Closer Look

By William Jacko

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

When people need a good lawyer, they often turn to a big downtown firm. With the opening of its new building in North Tampa, Bleakley Bavol Denman & Grace now provides this big-firm quality and prestige for Pasco and North Hillsborough residents.

“We’re right on the corner of Florida and Bearss. We’re convenient for people who want the service that a well-established Tampa firm offers, but don’t want the hassle of having to go downtown,” said Jonathan Newlon, partner.

Although BBD&G represents many large commercial and institutional clients, it also is devoted to representing smaller businesses and individuals. Newlon specializes in estate and tax planning, probate and trust administration and litigation, guardianship and fiduciary litigation, and family law litigation.

He also specializes in listening to his clients.

“What I pride myself most on is paying attention to what people actually want,” said Newlon. “I make sure I sit down and listen to the clients, and try to understand exactly what they want.”

Newlon grew up in rural Pasco County in San Antonio. His small-town roots give him an affinity for Pasco and North Tampa, and many of his clients are from this area.

Newlon deals largely with death and divorce, and advises prospective clients to seek general advice early to help them in their decision-making process.

“I’ve had a lot of people come in and talk to me about a divorce,” said Newlon.  “Sometimes I don’t hear from them again.  Other times I’ll hear from them a year later, and they say, ‘I’m glad that I didn’t pull the trigger rashly before.’ Most of the time those people are grateful that I listened to them and gave them some options, instead of just saying, ‘OK, hire me, and let’s do this.’ There’s nothing wrong with going to get some advice and then not doing anything with it other than thinking about it.”

Clients can feel confident in the advice they receive at BBD&G.  The firm has received a prestigious AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the gold standard in the legal ratings business.

“The A represents the legal skill and capabilities that we have here, and A is obviously the highest rating that you can have. The V stands for the highest ethical rating that you can have, so the AV rating is considered a preeminent rating of lawyers in the Martindale-Hubbell system,” explains Newlon.

Many of BBD&G’s partners gained experience working for big downtown law firms before founding BBD&G, and Newlon considers that big-firm experience a valuable asset.

“We can deliver that level of service and legal skill, and at the same time, we know that people ultimately want to be treated like people. We all appreciate family, fellowship and civic duty. We’re a firm that has a lot of legal acumen, but that also really enjoys helping our clients,” said Newlon.

The firm welcomes visitors to its North Tampa office, but is also prepared to assist clients abiding by COVID-19 safety recommendations.

“We have all kinds of tech capacity, including large conference rooms with large screens for video conferencing, “ said Newlon. “My advice is to get guidance sooner rather than later, and we have the tech capacity to allow people to do that now without having to compromise their health.”

813-221-3759 • www.bbdglaw.com

Published on 7/1/20

By Kelli Carmack

Ever since he was a young child, Jerry Moates Jr. has been in the cabinet business. His father, Jerry Moates Sr., opened Statewide Custom Cabinets in 1972, and would bring his namesake with him to work whenever he could.

“I went on Saturdays and just hung out with him until he got off work,” said Jerry Jr., who is now the owner of the Zephyrhills cabinet shop.

And, when Jerry Jr. had children of his own, he continued his father’s tradition and brought his two sons to the shop. Today, Jerry III and Allen are grown, and work with their dad in the family business.

Statewide Custom Cabinets specializes in residential and commercial cabinets and surface top installations. The company offers free estimates, and it’s not unusual to see a customer the same day they call the office for a quote.

The company is very price competitive, especially compared to big box stores, because it also is a manufacturer, which is a rare thing to find today in the cabinet business.

“The benefit of being your own manufacturer is that you can build the way you want to ensure quality, and can build to a customer’s custom sizes,” said Jerry Jr. “Plus, our turnaround is faster, and depending on the size of a job, the demolition and installation process is usually just a day or two.”

Statewide Custom Cabinets recently opened a new showroom so customers can see and feel the different styles of cabinet and surface tops it sells. Because of social distancing, currently only one customer is allowed in the showroom at a time, and it is thoroughly sanitized before the next customer enters.

One of the most popular cabinet styles that customers are buying is shaker-white, which has very simple, clean lines that looks great in kitchens, especially with light countertops.

