Neal Communities celebrates three-year anniversary of Grand Palm

Neal Communities (NealCommunities.com), the area’s largest and most established, locally owned and operated private builder, is celebrating the three-year anniversary of its award-winning community Grand Palm in Venice.

With a grand opening held in September 2012, the neighborhood was the first built under the Sarasota 2050 plan objectives and demonstrates a successful approach for building in concert with local government while preserving the environment. The neighborhoods are connected via an extensive 27-mile, multi-use trail system.

Appealing to a multigenerational demographic, over 450 families call the unique, master-planned community their home. Grand Palm was honored with a prestigious AURORA Award for best community over 500 acres in the southwest U.S. by the Southeast Building Conference (SEBC). Centrally located, the community is close to world-class beaches, plentiful amenities and the city centers of Venice and Sarasota.

“The reaction to this community has been overwhelming over the past three years,” said Michael Storey, president of Neal Communities. “Grand Palm took years of diligent planning and involved cooperative partnerships with public officials and environmental specialists to create. As we continue to add amenities like parks and Look Out Point Island to the neighborhood, the residents’ lifestyle is continually enhanced. The result is a beautiful community intertwined with the natural Florida landscape, and it has been embraced by the homebuyers,” he said.

The community boasts over nine miles of interconnected wildlife corridors, a 32-acre lake, a six-acre adventure island (with two fishing piers and a kayak livery) and an 18-acre central amenity area for all ages, which includes a 10-acre natural exploration park, clubhouse with fitness center, resort-style fitness pool with slide, splash park, children’s playground, two dogs park and volleyball, tennis, bocce ball and basketball courts.

One- and two-story homes range in size from 1,079 to 3,346 square feet, and pricing starts in the high $100,000s. Grand Palm is a certified green community by the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC).

About Neal Communities

Neal Communities was named one of 2012’s “America’s Best Builders” by BUILDER Magazine and voted the “2013 Best Residential Builder in Southwest Florida” in a readers’ poll sponsored by Gulfshore Business Magazine. The company is ranked No. 1 locally by Metrostudy and by Hanley Wood Market Intelligence based on number of home sales and ranked nationally among the top 50 builders by BUILDER Magazine. To date, Neal has built over 10,000 homes in southwest Florida. As the area’s largest and most established, locally owned and operated private builder, Neal Communities is continually striving for excellence in every aspect of the home building and development business. Neal Signature Homes, Neal Land Ventures, Charlene Neal PureStyle, Waterscapes Pools & Spas, Neal Communities Funding, Fiducia Insurance and Allegiant Title Professionals all contribute to the firm’s continued, record-setting local success. The company’s honors and accolades include 44 Parade of Homes 2015 awards, 50 Aurora Awards, 5 Best in American Living Awards and hundreds of local and regional industry awards.  For more information, please visit www.NealCommunities.com.

Neal Communities hires one and promotes two internally

Neal Communities (NealCommunities.com), the area’s largest and most established, locally owned and operated private builder, recently promoted Christopher Clark and Tashara Cronshaw within the company and added Diane Kerper, who is new to its team.

Clark transitions from his previous position as the vice president of construction to the vice president of operations – north region for Neal Communities, a move that allows for more internal advancement and personal growth as a leader. In this new role, Clark is now responsible for the purchasing and drafting departments along with construction, permitting and warranty.

Cronshaw has been promoted to the position of director of human resources. Prior to this advancement, she served as the human resources coordinator. Cronshaw is responsible for the overall development, coordination, administration and evaluation of the HR function, including managing the department, developing and maintaining systems, establishing interview processes and continually evaluating guidelines and compensation packages for employees.

Kerper brings over 25 years of real estate and operational homebuilding experience to Neal Communities. In her position as the director of sales and marketing – south region, Kerper is responsible for all the regional sales and marketing as well as overseeing the design team for the south region. She will have additional responsibilities in the development of condominium communities.

“We are so proud of Chris and Tashara’s hard work and dedication to Neal Communities,” said Michael Storey, president of Neal Communities. “Their many years of experience and contributions have immensely influenced our team and the company. We also look forward to utilizing Diane’s knowledge within the real estate to further propel Neal Communities. With great leaders and employees, we can continue to accomplish great things in our community.”

Clark has been with Neal Communities for five years. Prior to joining Neal Communities, Clark worked for a national homebuilder as an area construction manager. He has served as vice president of construction at Neal for several years. His past experience includes project manager and construction manager. He is licensed as a general contractor in Florida. Clark earned a bachelor’s degree in building construction from the University of Florida.

With over 15 years of experience in the HR industry, Cronshaw has worked for Neal Communities for two years. Prior to joining the homebuilder, she served as the HR manager for two growing organizations with 70 full-time employees, reporting directly to CEO and president. Originally from Hooksett, N.H., she has the PHR and SHRM-CP designations.

Kerper has held many management positions across several disciplines within residential homebuilding operations, where she oversaw acquisitions, purchasing, design, sales and construction in homebuilding and asset management roles. An executive and a former division president of a leading homebuilder in Florida, Kerper has managed and led multiple large-scale projects for several homebuilding companies in Pennsylvania and Florida.

Additionally, Neal Communities has added 37 positions team. The new additions are part of a major Neal hiring initiative fueled by record-setting sales numbers and 10 new Neal neighborhoods opening in 2015.

About Neal Communities

Neal Communities was named one of 2012’s “America’s Best Builders” by BUILDER Magazine and voted the “2013 Best Residential Builder in Southwest Florida” in a readers’ poll sponsored by Gulfshore Business Magazine. The company is ranked No. 1 locally by Metrostudy and by Hanley Wood Market Intelligence based on number of home sales and ranked nationally among the top 50 builders by BUILDER Magazine. To date, Neal has built over 10,000 homes in southwest Florida. As the area’s largest and most established, locally owned and operated private builder, Neal Communities is continually striving for excellence in every aspect of the home building and development business. Neal Signature Homes, Neal Land Ventures, Charlene Neal PureStyle, Waterscapes Pools & Spas, Fiducia Insurance and Allegiant Title Professionals all contribute to the firm’s continued, record-setting local success. The company’s honors and accolades include 44 Parade of Homes 2015 awards, 50 Aurora Awards, 5 Best in American Living Awards and hundreds of local and regional industry awards. For more information, please visit www.NealCommunities.com.

Neal Communities Launches a Mortgage Arm

Builder Online September 2015– Lakewood Ranch-based Neal Communities, a top 50 member of the Builder 100, has decided to launch its own in-house mortgage wing, Neal Communities Funding.

According to a press release from the company, the mortgage company will be an affiliated business between Neal Communities and Mortgage Funding Direct Ventures. Neal Communities President Michael Storey says the purpose is not just to improve the overall customer experience but also to streamline the mortgage services process for their customers. Read more here.