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	<title>Insight Magazine &#124; Monthly East &#38; Southeast Orlando News Magazine</title>
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	<link>http://www.insighteastorlando.com</link>
	<description>Community Print Magazine Serving East and Southeast Orlando</description>
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		<title>Less is More: A New Body of Research Supports High Intensity Interval Training</title>
		<link>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/featured/less-is-more-a-new-body-of-research-supports-high-intensity-interval-training/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=less-is-more-a-new-body-of-research-supports-high-intensity-interval-training</link>
		<comments>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/featured/less-is-more-a-new-body-of-research-supports-high-intensity-interval-training/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 21:31:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>InsightMG</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recreation/Fitness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.insighteastorlando.com/?p=8858</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We all face time constraints in our busy lives; with increasing demands at work, home, school, travel, and with family, time in the gym tends to fall far down on the to-do list. Ironically, our health and body image are typically at the forefront of our mind. The thought of spending an hour or more of our time at the gym is not only impractical for many, but logistically impossible. It might be hard to believe, but a new body of research is emerging which suggests that we don’t need to spend as much time in the gym as we once thought—in fact, perhaps only 10 minutes of our day could be all that it takes to build muscle, increase endurance, drop weight, and feel good. Chris Jordan, Director of Exercise Physiology at the Human Performance Institute in Orlando, FL, recently co-authored a study supporting the use of short duration, high intensity interval exercise as a means to gain muscular endurance, increase subcutaneous fat loss, decrease insulin resistance, and increase V02max (lung capacity) among other health benefits. Further, work by researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario as well as in other institutions suggest that even a few minutes of work at a near-maximum capacity produces changes within the muscles compared to several hours of bike riding, running, or aerobic machines. The trade-off, as the name suggests, is intensity. Rather than working at a lower intensity for a longer duration while splitting traditional cardio with and resistance training, this type of interval training combines both resistance training and cardiovascular work, requiring shorter duration and higher intensity intermingled with periods of short rest. The benefit, of course, can be likened to ripping off a Band-aid: it hurts, but it’s over quickly. The gains are just as marked if not more prevalent. This type of exercise is perfect for those with very little time in their schedule: new moms with little time for themselves, traveling businessmen and businesswoman, and those who aren’t able to commit hours upon hours at the gym. Research is even suggesting that this type of training is more beneficial to endurance athletes who commonly spend hours of training at lower intensities. A quick sample workout is displayed below. Take caution to properly warm up with dynamic stretching and a quick walk or jog and seek the supervision of a fitness expert first to ensure proper form throughout the workout. Conclude the workout with a deep stretch, plenty of water, and a liquid form of protein and just a few carbohydrates (milk, for example) to ensure adequate muscle regeneration and repair. Enjoy this new style of training—finally, less is more. Following warm up, complete 5 rounds of the following 30 seconds pushups 200 meter run 30 seconds rest 30 seconds squats 200 meter run 30 seconds rest 30 seconds plank tucks* 200 meter run 30 seconds rest 30 seconds prone t-ups** 200 meter run *In plank position, tuck 1 leg into chest and then the other. Inhale while tucking leg in, exhale while extending leg back out. **Lying on your stomach with arms out to sides in the shape of a “T”, thumbs facing up, exhale and lift arms off ground with glutes and quadriceps engaged. Inhale, lower, and repeat. By Lauren Hodges, owner  Total Body Training, LLC and Lake Nona Boot Camp]]></description>
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		<title>Fallen OCSO Deputy Has Street Named in His Honor in Avalon Park</title>
		<link>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/featured/fallen-ocso-deputy-has-street-named-in-his-honor-in-avalon-park/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=fallen-ocso-deputy-has-street-named-in-his-honor-in-avalon-park</link>
