Senators support wide-ranging reforms for GERS

From the VI Daily News:

Allowing the GERS board to invest in bonds rated BBB or better. The bill also would allow more investment in real estate and alternative investments.

Is this a good idea? Clicke here for the rest of the article.

The Allure of Buying Your Own Private Island

From the NY Times today:

On Vladi Private Islands the 230-acre undeveloped Thatch Cay in the United States Virgin Islands is selling for $18.6 million and the undeveloped six-acre Red Rock Island, promoted as "the only privately owned island in San Francisco Bay," for $6.5 million.

More here.

Darrin Pinkham Named Vice President, Application Systems at Ginn Clubs & Resorts

The Ginn Company is the new owner of Mahogany Run Golf Course -

CELEBRATION, FL, Ginn Clubs & Resorts, one of the largest private developers in the South, announced that Darrin Pinkham CHTP has joined the company as of Vice President, Application Systems. Pinkham will report to Steve Heselius, VP/CTO, who is responsible for all aspects of network infrastructure, security, standards/compliance, and corporate technology strategies. In the newly created position, Pinkham will be responsible for all business and hospitality applications used by the company’s communities and developments.

Prior to joining Ginn Clubs & Resorts, Pinkham served as Chief Technology officer for Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando, which included Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Royal Pacific Resort, and Lakewood Regional central support facility. Pinkham has also worked for Boca Resorts, Hershey Resorts, and Inter Continental Hotels & Resorts in technology and finance management related positions.

“Information technology is an important component of our growth strategy in hospitality.” said Heselius. He continued “Darrin will provide the tactical leadership we need to install, operate and maintain a leadership position in the usage of technology within the hospitality space. His expertise will allow us to accelerate our use of technology to enhance guest satisfaction, operations and profitability.”

Pinkham is a certified hospitality technology professional (CHTP) from the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP). He also serves on the HITEC Advisory and CHTP Advisory Councils, and previously served as an International Board of Director for HFTP.

Relian Housing in the news

From Yahoo Business:

Receiving the Realtor Achievement Award for this year is Summer Greene, a member of the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale. This award reflects the previous three years' contributions to the community, local, state and national Realtor associations. Consider just some of her community achievements. Since 2001, Greene has served as the director for the Reliance Housing Corporation, a nonprofit developer of affordable housing in the U.S. and Virgin Islands. She is an active supporter of Homeless to Homebuyer, which educates low-income families on how to qualify for city and county grants to purchase homes, and of Habitat for Humanity Hospice. She has chaired and served on dozens of committees for both the local, national and state associations, including as FAR's 2005 Strategic Visioning Committee Chair and as District 11 Vice President in 2001. An RPAC Sterling R member, Greene also teaches Graduate Realtor Institute courses.

Magazine honors luxury agent Jeyan Stout

From the Daily News:

PRINCETON, N.J. - Jeyan Stout of Coldwell Banker Stout Realty of St. Thomas has been named among the top luxury specialists in the country by Unique Homes, the magazine of luxury real estate. She is featured in the Luxury Resort Specialists section of the August-September issue of Unique Homes, currently available on newsstands.