The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

The Laker welcomes news editor

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Michael Hinman has joined The Laker and Lutz News as news editor, ready to share stories for and about the great residents of the area, ensuring that everyone gets a voice.

“I’ve known Michael for many years and have always respected his journalistic ethics and enthusiasm,” said Publisher Diane Kortus. “It is great to finally have Michael on our team and look forward to his contributions, which I expect will make The Laker an even better paper than it is today.”

Hinman started his journalism career 20 years ago in northwestern Pennsylvania where he was a sports correspondent for a local weekly, and also broadcast news on a radio station there. He later moved to upstate New York where he worked as a sports editor for the Steuben Courier-Advocate and the weekend editor for the Hornell Evening Tribune.

Hinman moved to Florida in 1996, where he became editor of the Zephyrhills News, and later a deputy editor for the now-defunct Zephyrhills Sun. In 1999, he joined The Tampa Tribune’s Sunbelt Newspaper division, starting as a reporter with its papers in Northwest Hillsborough County, and later becoming editor of the Temple Terrace News.

In 2005, he took a different route in his journalism career and became a staff writer with the Tampa Bay Business Journal, where he covered seven counties and some of the area’s biggest commercial stories. His ongoing coverage of the failed Trump Tower Tampa project in downtown Tampa earned him the Society of Professional Journalists’ top prize for business journalism in 2008. The Florida Press Association, the Florida Press Club and Community Papers of Florida also have recognized Hinman’s work over the years.

Hinman welcomes story ideas and suggestions for topics you would like to see in The Laker/Lutz News. Please reach out to Hinman at (813) 909-2800, or email him at .

 

Local teens use robot to save the world

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Three local teens are among 10 finalists in an international robotics competition and expect to find out soon if they’ve captured the top prize.

The 14-year-olds — Sean Carr, Ross Edwards and R.J. Walters — just wrapped up the second phase of the X Prize After Earth competition.

The contest winner announcement is scheduled for around Aug. 9.

Sean Carr, R.J. Walters and Ross Edwards are finalists in an international competition that seeks to encourage competitors to think about ecology and robotic design. (Photo by B.C. Manion)
Sean Carr, R.J. Walters and Ross Edwards are finalists in an international competition that seeks to encourage competitors to think about ecology and robotic design. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The competition is based on the movie, “After Earth,” starring Will Smith and Jaden Smith. The sponsor, X Prize Foundation, uses competitions to address “the world’s grand challenges,” according to its website.

In this case, the teams explored ways to make earth more sustainable and how to use robotics to explore the potential for a new settlement for humans.

No matter the outcome, the three young men — who are members of the Trinity Dragons robotics team — said they’ve enjoyed the challenge.

They’ve designed and built a robot that can scoot across a surface, can lift small buckets and deliver them to where they need to go and then can return to its base.

While the robot seemingly acts on its own, it actually completes its work through computer programming and infrared sensors. It carries out its tasks in a fictitious place, called Nova Prime.

The robotics team spent countless hours building and programming the robot, and created Nova Prime from plywood, Spackle, sand, chili powder, paint and plants.

They also produced a video that tells the story of their imaginary world.

The video opens with images of what’s going wrong with earth — traffic jams, billowing smokestacks, parched earth, landfills and a dead bird. It then pans to a view of Carr’s backyard in Lutz, where fish thrive in water tanks, which provide water and nutrients to a flower and vegetable garden in a system, which in turn produces fish and organic vegetables, using very little water.

The video also features a lively musical soundtrack and an entertaining look at the steps the team followed to create and program the robot.

The video also pokes fun at Ray Carr, who is Sean’s dad and the team’s coach. He’s depicted as a lecturer who is boring the team to death.

Other portions of the video show the rover coming together and the construction of Nova Prime.

The team submitted that video recently meeting the contest’s phase two deadline. The video they submitted in June won them the right to compete in the finals.

The contest provides an excellent challenge for the kids, Ray Carr said.

“It’s not just a computer science thing; it’s not just mechanical engineering,” he said. “It’s electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer engineering and a lot of geometry, all at once. They’re not focused on the learning. They’re focused on the goal. They learn along the way. I think that kind of opens up their minds a bit.

“Seeing things run around like that (robot), after you wrote the software, it’s fun,” he added.

Sean Carr said it’s been fun for him, too.

“We work together really well. We have the same common interest in mechanical and software,” Sean Carr said. “We bonded a lot.”

