Florida CEOs answer: What's your outlook for 2012?
IT STAFFING
Dan
Rodriguez
CEO -
Veredus -
Tampa
"We have definitely seen increased hiring by our clients, which has led us to hire more recruiters and salespeople here internally. In 2011, we grew revenue about 50%. We're expecting growth in the 30% range in 2012. We're very optimistic. In the technology sector, hiring has been very brisk."
[Photo: Mark Welple] |
RETAIL
Juan Ortiz
CEO -
Navarro Discount Pharmacy -
Medley
ACCOUNTING
Tony Argiz
Chairman / CEO -
Morrison Brown
Argiz & Farra -
Miami
DEVELOPMENT
Roger
O'Steen
Chairman -
PARC Group -
Jacksonville
"We expect a 75% increase in revenue. We're seeing improved market conditions for new homes. We develop land and lots, and we sell those lots to builders so we won't hire many new staff. Our communities are located in very desirable A-plus locations. Statewide, really all over the country, you're seeing the supply of lots in the A locations has been greatly diminished. People realize they can get new homes for the same price as they can get an existing home after the cost of repairing and remodeling. The existing homes have problems. They've been sitting empty for long periods of time."
[Photo: Ryan Ketterman] |
HOTELS
Harris Rosen
President / COO -
Rosen Hotels & Resorts -
Orlando
"We have not come even close to 2005 to 2006, which were our best years. I don't see any significant improvement in 2012 over 2011. The current administration doesn't provide many of us in the private sector with confidence and hope, and until we have confidence and hope, I think we're going to be impacted negatively. It's very hard to be aggressive and be inclined to take risks when you don't know what healthcare costs are going to do, you're concerned about regulation. We have spent about $35 million in the last two years refurbishing our hotels. I wouldn't be doing it unless I believed that things would get better some day. We're contemplating spending $15 million to $20 million in the next 12 months carrying on with our refurbishing."
REAL ESTATE
Michael Saunders
CEO -
Michael Saunders & Co. -
Sarasota
"We are projecting 10% more revenues than 2011, and we are projecting more hires than 2011. We are making a huge investment in a rental property management division expansion. We're finding we can sell to an investor and turn around and rent it for them. (In 2011), we saw a huge influx of international buyers. The pie may not be hugely bigger — you just need to get more of it. We're focusing on increasing per-agent productivity; we're focusing on training; we're focusing on outreach to the international buyers."