Business Briefs

Orlando Health has named Horace “Wayne” Easterling director of diversity and minority business development. In this role, Wayne will provide corporate leadership in developing, implementing and evaluating Orlando Health’s diversity and inclusion strategy to support the organization across multiple departments including human resources, business development, and materials management.

Royal Oak Homes, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, recently promoted Colby Franks to executive vice president. Franks is a graduate of the University of Florida and has more than 18 years of experience in the homebuilding industry. He joined Royal Oak Homes in December 2010 as the vice president of construction.

Rollins College recently named Shelley Wilson Gentile director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA). In her new role, Gentile will focus on establishing OMA and Chase Hall as a welcoming location for all, as well as a “home base” for those with an affinity towards any or all of OMAs organizations and programs.

Rollins College and The Olympia Companies announced the appointment of Deanne Gabel as general manager of The Alfond Inn, opening in Winter Park in August 2013. Gabel has experience in several facets of the hospitality industry. Most recently, Gabel was a senior vice president with Wyndham Worldwide’s Hospitality Division.

Winter Park-based pawn chain La Familia Pawn & Jewelry recently hired pawn industry veteran Rosa Wedge as director of operations for the company’s Puerto Rican stores. Wedge’s hire is part of the company’s ongoing effort to provide increased support for the Puerto Rican market, into which the company continues to rapidly expand due to demand and opportunity.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, recently completed the design of three residential handicap ramps for the Center for Independent Living of Central Florida.

First Green Bank, with headquarters in Mount Dora and branches in downtown Orlando, Clermont and Ormond Beach, recently appointed the Orlando architectural firm of VOA Associates to draw up building and site plans for a Winter Park branch.
 Kenneth LaRoe, chairman and chief executive officer at First Green Bank, said the Winter Park branch will open by the end of the third quarter of this year.

Charles H. Egerton – one of the founding shareholders of the law firm of Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth, P.A. in Orlando, was recently appointed to the American Tax Policy Institute’s (ATPI) Board of Trustees.