August 2016 Business Briefs / Member News Part 1

MKAF Seeks Adult Collaborative Artists for Festival
The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) is now accepting applications for the Adult Collaborative Art Exhibit component of the 21st Annual Festival of the Arts, which will be held Oct. 29-30, at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village in Destin. One of the unique features of the Festival is the Collaborative Art Exhibit, which showcases the work of seasoned and emerging adult artists and local student artists competing for the $600 McIlroy Awards given in honor of the late Patricia McIlroy, Destin’s first First Lady and an MKAF advocate and patron. The competition is open to the first 25 eligible applicants. The entry fee is $30 per person for up to three pieces of art. Application deadline is Thursday, Sept. 15. To receive an application, contact Deb Nissley at (850) 650-2226.
 
Open House and Ribbon Cutting at New Sacred Heart Outpatient Clinic
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast will host an Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 4, at 10 a.m., to formally announce the opening of a new outpatient clinic at The Market Shops in Miramar Beach, which is located at 9375 Emerald Coast Parkway West, at the entrance to Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Attendees will be given a short tour of the facility, and the NICU transport ambulance will be onsite for viewing. The new clinic features pediatric and adult primary care services, lab and x-ray services, and rehabilitation services for physical, occupational, and speech therapy. The clinic will also provide a pediatric after-hours clinic seven days a week beginning later this year, which will be backed by The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart, Northwest Florida’s only hospital solely dedicated to the care of sick and injured babies and children. 

Local Keller Williams Emerald Coast Realty Agents Earn National Ranking
Cindy Cole and Nikki Nickerson with Keller Williams Emerald Coast Realty (KWEC) were nationally named as most productive sales associates as a part of REAL Trends America’s Best Real Estate Agents for 2015, in a recently issued ranking report produced by REAL Trends and sponsored by Zillow Group® and Trulia®. They are officially now in the ranking as one of the country’s top residential real estate agents as a member of America’s Best Real Estate Agents. Nationwide, Cole came in at number 198 in sales volume and Nickerson at number 216. The Kelly Group at KWEC, led by by Michael Kelly, and the At The Beach Team, led by by John Moran, earned the 2015 REAL Trends America’s Best Real Estate Agents honors in the Teams by Sides category which relates to the agents representing either the buyer or the seller transaction side. The Kelly Group is ranked 53 with 167 sides, and the At The Beach Team ranks 216 with 82.7 sides. Additionally, The Kelly Group is ranked 153 in Teams by Volume Sold.

Acentria Insurance Announces New Commercial Agents
Acentria Insurance is excited to announce and welcome three new commercial insurance sales producers to their organization. Charles Kurtz joins Acentria Insurance as a vice president of commercial lines with 25 years of insurance industry experience. Formally with Insurance Zone and CJK & Associates, Kurtz specializes in construction, multi-family, trucking, and workers’ compensation lines of coverage. Brance Unkrich comes to Acentria Insurance with 11 years of sales experience. As a vice president of commercial lines, Unkrich is originally from Panama City, but will be based out of the Jacksonville office. Sean Dwyer began his insurance career more than 18 years ago at Mid-Atlantic Insurance Associates, an agency owned by his father in Fredericksburg, VA. As a vice president of commercial lines, Dwyer concentrates on the horticulture industry and placing coverage for greenhouse growers, garden centers, wholesale nurseries, landscapers, and more. 

Newman-Dailey Resort Properties Makes Top 100 Best Companies List
Newman-Dailey Resort Properties was recently named one of Florida’s Best Companies To Work For. The annual Best Companies list is featured in the August issue of Florida Trend magazine. One-hundred companies are ranked in small, medium and large employer categories. To participate, companies or government entities had to employ at least 15 workers in Florida and have been in operation at least one year. Companies that chose to participate underwent an evaluation of their workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. The process also included a survey to measure employee satisfaction. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. 

ResortQuest by Wyndham Donates Food to CIC Kids
ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals helped the kids living at Children in Crisis by having a food drive and fundraiser.  The Wyndham Team donated more than three full truckloads of food and other need items. Seen here are Ken Hair, CIC president and CEO; Mary-Lu Lazzaro and Andy Hurst of ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals; and Allie Noah, CIC development director.  


A Multi-Sensory Experience at Bluewater Bay McDonald’s
One visit with the children to the Costa family McDonald's on Highway 20 at Bluewater Bay in Niceville will reveal that it is like no other McDonald’s experience one has encountered. In fact, it’s the only McDonald’s in the country like this one and well worth the drive to check it out. Step inside the Play Place Under The Sea for an aquatic, underwater themed multi-sensory adventure. With a $1 million renovation completed last year, a multi-level Play Place with a dedicated toddler area, community sparkle tables, and seven touch-to-play interactive game stations for children of all ages was put into place. But what makes this space even more unique are the walls with sea murals, vibrant colors that “move” depicting an engaging and an active underwater life full of sea creatures, fish, coral reefs, buried treasure chests, sunken ships (U.S.S. Big Mac), submarines (Nugget 15), video projection with lively digital characters, and more. 

Century 21 Blue Marlin Named Exclusive Onsite Real Estate at Jetty East 
Century 21 Blue Marlin is pleased to announce it has been named the exclusive, onsite real estate company for Jetty East, a gulf front resort on Holiday Isle in Destin. The relationship will capitalize on the strength of Century 21 Blue Marlin’s full-service residential real estate operations that specialize in Destin properties. Jetty East is a six-story mid-rise condominium situated on 900’ of pristine beach overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The small, gated, resort community is conveniently located a mile and a half from Highway 98, offering residents easy access to the area’s best attractions, events, and restaurants. Resort amenities include the heated pool, 3,200-square-foot beachfront pavilion, two tennis courts, sun deck, and proximity to fishing from the east jetties.