“It makes it even more fun when you’re competing against other people,” said Walters, who was at Ray Carr’s office five hours a day for at least five days a week.

“The robot, I believe, took about 42 hours of work,” Sean Carr said.

Ross took the lead role in designing the robot.

“He’s a Lego genius,” Sean Carr said. “That robot would be nowhere near what it is now without him.”

Walters did the lion’s share of painting and spackling to create Nova Prime and worked on developing the software to make the rover robot work.

“They struggled through a lot of issues,” Ray Carr said. “They struggled through a lot of things to come to the end solution. It didn’t just show up by any means.”

“The compass sensor kept messing up,” Walters said. “The tires were too big and wobbly.”

But they worked through those problems and produced a robot that would follow computer commands.

They also used music to help move their video along, after discovering that none of them particularly excelled at talking directly into the camera.

For making it to the final round, the team received a Lego Mindstorms robotic kit and a Sony Handycam video camera.

If they win the competition, they’ll be highlighted in a special feature about the X Prize After Earth Challenge on the U.S. Blu-ray disc of “After Earth.” They’ll also receive a signed Blu-ray, an “After Earth” poster and other prizes.

Pasco conference proves education is worldwide concern

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Dominic Mukwaya arrived in Pasco County ready to learn. When he left his village in Uganda a month ago, more than 30 members of his extended family joined him at the airport — nearly all of them watching a plane take off for the very first time in their lives.

Not only was it his first plane ride and his first trip to America, but it was also the first time Mukwaya has ever left the Kyotera region of his country, where running water was just introduced last spring, and electricity is still a future goal.

Mark Xing, center, of the Nanshan School District in Shenzhen, China, works with Susan Sanger-Miller from Connerton Elementary, left, and Alissa Lamorand from Anclote Elementary, on some administrative exercises at the International Leadership Fellows Institute in Land O’ Lakes last week. (Photo by Michael Hinman)
Mark Xing, center, of the Nanshan School District in Shenzhen, China, works with Susan Sanger-Miller from Connerton Elementary, left, and Alissa Lamorand from Anclote Elementary, on some administrative exercises at the International Leadership Fellows Institute in Land O’ Lakes last week. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Despite that, Mukwaya has schooled more than 650 orphans whose families were ravaged by the HIV epidemic there. He has pushed for more adult education as well — especially for women, who traditionally did not go to school when they were younger.

“Some of the people in my district went to school and were not doing good, and others could not afford to pay for the school fees,” Mukwaya said. “We started a sustainability project where, in the long term, we can help those who might not be able to learn otherwise.”

Mukwaya returned home last weekend after his two-week trip to Land O’ Lakes, participating in the annual International Leadership Fellows Institute from the National Educator Program. That program, based in Denver, chose the Pasco County Schools out of more than a dozen national applicants to host this institute. It’s designed to empower teachers to become strong leaders, and give students equal access to success.

The seminar itself, which also included 20 hand-picked Pasco educators, lasted two weeks. It’s part of the overall institute program designed to operate for the next year, connecting participants not only with face-to-face visits, but also technologically through online communication services like Skype. It’s meant to be a give and take, where these administrators learn from each other, and take all of it back to incorporate into their own classrooms.

“What we have found so far that whether you’re teaching in a major metropolitan area or the jungle by the lake, it’s remarkable the similarities on how schools and classrooms operate,” said Mark Thompson, executive director of NEP. “We found much more in common than we thought.”

The recent conference in Land O’ Lakes was led by Diane Varano, principal of the Cultural Academy for the Arts and Sciences in Brooklyn. She makes the trip each year to help form new bonds among the education leaders, giving them tools to reinvigorate classrooms.

It’s a much-needed wakeup call for many teachers, who in recent years have complained about being forced to teach to state-mandated tests like the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Instead, the learning process must be more experiential, said Mark Xing, who is the director of teaching affairs for a 2,000-student school system in Shenzhen, China. Located just north of Hong Kong, Shenzhen is a city of more than 10 million people that was an early adopter of capitalism in the traditionally communist country. Because of that, the school there has been working to include both Chinese and American curriculums.

“In China, a lot of parents would like to send their children to study in the United States,” Xing said. “They want their children to know more about American culture, and we actually started this program to meet the parents’ needs.”

There was some concern that requiring both Chinese and American studies for elementary school-aged students might be too much. Instead, Xing has found his students embracing both equally, and that will give them an edge as technology continues to shrink the world and China plays an ever-expanding role in world economics.