		<comments>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/featured/fallen-ocso-deputy-has-street-named-in-his-honor-in-avalon-park/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:32:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>InsightMG</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.insighteastorlando.com/?p=8849</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Nearly one hundred people gathered for a ceremony held by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office this morning to honor fallen deputy Brandon Coates, who was killed in the line of duty. Officer Coates now has a street dedicated to him in the Avalon Park area. Coates, 27, was shot and killed during a traffic stop near Orange Blossom Trail in December 2010. During his time with the agency, he was a member of the Orange County Sheriff&#8217;s Office Tactical Anti-Crime Squad, joined the Honor Guard Team and trained young deputies. Coates also served two tours in Iraq during his six years in the U.S. Marines prior to joining the Orange County Sheriff’s office. The street, named Brandon Coates Drive, is located between Avalon Park East and Avalon Park West boulevards. “Brandon knew he wanted to live a life of service to others,” says Virginia Coates, his widow. “He was loving, caring and giving, and most of all, he was my best friend. He made the ultimate sacrifice for his community.” Orange County Sherriff Jerry Demings believes that Brandon lived out the true meaning of the organization’s motto, making a difference. “In his young life, Brandon Coates indeed made a difference in the lives of many citizens in this county and this nation because of his service and his sacrifice,” says Demings. “Brandon gave himself without any desire for notoriety. He served two tours in Iraq and survived, but died right here on the streets of his homeland.” Virginia says she feels honored by the dedication and knows that the community won’t forget the services of Coates and knows that his name will live on forever. John Suglio, President of Anchor Development Group, was responsible for the success of the ceremony and was happy to be a part of it. “Putting this event together was a great privilege and a great honor, more than anything,” he said. “Keeping Brandon’s name and his legacy going is something we wanted to do and we’re so proud and so excited that we had that opportunity to do it.” &#160; By Sarika Ramdular]]></description>
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		<title>The Orlando Law Group Grows By Focusing on the Community First</title>
		<link>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/rollingfeatured/the-orlando-law-group-grows-by-focusing-on-the-community-first/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=the-orlando-law-group-grows-by-focusing-on-the-community-first</link>
		<comments>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/rollingfeatured/the-orlando-law-group-grows-by-focusing-on-the-community-first/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:27:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>InsightMG</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.insighteastorlando.com/?p=8806</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In 2009, Jennifer Englert had a goal to create a neighborhood law firm composed of like-minded individuals willing to go the extra mile for their clients and their community. Four years later, The Orlando Law Group has grown to serve the needs of thousands of clients in East Orlando – but Englert knows there is still more work to be done. Offering a full range of law services to clients, her practice works daily from their Avalon Park and Lake Nona offices to build relationships and offer each client the personal attention they deserve. “It sounds cliché, but we really do treat clients like they are an extension of our family, or like their business is our own,” Englert says with a smile. “It’s one of the reasons our practice has been so successful.” Today the practice continues to grow right along with the community it serves. This year alone they have moved to a new, larger office in Lake Nona and added Maytel Bonham, a bilingual civil and family lawyer with more than 17 years of experience. The only full-service law firm currently in Lake Nona, The Orlando Law Group moved into a larger space in Lake Nona earlier in 2013 to accommodate for future growth. “We feel strongly we have the services and personnel available to assist the families and businesses moving to Lake Nona as they encounter legal issues,” says Englert. “The proximity to our clients and our flexible hours makes us a great potential fit for many of those in need of legal counsel in the area.” As for Bonham, a former insurance defense attorney, she brings a strong background to fight for clients’ personal injury rights. Having entered the family law area through a niche in fertility law, she takes the time to understand family issues (and specifically cases dealing with children). She has also been recognized for her pro bono work in Jacksonville and Orlando as a tireless Guardian Ad Litem, where she has been the voice for children in the legal system. “It’s an honor to be a part of The Orlando Law Group and I couldn’t be happier with the opportunity in front of us,” says Bonham. “The more qualified experts we have on staff, the more we can help clients – it’s really as simple as that,” says Englert. “With each attorney we bring on board, we try to hire someone that brings something new to the table in terms of what they can do to assist clients.” She notes that each of the practice’s two offices now has a Spanish speaker and someone who works in busiest areas of family law and estate planning, thanks to Bonham. And because the offices are local, clients don’t have to leave their neighborhoods to receive top-notch legal advice. “As an example of our ‘staying local’ philosophy, Maytel knows the Lake Nona area very well and she has strong roots in Central Florida, having grown up here,” says Englert. “We make sure each of our staff members are connected to the community and that they know the areas we serve like the back of their hand.” Englert contends that being involved in the community helps the practice be aware of what’s happening at an ultra-local level, which ultimately benefits clients. Bonham agrees, “Our attorneys need to be a part of the community they represent,” she says. “By taking an active role with local charities, organizations and chambers of commerce, we have an in-depth knowledge of the factors that affect our clients business and personal decisions. It’s a real advantage for them.” &#160; Contact The Orlando Law Group, PL today to learn how they can help you. Avalon Park 3855 Avalon Park Blvd E. Orlando, FL 32828 407.512.4394 Lake Nona 9161 Narcoossee Road, Ste. #210 Orlando, FL 32827 407.306.8383 www.TheOrlandoLawGroup.com &#160; &#160; By Corey Gehrold]]></description>
