Michael A. Gilkey, Inc.: 2008 FNGLA Awards

Congratulations to local landscape architecture studio Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. for receiving three awards at this year's Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association Landscape Awards Program. Michael received two Residential Awards of Excellence, and was given the Roy S. Rood Award, given to the most outstanding of all entries in all categories.

The Roy S. Rood Award and one Award of Excellence were given for Casa del Carnevale on St. Armand's Circle. The client's objective for this historically designated home was to reflect the 'Carnevale' aesthetic throughout the landscape. The result is reminiscent of an early 20th century botanical garden.The second Award of Excellence was given for a private residence on North Casey Key Drive. The client's vision for this unique gulf-to-bay lot was a Florida garden that echoed the tropical style of their former Hawaiian residence.

Kangaroo was honored and proud to assist Michael in award application and media relations. Special thanks to Gana Gilkey for all application photography. A sincere congratulations is also extended to Fish Branch Tree Farm, FNGLA 2008 Grower of the Year.

Concrete Countertops, Etc.: Durable Beauty

Concrete Countertops, Etc. owner Jake Brady utilizes the very latest in sustainable concrete surface technology. His concrete surfaces are beautiful and long lasting, and play a vital role in reducing the burden on our nation’s landfills.

Concrete Countertops, Etc. uses a three-part component system and surface-reactant lithium sealer, resulting in a product which is more dense and more stain-resistant than any other concrete surface available. Jake's unique mix design replaces 35% of the Portland cement with a post-industrial waste that actually makes his concrete stronger. Concrete Countertops, Etc. also uses the wastewater from their polishing process, helping protect Florida’s fragile water supply.

A native of Nova Scotia, Jake moved to Sarasota in 1997 and began his remodeling career with his father. He began his own business, Jake of All Trades, specializing in kitchen and bath remodels. In 2007, he attended the Concrete Countertop Institute in Raleigh, North Carolina, completing intensive training in precast countertops and sinks. After a mutually beneficial employment experience with Ben Nettles Concrete Design in 2008, Jake created Concrete Countertops, Etc. with a unique technique, mix design, and philosophy. Jake resides in Sarasota with his partner Angel and his English Bulldog, Maggie, and enjoys fishing in Sarasota Bay and riding his motorcycle.

Concrete Countertops, Etc. is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, the Florida Green Building Coalition, and is an elite support member of the Concrete Countertop Institute.

Please contact us to visit to the new Concrete Countertops, Etc. showroom, at 6130 Clark Center Avenue, Suite 101.

Kangaroo is enthusiastically assisting Jake with design coordination, consumer relations, media relations, and industry and grant research.

An Evening of Art : Marcy Chapman

Kangaroo Promotions was proud to introduce Marcy Chapman to the Sarasota gallery scene in grand fashion Friday evening during the Third Friday ArtWalk at Towles Court.
Marcy introduced her fall collection, which included a sunflower series, a fern series, and the first of an angel trumpet series entitled 'Music of the Night,' featured in a recent article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Also present at the exhibit were favorite archival pieces from Marcy's personal collection. Subject matter ranged from an artichoke to a buddha statue given to daughter Elizabeth as a wedding gift. Marcy was hosted by The Laughing Monkey, creator of fine fabric art, baby slings and quilts. Guests at the event enjoyed wine donated by Maggie Originals. Special thanks to Gana Gilkey for event photography.
In attendance were Marcy's family, friends, and several sorority sisters from Alpha Chi Omega. Kangaroo was proud to assist Marcy with the planning and media relations for this event.

Lucky Design Studio: Kangaroo Branding

Kangaroo Promotions would like to heartily thank Lucky Design Studio and designer Luis Trujillo for our new branding package! Reflective of the unique and creative clients we serve, the new face of Kangaroo is hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind, and FUN.

With a fresh vision to innovate, Lucky is a full-service graphic arts production company ready to assist Kangaroo in meeting the needs of our clientele, growing each to a higher level of performance. Their expertise is creating a visual representation or “feeling” that influences a given target market.

The artistic vision of Lucky Design Studio reflects the comfort of tradition with a fresh perspective in graphic design. With an international creative team, Lucky is on the cutting edge of impact marketing in some of the fastest growing areas in the Americas. This fresh perspective ensures that they will represent our clients with a vibrant energy that transcends the mundane.

Bevinco of Sarasota: Inventory of Nightlife

Bevinco already saves Sarasota and Manatee bars and restaurants huge amounts of money each month. In fall 2008, Bevinco will not only be taking inventory of liquor, but of Sarasota nightlife, featuring establishments that benefit from their service.

Bevinco of Sarasota increases the profits of their establishments by an average 10%-15% (sometimes upwards of 25%) while reducing their costs by 5%. This is done through careful comparison of the liquor, beer and wine portions used in a time period with portions sold.

Bevinco then uses a proprietary, industry leading software program to organize and summarize their findings, so that their clients know exactly when and where to take action to control any losses and increase their profit. Bevinco guarantees better results for their clients, regardless of what current inventory management system or method of analysis they are using.

Bevinco Bar News will feature a bar, bartender, and drink recipe each month, as well as introductions of new liquor, beer and wine on the market. This innovative tool will also showcase profit increases and loss reductions for featured bars, and incentives for prospective clientele.

