance it otherwise couldnt have afforded, yet desperately needed. There are never enough people to do everything that needs to be done, says Traci Blue, volunteer program manager for the City of Orlando. Organizations are appreciative [of] whatever they get. Here are stories of five Central Floridians whove found the time to make a difference. W R I T T E N B Y S C O T T W A L L I N P H O T O S B Y D A M O N T U C C I FIN DS IT S EX PRESSION I N T AKI NG P ART AN D PIT CH I
NG I N. GEOR GE H. W.BUSH, 1988 AN D A PATR I
OTI SM
THA T SAC RIF ICE, COMMIT MENT , TH E OLD I DEA S AR E N EW A GAI N B ECA USE THE Y AR E NO T OLD ,TH EY AR E TI MELESS: DU TY, Artistic Tendencies Kim Murphy says there wasnt anything unusual looking about the houses from the outside. But once she stepped
through the front doors, she understood the true force of
floodwater. Murphy was a student at the University of West
Georgia in 1994, when residents were evacuated because of
torrential rainstorms that threatened their homes and lives.
When the water subsided, she joined fellow students in the
recovery efforts, sometimes providing nothing more than a
compassionate ear to people who had lost everything. Every other volunteer is there for the same reason you are they all care, Murphy says. Every time I volunteer
for disaster relief, the people say, I had no idea there were
strangers out there who cared about me. Some Orlando students are saying the same thing about Murphy and her co-workers at Universal Studios. The
billion-dollar tourism giant has remembered its neighbors
by adopting Eccleston Elementary, a former F school thats
gotten a jolt of hope from Universal employees who serve
as weekly mentors. Murphy is a scenic painter in Universals tech services department, providing her art skills on everything from the
Woody Woodpecker roller coaster to the hieroglyphics at the
Revenge of the Mummy ride. On Wednesdays, she spends
three hours at Eccleston, where after-school kids from pre-K
to the fifth grade benefit from her gift of art and caring. Its
been an eye-opening experience for both sides. She once comforted a young boy who was crying because his father had just been sentenced to a prison term. Another
young girl confessed she simply didnt know how to color.
Murphy patiently showed her the finer skills of coloring and
was greeted the following week with I love you coming here,
Miss Kim. Stuff like that happens every day, Murphy says. Theyre so totally honest, and they tell you whats in their hearts. From
the very beginning, I felt this was the place for me. Eccleston has pulled itself up to A school status, thanks in part to hard-working teachers and volunteers who care. The
kids have such a sense of pride that Universal is on their side
and cares about them, Murphy says. It seems to mean a lot
to them. I really feel that its brought up the whole morale of
the school. They are so proud to be involved with us. I really
believe it makes them feel good about themselves, and they
try harder in school. EVERY TIME I VOLUNTEER FOR DISASTER RELIEF, THE PEOPLE S AY,I HAD NO IDEA THERE WERE STRANGERS OUT THERE WHO CARED AB OUT ME. KIM MURPHY 11 fm 07.05 COVER STORY All Linda Chapin wanted was some adult conver- sation. She never imagined shed end up impacting
the course of her professional life. Chapin and her husband, who had just graduated from law school, were the parents of four children
all under the age of 6, including a set of twins. When
the family relocated to Orlando, Chapin received a
much-needed housewarming gift: a membership
in the League of Women Voters. With those four kids, I was desperate to get out of the house and talk to grown-ups, Chapin says
with a laugh. Soon, she joined the Junior League
of Central Florida, and eventually she served as
president of both organizations. Along the way, she caught the attention of Florida Govs. Reuben Askew and Bob Graham, who
both asked her to serve on state task forces. She did
so with success, and Graham appointed her to a
volunteer position with the Aviation Authority in
1980, the first woman to ever hold such a role. The six senior business leaders of our community were very welcoming, but had no idea what you do
with a woman in the group, she says.So they asked
me to oversee the decor for the new airport and to
plan the opening party. But she was even happier
when she later was elected chairman of the authority
and served two terms. That leads me to what I think is so valuable about volunteering, Chapin says. Thats how we
learn; thats how we grow. As a Central Florida
housewife, I was not going to have the opportunity
to be the president of a big corporation, but I did
get to be chairman of the Aviation Authority, which
was a big business. You dont have to be a high-ranking corporate person to serve on the board at Channel 24 and learn
a lot about public television. You learn. You grow. You
have opportunities. You have the satisfaction that
comes with service. Despite a fulfilled career, including two terms as Orange Countys first elected chairman, Chapin, who
is currently UCFs director of the Metropolitan Center
for Regional Studies, still finds herself volunteering...