For countertops, customers are choosing quartz, which is extremely durable, low-maintenance and easy to clean.

“Quartz is the best cabinet top you can get,” said Jerry Jr. “But, not everyone can afford quartz or granite, so we also offer high definition (HD) laminate, which gives the look of granite at the fraction of the cost.”

Laminate is dramatically different than what it used to be, explains Jerry Jr. “It is three to five times harder than the original laminate, plus it is scratch-resistant,” he said.

At the end of the day, giving exceptional customer service is the Moates family primary goal, and is why they have built cabinets for generations of the same family. And, it’s why Jerry Jr. and his sons always stay busy.

“One day we’re building something for a hospital, or it might be building for a doctor’s office, a dentist office, or a veterinarian office, and the day after that, we could be working in a mobile home,” said Jerry Jr. “It’s been a very rewarding business for me and my family.”

38535 Palm Grove Drive, Zephyrhills, FL 33542 • StatewideCabinets.com

• (813) 788-3856

Published on 7/1/20

By Kelli Carmack

With a career spanning over 34 years, financial advisor Bill Kimbrough knows how to help you answer the question, “Can I financially get there?”

By taking the time to learn the individual goals of each of his clients, Kimbrough builds a strategy tailored just for them. He identifies the most appropriate investments, protections and services to get clients where they want to be. Having a financial advisor like Kimbrough truly helps ease the challenges that come with making financial decisions.

“When you try to do it all on your own, you’re subject to your own emotional whim. An advisor really serves as an objective force,” says Kimbrough.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Kimbrough became a financial advisor in 1986 with E.F. Hutton, and spent the past 15 years working with Franklin Templeton Investments. But, after recognizing his true calling to serve individual investors, Kimbrough decided to join Edward Jones in the summer of 2019.

“We bring Wall Street to Main Street,” Kimbrough says, “We focus on the everyday person, which you don’t find in many other firms.”

Being in business since 1922, Edward Jones is just two years away from its 100th anniversary. With more than 14,200 branch offices in all 50 states and through its affiliate in Canada, Edward Jones has more branch offices in North America than any other brokerage firm in the country.

One of the biggest misconceptions Kimbrough hears is that once you reach a certain age, you can’t invest.

“The fact of the matter is, it’s never too late to start investing. You’d be surprised what you could save and accomplish in a matter of 10 to 15 years. You may not be a millionaire, but every bit counts,” says Kimbrough.

Some of the most important lessons Kimbrough learned throughout his career is to stay focused on the long-term, stick with high-quality investments, save as much as you can and, most importantly, treat people fairly.

“People have different lives, goals, sets of values… the more I get to know my clients, the better off I’ll be to help them,” says Kimbrough.

Kimbrough resides in Lutz with his wife Nina. When he’s not working at Edward Jones, Kimbrough gets involved in the community by being a member of The Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes and The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

“Getting involved in these organizations has been a wonderful experience for me. I look forward to continuing my community involvement in this extraordinary area,” says Kimbrough.

1532 Land O’ Lakes Blvd, Suite G, Lutz, FL 33549 • (813) 909-1726 • EdwardJones.com

Published on May 6, 2020

By Kelli Carmac

 If you’re a snowbird, odds are you’re getting ready to head back north. As you say goodbye to Florida, do you find yourself wondering if your home will be okay while you’re hundreds of miles away?

While you hope your home will be fine until you return, that’s not always the case. Unforeseen damages can happen— broken A/C unit, hot water tank leak, mold, roof and storm damage, rodent infestations and even break-ins.

But, now there’s a solution to your worries. Snowbird Home Patrol can help prevent potentially damaging and costly problems from harming your home, and give you peace of mind.

Snowbird Home Patrol is a family owned home-watch service that will come to your home on a consistent basis to make sure everything is in tip-top shape.

Owner Jodie Sullivan got the idea for her business 10 years ago, after her father’s hot water tank in his condo rusted out while he was gone for the summer. “After the cleanup, my dad hired a home-watch service company to prevent such a thing from happening again, and told me he thought my background was ideal to start a home-watch company in Florida,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan owned a special event business in Land O’ Lakes for 23 years and has an impressive background in customer service. She also is the incoming president for the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon.