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		<title>Avalon Park Relay for Life Gets Better With Age</title>
		<link>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/rollingfeatured/avalon-park-relay-for-life-gets-better-with-age/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=avalon-park-relay-for-life-gets-better-with-age</link>
		<comments>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/rollingfeatured/avalon-park-relay-for-life-gets-better-with-age/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:16:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>InsightMG</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Community Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.insighteastorlando.com/?p=8799</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Long before her son Tyler was diagnosed, Angela Youtz was a regular participant in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. “We were doing the relays before, for friends we knew who had cancer,” she says. “But now it’s a little bit different,” she admits, noting how the event has taken a personal turn for her family. Tyler, now 13, was diagnosed with cancer eight years ago. He gives a nod and a thumbs up, when asked how he’s doing these days. On May 10, 392 walkers participated in the Avalon Park Relay For Life at Timber Creek High School. Angela and Tyler walked as part of a team from Vista Lake Elementary School, where Angela teaches. The Relay is an emotional, symbolic fundraising event organized by community volunteers to ‘Celebrate’ cancer survivors, ‘Remember’ those who have lost their cancer battle, and to ‘Fight Back’ by bringing awareness to the disease, and raising funds for research.  Community members and teams walk together for 18 hours, from nightfall through the following morning. Each component of the walk symbolizes the journey a cancer patient takes from diagnosis through treatment. “Relay For Life of Avalon Park started in 2003, so this is the 10th year,” shares Heather Maloney, senior community representative for the Florida Division of the American Cancer Society. “Over the last 10 years, the Avalon Park Relay has seen many changes, but the dedication, passion and commitment of the participants and volunteers has remained the same,” she adds. “As a community, Avalon Park has raised over $1.3 million dollars, and many of the 40 plus teams are original to the event,” says Maloney. The Avalon Park Relay is one of several Relay For Life events held around the community. According to the American Cancer Society, more than four million people from over 20 countries participate in Relay For Life events. Like the Youtz family, many Relay participants had very personal reasons to support this year’s walk. It was just eight months ago when Avalon Park resident Craig Lambert’s doctors discovered cancer cells in a brain tumor. He and his wife, Krystal, walked alongside the Youtz family on May 10. Lambert was treated with chemotherapy and surgery, and is now feeling very optimistic. Maloney says the money raised from the event helps a number of programs, including Road to Recovery, Hope Lodge, Look Good Feel Better, and Reach to Recovery.  In addition, the money helps fund essential research projects. Lawton Chiles Elementary teacher, Zaida Torres, credits the strong school community for raising nearly $6,000 for their relay team. The school was the third highest fundraising team this year. “All year long we fundraised,” Torres proudly explains. “We are a Title 1 school, so that speaks volumes to our commitment.” Torres says the Lawton Chiles team participated in support of a staff member, a staff member’s husband, and Torres’ cousin, who are all battling cancer. According to Maloney, this year’s relay has raised an impressive $66,000. “We aren&#8217;t fighting just one type of cancer &#8211; we are fighting for every birthday threatened by cancer in every community,” explains Maloney. “Each person who shares the Relay experience can take pride in knowing that they are working to create a world with more birthdays.” &#160; By Lisa Hollaender]]></description>
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		<title>UCF Medical School Graduates First Class</title>
		<link>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/rollingfeatured/ucf-medical-school-graduates-first-class/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=ucf-medical-school-graduates-first-class</link>
		<comments>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/rollingfeatured/ucf-medical-school-graduates-first-class/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:06:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>InsightMG</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UCF and Valencia]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.insighteastorlando.com/?p=8788</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Once just a vision, the University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine is now celebrating the graduation of their charter class. As UCF President John Hitt recently described, “Our bold idea had no state authorization, no funding, and no friends on Facebook. Some people called us crazy, and that was putting it politely. Together, we fought hard for our dream and refused to give up. Eventually, the impossible – a new medical college for UCF – became the inevitable.” The journey for the UCF College of Medicine began in 2006 with the official announcement that the school would become a reality. Tavistock Group quickly stepped up to donate $12.5 million and 50 acres of land in Lake Nona for the school. Although the school had yet to be accredited, the new College of Medicine received more than 4,400 applications from around the county.  