- Dan Drotos to head new Colliers International Northeast Florida new Gainesville Office
- Hampton Inn & Suites Gainesville-Downtown Appoints New Director of Sales
- UF Health Shands CEO Ed Jimenez Elected Chair of Safety Net Hospital Alliance Board
Dan Drotos to Head New Colliers International Northeast Florida New Gainesville Office
Colliers International Northeast Florida has announced the expansion of its regional presence into Alachua County with the appointment of Dan Drotos as Senior Director of the firm’s Gainesville operations. Drotos is joined by Executive Director Mike Ryals and Associate Director Rory Causseaux.
Drotos and his colleagues, who previously operated as The Drotos Ryals Group, bring more than 80 years of combined commercial real estate, civil engineering and development experience in the Gainesville market to Colliers International Northeast Florida. The addition of the firm’s Gainesville office represents Colliers International Northeast Florida’s third major talent acquisition in North Florida in the past year.
“Gainesville is a rapidly growing market with a unique commercial real estate sector. Dan and his team have proven to be at the forefront of that growth, with deep connections in the community and decades of experience in the industry,” said Managing Director Christian Oldenburg.
“By pairing their extensive local knowledge with Colliers International’s global reach and resources, Dan and his team will remain the market leaders for commercial clients in Gainesville and North Central Florida.” Drotos most recently served as the Vice President of Bosshardt Realty Services, where he was a partner in The Drotos Ryals Group — one of Gainesville’s top-producing commercial real estate teams with more than $1 billion in transactions since its original inception in 1987. Drotos earned his Master of Science in Real Estate (MSRE) degree from the University of Florida and holds multiple professional designations, including Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) and Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR). He is involved in several civic and nonprofit groups, such as the Ronald McDonald House of North Central Florida, First Federal Bank and Leadership Gainesville.
“This transition not only marks a significant advancement in our team’s ability to serve the Gainesville business community with their commercial real estate needs, but also raises the bar locally to a level of professionalism and service not seen before in Alachua County,” said Drotos. “Together with Mike and Rory, I look forward to pairing the scale and resources of Colliers International with our local knowledge and expertise, derived over decades of experience, for the benefit of our client base who share our commitment to preserving Gainesville’s distinctive identity while contributing to its economic growth and prosperity.”
For more than 30 years, Ryals has served as Senior Vice President at Bosshardt Realty Services, where he led the Commercial and Land Division. He is a fifth-generation Floridian and lifelong Gainesville resident who has served on multiple local boards and service organizations. In his new role at Colliers International Northeast Florida, Mike will serve the team primarily in a support and advisory capacity. Prior to joining Colliers International Northeast Florida, Causseaux was a Commercial Realtor with Bosshardt Realty Services. He has more than 35 years of professional consulting experience in the areas of civil engineering and land development for projects in the multifamily, single-family, commercial, retail, office, industrial and institutional sectors. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from the University of Florida and is a licensed Professional Engineer. Causseaux is active in several community organizations, including the Rotary Club of Gainesville, Westside Baptist Church, Westside Foundation, the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, CenterState Bank and the Climb for Cancer Foundation.
Colliers International Colliers International (NASDAQ, TSX: CIGI) is a leading global real estate services and investment management company.
Hampton Inn & Suites Gainesville-Downtown Appoints New Director of Sales
The Hampton Inn & Suites Gainesville-Downtown (101 SE 1st Avenue, Gainesville, Florida) has announced the appointment of industry veteran and former resident Wayne Childs as Director of Sales of the 124-room hotel. Childs will be responsible for overseeing and managing the small meetings market and group travel to the property. Managed by LBA Hospitality and owned by Key International, the Hampton Inn & Suites Gainesville-Downtown offers nearly 1,875 square feet of meeting space and beautifully appointed guest rooms and studio suites recently renovated in 2017.
“Wayne’s extensive knowledge of the Gainesville area, strong business relationships within the community and well-rounded experience in all aspects of hotel sales and marketing make him a natural choice and a huge asset to the property,” said hotel General Manager Brad McCreedy.
With more than three decades of experience in the travel and hospitality industry, Childs has spent the last 20 years in the hotel sales arena, providing sales expertise to more than 120 properties, specializing in corporate group and business travel. He was most recently the Sales Manager at The Plantation on Crystal River, but prior to that he served in both sales and operational roles with Hilton University of Florida Hotel and Conference Center, the former Paramount Plaza and University Centre Hotels—all in Gainesville, Florida.
“This is a wonderful homecoming for me,” said Childs. “I’ve spent a majority of my life living and working in Gainesville, and it’s thrilling to be back in a community I love and know so well.”
Located in the heart of downtown Gainesville, the property is within walking distance to more than 40 restaurant and entertainment venues, as well as Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, home of the University of Florida Gators. The property is ideal for business travelers, groups and those traveling to the area for business and leisure events with the University of Florida. Room amenities include free Wi-Fi, in-room refrigerators, microwave ovens, and large flat screen TVs. Guests also enjoy starting each day with Hampton’s free hotel breakfast or signature On the Run Breakfast Bags, available Monday through Friday.
UF Health Shands CEO Ed Jimenez Elected Chair of Safety Net Hospital Alliance Board
UF Health Shands CEO Ed Jimenez has been elected to chair the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida’s board of directors. The group advocates for the state’s 14 flagship safety net hospital systems, which provide the most advanced critical care to patients regardless of their ability to pay.
Jimenez will serve a two-year term on the 14-member board, composed of CEOs from teaching, public, children’s and regional perinatal intensive care hospitals. Safety Net Alliance hospitals provide specialized care to uninsured, underinsured and Medicaid patients. They also train the next generation of physicians and nurses, conduct leading-edge research that leads to important medical advances and provide lifesaving services such as organ transplantation, intensive burn treatment and the highest-level trauma care.
“I am especially proud to be a part of the team that advocates for the resources that provide health care services to our neediest residents. Safety net hospitals depend on state and federal funding, so the Hospital Alliance’s role is crucial,” Jimenez said.
The Safety Net Alliance hospitals are public or not-for-profit, mission-driven facilities that put patients before profits. Funds from reimbursed services are reinvested locally in health services, facilities, equipment, innovation and jobs.
As a large and diversified academic health center that operates teaching and safety net hospitals in Gainesville and Jacksonville, UF Health has a broad range of expertise and specialized programs, including the UF Health Shands Burn Center, the UF Health Shands Transplant Center, two Level 1 trauma centers and a neonatal intensive care center. UF Health also runs a robust physician residency program that trains the state’s future health care providers.
Safety Net Alliance members represent just 10 percent of the state’s hospitals but provide almost 50 percent of the charity care in Florida and nearly 50 percent of Medicaid hospital care, according to the Alliance. Jimenez said he welcomes the opportunity to keep state and federal leaders aware of the particular challenges and responsibilities facing Florida’s Safety Net Alliance hospitals.
Jimenez has nearly 25 years of health care management and leadership experience. He was appointed CEO of UF Health Shands in April 2015 after serving as interim CEO and chief operating officer. His tenure includes overseeing construction projects as well as improvements in operations, financial performance and employee engagement.
