Business Observer 04.29.10

+ Prudential Palms Realty adds VP
Prudential Palms Realty and Prudential Lakewood Ranch Realty on Monday announced Steve Bailey as its new vice president.

Bailey served as executive vice president of Merrill Lynch Realty in Connecticut and Long Island before starting his own real estate company. He eventually sold his company, relocated to Sarasota and joined Michael Saunders & Company as its executive vice president and subsequently headed Premier Properties’ Sarasota office. At Prudential, Bailey’s primary focus will be on strategic planning and operations.

“Steve Bailey is well respected locally and nationally for his knowledge of real estate brokerage and his high standards,” said President and CEO Helen Sosso. “We are thrilled to welcome him to our management team.”

For more information on Prudential Palms Realty, call 926-7000 or visit www.prudentialpalmsrealty.com. For Lakewood Ranch Realty, call 907-2000 or visit www.LakewoodRanchRealty.com.

+ LWR Commercial Realty partners with Verizon Concierge
Building services, management services, tenants and local retailers were united under one operating system April 23 as LWR Commercial Realty entered into an agreement with Verizon’s Concierge Service to combine services, events and features into one operating system.

Verizon’s Concierge Service is accessible via any Web browser, mobile application for popular smart phones such as iPhones, Blackberry’s and soon on FiOS TV. Among other features, the service allows a building’s occupants to communicate with each other to set up carpools or clubs, have quick and easy access to schedule property amenities, set up services from local businesses such as dry cleaners and taxis, and make reservations or order take-out at local restaurants. 

“We know that our location and our amenities are the top reasons why more business owners are choosing Lakewood Ranch,” said Brian Kennelly, President of LWR Commercial Realty. “This technology will further connect our tenants to those amenities and connect business owners to each other, enhancing the community atmosphere that people who live here and work here enjoy in Lakewood Ranch.”

For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

+ ShelterBox hires director of operations 
ShelterBox USA, an international disaster relief agency announced Emily Sperling as its new director of operations. Sperling is responsible for the administrative operations of the U.S. headquarters and creating strategic partnerships to advance the organization. 

Sperling brings nearly 15 years of organizational development, stakeholder management and capacity building to ShelterBox USA.

“We are so pleased to have Emily join our staff,” said Veronica Brandon Miller, executive director of ShelterBox USA. “Her professional background will bring a wealth of knowledge to ShelterBox and she will be instrumental in the forward development of our organization.”

Sperling previously served as the community relations director for the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County. Prior to joining the EDC, Emily was the director of student recruitment and alumni affairs and executive director for the Alumni Organization of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Florida.

Individual tax-deductible donations to ShelterBox USA can be made at www.shelterboxusa.org.

+ Biological Tree Services adds two
Biological Tree Services added recently two employees to its Green Team.

David Patterson joined the company in March as field operations manager. Patterson brings more than 25 years of construction, restoration and maintenance experience from working at top-ranked golf clubs and landscapes in Florida. At BTS, he will provide professional support and service for turf and landscapes. His background specializes in identifying nutrient deficiencies in all types of turf grasses, detecting insect damage and recognizing harmful diseases within plant beds, turf, palms and trees.

Frank Hammer joined BTS in April as a certified arborist. Hammer has worked in the green industry for 15 years and has maintained his International Society of Arboriculture certification since 2006. At BTS, Hammer will work with the air knife, an arborist’s tool that allows full excavation of a tree’s roots without risking damage to the tree or buried utilities.

For more, visit www.biologicaltreeservices.com.