Mukwaya’s curriculum also is experience-based, but not quite the same way. In his region, English is being taught as a third language — behind the local Luganda and the regional Swahili. But while math and reading are essential in the learning process for both children and adults, so are vocational skills that will help not only make money for his students, but save money as well.

“We started with writing and reading, and now they are going up to do more functional things like how to weave mats from palm leaves and make bags from banana fibers,” Mukwaya said. “We’re also teaching many of our women how they can save money, and how they can be sustainable financially.”

Both Mukwaya and Xing will return to Land O’ Lakes next year to share progress on changes they’ve instituted because of the program and report back on how well they have worked, with the goal of helping the district’s program to grow and evolve.

“This isn’t just about someone coming here and learning things. We are learning a great deal from them,” Thompson said. “We can teach them some of our best practices when it comes to education, but they are not just learning ours, they are teaching us theirs, too, and that’s the kind of dialogue we want to have.”

Taxes in Zephyrhills, Dade City to remain steady

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Property taxes are not expected to rise in either Zephyrhills or Dade City after governments in both cities put together 2014 budgets.

The rate in Zephyrhills was tentatively set at 6.1415 mills ahead of its Sept. 16 meeting, where the city council there will make a final decision on taxes. The rate remains the same as last year, and despite recent property value declines, will actually generate a little more revenue for the city.

That’s because the council was aggressive this past year in annexing areas along Fort King Road, as well as the Silver Oaks area. While annexing areas might cost more to service, the tax revenue annexed areas bring in typically more than offsets those expenses.

In Dade City, commissioners approved a millage rate of 7.2, up from 7.1 last year. However, the city — which has not raised taxes since 2009 — has the option to lower it back to 7.1 ahead of its September budget meeting. Once the commission sets the tax rate, it is allowed to only lower it, not raise it. By starting it higher, it gives the commission some wiggle room in case taxes do need to go up.

One mill represents $1 of tax on every thousand dollars of taxable property value. For example, in Zephyrhills — based on a Zillow-reported average home value of $73,400 — the tax would be $297.25 after standard homestead exemptions. In Dade City, the average home valued at $67,000 would carry a tax of $302.40 after the homestead exemption.

Both cities have taken a long, hard look at annexation in recent years to try and make up for potential budget shortfalls plaguing other municipalities because of property value declines. However, recent news in the housing market showing significant gains in home values may change that need.

A new CoreLogic Case-Shiller report shows that home prices increased 10.2 percent in the first quarter compared to a year ago, the first double-digit increase since the peak of the housing bubble, according to the Florida Association of Realtors. Home price increases are generally followed by property value increases, which means more tax revenue for cities like Zephyrhills and Dade City without the need to raise taxes.

Nothing expected to change at Pasco Regional after takeover

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Pasco Regional Medical Center in Dade City is now under new ownership after a $7.6 billion buyout of its parent company.

Health Management Associates Inc., the Largo-based company that owns Pasco Regional and 22 other hospitals in Florida, was sold to Community Health Systems Inc., in a deal announced July 30.

For the first time in 13 years, Pasco Regional Medical Center — soon to become Bayfront Health Dade City — has a new owner. But the deal is not expected to finalize until the end of the year.
For the first time in 13 years, Pasco Regional Medical Center — soon to become Bayfront Health Dade City — has a new owner. But the deal is not expected to finalize until the end of the year. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Once completed, Community Health Systems will own 25 hospitals in Florida, and 206 nationwide. Before the takeover, Nashville, Tenn.-based Community Health had just two hospitals in Florida, with the closest in Lake Wales.

“We are pleased that this combination will create an even stronger organization for the benefit of our patients, physicians, associates and the communities we serve,” said William J. Schoen, chairman of the board for Health Management, in a release.

The purchase will likely not affect the upcoming name change for the local hospital, which will become Bayfront Health Dade City, according to a Community Health Systems spokeswoman. Tomi Galin referred questions to Health Management spokesman Eric Waller, but added that the acquisition won’t be completed for “several months.”

Waller released a statement about the acquisition that didn’t address any previously announced name changes for the hospital. Instead, he made it clear that no immediate changes were planned for the Dade City hospital in light of the purchase.

“The combination of Health Management and CHS is not expected to impact local hospital operations,” he said. “Our deep commitment to providing the highest quality patient care will not change.”

Pasco Regional announced the name change early last month, before the deal to purchase the hospital chain was finalized.

