BUSINESS OBSERVER

+ Neal Communities welcomes new hires
Neal has hired Nicole Caldwell, a licensed Realtor, as its new area sales manager, and Cindy Wright as its Community Association Manager.

Caldwell has worked as a sales manager for a national homebuilder and also has managed a team of 25 licensed Realtors, who generated an average of $48 million in sales.

Wright has been in property management for 20 years, and has overseen a large portfolio of ultra-luxury condominiums and homeowner associations in Sarasota.

“February was the biggest month we have had in the last decade, and we see no signs of slowing down,” said Neal Communities’ President Pat Neal. “We have incredible momentum company-wide this quarter.

Nicole and Cindy will add even more power to our unstoppable team of professionals.”

The company has hired additional personnel in its design and mortgage divisions, corporate information technology department and on its sales team.

The new hires come at a time when Neal also has announced the sale of the 300th home in its Central Park community. Builders Bruce Williams Homes, Cardell Homes and Lee Wetherington Homes, combined, sold about 50 of those homes; the remainder was sold by Neal.

+ Kiddie Academy nabs franchise award
Kiddie Academy of Lakewood Ranch, owned by franchisees Bill and Marina Schmidt, received the Academy of the Year Award at the Kiddie Academy annual conference earlier this month in Orlando.

“We are thrilled to be recognized as the Academy of the Year in the Kiddie Academy system,” Marina Schmidt said. “Since we’ve opened, it’s been our goal to strive for excellence on every level and meet the needs of our Kiddie Academy families. It’s exciting to share this award with them and all our employees.”