 “My event business was successful because I provided outstanding customer service, and I bring this knowledge and philosophy with me to my new business,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan founded Snowbird Home Patrol after becoming a Certified Home Watch Professional through the National Home Watch Association. As a homeowner herself for over 26 years, she knows her way around a house.

Snowbird Home Patrol provides clients with weekly or bi-weekly home inspection. After a home is inspected, she uploads her findings to a secure customer portal, where clients can see a full report on their home.

Sullivan stresses the importance of having a trained professional inspect your home, instead of asking a neighbor or friend to stop in periodically to check on things.

“When a serious issue arises, you need someone to act quickly and professionally,” said Sullivan. “We take care of problems in a timely and cost-effective manner, and prevent you from overstepping a friendship.”

Snowbird Home Patrol also offers additional home services, including package pick-up, opening and closing home for the season, general cleaning and hurricane preparations.

Protect your home by calling Snowbird Home Patrol — it’s affordable, dependable and personable. The company services homes in Zephyrhills, Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Tampa, New Port Richey, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Hudson, Crystal River and The Villages.

(813) 927-2730 • www.SnowbirdHomePatrol.com

Published 3/18/20

It’s not just about finding that dream home, or quickly selling a client’s property, for the Prime Time Home Team.  According to partners Ernest Van Glahn and Debi Bolusi, their business is also about building long lasting relationships that often evolve into friendships.

With over 22 years of combined industry experience, the two Realtors train under the Craig Proctor Coaching Program, where Ernest is also a certified coach. This past November, the pair was honored with the program’s Quantum Leap Award for exceptional gains in real estate.

“We have some really innovative consumer programs” said Debi. “For instance, if buyers don’t Love Their Home Within 18 Months After Purchase, We Will Buy it Back or Sell It For Free, and for sellers, We Will Guarantee The Sale of Their Home or We’ll Buy It (conditions apply).”

“We also provide our buyers with a free 13-month home warranty,” said Ernest. “We recently had a client who was so grateful for this warranty because his hot water heater stopped working three days after he purchased the home, and the home covered the replacement of the hot water heater, saving him hundreds of dollars.”

The Prime Time Home Team specializes in first time homebuyers and also works with current homeowners who are downsizing or need more space for their growing family. Seniors often call looking for a maintenance free villa, and they regularly work with retirees and others moving to Florida.

The Prime Time Home Team also offers programs for military (retired and active), as well as first responders.  They work with several lenders and loan options, and can assist with down payment assistance programs.

A retired New York City Police Captain, Ernest was a first responder on 9/11 and believes in the importance of assisting his brothers and sisters in arms.  Today, Prime Time Home Team donates to the Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation, named after a New York City firefighter who lost his life on 9/11. This foundation pays off the mortgage of first responders and members of the military when they are killed in the line of duty.

“Both of us being from New York and having lived through the tragedy of 9/11, this foundation is very close to our hearts” said Debi and Ernest. “Our goal for 2020 is to donate $10,000 to the Stephen Siller Foundation by donating a portion of our commission on every closing.”

Call 24/7 • 813.359.0880 • PrimeTimeGuaranteedSale.com

Published 2/19/20

By Kelli Carmack

When Hurricane Irma hit two years ago, Alfred Carrillo and his family were staying with Bobby Van Allen and his family. The catastrophe that ensued from Irma’s wrath led to a conversation between the two friends that became an idea for a new business venture.

“One thing led to another, I broke out a napkin and it all came together,” said Van Allen.

That idea was Central Florida Tree & Debris.

Based in Dade City, Central Florida Tree & Debris provides topnotch services for all tree care needs. The company offers a diverse range of services, including removal, felling, lopping, trimming, pruning, shaping, surgery, wood chipping, stump removal, land clearing and weed control.

Central Florida Tree & Debris has highly skilled, fully qualified arborists who safely remove trees of any size. Arborists also provide proper care and maintenance of trees, to insure that your trees continue to be an asset to you and your property for years to come.