The Dade City hospital has been through several name changes over the years. It was originally founded in 1973 as Community General Hospital, but was renamed Humana Hospital-Pasco in 1982, according to the facility’s website. In 1993, after the Columbia network of hospitals purchased it, the name was changed to Dade City Hospital.

Five years later, the name was changed again to Pasco Community Hospital, and then was renamed Pasco Regional Medical Center not long after Health Management purchased the hospital in 2000 for $17 million.

The 120-bed acute care hospital is at 13100 Fort King Road in Dade City.

Historic Jeffries House seeks place in 21st century

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It has a small yard begging for some tender loving care. Overgrown bushes, untrimmed trees, brown grass desperate for water.

The house that it surrounds, empty for the past few years, could almost find a place among neighborhood children’s haunted house legends, if it weren’t for the bright yellow paint that still shines through Zephyrhills downtown.

Capt. Harold Jeffries made this his home for years after founding Zephyrhills, but now this historic structure in the middle of the city’s main street business district is suffering from neglect. City officials are looking to buy the house, but it still leaves the question of what they will do with it once they sign the deed. (Photo by Michael Hinman)
Capt. Harold Jeffries made this his home for years after founding Zephyrhills, but now this historic structure in the middle of the city’s main street business district is suffering from neglect. City officials are looking to buy the house, but it still leaves the question of what they will do with it once they sign the deed. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Built in 1912, this is the original home of Capt. Harold B. Jeffries, the Civil War veteran who settled Zephyrhills in the hopes of bringing other war veterans with him. It’s been everything from the home of prominent city residents over the years, to a commercial office in what was once a bustling downtown area.

Today, however, the Jeffries House is spotted with warped wood. The white wraparound porch is sagging in a few places. And the main entrance that once welcomed Capt. Jeffries home each night is now capped with a “No Trespassing” sign.

The home is almost out of place in what would later become the commercial nerve center for Zephyrhills. And as community business leaders work to revitalize the downtown section, questions abound on what to do with the Jeffries House after suffering through a foreclosure two years ago, and been abandoned ever since.

“I think the Main Street Zephyrhills office would look great there,” said Gina King Granger, executive director of the city’s Main Street group. “Our board had actually discussed that at one time, but our funding was so tight, there was no way we could make it work.”

CenterState Bank of Florida owns the house, but is looking to get back the nearly $280,000 it lost when the previous owner defaulted on the mortgage. However, Main Street may get another shot at the building if city officials move forward with plans to buy the house from CenterState, and then possibly leasing it out.

Such a move would make the site much more attractive from a financial standpoint for potential tenants like Main Street.

“There’s a lot of interest in it,” Granger said. “Folks are just shying away from it because they think there is a lot more involved in terms of restoration and what would be needed to get it back into good shape.”

While the house itself would likely not be a strong anchor to help draw other businesses into the downtown district, there are a number of other possibilities for the Jeffries House as well, ranging from bed and breakfasts to restaurants, even to becoming a residence again.

That’s exactly how Jerry Pricher remembers the Jeffries House growing up.

“That house was the only residence on that block for many, many years,” said Pricher, who is vice president of the Zephyrhills Historical Association. “I walked by that house all the time when I was a kid, pretty much whenever we would walk down to the Home Theater to go to the movies.”

The Jeffries House is hardly the only house with local historical significance in Zephyrhills, but it gets the most attention because of its location right in the middle of town, Pricher said. Because of that, and its place in the city’s history, it could be the perfect place for a museum.

The only drawback to that idea is that Zephyrhills already has the Depot Museum on South Avenue.

“The Depot Museum is slap full, so (the Jeffries House) could be nice as a secondary museum,” Pricher said. “We could always use more room to display some of the many historical items we have.”

Vicki Elkins, who runs the Depot Museum, says they do regularly have to switch out exhibits because of space constraints in the old railroad depot. However, she may need some more exhibit donations before they can think of a second location.

“We don’t really have an overflow right now, but certainly at some point we might,” Elkins said. She feels that the Jeffries House could be turned into a nice museum remembering the school history of the city. Or, “it would make a wonderful Main Street office.”

“It’s historic, and it’s what Main Street is all about,” Elkins said.

No matter who might end up in the Jeffries House, chances are it won’t be as expensive to move in as many might think, Main Street’s Granger said. A city inspection of the house showed that despite some exterior issues, the interior is structurally sound.

And outside money might be available to convert the historic house into a new business.

“A lot of work would be needed to bring it up to code, but it could be done,” Granger said. “There are a lot of grants for restoring these old properties at both the state and national levels, but money like that might not be available for a few years.”

