The Laker/Lutz News

Design & Construction Innovations

Pasco EDC announces 2019 award winners

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The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., announced the winners of its 2019 awards, at its 33rd annual Awards & Trade Show, on Sept. 5 at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

Dr. James P. Gills, received the economic council’s leadership award.

Gills is a world-renowned ophthalmologist, a philanthropist, athlete, author and man of faith, according to a news release from the Pasco EDC.

The organization attributed Gills’ persistence, dedication and vision for a new community resulting in a place now known as Trinity, which is in southwest Pasco County.

The annual Pasco EDC event is regarded as a premier business event, attracting over 600 business and community leaders in Tampa Bay and Pasco County, including state legislators, county commissioners and city officials, according to a Pasco EDC news release.

Nominees for awards were scored based on: company growth, leadership in current business issues, and corporate citizenship.

The 2019 winners are:

• Start-Up Business of the Year: The Point Distillery
The Point is a small professional distillery, bottling and co-packing operation on Little Road in New Port Richey. It was acknowledged for its commitment to quality and excellence, and for exceeding customer expectations.

• Special Contribution: AdventHealth Wesley Chapel
This hospital was honored for being a hospital campus built from the ground up, with communities in mind. Its whole-person approach to care was inspired by the principles of CREATION Life – Choice, Rest, Environment, Activity, Trust, Interpersonal Relationships, Outlook and Nutrition.

• Small Business of the Year: Design & Construction Innovations LLC
DCI is a full-service general contractor specializing in commercial, residential and government construction projects. It has more than 35 years of combined experience in commercial and residential construction, as well as architectural design.

• Medium Business of the Year: Millian-Aire Enterprises Corp.
This family-owned business has been in operation since 1989. Millian-Aire has over 75 years of combined experience, and provides reliable and cost-efficient HVAC services, while using the best practices and latest technologies.

• Large Business of the Year: Welbilt Inc.
Welbilt provides the world’s top chefs and premier chain operators with industry-leading equipment and solutions for the food industry. The company’s cutting-edge designs and lead manufacturing tactics are powered by deep knowledge, operator insights and culinary expertise.

• Special Recognition: Medical Center of Trinity
Medical Center of Trinity represents three points of focus: wellness, prevention and healing. Medical Center of Trinity is located in the tri-county area of Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

Published September 11, 2019

Excellence in Business Awards announced

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The North Tampa Bay Chamber has announced the winners of its 2018 Excellence in Business Awards, which are bestowed during an annual celebration to acknowledge extraordinary contributions by local community members, businesses and organizations in the Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Trinity and Odessa regions.

This year’s winners are:

New Business of the Year: Holiday Inn Express – Trinity

Small Business of the Year: Buttermilk Provisions

Large Business of the Year: Shriners Hospital for Children – Tampa

Business Leader of the Year: Dr. Kevin O’Farrell

Volunteer of the Year: Damaris Rios

Dorothy Mitchell Legacy Award: John Gallagher, retired Pasco County administrator

Also, The Board Member of the Year award went to David DeWeerd, CPA, and Dr. Kevin O’ Farrell received the Chairman’s Award. Both of those awards were given by Jennifer Cofini, chair of the North Tampa Bay Chamber’s board.

The event was presented by Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and was held in the Sierra Center at Hyatt Place Wesley Chapel.

Event sponsors were Design & Construction Innovations, Wiregrass Ranch, Avalon Park West, and the Tampa Bay Times.

Published November 21, 2018

Local business, organizations raise awareness on sex trafficking

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In the ongoing fight against human trafficking, several local businesses and organizations have stepped up to raise awareness on the issue.

Fifteen groups, mostly in Pasco County, have been declared “Trafficking Free Zones,” by the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, a nonprofit group based in Tampa:

  • Magnolia Plastic Surgery Center
  • NOW SC Press
  • Design & Construction Innovations
  • Paperjacket
  • Searchwurx
  • Next Machine
  • Pasco Economic Development Council
  • We Love Logos
  • Martinez Law
  • North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce
  • Florida Hospital Center Ice
  • CU Engage
  • Berkeley Search Associates
  • Impact Church
  • Hope Church

To earn the designation, the various groups issued a proclamation stating their organization’s commitment to stand against human sex trafficking; provided awareness training to all employees on human trafficking; and, created a “zero tolerance” handbook policy for employees that engage in sex buying or human trafficking.

The U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking has declared several local businesses and organizations ‘Trafficking Free Zones,’ for taking steps to raise awareness on the issue of human sex trafficking. (Courtesy of U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking)

“A business has a certain sphere of influence over the folks they engage with, especially their employee population,” Geoff Rogers, the chief executive officer of the institute against human trafficking said, in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

“The communities where we’ve seen the fight against sex trafficking be most successful are those who have the entire community running after it at the same time,” he explained.

The institute against human trafficking is urging more organizations to participate in the program, which is free.

“Apathy is one of the biggest problems that we face, so we’ve been very focused on how do we get people involved and what can they do,” Rogers said.

The institute’s Trafficking Free Zone program launched in May.

The program establishes a holistic approach – a multisector partnership involving law enforcement, government, businesses, schools and community-based organizations — to try and reduce the demand for sex trafficking.

It also focuses on arresting and prosecuting sex buyers instead of those who are being sold, and educating community members on sex trafficking and implementing other demand reduction techniques, like offering resources for victims, as well as those struggling with sex and/or porn addiction.

Tampa-based U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking works to end human trafficking in the United States through prevention, rescue of victims, combating demand, and providing safe refuge for the restoration of survivors.

Rogers said those techniques are proven practices that have been used across the country. “With all these different sectors of society firing away at the sex trafficking problem, that’s when we begin to see the bottom drop out of demand and real substantive changes and improvement be made in the fight against trafficking within that community.”

Also, through the Trafficking Free Zone program, the institute has partnered with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office on a cyber sting operation that attacks the demand-side of sex trafficking by targeting and identifying online sex buyers through the use of intercept bots. That initiative has been underway since July.

Human sex trafficking has been under the microscope in Florida for some time.

The state has consistently ranked third in the number of cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, behind only California and Texas.

Tampa Bay usually ranks fourth in the state for the number of such calls.

Officials have said the region’s attraction as a tourism destination, along with having international airports and deep-water seaports, increases the likelihood for human sex trafficking. Hosting large sporting events and conventions also lends to the problem.

Pasco County officials have worked to address the issue locally.

In 2014, Pasco County Commissioners formed the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking to promote public awareness about human trafficking, create educational programming opportunities and advocate for strategies to aid survivors of human trafficking.

That commission helped pass an ordinance in 2016 that mandates signage raising awareness of human trafficking to be posted in the restrooms and dressing rooms of sexually oriented businesses, such as adult entertainment establishments and unlicensed massage services.

It also trained more than 3,000 members of the community on human trafficking through its community awareness presentations.

“In many respects, Pasco County is one of the leading counties in the state of Florida in the fight against sex trafficking,” Rogers said.

For information, visit TraffickingFreeZone.com.

Published September 5, 2018