“The promised results were immediate. All my costs dropped dramatically and are very consistent on a month to month basis. I would strongly recommend any liquor establishment hiring BEVINCO. When and if I open another restaurant, BEVINCO would be the first on board.” --current client

Kangaroo Promotions is excited to assist Bevinco in generating Bevinco Bar News, industry research and consumer and media relations, website coordination and potential event planning.

Bella Casa of Sarasota: Pure Craftsmanship

Bella Casa of Sarasota is the no-compromise quality builder of finely crafted, beautiful custom homes on Florida's Gulf Coast. With years of experience working with the state's finest artisans, builders, contractors and architects, team leader Don Whisman has developed a refined eye for quality and craftsmanship.Each home built by Bella Casa of Sarasota is unique, elegant, and exactly suited to the needs of its owner. Bella Casa of Sarasota invites you to tour their Sarasota collection and see for yourself the difference that true craftsmanship brings to a custom home.
Kangaroo will serve Bella Casa of Sarasota by coordinating web and graphic design services, media relations, marketing and publicity.

Marcy Chapman Art Exhibit : 09.19.08

Renowned compositional watercolorist Marcy Chapman invites you to view her fall collection. She will be hosted by The Laughing Monkey, creator of beautifully crafted fabric goods.

The art exhibit will take place in downtown Towles Court during their Third Friday ArtWalk. Please come and enjoy this free event as we celebrate beautiful art with good wine and company.

WHAT:
Marcy Chapman, Watercolorist:
Retrospective Art Exhibit

WHEN:
Friday, Sept. 19th
6:00pm-10:00pm
Towles Court ArtWalk

WHERE:
The Laughing Monkey Studio
244 S. Links Avenue
Sarasota, Florida 34236

Light refreshments will be served.

The Birth Survey: Nationwide Launch

Laura Gilkey of Kangaroo Promotions is proud to serve as Florida Coordinating Ambassador for The Birth Survey: The Transparency in Maternity Care Project.
The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) has developed The Birth Survey: The Transparency in Maternity Care Project for families to share information, learn about the choices and birth experiences of others, and view data on hospital and birth center intervention rates and practices. It is also designed to help providers and facilities improve the quality and transparency of their care.
The members of CIMS are individuals and organizations with concern for the care and well-being of mothers, babies, and families. Their mission is to promote mother-friendly care: a model of maternity care that will improve birth outcomes and substantially reduce costs.
At the heart of The Transparency Project is an on-going online consumer survey that asks women who have birthed babies within the past three years to provide feedback about their birth experience with a particular doctor or midwife and within a specific birth environment. Paired with this experiential data (where available) are official statistics from state departments of health listing obstetrical intervention rates at the facility level. Initial data will be available beginning in Fall 2008.
The Birth Survey was created as a mechanism for sharing and accessing information about maternity care practices in each community.
The Birth Survey will be made available to expectant parents in the contiguous United States on August 15, 2008. At that time, women will be invited to log in to the site and participate in the confidential survey, thus providing the results that will serve, along with the data provided by the State Departments of Health, as a resource for expectant parents in communities nationwide.

SRQ Herald Features Michael A. Gilkey, Inc.

Excerpt from the article:

"Although thoughtfully considered and meticulously planned, the landscape scheme and choices for plant material evolved...The result is just what every homeowner dreams of -- a unified vision expressed in house and garden. It's exactly what should happen when homeowners, architect and landscape architect work in concert from the beginning of the project."

Fish Branch Tree Farm: Live Oak Cultivars

After a decade-long process, Fish Branch Tree Farm has developed two new cultivars of the native Live Oak. Owners John and Linda Conroy and environmental horticulturalist Lloyd Morgan have narrowed their selection through a careful and scientific process to produce two proud and perfect parent trees, each with a different set of desirable characteristics for today's landscape applications.

The Boardwalk(R) has an upright growth habit with excellent branch attachment, and the Park Side(R) has a classic Live Oak canopy with a strong central leader. In addition, Fish Branch grows a third cultivar, the Cathedral (R), which has an easily maintained central leader and wide-angled branches.

Live Oaks grown from acorns are highly variable in their development. There are several varieties, as well as hybrid crosses, which contribute to inconsistency. The need for predictability in the landscape industry has sparked an interest in the selection and propagation of Live Oak cultivars. Cultivars are genetic clones that replicate the traits of their parent trees. This ensures a uniformity that is impossible to achieve through seedlings. If 100 acorns are planted, 100 aesthetically different Live Oaks will grow, each with a unique branch structure. However, when 100 cultivar oaks are planted, the result is 100 genetically identical trees.

It was not until about 15 years ago that a commercially viable propogation method was developed for cloning Live Oaks. Fish Branch owner John Conroy saw a need for cultivars that addressed not only the structural requirements of the landscape industry, but the aesthetic desires as well. Cultivars were being created, but the results were "simply not pretty enough," says Conroy. He began the propogation process by selectively taking cuttings from Live Oaks that displayed exceptional examples of the characteristics the industry desired. These traits, along with Florida's Grades and Standards for evaluating trees, have guided Fish Branch in the selection process.

Under Conroy's direction, Fish Branch environmental horticulturalist Lloyd Morgan has rejected hundreds of trees and taken thousands of cuttings to create two distinctly different Live Oaks that are unique in today's landscape. "After a rigorous selection process and years of experimentation, we have two cultivars that should satisfy the desires of the industry," says Morgan.

Kangaroo's scope of services includes project placement, industry research, information circulation, and media and consumer relations.