And that could be a death knell to the Jeffries House if it remains empty and is not properly maintained. As passers-by have already noticed in recent years, a house like this can deteriorate fast.

“Obviously, to those of us who love the history of Zephyrhills, we would rather not lose it,” Pricher said. “Something needs to be done with that building, and we need to do it right now.”

Kumquat Festival considered one of Southeast’s best

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Once again, when tourists start looking for Florida-based events to attend, they will find Dade City’s annual Kumquat Festival among the top they should visit.

The 17th annual event, which takes place Jan. 25, was awarded a “Top 20 Event” status for the Southeast United States by the Southeast Tourism Society. The society promotes travel to and within the 12 southeastern states.

More than 40,000 people attend the Kumquat Festival each year, which is once again one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast United States by the Southeast Tourism Society. (File Photo)
More than 40,000 people attend the Kumquat Festival each year, which is once again one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast United States by the Southeast Tourism Society. (File Photo)

More than 40,000 attendees, 430 vendors and 40 sponsorship partners participate in the festival centered around the kumquat, the small fruit that resembles an orange, but has its own unique taste. The festival was also recently awarded Pasco County’s “Event of the Year” from the Pasco County Tourist Development Council.

Hundreds of volunteers assist the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce in marketing, servicing and hosting the annual festival, which generates an estimated $1 million in economic impact for the area, and has become well-known as a Tampa Bay “must-see” event. The festival features live entertainment, shopping, arts and crafts vendors, a car show, and thousands of kumquat pies and related kumquat products.

The Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Events publication receives exposure in print media, Web, television and radio in both the United States and Canada. More than 1,600 newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations receive the listings.

For more information on this year’s festival, visit www.kumquatfestival.org.

New Zephyrhills library will offer more choices for patrons

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Edward Bent will soon bring his young stepdaughter, Calee Heinlein, to a place stocked with more children’s stories than it ever has had.

That’s because city officials in Zephyrhills plan to build a new public library to replace the one that’s just north of city hall on Eighth Street.

The new Zephyrhills library will have a separate room for a larger children’s section. This is the current children's section at the Zephyrhills Public Library. (Photo by Marie Abramov)
The new Zephyrhills library will have a separate room for a larger children’s section. This is the current children’s section at the Zephyrhills Public Library. (Photo by Marie Abramov)

Replicating an architectural style of the early 1900s, the new library will be twice as large as the one used now by residents. It will have more books in all genres, as well as movies, magazines, public-use computers and electronic upgrades.

Blueprints should be complete by October, and building is scheduled to begin in November. Construction could take up to a year.

Bent and his family come to the Zephyrhills library three or four times a week and generally stay about three to four hours each time. Heinlein and her brother play and read in the library’s children’s section.

“I know bringing her here from an early age has really helped her and her developmental skills,” Bent said. “If I had to choose between the money being spent here as opposed to a recreational facility, it’ll definitely be here because this is long-term, sustained knowledge and things that’s gonna help them in the future.”

The estimated cost for the project is up to $1.7 million, financed through Penny for Pasco and private donations, said librarian Vicki Elkins. That will allow the project to start without additional debt, taxes and fees, city officials said.

The new library will be built on the parking lot just north of the current library. It will have an arched entrance, atrium and a white stone foundation. It will have separate rooms for children and certain organizations that might want to have community meetings. The new library will also be equipped with charging stations for electronic devices.

Once it’s completed, the old library building will be razed, and a new parking lot will be built in its place.

Joe DelVecchio, a regular library patron for about four years, thinks an expansion is long overdue.

“We need a bigger one,” DelVecchio. “We need more books. I’m running out of Westerns. I read a lot. It’s gonna help the city.”

–Marie Abramov

What ever happened to that old black-and-white TV?

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Marty and I were invited to our new friend’s house to see a Yankee vs. Red Sox game on his new TV. We were in our car traveling to his home that is in a nearby town of Colchester when my mind started to wander back some 50 odd years.

I recalled the time when TVs were a rarity, and people used to stand in front of the store windows where there was a display of new television sets, and at times it would be playing a broadcast. Some big and some small crowds would always congregate outside the store trying to get a look at this new invention. They always walked away with a promise to someday get a television set.

Well, it wasn’t long after this that my dad brought home a 13-inch black and white television set. We were in our glory at this time. It seemed as if we were one of the few people on the block where we lived who owned a set.