In addition to working with home owners, the company also provides services for commercial property owners. Central Florida Tree & Debris also works for major developers such as Florida Power & Light and Duke Energy to perform hazardous tree removals. In order to perform this specialized line of work, Central Florida Tree & Debris has the most updated technology and all their employees are fully trained and certified in areas such as CPR, First Aid, etc. Central Florida Tree and Debris takes pride in being fully equipped to tackle any service required of them.

With competitive prices and great customer service, Central Florida Tree & Debris strives to provide 100% customer satisfaction.

“It’s a great feeling… it’s great to give back to the community I grew up in and to make it,” said Van Allen.

Chelsea Carmody, administrative director for Central Florida Tree & Debris, prides her company on its great customer service.

“We make those personal connections that matter to our customers,” said Carmody, who adds that Central Florida Tree & Debris is a company full of like-minded people who share the same values: growth, integrity, persistence and trustworthiness.

If you’re thinking of doing the job yourself, Van Allen stresses the dangers that come with tree removal. “It pays to call in an expert for your own personal safety and the safety of your property,” said Van Allen.

With hurricane season beginning in just a few months, it’s important to note that Central Florida Tree & Debris specializes in disaster recovery, offering a 24-hour rapid response to storms and other natural disasters.

Office: (352) 437-4542
Address: 15000 Citrus County Drive, Suite 324, Dade City, FL 33523

CFtreeservices.com/index.html

Published 2/19/20

By William Jacko

When Bruce and Tasha Henry chose the name OhmStar Home Lending for their new business, they wanted something with a soothing sound that would generate positive energy.

“The meaning of ohm is the ultimate,” said Tasha Henry, who holds a doctorate in occupational therapy. “It’s been proven that saying the word ‘ohm’ brings a calming effect and healing vibration to the soul — it clears the atmosphere and brings light to situations.

“And, we wanted to bring light to our buyers. It can be a dark place if you’ve never bought a home before because you don’t know what to expect. You need light, guidance and someone to help decrease the stress. We wanted to send a good and positive vibration out to the universe.”

OhmStar opened in 2004, and with savvy leadership, survived the 2008 recession to become a mortgage lender with both state and national licensing.

“OhmStar Home Lending is a direct lender,” said Tasha. “We’re not going to shop customer loans to 50 different lending companies. We’re pretty much a one-stop shop, and customer credit will only be pulled once.”

The Henrys communicate directly with mortgage underwriters who make the final decision.

“We are able to close and fund very complex loans in less than 30 days,” said Tasha. “We’ve even had VA loans that we’ve closed and funded in two weeks, which is almost unheard of, and are very proud that our turnaround time. Our goal is to get the loan in, closed and funded in less than 30 days.”

As a mortgage lender, OhmStar offers Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Affairs, conventional and 12-month bank statement loans. They also offer first-time homebuyer programs, and can do refinances, purchases and loans for investment properties, second homes, primary residences, duplexes, apartment buildings and commercial loans.

“We cater to veterans,” said Bruce Henry, who holds a doctorate in business administration. “We can do 100% financing for veterans with FHA and VA loans, and also offer a credit enhancement program to help veterans and other clients whose credit is not the best.”

The OhmStar credit enhancement teaches financial literacy to their customers. “We offer classes designed for first-time homebuyers—just to educate people on financial literacy,” said Tasha.

While the Henrys have built a large and successful lending business, they continue to give personalized service that small businesses specialize in.

“I was born in the early 1960s, and remember going to the neighborhood food and meat markets,” said Bruce. “Those hometown services were important to me growing up because they looked after the little person. We believe in that same level of service and sense of community, and strive to offer that to our customers every day.”

813-784-1206 • www.ohmstarloans.com • 7320 E. Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, FL 33637

Published 2/12/20

By Kelli Carmack, Special to The Laker / Lutz News

Cesar Heyaime and Aliana Metsey are the perfect hosts. Their charismatic personalities, hearts of gold and undeniable passion for cooking makes anyone who walks into their Lutz restaurant feel completely welcome.

The couple opened their new restaurant, Heritage: An American Bistro, three months ago in the Tropical Village shopping center on U.S. 41, across from Walmart. In many ways, their restaurant is a second home to Cesar and Aliana.