and still having a hard time saying no. You can get hooked on volunteering, she says. A lot of us get spread too thin. Im still telling myself
that Im going to restrict my volunteering to just a
couple of areas that I feel strongly about, like good
government and environmental issues. But then the
phone rings, and its the public school foundation
asking her to chair a new education initiative called
Count Me In and, well,You cant say no to something
that important. A lot of us who have been volunteering for many years wind up overextended, she says. You
cant say no, but Im working on it. Im a sucker for
a good cause. Always have been. Time for Herself YOU LEARN. YOU GROW. YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITIES. YOU HAVE THE SATISFACTION THAT COMES WITH SERVICE. LINDA CHAPIN 12 fm 07.05 COVER STORY 13 fm 07.05 COVER STORY Trick or Treat? Randy Lyon wasnt like the rest of the 12-year-olds solicit- ing candy that particular Halloween. That year, he chose to
solicit for a cause that had nothing to do with satisfying a
sweet tooth. Instead, he collected money for UNICEF, and a
long career of service was launched. (Collecting for UNICEF) seemed pretty intriguing to me, to be [one of a group of] kids all over the world trying
to do something, he says. The desire to serve grew
through his involvement in Boy Scouts, 4-H and his church. Lyon, whos president of Xentury City Development Co. and chairman of myregion.org, has become something of
a community go-to volunteer, thanks to a long history of
successful giving and good results. Last summer, Orlando
Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Richard
Crotty approached Lyon with a daunting task: to figure
out how local government can better help local education. With the school boards endorsement, Lyon got down to business, with 25 other volunteers, to find out how the
system can better serve Orange County students. All of
us saw something not working as well as it should, Lyon
says of a county that had three F high schools. Its very
easy to throw bricks at the school board, and yet, is that
really part of the solution? Instead, Lyon and the committee came up with 107 recommendations and presented them to county and city
commissions and the school board. More than anything
else, we were able to send a message to the school board,
the staff and the faculty that theyre important, Lyon
says. We have expectations that we think are real. We
recognize that we can work together. I hope it opens
some doors. While Lyon has come a long way from his UNICEF beginnings, he maintains a passion for the simplicity of
service. He recalls the days when he and his wife, Andrea,
would serve food or help park cars at fund-raisers. But as
their careers matured, they started attending the events
rather than working them. And you know what? We looked at each other one day and said,We really had more fun when we were working to put on the event
than just being the guest, he says.We felt like we were
invested in the event. Then all of a sudden, its done and its
raised dollars and the volunteer group is sitting there at the
end of a long night saying,Im just wasted with this thing,
but wasnt it a lot of fun? And it really was. ITS VERY EASY TO THROW BRICKS AT THE SCHOOL BOARD,AND YET, IS THAT REALLY PART OF THE SOLUTION? RANDY LYON Cleaning Up Jay Leonard was immediately moved when he listened (during a section of Leadership Orlandos training) to a group
of jailed teen-agers tell their stories of how they ran afoul of
the law. But, Leonard didnt see hard-core criminals; he saw
kids who just needed a break and someone to believe in them.
Leonard decided he would give them that break, taking action
that day by leaving behind his business card and a message.