Forty of these applications would be accepted to create the inaugural class for the new school. After four years, a full-ride scholarship, and countless sleepless nights, 36 members of this charter class earned their degrees from the fully accredited medical school in May of this year. Many of these students are now headed to some of the best residency programs in the nation, where they will train in specialties ranging from primary care to surgery and diagnostic radiology to pediatrics. At the May 17 ceremony, graduates received their diploma from the community donor who funded their scholarship, each one worth $160,000. The graduating class wanted to leave their mark for future medical students over the coming years to ensure they receive the same great learning opportunities, so they have established a $300,000 endowment. This fund will be used to relieve some of the financial burden for the up-and-coming generation of medical students by pledging several $50,000 scholarships to deserving individuals. Dr. Deborah German, UCF vice president for medical affairs and founding dean of the UCF College of Medicine stated, “The class of 2013 is going to care for patients across Florida and this nation and we expect them to leave their legacy in the communities they serve just as they did in medical school.” After achieving so many great accomplishments in such a short period of time, the UCF College of Medicine is just getting started. The college plans to continue its efforts to improve the health of those in the community and to improve healthcare in the Central Florida as a whole. In addition, they will work with a variety of hospital partners to increase the number of residency programs in the Orlando area, ultimately increasing the number of trained doctors in the community. Meanwhile, a burgeoning biomedical cluster is forming at Medical City, which is expected to generate 30,000 jobs and $7.8 billion in annual economic activity by 2017. As for the recent charter class graduates, this is just the beginning. As Dr. German states, “Graduation is a milestone of both individual and collective accomplishment shared by students, families, faculty, staff, and the entire community.” &#160; By Carol Galbicsek]]></description>
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		<title>A Happy Reflection on Teaching Children from Around the World</title>
		<link>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/rollingfeatured/a-happy-reflection-on-teaching-children-from-around-the-world/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=a-happy-reflection-on-teaching-children-from-around-the-world</link>
		<comments>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/rollingfeatured/a-happy-reflection-on-teaching-children-from-around-the-world/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:57:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>InsightMG</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.insighteastorlando.com/?p=8780</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In education, as in any profession, there comes a moment each day when you need a little down time. For me, I love sitting down at my computer with a delicious (often too large) piece of chocolate and going to my favorite website. Here a plethora of beautiful photos of people and places of our world are shown with quotes and anecdotes attached. Some are cliché, while others speak to me. When completing the Teacher of the Year application, while trying to answer the question of my personal feelings and beliefs about teaching, I honestly had writer’s block. I screamed in my head, “OK, Dorina! Why are you Teacher of the Year?”  I drew a blank until I clicked on the next picture. It was a faded black and white profile of a famous singer with the quote, “When I was 5-years-old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment. I told them, they didn’t understand life.” It was here, I had my “A-ha” moment and the walls of discouragement came crashing down. That quote summed it up. I have deep feelings about teaching and believe in teaching because I am happy. Students connect with me because I am happy when I see their faces. My classroom is a model for instruction because I am happy to make it that way. My learning gains are high because I am happy when those light bulbs go off above their heads. I am called an “innovative” teacher because I am happy to be one! So where does this happiness come from? It is, without question, the genuine love and concern I have for every child that comes into my classroom. Each child is different, adding another piece to the beautiful mosaic with his or her own unique color and personality. My job is to educate children whose first language is not English. I can have up to eleven languages being spoken in one classroom. It is my job to not only embrace their linguistic differences, but their academic and cultural differences as well. Before any instruction begins, I need to understand them and earn their trust. Outside of my classroom, I get to know my students and their parents in their native language, as I am blessed to speak five languages. Moreover, I have visited the countries of most of my students, by choice. In these fascinating countries, I have witnessed schools and the “real life” of varied socioeconomic backgrounds, thus seeing the big picture from where my students come. That big picture helps me see the little things better—the little things that enable me to create a safe environment where immigrant children are happy and free to be themselves as they succeed in the American school system. With my last bite of chocolate and my fingers typing, I looked back at that John Lennon quote. I see now if I were his teacher, I would have embraced his answer, and praised him for such a profound response. If a student of mine wants to be happy when he or she grows up, how could I disagree? After all, I grew up and became a Teacher of the Year because I am truly, truly happy. &#160; &#160;]]></description>