Food was always a huge factor in Cesar’s and Aliana’s lives. Aliana learned her love of food by frequently eating out while growing up in Chicago with its diverse food scene. Cesar’s passion for cooking came from watching his mother and grandmother cook for his family. By the time he was 10, Cesar had a 1-inch binder full of recipes he had made, and by age 14 was cooking dinner for his family a few nights a week.

It was food that brought Cesar and Aliana together. They met in culinary school in Miami, graduating in 2015. After graduation, they worked a variety of jobs in the food industry, including catering and meal prepping. They soon realized they wanted their own place, where they could share their passion for cooking with the world.

From authentic Cuban sandwiches, Cajun shrimp pasta, pistachio-crusted salmon to gourmet Brussel sprouts, Cesar and Aliana have created a menu with the flavor profiles of their cultures — Aliana is Mexican and Puerto Rican, and Cesar is Dominican. By combining their cultural heritage, their food offers a unique style.

“Our menu is a lot of the flavors that we love… there’s a lot of us in the menu,” says Aliana.

“We don’t add something to our menu until it is perfected.”

Heritage already has a large fan base, with guests who keep coming back for more.

“It’s so incredible that we love making food, and people are coming in to eat our food… I’m just so grateful,” says Aliana.

When asked what they want customers to take away from their dining experience at Heritage, Cesar says, “We want to craft a space where you can get a good meal and just feel like you’re at home. We want to give you a great plate of food and a place to talk,” said Cesar.

Cesar and Aliana are huge advocates of supporting other local businesses. One project they are currently working on is collaborating with local artists to hang their artwork in their restaurant, with a goal of having a whole wall full of local artwork.

Along with running a full-time business, Cesar and Aliana are parents to two beautiful girls, Analia and August. They want to show their daughters that if you work hard, you can do something you love.

If you’re looking for a restaurant with excellent food that treats you like family, head on over to Heritage: An American Bistro.

1532 Land O’ Lakes Blvd, Lutz, FL 33549 • 813-803-7847    

https://www.facebook.com/heritageamericanbistro/

Published 2/5/20

By Deborah Bostock-Kelley

After 20 years in the Air Force managing data centers, followed up by 18 years working in corporate IT, Michael Varnadore was looking to be self-employed in a career in which he had a passion.

He found the perfect fit with Nerds to Go, a national franchise that specializes in bringing computer and cellphone repair services to a customer’s home or business. Varnadore recently opened the company’s first franchise in Tampa.

Conveniently located on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Nerds To Go offers repair in its shop, but specializes in its mobile service.

“We have a complete work center in the back of our vans,” said Varnadore. “We take a computer to our van, pull it apart and put it back together, right at the customer’s location. We also have the Nerd Lab at our store for customers who would rather bring their electronic device to us.”

In addition to desktop and laptop hardware repair services, Nerds to Go also services cellphones, tablet repair, cracked screens and specialty managed services. Its certified network computer techs can set up a computer network (server or cloud-based, hardwired or wireless), and as a partner of Baracuda Systems, offers 24/7 network monitoring of performance and security.

Varnadore recommends that all computers have protection with an antivirus, antiphishing, ransomware detector, firewall program and a cloud-based backup system.

Most of the problems that happen to PCs are the physical failure of the hard drive, some type of corruption, phishing attack, encrypting ransomware, or a virus that’s gotten on the system, Varnadore explains.

“With a cloud backup solution, you take all of your data to the cloud, and you’re not just backing up to a local disc, which is how people typically do things. When you’re putting your data in the cloud, your files are moved to an off-site, secure location, and if something happens to your computer, all of your data is secure and can be recovered,” said Varnadore.

Though only open since August, Nerds to Go is doing very well and has received positive customer response.

“Owning a Nerds to Go franchise is a great job for me, and very rewarding. Hopefully, I’ll soon be planning my second store. At the end of the day, we’re helping people and having a good time doing it,” said Varnadore.

Varnadore’s success is also attributed to his high level of education in information systems. He has a master’s degree in information systems, and a doctorate in management with a specialization in information systems management. He also teaches college-level classes in cloud computing and computing fundamentals, and offers one-on-one group training on many IT topics, including MS Office products and cyber security education.

813-524-5353 • www.NerdsToGo.com

19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Ste C-6, Tampa • Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-4pm

Published on 12/11/19