I said, When you guys get out, you make sure you call me,
Leonard says. Two kids did call teen-aged boys named Andrew and Eric. Leonard hired them to work at the Doubletree Hotel at
Universal Orlando, where, at the time, he was general manager.
But more important than jobs, the teens now have a father
figure and someone who believes in them. Where some would see a risk, Leonard sees an opportunity to turn around a persons life. Granted, he doesnt extend the
invitation to hard-core criminals, but rather those who got
caught up in the wrong crowd at the wrong time. These are
the ones, Leonard insists, who still have something to give to
society. But its society, he says, that too quickly gives up on
troubled teens, potentially creating a more hardened criminal
down the road. It comes down to the business community
taking one kid and saying, Im not going to let you become
part of the broken system that exists. So far, Leonard, who is no longer with the Doubletree but still tracks the boys, is proving any doubters wrong. Eric and
Andrew completed work toward their GED, and Eric enrolled
in community college. At the Doubletree, Eric works with the
banquet department while Andrew works with engineering,
handling duties on the propertys exterior. Leonard sounds like
a proud father when he boasts of Andrews recently having
obtaining a forklift operators license. Thats a big deal for
him, Leonard says. He rides around on the forklift and thinks
hes cool. He wants to open a Laundromat someplace, and we
talk about how to do that. He doesnt want to go back to jail. While Leonard doesnt make personal jail stops anymore, he has left word with officials there about his open invitation to
take on more kids without hesitation. If I got another call,
Id work with one tomorrow morning, Leonard says. I dont
consider them high risk. The overall experience has been so positive that Leonard has thrown down a gauntlet of sorts for more companies to help
more kids. I would love to challenge my colleagues in the hos-
pitality industry to step up and do something like this, he says. As rewarding as its been for Eric and Andrew, Leonard says the experience has been equally fulfilling to him. Theyve
been two great success stories, Leonard says. If I can leave a
legacy in life, besides my family, and these two kids make it,
that would be the greatest legacy that I could leave. IT COMES DOWN TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TAKING ONE KID AND SAYING, IM NOT GOING TO LET YOU BECOME PART OF THE BROKEN SYSTEM THAT EXISTS. JAY LEONARD 14 fm 07.05 COVER STORY My spirit of giving goes back to my mother, says Ybeth Bruzual,
Central Florida News 13s midday
anchor. The Venezuelan-born
journalist lived in Puerto Rico
as a young child. There was a
panhandler who was just filthy. I
was scared to death. But, my mom
walked right over to him, touched
him on the arm, gave him some
words of encouragement and some
money, she says. That vision has
stayed with Bruzual ever since. In 1981, Bruzual came to Orlando and, as a young adult
started working with the Coalition
for the Homeless. I worked with
the children. I helped them read, played games, organized birthday
parties. Im not sure who was
getting more out of it me or
the children! She remembers one
touching time when a 5-year-old
girl, who had been disorderly all
day, started calling Bruzual
mommy. It was so sweet. From there, Bruzual sat on the board for Harbor House. That
didnt last long. I needed to roll up
my sleeves and get involved, not sit
on a board. She also helped out
at the YMCA where her husband
worked at the time. I was voted a
YMCA Young Achiever, she says. It
was flattering because you dont
expect recognition for your help. Bruzual currently volunteers with Compact, a national nonprofit
organization dedicated to promot-
ing community service, civic
engagement and service learning
in higher education. She serves as a
mentor and comes to school every other Monday to work with kids.
I give inspirational talks about
finishing school. It took me 15 years
to earn my bachelors degree! I let
these kids know that when my
mom and I first moved to this
country, we didnt have anything.