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		<title>Couples Growing a Business (and Family) Together</title>
		<link>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/featured/couples-growing-a-business-and-family-together/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=couples-growing-a-business-and-family-together</link>
		<comments>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/featured/couples-growing-a-business-and-family-together/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:48:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>InsightMG</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.insighteastorlando.com/?p=8769</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many couples in East Orlando find themselves working together both at home and on the job. Here, we profile some of East Orlando’s small business owners, who just happen to be husband and wife, too. John and Debby Staab – Primrose School An opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children was what influenced John and Debby Staab to open their first Primrose School in Avalon Park 10 years ago. The couple saw an opportunity to contribute a service to their community, and a chance to build a family business together. Married 38 years, the Staabs have discovered that working together takes a marriage partnership to a new level. John, who focuses on the financial and marketing side of the couple’s business, offers advice to other couples thinking of teaming up in a business. “Bring a strong relationship to the table,” he says.  “And clearly define roles.” Debby, responsible for the operations and education side of the school, advises, “Understand your strengths and weaknesses and be willing to work on the weaknesses.” John shares what he personally had to acknowledge and work through before partnering with his wife in the business. “I have always been the boss, and prior to this business, Debby never was,” he explains. Accepting and recognizing Debby as a business peer was initially a challenge he admits, but says time and patience taught him to open up and accept their new roles. The couple contributes their successful partnership to their ability to appreciate each other’s assets and talents, and to value what each brings to the business partnership. The Staabs’ strong, committed partnership has proven successful, as they recently opened their second Primrose School location in the Lake Nona community. Michael and Karina Pastrana – Happy Paws Pet Resort Hard work and a deep commitment and understanding of each other is what led to the enormous success of Michael and Karina Pastrana’s business partnership. Since 2008, the couple, married 12 years, has operated the Happy Paws Pet Resort on East Colonial. “We started our business from scratch, first traveling through the US visiting pet resorts and implementing the best ideas into one,” explains Michael. “Michael and I divide the responsibilities,” says Karina, explaining how their partnership as a couple works. “I do HR.  Hiring and training.  I also run the business on a daily basis, and handle all marketing and events for the business.” “Michael does payroll, and is the resident ‘fix it’ person,” she explains. Karina shares that she and Michael complement each other, and that the balance of their complementing talents and skills makes their partnership ideal. “Our roles cross many times and we do not do any major decision without discussing it,” Karina says. “Michael and I have complete opposite personalities so we frequently see things differently, and appreciate each other’s opinion on all things, especially business related.” “The key is to stay focused and don’t deviate from our goals and beliefs. We stay current with the market and customer needs. In this business, since we are both avid pet lovers and devoted educators, it makes it is easy for us to stay focused, since we always have the well being of the pets in mind,” Michael says. Karina proudly shares that it is the couples’ core values and faith that drives the success in both their professional and personal lives. “There are several reasons why our marriage is strong and solid. We are grounded in faith, and value each other and our family,” Karina shares. Brenda and John Kolbrich – Keller Williams Advantage II Realty and Avalon School of Music Although not partners in the same business, Brenda and John Kolbrich know all too well the importance of working hard to create a healthy balance between marriage and business. Married 27 years, each owns and operates their own successful business. Brenda has been a top producing real estate agent for 10 years, boasting eight million in sales last year.  