We thought we had friends before this, but at this time, it seemed like everyone wanted to do things with us. I wonder why? Yes, all of a sudden, we were everyone’s best friend.

My brother and I, who would use the new purchase more often than the rest of the family and constantly fight over it, finally devised a plan between the two of us so that we knew who would have control of the TV. We designated a particular seat in the living room. That’s right; whoever was sitting at this certain seat had complete control over the television set.

At this time, there were no remote controls, so if the person wished to watch a different program on a different channel, he had to state, “Change the channel” and then get up and go do whatever he had to. Nobody, at this time, was allowed to take the seat. If the person forgot to say these words before getting up from the seat, anyone could take over.

This was a different way to do this, but there was no way to go channel surfing like we do today. Of course, all rules were put to rest if our father or mother decided they wanted to watch something. A small argument may have developed, but the end result was always the same — the parents won.

It was also null and void when the Milton Berle Show was on. Then, Uncle Miltie always won. I was so busy reminiscing of these earlier times that I almost missed the correct turn-off.

Well, we were getting closer to our friend’s house, and the home is in a beautiful section with so much scenery. The house is right on a lake with a little boat tied up to the docks. Oops, almost missed the house while gazing at all the beauty that surrounds us. We park our car, go into the house, and boy, their TV sure has come a long way.

It is so much bigger than the 13-inch black and white. This is a huge set that is plastered against the front of the den, and I would say it is approximately 40 inches or so.

When the Yankee-Red Sox game came on, it almost felt like we were in the park. We cheered with the rest of the crowd in the stands. If a batter hit a foul ball, I actually could see the ball coming my way, and I reached out to catch it. Darn it, the person next to me in the stands caught it.

Since it was the New York Yankees vs. the Boston Red Sox teams, we could sense the friction between the two. The coloring was so vibrant that I could almost smell the grass and see each bead of perspiration on a player’s face. When a fight between the two teams broke out, it almost felt like we were on the pile of players kicking and punching one another.

Eventually the game went on again and the better team won. Seeing it on thin plasma left us with a feeling that we were at the game.

The end of the game came, and we left the house quite content but not knowing how we will stand using our television set after seeing this.

Yes, TV has come a long way. Each year finds something new and different on a set.

–Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons

Roy Hooker: State Farm Agent For 23 Years

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Q. Describe your business and your typical customer.
State Farm’s mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. We are people who make it our business to be like a good neighbor; who built a premier company by selling and keeping promises through our marketing partnership; who bring diverse talents and experiences to our work of serving the State Farm customer.

When not busy as State Farm agents, Roy Hooker IV, left, and his father, Roy III, share a passion for biking.
When not busy as State Farm agents, Roy Hooker IV, left, and his father, Roy III, share a passion for biking.

Our success is built on a foundation of shared values – quality service and relationships, mutual trust, integrity and financial strength. Our vision for the future is to be the customer’s first and best choice in the products and services we provide. We will continue to be the leader in the insurance industry and we will become a leader in the financial services arena. Our customers’ needs determine our path. Our values guide us.

Q. Why did you start your business?
As a second generation State Farm agent, I knew as a young man that I wanted to follow in my Dad’s footsteps. He began his career with State Farm in 1970, climbing the corporate ladder to upper management and now as a State Farm Agent in West Chase. Being a Good Neighbor is part of my DNA. I love it.

Q.) What are three things that set your business apart?
1.) High-touch personal customer service.

2.) Long-term staff members that know our customers personally.

3.) Community minded local office. We love Lutz/Land O’ Lakes and are invested in our community.

Q.) Why did you choose this profession?
As a teen, I spent my summers working in State Farm offices creating marketing plans. I love this company. Upon graduating from Chamberlain High School, I knew I needed a college degree to be considered for Agency with State Farm. I obtained a degree from the University of Florida, graduating in 1989. In the summer of 1990, I opened my State Farm office at the age of 23 – the youngest Agent to ever be hired in Florida.

Q. What about your family?
My parents moved us to Florida in 1982. I graduated from Chamberlain High School in 1985. Our family lives in Land O’ Lakes. Together my wife and I have 8 children, many of whom have worked their summers in our office. Maybe one day one of them will decide to become a Good Neighbor too.

Roy Hooker’s office is located at 17961 Hunting Bow Circle, Suite 101 in the Ballantrae Professional Plaza in Lutz.

Call him at the office at (813) 920-5141, on his cell at (813) 789-4515, or email him at .

This story was written by the advertising department.