We had government assistance for
six months until my mom found a
job. I got help and now its time for
me to help others. She also works with Shepherds Hope, a free health clinic for the
disadvantaged.I work at Walker
Middle School [where the clinic is
set up] and offer translation services
between the patients and the
doctors and nurses, she says. The clinic is open twice a week and
relies solely on volunteers.Some 95
percent of the patients are Spanish,
and they speak very little English, so
I try to explain to the nurses and
doctors whats wrong. Bruzual
loves the jolt of inspiration these
people give her when they thank
her profusely for her help. Im always hounding the people who work with me; youve got to
make the time [to volunteer]. If Im
nice to someone today; then theyll
be nice to the next person its a
domino effect. Not everyone fits
the stereotype of a person whos
struggling. We must reach out to
all people. Pay it Forward IF IM NICE TO SOMEONE TODAY, THEN THEY LL BE NICE TO THE NEXT PERSON ITS A DOMINO EFFECT. YBETH BRUZUAL 15 fm 07.05 COVER STORY ON LOCATION IT SHOULD COME as no surprise that most employees
see buying a home as a safe and potentially lucrative
investment, which is just one of the many reasons
why homeownership is regarded as the American
dream. Employers have at their fingertips a mechanism
to help their employees achieve that dream: an
employer-assisted housing (EAH) program. Quite simply, the program can be anything you want it to be, from having available a stack of
brochures with tips on buying and selling a home
to providing a full-fledged program that offers
down-payment loans from the company to employees. Employers have just as much to gain from an EAH program as employees. An employer-assisted
housing plan can reduce turnover and training costs
and can improve employee morale. Its in an employers self-interest to provide an EAH because homeownership is so highly valued,
explains Judith Kovisars, director of the Fannie Mae
Central Florida Partnership Office. If a business
shows that it values homeownership, at the
minimum it creates greater loyalty and a greater
sense of contentment [in its employees]. Many
organizations, including Fannie Mae, can help you
get a program started. THE BENEFITS Carefully conceived plans can help create desirable neighborhoods near the employers location (and
reduce the stress of commuting for the employees).
In addition, homeowners are known to have a greater
sense of community commitment. If employers are
innovative and create meaningful incentive plans
for employees, theyre in turn partnering with
[those employees] to create a better quality of life,
says Esrone McDanials, deputy development officer
for the Florida Housing Finance Corp. A better
quality of life is a contribution to any community. And homeownership builds wealth that can be
invested back into local businesses. FROM ZERO TO HERO The costs associated with implementing an EAH can be minimal. A homebuyer-education EAH is
popular because its simple to implement and
inexpensive. The employer can simply gather a
variety of materials to distribute to employees, or
partner with a local nonprofit housing counseling
agency to provide a homebuying miniseminar.
The presentation can take place on site and/or during
work hours. Employers that offer EAH loans or grants generally provide funds to employees, who often use them for
a portion of the down payment, closing costs or a
permanent interest buy-down. Some standard
options include grants, forgivable loans, deferred or
repayable loans and a matched savings plan. The employer, of course, determines the criteria for employee eligibility for financial benefits,
perhaps based on a certain number of years of
service or on family income. And assistance need
not be limited to the purchase of a house or condo;
employers can also help with rent subsidization and
rental security deposits. The costs of providing and administering EAH plans, from the least to the most expensive version,
are minimized or offset by the savings accrued from
reductions in turnover, recruitment and training
budgets, and from higher productivity and morale,
says Kovisars. Employer-assisted housing plans allow employers to achieve business objectives and create bottom-line
savings while promoting goodwill among employees
and in surrounding communities. 16 fm 07.05 Many organizations readily offer free resources and
program development. Here are a few: Fannie Mae Central Florida Partnership Office.
This organization provides technical assistance
with development of customized EAH plans at
no cost to employers. The Fannie Mae Central Florida Partnership Office designed the City of Orlandos year-old EAH plan,
which is hailed by insiders as a model program. The
city provides eligible employees with a $7,500 loan, forgivable over five years, toward the down pay-
ment or closing costs for an existing home or new
construction within the Orlando city limits. All city
employees can take advantage of homeownership
seminars, access to credit repair counseling and
low-cost financing options offered through
participating lenders. Housing Opportunities for Floridas Workforce
Initiative. This Florida Association of Realtors

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