She is a member of the Diamond Club at Keller Williams, a distinguished honor reserved for top producing Realtors. John’s passion for sharing his love of music led to his opening the Avalon School of Music, which he owns and operates with son, Phillip. With two locations, the school teaches music to over 800 students. The couple has found that with career success comes long hours, hard work, and mutual understanding and respect for each other’s work. “We are constantly working, but do have control of our time for the most part,” says Brenda. “Mini-vacations and spending time with our family, friends and neighbors, keep us strong as a couple.” “I support John in his music school business by marketing for the school, and attending the many great recitals and events the school puts on,” says Brenda. John says that he consistently offers his wife objective advice and support, to ensure that her business continues its success. “I support my wife’s business by giving her feedback,” he says. “I promote her to folks I come in contact with as well.” Pam and Allyn Maycumber – Keller Williams Realty Advantage III Real estate power couple Allyn and Pam Maycumber have worked to build their business for 23 years. With a combined 50 years of real estate experience, The Maycumber Team markets and sells luxury homes primarily in the Lake Nona area, but offers their services and expertise throughout East Orlando. “One thing about working as a husband and wife is that many people think we are always going to agree,” the couple amusingly shares. “That is not the case.” “That is what makes us a good team, because we sometimes have different views, which lead to different ideas on selling homes,” says Pam. Married 22 years, the couple has withstood the unpredictably evolving local real estate market.  Marriage, they’ve found, follows similar ups, downs and changes. They, like many couples who have built a successful business together, find that mutual understanding, respect and hard work are necessary for ensuring a successful marriage [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Working Together Across Generations</title>
		<link>http://www.insighteastorlando.com/featured/working-together-across-generations/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=working-together-across-generations</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:27:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>InsightMG</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.insighteastorlando.com/?p=8761</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[According to Craig Lee of the Orange County Human Resources Division, it takes longer for a work team made up of different generations to become a high performance one, than a team comprised of workers of the same age range. “The fact is that last year another generation entered into the workforce,” says Lee, “you can have four generations on your team.” Lee says the workplace knows little about the productivity and work styles of Generation Z, the new kids in the workplace.  Likewise, this new group of workers are unfamiliar with the work styles and ethics of more seasoned workers.  There can be communication differences, behavioral differences and varying points of view. “But there is light at the end of the tunnel for them,” promises Lee. “When they do start to understand each other, and start to connect and communicate, the products and services they produce are usually better than on teams made up of only one generation,” he explains. Lee, who has trained numerous local organizational leaders and workers on intergenerational relations, says there are steps that can be taken to help build a successful partnership among varying aged workers, and it is key for team supervisors and leaders to implement and model them. Lee offers the following tips for team leaders: ·         Become a “people watcher”. Observe and take notes in the differences in behavior among the generations. ·         Ask, and ask again about impressions, preferences and point of view of your team members. Encourage others on your team to do the same. ·         Be flexible in your leadership style and approach. Focus on outcomes, and let individuals determine the ‘how’. Seek older colleagues’ counsel and insight as you lead your team. Seek younger colleagues’ ideas and approaches for desired end results. Create a learning environment within your team. Read books together, talk about current events, share stories. ·         Encourage new ideas, new thoughts, new technologies and new sources of information from everyone on the team. ·         Tap into team members’ expertise in other areas of their life experience. ·         Discuss in team meetings how the different generations view situations alike and at times quite differently. Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Greater Orlando Society for Human Resource Management, Annette Wainey, emphasizes the need to communicate when there is a cross-generational community in the workplace. “Listen, be open to ideas and have open communication,” Wainey advises. “Make sure everyone knows that what they contribute is important.” Like Lee, Wainey also feels that a good leader will set the stage for a productive and successful work environment. “Employers need to understand the area of common ground for each generation,” Wainey says. “There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ workplace for each group. Employers need to have environments, policies and tools to do the job, that bring out the best in every generation,” she says. Lee reminds us not to forget that each year more and more highly successful, experienced workers will retire, taking with them a wealth of information.  It is up to all workers on a team to acknowledge this, and take advantage of that expertise before these individuals leave the workforce. Wainey is confident that all generations of workers can build a successful team. “I think that everyone can work together, despite their differences.  Employers and managers need to find the strengths from each worker, and use them to the advantage of the organization,” she says. “Everyone has something that they can contribute,” she adds. &#160; &#160; By Lisa Hollaender]]></description>
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